Mission & Outreach Supported by The Mint
Special Projects
2014-16 We supported two projects, The Marakissa Clinic (The Gambia) and Food For Thought (Uganda). £3200 was raised and divided between the two projects. Reports on the two projects can be viewed by clicking on the titles below
Food For Thought Report The Marakissa Clinic in The Gambia
2016-17 Refugee Support Group Devon
17 families have now been brought from Syria and resettled in Devon. (74 promised, 8 in Exeter). This has depended on houses being offered for their accommodation by councils and by individuals. Support work staff have been taken on to help the families settle and to make links with others in their neighbourhoods and with schools, health and benefits etc. Our financial donations are much appreciated as this is a small charitable organisation. There are a good number of volunteers, but few paid workers.
More details can be found on their website: http://refugeesupportdevon.org.uk/
Methodist Projects
- World Church
Our World Church Sunday was on June 11. Rev Norman Grigg who was in Gambia and now has links with British Ghanaian community led the service. The annual cream tea is at Angela White’s on Saturday 17 June which incorporate ‘The Great Get-Together’ in memory of Jo Cox raised a magnificent £300 for World Mission. The Circuit World Church festival is on Wednesday 15 July at Exminster. Mission box giving has remained constant despite only 7 box holders (£114.16). The World Mission envelope total fluctuates year on year depending on world events. Young Church are starting JMA collections monthly. More details of the work of the Methodist World Church can be found on:-http://methodist.org.uk/mission/world-church
- All We Can (Methodist Relief & Development)
Our harvest giving in September will support the work of ‘All We Can’. For details of the work of ‘All We Can’, see:- http://www.allwecan.org.uk/
- Mission in Britain
We are still looking for a representative to take on the role of helping supporting the work of MIB especially organising envelopes for MIB Sunday and publicising MIB projects. – see Peter Cordery for details
MIB website:- http://methodist.org.uk/mission/mission-in-britain
Methodist Homes
MHA are in the process of redeveloping the site of Moreton in Exmouth to create a brand-new retirement living development comprising circa 70 apartments, providing accommodation, care and support for around 120 older people. They anticipate that the community will open in 2017. Our MHA Sunday will be on September 10. MHA Website:- http://www.mha.org.uk/
- Action For Children
The total raised over the Christmas Appeal amounted to £908.13 – an excellent figure. This was comprised of £226.37 – recycled Christmas cards, £269.56 from carol singing (Homecourt & Mint Forecourt) and £412.20 from Christmas Day service collection. The Action For Children boxes raised £1015.90 in 2016 making a grand-total of nearly £2000 for the year. The total raised by boxes this year has gone up to £1099.46. More details of the work of Action For Children can be found on https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/
International Projects
- Christian Aid
During Christian Aid Week (14 -20 May) there was a ‘bring and buy’ book stall in reception alongside CA literature which raised £130. This, with the envelope collection, made a Mint total of £540 for Christian Aid Week. There was a CA Roadshow at the start of March featuring on ethical banking and use of resources. On August 4 there will be a CA street collection (to be confirmed). CA had a stall at the ‘Respect Festival’ and at Devon County Show.
CA Webiste can be found at:- http://www.christianaid.org.uk/
- Traidcraft
The Traidcraft stall has been very successful and has brought in £2069.04 in the last year. We had a special service on June 18 to focus on the work of Traidcraft. The website for Traidcraft is:- http://www.traidcraft.co.uk/
Exeter Initiatives
- Foodbank
Foodbank continues to use our premises on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday each week. Details of their service can be found on https://exeter.foodbank.org.uk/
- St Petrock’s
St Petrock’s provides advice and support services for the homeless throughout the year. The donations for St Petrock’s are much appreciated and they frequently send their thanks. The number of individuals in need of their emergency, advice and referral services in the centre has increased over the last year and they now see between 55 and 65 people a day. In addition to extending their opening hours to provide a popular ‘early bird’ service for rough sleepers, they have introduced a new range of drop-in mental health and specialist welfare advice sessions on-site, to enable the clients to access vital support, unavailable to them elsewhere.
- Gabriel House
The towels and toothpaste etc which are donated to Gabriel are used particularly in the basement during the cold months. This is set out to receive people whom the Outreach workers bring in from the streets. They can have a shower and get themselves cleaned up and so be able to have a better rest. Unfortunately, they cannot stay there during the day as it is used by the residents then. This is when many then go to St Petrocks for breakfast. When groups at the Mint have food provided by outside caterers the surplus is sent to Gabriel House.
- Bethany House
Staff very much appreciate the toiletries regularly supplied from the Mint. These are used as ‘welcome’ packs for new women coming into the supported housing and also as prizes for reward and encouragement towards independent living. Viv Asher has retired but is going to volunteer with them so will still continue to be our link. More details can be found on:- https://www.westwardhousing.org.uk/bethany-house/
Exeter Community Initiatives (ECI)
The Mint and other central churches support financially the work of ECI, set up to provide for unmet needs in the local community.
- Housing and mentoring – working with St Petrock’s and other charities to respond to homelessness and build on the work of Transitions.
- Families – supporting vulnerable families through Devon Family Resource.
- Urban Skills Centre – Jelly and the Bike Bank are innovative skills projects
- People & Communities – building on Ripple Effect and The Listening Project to support social action
Further details Of ECI can be found on their website:- http://www.eci.org.uk/
- Christians Together Across Exeter (CTAX)
CTAX organized the Cathedral service and ‘Walk of Witness’ on Good Friday which was well supported. On May 9, Dr Liz Toy, End of Life Care Specialist at RD&E, will lead an evening discussion on death, dying and Christian spirituality. More details of the work of CTAX can be found on http://www.ctax.btck.co.uk/
City Centre Chaplaincy
There are now a dozen chaplains visiting the shops in Exeter’s city centre. Interaction deepens and supportive listening is now accepted by a growing number of retail assistants, especially in stressful situations. The Christmas carol lunch event was widely welcomed and some brought their sandwiches to fortify themselves before working a late evening shift. Two new volunteers will start training this month. See their website for more details of ECCC http://www.exeterccc.btck.co.uk/
- Interfaith & Belief Group
This small group of between 15 & 25 meet once a month. They have a number of faithful Christians from various denominations but only 4 or 5 representatives of other Faiths and Beliefs. They would really like more non-Christians to join them. They belong to the Devon Interfaith and Belief Group and also the National one. They have some very interesting talks and discussions. The local Interfaith & Belief group open meeting was at the Mosque on 4 July and on Thursday 6 July was the Devon Faith & Belief Forum AGM at the St David’s Hill Community Centre where the speaker was Prudence Jones talking on ‘A pagan perspective on interfaith dialogue’.
See website for details of events. http://devonfaiths.org.uk/groups/exeter-interfaith-belief-group/
Mint Church Centre
- Lunch Club
There are regular Monday meals for an average of 30. (10 from the Mint congregation). Hazel Cryer and others, from Probation, lead a team of between 2 and 8 offenders to provide much appreciated meals. Probation values the project highly as it provides training and a valid opportunity to work purposefully within the community.
For other groups/activities at the centre please see Church Life tab
Hospital Service
A team attend the Sunday Service at the RD&E Hospital once every 2 months. The service is broadcast on Hospital Radio. Numbers attending the service vary a great deal but it is valued greatly by those who are able to attend while in hospital.