Kate Lawes

Kate has now returned from her time with Mercy Ships.

While she was away she kept in touch through her blog.

The ship was based outside Freetown, Sierra Leone.

 

Chris and Alison Hawksbee

Chris and Alison’s mst recent visit to  St James was at the end of July 2011. Chris and Alison are serving with the Anglican Church of Paraguay and are supported by the Church Missionary Society (CMS).

Chris is an agriculturalist working with the Amerindian peoples of the Chaco. Alison is a teacher working at the Anglican teacher training college and teaches English. They have 3 grown up children. Chris’ mother lives in TW and was herself a missionary.

International Nepal Fellowship

We support Martin and Catherine Hickey who are based in Nepal. Martin is the Kathmandu-based Communications Director for INF, a Christian mission serving Nepali people through health and development work

Just Children Foundation

Probably our most well known mission partner within St James Church.

This is a Christian Zimbabwean organization that takes care of children in need in Zimbabwe. Their core aim is to assist homeless children to get off the streets, and where possible, to rehabilitate and reunite them with adoptive families. JCF currently takes care of over 250 children not yet placed with families, in at least three of its centres in Zimbabwe. Over 90% of the children under the care of JCF are either infected with HIV or have somehow been affected by HIV and AIDS (i.e.: orphaned etc).

Laji and Sheila Verghese

Our newest mission link. Laji and Sheila came to St James at the end of July and they are long term friends of Mike and Kate Lawes. They are Indian nationals and have worked for many years at The Lady Willingdon Hospital, Manali, India.

This year they are undertaking a new 4 year project, having handed over their hospital responsibilities to another couple.

This project is aimed at meeting the medical and educational needs of interior villages and includes setting up pre-schools, surgical camps, health clinics and training others to take over the work.

This is the Lady Willingdon Hospital website and it provides links to peripheral clinics, including Spitti, where Sheila and Laji do some of their work.

Rhema Partnership

The Rhema Revival Bible College trains young men and women from many different church backgrounds for Christian Ministry. Over 40 students have graduated since 2000 when the college was founded and are currently serving in Churches throughout South India. The Bible College is located in the Rhema Garden, Cumbum. The Rhema Partnership currently donates £250 per student and £5,500 per year towards the running of the College. We have supported 2 students a year through their training for several years now.

Anglican Ministry to the Persian Community in Britain

Over recent years the Iranian community living in Britain has increased. Among them a growing number have been enquiring about the Christian faith, or are in Britain as asylum-seekers because of their Christian faith. To meet the pastoral and spiritual needs of these Persians, Bassi Mirzania, herself a Christian Iranian, was ordained in order to work with these people and with assisting other clergy working with Iranians. The church Mission Society (which has had major connections with the Anglican Church in Iran for almost 150 years) manages the finances of the project.

SAT–7 PARS

SAT-7 is an innovative satellite television service that provides Christian television for the Middle East and North Africa. It has been broadcasting for 5 years.

• Created by Christians of the Middle East and North Africa.
• For the people of this area.
• Showing programmes made in Arabic and Farsi.
• On air every day.

Programmes include dramas, chat shows, music, children’s shows, feature films, Bible teaching, and documentaries. Each one has a Christian foundation and they are all culturally sensitive and spiritually relevant. In December 2006 ICB (Iranian Christian Broadcasting) merged with SAT-7 to provide more quality Christian TV. “Pars” is a commonly used term in and around Iran to refer to Persians and things Persian. SAT-7 PARS now offers 20 hours of Farsi and 4 hours Turkish Christian broadcasting. It is estimated that more than 20 million people in Iran regularly view satellite television, despite an official ban on the ownership of dishes.

CPAS – The Church Pastoral Aid Society

CPAS are the patrons of our parish. This means that they have a key role in choosing a new vicar, they pray for the church and offer support for the work here. Their role in patronage developed in the 19th century as a means of safeguarding the position of evangelical parishes. Today they are available to a great range of Anglican parishes and help evangelical clergy working in non-evangelical parishes. Their mission statement is:

To inspire and enable Anglican churches to reach everyone in their communities with the good news of Jesus Christ.

CPAS are a Home Mission Society, particularly active in youth and children’s work. They have their own Sunday by Sunday material and a number of other resources. They also run Christian holidays for children and young people, including for those who are disadvantaged or difficult children, – Falcon and Venture holidays. Some people from St James have been involved with these.

Like all Christian charities they have found maintaining their income difficult. They do not charge for all their activities because this might make them unavailable to poorer parishes.

The Leprosy Mission

Peter Davison from TLM came to speak at St James at the end of September 2010.

TLM is a leading international Christian development mission working in around 30 countries. It has served people affected by leprosy since 1874. The work covers medical treatment, education, detection, rehabilitation, advocacy and the reintegration of people into their communities They focus on three areas: South Asia, East Asia/Pacific and Africa. Every year over 300,000 new patients are diagnosed and registered for treatment.

TLM’s annual budget is over £10 million and they rely on the contributions of individuals, churches, trusts, legacies and government agencies to support the work. TLM is recognised in the countries where it operates for the quality of its work and commitment to assist anybody affected by leprosy, without discrimination.

The Bridge Trust

The Bridge Trust was formally registered as a charity in October 1991. Since that time it has received nearly 5000 referrals.

Statement of Purpose

The Bridge Trust provides action and support for single homeless people in West Kent and to bring hope to those who feel they have run out of options. The Bridge Trust also seeks to provide suitable accommodation with support to those in need and in particular the single homeless, to create a bridge between homelessness and independent living, and a bridge between the Statutory and Voluntary sectors.

Street Teams

Through a Volunteer Co-ordinator, a Street Team Project running 4 nights a week, 52 weeks a year operates in a central Tunbridge Wells Car Park. Over 30 dedicated volunteers supply not only food but if asked support and practical assistance to the street homeless. – some of St James church family help with this.

Advice Centre

The Advice Centre opened in 1999 and is unique in the area as it deals specifically with single homeless people. Since opening, it has averaged over 350 referrals each year The Advice Centre also acts as the first line of assessment for their own houses.

Charity shops and Furniture Warehouse

There are two homeless charity shops and a furniture warehouse. They provide valuable revenue for the Bridge Trust, but equally as important, provide furniture and household items for the residents who are ready to move into their own homes.

Fegans

James Fegan began his work amongst destitute boys in 1870, setting up homes for them to live in. His initial work was very much one of rescue, inspired by his Christian faith. By the mid 1980′s fostering and adoption of children became the local authorities preferred policy, which led to the closure of Fegans’ children’s homes and a reshaping of the work.

The priority remains the well-being of the child. They now work in the community, undertaking services such as counselling, family support, pre-school facilities, school’s work and training. As a Christian organisation, Fegans underlines the value of the family, often working with parents, especially in times of crisis.

Fegans’ main office is situated at the end of St James Road.