August 2010

Letters of thanks

From our donations from our 'Parable of the Talents' 

From the Alzheimer`s Society

“Your donation is very much appreciated and helps to provide better care.  Dementia affects over 750,000 people in the U.K. alone.  The Alzheimer`s Society provides information and support for those with any form of dementia and  for their families and carers.  It advises professionals working in the fields, funds research, runs quality care services, and campaigns for improved health and social care, and for greater public understanding of dementia”.

 From Derian House

“On behalf of the children, their parents and the staff at Derian House, thank you indeed for your most generous donation. I can assure each and everyone concerned that this money will be put to very good use”.

 From WaterAid

Thank you for your kind donation which will bring safe water, sanitation and improved hygiene to some of the poorest people in the world.  Your Talent Sharing idea is so original! Your donation could contribute to the intallation of a handpump and the training of local members of the community to repair and maintain it. Ram Kanthi, from the Mahobi Region of India, is one of the many women WaterAid has helped to train, transforming her livelihood and the health of her community. “We learn to repair the pumps, so that when they break down we can fix them as quickly as possible. Sadly, many women and children are forced to spend up to 6 hours a day walking for water.  Tragically, the water is often unsafe, leading to diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery, and cholera, causing the deaths of 4,000 children every day.”

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Thanks are due to anyone and everyone who supported the Talent Challenge, there was much interest and support from work colleagues, friends and families in the wider community.  Please pass on thanks to them.

Sheila Goodman

UPDATE

June 2010

It seems an age ago since we were offered a £5 Talent, with the exhortation to increase its value  creatively, to support three specific charities: Derian Hoise Children`s Hospice, WaterAid, and the Alzheimer`s Society, one local, one national and one international. The timescale took us from Lent to Pentecost, and during this period the Parish, and beyond, was a hive of activity. Many cunning schemes were concocted to put our God-Given talents to good use. Some folk combined their Talents to plan activities and events, others did their own thing, but the result has been a resounding success., with a whole spectrum of bright ideas that have been both enjoyable and profitable.

There was much baking and making: bacon butties, buns and cakes, chocolate peppermint creams , marmalade. There`s been singing and dancing, to prove that Brownies Have Talent.. There`s been  growing and selling, tomato plants and geraniums.  Lucky Bran Tubs  provided something for the little ones at St. Stephens and Salesbury Schools. There`s been some ironing and some odd-jobbing, some quizzing, some prose and some poetry, and lots of chatting over coffee and cakes, tea and scones, wine and cheese.. Not to mention making and selling cushions, marmalade, taking photographs, sponsored walking.. The challenge was always to do nothing that might be deemed illegal or immoral.. and as for fattening, well, a certain amount of eating and drinking took place, but all in a very good cause, as there were far too many opportunities to tempt our taste buds, and who said anything about resisting temptation?

As with every game of football, (or rugby), there was a result! Not, win, lose, or draw, but a Win-Win. Not only did the Talent Challenge raise an amazing amount of money, (see below) but the social impact proved valuable too, within and beyond the Church family. Anyone at the highly successful Bacon Butty event at Showley Court, instigated initially by two of our `senior` Church members, attracted  a great number of people of all ages, who came, and stayed, and had a second cup of coffee, and proved that we can, and do, have fun at St Peters. If  your response to the Talent Challenge hasn't been mentioned above, then please let us know. This particular Project has caught the attention of many people, and we`d like to share, and publicise, examples of the different activities and events that took place. This feel good factor was replicated over and over again.

Our three chosen charities have been amazed at an indication of the cheques they are due to receive. WaterAid, Derian House, and the Alzheimer`s Scoiety have all be invited to send representatives to the family Service on Sunday 11th July. Don`t miss the opportunity to give each other a `pat on the back`, and say Thank You to God for giving us our Talents and Skills in the first place.  Whose up for another Challenge in 10 years` time?

As for the Grand Total, it stands £5121, this includes £519 reclaimed Income Tax fro Gift Aid, and £1025, the original £5 Talents that were issued.

Sheila Goodman

On behalf of the Education, Mission and Unity Committee.

 

St. Peter's - Mission in Action

 

UPDATE

 

 

June 2010

BATHROOMS AND TOILETS

No, not and advert from B and Q, or Homebase, but for  indication of the number of families who could be helped to install a bathroom and toilet in India, and provide a clean water supply to their homes, tthereby relieving the mothers from the drudgery of  daily water collection. And where will the money come from, you may well ask; the recent Christian Aid co9llection by the `Team` from St. Peter`s, from our allocation of homes around the parish, generated a record £692.85, which, with Income Tax to be reclaimed via Gift Aid, amounted to £743.81, a significant increase on 2009.

We`ve yet to receive the total for Blackburn with Darwen house to house collections for this year. However the Charity Shop, where some of us spent a very jolly Monday morning, raised £1700, slightly more than last year. So, thanks to everyone who contributed in any way to Christian Aid 2010. It will be a challenge to beat those totals next year!

I leave you with a couple of sums.

£8 could buy more than 80 fruit treesaplings in Ethiopia, providing food for families and preventing soil erosion around vital water supplies.

