We are a small group of Christians from a variety of backgrounds, who share a common desire to live in community in an urban priority area, and to communicate Christ through our relationships.
More about Knowle West, Bristol
Hospitality - creating a place of welcome for each other and for those we meet
Openness - to God, to ourselves, to local churches, and to others
Prayer - the centre of our life as community
Engagement - being committed to supporting each other and interacting with our neighbours
In the midst of a vast housing estate in south Bristol, this house was established in April 1992 at the invitation of Knowle West churches: five denominations working together. The aim is to share the love of Christ in this largely white Urban Priority Area of high unemployment.
Address, phone and email contact details...
• to live as a Christian community in a deprived inner city or outer urban area
• to grow in knowing Christ through our relationships with each other, our interaction with the wider local community, and our openness to the gifts and needs of those around us
• to support ourselves with paid work
We have talked about the family breakfast before, saying how popular is has become for people around the Knowle West area. Because of the number of people we were serving it was decided that the kitchen team needed to up-date their food safety skills. And so it was arranged by John and Val to contact the Mede Centre and ask them to arrange a days training on Food Safety. So thirteen of us met at the Mede Centre and went through the day with a training course, CIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering.
John has now started to drive the Mede Sprint minibus on occasions taking people for various appointments around the local area.
John is now driving the Mede Sprint minibus, taking peolpe for local appointments with their doctors etc.
Due to the fact that we have had so many people attending the Family Breakfast at the Baptist centre it was felt that those preparing and serving the food should have Food Hygiene training. Arrangements were made via the Mede Centre for a trainer to be brought in to train 13 of to CIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering
For unto Us a Child is born: Unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. Isaiah 9:6
Jehovah God himself! ..……................................……..……. ……………. .. There is no greater glory!
A Perfect Baby. Every young mother thinks her baby is the most perfect and unusual baby in the world. Mary must have thought so too; but unlike all other mothers in the world, she was right! Her baby was the only perfect baby ever born; and the most unusual baby—the only-begotten Son of the Most High God! Before - Mary had "pondered in her heart" the words of the Angel Gabriel to her, when he had announced the forthcoming birth of Jesus - saying that her son would be called "the Son of the Highest, the Son of God." Now - she had heard the testimony of the shepherds saying that the angel had called her child, "A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." How beautiful and how natural that she ponders in her heart these things about her precious baby. Before - I, (John) remember my dad asking me “So what have you been doing with yourself today?” Now - I ask my Heavenly Father “what have you been doing through me today?”
Our days of community are never the same, the four of us meet together daily to pray using the Called by God booklet. We also receive prayer lists from Lee Abbey Devon; The Lee Abbey Students Club in London; and from the Aston Household Birmingham. On a Monday morning at 9.00 Val and John go to the Filwood Hope Centre to meet for prayers with leaders from the Salvation Army, the Anglican Church, the Catholic Church, the Sisters from the convent and some of the staff of the Filwood Hope centre.
We take it in turns each week to lead a time of prayer and maybe some words of scripture, using whatever format we choose. Prayer is our foundation from where we begin our day, praying that God will fill us afresh with His Holy Spirit, so that who or whatever comes our way, we can respond in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. It has been an exciting year with lots going on in Knowle West.
The most exciting news of all is that Aggy and Ed are expecting a baby who should arrive in late January 2012 - the first community member to be born in the household! This will make us five for prayers each day.
Through the summer months, we were all involved with a large Alpha Group of about 30-50 people. This was organised by our local Christian doctors and held at the Health Centre. Many folk from the churches, both in Knowle West and Holy Trinity in Nailsea supported it. As a direct result of Alpha, we have seen a big increase in the congregation of Holy Cross, and the 4pm service held there has taken on its own style of worship within the Anglican/Baptist Partnership. There is a great sense of caring and belonging within that fellowship. Also, our weekly Café Church, held at St. Barnabas Church, has grown in numbers again a direct result of Alpha.
The Monthly Men’s Breakfast has seen some wonderful changes! It still meets at the Baptist Centre, but now is a Family Breakfast with an open invitation. Sally, Alsiter’s wife, started this off by inviting the people off the street to come along. These folk would spend all day on Melvin Square drinking, but they now turn up at the breakfast sharing the food and lots of good relationships are being formed, it has a very good feel to it. Someone says grace before we eat, and afterwards there is lots of laughter and good conversations. There have been times when we sing a few songs of worship at one of the breakfasts, someone got out his mouth organ and Andy rushed home to fetch his guitar. Due to the fact that we are serving food to so many of the general public it was decided that we should all have ‘Food Hygiene’ training, So with the help of the Mede Centre 13 of us including Ed, Val and John had a days training followed by a test paper, we all passed and received a Food Safety Certificate
We continue to have very good relationships with our immediate neighbours and have been able to support an elderly friend, recently taking her to the Eye Hospital for tests. We do a lot of practical work
for this lady, what the Salvation Army call ‘Christianity with your sleeves rolled up’. We continue to take
her out on trips such as Chew Valley Lake for a gentle stroll followed by a cup of tea and a cake!
There are several Christian events taking place during December which is very exciting.
We had the Family Breakfast which took place on the 3rd some 65 people arrived. Then in the evening
we had a bring and share meal at the Mede Centre to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Filwood Hope Centre. The Churches in Knowle West, that’s Anglican/Baptist, The Salvation Army, The Catholic Church.
and the Church of Prophecy all contributed to this event.
Then on the 12th there is the Christmas Carol Concert held at The Parks Community Centre in Daventry Road. On the 16th at the Mede Centre there is the Christmas Fete, John has been called in to be Santa in the Grotto! And Val will be ‘Santa’s Little Helper. Then in the evening there will be a Carol Concert held at Holy Cross Church.
Next year we are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Lee Abbey Household!
Being a place of prayer and welcome in Knowle West So please put this date in your diary Saturday April 21st 2012
This will be held at St. Barnabas Church Daventry Road Knowle West BS4 1DQ
Starting at 2pm. Light refreshments will be served afterwards. If you do intend to come and join us will you please let us know so that we have some idea of numbers, please reply with a card or via e-mail.
With kind regards from John, Val, Ed and Aggy
Knowle West Sat 30 Jul 2011, 8.12 pm • No comments
Lee Abbey Household News John is now Vice Chairman of the Management Team of the Mede Community Centre. He is involved with Health and Safety / Risk assessments, and the gardening club at the centre and regularly visits there to meet with peop read more...
Aston Wed 1 Jun 2011, 10.05 am • No comments
If you'd like to know more about what it means to live as a small missional community in an inner-city setting, why not come and join us" on Saturday 16 July 2011 in Aston? Our community, along with the Lee Abbey community in Knowle West, is hosti read more...