It seems we have been in our ‘new’ Café for ever but it’s only two years since we left our home of some forty years in Crown Court. Have you visited us – if not please drop in and enjoy a coffee and a piece of cake!
The smooth running of the cafe very much depends on our hard-working staff and loyal volunteers. We have been blessed with many new and lovely volunteers of all ages and many ’Duke of Edinburgh’ students during the summer and helping with the busy Saturday trade.
So many people help the Cellar to flourish, we are most grateful to our volunteers who work both in the cafe and support us in other ways such as baking lovely homemade cakes and befriending our regular customers. A special mention must go to Colin who has worked five days a week over many years and is loved by us all.
Our most important role is still befriending, listening, and praying with those who are struggling with life, loneliness, mental illness, and budgeting. We strive to build trusting relationships with our customers and help and encourage them day by day. We have our food bank table where people can come and take things without judgement or answering questions and welcome donations for that. We also value donations of homemade cakes.
A huge ‘Thank You’ to everyone who supports us and has encouraged us through these difficult times – if you would like to donate some Christmas Gifts to go into our parcels would you be kind enough to let us have them by 16th December.
Thank you so much!
Debbie Portsmouth and The Cellar Team
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Debbie reflects on our social outreach and Christmas dates
In August we enjoyed a wonderful day out by coach to Worthing, the sun shone all day, and we enjoyed the beach, some delicious food and great company with our friends, we were able to take a coach of 50 people from 4 years to 94 years.
On Saturday 3rd December we are arranging a day out to Chichester for some festive fun and a spot of Christmas shopping at the Christmas market.
On Monday 19th December we will once again be hosting a full Christmas meal for around 30 customers many of whom live alone, this was a huge success last year.
On Tuesday 20th December we will be holding a Christmas party with entertainment and buffet lunch, and we will be distributing Christmas hampers, everyone is very welcome to pop in, do come and meet the lovely people who are supported by the cellar throughout the year.
Christmas blessing from Ali…
‘The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.’
John 1v14
The miracle of ‘the word becoming flesh and dwelling among us,’ is that God, in Jesus, came down right into the mess of our lives, into all the brokenness, among the rubbish and the garbage, the bits we hide from others and sometimes even from ourselves. He embraced it, got stuck in and then changed it with his glory.
I pray you may invite him into those places in your life, in our world, in the lives of those you hold in your heart this Christmas, that they may be touched by His glory, grace and truth.
Other things…
We have a new treasurer in Brian Ko and our sincere thanks to David Oakden for looking after us for the past few years – Brian’s details can be found on the website.
Chris and Maggie have been called to pastures new on the Isle of Wight.
They will be following a pathway of Christian Healing Ministry with others focussed on Carisbrooke Priory where they have historic links. Chris also feels a strong call to instigate a global peace mission on which he is already engaged. He will have the time and space to attend more fully to this calling. He will continue as a trustee and be popping back from time to time but always prayerfully supporting the work of Cellar and Skillway as a ‘flying buttress’!
The move will happen around Easter time next year.