Missions
Prison visiting
City Gate have a team who regularly visit a local prison, assisting the Chaplaincy with their alternative Sunday morning meeting. In doing so, we join in the work of several other local churches who also minister there.
We aim to build good relationships with the men and to present the Gospel in an informal and non-religious way.
Representing Jesus here, who is in the business of setting captives free in every avenue of life, is a valuable and rewarding ministry and we intend to develop it further still in the coming months.
South Africa
We regularly send teams over to South Africa. We are connected to churches in Cape Town, East London and Idutywa. We love to welcome our African friends over here and have been greatly encouraged from their input to us. Each month we participate in a phone link up with South Africa and two other Uk churches, this includes prayer and prophetic insights for each other.
Hope For The Nations (HFTN)
Lee, Denise, Joshua and Isaac Williams
The whole family and others in City Gate Church have been involved with Hope For The Nations (HFTN) Children's Charity. It was established in 2002 to help meet the needs of destitute children in Sub Sahara Africa and Asia. Their goal is to rescue orphans from poverty, slavery, prostitution or the street and to welcome them into one of their homes. Once there, they are provided with all of their primary needs including food, clothing, shelter, medicine, education and above all else love. The Williams', along with other members of the church have visited Kenya with HFTN and we are committed to raising funds for their ongoing work in Africa.
For more information about HFTN and to learn more about how you can support their work visit their website www.hftn.co.uk
Freedom Park, Cape Town
In August 2006 a team from City Gate went to Cape Town, South Africa. Whilst there they visited Freedom Park (local shanty town), and helped the residents make essential repairs to their homes. Those who had been part of the team were so moved by what they had experienced, on returning home they began fund-raising to improve the lives of the people of Freedom Park further. We raised over £13,000 which is being used to fund a variety of projects.
Kitgum, Uganda
City Gate member Ann Robins heard about an amazing Australian woman, Irene Gleeson, now 61, who had a heart for orphans in Africa. In 1991 (aged 45), waving goodbye to children and grandchildren, she sold her beach front Sydney property, bought a caravan and moved to Kitgum, in war torn northern Uganda. From beneath a mango tree she started feeding and teaching about 50 orphans. Irene Gleeson now heads up 'Kitgum Servants' which feeds and educates (including vocational skills) numbers nearing 10,000 children. Victory Centre contains a church for 3,000, a radio station that reaches millions of the Acholi people, and an aids hospice. This work is being duplicated with new schools along the Sudan border.
In February 2007 Ann had the privilege to visit and bring greetings and encouragement from City Gate.
Columbia
In July 2007 City Gate members, Terry and Yvonne Mann, set out to offer practical and spiritual support to In Ministry to Children (IMC) in Columbia. Involvement in the project in Colombia with Tear Fund in 1993 and motivated by the vision to bring Jesus love to children at risk in Colombia, Terry and Joan Thraves set up IMC (In Ministryto Children) in 1994. With an estimated 100,000 children on the streets of Bogota alone, life is a challenge. Colombia is one of the most violent countries not at war in the world with a population of 46,000,000 and producing 80% of the world's cocaine. 75% of Colombians don't have enough money to look after their families. 15 children a day are kidnapped off the streets of Bogota alone. Life is cheap and children are a potential source of income. That aside, children often miss out on their schooling.
Three of the boys from Altamira
Children, staff and team 2007 at Granje Peniel Farm, Bogota
(Terry and Yvonne Mann on far right)
Feeding programme at Fusa
IMC has a farm home near Bogota where 23 boys aged from 5 to 17 years are cared for. Three hours drive south from there is another farm which is on lease (Altamira) with 9 girls and 13 boys. In Fusa, IMC runs a dining room where 95 children go every day for a proper meal, to get help with their homework, Bible teaching and social care. In Bosa, a suburb of Bogota, IMC is setting up a small business programme where they support families in their own homes to be able to work to finance themselves and keep the family unit together. Terry and Yvonne will be travelling back to Columbia again in September 2008.
The Persecuted Church
We care very much about our brothers and sisters worldwide who suffer persecution and actively support various organisations involved in helping them. Christian Solidarity Worldwide is represented by Ann Robins and Phyllis Rawkins, who endeavour to update the church with vital issues.
At present (May 08) we are asking people to consider visiting a site: changeforBurma.org to see how they can be involved.
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