Inexpensive ways to enjoy Summer HOMECOMING
Whoever you are, whatever life looks like –you’re welcome here
You don't need to have it all figured out to try Alpha
Top tips for strengthening all kinds of relationships
We are a church family made up of people from all walks of life, but we share a love of Jesus and a desire to follow Him and show His love to our community.
At our church building on The Strand, we run all kinds of Sunday services, community groups and sessions for children, young people, families and seniors.
On Sundays we hold three services at 77 The Strand. We hope that these are safe spaces for you to try church, explore faith and belong.
MAYBRIDGE.ORG.UK
BREAKFAST CHURCH | 8:10-9:30AM
A relaxed, family-feel service, where we all stay in together and chat around tables. There is usually no band, instead there's other reflective and creative ways to worship and pray. Come along from 8:10am and grab yourself a hot drink, some cereal and toast.
MORNING SERVICE | 10:45AM-12PM
At 11am, there’s sung worship, prayer and a sermon. Kids over 5 have their own groups around the corner at the Maybridge Keystone Centre from 10:45am. Under 5s stay in the church building and our youth start in the service, before heading off to their groups.
THE SIX | 5:45-7PM
A contemporary service that many of our young people go to, although we have people of all ages. The service kicks off at 6pm. Come along from 5:45pm for a chat over refreshments and to get settled in.
Occasionally, we hold All-In Celebrations to bring the whole church family together. Check maybridge.org.uk/events to join us.
MaybridgeCommunityChurch
MaybridgeCC info@maybridge.org.uk
Contributors:
Design: rogfog.co.uk
Cover Image: Roger Harrison
We're back! It's been a while and so, we're delighted to share this new edition of 'M'. We've welcomed some new faces to the 'M' team – Rachel as a writer and Becca as a new staff member (Communications & Worship Leader).
There’s something about Summer and Autumn time that means slowing down, taking time to enjoy where we live, and sharing good food and good times with friends.
At the same time, many of us are having to tighten our belts and think creatively about how and where we spend our money. For some, the six week school holidays can seem like another strain on an already stretched budget.
In this issue of M, we're sharing a recipe from our Bags of Hope initiative and also some of our favourite free and inexpensive places to visit in the local area. There's so much to explore right on our doorstep. We also share more ways we're here for you and the community, an update about Worthing 4 Refugees – plus, we've gathered some top tips about maintaining relationships of all kinds from people at Maybridge.
We catch up with guests from our recent Alpha Course to hear about their experience of exploring faith, life and meaning. At Maybridge, we talk a lot about our church being a place where everyone can feel welcomed and have the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus. We'd love to invite you to our Homecoming Celebrations in September – it's a great opportunity to try church and remember the amazing welcome God extends to us.
Whatever Summer looks like for you, we hope you feel inspired to enjoy our little town, get together with family and friends, and enjoy the season.
The 'M' Team
It’s Summer! We all love to enjoy long summer days full of fun and adventure. But the holidays can be a difficult time to budget both the time and money to make that happen. It's no secret that many of us are having to tighten our belts and think creatively about how and where we spend our
money. Luckily, we don’t have to look far to find affordable activities that can keep the whole family entertained without breaking the bank.
We live in an incredible area – a stone's throw away from the beach and a short distance to the South Downs National Park. Why not explore more of this beautiful part
of the world we live in this summer?
We’ve asked people at Maybridge to share some of their favourite free or inexpensive places, hobbies and activities based in our local area to help you love where you live and turn the next few months into a budget-friendly break to remember…
A unique chalk garden hidden in the South Downs National Park just north of the Maybridge area. There’s a few acres to explore that overlook the sea. It’s a free and peaceful place to wander through wildlife. It’s also a great picnic spot.
Worthing Library reopened a few years back after a major refurbishment – pay it a visit! Pick out some books to borrow and read over the summer. If you have kids, try going once a week to keep them busy and reading while school is out. You can even join in some of the free regular activities and special events for adults and children.
We’re so lucky to have the sea nearby –pack a bag for the day and spend it at the beach. Go swimming at high tide, build sandcastles and search for crabs when it’s low. Walk along the pier and enjoy the penny arcade. Get an ice-cream and enjoy sitting in Beach House Park. Try a different spot each week.
