A CHURCH cancelled its Sunday services – so worshippers could help in the community instead.

Sue Guy from Hart Plain Church packs care kits for patients at the Queen Alexandra Hospital

Fifty worshippers from Hart Plain Church near Waterlooville spent their Sunday washing people’s cars, handing out bacon sandwiches, clearing litter and helping homeless people instead.

It was part of the church’s Faith Into Action programme, which also involved a series of Bible studies and sermons designed to encourage churchgoers to make a difference in their local community.

The Christian volunteers joined forces with Asda community colleague Lynn Hyett to pack 60 shoeboxes for soldiers currently serving in Afghanistan. The morale-boosting care parcels were sent as part of the Support Our Soldiers campaign.

Worshippers also put together 50 care kits for those who are admitted overnight at the Queen Alexandra Hospital unexpectedly. They packed toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo and other toiletries.

Another 100 similar parcels were put together for homeless people. Half were sent to St Simon’s Church, Southsea, and half to the Two Saints hostel in Portsmouth, both of which work with homeless people.

The volunteers dug and planted flower beds at Hart Plain Infant and Junior Schools and contributed 20 PE kits for pupils at the infant school and half a dozen for those at the junior school.

Volunteers picked up litter around the shops in Milton Road and on the Wecock estate, and washed more than a dozen people’s cars, all free of charge.

The church held a ‘giveaway car boot sale’, at which all the items were donated and given away for free. Bacon sandwiches were given out to passers-by and three ladies offered to tell children stories in church.

The vicar, the Rev Tim Jessiman, said: “People often see the Church as a place where people do volunteer to do good things, but this was different because we approached various organisations and asked them what they would like us to do for them.

“The day itself followed four weeks of Bible study in small groups, 30 days of personal devotions and three sermons about putting faith into action. One of the sermons, for instance, talked about the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and another encouraged people to see the world in the way Jesus does – with real compassion.

“The programme also helped people to understand that even if they felt there was very little they could do, by doing it all together it would have a big impact on the local community.

“The day itself was a very good day. Some were amazed at what we were doing. Others found it difficult to receive things for free, and kept pressing money into our hands, so we’ve donated that to Christian Aid.”

The Faith Into Action programme originated in the USA. Their slogan is ‘Don’t Go to Church. Be the Church.’ For more information, see: www.putyourfaithintoaction.org.