16Aug 2012 by Nigel Ring

Helping Homeless People

Equipping, Good Practice, Ministry Report, News, Poor
Post Olympics I hope you enjoyed the Olympics! It seemed a great occasion that lifted the atmosphere in the UK. And wasn't God good in giving us such fine weather compared to the previous ‘x' weeks!! Now we are into holiday time in the UK so this will be my last posting until September. Friends First Church of Christ the King in Brighton has had a ministry to homeless people for about 25 years. Starting with a ‘soup kitchen' it developed first into a one evening per week drop in for a meal, clothing hand-outs and hearing the gospel. Ten years ago the church purchased a house for 12 people who have demonstrated their desire for help towards independent living, having come off any addictive substances such as drink or…
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20Jun 2012 by Nigel Ring

Ministry with homeless people – Kings Arms Project

Drug addiction, Good Practice, Ministry Report, News, Poor
Recently I carried out a 'Ministry Health Check' with the Kings Arms Project. I was impressed about the high standard of ministry and felt their story should be told. Ali Green, the present leader of the ministry, has responded with this report. More recently Ali told me she will be leaving the Project to have a baby - good news for her bad news for the Project. They are now looking for a replacement. At the end of this article is a link with more details for anyone interested in finding out more. "They will be called Oaks of Righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendour." (Is 61:3) To be set free This is the dream for those of us who work for King's Arms…
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19Jul 2011 by Nigel Ring

Together on a Mission – the final one

Conference Administration, Equipping, Leadership, Ministry Report, Newfrontiers, News, Together on a Mission
The final one Last week marked the end of the TOAM conferences in Brighton, the home city of Terry Virgo, founder of Newfrontiers. The first biennial Leadership Conference was in 1990, but after the Stoneleigh Bible Week ended we started to hold them annually, from 2002, combining them with Students and Twenties under the banner of Mobilise. Three years ago Mark Driscoll, our guest speaker from Seattle, USA, challenged us to prepare for transition to the next generation of leadership. He suggested allowing five years to accomplish this. Prophetic leading Obedient to what we believed was a word from God we have worked steadily seeking Him for guidance and planning for the future. This final TOAM marked an important turning point in that process. There is still much to do…
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18Mar 2011 by Nigel Ring

Memory boxes/books

Ministry Report, News, Poor
Recently I had the privilege of staying with Ray and Jo Partridge in Zimbabwe. Jo shared with me about the powerful benefits Memory Boxes can provide for a child after his or her parent has died. She and Ray kindly agreed to write about this for my blog. We all love to look back on our lives, remembering moments that made an impression on us, experiences that we went through that helped us form ideas, opinions, even where we feel God is leading us in the future. Our lives are like a jigsaw puzzle, made up of many pieces that form the whole. For children who grow up with missing pieces (positive or negative) the feeling of some things missing feels like gaping holes in their lives. Coming alongside an…
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19Nov 2010 by Nigel Ring

Ministry Report – Feeding Programme in Mumbai

Christian ministry, Good Practice, India, Ministry Report, News, Poor, Relief and Development
Recently I was visiting India and was very impressed by what I heard of a beautiful ministry of compassion. I asked Lynn Fernandes to write it up for my blog: Around December 2007, a few of us from Living Word Church, Mumbai, India, felt sovereignly lead by God from a verse in Is 58:7 " ...is it not to share your food with the hungry, to provide the wonderer with shelter, to cloth the naked, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood." In short, to do something for the poor. There were so many poor people around us. Where were we to start and how were we to go about doing what we felt lead to? Feeding of the Poor We started off one Wednesday in…
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19Jul 2010 by Nigel Ring

Ministry Report 5 – Crisis Pregnancy and Post Abortion

Christian ministry, Good Practice, Health, Ministry Report, Poor
From time to time it is my pleasure to use my blog to draw people's attention to ministries which I consider demonstrate 'Good Practice' among those who are in some way disadvantaged. This report has been written by the team leaders of Alternatives Pregnancy Counselling Centre in Brighton, UK. This ministry demonstrates great love, compassion and excellence. Called to Care Sarah Pooley and Claire Godley Often when we think of caring for the poor, practical ministries to people living in poverty in places like Africa and Asia come to mind. It’s easy to forget that there are people who are ‘poor in spirit’ and struggling with huge emotional issues in every street in the UK. One such group are women facing an unplanned pregnancy. In 2009 women living in England and…
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