Take the time to explore the local parks and playgrounds. Play footie or frisbee at Going Gap. Feed the ducks at Mewsbrook Park in Rustington. You could even take a mug and simply enjoy being still.
Don your walking boots and enjoy local walks. Take up the challenge to walk from Cissbury to Chanctonbury Ring and enjoy the great views over the town and South Downs. Search for routes starting from Findon or Broadwater. Mountain bike some of it for the extra challenge! Time your walk up Highdown Hill and watch the sunset at the top.
There’s art and local history to discover right in the middle of our town. Explore the exhibitions, costume collections, archaeological treasures and learn more about Worthing’s history – it’s all free!
Enjoy the warm evenings. Stay up late to stargaze from the garden or beach with a flask of hot chocolate. Download an app to help you learn and map the stars. Kids will love to stargaze from a garden den – crack open some glow sticks to make it more fun.
Check out Worthing Town Centre initiative for free events and activities happening in the local area: www.worthingtowncentre.co.uk
There’s plenty of ways to make the most of Summer from your own home. Gardening is something not only to help save you pennies, but also a really nice, mindful activity whether you're someone living on your own or a parent thinking of ways to occupy your children this summer.
Kids can also get stuck in, planting seeds or starter plants and being responsible for caring for those plants, and then share in the joy or hopefully harvesting a fruit or vegetable!
Goring resident Susan shares a few tips for
beginner gardeners wanting to try their hand at growing vegetables:
• Tomato plants are easy to grow. For quick success, buy plants rather than growing them from seed. Make sure to keep on top of watering them. You can pick them as soon as the first red fruit begins to show and they'll keep fruiting into September. You don't need a garden - you can grow tomatoes in pots by your front door and you only need a few plants to yield a decent crop of juicy red fruits.
• Potatoes can be grown in bags - and even grown from small, egg sized potatoes that have begun to sprout. Just pop them
in a bag of earth and keep the earth moist.
• Tight on space? Try lettuce or kitchen herbs. These can be grown indoors on windowsills, or outside in window boxes. Just plant your seeds and keep the soil moist and in a sunny location. Once the leaves begin to sprout you can start picking (not cutting). This way, more leaves will sprout and the plants can keep on generating delicious salad leaves and herbs for a few months.
Susan | Goring resident LifeSkills
CAP Life Skills is designed
to help you learn how to manage living life well, even on a budget. The course helps to empower you with practical skills to solve your own problems, make positive decisions, and lift the pressure of money worries – it's open to everyone.
Find out more and sign up for our next course at maybridge.org.uk/cap
Have you ever noticed posters with a big, red, lopsided question mark around town? They tend to be pinned near traffic light junctions or on the walls alongside church buildings. Does the word ‘Alpha’ mean anything to you?
The Alpha Course is a series of interactive sessions that explore the basics of the Christian faith. Many people join the course because it’s not afraid to tackle big questions – Why are we here? Is there a God? How can we have faith? Millions of people have experienced Alpha at churches around the world.
We run Alpha regularly at MCC. We meet to have food together, watch a short video, and then chat
about the session’s topic.
I decided to join the latest series even though I’m a Christian (more on that later). I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know other attendees over the twelve weeks. We sat around tables eating, chatting about daily life, and then wrestling through deep questions about faith.
I caught up with Eddie and Natalie, a couple of people on the course with me, to reflect on their experiences.
Alice is a church partner and is involved in various creative teams. She works as the Digital Lead of a Communications Team in a Christian media organisation.
Alice is passionate about community, charity work, and celebrating different cultures – as well as proper cups of coffee.
QHow did you first hear about Alpha?
It all started with a random conversation at work. My colleagues were attending a course that delved into life’s big questions from a Christian perspective. I decided to tag along out of sheer curiosity, not knowing what to expect.
I enjoy those sorts of big, unanswerable questions like – What is happiness? What is the meaning of life? I’m going to study philosophy, so those questions appeal.
QWhat kept you coming back?
Was it your love of philosophy?
I think it was. A big part of it was being open-minded. I had this vague picture of Christianity that, admittedly, was quite wrong. I knew it was a religion that involved Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit, but the picture had been painted by the media and stuff I’d learned in school.
