Jul 20, 2023, 12:38 PMSharon Platt-McDonald BUC Director for Adventist Community Services, Health and Women's Ministries
Hanwell Excels in its Community Influence and Impact
"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices, God is well pleased."
Hebrews 13:16 (NKJV)
What does a church caring for its community look like? If you visit the Hanwell Seventh-day Adventist church, you will see the answer to these questions beautifully exemplified in their diverse range of quality outreach initiatives. Hanwell's expansive effort to embrace community needs, and offer timely and relevant support interventions, is applaudable.
Sarah Lubanga is Area 6D President for the Community Ministry Federation and a member of Hanwell church. I engaged her in an interview where she related the extensive spectrum of interventions that she and her team members are involved in:
SPM – Your church is currently involved in numerous community initiatives. Please tell us about them.
SL – We undertake a wide variety of projects, programmes, initiatives and outreach. These include:
Supporting refugees from Afghanistan, Ukraine and Germany Holiday Bible School that resulted in the baptism of three candidates Community Lunch (started in 2015 and resulted in two baptisms and a wedding of two community guests in 2018) Food Bank/Food Hub Duke of Edinburgh's – volunteering section Senior Citizens Club (reading the Bible, chair-based exercise, and trips to the beach) Phlebotomy Project Food Grab and Go Bags Christmas Dinner & Christmas Hampers Initiatives Supported Community Healthy Cooking Classes Jesus House of All Nations collaborations Father's Day Dinner (guests included Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims) Community Chaplaincy Hanwell2Hanwell ministry Visits to malls, nursing homes, hospital dialysis wards in Ealing Book Distribution projects
SPM – I understand your outreach has been extended to 35 other churches and entities. What did that entail?
SL – God has blessed us to share our resources with Adventist churches across the South England Conference (SEC) and North England Conference. We have supported Pentecostal churches, hotels, and the homeless on the street. We have provided accommodation, various shelters, YMCAs, charities, youth development centres, drop-in centres, numerous food banks, and other external agencies. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, we continued to minister.
Pastoral teams formed reinforcement from the SEC Community Ministries, such as Pastor Max McKenzie-Cook, ADRA and Family Ministries reached out. We also received support and engagement from Pastors Mario Phillip, Vili Costescu, Kwesi Moore, Rolando Bernados, Sister Deborah (ADRA & from Edmonton) and Pastor Augustus Lawrence.
SPM – Do you involve external agencies in your work, and how do they support what you do?
SL – We have engaged with numerous entities over the years. Some of these include the following:
Trussell Trust, Ealing Foodbank The Pan Bake Shop gives cakes occasionally to support our Community Lunch The Neighbourly Food Bank/Hub – Pastor Steve Roberts's partnership with the Pentecostal Credit Union St Johns Ambulance Community First Aid Jalaram Mandir Temple (2015-2020) British Red Cross Ealing Police and Community Constables Henry Paul Funeral Directors The Community Vegan/Vegetarian Cooking classes Race For Life Cancer Research (Hanwell High Ladies 2011-2015) Community Radio Hayes Initiative at Radio 91.8 Hayes FM 16-18 GMT Green Doctors Health Expert NHS Diabetic Management Hanwell Methodist Church Homeless Soup Kitchen Heinz Beans Hayes Homelessness Broadway Sixty-five Bunny Park Project Ealing Churches Night Winter Shelters Rolling Shelters Hounslow Shelters 2019 December - 2020, run by Seventh-day Adventists.
SPM – I understand that local dignitaries are aware of the work Hanwell church is doing. Can you share who these individuals are and any visits they have made to observe your outreach?
SL – We have had several visits from MPs, councillors and mayors. Some of the most memorable have included the following:
Ealing Together Honours Celebration held 15 October 2022. That was a 'Thank you party' for delivering services to the community during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pastor Steve Roberts and Hanwell2Hanwell (H2H) were among other denominations and charities who received thanks for supporting the community throughout the pandemic. Ealing Mayor Councillor Dr Abdullah Gulaid applauded our community outreach and church services. He also visited and gave a speech during the Queen's Jubilee. MP Mr Steve Pound joined us in celebrating the 100th year of one of our members, an ex-soldier, who has since passed.
