Serve Newsletter - Bringing Shalom to our communities

 

Email not displaying correctly? Click here for the browser version of this newsletter     "The single largest crisis facing the UK since World War Two", was how one CEO of a large local authority described the present economic challenges. With large scale cuts, major changes to the benefit system, high food and fuel prices, we have only begun to feel the effects of the banking meltdown in 2009. One local authority has produced the "graph of doom", where income is dramatically falling due to the cuts, but adult social need is rising at such a rate that by 2018 the council will not be able to meet even its statutory requirements. With dangers, however, come significant opportunities – and the often hidden work of the Church is now beginning to be recognized as impressive, wide ranging and resilient. Like never before, we have an opportunity to partner with civic authorities in the provision of services especially to those in most need. The door is wide open to churches, especially those who are coming together in effective unity groups to work alongside housing trusts, colleges, councils, police forces, fire services, businesses etc. We are increasingly being viewed as good value for money with a great track record and sustainable.   Now is  the time to come out of our ghettos to enter again the public square, to serve, to influence and lead. Now is the time to partner and to build long lasting friendships with the people of peace in our cities and towns. Now is the time to seek their prosperity and shalom. Roger Sutton is a member of the Serve leadership team, Leader of Gather and Ambassador for the Evangelical Alliance. In this edition you'll find.... Funding, new resources, latest news, stories and training & events.   Funding We all know the classic verse, 'God loves a cheerful giver' (2 Cor 9:7). Our friends at Stewardship have launched a resource all about making giving easy that will bring a smile to your face. You can find it at www.give.net and it's perfect for individuals and charities alike. Set up a new donation, manage your tithes in one place or register to collect funds for a charity on the site. Find out more here: http://www.give.net/pages/about       New resources What are mental health problems? The Church of England's mental health group and Revd Eva McIntyre have teamed up with Time to Change to create a pack for churches, providing ideas and resources for churches to plan worship on the theme of mental health. One in four people will experience a mental health problem in any year. Mental health problems like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can affect anyone at any time, and it's likely that many people in your congregation have been affected.  But although mental health problems are common, nearly nine out of 10 people affected still say they have faced stigma and discrimination as a result.  Find out more about mental health and how talking about it can help.   Latest news A major new programme to celebrate, promote and link the huge variety of social action undertaken by the nation's faith communities has been launched by Faith and Communities Minister Baroness Warsi. 'Together in Service' is a three-year programme celebrating social action projects, and can be based around each of the faith communities' religious festivals or dedicated volunteering days. It is designed to motivate and inspire new work, especially around multi-faith volunteering projects between religions. Click here to read more....     Stories This month we bring you a selection of stories about lives being changed through generosity. This is one of three of eye-opening documentaries from Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the BBC from the Why Poverty? series. Holiday from poverty – documentary Tell us about you.  How are you or your church transforming lives around you?  Have you got a story to tell about reaching out with God's love?  Tell us here.     Training & Events Working Together A consultation looking at how the Church can engage with civic authorities. Date: 20th-21st March 2013 Venue: At The Life Centre, Manchester, 235 Washway Road, Sale, M33 4B Find out more and book here.     Leadership support with the Cinnamon Network The Cinnamon Network is working in partnership with the Ella Foundation to provide leadership development support to CEOs. The purpose of the Ella Foundation is to inspire leaders of charities and social enterprises to achieve their full potentia. For more information, visit the website.   Raising Our Game Spiritual passion and professional excellence - we strive to achieve this in bringing transformation to our communities.  Whatever you do - whether it's co-ordinating your community based project or managing volunteers, come and share in an inspiring day and meet others with the same heart for community.  These sessions are led by Tearfund's Church in the Community advisors.  Join us in Norwich on 8th March or later in the year at  Hove, Liverpool, Colchester, London or Newcastle.   For a sneak preview, have a look at Key 1: Encouraging Spiritual Passion.    Find out if there's an event near you and to book, visit our website.   Leadership Workshops with Innovista If you're a leader in your 20s or 30s and involved in Christian mission of any kind, then you'll want to check out this series of practical one day workshops from Innovista that will help you lead mission better. How to lead well through change Date: 28 March, 10am-4pm Venue: Oxford Cost: £65 (£35 for students) including lunch If you're leading your team through large scale organisational change or individual change, this experiential workshop will give you the tools to lead and coach your team in change. Bringing out the best in your team Date: 2 May, 10am-4pm Venue: Oxford  Cost: £65 (£35 for students) including lunch You'll learn to identify and appreciate the strengths in your team. You'll practise using tools to get your team to use those strengths to overcome challenge, work innovatively, and to pass on an appreciative culture at work. "Innovista's workshops have completely transformed the way I manage and lead staff and volunteers" - Toby Baxter, Pastor for Crossway Life and Co-founder of Catalyst Trust. Bookings and more info: www.innovista.org/workshops

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Housing Justice's spring news letter

 now available for your delectation..  at

http://www.housingjustice.org.uk/data/__resources/586/Newsletter-Spring-2013.pdf

A good article on forthcoming benefits changes...is included.