As an atheist, I thought if you spoke out against Christianity – or any religion –you’d be sort of hung, drawn, and quartered! You learn about all these religious wars and conflicts between Protestants and Catholics in school. So, I thought it was just a case of either you believe it or you don’t – no questions asked.
When it came to Alpha, I thought, 'you know what? go with an open-mind', because the whole premise is that you ask questions. I learned a lot about Christianity and what the Bible actually says. I continued going because I enjoyed learning, debating, and challenging my beliefs.
QWhat are your thoughts about Christianity now?
I think many Christian premises, ideas, and notions can be helpful in anybody’s life, whatever their belief. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you are a Christian. The teachings presented a broader perspective on moral values, ways to better ourselves and be considerate of others.
Christianity isn’t just a set of rules but a way of life that offers guidance and support during challenging times. It offers a good way of helping you accept who you are,
move past some of the bad stuff you’ve done and figure out how to improve yourself.
I didn’t throw myself into the course as much as others did. I didn’t pick up a copy of the Bible or read it, so I could have been more involved, and that might have shifted my views a lot more. But I think that’s the nice thing about the Alpha course – there’s no expectation for you to convert to being a Christian. While I haven’t undergone a complete transformation or developed a personal faith, Alpha has impacted me. It has given me a deeper understanding and appreciation of Christianity as a school of thought, and I can pick bits from the faith and implement them into my life.
QWould you recommend Alpha to others?
Definitely. I was lucky in that I knew some of the people attending. It’s a good, sociable, easy-to-getinto atmosphere. I was very satisfied with how it was run, what I could talk about, our table discussions, and what I learned.
I felt like it was a valuable thing to do and I would be more open to doing something like it again. ▶
QHad you ever come across Alpha before?
No, never. My Christian colleagues invited me, and I was really curious. I’ve met many Christians and always wanted to ask them questions about their beliefs. The more I met, the more I thought they were lovely people. There was something about them, and they seemed to have this amazing community.
QDid you have any expectations for the first session?
The first session was called Is There More to Life Than This? so I expected getting right in there and explore life and purpose. I didn’t give it much thought other than thinking I’d gain a greater understanding of Christianity.
QWhat struck you the most? What did you gain?
Hands down, the community. It was
everything. There are so many superficial things in this life, so meeting new people who have come together to ask difficult questions and not be afraid to have intense conversations is lovely. I think everybody needs a bit more substance in their life.
QDid you develop new or deeper friendships?
Yeah, definitely. I got to know my colleagues on a whole new level by eating together first, having chitchat – which is just as important as that deep and meaningful stuff – and meeting people who I think are on my level… looking for authenticity and are willing to have caring, honest conversations, which I think many people miss.
QHaving had a lot of those deep conversations, what’re your thoughts on faith now?
As the course progressed, I delved deeper into my exploration of Christianity. I started reading the Bible. I’ve had many moments of doubt and confusion, and I’m questioning the whole narrative. I’d love to be sure of things. It isn’t easy to wrap my head around not understanding some
things... I guess that’s what faith is, in part. I need to square the circle before I can say I’m a Christian.
I googled: can you go to church if you’re not a Christian? Google and other people keep telling me, “Yes!” I’ve read articles about people who take their kids to Sunday school, even though they’re staunch atheists. One guy said he does it because he thinks the community is absolutely amazing. And I love the idea of that.
I’m going to one of the church services that work with my routine while I keep grappling with things. There hasn’t been any pressure on me. I love how everyone’s been so invested in me. I’d love to have that deeper connection with people, where we share the same beliefs. But finding and being part of this community is so, so lovely.
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I thought they were lovely people. There was something about them, and they seemed to have this amazing community.
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Hi, it's Alice again. I'll write this next bit in first person rather than in interview format – that would be a bit weird and confusing to read!
As I said earlier, I am a Christian. Why join a course designed for people exploring Christianity?
