The Salford Circuit
As regards the Irlam Relief Fund, Churches Together in Irlam & Cadishead were invited to have a rep on the panel deciding on claims and allocation of money, which I have agreed to be with ecumenical colleagues as my subs.
We also did not want to go in saying 'Here we are and this is what we are going to do for you' but rather to try and find out what people on the estate would find helpful, and so we sent a letter out. We did suggest maybe a carol service/sing as a celebration of community outside the Tiger Moth, which had a large and positive response so we held that last Saturday evening. Very cold it was too, so we had to give up some of what we had planned and simply move inside the Tiger Moth (who provided coffee and mulled wine) to get warm. We got asked were we going to do this next year, maybe that has opened a way in for us for mission. A report was in last night's M.E.N. and a BBC camera person was there too for NW Tonight (yet to be shown). We also offered an act of memorial at some stage (found very beneficial after other disasters). That had a smaller response but it had some, so we will do it some time in the new year when appropriate.
We also did not want to go in saying 'Here we are and this is what we are going to do for you' but rather to try and find out what people on the estate would find helpful, and so we sent a letter out. We did suggest maybe a carol service/sing as a celebration of community outside the Tiger Moth, which had a large and positive response so we held that last Saturday evening. Very cold it was too, so we had to give up some of what we had planned and simply move inside the Tiger Moth (who provided coffee and mulled wine) to get warm. We got asked were we going to do this next year, maybe that has opened a way in for us for mission. A report was in last night's M.E.N. and a BBC camera person was there too for NW Tonight (yet to be shown). We also offered an act of memorial at some stage (found very beneficial after other disasters). That had a smaller response but it had some, so we will do it some time in the new year when appropriate.
Article by Rev. David Hamflett, Methodist Minister in Irlam
I would like to say a great big and most sincere thank you to everyone who donated in any way at all to the Irlam gas explosion. Including donations from my own Salford Circuit, a total of £3922.63 has been passed to the Irlam Relief Fund either via myself or our Circuit Benevolence Fund. Some came from churches, some church groups, and some from individuals. Some were large amounts, some were a lot smaller. However much was given it is greatly appreciated and I think that has been a really fantastic response from Methodism. In addition, in the early days following the explosion, we
What have we been doing as churches in terms of ministry and outreach in the area where it happened? In short our presence has been noticed and noted by people on the estate and by various agencies and services. That we have been working ecumenically I hope goes without saying.
On the day of the blast my local Anglican colleague and I went out and about when it happened visiting the centres where people were (some may have seen a short clip of me on NW Tonight so at least it could be seen that the churches were there). We have been about since. At first we supported what was already happening and continue to do that, but eventually got our heads together to see what we could offer that no one else could rather than trying to do what others were already doing so well. We are rather restricted by not having any premises of our own now on that particular estate, which is rather isolated or self-contained from the rest of Irlam, being created as a Salford overspill estate. We came up with the following that we could offer:
1. A prayer board for prayer requests that would be taken and offered in Sunday worship at the churches. This did not really take off and get any response, but it was offered.
2. A 'Quiet Space' on Mondays and Fridays at one of the local Primary Schools for an hour after school staffed by one of the local clergy on a rota basis, using a classroom. This we can only do in term time, obviously. We have run three of these so far, and will start again when term starts next month. This is a fairly long term thing, so just because there has been little or no response so far does not immediately matter.
3. House blessings. My Anglican colleague has been asked to do two of these, but we are all ready and willing to do them. Some may find they would appreciate this once they have been back for a while rather than immediately, and as word spreads from those who have had them.
We are also taking it in turns to drop in for half an hour or so at the coffee mornings being held on Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Tiger Moth pub, which has become a real hub and focus for the estate community.
1. A prayer board for prayer requests that would be taken and offered in Sunday worship at the churches. This did not really take off and get any response, but it was offered.
2. A 'Quiet Space' on Mondays and Fridays at one of the local Primary Schools for an hour after school staffed by one of the local clergy on a rota basis, using a classroom. This we can only do in term time, obviously. We have run three of these so far, and will start again when term starts next month. This is a fairly long term thing, so just because there has been little or no response so far does not immediately matter.
3. House blessings. My Anglican colleague has been asked to do two of these, but we are all ready and willing to do them. Some may find they would appreciate this once they have been back for a while rather than immediately, and as word spreads from those who have had them.
We are also taking it in turns to drop in for half an hour or so at the coffee mornings being held on Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Tiger Moth pub, which has become a real hub and focus for the estate community.
received donations of clothes and food. One man at one of my churches literally gave me the jacket off his back! He wasn't sure whether he really wanted it any longer and this made his mind up for him.