 

 

 

Food banks can only plug the holes in social safety nets

Very insightful Guardian article

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/feb/27/food-banks-social-safety-nets

 

Donation-dependent, food banks aren't a 'normal' part of support for those in need, but they help identify flaws in social protection.....

Gather Newsletter

I'm going... Any one else from Lancashire?

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Gather

To: Greg

Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 3:21 PM

Subject: Gather Newsletter

Gather Consultation on civic engagement Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. "Working Together" A Consultation looking at how the Church can engage with civic authorities 20th - 21st March 2013 at The Life Centre, Manchester, 235 Washway Road, Sale. M33 4B How can churches engage with civic life ? How does the economic crisis now give the church unparalleled opportunities to partner with the council, police force, housing trust and other service providers? What are the opportunities and what dangers must be avoided? What are the practical do's and dont's of church-civic engagement? What are the best examples of good practice around the county? These and other questions are being discussed and addressed in this strategic 24hr consultation. You will hear from experienced practitioners in cities and towns across the country. Theresa Grant (CEO of Trafford Council) will be addressing the consultation looking at the do's and don'ts of church-civic engagement, the serious crisis facing the statuary authorities and what happens when we run out money to meet the most basic needs. Neil Wain (Former Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester now working with Redeeming our Communities) will be  addressing the consultation. What to do and what not to do in working with the police. What the church and the police can learn from each other? How can churches connect with their local police? How good are churches at working with local authorities? New research to be unveiled at the consultation. Listen to an inspiring story of transformation in Salford, when the churches get their act together. Hear about the key role the churches played after the riots of 2010 in Croydon and how that has led to a new level of engagement. Significant connections with civic authorities being made across Plymouth. Be part of compiling a good practice document to be sent out to churches across the country Gather is an emerging national network of vibrant missional unity movements in towns and cities across the UK Together, we see a national network of unity movements being formed across the UK. A gathering together of those who believe that when churches and leaders put down their differences and start to form friendships, pray together and undertake mission initiatives for the sake of their local areas, God commands the blessing. Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend Book your place Go to www.wegather.co.uk and download the booking form or email us for further information  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © *|2013|* *Gather EA*, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have shown interest in the Gather Unity Network Our mailing address is: admin@wegather.co.uk  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

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Holidays for the poorest

Falcon Camps are holidays run by Church Pastoral Aid Society for children and young people aged 8-16. Most children who come on Falcon Camps are from families facing some sort of disadvantage or marginalisation in society, such as unemployment, financial difficulties, loss, separation or exclusion from education.

There are around 20 each summer all over the country, they are heavily subsidised to make them affordable to all. Each Falcon will include a variety of activities and some Christian teaching every day which is designed to be fun and accessible and is suitable for young people who have had little or no experience of teaching about Jesus.

They offer a great opportunity for young people to have new experiences and learn about God's love for them.  Each camp is run by a team of enthusiastic volunteers.

If you would like to find out more about sending children or young people to a camp or you think helping to lead on a Falcon might be right up your street, then please get in touch with Jane Stephenson jstephenson@cpas.org.uk or call 0300 123 0780 ex 4382

Welfare-to-work scheme 'is failing'

 

A multi-billion-pound scheme to help long-term unemployed people into work has been branded extremely poor by MPs.

 

see  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21532191

The new look CAP Money Course has arrived!

 

----- Original Message -----

From: John Kirkby

To: pcaninfo@gmail.com

Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 4:50 PM

Subject: The new look CAP Money Course has arrived!

