Noddy Holder belting out "I wish it could be Christmas every day" seems to follow me around wherever I go at the moment. But do we really? All that frantic rushing around trying to find the perfect present for the partner who's impossible to buy for or the kids who think you earn a 6 figure sum each month and write their list to Santa accordingly. 

All that socialising with family or friends you barely speak to from one year to the next, and excessive eating that leaves us bloated, lethargic and with a few more pounds to shift (possibly at the Gym that this year we WILL join & we WILL go to.. unlike last year when we joined & went twice & by February had forgotten why we'd joined)?

Alright before I sound like a Scrooge muttering Bah Humbug to dampen your Christmas Spirit I do realise that's not all it's about. The trouble is that each year, due to more desperate marketing in a bid to reach sales targets which require us to spend money we'll spend the rest of the year paying back, it feels like any possible good bits get more squuezed out. Things like: time to relax and unwind from work, reflect on the old year and prepare for the next, bless those we love, share what we have with those in need or even celebrate or at least spare a thought that allegedly the reason we're participating in this consumer frenzy is because of the gift God gave to the world of His son Jesus.


However, for some it is a painful and lonely time that merely accentuates their feelings of social isolation.

Maybe you've lost someone you loved who wont be there to share the celebrations with you
May be you suffer with depression and feel like you've endured the long dark nights for too long 
Or may be you are estranged from your family and friends for some reason and the thought that everyone else has people to turn to at this time simply accentuates your loneliness.*

Whilst suicide rates are lowest in December than at any other time of the year** there is a sharp 40% increase after Christmas in the week leading up to New Year, possibly for some of the reasons I've mentioned. 

The Samaritans report that the highest rates of suicide are for men aged 40-44years old (in Northern Ireland this drops to 25-29 years old), with a sharp increase again in men over 80 years of age. Men are 3 1/2 times more likely, according to their report, to commit suicide than women. (This doesnot however include statistics where the intention is unclear and may be classed as accidental or indeterminate, which may account for some of the discrepancy, men tending to choose more definate and final methods than women)

Advice from Healthline ( a privately owned provider of health information, based in the US) to help overcome depression or social isoloation which may be caused by grief or estrangement from family is:

1. Begin a new tradition- do something different at this time of year- go away, go somewhere different.

2. Give yourself some space to grieve- don't feel pressured by the pressure of all the extra social opportunities

3. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or offer to help a neighbour- remember it's in giving we often receive.

4. Get back to nature- make the most of the time, get on your walking boots and enjoy the fresh air. 


Here at the Northampton Jesus Centre we will be open over the holiday period thanks to a team of faithful volunteers, for just this reason. 

Opening Times
Christmas Eve 7-9.30pm our Step Up scheme is open for anyone on their own. 
Christmas Day- 10.30am- 1.30pm - come & join us for food and friendship
Boxing Day  11.30-1.30pm - we'll be serving a hot meal- fun, food and friendship
 New Years eve 7.30-9pm We will have a special edition of our Stay Dry recovery group for those who are battling with addictions- come and find friends and support. Contact us if you'd like more information about this group.

If you or anyone you know is feeling suicidal please find someone to talk to.
The Samaritans run a 24 hr helpline you can contact them on 08457 90 90 90


Or find out if there is a Jesus Centre near you & pop in for a cuppa & a chat.  jesuscentre.org.uk


If you'd like to donate to help support our services to vulnerable and socially isolated people text JACT00 £10 to 70070

Help us to help them to start again

* information supplied by Healthline
** information from, the Samaritans report on Suicide rates based on 2012 figures.

The rules of multiplication

       

 This morning in the midst of a busy Monday morning drop in shift, whilst in the throws of a discussion I'd provoked on the sanctity of life vs the right of the individual to choose to die (why do I start these provocative God spots on a Monday morning?!) I was called to the window by a young man whose face I recognised but couldn't place. I knew I'd met him recently at the Jesus Centre but until he started to speak I couldn't remember where; "I just wanted to come in to say thank you for helping me the other week".. (I mentally polished my Mother Theresa halo, but still couldn't remember what I'd done or said!) "I feel much better now.. " Ping suddenly I remembered him... Lonely, depressed, drinking too much after a relationship break up,no job, feeling like there was no future no, hope. He didn't have any faith & he wasn't looking for any so he didn't want any prayer. When he went away 1/2hr later after I'd listened and given him a word of philosophical encouragement, I didn't know whether he'd go out & throw himself into the canal or drink himself to oblivion; "I've got a job (I'd suggested he drop his CV into every employment agency in Northampton) and I have to be up at 5am so I don't go out drinking in the evenings anymore. I just wanted to come in and let you know and say thank you."