SPM – How many volunteers do you have, and how are they organised?
SL – We have approximately 36, a combination of Hanwell church members and volunteers from the H2H and immediate neighbours. The 36 volunteers divide themselves into groups of 4 each week, which prevents burnout.
SPM – What is the inspiration behind your outreach to the community?
SL – The love of God constrains us.
SPM – What advice would you give to other Community Ministries departments who wish to reach out to their communities?
SL – Community Ministries must work prayerfully and collaboratively with their pastors, church elders and other department leaders and vice versa. It creates an environment for the church to pull in one direction. Collaborative work and reflection are the way forward to help the church meet our shared goals – building communities and making disciples.
SPM – There must be several human-interest stories that have emerged from your outreach. Tell us about your clientele and any testimonials they have shared about your services.
SL – We have a wide range of clients from various ethnicities. Numerous gratitude has come from all the clientele in the form of comments, cards and verbal recognitions. It includes all those we have helped, whether from our food banks, health checks, Holiday Bible School, or those who were passers-by.
One person who had missed their plane was walking on Sabbath afternoon and saw our church. They entered and explained their situation. We paid for them to sleep in a hotel that night and caught their plane the next day.
Then a homeless man who had not slept properly (travelling on night buses till morning) for a week came to the church on Wednesday evening Prayer meeting. We supported him by putting him into a bed and breakfast hotel to rest for a week.
During our community Grab and Go food bags on Sundays, our pastor Steve Roberts has taken time to pray and counsel individuals. They express their sincere gratitude.
SPM – Thank you for sharing the extensive ministry Hanwell church is undertaking. May God bless your continued impact and influence as you help transform lives.
Please visit the following link to view some of the church's outreach: https://shop.kntphotography.co.uk/Hanwell-SDA-Church/Hanwell-7-June-2020/n-q2cs38
"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices, God is well pleased."
Hebrews 13:16 (NKJV)
What does a church caring for its community look like? If you visit the Hanwell Seventh-day Adventist church, you will see the answer to these questions beautifully exemplified in their diverse range of quality outreach initiatives. Hanwell's expansive effort to embrace community needs, and offer timely and relevant support interventions, is applaudable.
Sarah Lubanga is Area 6D President for the Community Ministry Federation and a member of Hanwell church. I engaged her in an interview where she related the extensive spectrum of interventions that she and her team members are involved in:
SPM – Your church is currently involved in numerous community initiatives. Please tell us about them.
SL – We undertake a wide variety of projects, programmes, initiatives and outreach. These include:
Supporting refugees from Afghanistan, Ukraine and Germany Holiday Bible School that resulted in the baptism of three candidates Community Lunch (started in 2015 and resulted in two baptisms and a wedding of two community guests in 2018) Food Bank/Food Hub Duke of Edinburgh's – volunteering section Senior Citizens Club (reading the Bible, chair-based exercise, and trips to the beach) Phlebotomy Project Food Grab and Go Bags Christmas Dinner & Christmas Hampers Initiatives Supported Community Healthy Cooking Classes Jesus House of All Nations collaborations Father's Day Dinner (guests included Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims) Community Chaplaincy Hanwell2Hanwell ministry Visits to malls, nursing homes, hospital dialysis wards in Ealing Book Distribution projects
SPM – I understand your outreach has been extended to 35 other churches and entities. What did that entail?
SL – God has blessed us to share our resources with Adventist churches across the South England Conference (SEC) and North England Conference. We have supported Pentecostal churches, hotels, and the homeless on the street. We have provided accommodation, various shelters, YMCAs, charities, youth development centres, drop-in centres, numerous food banks, and other external agencies. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, we continued to minister.
