The aim of the Community Ministries Department (CMD) is to support and assist those in need, to seek to enhance their quality of life by supplying physical and spiritual needs to those and bring hope through the love of Jesus Christ.
The CMD primarily focuses on the following projects:
- Community Outreach Programme
- Child Sponsorships
- Visitation
Community Outreach Programmes
St. Mary Magdalene Centre Outreach Programme
The Outreach Programme carried out by the CMD at St. Mary Magdalene Centre continues to provide refugees and asylum seeker students with cooked meals during college term on a weekly basis. Due to the support of the Community Ministries Outreach team, the centre is about to embark on a move towards independent charitable status and management reorganisation.
Luncheon Club/Meal Delivery Service
The Luncheon Club project, which was aimed at providing food for the elderly in the community, was discontinued in August 2009 due to poor attendance. It was decided to replace the Luncheon Club with a weekly meal delivery service for shut-in members, which has been available on request since Wednesday 3rd August 2009, using the church minibus as well as other volunteer CMD drivers using their own transport. This is proving to be very promising with eight members receiving the service weekly. There is a possibility to extend this to more shut-in members if required. We believe that this service should be extended so that more shut-in members can benefit.
Child Sponsorship
Action Aid
The sponsorship of two children through Action Aid, one from Malawi and the other from Haiti, continues through funding collected monthly from CMD members. With this aid we have been able to contribute to the building of new schools, better education for the community, more food production, purchasing of new farming equipment and providing little treats for the children. Due to the success of these sponsorships, we have received letters expressing appreciation.
Visitation
Members of the CMD continue to visit and support the sick, elderly and shut-in members on a continuous basis, supplying fruit baskets, food, flowers and cards as preferred and where appropriate, which are funded by CMD members.