Ark Charity Shop to increase in size

The Ark Charity Shop has been serving the people of Girlington, Heaton and Manningham for more than 20 years. It sells a wide range of goods from clothing, shoes, books, bric à brac, toys, DVDs to electrical goods. All the items are competitively priced, rotated regularly and there are special offers every week. Many customers come to the shop every few days to pick up a bargain.

The shop was started by the churches in the area so that small, local organisations could be given grants for their activities. Lots of local adults and children have benefited from them through these organisations. Run by volunteers, the shop is seen as a friendly, supportive place to shop, and many volunteers have gone on to get jobs, after their experience in the shop.

The shop will soon almost double in size, allowing more goods to be displayed. There will also be room for baby equipment and small furniture and the plan is to have the front of the shop dedicated to clothing and the back for other items.

Thanks to the generosity of local people there has never been a shortage of donations. The shop accepts everything that is given and even asks people to bring their rags and broken electrical items, as these can be sold on. Sandra, the manager, said ”I’m delighted that we’ll be able to display more goods and I’m encouraging people to donate more of everything, ready for when we open the shop extension. Everyone’s really excited about the future”

What a marvellous example of ecumenical working, by the churches of Girlington, Heaton, and Manningham, which include Little Lane LEP.

Comments

Christmas Day Worship 2021

Today is the day - Christmas! The central candle is lit. The waiting is over. The child is born. As we celebrate the Feast and Holy-Day of Christmas, with the Psalmist (Ps. 98:4-6) we proclaim: Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn – shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Prayer Let us pray: Generous God, even as we praise you for the good news of today, and seek to shout for joy at the coming of the Christ-child, we acknowledge Mary’s mix of pain and joy, both today and in the days to come. As we do so, we face our own emotions on this difficult and delightful day, and ask your help to live it well. Amen. Carol You might like to sing, or reflect on the words of Geoffrey Ainger’s hymn at StF 193/H&P 95, Born in the night, Mary’s child, a long way from your home; coming in need, Mary’s child, born in a borro...

Pastoral Letter - 9 December 2021

Dear friends We have been through a lot together over this last 18 months since the pandemic first started, as households, as communities and as the people of the church. At times we have struggled, but we have also recognised the support we can offer one another in times of adversity. When things have been far from normal, we have adapted in new ways to continue the life and mission of the church. In the face of great hurt and great need, we have found the value of faith and hope. Since the summer we have seen signs of hope in the re-opening of buildings and the re-starting of some of our church and community groups. However, recent news of a new variant of the virus has once again raised the level of concern. Clearly, the pandemic is not yet over. Consequently, as I am sure you are already aware, the government has decided that there is a need for greater restrictions to be in place once again - see detailed guidance dated 8th December. In the light of this, the Methodist Church...

Prayer Column - January 2022

The turn of the year As a new year approaches we tend to wonder what lies ahead, hoping always to shake off the past’s bad record and for something better to come, as if hoping could make it so. We wonder about next year because of course we don’t know what lies around the corner (however great the store of human knowledge, and however thorough our Googling). Search as we may, and it’s a royal honour to do so (Prov 25:2), some things are known only to God: times and seasons fixed by his authority are not for us to know (Acts 1:7), for the future is his. This is a time to remind ourselves of God’s omniscience: he does know (Rom 11:33). He knows the plans he has for us – plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future (Jer 29:11). And it’s time to remember also that God is not far-off and aloof, but a loving, heavenly Father who wants a close living relationship with each of us, day by day and breath by breath – he sent Jesus to bring us back to him. So ...

Bradford North Circuit

Search This Blog