Can’t see any images? View this in your web browser Facebook Twitter Donate

–Aa+Aa Dear Greg, The CAP Money Course has had a serious facelift with new DVDs, revamped course materials and improved web tools that will help everyone to budget, save and spend better. We all know just how important it is to have a good handle on your finances in these uncertain economic times, so book onto a free course near you. Just pop your postcode in online to see a list of courses running in your area. We went on the CAP Money Course and found out we were £400 a month better off. Everyone should go on a CAP Money course, it teaches you what to do with your money, how to create a budget and stick within your means. It gives you control back. Katie, CAP Money Course delegate If you want to reach out and make a difference in your community for relatively low cost and commitment then getting your church to run the CAP Money Course is a great way to do it. Find out more here. John Kirkby Founder and International Director Tell a friend about CAP This email has been sent to you by Christians Against Poverty donorrelations@capuk.org 01274 760761 Jubilee Mill, North Street, Bradford, BD1 4EW Registered Charity Numbers 1097217 & SC038776 (Scotland) Unsubscribe from this list   Add to your safe senders list

Interesting article about food poverty

Everyone's talking about it:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/feb/18/food-poverty-uk-human-rights-obligations?CMP=twt_gu

 

Government celebrates social action from groups who "do God"

 

Faith groups are being invited to take part in a new programme to celebrate, promote and link the variety of social action projects they are involved in.

see  http://www.eauk.org/current-affairs/news/government-celebrates-social-action-from-groups-who-do-god.cfm

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/baroness-warsi-launches-together-in-service-the-next-phase-of-support-for-multi-faith-volunteering

Please help us in gathering information about church linked social action in Blackpool ; Please complete this online survey

First of all apologies if you have already received this information by other channels...

 

Over recent months Together Lancashire has been working in partnership with Churches Together in Blackpool and the Blackpool Homeless Partnership to build stronger networks for our aim of Tackling Poverty Together.

We have found that while need is immense across Blackpool, a lot is being done but that information about projects and activities is not very well documented or shared. This survey is intended to gather information about existing work with the aim of devleoping better signposting and referrals between churches and caring groups serving the community, and helping us to build better partnerships and colaboration.

We hope to publish the basic contact information collected in a website format, and as a leaflet in the near future so people can easily find out about local services that serve those in need..

We would like a questionnaire to be completed for every relevant project or activity rather than for each church or organisation - as it is likely many churches will be running more than one relevant service or activity.

We are particularly interested to gather as extensive information as possible about the following categories of anti poverty work.
                Food bank and food parcel services
                drop ins, soup kitchens and community cafes
                support services for homeless or formerly  
                     homeless people
                support for people wishing to find work
                Money management courses or advice centres
                welfare benefits advice and advocacy
                helping people get online or with IT skills
                family support work

Please use the link below to start entering data for your project or activity. If your church or organisation offers more than one relevant activity you can go back to the link as many times as you need in order to complete an entry for each one.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mappingsocialactioninblackpool

Because anyone can use this link to give us details about any relevant work, you can forward this to colleagues or friends who are doing work you feel should be included, and invite them to take part.

Thanks for your participation!

Shalom

Greg Smith

Development Co-ordinator Together Lancashire / Preston Christian Action Network

Mobile 07726177044

Together Lancashire, registered office Church House, Blackburn BB1 5AA

Registered Charity no 1147848 Registered company no 07966145

Together Lancashire Website http://www.cuf.org.uk/together-lancashire

Our Blackpool blog (you can sign up there to receive news and information updates by email) is at http://togetherlancashireinblackpool.blogspot.co.uk/ .

Our Blackpool facebook group which anyone may join is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/tlblackpool/

JRF research : Whatever you think marriage is for, it's no cure for poverty

 

Two interesting snippets from JRF here

 

http://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/2013/02/marriage-no-cure-poverty

 

http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/poverty-role-institutions-behaviours

INTRODUCING THE BLACKPOOL FOOD PARTNERSHIP - LETTER TO THE CHURCHES LENT 2013

 A printable copy of this information can be dowloaded from

 https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89023969/Introducing%20BFP%20%26%20lent%20appeal.pdf

together with a poster for your noticeboard  https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89023969/blackpool%20food%20partnership%20poster.pdf

The Need

There are hundreds of people in Blackpool who struggle to make ends meet and who from time to time find they are so penniless they cannot feed themselves or their families. Many churches and community groups already offer help on a small scale with food parcels or vouchers given out to callers as they feel appropriate. They report rapidly rising demand and there is an expectation that this will increase dramatically from April 2013 when changes and cuts in welfare benefits are implemented.

The Network

Over the last few months Together-Lancashire has been organising a series of meetings of church leaders with staff and volunteers in homelessness and community projects with a view to establishing and strengthening a Blackpool wide network of food bank projects, with a co-ordinated approach to sourcing food and eligibility criteria and referral practices. There has been enthusiasm for working together from key players including member bodies of Churches Together in Blackpool and the Blackpool Homelessness Partnership, the Saint Vincent de Paul society and the Blackpool Food Bank manged by Oasis Church.

