Our prayers and thanks for the generous response to the appeal this week. Massive thanks for the £852.00 donated to the Over Darwen parish food bank in less than one week. On top of that are over 40 bags of food and several boxes, and a collection from the donations left at the Village Pound.

Amazing speed and generosity with which our congregation and parish has rallied to the help of others.  What is really wonderful is knowing that each of the donations was given with love, the email messages, the phone calls, the letters have all expressed concern for others, love of others, disbelief that people, children, are going hungry. This week we have seen absolute physical evidence of God working through us, and the Holy Spirit in each and every tin of beans, soup or packet of mashed potato. There have been wonderful initiatives started and never have I seen such clear work of us as a church body, as brothers and sisters in Christ working together to make a difference. Thank you

Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 

There have been other connections made through the sharing of knowledge about organisations that can help and sources of funding. All offers to help are there to follow up, and make the most of links provided.

With a humbled heart filled with joy and love for our wonderful parish and church family, every gift has been a gift of God’s blessing, in deepening faith, and our friends in Darwen will know the blessings and grace of God through receiving these gifts in the same love they were given.