Dear Village,
Very soon we will be holding our very first congregational meeting, often called the Annual General Meeting*. We will set a budget for the coming year and vote for new board members, as well as look at the year that’s gone by.
Do you have a story or comment that you’d like to be considered for inclusion in the annual report? Is there something that has touched you, pleased you, moved you? Do you want to say a public ‘Thank you’ to someone in the church for the work they’ve done? If so please let me know.
This week we have been supporting Tara Hudson, a trans girl in Bath who had been sentenced to 10 weeks in a men’s prison. Thank you for your help applying pressure. Because of your telephone calls, letters, emails, signatures, and eventually news coverage, Tara has been allocated to a women’s prison. That’s great news and should help prevent such occurrences from happening again.
On Wednesday I attended the annual LGBT Community Safety Forum general meeting and learned that according to their annual survey that hate crime in Brighton and Hove this year is up 50% on last year. It was noted that many LGBT people come to Brighton because it is seen as a ‘safe space’. Alas, it often isn’t safe at all and despite Brighton claiming the title City of Sanctuary it often can’t offer much in the way of sanctuary for the LGBT folks that come here. The Village MCC is working with other organisations to change that.
Recently we helped a young man who had been in hospital for two weeks. He came home on a Friday afternoon to his bedsit to find that the electricity had run out whilst he’d been away, and because he’d been unable to sign on there was no money in his account. Food in the freezer had all gone off. There was no heating, food, or even a fridge in which to store medications. Agencies were either closed or unable to help him until Monday morning. We were able to simply reach out and help, making sure that he had what he needed until the agencies were able to respond.
Sunday worship is the tip of the iceberg at The Village MCC. Please keep an eye on this blog and over the next few weeks I’ll list the ways you can help over Christmas.
Ble blessed, and thank you for being church.
Rev. Michael.