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Lighthouse Plus
Following the establishment of The Lighthouse, meeting on Sunday mornings, designed for children with special needs, CCK member Paul Bedford has now initiated Lighthouse Plus, for adults with learning difficulties.
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Lighthouse Plus meets alternate Thursday nights at 7pm-9pm in The Lounge at the Clarendon Centre, New England Street, Brighton. The Lounge is on the ground floor and is, of course, wheelchair accessible.
The meetings include fun activities, a praise time & Bible message; the presentation is brief, the content varied and the laughter infectious. And it's followed by tea and cakes!
Fill the gap
Paul Bedford explains 'Maggie & I were shattered when, in 1991 our daughter Chloe was born. She was diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy and epilepsy. This turned our lives upside down - she deepened our souls and broke our hearts.
'We began to recognise the compassion of Jesus and his openness to the disabled and sick. He picked out the man by the pool of Bathesda who was ignored by everyone else; he responded to Bartimaeus when others told him to shut up. The lepers, the blind, the deaf, the epileptic,... they all found a response in Jesus' heart.
'About ten years ago God gave me a startling picture of scores of people with learning difficulties and physical disabilities fulfillled in enthusiastic worship. In response, Maggie and I set up (with the support and encouragement of the church elders) The Lighthouse - one to one care for children with disabilities who do not cope well with Sunday School. That was the first step.
'New Zealander Henry Smith and I took the opportunity to serve adults with learning difficulties. We believe that adults with learning difficulties or physical disabilities can play an active and exciting part in church life. Our vision is to see Lighthouse Plus beginning to fill the gap in service provision; it's a chance for these people to express themselves spiritually, to learn, to worship and to have fellowship.'
Gathering pace
Lighthouse Plus has been established for nearly two years
( check out the video of the celebrations at their first birthday party) and already gathers ten adults: some from a Christian residential home in Barcombe, just outside Brighton, one or two from Holland Road Baptist Church, Hove, and the rest from CCK.
If you have a disability which affects how you learn, or know someone who would like to come to a especially arranged regular Christian meeting on a Wednesday evening, please contact Paul via the CCK office on 01273 747687. Similarly if you would like to know more about helping, or you need a lift, contact Paul on lighthouse-plus@hotmail.com
See also The Lighthouse
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Vision statement:
To see adults with learning difficulties and physical disabilities discovering freedom in worship in a context of fun, friendship and fellowship. |
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