The night of Friday, 3rd February was arguably the coldest night of the winter. That was the night we held our 'Cardboard City' night for the third successive year.
Many of us ended up sleeping inside the (unheated) church, but the Emmaus Bristol Companions who joined us, and a few hardy-perennial church members did stay out all night.
Alan Goddard (manager of the 'Wild Goose' Homeless Centre) was with us, and told us that he had spent twelve years homeless and living on the streets. Alan is living proof that the vast majority of homeless people are no different to you and me.
You can find the You Tube video at: http://youtu.be/IEmEszMMcAc
Five Emmaus Bristol Companions joined us and they were good to have around, and it is wonderful that they were willing, voluntarily, to make the sacrifice to sleep out again with us, in order to highlight the plight of the homeless in our wealthy city.
The City Centre Soup Run called by and warmed us up with soup and rolls, and Beryl Hurkett provided hot-dogs. All evidence of the good will there is in our church to make a difference for homeless people.
Remember, we are partnered with Emmaus Bristol, The Soup Run, and the Community of the Sister of the Church. Each is seeking to do all it can the the poorest and most marginal people in Bristol. I hope we will work together with them in future to make our partnerships as strong and effective as possible, to help those who need it most.
So, if you were there on the night, I wonder what you now think about it.
If you were not there, I wonder what you think about it.
If you've just watched the You Tube video, I wonder what you think about it now.
Why not post a comment ...
President John Kennedy's quote "People who live in the past or the present are certain to miss the future" springs to mind because as Christians, what we have done in the past or what we doing at present is not enough.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if John was talking with religion in mind but either way, this words sum up the modern church whose direction must be forward thinking in everything it does.
We live in a 'must have' society though all we really 'must have' is faith.
God bless all those who help the homeless the world over. If they work as diligently as Alan and his team do in Bristol, God's work is being done.
Thanks, Malcolm. I have long believed that wherever such things as love, patience, generosity, and kindness (the things St. Paul called the fruits of the Spirit) are being demonstrated the Spirit is God is at work.
DeleteThe 'fruits of the Spirit' are ripening day on day at St. Stephen's Ian, thanks be to God.
ReplyDelete