JUNE 2008 UPDATE ON OUR ‘BUILDING BRIDGES’ PROJECT

‘Flaming June’ if you will forgive my saying so (!) seems to have popped up in May as I sit in my office with the blinds drawn and a large fan wafting cool air around.  I am hoping that the hot, dry spell will last until Saturday so that the outdoor activities for our Celebration Open Day can take place.  It is a real team effort getting the day organised and I thank each and every one who has been helping and making the Partnership Celebration a fun time. These events can help in building existing, and encouraging new relationships amongst all whom they touch, even the slightest involvement is another step on life’s journey. They can also be challenging times though.  It’s not always a positive experience for everyone involved but I hope that they feel able to talk about why so that some learning for the future comes out of it.  Looking further forward we can anticipate a very happy time as the great-grand-daughter of one of our Coffee Morning friends will be baptised, the first in our new worship space and we send the whole family our love and prayers, in Christ.

A little further in to the month, at our Sermons Weekend, we are planning a Community Work Saturday to look at how our own project is going by asking for the views of yourselves and other people who are involved in any way. We will also be inviting members of other URC churches in the Bolton area, and Tonge Moor churches, who are engaged in working together with their local communities so that we can pool ideas and learn from each other. On the third Friday in the month the Friday Friends group meets and can I encourage you and any of your friends to come along for this informal get-together, the more the merrier. This month we will be joined by one of the Social Action Team who works to support families dealing with challenging times. If you have an idea of something you would like to talk about, or someone you would like to invite to tell us about their work, interests or hobbies please let me know and together we can build up a calendar for the year.

Our project is, and will be enriched, by your involvement no matter what that may be - God can use all that we offer.

Until next month

Pat

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BUILDING BRIDGES MAY 2008 UPDATE

As I sit writing this article it is hard to believe that summer is not far away with all the May customs welcoming the season in. A very cold wind is howling around the garden blasting old leaves and twigs all over the place and although the birds are singing heartily their feathers look more like fur coats!! I hope that we won't need coats like that for the event being planned for the 17th and 18th of May to celebrate two years of working together at the Children's Centre! On Saturday 17th we are going to have a fun Open Day, bringing lots of people together and on Sunday 18th we will also thank God together in a morning service - I hope that you will want to join us. If you would like to help in some way that would be great so please let me, Pat, know as soon as possible.

The weekly Saturday Coffee Morning is as busy as ever with lots of toast and tea-cakes being served and the chatter ranges across many subjects with lots of laughter - but it would be even better to meet more of you and your friends there. Hopefully in the warmer weather we will be able to sit outside and the children can play on the scooters and trikes in the safe play area at the Centre. We also have a short prayer time at 9.15 on Saturdays to which any and  all are welcome but if you can't make it please pass on any prayer requests to Pat or other church members and we will include them.

A new monthly drop-in, Friday Friends, has started and meets every third Friday in the month at the Children's Centre at 3.30pm. Again, any and all are welcome to come along and share time and company with each other, learn what goes on at the Centre and have a brew together. Why not give it a try on the next date Friday 16th May.

Every day we build a bridge
It may reach anywhere
Across a stream or bed of rocks
No obstacle now there

Today I found a special bridge
That seemed to call to me
Picture perfect structure
Fulfills life's harmony

Walk across this special bridge
Love now gathers there
Compassion and a gentle smile
With friendship we declare

Join me on the other side
Our journey will begin
All will greet as heart repeats
Each step we take we win

No longer are we all alone
We join in peaceful prayer
Hands reach out to fill a space
With loyalty aware

Journey to the other side
With joy we reach the bend
Place our feet upon the earth
                                                     Where friendship has no end.  ("Building Bridges" ~by Francine                                                                                                                                                         Pucillo©2001-2003)

December 2007:

BUILDING BRIDGES

It seems odd sitting here in the middle of November writing “Have a Happy and Blessed Christmas” but this is my only opportunity to do so on paper so I am joyfully grabbing the chance. However I hope that there will be occasions to do so in person much nearer the day and during Advent. By the time that you read this we will have begun the season with, I hope, a day to remember – our Community Open Day on December 1st. Lots of people will have been involved in the planning and preparation beforehand as well as helping on the day. I also hope that we will have had fun, talked and listened to old friends and new and built up some more links between the people who live, visit, work and worship in our local community. Thank you to one and all. There will be further opportunities to “Build Bridges” during the month in all that we do as we journey towards Christmas Day and maybe it will also be a time to invite that person ‘you have always been meaning to’, for a brew. Advent is a time to look forward together - to God and with God wherever we are.

Pat Oliver (extracted from December 2007 Church Life)

APRIL 2008 UPDATE ON BUILDING
BRIDGES
Christ is Risen, Alleluia - and as we shared that Good News on Easter Sunday with each other in a different style of worship we made baskets filled with chocolate eggs, blew up balloons and designed cards - all as gifts for our neighbours in the surrounding community so that we could share our celebration of the hope of new life with them too.

In the Centre we have also been sharing together in something else new - a Community Showcase with folk of all ages singing, reciting, telling jokes and generally having fun and getting to know each other better. We say a big thank you to Jayne and other Centre staff for making it possible.

Amongst other joint ventures since the last edition of Church Life has been a Fair Trade initiative where we have supplied fresh fruit for the children to make Smoothies, as part of learning about healthy eating, and the Cafe has used the surplus to make yummy fruit salads.

There have also been hot drinks and snack bars available from the Fair Trade range which has thrown up lots of opportunities to chat about the issues involved - another way to get to know people.

What is it about sharing food together that enables easy conversation?

There was a great buzz when we invited guests to share a service and lunch with us a few Sundays
ago - new life, or renewed life?

New bridges or renewed bridges?

Whatever, it felt good and I hope that we are able to involve even more people next time.

As our partnership with the Children's Centre develops, as new and different relationships grow in our local community I pray that a confidence will come enabling us all, together, to make changes where they are needed and to challenge injustice where we see it.

Pat