EDGE COMMUNITY SELBY:
A CHURCH ARMY
CENTRE OF MISSION
Autumn 2020 Edge Community Selby is Christian outreach to the people of Flaxley Rd estate, Selby. It is a partnership between St James Church Selby and Church Army. For 14 years we have shared Christian faith in both words and loving action to hundreds of children, teens and families, and grown a new Christian community – Edge Community. Responding to Covid19 Online Presence Like most churches, we went online for Sunday church during lockdown #1 and tried various new ways for people to connect digitally. We found only a smallish number of people engaged with that, and over time reduced what we were doing. It seems that community is so important to what we are doing (and food probably!), that taking that
away left too little for people to engage simply with the faith aspect. That’s not saying that the faith aspect is unimportant; perhaps faith needs to be received within the context of community. We are currently back meeting online for those who can do so.
We still offer a Bible reading & prayer Monday to Friday mornings on Facebook, and have reached up to 30 folk daily, both locally and more widely.facebook.com/edge.comm.12
Kids’ Club has connected with large numbers of people, both families on the estate, and through links we have with other CA Evangelists, across the
UK and Ireland with hundreds watching. If you haven’t tuned in yet, visit
facebook.com/edgekidsclub
We are looking forward very much to the Kids’ Club Christmas
Special which will also be seen by Edge & St James families, in Selby CP Primary and in other schools as well: it has been offered to 50 local schools.
Harvest Festival was produced as a multimedia presentation for Selby CP School, and we have had positive feedback on that: it was filmed in various locations including St James and the Foodbank. Richard has continued
to produce video assemblies. We are glad that this has given us wider witness in the school, having only led KS1 assemblies for some time.
Word and Witness on the Street With calls from the Archbishops for ministers to stay home and be a good witness, yet knowing how much people needed support during lock down, Richard took to walking his
dog daily around the estate. Ensuring he kept a good distance from people, he was able to connect with individuals, both those out and about and by talking to people across their gardens. The team also delivered books and craft packs to help families cope. The Foodbank moved to digital vouchers making that much easier, although demand actually dropped: perhaps that was due to some families receiving more money instead of free school meals, or simply that there were few places to spend money with even charity. We are anticipating a big rise in need over the coming months.
Restarting Church – from Scratch
Edge Community started meeting in September in the Standering Hall (next to St James) where we can socially distance. It is off the estate so not ideal, especially with short days and poor weather, but in time we grew back to about 9 families attending. We couldn’t fit more than that in. We have had to change the format completely, to an all age service each week, meeting in the afternoon. Each family sits at a table 2 metres from the next, with their own craft box. People bring a snack and drink, allowing us to remove face coverings. Each week there’s something to watch, something to listening
to, something to talk about, and the “1 minute move-it” gets them up on their feet. Lasting 40 – 45 mins, its short, sharp and to the point
GAB (God and Biscuits), the exploring faith group for women, no longer can serve biscuits (!) we hope will soon be back in the hall. Its reaching 3-4 women at the moment, and we pray for its growth.
Community Hub Update
Selby Big Local has received planning permission for the changes to the old Coop into ‘Our Space”. Architects will prepare more detailed plans and review the colour scheme – their proposals seemed either too dark or a little psychedelic! We then seek quotes in around March / April and hopefully the work will start next Summer. So we are now looking at potential opening in 10-12 months’ time, which might coincide with a
better time with Covid. There is so much that St James and other churches will be able to be involved with and initiating. Could this be you?
Christmas Plans
As well as the Kids’ Club Christmas Special, we are planning a Muddy Christingle on the streets of Flaxley Rd estate, offering Christmas crafts to families in the weeks running up to Christmas and the Nativity Escape room will be used by Selby CP School. Plans for a Walking Nativity with a real live donkey are uncertain due to Covid restrictions. As usual we will be delivering Christmas gifts to families in need. Please pray with us for these things and our witness in general, that Flaxley Rd families would come to know the living, loving, life changing God that we meet in Jesus Christ.
Edge Lite:
New place New time New format
I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT St James Edge Community
If you wish support the ministry of Edge Community through regular giving, please set up a Standing Order with your bank. This can be done through internet or telephone banking.
Account details:
Saint James PCC
Acc. No. 10313246
Sort code 209956
Please include a reference with your “SURNAME – EDGE”.
Please inform the treasurer Brian Wade that you are setting up a Standing Order by emailing him
at treasurerstjamesselby@gmail.com
If you are a tax payer please fill in the form below and send to
St James Church Office, Standering Hall, New Lane Selby YO8 4QB.
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