You will remember from a previous post I was talking about commitment through Advent - doing something that you would not normally do.
Homeless Shoebox Appeal - Update
I have 8 shoeboxes on the go all getting pretty full now. Members at church have been good and supplied all sorts of things, hats, scarves, small gifts, chocolates, toiletries and cup a soups. Another week or so to go and I can get them distributed. let's see if we can get some more.
Stockdales Volunteering - Update
Several people went down last week and helped brew up for the residents, the leaders were very grateful for the help and this allowed them to concentrate on the baking - those were fantastic mince pies :o)
Sponsor a child - I have been toying with this idea for a while and I have been looking for a suitable project that ticks my boxes, providing for the direct community as well as the child and allowing some interaction with the child and their family so a relationship can be established and who knows maybe more good can happen. I think I may have found the right one Action Aid http://www.actionaid.org.uk/100044/sponsor_a_child_today.html
I saw the video with Sally Whitaker (Sally from Coronation St) in on the link above and this swayed my decision, so I have sent off for some additional information. This is not commitment just for Advent but for the foreseeable future.
Showing posts with label Advent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Advent. Show all posts
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Monday, 1 December 2008
CTiS Advent Service
Advent is a time for reflection, a time of preparation in readiness for Christmas.
Usually I use a series of readings to help me prepare but this year the theme is different. Our recent CTiS (Churches Together in Stretford) Advent service was based on "from darkness to light" , stories from The Boaz Trust (http://boaztrust.org.uk/ Asylum Seekers), Tearfund (http://www.tearfund.org/ Victims of HIV/Aids), Shoebox Appeal and Cafod (http://www.cafod.org.uk/). The service was very thought provoking and it made you want to commit to something more that involved other people. Fill a shoebox, sponsor a child, learn about aids, presents that help people in far off places.
I have tried to encourage others to support something they would not normally do such as volunteer for projects. Several people have come forward to help with brewing up for the residents of Stockdales (http://www.stockdales.org.uk/) when they have their community evening in the hall, the leaders appreciate this as it gives them one less thing to worry about. Raising of awareness of homelessness and the issues we have in Trafford, encouraging people to supply gifts - hats, scarves, gloves, chocolate for the person via our own shoebox appeal, bring toys to the Christingle & Toy Service, these will be distributed by Trafford Social Services to children and encourage others to do the same.
What else can we do?
We can sit here doing nothing and if everybody did nothing where would we be?
We can move out of our warm houses, we can share a meal, we can invite someone round, we can volunteer to help.
Let us all do something we would not normally do, see the benefit to others this Advent.
Reflect on Matthew 25:35-40
Usually I use a series of readings to help me prepare but this year the theme is different. Our recent CTiS (Churches Together in Stretford) Advent service was based on "from darkness to light" , stories from The Boaz Trust (http://boaztrust.org.uk/ Asylum Seekers), Tearfund (http://www.tearfund.org/ Victims of HIV/Aids), Shoebox Appeal and Cafod (http://www.cafod.org.uk/). The service was very thought provoking and it made you want to commit to something more that involved other people. Fill a shoebox, sponsor a child, learn about aids, presents that help people in far off places.
I have tried to encourage others to support something they would not normally do such as volunteer for projects. Several people have come forward to help with brewing up for the residents of Stockdales (http://www.stockdales.org.uk/) when they have their community evening in the hall, the leaders appreciate this as it gives them one less thing to worry about. Raising of awareness of homelessness and the issues we have in Trafford, encouraging people to supply gifts - hats, scarves, gloves, chocolate for the person via our own shoebox appeal, bring toys to the Christingle & Toy Service, these will be distributed by Trafford Social Services to children and encourage others to do the same.
What else can we do?
We can sit here doing nothing and if everybody did nothing where would we be?
We can move out of our warm houses, we can share a meal, we can invite someone round, we can volunteer to help.
Let us all do something we would not normally do, see the benefit to others this Advent.
Reflect on Matthew 25:35-40
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