The Church in the Community

Congleton URC working with and for local people:

Working together to support each other and the most needy people across Congleton

Congleton URC, and  St Johns C of E Buglawton, with the support of Congleton Town Council are providing opportunities for those who are elderly, lonely or in need to benefit from companionship and sustenance through the Congleton Big Heart Lunch Club.

At Antrobus Street, church members and volunteers from across the community  are providing a 2 course meal for between 30 – 40 people (at present) on Wednesday and Friday lunchtimes. Volunteers from Congleton URC and other churches in the town serve at table and offer a listening ear to those who need it.

We are able to keep the cost of the meal to £4.00 because the town council provide a small but essential subsidy  on each meal. Congleton Town Council also provided a grant for us to purchase some of our kitchen equipment.

St John’s church Buglawton also provide a meal each Friday

Advisors and workers from Cheshire East, the police  and charitable agencies often drop into the club to offer advice and support.

Church members are now developing afternoon events that run on a Wednesday afternoon and are open to those who come to the meal and others who would just like to enjoy a social get together and a mixture of activities.

Much of the initial development work was undertaken by volunteers from the Listen Out Loud foundation (LOL) is grateful for their support and help.

Thanks to grants from Tesco’s Bag for Live and work to develop the garden area are beginning to start. Although we cannot do everything we would like to at the stage we are beginning by putting a natural hedge in the back garden and a path to enable safe access to the garden for everyone.

Our Congleton Big Heart Clothes Bank  complements the Storehouse food bank run from New-life Church providing clothes for those in need in the area.

The different activities and events now being taken forward by the church are enabling us to better determine how best to develop the Church premises  in the future as a centre for worship,  ministry, culture and service for the people of Congleton with the people of Congleton.

The church hopes to raise an estimated £700,ooo – £1000,000  to sensitively develop the premises into a multi functional space capable of meeting the needs of the people of Congleton for the foreseeable.

In addition to the work downstairs this past year has seen more development to the upstairs seating, a major refurbishment of the organ and a growing number of concerts and cultural events held with many more planned.

If you would like to know more about our plans or would like to support us in some way please contact the minister Rev. Murray George on 01260 273873, email rev.murray@btinternet.com.