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Sunday Gatherings

10.30am Morning Gathering - families and students

6.30pm Evening Gathering - students and young adults

 

Over the last few years we have been growing in relationship with The Message Trust and our shared heart for mission has led to us partnering with them to bring Eden to Sheffield. As a church we are now committed to supporting the first Eden in Sheffield which is based at The Beacon in Arbourthorne & Norfolk Park; we also have a vision to plant an Eden missional community into Gorton, an area of Manchester that has captured our hearts. Our leadership team will also play a key role in the expansion of Eden in Sheffield and our dream is for Arbourthorne to be the first of many Eden projects in our city.

 

Eden Arbourthorne & Norfolk Park

The area is just slightly south east of the city centre and is part of a ward which is among the 100 most deprived in the UK. Many locals are imprisoned by poverty, and face family and community breakdown, high unemployment (50% higher in Arbourthorne than the city wide average) and a dependency benefits culture leading to low confidence and lack of hope.

 

The Beacon

Led by Jasper and Tina Hodges The Beacon is a contemporary Anglican church, based in a converted pub on the Arbourthorne estate. The Beacon’s ministry is all about showing God’s love in action. Key features of church life are a family feel, active worship, a heart for youth, building community and building God’s Kingdom in our neighbourhood.

 

The Team

We now have four Eden Team Members living in Arbourthorne, Natasha Pollitt, Phil Tobler, Laura Caddell and Simon Allison. They are settling in and getting to know the community but we still desperately need a full time Eden Team Leader to head up the project and help the new team to move forward.

 

Prayer requests:

  • Recruitment of an Eden Team Leader.

  • Recruitment of more volunteers, we would like to have 12 Eden Team Members living on the estate.

  • For the existing team that they will feel at home and see God at work as they begin their new Eden lives in Arbourthorne.

 

If you would like to find out more about Eden Arbourthorne you can contact Jasper Hodges at jasperlive@tiscali.co.uk

 

 Eden Gorton


 

 

A hundred years ago Gorton, situated on Manchester’s Eastside was a thriving industrial district, densely populated but with plenty of work available. It was known for its community spirit and strong families. However, the post-war depression hit Gorton hard and the local industry was decimated. This was compounded by a series of slum clearances that fragmented families and replaced the historic community with a poor quality and ill-planned social housing project.

The area’s current neighbourhood profile reveals the following:

  • household income levels in Gorton are in the bottom 5% nationally. 

  • the general health of the local population is very bad, in the bottom 1% nationally.

  • educational provision has been poor and school results are in the bottom 5% nationally.

  • Crime is endemic in the area with young people all too often either the victim or the perpetrator (of both). Crime statistics are in the bottom 2% nationally. 

The Missional Community

We will be sending a team from St Thomas' over to plant the missional community in Gorton. Jenny Tibbles has a real vision to build on Gorton’s monastic history by initiating a prayer house which will be the focal point of the missional community fostering rhythms of prayer, hospitality and service.

 

We are praying for Jenny to be sent with a team who will be the core of the new church community. Together they will build relationships with local young people and their families by sharing faith in word and action.

 

Prayer requests:

  • For an Eden Team Leader.

  • For the wider St Tom’s community to catch the vision and decide to join Jenny to plant this Eden missional community in Manchester.

  • For the community of Gorton, that God will be moving already, preparing the way for the new team.

 

If you would like to find out more about Eden Gorton and chat to Jenny about supporting her in this new missional community please drop her an email at jenstar@ekit.com

 

To read more about the Eden Network check out the website: www.eden-network.org

Calling our city back to God