Creating a more solid faith community outreach - an update from Nicola
Bernadette Bereavement Support is now a 'Not for Profit' charitable organisation but has been in existence for years as a part of the Bernadette Community (founded 2005) and to date funded independently by me. The rise in petrol costs, other overheads and the fundamental issue of not enough hours in the day has made this difficult to maintain. However I have tried to make it available to those who have requested it although I have been conscious of being spread so thinly this past year as the need for support has increased (probably trebled). It has become more than difficult for me to reach out to everyone in need including those poor souls who don't contact me and are often in such need. This has caused a great deal of frustration on my part as one person can only be in one place at a time! I have brother and sister clergy on the end of an email ready to help people but they are not available locally. This is why a team of BBS counsellors has been raised as one of a fair few priority needs.
I could never have anticipated a) the huge demand and need for bereavement support and b) the longing for regular worship within a framework of a refreshed approach to Christian 'community' and spirituality. Over the last year many kind people have offered donations towards my bereavement support ministry. This has served towards meeting the costs of ever increasing petrol prices and the hire of premises. It has also covered the overheads for much needed training of a team of counsellors to serve Bishops Stortford, Stevenage and their surrounding villages and towns. These donations have also enabled us to plan for BBS's continued future in serving local people.
People I am having contact with every day are expressing a need and want for God's presence and the real comfort only faith can give. Even more inspired, some people I am meeting are finding God for the first time in their lives. I have been asked in all seriousness to expand BBS and introduce the ethos of our Church Community from where it has come. To date this has been the part I have kept to one side for fear of people thinking I am bashing them with a huge bible! I am more than aware that people must find God in their own time - they do not need clergy to force their priesthood and religion upon them.
Many people I speak to struggle to witness a consistent and loving Christian faith within the controlling ethos of organised, mainstream religion/church. People are seeing for themselves that we strive to be different. This difference doesn't work for everyone as some people need the rigidity and inflexibility of organised religion. I totally respect that but many don't want to be preached at, judged, made to feel badly or just plain condemned. Their response to this is a belief that any expression of faith must include a guilt ridden and punishing lifestyle. Faith should joyous and light! It should be fun and beautiful! It is about loving neighbours, building communities with the roots of respect and spirituality... accepting each other no matter what! It is not doom, gloom and misery mixed in with the promise of burning in the eternal fires of hell! Organised religion and a personal expression of how Christ lives within us (for some) are two completely different things. I believe passionately that there has to be an unlocked door available to everyone who wants to access God. Organised religion and the mainstream churches have created a massive lock and key... and with all their current in-fighting... they are locking themselves in and everyone else out!
And so to our next priority. As I said, many people have asked for me to create a regular time for community worship. This is a wonderful outreach and a Spirit inspired extension of my current ministry. But again, not without its implications. As an exclusive bereavement chaplain and member of an independent and growing church with very little money, I rely heavily on sharing or hiring premises if I am to lead community worship. The commitment to my bereavement work creates lttle time for this to be regular but the creation of a support team will ease this greatly. Yet again however, cost implications must be considered. My colleagues within the ECC are not bereavement chaplains and have their own faith communities and premises and regularly meet for shared worship - but again they are not within reasonable travelling distance.
I am looking at premises for community worship and have been delighted that some smaller church communites are keen to support me. This will not diminish my bereavement work - it will enhance it.
With the recent appointment of a volunteer secretary coupled with the support of colleagues and laity, an action plan with short, medium and long term goals has been put in place.
Short term goals - to be evaluated upon achievement - May 2010
Register as a not for profit charity ACHIEVED
Organise and deliver training to interested and committed individuals to boost support available on a regular basis for those in pain through bereavement. IN PROGRESS
Create and train a small team of both secular and faith rooted bereavement support volunteers to visit families/individuals within their own homes at mutaully convenient times. IN PROGRESS
Maintain and increase upon regular bereavement support groups at a local communtiy centre currently used in North Hertfordshire.
Medium term goals - to be evaluated upon achievement - June/July 2010
Appoint a church committee to work with existing laity (volunteers for secretary and treasurer have been snapped up)
Secure the use of premises for regular worship
Long term goals - to be evaluated - December 2010
To obtain sufficient funding for a minibus (approx £6k) to collect those unable to travel for support groups and regular worship
Eventually secure own premises for all of the above!
If anyone feels they want and can commit to all or any part of this action plan - please contact me. You are wanted and needed! Paypal will be installed shortly by our new secretary for people to offer donations if they choose to. This is not without its discomfort for me as I have avoided this path for years but it is a definite need within our local community so I must move forward in faith.