This has been an interesting year of change with the café going from opening four days a week to six, as the small groups took on the challenge of a Saturday morning. We also saw Jan Beattie step down from the café, a role she has worked so tirelessly in for three years - Jan has been amazing, for this we thank her. We did get her a bunch of flowers but quite frankly they don’t even come near to saying thank you for all the work and effort she has put in. Thank you Jan.
We closed the café at the start of the year and gave it a much needed face lift. The café remains one of the best places to meet and get alongside people. It has its days where it’s slow and a few come, and times where it’s so busy, stopping for a break seems impossible. But what remains constant is that people come. We have struggled this year with many, and at times all the regular volunteers, suffering with long periods of illness. The café is sustaining its self in the sense that it covers its bills. However, unless we review our prices and non-profit policy it cannot sustain a wage. The café however does support all of our other church activities, from Sunday services, Saturday Footie, Special Events to Thursday Club by providing food and refreshments - no mean feat!
Note of thanks: To all those that give up their annual leave, days off, time with there loved ones to work in the café - thank you! To the faithful, I thank you wholeheartedly. You are, if I don’t say it enough, greatly appreciated.
Venturing into something when you are not entirely sure of the outcome can be exciting and daunting all at the same time. This first year has been one massive learning curve on so many fronts and a time of learning our lessons quickly.
We tried many things that didn’t work and learned a heap of lessons in the process. Our first venture into community development was the Community Play. Keen at first, 12 people turned up for the first session but by week three this had dwindled to 2 regulars and it’s hard to run a play with 10 parts and only two people. Sustainability seems to be an issue, people didn’t want to commit to something on a regular basis. So our next venture was one off art sessions. This had a mixed response. Our photography session was a great success. Over two sessions 9 people attended and actively took part and for the music slide session 5 people took part. Others sessions were not as successful such as the hat making. One of the major issues highlighted with participation is crèche facilities. It is simply too difficult to run a session for adults when they are looking after their children.
There have been many things over this year that have been a success and at times a bit of a surprise. Disney’s Jungle Book was a huge success. The kids were fabulous and at the performance over 80 people attended most from the community and at least half of those had never been in the building before. Afterwards, the cake and chat time was excellent as over 65 people stayed and mingled and chatted to those around - a great opportunity for the church to get to know their neighbours. We plan to run another two in 2009! Ladies Keep Fit was a nightmare, even organising the crèche facilities where people always promised to come and never came - although there was a regular core of 4 women. This group on the surface would be seen as unsuccessful because it morphed into a small group of women going to the gym and the beginning of a few friendships. The computer course always stirs up interest, but sustainability is hard. Basically people find it hard work.
Partnership with CAP - Christians Against Poverty has been excellent. We have referred three people so far for debt counselling and befriending. One of the biggest surprises and joys of the year is the Over 50’s Group. It is an encouragement to see so many enjoying themselves, coming back and bringing their friends. We have at best 25 people but on most days average about 20. Each week there is a testimony or gospel slot and others within the congregation have given their testimonies. We have seen some of this group attend other activities we run such as the church planned social and curry night.
Funding: We applied for five grants this year without success. One of the major issues with mainstream funding we have found is simply that most, if not all funders, have the criteria ‘must not promote religion’. This leaves smaller and religious funding available to us. Finding these funders takes a lot of research, and applications are usually an arduous task for what amounts to small amounts of money. Basically they take more time and much more effort - time we have not had this year.
On reflection I would have to say one of the best things we do to reach people for Jesus is spend time with them, get to know them and simply tell them the Gospel in natural conversation. It’s not as ‘sexy’ perhaps on paper as a list of community projects or groups and I’m not diminishing the use of these tools but getting involved in peoples lives, to me has been the most rewarding, frustrating, exasperating, funny, sad… thing that has happened this year. The most exciting is seeing them get saved!
This year has been a year in which we spent much time in prayer seeking direction for this small group. The ladies who have been attending the meeting have a genuine love, faithfulness in prayer and compassion for each other. Something which was evident to all who attended. However, with numbers continuing to dwindle the hard question of whether this group should continue had to be asked. It was with much sadness that we felt this group should not continue and the ladies meeting closed for good at summer break.
Nancy Taylor led the ladies meeting diligently for many years, faithfully and humbly serving the Lord in a role she had thrust upon her - we thank her.
Sharon Dickens
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