New Futures

In July a New Futures Project was launched. This is run by Falkirk Corps,  and provides a variety of services, including a soup kitchen, community cafe and furniture shop. The biggest help it is providing is to those who are trying to find work or needing some assistance to improve their chances of finding a job.

The project is currently operating from a unit in The Howgate Centre, Falkirk, opposite the food court, but hopes to move to the first floor of the former Co-op building on the High Street, opposite Callendar Square soon.

Louise McKnight, project manager, who runs the initiative with the help of six staff and several volunteers, said "Our aim is to help people move forward and give them a goal in life, whether it is helping them prepare a CV, advice on interview skills or taking part in a course that will make them more employable. At the moment, we are seeing around 25 people a day come through the door. Hopefully, in our new premises we will have even more space to expand what we offer."

Those using the service have free access to computers, as well as the support of the team running the project.

Courses, open to 10 people at a time, are running two and three times a week, and include elementary food hygiene, health and safety, risk assessment and safe manual handling awareness.

Louise added "If we can give someone help that gives them a better chance of getting a job that's a positive outcome". We also provide support and are working in partnership with other organisations to help with issues such as homelessness and drug and alcohol counselling."

Forgotten Children...

How do we show Children they are not a forgotten people in The Salvation Army today?

The answer is really simple.....because the bible says so! In the gospels we hear Jesus saying that nobody should stop a child coming to him and that as adults we all need to have that childlike faith and trust. Then why do we in the Church always look at children as the 'army of the future'? If children are so important to Christ then we should be doing all we can create opportunities for them to have a relationship with him.

I don't believe that children need to best games equipment or the most up to date resources to make our ministry successful. For me, children require our Corps to be a place that love them and allow them to play their part. The best quality a children's worker can have is faithfulness in the work they do, as children so often don't get the commitment they deserve from society.

Can you play your part within this and be faithful to the children we are called to work with?

Through Mission Scotland, the Children and Youth group are seeking fresh ways to do this by making sure our children's ministry is intentional and relevant but also making sure children are included in all aspects of our worship. By doing this then surely we will become a more attractive place to be and help to show children that they are not forgotten about but instead people who we treasure and love.

Ian Midwinter

Community MInistry that Transforms Communities

When you think of community work what immediately do you think of? Lunch clubs, the parent and toddler group, food parcels? There's probably a thousand and one examples of great community ministry that makes an impact in people's lives that provide relief from some of the ills of the modern world in Scotland.

 

One of the key aims of Mission Scotland was to raise the bar on Community work to the level of community ministry. To encourage all to see he practical needs of our communities as spiritual issues rather than simply needs to be met. Through working in our local Corps based Community programmes Mission Scotland advocates ensuring that 'Jesus turns up' in all our provision.

 

He are some of the practical things that Mission Scotland has done in this respect...

• emphasising that Community Ministry is a local issue for a local Corps meeting local needs that needs to be resourced in a timely and effective way.
• providing tools so that assesment of local need can be taken and responded to in a professional way.
• providing community welcome packs so that local information can be inserted.
• providing a yearly gathering for those involved in communtiy ministry.
• assessing who is really coming into our buildings and what their real need is.

Most importantly Mission Scotland has focused on the fact that in our community ministry there has to be a clear signpost to other provisions and - most importantly - to spiritual needs based ministry.

People within a community who are transformed individuals see their communities transformed!

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