Putting Faith to Work: Making Mission Matter
Below are some opportunities to get involved with ISR who aim to deliver mission and outreach projects and support church communities.
For more information check out the ISR website at www.ccisr.org.uk where you can also sign up to the newsletter. Alternatively, email them directly at contact a_t ccisr d_o_t org d_o_t uk
Workplace Chaplains
Chaplains come from all walks of life and serve in many different settings. While there are many experienced and trained clergy chaplains there are also a growing number of people who volunteer to work in chaplaincy teams as part of their own discipleship. For many, becoming a volunteer chaplain is about learning the skills to engage and support others and to be part of a Christian outreach project.
The level of commitment is entirely up to you, some of our chaplains offer a few hours a fortnight and others are able to offer more depending on their circumstances.
|
 |
There are chaplaincy projects in many settings from the Police force to shopping centres large and small and the chaplains play an important role in being an impartial presence to listen to others and offer pastoral support.
ISR will be running a series of training sessions to equip people with the skills needed to undertake chaplaincy work and there will be opportunities to meet with other volunteers and hear about this important area of Christian service.
If you would like to find out more about what it means to be a chaplain please contact us at: contact a_t ccisr d_o_t org d_o_t uk
Bristol Multifaith Forum
ISR chairs the Bristol Multifaith Forum. The forum works to bring faith communities together to promote community cohesion and social action. Bristol is a diverse city, with seven faith traditions regularly represented at the forum.
Supporting Christians in the Workplace
How does your church affirm its people in their daily work? How can we encourage people to encounter God in the workplace and see the importance of values and discipleship in undertaking the tasks of daily work? At the heart of our Christian faith is the challenge of relating the Gospel to the contemporary situations in which we live and in the communities of which we are a part. We are called to work out our faith where we find ourselves and we believe that it is vital that we provide support and encouragement for Christians in the workplace.
We can put you in touch with resources that can help provide such a focus (keep an eye on our website).
Supporting Vulnerable People into Work
Many of us can remember the first steps we took towards employment and the difficulties and pressures we faced in making that transition. For many vulnerable people the journey into a settled job is stressful, complex and full of obstacles to overcome. For people who have been homeless or in prison the opportunities are scarce and the support often limited. We are working with ASPIRE, who are a social enterprise providing training and work for vulnerable people across the Bristol region, to develop a mentoring scheme to support their employees. A mentor is a volunteer who is trained to provide a relationship that is focused on listening and support for an individual to help them sustain their motivation and feel affirmed in their efforts. We are currently running a pilot scheme in Bristol and we would like to recruit new volunteers from local churches who would like to be trained for such a role. We place a strong emphasis on training and support and we believe the scheme can make a real difference in the lives of people building skills of resilience and self care.
If you would like to hear more about the scheme or would like to discuss becoming involved as a volunteer please contact us at: contact a_t ccisr d_o_t org d_o_t uk