Pastoral teams formed reinforcement from the SEC Community Ministries, such as Pastor Max McKenzie-Cook, ADRA and Family Ministries reached out. We also received support and engagement from Pastors Mario Phillip, Vili Costescu, Kwesi Moore, Rolando Bernados, Sister Deborah (ADRA & from Edmonton) and Pastor Augustus Lawrence.
SPM – Do you involve external agencies in your work, and how do they support what you do?
SL – We have engaged with numerous entities over the years. Some of these include the following:
Trussell Trust, Ealing Foodbank The Pan Bake Shop gives cakes occasionally to support our Community Lunch The Neighbourly Food Bank/Hub – Pastor Steve Roberts's partnership with the Pentecostal Credit Union St Johns Ambulance Community First Aid Jalaram Mandir Temple (2015-2020) British Red Cross Ealing Police and Community Constables Henry Paul Funeral Directors The Community Vegan/Vegetarian Cooking classes Race For Life Cancer Research (Hanwell High Ladies 2011-2015) Community Radio Hayes Initiative at Radio 91.8 Hayes FM 16-18 GMT Green Doctors Health Expert NHS Diabetic Management Hanwell Methodist Church Homeless Soup Kitchen Heinz Beans Hayes Homelessness Broadway Sixty-five Bunny Park Project Ealing Churches Night Winter Shelters Rolling Shelters Hounslow Shelters 2019 December - 2020, run by Seventh-day Adventists.
SPM – I understand that local dignitaries are aware of the work Hanwell church is doing. Can you share who these individuals are and any visits they have made to observe your outreach?
SL – We have had several visits from MPs, councillors and mayors. Some of the most memorable have included the following:
Ealing Together Honours Celebration held 15 October 2022. That was a 'Thank you party' for delivering services to the community during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pastor Steve Roberts and Hanwell2Hanwell (H2H) were among other denominations and charities who received thanks for supporting the community throughout the pandemic. Ealing Mayor Councillor Dr Abdullah Gulaid applauded our community outreach and church services. He also visited and gave a speech during the Queen's Jubilee. MP Mr Steve Pound joined us in celebrating the 100th year of one of our members, an ex-soldier, who has since passed.
SPM – How many volunteers do you have, and how are they organised?
SL – We have approximately 36, a combination of Hanwell church members and volunteers from the H2H and immediate neighbours. The 36 volunteers divide themselves into groups of 4 each week, which prevents burnout.
SPM – What is the inspiration behind your outreach to the community?
SL – The love of God constrains us.
SPM – What advice would you give to other Community Ministries departments who wish to reach out to their communities?
SL – Community Ministries must work prayerfully and collaboratively with their pastors, church elders and other department leaders and vice versa. It creates an environment for the church to pull in one direction. Collaborative work and reflection are the way forward to help the church meet our shared goals – building communities and making disciples.
SPM – There must be several human-interest stories that have emerged from your outreach. Tell us about your clientele and any testimonials they have shared about your services.
SL – We have a wide range of clients from various ethnicities. Numerous gratitude has come from all the clientele in the form of comments, cards and verbal recognitions. It includes all those we have helped, whether from our food banks, health checks, Holiday Bible School, or those who were passers-by.
One person who had missed their plane was walking on Sabbath afternoon and saw our church. They entered and explained their situation. We paid for them to sleep in a hotel that night and caught their plane the next day.
Then a homeless man who had not slept properly (travelling on night buses till morning) for a week came to the church on Wednesday evening Prayer meeting. We supported him by putting him into a bed and breakfast hotel to rest for a week.
During our community Grab and Go food bags on Sundays, our pastor Steve Roberts has taken time to pray and counsel individuals. They express their sincere gratitude.
SPM – Thank you for sharing the extensive ministry Hanwell church is undertaking. May God bless your continued impact and influence as you help transform lives.
Please visit the following link to view some of the church's outreach: https://shop.kntphotography.co.uk/Hanwell-SDA-Church/Hanwell-7-June-2020/n-q2cs38