First, a little background: I grew up in a Christian family. I was pretty young when I made the decision to follow Jesus. My parents did not force me into it; in fact, they asked me many questions to make sure I knew what I was doing and understood why I wanted to be a Christian. A few years later, I was baptised as a teenager. It was a way of showing my community that I was committed to being a Christian and living out my faith. I then went to university in my early twenties. I wouldn’t say I turned my back on faith, but I had some questions that shook it. Pursuing God was not at the top of my priority list. Not having
Jesus at the centre of my life led to a lot of destructive relationships, and I was left feeling like I had no purpose. I decided I didn’t want life to look like that and began a journey of pursuing Jesus again. It's still so far from perfect, but it’s a work in progress. Fast forward to today, I think that I would’ve benefited from doing Alpha earlier. It's a great space for people who are restarting a journey of faith too. I’ve known about the course since childhood but had no idea what it explored. I was told it was something Christians could invite their friends to, but how could I recommend a course that I’d never been on? That’s one of the main reasons I took part.
The second reason is that Alpha provides a space where you can ask big questions with zero judgment or expectation to have the answers. I don’t know when or how it happened, but growing up as a Christian, I set myself these unrealistic expectations that I’d someday have life all figured out. I was a little worried that as a ‘mature’ Christian (aka calling myself one for 25 years), people would expect me to have
all the answers to tough life questions. At Alpha, I could say I didn’t have it all figured out. It reaffirmed to me that we’re all on a journey, grappling with faith and exploring who Jesus is and how that impacts each of our lives.
I also made some new friends! I got to talk about faith fundamentals with them, have my perceptions challenged, and it helped remind me why I believe what I believe.
I think the Alpha course is, truly, for everyone. We’re all on this journey together, albeit on different roads or tracks – you can see that in this article! If you’ve read this far, chances are you’re ready to explore something new. Why not give it a go? ■
" Alpha provides a space where you can ask big questions with zero judgment or expectation to have the answers.
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Recently at Maybridge we celebrated the 50th wedding anniversary of two much-loved members of our church community, John and Margaret Last.
The happy (still!) couple brought in cake to share and opened up the celebrations to everyone at our service that morning. It was something really special to be a part of, and it got us thinking about not just the preciousness of marriage, but also the power good and strong relationships can have in our lives.
As a society we prize and recognise romantic relationships as high
priority. And for many, they are the primary relationship in our lives - or, the one we are primarily seeking.
But, there are so many relationships that hold real significance to us and it is so important to celebrate those as well. So here, we want to share a few words from John and Margaret on their top tips for creating a lasting marriage alongside some thoughts from other members of our church community about meaningful, non-romantic relationships in their lives and their top tips for not just maintaining, but also strengthening those connection.
Rachel has been at Maybridge since 2019. She has a background in communications and fundraising and is currently a grant maker for an NHS mental health charity. She is passionate about mental health, community and her two small boys who are in equal parts delightful and exhausting.
Some of the things we've found helpful in our marriage – or tried to be better at are:
• Not going to bed angry with each other, even if the disagreement is not resolved or we don't feel understood.
• Say 'thank you' and 'sorry' to each other.
• Forgive each other.
• Know when to drop an argumenteven if it's not resolved.
• Accept we are different people and try to celebrate those differences.
• Reinforce our shared values, and our faith in Jesus by praying together –and laughing together!
Accept you are both different people and try to celebrate those differences.
Amy says: 'My sister is my best friend. As children we teetered between being allies and worst enemies, but as time has gone on I've come to realise how lucky I am to have had a built in best friend from day one. Hers is the opinion I truly value. It's such a comfort to me knowing that I have someone who loves me and champions me unconditionally.
My top tip to keep sibling relationships going is to keep talking. The only sad thing about growing up is that now, instead of secret clubs in the Wendy house we have to tell each other everything over Facetime instead – but it's important and so worth it to keep that commitment to regular communication, whatever life throws our way.'
One of my closest, and longest friendships is currently one that spans a long distance so we have to be creative, and prioritise each other. My top tips for keeping a friendship going over the years are:
• Accept each other as you are.
• Celebrate changes in each other. People change over time - allow each other to evolve without limitations or expectations.
• Intentionally make time and space to check in with each other. With my closest friends, not more than two weeks go by without contact, and with my oldest friend, we have been in contact with each other every week of our lives since the age of 10. Technology definitely enables that. But even without smart phones and internet, for the last 40 years we have written letters, queued at phone boxes with coins and then cards and made the effort to sync our commutes home for just 15 minutes of catch-up time. We put in the effort.
• Take interest in the small details of each other's lives.
• Be accountable to each other. Don't judge each other, but challenge each other. Encourage each other to be the best versions of yourselves.
