Church Work

There are a number of reasons why you may have chosen to look at this topic page, which include:

-        You may want to know more about Christianity and its implications for you and for the community of which you are part

-        You may want  to do something to help your community and you see the church as a means to enable you to do this

The web sites  below may be of help to you in these areas.    If there are other aspects we should be covering please let us know and please let us know  your thoughts and views on this subject.

Learn  more about Christianity  

The Alpha course  - an opportunity to explore the meaning of life. www.alpha.org/ 

An introduction to Christianity. www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/

Research the Scriptures on line. www.biblegateway.com/

Helping your Community  

Your local church is sure to have a number of suggestions as to how you can help the community in your neighbourhood,  supporting their local initiatives in child care, education, youth work, counseling and old people - and many others.

See www.csv.org.uk  Community Service Volunteers is UKs largest volunteering and training organization

See our topic pages on Volunteering and Working for a Charity, Community work overseas and Publishing/Printing.

NEW  Beth Ellis writes:

I have just been browsing Retiremen Reinvented - what a great site. I think your retirement ages ending at 75 is a bit low these days! I am 82 this year, and am part of a voluntary Chaplaincy Team visiting our local hospitals, and I know of one doughty lady one year older than myself, who has to take her shooting stick with her to sit on at each patient she visits - as she had a stroke a few years ago, but felt she wanted to 'give something back' to the hospital who looked after her. My small Leicestershire Community hospital, has patients living well into their 90s' - although I wouldn't think they are looking forward to much more than 'sitting comfortably' when they return home. Last week I had a lovely chat with a wonderful old man in his mid-nineties, and his elegant lady friend of 88 who had taken two coun try buses to visit him. He said "she's chapel and I'm church, but we compromise and go to Potter's Marston." (I discovered this was a tiny private church on a local landowner's estate) Our small Chaplaincy team from the various local churches, visit in the weekday(mine is today -Wed.) and just spend time with patients who have no local relatives or friends to keep them company, listening to their lives - it's fascinating to hear them, and helps to break the boredom of their days. On Sunday evenings we offer them a short service - only half an hour - and wheel them up in their wheelchairs, if they're not able to walk. We take it in turn to lead the service, sing two or three songs together, say any prayers they ask for. It's a geat family feeling, as we get to know them quite well, before they're well enough to go home. I find it very special - a great blessing.

Learn more about theology  

See how it is defined in Wikipedia  www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theology 

‘Theology’  claims to be the definitive journal on this subject www.spck.org.uk/cat/theology