Street Pastors heading for Inverness
 A local church is actively progressing the idea of bring the concept of Street Pastors to Inverness.
Street Pastors was founded in Brixton in 2003 with 18 volunteers; it now has teams in towns and cities all over the UK. Mark Hadfield of Inverness Community Church is exploring the possibilities for Inverness.
Mark writes:
Over the last year or so, our Father has been breaking my heart to find ways of taking His love to people, where they are. I’ve become increasingly aware in my own church setting that we expect people to come into an environment that is totally foreign to them in order to experience His amazing love, and so I have felt increasingly led by the Holy Spirit to take that love to people as well, wherever they happen to be.
Street Pastors is just one expression of this that I have found through friends who have setup Street Pastors in their home town of Wrexham in North Wales, and who have shared many exciting stories with me about people coming to know the love of God through Street Pastors teams, operating initially in the town centre late on Friday and Saturday nights.
Street Pastors is described as “an inter-denominational Church response to urban problems, engaging with people on the streets to care, listen and dialogue”. It has seen some remarkable results all over the UK, including drops in crime in areas where teams have been working.
The Ascension Trust, which started the Street Pastors initiative, assists local churches working together to equip concerned Christians to take God’s love into the streets, pubs and clubs. This includes establishing local accountability, training, and formalising local partnerships with government, police, and other care agencies.
Mark continues:
I’m thrilled that Les Isaac, the director of the Ascension Trust, and his colleague Eustace Constance, have agreed to be with us in Inverness on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 April so that we can all come together to find out more about Street Pastors and discuss if this is something we would like to setup together in the Inverness area.
Friday 27 April, 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Discussion at Inverness CYC (YMCA) on Bank Street
This meeting is open for anybody in any kind of church leadership / care ministry / community work, or their representatives, to find out more about Street Pastors and to discuss the steps involved in setting up a local Street Pastors group.
Friday 27 April, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
BBQ at
22 Mackay Road, Hilton, IV2 4JJ
(see map below)
This informal gathering is for anybody interested in Street Pastors to find out more and to meet like-minded people. We would love it if people from the earlier meeting at the CYC can come along to the BBQ if possible, and be joined by any others who might consider becoming a Street Pastor, or who just want to find out more.
May our Father give you a tremendous sense of peace as to whether or not to get involved in this exciting opportunity. May He bless you in all that you are doing, and all that you plan to do, for His Kingdom.
Please do contact Mark for any further information by e-mail or Tel. 01463 243603
And also let him know if you hope to attend the BBQ.
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