A look at some of what’s been going on at Church on the Street so far this winter…

CAS Appeal Launched

As a church we are seeing first hand the consequences of child poverty in northwest England. Alex Blake of Church on the Street, who is a Registered Nurse working in East Lancashire, said:

“As a health professional, I’ve witnessed the impact this cost of living crisis is having on families, and not just families on lower incomes, but professional people having to use food banks to put a meal on the table, parents having to decide between a decent weekly grocery shop or switching the heating on, never mind buying suitable coats and shoes to keep their children warm and dry this winter.”

This is why we have launched the CAS Appeal: Winter Coat and Shoe Appeal. 100% of money donated will be used to buy brand new winter coats and shoes for children in Burnley, Pendle, Blackburn and Preston living in poverty.

Please Note: Donations need to be made via this button ONLY to go into our specific fund for the CAS Appeal.

Let’s Talk About Breast Screening

Saman Taj, Breast Screening Awareness & Update Officer for East Lancashire NHS Trust, came to speak to a very special meeting of the Women of Worth group at our church in Burnley.

Around 40 women attended the event, including several women from the church who had received a breast cancer diagnosis and were at various stages of treatment and recovery. One of those women was our lead pastor Emma, who has recently had a mastectomy and received radio therapy for breast cancer. Emma said:
“This event raised awareness and confidence in women touching and examining their own breasts. We were shown what to look out for, as their are many different ways in which breast cancer present.

“We hope that this kind of awareness raising exercise will make checking your breasts a monthly routine for women. Some women do not examine their breasts at all, it’s just not on their radar, but catching breast cancer early can save lives.”

Visit East Lancashire NHS Breast Screening Service

New Sunday Service in Blackburn

Our new Sunday Afternoon church service in Blackburn got off to a flying start, hitting double figures. Anne Gimeno, who with husband Jac lead the service, said:

“Our hearts are full after such an incredible turnout today! From the warm welcomes to the heartfelt worship, it truly felt like family. Thank you to everyone who participated, supported, and made this day so special.”

We thank God for making a way for us in Blackburn, and ask for his blessing that this new church will continue to grow and flourish.

Sunday Afternoon Service
Every Sunday, 3.30pm
Salvation Army Building
Vicar St, Blackburn BB1 5BE
(Opposite Morrisons car park entrance)

Everyone welcome.

Child Poverty Question Sent to MPs

While Bishop Mick was being interviewed on Radio Lancashire about child poverty, Breakfast host Graham Liver mentioned that he would be speaking to all the regional MPs in a forthcoming show. On the spur of the moment he asked Mick to record a question to play to them. Mick said:

“I just wondered, speaking to the government ministers, and all the MPs from the northwest, what’s the plan going forward for child poverty? What is your opinion on it? Is it real, the increase? What’s your intention? What’s the government going to do, and what are you doing in your constituencies?”

Listen to full interview

Pastors Attend TICCN Conference

Our Pastors Emma, Bea, Joanne and Bishop Mick attended the International Conference of TICCN (The International Christian Church Network), seen here during a session held at the Living Faith Church in Wigan.

It was great to meet pastors from all around the world and hear about the work of churches that operate in many different environments and cultures. Talking about the work of our own church, we could see the common ground uniting us in the challenges and victories while seeking to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the 21st century.

We pray for God’s blessing on all those who attended, and their churches.

Visit TICCN website

Rising to the Challenge of Food Poverty

As we approach the winter season, and the cold nights draw in, we have seen an increased need for warm food and a hot drinks. This goes beyond those without a home or sofa surfing, we are seeing working families and young teens coming in to access food.

In October we began to serve a hot Sunday meal at our church in Burnley, with a fantastic team of volunteers coming together to cook and serve the food. In total we served 400 Sunday meals in October, and each week we have seen a growing number of children attending the meal.

In Burnley 9,282 children are living in poverty, according to official figures: That’s enough to fill the Longside at Turf Moor stadium, and as a church, this grieves us to see.

We will continue to serve hot lunches on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and an afternoon meal at 4pm on Sunday, throughout the winter months, as we seek to address high levels of food poverty.

See What’s On at Church on the Street

Overcoming: A Prayer by Pastor Emma

The following prayer was written by Pastor Emma, as she was recovering from a mastectomy and awaiting further treatment for breast cancer. We are thankful to God that Emma’s treatment (now complete) was successful, and that she was able to return to preach at our Sunday service, giving us this prayer.