The Project

Methodist Action North West has agreed to take on the management of the service and to provide some staffing resources and will be setting up a local steering group composed of representatives of the churches and voluntary groups in the network. We are working on agreed policies and procedures, seeking to identify a central storage depot, and in conversations with Blackpool Council about some posibilities of funding and partnership. We are working with a wider coalition of Churches and charities across the whole of Lancashire to address underlying issues of food poverty and to source free or cheap foodstuffs in bulk from the food supply industry. We hope to have a major launch event for the partnership sometime in April 2013.

Our Ethos

We have agreed that the partnership will be presented in public as an ecumenical Christian initiative and will seek to maintain a Christian ethos as we work together for the common good. The project is not intended to be evangelistic or to persuade clients to attend a church, although Christians involved in the work will be at liberty to speak appropriately about their faith and motivations for service, giving respect to others who may have different views. We are committed to serve the whole community in the town and offer support to people of all faiths and none. We welcome contributions and gifts of food, funding and voluntary labour from anyone across the community.

How you can help

There are four main ways churches and communities can help the partnership develop

1. collecting and donating non perishable foodstuffs
2. raising funds or donating money to the project
3. volunteering your time to work with us
4. setting up a distribution depot in your church or centre to serve clients from your neighbourhood.

DONATIONS OF FOOD  

• we are grateful to receive donations from individuals, churches, or other groups and organisations. Please bring them to North Shore Methodist Church on Wednesday Mornings-up to 1pm.
• the main items required are non perishable foods:

cans of: meat, fish , stews, soups, vegetables (potatoes, beans, carrots, peas, sweetcorn etc), fruit, creamed rice, custard, other desserts

dried foods: pasta, rice, noodles (including pot noodles), small variety packs of breakfast cereals, biscuits. small packets of other items: such as teabags, coffee, sugar, snacks.

• please note all items must be "in date" or they will have to be dumped.
• If you belong to a church, community group or school you could perhaps think about:

finding a volunteer to take charge of promoting the project. having a collecting box in your church or community centre. asking your congregation or community to buy a couple of extra cans or packets when out shopping and donate them

making a regularly monthly delivery to

Perhaps you could begin with a Lent appeal to maximise our stocks before the launch in April, then later in the year use harvest and Christmas for seasonal appeals.

Fund Raising

We would love to hear from individuals, churches or businesses who would like to support the project through donations of money or by suggestions for fundraising events. Donations from individual taxpayers can be Gift aided via Methodist Action NW.. (Donations Payable to Methodist Action NW and designated for Blackpool Food Partnership)

Volunteering

The project needs volunteers working within your own local centres and churches and also centrally.to help with

• sorting and packing food parcels
• driving and transporting materials
• helping with administration and fundraising
• to staff the distribution points (including spending time talking with and listening to clients' stories and signposting them to other services that can help
• persuading supermarkets to support us with collection points

Local Depots

Iniitially the service will be developed in the town centre using premises of the Methodist church. However within in six months we can envisage distribution depots in various part of Blackpool such as South Shore, Mereside, Bishpham/Cleveleys and Layton/Grange Park . If your church or centre is interested please contact us.

Donations of food can be delivered to North Shore Methodist Church on Wednesday Mornings  around noon, or ring Phil Moore to arrange alternatives on 07407760572.

For all other offers of help please contact

Stephen Read-Moore, Operations Manager, Methodist Action (North West) Ltd Tel. 01772 751000 Mob. 07769 291536 or email Stephen.Read-Moore@methodistaction.co.uk

Date of next meeting - Blackpool Food partnership steering group

Dear Colleagues,

 

Thank you for completeing the doodle poll with your available dates. As always you cannot please all of the people all of the time but the most popular date appears to be

 

Friday 1st March 

10am

at Springfields Methodist Church, Bishpham Road.

 

I will sen out a more detailed agend etc. just before the meeting

 

Because some people have found it difficult to read earlier attachments I've put them as pdf files in my drop box.. I've also added the Lent appeal letter to churches and an interim poster asking for donations. Please print thes off for use in your churches and other groups

 

You can access various files by clicking the links below.

