The Town Centre Deacon is based at Wesley Chapel which is 147 years old, grade 2 listed building in the centre of Harrogate and works from there, with a brief to be a Chaplain to the town centre. David’s ministry is primarily focused on the people who live and work there, and he seeks to work ecumenically wherever possible and to be aware of and support what other Churches in the area are doing.
The main areas of his work are
a) Forward Together – a Luncheon club for the elderly / lonely which meets every Thursday. Provides coffee, a talk and lunch. His role is to be chaplain to those who attend and also to be a regular speaker. This is a key part of the work at Wesley and has been running for many years and is provided by a team of hard working volunteers.
b) Harrogate Homeless Project – originated from Wesley Chapel about 20 years ago.
David is seeking to establish a closer relationship with the project and is working with the team to increase the facilities provided.
www.harrogate-homeless-project.org.uk
c) Retail Chaplaincy – The church affirms the importance of our working lives and
the work place is often where we spend most of our waking hours. Through the Chaplaincy
service a listening ear is offered for whatever people may want to talk about. (He
is supported in this work by Churches Together and the Oastler centre in Leeds).
HARROGATE TOWN CENTRE Chaplaincy [pdf brochure]
www.networkleeds.com/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=83843
d) ConneXions – David is part of the team at St Peter’s who are providing an alternative style of worship on the first Sunday of the month in the afternoon.
e) Churches Together in Harrogate – there are a variety of Mission events and activities organised by Churches Together with which David is involved.
f) Wesley Chapel – A variety of groups use the premises at Wesley and he seek to make connections between these groups and the Chapel – to be a “face of the church”.
On Christmas day a lunch for the lonely and the homeless is provided.
g) His appointment is to the Harrogate Methodist Circuit and in addition to his work in the town centre he seeks to involve himself in circuit life through preaching, circuit events and visiting the circuit churches. He is helping churches to understand more about Mission Shaped Ministry and will be working with colleagues on this in the coming months.
h) David has been appointed to the Harrogate District Strategic Partnership as a representative of Churches Together and over the coming months will develop his relationship with the town centre further.
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