How many fruit trees would £743.81 buy?

£16 could buy the materials needed to build 5 meteres of new drainage in Kenya. This would prevent flooding in the streets and houses, and protect families from diseases.

How many metres of drainage would £743.81 buy? Answers on a postcard, please!

 

Sheila Goodman.

 

St. Peter's - Mission in Action

 

 Amnesty International

http://www.amnesty.org.uk

There are a number of our parishioners actively involved in work with this organisation

If you require further information or would like to help then contact Sheila Goodman at Church or via this web-site

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UPDATE

HAMDI MOHAMMED SHAHADEH AL-TA`MARI is a Palestinian student who was arrested as a boy, as held by the Israeli military without charge in prison from July to November 2008  and again between December 2008 and  December 2009. At the time of his first arrest he was not yet sixteen years old. His detention was in clear violation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. Hamdi was beaten and kicked during his first arrest. After his second arrest he was brought before a military judge without the presence of a lawyer or family member. He was issued with a four month `administrative order` which was renewed twice. Such a detention order could be prolonged indefinitely without charge or trial. The Israeli Security forces claim, without evidence, that Hamdi `poses a security threat to the region`.

Hamdi is just one example of the people selected by Amnesty International for their annual Greetings Card Campaign. He received over 100 cards, including one signed by many of us at St. Peter`s. The cards remind the recipients, and their families, that they have not been forgotten. The cards also send clear messages to the `powers that be` in each case that the world is aware of the illegal detention, torture, and denial of basic human rights that take place in far too many countries.

In Hamdi`s case, a happier ending, in that he was released earlier this year. We must believe that 100 cards, each bearing many signatures and messages of support, made an impression on the authorities. We don`t always receive such direct feedback, despite the best efforts of Amnesty Intenational to follow through each case.

The pressure doesn`t stop at the end of January. It continues all through the year with letters sent to Governments, British Ambassadors, Presidents, asking that human rights should be respected and the rules of justice obeyed. It couldn`t be simpler. Each case is well-researched, and the letters are prepared for us. All we need to do is read the accompanying notes, sign the letters, and address the envelopes, and post them.  Please ask me if you`d like more information about the Letter Writing campaign..

There`s one more thing step that we all can take, and that`s to remember in our prayers all who are victims of injustice and are now in prison, having committed no crime other than following their conscience and their faith.

Sheila Goodman

 

If you are interested in work involving persecuted people then this is a group actively involved in this area

http://www.csw.org.uk

STAND  UP  AND BE  COUNTED!

 

Do you remember the Make Poverty History Campaign, a few years ago, when people wore white wrist bands, and tried very hard to keep the issue of World Poverty on the political agenda, with some, but not enough, success.  We`ve had Bob Geldorf and Feed the  World, and we have Christian Aid, and many, many other individuals and groups who try to redress the balance between the ‘Haves’ and the ‘Have Nots.’

This year, Blackburn Diocese will be led by Bishop Nicholas in joining a national initiative to StandUp Against Poverty. The background?  - each autumn sees the follow-on to Make Poverty History – 50 days of Global Action Against Poverty. The 50 days are steered by the United Nations Millennium Campaign and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. An impressive team at the top! The climax is in mid-October, around October 17th, which is the United Nations Day for the Eradication of Poverty.  Perhaps it is no coincidence that this is also around the time of Harvest Festivals, when we give thanks to God for “all good gifts around us”, and remind ourselves that many people do not yet have their fair share of the fruits of the Harvest.

Last year over 116 million people took part, in over 130 countries.

This year at St. Peter`s we too will StandUp Against Poverty in Church on Sunday 18th October, and share some simple promises to the poor. Our opportunity to stand up and be counted.

Will YOU come and join us

For more information speak to Sheila Goodman

 Street Pastors

What are they? They are people connected to a Church with a concern for society - in particular young people who feel themselves to be excluded and marginalised. They engage people where they are, in terms of their thinking (i.e. their perspective of life) and location (i.e. where they hang out - be it on the streets, in the pubs and clubs or at parties etc).
 

Street Pastors work with fellow activists, church and community leaders, agencies and projects, both statutory and voluntary, to look at collaborative ways of working on issues affecting youth. They get to know people in the community, find out their needs and earn credibility in the community, so that people know that the Church is there for them in a practical way. The role is not of preaching but one of listening, caring and helping - working in an unconditional way.

Are you interested in the work they do? Teams are being set-up all over the country and you need to be over 18 (no upper age limit), a church member and able to commit to their training programme. Each Street Pastor team consists of at least three groups of four, each of which will work a minimum of one night a month, usually from 10pm to around 4am.

A scheme has been started in Blackburn and if you want more details then you can access their national web-site on; www.streetpastors.co.uk and follow the links to see what they do and where they operate.

Below we have some updated information on the developing work of Street Pastors in the Blackburn area

Help others through your Gift shopping

Choose cards and gifts from the Charity catalogues at the back of the Church

Why not buy 'Fairtrade' or even buy a gift for someone such as a mosquito net or maybe even a goat!!