Some days are bright and sunny, like today as I write which is the Summer Solstice, other days are damp and chilly, like Saturday for the One Church programme in Eastrop Park. Our moods often reflect the weather or are in response to the joys and stresses of life. But life under a loving God is worth celebrating, and each day can be used to support others.

The Chaplaincy thanked Alan Casebow for his 12 years of service as a chaplain and the Basingstoke Gazette wrote up an interview with him which can be seen here:

https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/20209791.basingstoke-chaplain-stepping-position-12-years/

He has been an encouragement to us and visited the Age Concern café each week until Covid came along.

We are in the final stages of training 3 more chaplains who will be wonderful additions to our team. Erioluwa, Adeleke and Odunola are members of Praise Embassy church and want to bring God’s love to others. We are continuing to look for more chaplains so that we can better meet people who want to talk to us; we are being invited to places but have no one to go.

We are getting better known around the town through our presence in the streets, our attendance at different events and also from newspaper articles.

We particularly value your prayer support and that of churches. We continue to seek closer links with churches so that we can encourage some people to return to their former faith and church attendance.  Being able to refer them to a contact in a suitable church makes all the difference.

Thank you for your support and prayers; we value your journey with us.

John

John Hayward

Chair of Trustees

Prayer Points

Your prayers are valued for:

1. Tricia, Pam, Martha, Judith, Mary, Malcolm and Shelagh building trusting relationships with shop workers through regular visiting. Pray for wisdom to provide good support.
2. Tim, Shelagh, Pam and Eric engaging with people attending Court, whose unwise choices have often resulted from their own difficult circumstances.
3. The police and Court staff who face challenging emotional issues and circumstances in their daily work; and our chaplain Peter who, with others, needs particular sensitivity in supporting the police.
4. Both Malcolms, chaplains at the bus station, and for the links with chaplains at other bus stations.
5. Our new chaplains, their training and the recruitment others.
6. The financial generosity of our supporters enabling this mission to continue.
7. People who have asked for our prayers in confidence because of troubles, illness or relationship problems.
8. Those seeking God, that they will find in Jesus Christ the Saviour and friend they need.

We know that Christmas 2020 is over, we are in the New Year and that Christmas 2021 is still 11 months away! However some of you may have missed our unique Christmas Special with Doug Horley and friends. So why not snuggle up with your kids under a duvet, open one last box of mince pies and enjoy this unusual retelling of the Christmas story. What could be better to while away those long dark evenings. Enjoy.