Magor Baptist Church

August Charity Offering - Toybox

 

Toybox is committed to ending the global injustice of children living and working on city streets. The charity began when a couple were prompted by their Christian faith and decided to act. Today they continue to act, motivated by that same Christian faith, to see a world in which no child is forced to live or work on the streets.

 

Toybox urgent appeal - crisis in Kathmandu

 

The Nepalese government gives families living in informal settlements across Kathmandu less than 24 hours to leave their homes. Over 5,000 vulnerable children and families watch as bulldozers destroy their communities, from homes and schools to health centres and places of worship.

 

3,500+ households affected, 5,000+ individuals displaced

 

Stripped of everything, many are living without food or shelter. They're exposed to the elements with limited access to clean water or sanitation.

 

In the coming months they face hunger, widespread illness and an uncertain future. The threat to their lives is critical. For children, aside from the psychological trauma of losing their homes and schools, the lack of safe spaces leads to increased risk of abuse and trafficking.

 

“My heart sank when the bulldozers came to our area. I held my little brother, who is 4 months old, while my parents removed our belongings to the streets.” Sonya, 10

 

Our work has been deeply affected, with services that took years to build thrown into turmoil. Our much-loved Learning Centre was destroyed. We've lost the spaces we used to reach vulnerable children.

 

Our local partner has now successfully tracked over 100 families and all the children feared missing. We've provided food, hygiene kits and medical care and we're working to improve sanitation and safety. We've also provided temporary child-safe learning spaces. But with your help we can do so much more.

 

For a fuller picture of the situation please use the button below. Throughout the month of August our charity offering will go towards this appeal. Simply put your donation in the ‘Charity’ plate when you enter the church, or donate online (see John Loebl for details).

Contacts during Mark’s Sabbatical

 

While Mark is on sabbatical, from 1 September till 30 November, if you have concerns for yourself or for anyone in the fellowship please contact one of our pastoral team:

Chris Foster

Helen Ellwood

Suzie Roberts

 

For any other matters that may arise and need attention, please see one of our officers or deacons:

Kathy Allen

Bev Davies

Helen Ellwood

Chris Foster

Andrew Leighton

John Loebl

Christine Miles

Suzie Roberts

Davina Thomas

Prayer Meetings

The Thursday morning prayer meetings have been popular and well attended, so we will be continuing with those for now instead of re-starting the Monday evening meetings. We will review our prayer times at our next Church Meeting, on 21 September. In the meantime we look forward to seeing you on Thursday mornings.

September charity offering - BMS World Mission

 

The Change Agents’ mission (BMS World Mission 2026 Harvest Appeal)

 

This year, BMS is asking us to give towards the Change Agents of Sierra Leone – the everyday heroes in local churches breaking the cycle of poverty in their communities.

 

THE STAKES

Sierra Leone is beautiful and rich in natural resources, yet it’s one of the poorest countries in the world. The average person has so little, and faces so many barriers to their health, mobility, and education, that it’s easy for them to feel they can hardly take a step forward.

 

THE OPERATION

The churches of Sierra Leone have found a powerful way to bring long-term change to their communities using the Church and Community Mobilisation process (CCM or CCMP for short). It starts with studying the Bible together to understand the church’s role as God’s agents, fulfilling his purposes in the world. People learn to identify what’s keeping them stuck in poverty and find ways to break free, using their God-given skills and resources. Churches are equipped to lead community workshops and determine what projects will serve their community best. Together, they begin to make those changes happen.

 

THE TEAM

Two BMS partners – the Baptist Convention in Sierra Leone and the New Harvest Development Office – have been training churches in this process and they’ve seen so much success. Churches across Sierra Leone have helped members start businesses and farms, formed lending collectives, built public toilets, started schools and sports programmes, dug wells and paved roads. They’re leading the way for their communities, serving as ‘salt and light’ as they follow Jesus, who fed the 5,000 and healed the sick. People are seeing churches that value them, believe in their potential, and join them in their struggles. People are being cared for and coming to know Jesus.

 

YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT…

But there is still a long way to go. So many churches want to be trained, but don’t have the money to send someone to the training. That is where you come in. BMS wants to help our partners train many more churches. We want to see every city, town and village in Sierra Leone have a church full of change agents – confident, capable and prepared to lift their communities out of material and spiritual poverty. Your church can stand with the churches of Sierra Leone as they train in ways to break their country free from poverty. When you give to Change Agents, you fuel the change and become an agent too. We hope you’ll join us.

 

This is our September charity offering – please do support this worthwhile cause.

 

Book reviews

In September we will start a monthly book review, in which an enthusiastic reader will present a 5-minute outline during the service on the 2nd Sunday of the month. For more details please see either Val Jenkins or Suzie Roberts.

Hospitality to visiting preachers

A few of our visiting preachers are coming quite a distance, and would appreciate provision of lunch. If you would like to host one of our visitors please have a word with Suzie. Thanks.

Church tidying

With thanks for the effort and perseverance of a number of folk, many of the unwanted items that had accumulated in the church building have been disposed of, and the Flower Room is now free of clutter. To keep it clear, please do not leave any bric-a-brac there, or indeed anywhere else on the premises. Many thanks. 😊