THE Chelmsford Mission Opportunity Fund was launched last year as a way to help local churches to engage with the wider community.
Since its launch a number of community projects across Essex and East London, ranging from youth work to café churches, have been awarded grants from the fund. Many local communities, including those who have no contact with the Church, have benefited.
A year on from the launch and as the closing date for applications for 2010 draws near, The Month catches up with some of the projects funded in 2009 to see how the grants awarded are being used to benefit local communities.
The chairman of the grants assessment committee, Rt Revd David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking says: "I was very impressed by the obvious thought and prayer had gone in to their planning of all the projects the Mission Opportunity Fund supported last year. I am looking forward to receiving applications to the fund for 2010."
? The closing date for applications to the fund is September 15. An application form can be downloaded from www.chelmsford.anglican.org/mof Please send completed forms to Steven Webb, Chief Executive, Chelmsford Diocese, 53 New Street, Chelmsford CM1 1AT.
Projects supported in 2009 include:
Havering Deanery - Youth Advisor
The Deanery used their grant to employ a Youth Advisor for the Deanery based at Bower Park School. Sam Tagg has been appointed to the post and begins work on September 1. Sam's appointment will increase the quality and amount of youth work within the area and give the pupils at the school the opportunity to access Christian support.
All Saints Church, Springfield - Project Spectrum
Project Spectrum, a group aimed at young people up to the age of 18, used their grant has to recruit Dave Chuck. Since being appointed in April 2009, Dave has recruited
many new volunteer helpers and has created programmes for working in eight local schools. Project Spectrum plan to launch a youth club at The Boswells School this autumn in partnership with the police, The Boys' Club and All Saints Church.
St Andrew's Church, Sandon - SALT (Sharing And Learning Together)
The SALT programme is designed for children, who have just started school and their parents. The church programme will give children an opportunity to interact with their peers and other adults in a safe environment, and will offer parents friendship and social support. As a result of the grant Jean Elliott, has joined the SALT team.
St Mark's Church, Forest Gate - Forest Gate Female Youth Outreach Project
The Forest Gate Female Youth Outreach project used their grant to employ Sarah Humphreys as youth worker. Sarah is developing strong one-to-one mentoring relationships with the girls in the local community. Meeting regularly in venues like Starbucks, the girls are encouraged to experiment with creative and modern ways of prayer such as rap and street poetry.
St Luke's Church, Walthamstow - St Luke in the High Street
Following the closure of St Luke's in 2007, the parish took up the opportunity to have a community stall in Walthamstow farmers' market. The stall enabled St Luke's to engage with those who have never visited the church before and provide support and a listening ear to the local community from a new location. People from St Luke's also meet in the local Pop-In Cafe for a late breakfast on Sunday mornings to discuss life and faith issues. The grant will be used to build on the success of St Luke's in the High Street, and will enable the project to continue to enhance the presence of St Luke's in Walthamstow High Street over the next three years.
St Mary's, Lawford and St Mary's & St Michael's, Mistley -Manningtree Drop-in Centre
The grant has helped to set up this drop-in centre for teenagers which is a safe place for them to meet up in the evenings. It is also hoped that in time, the centre, based in a vacant shop unit in the high street, will also be a resource for the whole community. The shop will offer services such as debt counselling and will host events such as craft displays and exhibitions. From September, the drop-in centre will open on a pilot basis for two or three evenings a week. As more trained volunteers become available the number of evenings will be increased.
St George's, New Thundersley - Legacy
The fund awarded a grant to Legacy, a Youth Congregation where young people can engage in prayer and worship in ways that are accessible to them. These include the skate and BMX ramps, African drumming and contemporary music at the purpose built Legacy XS Centre in Benfleet. Legacy has also constructed an Arts Suite which includes a sprung dance floor and recording studio to encourage local artists
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