Today's culture needs an
accessible church. People move around. Their lifestyles are fluid. They
have often left their roots behind. They want things now. And here. So
'church' needs to be flexible. Visible. Easy to find. Easy to touch and
make demands of. Just like the mobile Jesus, in His days on earth He
took Himself to people - all sorts of people, meeting their needs in
the places where He found them.
These are some of the stories of the people
we have been able to help (names have been changed)
Donna
started drinking at an early age and had developed a bad drinking
problem, using alcohol to block out her bad memories. She first visited
the Jesus Centre for advice and help to find accommodation and is now
enrolled in two life skills courses. The centre has changed Donna's
life and made her a stronger person; her friends there have given her
the courage to start again.
Ian
was homeless, living rough and selling the Big Issue. He has visited
the Jesus Centre for a long time. Sometimes he has fallen out with
people there, but overall the friendship has survived. Volunteers took
him to hospital when he was ill, visited him and picked him up on
release and helped him get further medical help. Then they managed to
get him into rented accommodation and have supported his tenancy,
liasing with Housing Benefit and the landlord. Ian says we have helped
him a lot.
Ali
came to the drop-in as an asylum seeker with no support, roofless and
addicted to drugs. He got his basic needs met here and called it
'home'. He stayed with a friend that he met there and got himself off
drugs. He came to church and became a Christian; he was dramatically
healed of serious stomach problems. We got him into his own
accommodation. He has become a trained valuable volunteer, working in
the kitchen. Recently he also obtained an accreditation for literacy at
the class which he has attended at the Jesus Centre for many months.
His comment: "I am very happy."
Catherine,
an older lady living alone, came to the Jesus Centre and then became a
regular attender of our church services. She said she was very happy to
have 'found a family'.
Patrick
had been coming round a long time. He had a recently broken
relationship but found stability with us and eventually got a flat and
various jobs and training courses. Two years on he is still around.
We
had known Jenny and Martin for a few years. They joined the literacy
class run by one of our volunteers and recently the wife asked to be
baptised in water.
Glen,
a new volunteer, trained in catering before spending years in mental
institutions. He helped in the kitchen making the breakfasts for the
drop-in. He went on from there to a part-time job in manufacturing
before returning to the Jesus Centre to employment as one of the
catering staff.
Harriet
has been homeless for years with a drink problem. Her son has also been
homeless in the city with addiction and mental health problems. He is
currently in prison. She is easy-going and loves joining in with church
services.
Slices
