This picture below really speaks - Simply Caring!
A Street Minister on the street: A photo of an original member of the Agape Street Pastors (now called STREET MINISTERS) visiting the Homeless. An existing founder member is seen here in Oct 2007 first 'washing' feet and then applying simple 'first aid' - helping, with emergency treatment for a man who was a rough sleeper!
This is our 'Loving gift of presence'. We do care!
We are also continuing to try to help the Police, in an effort to reduce crime and violence in our City which is now at an all time low. Although rape, gun and knife crime is at an all time high in the UK, Milton Keynes is a relatively safe place to be, but the potential for harm is ever present regardless of safeguards, so there is always a need for STREET MINISTERS.
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OUR MISSION
The Three-fold ministry of the STREET MINISTERS Project :-
1). The STREET MINISTERS Project evolved to meet the specific needs of our current younger generation, with our 'Gift of Presence' to those who are on the streets at night time, in and out of the take-away businesses, restaurants, pubs, clubs and leisure centres of Milton Keynes. We train normal everyday people, to be Street Ministers' and equip them as pastors, to be out on the streets, where the people meet and interact, especially at night time, simply ministering to the vulnerable. Putting something back into the community.
One Friday night early in 2008 - and our trained street ministers were out patrolling the City Centre and Xscape areas in central Milton Keynes trying to make a difference and to help keep it the safe place it is now. Volunteers are very welcome to help us.
2). SOUP RUNS: The STREET MINISTERS project also offers help for the homeless clients in our City.
HOMELESS INFO LEAFLET: Street Ministers also provide a 'Homeless Leaflet' which is available to all help agencies and associated volunteer workers. Look at our RESOURCE PAGE on this site, for more information, for the Homeless and help agencies.
It is primarily produced to help genuine rough sleepers, which may be local people, or others who may arrive here on our streets, i.e. ex-Army people, refugees, or the disenfranchised.
We train men and women for street pastoring roles and we like to offer friendly advice, and often simple support, like hot drinks, food and basic info.
We offer to help homeless people find shelter and put them in touch with the various help agencies and resources that are available to them. The HOMELESS LEAFLET is ideal for this purpose.
We may also offer simple spiritual guidance and refer them to PCT or Private counsellors and/or life coaching from other volunteers or agencies (only where appropriate and agreed with our clients).
Team leader of local Soup runs - Pastor Chris Nwuga
3). The STREET MINISTERS also currently do visitation work for the vulnerably housed population.
We are training new street pastors / ministers to work, where they may offer support and back up, for the people who have moved into properties with little support, and who also may need help to work out their finances, or just feel isolated and lonely and want the company of another human being, just to talk to, etc.
The STREET MINISTERS Project is well under way and we are training street pastors / ministers for this unique street work to the homeless in what is a worthwhile street pastoral role for this interesting, relevant and radical new type of work.
STREET MINISTERS are currently recruiting and training more people for this Kingdom work in MK, but we are offering this training to all other areas of the UK and Internationally. We need area coordinators elsewhere, to take on this vital role, in uniting all the Churches to move as one in their own Towns and Cities. Enquiries keep coming in from places like Nigeria and Goban Africa, also we have had enquiries from Ireland, Italy and USA and many other places too.
Street Ministers wish to offer support to other communities elsewhere, as trainers, helpers and role models, to teach other street 'pastors' and 'ministers' to go out on the streets in the evening, or the early hours of the morning; to make the inner City areas a safer place to be.
There is a need for prayer support and intercessors in particular. There is obviously a need for day workers too and those who may be involved for administration. We also need more friends to be hosts, in offering some refreshments, for a group of Street Ministers going out at night. We want to encourage others to get involved with our work on the streets.
The STREET MINISTERS project have different ways to minister to the community at large.
Street Ministers are trained as street 'pastors' and 'ministering' angels and to have a caring role for the community. They are not there on the streets to proselytize people, rather to just simply pastor and care for them outside the church walls, on the City streets.
Street pastoring workers are also out operating a Street Patrol duty at the weekends This is currently on Friday / Saturday nights, around the main City Shopping Centre, Xscape, Theatre district, Hub and Station areas, although this could be developed to take on more night patrolls, once we have more volunteers from local churches and others also.
Please - Don't hesitate to Volunteer...
Your City needs you....!
Our Street Ministering offers support help and guidance to anyone in need. We want to support the City's Police activities, by perhaps, taking the burden off of them, for example we may wait with a person who has been injured, or in distress, until professional help comes along. We are training as BRITISH RED CROSS volunteers
We can also bring a calming influence. We are also available, as sober witnesses (extra eyes to help the general public) around the clubs bars and restaurants, to therefore assist people who may have got separated from their group or intoxicated and although it is reasonably safe in MK it is also helping the prevention of further crime and violence in our City.
STREET MINISTERS are there to simply be a friendly 'presence'. A true act of unconditional positive regard, in this simple 'Loving gift Of presence' to our Cities. This has such a calming effect on the people out at night time. People tell us, that they, "somehow feel much safer with us there!".....
This has been born out by other similar inner City projects like Street Pastors and Street Angels
These organisations have shown that there is a reduction in crime and violence on the Streets, since they have been out, by up to 42% recently.
Our uniqueness as an organisation here in Milton Keynes is that we also serve as a covering to the homeless and often visit them to serve hot drinks and wholesome snack foods, late at night, from around 10pm until approximately 1am - most nights. We have helped reduce the number of homeless and rough sleepers around MK.
Photo at the top:
One of our Street Ministers, giving simple aid to a homeless person. This homeless person had not managed to wash, or change his socks, and infection began to set in. We stopped the infection and had him walking normally very soon!
Jesus washed His disciples feet...
This lady is acting in a Street Ministering role - washing a man's feet, prior to bandaging them.
As a non-Christian, you may wish to know about how you can help in the Interfaith arm of our very worthwhile work and put something back into the social community.
Anyone may help us, as there are so many ways to help and contribute to this work.
Partnering: You could always help in other ways - for example you might partner with us and donate to this worthwhile work..... Remember just £5 per week can keep a homeless person alive and help with the runing costs of this operation.
Contact us today and really make a difference.
A big thank you, in anticipation of your generosity in partnering with us.
STREET MINISTERS - SIMPLY CARING!
Street Ministers Project is a registered Charity organisation, running under the Fresh Inspiration Charitable Trust, based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire ,England. UK. 1117603.