The Lightfoot Lane Blog

One of the exciting new developments for 2008 has been an approach from Preston Police to explore and develop ways in which better relationships between the police and the church in the city can be developed. As a result I have begun to be involved in a new working group with the Police and representatives from other “faith” communities whose aim is to build better relationships between people in the city and in the process begin to tackle some of the social issues that exist, which the Police hope will lead to a reduction in crime and a safer Preston.

One of the objectives of Hope 08 is for better collaboration between the church and the Police and local authorities, and as a result of being part of this new group, the church in Preston was invited to be part of a Police led multi-agency (MAP) Partnership Action Week in Ribbleton last week. This involved the Police, Probation Service, Fire Brigade, Environment Agency, Housing Associations etc. We went along mainly to observe as it was the first time we’d been involved, but a team of people from FFMC, St Stephen’s and Longton Community Church worked together under the Hope 08 banner to give away free teas and coffees to the workforce, to clean up litter and some real grot spots and even helped get the community having a go at cleaning up graffiti etc. for themselves.

An article on this was featured in the Reporter - (alright they got some details wrong calling it Hope Awake which sort of sounds like Hope 08!) - but for more info see Hope 08 - Trees Estate. (Photo above courtesy of the LEP/Reporter!)

I think things like this are really exciting - and present the church with an opportunity to show relevance in the world, and input into communities with the Hope of the gospel in ways which professional agencies can’t. The potential for the church, if we truly believe in the transforming power of Jesus Christ, are immense for the future - parenting courses, community pastoring etc etc - I look forward to watching the church in action in the future and seeing God through His people reaching a hand out to offer a hurting world real, lasting, life changing hope.

Wow! What a busy seven weeks since I last posted - is it really seven weeks? Time goes past so fast these days - but it’s been a fun couple of months with loads going on - theatre show, an amazing training away day with 120 adults and a whole pig…and lots more!

First before I go any further, thanks to all of you who have been praying for me and the kids. When I last posted, I was in discussions with a national publication about featuring a story on us as a family in the national press. I decided eventually to not proceed with this - I just felt that I wouldn’t have been able to get enough of my story in, in the way we would have wanted. At the end of the day, we’ve only coped because of God and anything that doesn’t reflect this is missing the point! We’d just be another same old sob-story without this. Anyway, following some discussions with AOG’s publishing house, I did an interview with them that has just been published in this month’s New Life newspaper - (see New Life Article for a copy of the article) and I have another article being featured all being well in April’s magazine “Prayer“.

So what’s been happening with us? Well firstly we survived Christmas. Mind you, I think over the 2 week period we had almost no time on our own such was people’s kindness and concern for us. The kids were up hourly from 11:30 Christmas Eve to the point I gave up at 3:30 and left them all playing so I could try and get some sleep! Then we had Linda’s birthday in January (which to be honest I just tried to ignore) and now we are getting on with building a new life, with new memories!

Mind you, this policeman business as a single parent gets very wearing!!!! I hate being the “bad-guy” all the time, having to chase the kids - it really is like herding cats sometimes! But we are learning that being on your own means lots of changes. Whereas in a marriage someone is there to talk and interact with the kids while the other gets on with the business of running the home, now by the time you have run the home it’s bedtime, and creating quality time for each other gets eaten away with the mundane cooking/cleaning/washing etc. Then I guess I’m just finding out what all the other mums and single parents have known for a long time.

But we are doing better than just surviving - we are beginning to enjoy life again, make new memories and building a new life. That’s why I resonate so strongly with my role on Preston’s Hope 08 core team - I believe in the hope of the Gospel. It’s not just hope for some far off eternal future, but “hope for today and bright hope for tomorrow!” Trusting in God can mean you can go through life’s hard knocks and come through scarred but strong - and normal.

And that’s the bit I like, feeling normal again….and looking forward to the future.