We are committed to a vision of ‘Transforming Church, Transforming Lives’ across our diocese. This is focused on three key areas – Growing disciples, Growing diversity and Growing community. There are already many great examples of our parishes and schools working in these areas, and we are proud to share the following story.
As the Thames Ditton’s Foodbank emerged from its home delivery lockdown mode, it needed a new hub.
Several volunteers from St Nicholas’ church in the town suggested their church hall.
Eighteen months on and the hall’s become a centre of community activity.
The efforts of the volunteers is transforming lives and growing a new community around the hall, one of the diocese’s key themes.
St Nicholas’ Main Hall now offers much more, including a well equipped Community cafe.
“We’ve got lots going on,” says Cathy Wise, one of the Foodbank volunteers. “There’s an an art table. Children that come from a local school to help make the coffee. They’re baristas. We’ve got games on the tables, a children’s area and we’re really becoming part of the family. There’s a rail for people to pick up good second hand clothes. It’s just blossoming.”
The Foodbank’s still based at the hall, but increasingly people are coming for the coffee, a chat and encouragement,” says Cathy.
“There are so many people who come that are just broken and we want to help them as Christians. We’ve been able to pray or offer to prayer people which has been really special.”
“God is very much here right in the middle in the centre of this,” she says “And it’s an absolute privilege, as a Christian, to be able to encourage people in their faith.”
To find out more about our vision, visit our Transforming Church Transforming Lives page or check out our Transforming Church Transforming Lives playlist on YouTube, which also includes a video interview with Cathy.
This concludes our series, but we will of course continue to share more encouraging stories from across the diocese that showcase the great work that takes place to see us Growing Disciples, Growing Diversity and Growing Community.