As a church, we both host and facilitate a wide range of community-focused projects which we believe we are called as Christians to do. The New Horizons Widows Club and the Phoenix Widowers Group both fulfil a crucial need in combating social isolation amongst our more mature citizens and began here several years ago with funding from POPPs (Partnership for Older People’s Projects). The Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous groups which also meet weekly in our Christian Centre contribute to the wider local support of those recovering from addictions.
Christchurch Baptist Church is one of the founding members and supporters of Christchurch Food Bank+ and through that have helped many families struggling with poverty and financial crisis both with food and help through local Debt Counselling services. Through the Food Bank network, we also regularly able furnish new homes for those coming out of emergency housing having escaped Domestic Violence and other forms of abuse. This link has also led to our increasing involvement with the growing number of homeless folk in Christchurch and we work alongside the Borough Council and other organisations to help them get off the streets.
All of the above are in addition to the activities for older and young people we run as a church, such as Songs of Praise, LinkUp, Stepping Stones and Trailblazers for children inside and outside the church, and our Sunday children’s ministries. We also offer chaplaincy support to a number of local residential homes.
In addition to these activities, many of our members are involved in all kinds of other voluntary roles in the community.