On Sunday, 12 June 2022 Tottenham West Green Road Church (now the Tottenham Lighthouse Church since 18 June) was buzzing with activity. It was our second community day for 2022 - ‘Sharing the Love’, spearhead by the Prayer Ministry and supported by the other departments of the Church. Before the doors were opened to the public, Elder Janette Joseph did a short devotion with the service providers, in which she committed the day’s programme into the Lord’s hands.
Our visitors included many of the regulars to our Food Hub, people coming from their Sunday services, passersby and those who were specially invited by members of the Church, including Councillor Tammy Hymas. The Councillor made contact with us a few days before our community day ‘Sharing the Love’, stating that while canvassing during the run-up to the May Elections many persons mentioned the Food Hub at the Church. (We recently discovered that our Food Hub was listed on the first page of a booklet advertising Food Banks in Tottenham & Wood Green and that the Council was directing people to it.)
Being curious about the Food Hub, the councillor contacted the Church, heard about ‘Sharing the Love’ and attended the event. The Councillor later posted on Twitter ‘I really appreciated the warm welcome at the SDA Tottenham Church for their community day…’ Councillor Hymas later contacted Haringey Council after hearing that our application since March 2022 to use the park directly in front of the Church (Windrush Square) for community outreach was not responded to. We have since received an apology from the Council and hopefully by the next quarter when we have the next ‘Sharing the Love’, the Church will be able to use the park to provide activities for children and youth in our community.
The services offered to the community during ‘Sharing the Love’ included: health checks done by nurses, with a doctor available for follow-up; legal advice by a barrister and solicitor; education advice by a teacher; massages done by two masseurs; prayer; counselling by three counsellors; business advice by a successful business owner; spiritual books & literature (donated by the BUC Personal Ministries Dept); drug awareness by Hope UK; gifts for visitors, floral arrangement demonstration; Annalisa’s Kitchen providing healthy meals using foods that would have gone to waste and refreshments by the Community Services Dept. Mr Miten Patel, owner of ‘Good Health Pharmacy’ provided examination gloves, a glucometer with strips for glucose testing and a blood pressure monitor to be used for the health checks.
Marian St Guillaume, a member of the community who volunteers at the Food Hub and ‘Sharing the Love’ wrote the following feedback. ‘… another great day for the community. There was a lovely atmosphere. So many people who spoke to me commented how they felt it as they entered… I enjoyed the yummy healthy food, was happy to see some of our regulars waiting for the doctor and nurses, which was good for them, as so many GPs are still not seeing many people face to face. I received special blessings from the sisters who prayed over and for me and family. I was touched and emotional so the Lord was present and listening. You and all church members should be proud of how you are carrying on, and offering the community so much help when your building is going through renovations. I am full of admiration for that. Tammy, councillor, is also very impressed and was delighted to be there.’
Led by the Holy Spirit, the Church has become more intentional in its efforts to mingle and engage with the local neighbourhood, in order to ‘Transform Lives and Build Communities. Sis Sophia Charles, Community Services Leader and her team runs a Food Hub twice a week, which meets some of the physical and spiritual needs of our community. Prayer Ministry, through ‘Sharing the Love’ wanted to build on the work being done by Community Services to help meet some of the other unmet needs of our community.
We thank God for making the day a resounding success; it was a bright and sunny day and our visitors outnumbered our members. We are thankful to all who willingly gave of their time and talents to help share the love of God with our community. Special thanks to those whom I met at the SEC Health & Well-being Fest at Stanborough Park in May and invited them to participate in ‘Sharing the Love’ and they accepted: Dannielle & Noreen Kydd-Sinclair, (Hope UK & members of Wycombe Community Church); Annalisa Buraglio, (Annalisa’s Kitchen & a member of Stanborough Park Church) and Kathleen Douglas (Advent Health & a member of Luton North Church). Thanks for the continued support of Marian, Hanane and Mary - community members & volunteers at both the Food Hub & ‘Sharing the Love’; Elder Claudette James & Sis Serita Tapper (Holloway Church) and Dr Riesberg Amoah (South West London Ghana Church). To God be the glory, great things He hath done!
