A ‘space age’ welcome!
Places of Welcome at St Anne's C of E Church, Chasetown has entered the space age, with its ‘Space of Welcome” in a tent!
A blog by Lesley Bovington - TCT’s Places of Welcome Facilitator (Staffs/Stoke)
The ‘Space of Welcome’ is paused at the moment due to Lockdown 2, but it’s such an inspiring story we still wanted to share it.
Churchwarden, Sheila Murphy and Rev Richard Westwood (Team Vicar) came up with this idea, to enable their weekly open-to-all get togethers to continue when Covid-19 regulations meant that gathering indoors was difficult. It'sbeen a big success, with a regular turnout of around 25 people, all socially distanced and obeying the ‘rule of six’.
St Anne's has offered a Place of Welcome for three years, now. Richard says that it has really enabled the church to get to know and to help its local community. These are social gatherings, but anyone needing support is very welcome to ask, and St Anne's then tries to get the right people together to help. A recent example of this has been the help provided to local residents having some housing difficulties. St Anne's also runs a food distribution scheme for those in need through its community partnership with the Burntwood Be A Friend initiative, supported by local supermarkets. Sheila said, ‘It is wonderful for St Anne’s to be able to serve our community in these ways at such a difficult time’.
When the current Covid-19 restrictions allow...
The Place of Welcome is open at St Anne's every Thursday from 11.00am to 1.00pm. You're promised a very warm welcome (whether indoors or in the tent!), a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit and friendly companionship.