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Over
the recent past the Churches have shared a desire to work more closely
with the wider community by providing a resource that provides for all
sections and ages of the community of Heald Green. Over the past few
weeks that has crystallised into the idea of renting a shop premises in
Heald Green to provide a coffee shop and Internet Café. This would
minister to the whole community of Heald Green and provide a friendly
and welcoming place to shopper and student, young and old, single and
attached.
It
would operate as a part of Churches Together and be operated on
Christian principles, reflecting fairness, good value, a welcoming
atmosphere and a glimpse of what it means to be a follower of Christ.
In essence, it would be the church operating within and responding to
the needs of the market place.
In
the words of John Atherton “Since the Church is no longer the centre of
life, particularly in western societies, its vocation is not to respond
by retreating into inward-looking congregationally based churches, but
it about taking part with others, in promoting better localities.”
This
paper addresses that issue in as practical a way as possible and lays
out the possibilities and processes of the churches of Heald Green
turning vision into reality.
The
Churches have the vision to create a base in the centre of Heald Green.
That base would be in a rented shop premises and be centred on an
Internet Café and Coffee Shop model. The premises would be open for
business over five days a week, operating from 1000 to 2200. This would
provide a facility for shoppers during the day and young people, etc.,
during the evening.
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