The Church’s Mission to the People of Branksome

In 2005 after some two years of discussions and prayer the church recognised that God was calling it into mission to bring the good news of Jesus to the people of Branksome – a housing estate on the western edge of Darlington in which there are very few social facilities for adults, young people or children. The social and economic problems for many on the estate are considerable. The ward is considered to be one of the poorest in the north-east even though from the roads the buildings look well looked after.

There is no church or chapel on the estate. The Community Centre does a valiant job, recently re-opening a Youth Club and the CABLE office does sterling work helping to provide resources for the local people as well as supporting the recently established Branksome and Cockerton West Partnership which seeks to look after the interests of the people.

We realise that the mission is a long-term one. There are very few church members living on the estate and the cultures of the church and the estate are different. But by becoming involved with the people of the estate in their efforts to improve the conditions in which they live, and by supporting the initiatives that the Partnership is taking we hope to bring something of the love and power of God into the estate.

So far we have merely scratched the surface!

The church people pray for the residents of individual streets on a weekly basis.

The church people in the summer of 2004 for the first time organised a holiday club for the youngsters of the estate in the Community Centre. This proved a great success and was throughly enjoyed by the 35 or so children who came. We have built on this success every year since. Several of the children have come along each year to join our Youth Church and the Brigades.

The church has moved the mission onwards through a PAIS worker, a Schools' Worker employed by Christians in Darlington & District Schools and, from September 2007, two Youth and Adult Community Development Workers, Luke and Jo Denley. They are having a major input into the two Junior Schools on the estate and in Branksome Comprehensive School through lunch and after-school clubs, lessons, assemblies and mentoring pupils. for the last two years the Comprehensive School has also brought their Year 7 pupils to the church for their Christmas service.

From the interest developed in the Junior Schools we have set up a mid-week children's club, 'Frantic' that spells out the Good News of Jesus and encourages the children to pray in a variety of lively and user-friendly ways.

In the autumn of 2008 we hope to encourage teenagers into another activity-based Christian club as well a setting up a youngsters cell meeting in the evenings.