Mission
Mission Statement
St Mary Magdalene’s Church seeks to be a centre of Christian worship, teaching, spirituality, prayer and action located at the heart of the local community that is defined by the parish boundaries. We seek, through praise, preaching, and prayer, to share the faith with all whom we encounter. We want to speak of Christ to our community in a welcoming way that is also grounded in reality, encouraging, loving and valuable. We believe that all have a part to play in our common life, and seek through friendship, fellowship, care and prayer to minister the light and love of Christ to all. Through our links in the wider world we hope to take an active part in international affairs, especially where there is poverty, danger or injustice. We hope that the love and care found in our midst can attract and infect others, so that they may turn to Christ, and be joined in fellowship with him and his people.
Charitable Giving
Here at St Mary Magdalene Church we believe it is our Christian duty and privilege to serve those in need with pastoral care, charity, companionship, understanding and welcome and, of course, through prayer.
Many of those we serve live locally and are perhaps lonely, confused, sick, bereaved, are struggling to make ends meet, have lost their jobs or even their homes. We try to offer a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand, advice when we can or maybe just a cup of coffee and some company. We also have a prayer and care group who meet regularly to pray for anyone who needs our support, and a prayer board at the back of church for those seeking anonymous or private prayer.
It is unlikely we will ever have such a close relationship with a charity again but, in Mary’s Meals, we have found one we believe in and are happy to support. They provide a meal a day for children at school in 15 countries across Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean. They believe that children are more likely to attend school if there’s a meal on offer and that the education they then receive is their best way out of poverty. We have created two main ways to raise funds to support their work. First we run a Dinner Money scheme - every time we sit down to enjoy our main meal of the day we put 10p in a box and then bring the box to a special service three times a year. Secondly we hold regular St Mary’s Meals for Mary’s Meals, when someone provides a meal for friends but collects a fair price for it as a donation to the charity. Through the generosity of our congregation and their friends these initiatives have proved really successful and we have already raised several thousand pounds.
If you would like to know more you can click on the image below to open the Mary’s Meals website.
At Mary’s Meals, we are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in a place of education.
By providing a daily meal in a place of learning, we meet the immediate needs of hungry children and encourage them to go to school to gain an education that can, in the future, be their ladder out of poverty.
It costs just £13.90 to feed a child for a whole school year, so even the smallest amounts can have a huge impact.
I am hopeful, because I already know how generous they are, that many in our church family will be willing to take Mary’s Meals to their hearts and that we will support it as best we are able.
Make us ever eager, Lord,
To share the good things that you give us.
Grant us such a measure of your Spirit
That we may find more joy in giving than in receiving.
Make us ready to give more cheerfully without grudging,
Secretly without praise
And in sincerity without looking for gratitude
For Jesus Christ’s sake
Amen
A prayer by John Hunter
Judy Smith
Charities Champion