A look at just some of what’s been happening at Church on the Street in May.
The ‘Big Day’ Comes for Emma and Peter
Saturday 25 May was a momentous day for Church on the Street. Our pastor Emma Daggers was married to Peter Yarwood at our church in Burnley. The ceremony was conducted by Bishop Mick Fleming, with an enthusiastic crowd of family and friends packing the church.
Getting the church building ready for the marriage ceremony and reception, required our whole community to pitch-in and pull together. On the day, a sudden loss of electricity to the building threatened to throw a spanner in the works, but in the end it didn’t matter, because all that we needed, and all that we relied on, was the presence of God.
Our congratulations to Emma and Peter. May God bless this happy union, so that their lives together will be overflowing with joy and peace, and fruitful in the word of God.
Raising Awareness of ‘Party Drug’ Harm
Danielle Pickles recently graduated from The Exodus Project, a ground-breaking recovery programme run by Church on the Street. In May she gave interviews to ITV News and The Mirror newspaper about her own experiences of the harm done by the drug ketamine.
Ketamine is seen as a cheap “party drug” by increasing numbers of young people, but its impact on user’s physical and mental health can be devastating. Among under 25s, ketamine use has more than tripled since 2016, with some users still in their teens having to be fitted with colostomy bags because of the effect of the drug on their bladder.
Asked why the drug is so popular with young people, Danielle said: “Because it’s so cheap, and it’s easy to get hold of. You only have to walk just five minutes in the town centre, and you’ve got it. It’s that easy.”
Supporting People to Find Employment
We were pleased to announce, starting in May, a new weekly drop-in service at our church in Burnley to help people with all aspects of their employability. Partnering with Child Action North West (CANW), we are now able to provide help with:
- CV writing
- Job applications
- Mock interviews
- Training opportunities
- Confidence building
- Volunteering opportunities
- Mental health and wellbeing
- And much more…
Every Tuesday, 12.00 – 200pm.
Meeting Supporters at Youth Football Event
We were delighted to be chosen as charity partner for the Barnoldswick Town Juniors Football Tournament, taking place on the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. Our volunteers spent a wonderful couple of days running a stall at the event, speaking to people and collecting donations.
We were pleased to be joined there by the local Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson, and the Labour candidate for the area, Jonathan Hinder.
Thank you to the organisers, and everyone who made this event possible, supporting the work of Church on the Street.
Dear Father in Heaven, Let us be transformed by your grace. Let step out of our old lives, and into a new life with Jesus. When troubles come, and we feel overwhelmed, remind us that Jesus walks with us in these difficult times. Let us reach out for your righteousness, and turn away from our sin. It is through your strength, and not our own, that we are delivered from darkness and into the light of everlasting glory,
Amen.