 

 

 

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89023969/Blackpool%20Food%20Partnership%20%28Referral%20Voucher%29.pdf

 

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89023969/Blackpool%20Food%20Partnership%28Referral%20Criteria%29.pdf

 

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89023969/Terms%20Of%20Reference%20For%20the%20Blackpool%20Food%20Partnership%20Steering%20Group.pdf

 

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89023969/Introducing%20BFP%20%26%20lent%20appeal.pdf

 

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89023969/blackpool%20food%20partnership%20poster.pdf

 

Shalom

Greg Smith

Development Co-ordinator Together Lancashire / Preston Christian Action Network

34 Broadgate, Preston PR1 8DU

Phone no. 01772 827987 Mobile 07726177044

Together Lancashire, registered office Church House, Blackburn BB1 5AA

Registered Charity no 1147848 Registered company no 07966145

Together Lancashire Website http://www.cuf.org.uk/together-lancashire

See also PCAN Website www.pcan.org.uk or and

BLOG http://prestonchristianactionnetwork.blogspot.com/ (you can sign up there to receive news and information updates by email)

Job Vacancy - ARC Outreach Wellbeing Worker - Wesley Hall, Feilden Street, Blackburn BB2 1LQ

 

 

Methodist Action North West Ltd is currently recruiting to the post of ARC Outreach Wellbeing Worker – Wesley Hall, Feilden Street, Blackburn BB2 1LQ. Application is by application form against the Job Description and Person Specification. For an application pack and all details please contact Bren Cook (Centre Manager) at bren.cook@methodistaction.co.uk or on 01254 696940.

The completed application form should be emailed to bren.cook@methodistaction.co.uk. It should arrive no later than noon on Friday 22^nd February 2013.

If you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, please take it that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

The interview date is Thursday 7^th March 2013 at Wesley Hall, Feilden Street, Blackburn BB2 1LQ.

Salary £17,000 Based at Wesley Hall, Blackburn

Job summary

The ARC project works closely with the asylum seekers and refugee community in Blackburn, Darwen and beyond. Providing one to one support, drop-ins, and other social activities ARC seeks to be alongside people seeking safety and refuge in the UK. This post will be part of the team and work with the community both within Wesley Hall and in an outreach capacity. We are looking for an energetic and enthusiastic person that has some experience working in social care or with asylum seekers and refugees. The project is set in Wesley Hall which is part of the Methodist Church. Applicants are welcome from all backgrounds or faiths though it is expected that the person appointed will work to the Christian values underpinning the project.

Main duties include:

Provide guidance and support to the asylum seeker and refugee community and families and individuals within it; communication and cooperation with relevant agencies; team work; ensure safeguarding of service users; offer advice on such issues as benefits, education, budgeting, accommodation and employment; facilitate empowerment of service users; risk assessment and risk management; flexible approach to working hours; operate within Methodist Actions policies and procedures.

This is a Fixed Term Full Time contract to 31^st March 2014 (with a view to extending).

Information on welfare reforms

We have just come across a useful leaflet on the forthcoming welfare reorms produced in Hertfordshire

 

You can download a pdf versionb of this here

 

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89023969/Welfare%20Reforms%20Leaflet.pdf

Fw: Blackpool Council Youth Fund

HI folks,

 

Blackpool Council Youth fund are seeking applications for the 2013/14 funding year. The priorities are to

• Tackle child poverty, raise aspirations and improve educational achievement 

• Safeguard and protect the most vulnerable 

• Expand and promote our tourism, arts, heritage and cultural offer 

• Improve health and well-being especially for the most disadvantaged  3

• Attract sustainable investment and create quality jobs 

• Encourage responsible entrepreneurship for the benefit of our communities 

• Improve housing standards and the environment we live in by using housing

investment to create stable communities 

• Create safer communities and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour 

• Deliver quality services through a professional, well-rewarded and

motivated workforce 

and there is up to £250,000 available.

 

ONE Blackpool have indicated that they would be looking for co-ordinated approach to this work and 'Greater Together' a consortium of agencies delivering children and young people's work across the geographic county of Lancashire are putting a bid together. I have expressed an interest in that bid in order to hold a place at the table.

 

If any church wishes to be involved in the work could they please get in touch with me so that we can discuss the best way forward. This would not preclude a church submitting their own bid; but please be aware that the closing date is 29^th February 2013 with a decision by May.

 

Hope to hear from you soon

 

Blessings

Ed

Ed Saville

Lead Officer - Social Responsibility Blackburn Diocese

Tel: 01254 503275

Mobile: 07912227144

ed.saville@blackburn.anglican.org

St Mary's House, Cathedral Close, Blackburn BB1 5AA

Parish: St Luke's Brierfield

Tel: 01282 613235

e.saville@btinternet.com

This e-mail and any attached files are confidential and may also be legally privileged. They are intended solely for the intended addressee. If you are not the addressee please e-mail it back to the sender and then immediately, permanently delete it. Do not read, print, re-transmit, store or act in reliance on it,

The Blackburn Diocesan Board of Finance Limited (by guarantee)

Registered in England

Registered Company Number 225457 

Registered Charity Number 247647

Registered Office Church House, Cathedral Close, Blackburn BB1 5AA