The United Reformed Church

CRCW - Maria JY Lee

The Chelmsford project supports and develops local community by working alongside and in partnership with local organisations. Maria JY Lee started as a CRCW in July 2018 and divides her time evenly between two projects, located in two different parts of Chelmsford: Church of Our Saviour (COS), which is an LEP with the Church of England, and the North Avenue Mission Project.

1. Church of Our Saviour LEP has a multi-generational and multi-ethnic congregation within the united congregation (Anglican/URC/ Free Church). The church building is open for the community during the week with various community activities, which are attended by young mothers and children, retired people and neighbours. This creates the opportunity to build a strong community, which shares in local issues.

The Good Companions project focuses on building a dementia friendly community in the area. Maria provides dementia friendly activities and creative worship to not only those who suffer from dementia, but also for everybody who wants to explore the dementia friendly community.

2. The North Avenue Mission Project was launched on 1 October 2018, following the closure of North Avenue United Reformed Church, after serving the community for 90 years. This Mission Project forms the partnership agreement between Eastern Synod and Oasis Church under the mission statement; Working together and reaching out as a church-in-community.

The mission project takes place at the North Avenue Christian Centre (formerly North Avenue URC) and the area is in the poorest and most under-privileged area of Chelmsford. With this social context in mind, Maria has various opportunities to work closely with local agencies (including Essex Boys and Girls Clubs, Christian Against Poverty, Christians Together in Chelmsford, CHESS, Chelmsford Foodbank, North West Chelmsford Community Action Group) and has actively been involved in setting up a Citizen’s UK project in Chelmsford within an ecumenical context. Maria started ‘Walking the Way-Holy Habits with Our Community’ project in December 2018 to explore living the life of Jesus today.

3. Maria has launched ‘the Little Free Pantry’ project in both communities. It aims to provide an opportunity for neighbours to help each other and it can be accessed 24/7 by anyone needing to help themselves to whatever is inside when they are in crisis, or anyone wishing to donate.

Chelmsford Project is willing to serve the wellbeing of the local people. Maria says that ‘our worship is not only happening at our Sunday services, but is also continued during the week, as we continue to build partnerships with the community and focus on a lifelong Christian discipleship.’

Read a recent CRCW reflection by Maria JY Lee called The Little Free Pantry.

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CRCW - Rosie Buxton

In the Dalton ward 25.5% of people are living in neighbourhoods amongst the top-10% most deprived in England and in the Ashbrow ward 42.5% of people are living in neighbourhoods amongst the top -10% most deprived in England.
Whilst Brackenhall has enjoyed some regeneration, the Moldgreen area (less than one mile from the town centre) appears to be in decline. Moldgreen United Reformed Church will manage the project with support from three other churches: Waverley URC, Brackenhall URC and Stainland & Holywell Green URC.

The project will enable the Church Related Community Worker; Rosie Buxton to connect with every member of the four congregations, helping each person to discern how they are called to utilise their unique God given gifts to contribute to this shared vision.

Moldgreen URC has strong links with the local primary school where the headteacher is seeing an increasing social need. At a governors meeting (Jan 2016) it was reported that, “Need is growing, as fewer and fewer agencies are available to meet need. Safeguarding needs are growing, and services do not have the manpower or budgets to meet need. Domestic violence is on the increase, emotional neglect cases are increasing, and children’s mental health needs are becoming desperate!”

Initially, most of Rosie’s work will be based in Moldgreen, due to the rapidly changing face of the community. Geographical isolation, cultural, social and language barriers mean many young families are in need of support. Rosie’s role includes liaising with existing local authority partners, churches and local charities, to audit and further quantify the exact needs and assets. Although a major focus of the project will involve working with families, the project realises the importance of working with other groups too. A couple of the churches currently run weekly activity and lunch clubs aimed at addressing some of the issues around social isolation and Moldgreen is committed to continuing its work with Alzheimer’s clients, building on the two weekly sessions which have been run to date.

Aims of the project:
* Empower local people and particularly a younger demographic (20-50 year-olds) to identify and begin to address the needs of       their community.

* Participation will include groups of people currently under-represented in community activity.

* Provide a range of activities which will be regularly reviewed on a theological basis.

* A better understanding of the most effective ways of the four Huddersfield URC’s working together to both engage with the   community and to further the work of God’s kingdom amongst their congregations.

* The four URC’s will be able to use their project experiences to inform the wider URC and churches in their locality.

You can read a Reform magazine interview with Rosie here.

CRCW - Marie Trubic

Marie Trubic was called to the project and inducted in a service at The Hall, in Priesthill in June 2017. Priesthill URC and Shawlands URC are members of the Southside Cluster.  Priesthill URC is based in ‘The Hall’, a former Roman Catholic Church social hall, which is situated on a post-war housing scheme of 8,500 residents on the south-west outskirts of Glasgow. 

The congregation’s mission statement is: ‘To love God and our neighbours (local and world-wide) including creation, as well as we love ourselves’. During the week, the premises give space and encouragement for a range of activities to increase overall health and well-being, sense of purpose and place, self-esteem and confidence.  

Marie’s role is to build on what is already happening, by developing relationships with the wider community and local organisations, and to create spaces in the Hall where community can be created. Marie is doing this by working in partnership with local organisations to coordinate community meals where people can meet, socialise, discover what’s happening in the area, join in, or start something new. The breakfasts attract up to 80 people of all ages, the Open Doors Cafe up to 40 and the new community meal venture caters for a maximum 60.  Alongside the eating of good food, there's the opportunity to provide volunteers with training and regular cookery classes.

Marie is involved in the management and development of two community gardens, which enable local community the opportunity to grow fresh fruit and vegetables. There is also a children’s gardening club for 5-11-year old’s, who meet every week. As well as this, these spaces are also used to host events in the area.

Marie is a key member of the Neighbourhood forum, the Children and Young People's committee and South Glasgow Gender-based Violence group.

Marie has also piloted a £30,000 Participatory Budgeting Project in Priesthill with money from the Church of Scotland and match funding from a local Housing Association and the Health Improvement team. Over 450 local people of all ages voted for their favourite ideas and nine community groups were awarded money for their projects.

Both of the churches have been closed due to Covid-19 and all activities including worship have been suspended. Marie has worked closely with local residents to develop and deliver other activities which respond to the deepening social isolation caused by the pandemic.

Read Marie's recent CRCW reflection: Counting Rainbows.