CHURCHES HOMELESS SHELTER PROJECT NEEDS YOUR HELP
"What you did to the least of these you did to me" (Matthew 25)
'We have been invited to share with other Christians in Brighton and Hove in a national project to offer shelter to homeless men and women during the cold months of February and March.
The only night shelter in this area, St Patrick's, will close its doors and cease to be from the end of this month.
The Brighton and Hove Churches Nightshelter Project will go some small but real way to helping the most vulnerable. Already the project is up and running in other parts of the diocese and around the country. The key is that it will be professionally overseen by a full time coordinator and properly resourced and managed. I have consulted with the Diocese who are happy for us to be part of the project.
What will happen...what's our commitment?
From beginning of March, St Joseph’s will be part of a 7 night rota where 15 homeless people move each night between 7 church venues. We have agreed to host the 4 x Tuesday nights of March (Sacred Heart Parish in Hove will have done the Tuesdays in February). We will have a 12 hour session each Tuesday where the Milton Road Hall will accommodate 15 men and women for the night: all bedding will be provided; guests will be properly referred (i.e. not come randomly off the street) and registered each evening by the project coordinator.
We need as many volunteers as possible to help out for a few hours each Tuesday of March (depending on the number of people who volunteer it may not even be every Tuesday). Volunteers will help preparing the meal, talking and befriending the guests ... then a few will be on duty through the night ... finishing with breakfast and departure at 7am.
The commitment is very manageable. Please consider being part of this project.
Volunteer forms are available at the back of church or contact the office – please complete and return to the office ASAP. We need the forms back THIS WEEK (ending 16th Jan) There is a training session for all volunteers across the churches on Tuesday 24th Jan.
This is a great way to build bridges with other people in the parish and also other churches ... to witness to our faith in the wider community ... to offer a Christ-like outreach to those in real need. Thanks for your positive response to this invitation to be one of the 30 volunteers!
If you are interested contact Jo Gilbert on joziegilbert@hotmail.com
REMEMBER, PLEASE RETURN FORMS THIS WEEK (BY 16TH Jan)
No comments:
Post a Comment