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Introduction
Crisis Centre Ministries - often known as 'The Crisis Centre' or 'CCM' - is a local charity based in Bristol, England. Please don't confuse us with Crisis, the national homelessness charity!
We are open throughout the year, providing a Christian response to the needs of people with life-disrupting problems, who are the poorest and most vulnerable adults in our society. Many of them are called 'street people' but whether or not they are or have been homeless, many of their lives are shaped by issues such as poor mental and physical health, addiction, debt, unemployment, crime and violence.
Sleep Out: 26 February 2010
The next Sleep Out is getting close. If you would like to take part, either as an individual supporter, or as a group, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.
Details of the sleep out are on the BCAN web site, on the Sleep Out page.
Sian has set up a JustGiving page for the CCM staff team, so if you can't take part in the Sleep Out, you can sponsor those of us who do. The page is the CCM Sleep Out Team page.
AGM and New Building
Thank you to everyone who made the AGM at Trinity Tabernacle on Monday 12 October such a success.
The big news at the AGM was that we have made an offer on a new property: the Queen Vic in Stapleton Road. Our offer has been accepted, and we have paid a deposit. But there is a lot more work to do before contracts are exchanged, so do please keep praying.
The full estimated cost of the project at present is around £440,000 (£440,047 to be precise...) but we do not anticipate having to pay the full rate for all the estimated work. Our current best estimate for the whole project (purchase, repairs and renovation, and fitting out) is £400,000.
As well as raising funds for this project, we would like to find two people to play a major part in the project: a fundraiser, and a project manager who has experience of building projects. If you might be able to offer to help in one of these ways, or know someone who might, please get in touch with us. Thank you very much.
Prayer Meetings
From September 2009, we have decided to try moving the monthly evening prayer meeting from the last Thursday to the 4th Monday evening of each month - apart from December! - from 7:30 to 9 pm.
So the next few evening prayer meetings will be:
- 25 January 2010
- 22 February 2010
- 22 March 2010
- 26 April 2010
We will continue to have a monthly lunchtime prayer meeting, the details of which are circulated by email as soon as we have worked out the best day. You are very welcome to join us at any of these times.
The staff and volunteers also have a short 15 minute Bible reading and prayer time each day at 10 am. Anyone who is around at that time is welcome to join us.
Prayer Meeting, Tuesday July 28
Thank you to everyone who came to the prayer meeting at the Easton Christian Family Centre - it was a wonderful time. There was a deep sense of unity among the people present, from a wide variety of churches and organisations.
We will be seeking to move forward with the plan to purchase a new property in the Easton area, to be used as a base for our coffee shop.
Watch this space for more details...
Sleep Out, 2009
Thank you to everyone for praying about the Sleep Out on Friday 27 February. All the staff and two trustees took part, plus another ten or so dedicated supporters and family members. It was only a tiny bit damp, and everyone survived - and all the participants were in remarkably good spirits in the morning. Some of us even got a little sleep.
If anyone would like to sponsor us retrospectively, please feel free! Cheques, etc., are always acceptable, but you may find the easiest way is to donate online by following the link from the CCM web site, or by going directly to:
BBC Radio Bristol interviewed Alan Goddard twice. The Bristol Evening Post advertised the event beforehand, and did a follow-up piece the following Monday. Do let us know if you are aware of other mentions in the media. And please pray that this publicity helps people understand more about homelessness and the issues facing homeless people. We are particularly trying to highlight the need for more help - treatment, not just advice - for alcoholics in Bristol.
We counted 72 people sleeping out, from 12 different churches and organisations. So far, people have reported collecting an estimated £10,000 in sponsorship for homelessness charities in Bristol.
Hopes and Dreams
The ministry has been based in our building at 12 City Road since 1986. The premises have served us well, but are now very inadequate for the work we are trying to do in them.
What we really need to do is to move to larger and more suitable premises somewhere near our current building. Failing that, we need a larger space for the Coffee Shop. We would then retain the current building, and cope with the cost and inconvenience of operating on two sites.
Whatever we do, it is likely to cost a great deal of money. We need a great deal of prayer for wisdom to know which way to go, and for the right premises to be made available.
In the long run, it would be good to have at least two sites: one in St Pauls as the main point of contact, and one a bit further away from the drug dealers, to provide a healthier environment for those who are 'clean' and wishing to stay that way.