As a church community, we believe that a vital part of our mission is to serve others both locally and worldwide. Below are some of the projects we support.
Keynsham Foodbank
Keynsham Foodbank was founded by local churches and community groups. We don't think anyone in our community should have to face going hungry. To help people in a time of crisis, 3 days' nutritionally balanced food is provided to local people who are referred to the Foodbank, as part of a nationwide network supported by The Trussell Trust, aiming to alleviate poverty and hunger across the UK. The Foodbank is organised and run by volunteers. please see the Keynsham Foodbank website for more details.
The Bristol Methodist Centre
The Centre is a Christian community offering shelter, sanctuary and support to homeless and marginalised people, in Lawrence Hill, Bristol. A small team of professional staff and volunteers offer emotional support and advice on employment and accommodation and signposting where to obtain further help. Around 150 hot lunches are served each day, as well as breakfasts, drinks and snacks throughout the day.
KMC donate Harvest Festival gifts to the Centre and food, toiletries, clothes and sleeping bags are collected at the Church and taken to the Centre throughout the year. Members of our Church help to organise the 'Churches Together in Keynsham and Saltford' food collection in the High Street in December, with food collected being shared between the Bristol Homeless Centre, the Southdown Project (for needy families)and Julian House (Hostel for the homeless) in Bath.
"Hope of Life" Project in Guatemala
Keynsham Methodist Church forged links with this educational project after a short mission trip in 2013, through the organisation 'Latin Link'. In 2015 8 members from the church and other Methodist circuit churches spent 3 weeks helping at the 'Hope of Life' project and visiting families living in extreme poverty. The project is managed by Pastor Juan Manuel and supports children and young people who have had little or no education. Our church sends supports the project with donations to help fund the salaries of the teachers. In 2016, Juan and his family visited us and spent a month in the UK sharing their story with church communities around the country who support them financially and through prayer. We continue to support this project and the victims of the volcanic eruption in 2018.
Mission Partner in Pakistan
We support our Mission Partner, Freda Carey, who is serving in Lahore, Pakistan with the Church Missions Society.
Freda is a Theological education consultant with the Open Theological Seminary which provides biblically based relevant Christian educational materials and classes through a countrywide network of local tutors. Her work involves helping Christians in Pakistan to become effective witnesses for Jesus Christ in word and deed in a challening political climate.
We support Freda financially and through our prayers. Freda ihae been a member of the KMC church community for many years and we enjoy catching up with her when she is on leave in the UK.
NADAIKKAVU SCHOOL SOUTH INDIA
We support this school for poor and Dalit (“untouchable”) children, the vision of Rev Christopher Vijayan, a pastor of the Church of South India and his wife Seline, a trained educationalist. Our church link with Christopher and the school was set up around 20 years ago when a student minister from KMC visited South India as part of his training and shared the experiences of poor and Dalit children receiving rudimentary education in a leaking lean-to at the side of a small village church with minimal facilities.
Since then we have raised funds for school buildings and a new site. The school is now run by the Nadaikkavu Education Trust and known as the NET School and church members have visited this remote rural part of Tamil Nadu State in South India to see the great progress made in bringing the vision to reality. In 2009 when the charitable trust was formed the school had 33 children and now has around 150. Each day begins and ends with prayers, with an open policy for admissions in a largely Hindu region with Christian and Muslim minorities.
NET (Nadaikkavu Educational Trust) Matriculation School South India
Update November 2021
KMC has supported this school for needy children in a remote part of South India for many years. The church provides £1,000 per annum, and a few members continue to make monthly contributions.
It all started in the days when we had a student minister (Mark Slaney - now Chair of Scotland District) who was sent by the college to spend time with a pastor of the Church of South India, Rev Christopher Vijayan. Christopher and his wife Seline had a vision to provide education for poor and Dalit children. In India the caste system is still strong and those at the bottom are excluded or marginalised in society.
Due to the Covid Pandemic schools in India have been closed for a long time but have reopened 2nd November.
Here is the email I received from Christopher with this good news:
“Dear Michael, Greetings.
The government has announced the re-opening of schools from 2nd November 2021. It’s a joyful news for all the children who are studying in our school. After two years of pandemic difficulties children are coming to school with eagerness.
It’s a challenge for us also to make necessary arrangements. We are capacitating the teachers to handle the children properly.
I am sure that the children will have a fruitful academic year.
Some challenges ahead
We need to prepare the minds of children for learning
Making class rooms ready for students
Organizing school van for their transportation
Books and uniforms need to be distributed
Monthly support to the staff
With all your accompaniment and Gods great help NET School will continue to serve the poor children through education. Kindly uphold all the initiatives in your prayers. Your solidarity will bring good changes in the life of the deserving children.
I hope you are all fine in the midst of all these pandemic difficulties.
We assure you of our prayers.
With regards
Seline and Christopher”
Michael Lowe, November 2021