Last week was the last English class for speakers of other languages until after the summer break. Some of the students have been with the class for the whole 9 months. When the tutor asked what they had valued about the class the answer she was given was "we feel so loved by you"

The same week a guy came into the drop in we hadn't seen for months to tell the whole assembled drop in crew that he'd found God in rehab and it had changed his life.

Jesus told a story in the Bible about a boy who brought 5 loaves and 2 fish to Him when he was looking for a lunch snack for at least 5 thousand people. (Now that's my definition of an optimist!) Some times we can feel very like that young boy with his lunch;  helpless and able to do so little to meet all the demands and needs we encounter in an average week but we bring the little that we can do and then watch as God steps in and multiplies our efforts. Sometimes we never get to hear how the story ends but every so often, usually when we're really stretched and most need the encouragement God blesses us with the gift of seeing how what He was able to add to our small effort, changed the whole story of someones life. 

We never hear what effect Jesus using that boy's lunch that day had on him; He never came back to say "hey because of that day, Jesus, I became a Rabbi or a priest." But I like to think that, like any young boy would, he went home and he kept sharing with people what happened so that not just his life was touched by what Jesus had done but many of his friends and families too. And I hope the same is true for those people who we help here at the Jesus Centre. That because of the small things we do out of love many more people will be given hope and their story will change.

Reflecting back on the discussion in the drop in this morning which I concluded by challenging folk to think about what lies beyond this life and to consider whether they believe in a life after death... maybe that's where we'll meet all the people we never knew who we're touched by our small acts of love.

Reaching the people that church doesn't reach.

Reflecting on a recent workshop my husband and I took part in on the role of Jesus centre's in new forms of evangelism I found myself thinking about what different types of people I wanted to see the Jesus centre connect with.
Jesus Centre's are great at connecting with the homeless, poor, marginalised and those who want to learn English or need support through a difficult time in their lives. But for a while now we've longed to find ways to connect with students, graduates and professional people. It may seem a bit of a contradiction or challenge to use the Jesus Centre which is known for it's work with the poor to also try and connect with professional people. But I do believe that that it as much God's heart. Indeed the early history of our church started with Oxford and Cambridge graduates moving in together along side hippies, bikers and working class folk.( Check out www.jesus.org.uk/vault and search for "Fire in our Hearts" )


Our banner says "a place where everyone is valued" and that has to find ways to include the educated, middle-class professionals who are as prone to be lonely, unfulfilled and searching for a deeper meaning to life. We run a bi-monthly Business Man's breakfast in the Circle Cafe- which is primarily aimed at exploring how to combine faith and business, with the opportunity for business people to bring their friends to have breakfast and hear a short talk from a Christian professional about how faith impacts on their working life.
We also host a quarterly Agency Networking event, where social care agencies in Northampton meet together to share news, promote new services (or these days it's more likely to be commiserating over the latest funding cuts & project losses), mutually support one another and plan an annual agency open day to promote their work to the public. 
In addition we recently, hosted an art exhibition by homeless artists organised through the Hope Centre, a day centre and night shelter provision. This was a great opportunity to meet other people working in a similar field, some of whom were Christians. These 'Theme nights' as we call them can be on any sort of theme- art, music, food, hobby, special interest and are an opportunity for small, local groups to promote themselves. 
We want to take these opportunities and find new ideas for connecting with students, graduates and professional people.
Before coming to work at the Jesus Centre 5 years ago I spent 17 years working in social work, social housing and for national charities supporting the homeless or ex-offenders. This put me in touch with a wide range of professional people on a daily basis. As a young residential social worker, struggling to put my faith into practice at work (without getting sacked) I know what a wilderness it can be at times and how the demands of work load, career pressure and the need to find times and ways to switch off from the pain and suffering you are under pressure to 'fix' on a daily basis can leave you feeling life our faith isn't relevant or sufficient to provide answers for a suffering world. Faith gets squeezed out and the church appears largely irrelevant or disengaged from the social problems we are grappling with. We become increasingly isolated, frustrated, burned out, disillusioned. Some of the colleagues I worked with lost their partners, their mental health, developed addictions. This was also true of my husband. Going back to the seminar, he shared how having been a successful professional, Deputy director of a therapeutic school & community for some very disturbed young people his world disintegrated into alcoholism to cope with the pressure and demands on him. At that time whilst he wandered around in a daze, he didn't find what he needed in the churches he attended or in the well meaning traditional forms of street evangelism. What eventually reached him were practical acts of kindness and the love and acceptance he felt from the staff and volunteers at the Jesus Centre. (For more on his story check out You Tube- Socks-Northampton Jesus Centre.)
Jesus Centre's want to reach people that church doesn't reach whether rich or poor, illiterate or with a PHd. They all have a place.
If you would like more information on any of these events or to find out how you could get involved go to www.jesuscentre.org.uk/northampton