• Give each other the privilege of early knowledge. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Prioritise telling them first about relationships, promotions, break ups, pregnancies, miscarriages, heartbreaks. Let them be with you in it all.
In short, enduring friendships are akin to marriage. You have to give regular time to them, no matter what is going on. You have to accept them as they are whilst challenging the bits that could change.
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Enduring friendships are akin to marraige. You have to give regular time to them, no matter what is going on. You have to accept them as they are whilst challenging the bits that could change.
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My closest work mate is an absolute lifeline. We can laugh about things, we can moan about things, we can get out for fresh air together on our lunch break and we can share the load. We spend so much of our time at work and I really value my interactions with my work colleagues and particularly those who let me into their lives and become friends.
Covid changed a lot of working patterns and for me, in an office-based role, I find myself at home a lot more than I'm in the office. This can make keeping up with your work relationships more challenging but, really, it's all about being intentional.
To keep my work friendships strong, I try to…
• Open up the instant messenger at least 3 times a week and just check in.
• Pick up the phone and call if I have a question or work issue rather than sending an email - this creates space to properly interact.
• Try and tie up one day a week when we're both in the office.
• Share something that's made me laugh in the day, even if it's just a quick text.
• Remember to ask about their families and life outside of work. ■
Our Aspire Women's and Maybridge Men's groups are a chance for you to connect, get to know others, and build friendships. Contact info@maybridge.org.uk to find out more or join in with our women's and men's group meetups and activities at maybridge.org.uk/events
Whether you're a natural or a novice at singing – everyone is welcome to join our Community Choir. There's no auditions and age or ability doesn't matter.
Have fun, make friends and learn to sing well together. Plus, singing improves your physical and mental health too. It's a win-win! For more information head to singwellchoir.co.uk
Meets every Tuesday in term time from 10-11.30am at 77 The Strand. £5 per week (or whatever you can afford).
Our weekly seniors group comes together for a mixture of games, quizzes, trips out, communion, hymns, talks, prayer and, of course, a chance to have a good chat. Meets Tuesdays, 2:30-4pm.
Fun for Seniors hosts a Soup lunch on the first Tuesday of the month with a short service. £2.50 for lunch
Back in 2021, we celebrated our first Homecoming Sunday. The 18 months of the pandemic were challenging and strange, and one of the hardest parts was not being together as a church family.
Church has never been about a building or a service, it’s all about the people; a community doing their best to be a bit more like Jesus each day. It’s home.
So we marked the end of lockdown by bringing the family together again. That first celebration sparked a new tradition. Now, each year, we gather together at the start of a new academic year to remind ourselves of God’s welcome and love for us all.
Jesus tells a story about coming home. You can find it in the Bible in Luke Chapter 15. It’s one we remember each year at Homecoming. Here’s the gist of the story:
There’s a man who has two sons. The youngest asks his father for his share of the estate –essentially saying ‘I wish you were dead so I can be free to live and spend the money as I please’ (outrageous right?).
Remarkably, the father divides his property and gives the younger son his share, despite the metaphorical slap in the face! So the son takes his early inheritance and heads to a distant city where he spends it on a life of luxury and partying. Quickly, his money runs out and there is a famine. He ends up so hard up that he has to find work just to have a place to stay and ends up as a farm hand feeding pigs (the lowest of jobs at that time). Desperate and hungry, he even thinks about eating the scraps fed to the animals, but no one gives him any food.
At his lowest, he comes to his senses. He remembers his father treats his servants well and even they have food to spare. He makes a plan to return home and sets off, rehearsing his apology on the way and preparing himself for the embarrassment of asking his dad for a job. At this point, you’d expect the father to have forgotten about his son – the bridge was burnt, the family disowned and disgraced. It’s over, right?
Well instead, we learn that the father has spent his days staring at the horizon waiting for his son, longing for his return and imagining the worst – that the son is lost for good or didn’t survive.
So, when he spots his youngest son in the
distance – way beyond the borders of his land – he runs out to meet him and throws his arms around him.
The son begins his apology, but the father cuts him short, calling for his servants to clean him up and give him the best clothing and accessories. He throws an extravagant feast to celebrate – the son he thought dead is alive; he was lost but has come home.
