Mission partners
St Mary's Church, Hutton, supports the following organizations and individuals who are committed to telling people about God and what He can accomplish in people's lives through faith in Jesus Christ.
Somewhere to Go
Somewhere to Go is a local support centre in Weston-super-Mare set up specially to help rough sleepers and disadvantaged, vulnerable adults. The centre is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.30am to 2.30pm in St. John's Church Hall, Boulevard.
Somewhere to Go offers a warm, welcoming and safe place for people to come. We serve 30 to 40 meals each day that we open, including some free food and a lunch that costs only £1.00. We never waste food and no-one ever goes away hungry; a meal will stabilize someone using drugs for the next 24 hours. We provide activities such as crafts and art, table tennis (including mini tournaments) and circus skills, and these are very much appreciated as they take peoples' minds off their problems for a while and give them a sense of achievement and well being.
Twinning with Dabaso in Kenya
Hutton is twinned with the village of Dabaso in Kenya. In November 1999, following a twinning ceremony in Hutton, over 40 people set off to Dabaso to formalise the twinning there. Since then there have been a number of visits and communications between the two communities that have been strengthened by the use of modern technology. Links have been built with the Churches, the Primary Schools, the village councils and friendships have been made.
The projects have been large and small and include the building of three classrooms at the school and the subsequent appeal for desks, that are still in use to this day albeit with repairs being made. Two containers were sent from Hutton filled with books, clothes, tools and equipment which are used for maintenance and in the health centre. This centre was originally supported by a local GP and with two nursing staff. This support has been taken over by the twinning association and funds for the staff salaries now come through the association’s account and paid for by specific regular donations. The centre has also been utilised by the Kenyan medical agencies during nationwide vaccination programmes and has achieved registered status. Mosquito nets and pharmaceutical supplies are regular purchases. Malaria test strips now give instant results so treatment can now be immediate and specific. Health education and Health Promotion are part of the range of services on offer at the Medical Centre.
Over the years the Twinning Association has been able to assist a number of children into secondary education and provide bursaries for children who have been educated at Dabaso Primary School. Hutton continues to contribute to the water and electricity bills for Dabaso Primary School and encourage the use of grey water in the toilets we installed and sustainable energy sources.
In 2019 there was a visit to celebrate 20 years of twinning by a group of 21 people all of whom have connections to the Hutton village community. The focus of the trip was to provide support to the local Dabaso community and to continue strengthening the great relationship formed 20 years ago when the 2 villages were twinned. They worked together with the locals, using the money raised by various fund-raising events in Hutton village such as the annual wassailing celebrations, coffee mornings and quiz nights to help with some refurbishing projects
Compassion
Compassion founded in 1952 works in partnership with local churches in developing countries to give children the opportunity to escape the suffering and fear poverty brings through a one-to-one child sponsorship model. Motivated by Christ's love, Compassion helps children and families in poverty from all backgrounds regardless of belief or gender and in ways that are culturally relevant and non-coercive.
Each sponsorship provides care for a sponsored child through every stage of their childhood. St Mary's provides sponsorship, birthday gifts,
letters and support to children including Abonesh who writes
Dear St Mary’s church group,
How are you doing? Thanks to God I am very fine. My family and I are also fine. I received your birthday gift thanks.
I am very happy for your good wishes. I am always happy when I get your letter. I show them to my friends. My mother is also happy. I pray for you always. I
hope you are also praying for me. I love you.
Until another letter bye bye.
Your beloved child Abonesh Mezgebu.
Open Doors
Over 340 million Christians are persecuted world-wide. Open Doors originated in 1955, when a young Dutchman started smuggling Bibles to the persecuted church in Communist Europe. He became known as Brother Andrew, and his work led to more than six decades of support for the persecuted church
Open Doors today works in over 60 countries, supplying Bibles, training church leaders, providing practical support and emergency relief, and supporting Christians who suffer for their faith.
In the UK and Ireland, Open Doors works to raise awareness of global persecution, mobilising prayer, support and action among Christians.
The Bible Society
For over 200 years Bible Society has been working to bring the Bible to life; to help people around the world engage with it, relate to it, and make sense of it.
We live in a world where too many people don’t engage with the Bible. In some parts of the world, the Scriptures are difficult to access or are simply unavailable. In this country, the Bible is readily available but has lost its significance and its value is unrecognised by millions.
The Bible Society here at home and in key areas across the world to change this. The Society takes the Bible and finds ways to translate and distribute it, create digital formats, advocate for its place in society and help people relate to and make sense of it in their everyday lives.