You may have heard it before or guessed the father character is God and the son is us. Through this story, Jesus is telling us what God is like. He is a loving Father who runs out to meet us in our mess and pain. His love for us isn't based on how good our apology is or the different ways we feel we need to work our way to being right with God – the father in Jesus’ story already forgave the son and decided to take on the debt before he returned home.
Apparently, in 2022 the average UK wedding cost just over £18,000*. There’s
Piero helps us to build a culture that makes disciples – supporting people to grow in their faith journey as part of the staff team at MCC. He oversees our Alpha Course and Groups. He loves cooking, music and is fuelled by coffee. You'll find him communicating through song or film quotes.
no way the son could repay the father, but he still throws an expensive party similar to that of a wedding today!
Like the father in the story, God, through the death of His son Jesus, deals with our wrong doings and pays the price for our sin. We tend to think of sin like it’s over-indulging on chocolate or wine, but it’s more about our inner rejection of God. That’s essentially what the son was doing at the start ▶
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...no matter what we’ve done, or however we've tried to live our own way; if we feel lost or have even ignored God –he is pursuing us and embraces us when we turn to Him.
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of this story, and God’s response to us is the same as the father Jesus tells us about.
We can be sure that no matter what we’ve done, or however we've tried to live our own way; if we feel lost or have even ignored God – he is pursuing us and embraces us when we turn to Him. The good news is that through Jesus, God has made it possible for everyone to know him and experience His love – and we think it’s something to celebrate!
I don’t know if you’ve been following Jesus for years, or you used to but don’t anymore. Maybe faith is new to you, or you’re looking for answers to some of life’s big questions or looking for a place to belong. We’d love to support you on that journey.
Our Homecoming celebrations are a great opportunity to try church or reconnect with Jesus. It’s our way of sharing a glimpse of the amazing and extravagant welcome God offers to us and saying whoever you are, whatever life looks like for you right now, you’re always welcome in our church family. ■
by Alice Stout
In a world where conflicts and crises force millions of people to flee their homes, communities that extend a helping hand are beacons of hope.
Worthing has a history of generosity to those who have fled war and persecution as far back as the Second World War. And it is home to Worthing 4 Refugees, a charity whose vision is to make our town a place of welcome, safety, integration, and justice for refugees and displaced peoples.
(W4R) was launched in response to the Syrian war, which erupted in 2011. Church leaders across Worthing brainstormed a way to respond to this crisis. With the support of local councils and the Home Office, W4R welcomed the first refugee family in 2017. Since then, W4R’s work has expanded. I caught up with Charity Lead, Gay Jacklin, to hear what W4R is up to in 2023.
“Globally, refugee numbers are increasing due to recent conflicts, particularly in Afghanistan, Sudan, and Ukraine. W4R exists to support any refugees or asylum seekers who find themselves in Worthing.
“We have expanded our operations to meet the increasing needs. We’re delighted to have welcomed a new member of staff this year to help coordinate our work. We now organise two monthly drop-in sessions and
collaborate with various partners across the town.
“On the practical side, we help people begin setting up life here. This often involves finding safe and affordable places to live, helping stock up the cupboards when people move in, and signposting to things like local doctors and council services. We’re able to provide volunteer translators and offer English classes. ▶
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... as much as these practical arrangements are essential, we want to help people establish a good new start here, to live life in all its fullness.
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“And as much as these practical arrangements are essential, we want to help people establish a good new start here, to live life in all its fullness. We provide opportunities to meet people, activities for the children, trauma counselling if necessary, access to volunteering opportunities, work experience, and a journey to employment.”
W4R believes in spreading kindness and encouraging refugees to join in with the broader community… as do we! So how can we go about this to make Worthing the most welcoming place for people to call home? ▶
Thanks to inspiration from our friends at RefugeeWeek.org, we’d like to introduce you to Simple Acts. They’re everyday actions we can all do to stand with refugees and make new connections in our communities. Our favourites are:
Just saying hello and asking someone how they are can be all it takes to lift their day. There are hundreds of ways to have a chat – maybe start by saying hello to someone new around the Maybridge estate. Or even better, find out how to say hello in their native language. It's great fun bonding over new pronunciations!
You can check out worthing4refugees. org.uk to be kept up to date with their work, sign up to our mailing list for ways to get involved, or to get in touch.
Everyone loves food, and it’s a great way of getting to know people. Why not try cooking a meal for someone new to your community? Show them why bangers and mash are top-notch. Chances are they’ll want to share some cultural, culinary delights back!
Moving to a new place can be daunting, as it's all unfamiliar and unknown. Why not invite your new neighbours on one of your favourite walks and show them around Worthing? ■
Whatever life throws your way, we hope Maybridge is a safe place where you can find help and support.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES
MIDWEEK MASH UP
Bags of Hope is for those who are struggling to make ends meet during the school holidays and would appreciate a Bag of Hope – a bag of ingredients for a healthy meal for the whole family.
This is one way our church tries to support our local community and we welcome you to be a part of this. You can do so in two ways – you are invited to give or receive.
If you are in a position to give, we collect food donations for our Bags of Hope café at the entrance to our church building on The Strand. We're open Sunday to Monday and we'd be really happy to receive your donation - in the words of a famous brand every little really does help.
Maybe you're at a time in your life when you need to receive. That's why we're
here. If you'd like support for you and your family then please sign up for your Bag of Hope.
Over the summer, Bags of Hope runs each Thursday from 27th July – 17th August. You'll need to sign up for your bag by midday on the Monday before, and then you can collect any time between 10am and 1pm on the day.
We'll have our café open with free tea, coffee and cake - and plenty of people to chat to. So why not come along. Everyone is welcome, even if you just fancy a cuppa and don't need a bag of food this time.
After-school club for children ages 5-11. Crafts, games, snacks and a whole lot of fun!
Wednesdays, 4-5:30pm
TOTS & TINIES
A toddler group for preschoolers and their grown ups with crafts, play and singing. Thursdays (term-time), 10-11:30am
CONNECT
A space for parents and carers with children who have special educational needs to connect and support one another. First Wednesday of the month (Term time only) 9.30-11am
YOUTH ELEVATE
Youth group for ages 11-14. Sundays at 11am & Wednesdays at 7-8:30pm
AMPLIFY
Sunday Youth group and Midweek gatherings for ages 14-18. Sundays (term-time) 7:30-9pm
Each time we hold our Bags of Hope cafe we offer a bag of ingredients for a healthy meal for a whole family.
When we do, we share a new recipe, prepared by people in our church community.
This tasty chickpea curry is easy to make and a favourite of ours. The best thing is you can use up or add your favourite vegetables to the recipe for extra flavour and goodness.
You can pick up extra recipes at our Bags of Hope cafe over the holidays.
Chickpeas help your body digest your food more easily. A happy and healthy digestive system improves your overall health.
Serves 4
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2tbsp oil
1 1/2 tbsp of mild curry powder
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
2 cans of 400g tinned chickpeas
300g rice
1 red pepper (optional)
Bag of spinach (optional)
1Start by cooking the rice according to the packet instructions (you can get the rest of the curry finished while the rice is cooking).
2 Roughly chop the onion and finely chop the garlic.
3 Pour the oil into a saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic over a medium heat until the onions have softened. It should take around 3-5 minutes. If you want peppers, you can fry these now too.
4 Add the curry powder and continue to sauté for one more minute.
5 Drain and rinse the chickpeas, add them to the pan and then add the tinned chopped tomatoes (and spinach if using). Stir well so that the onion / garlic / spice mixture is evenly distributed.
6 Cook for 5 minutes or until chickpeas are as soft as you like them. Serve with the curry ladled on top of the rice.
BEACH
GARDENING
HIKING
ICECREAM
LIBRARY
MUSEUM
PARKS
PIER
SEASIDE
SUMMER
SUNSHINE
SWIMMING
WORTHING
MATCH-UP
Only two of these ice creams are identical. Can you find the matching pair?
Bees bring water droplets into their hive to keep it cool. The bees fan the water with their wings and cool the hive with the evaporating water.
SILLY SUMMER JOKES
What do you get when you combine an elephant with a fish? Swimming Trunks!
Why don’t oysters share their pearls? Because they’re shellfish!
GO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHERE YOU LIVE & IN THE WORLD!
A SUMMER HOLIDAY CLUB FOR LITTLE WORLD CHANGERS AGED 5-11 WITH GAMES, CRAFTS, DRAMAS AND GENERAL SILLINESS.
