Following today’s morning session with the trainee Tain Street Pastors, in the afternoon the Inverness Street Pastors prepared for a new initiative which is a first of its kind in the UK.
We have been asked by various bodies to begin day time shifts in Inverness. This is testimony to the good work and welcome reception of Street Pastors at many levels.
This is the fourth phase of Inverness Street Pastors.
The first phase was the work in the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights, each week of the year, supplemented at busy times in the winter and New Year holiday. From 10 p.m. till 4 a.m. Street Pastors help the vulnerable and needy in the town centre in Inverness. This work was a real eye-opener to me, and many good souls who get to their bed at the correct time are wholly unaware of how the city comes alive at the weekend with another clientelle after 10 p.m. It is called the night-time economy, which I think is false economy.
The second phase was to supplement this work by covering the Merkinch area of town, one of the most socially deprived areas in Scotland. Yet the people are friendly and have a pride in their own community. I can think of many happy hours and a few unique experiences during my shifts here.
The third phase was to expand into the Hilton area of town where I currently work and meet with many teenagers who spend their evenings on the street or in the Hilton Community Centre.
These three areas of service are running concurrently as more Street Pastors are recruited and trained.
The fourth phase is to commence city centre work during the day-time. There are needy people in daylight hours as well as in the night-time. This service is expected to begin on 14/2/2012 and I am looking forward to helping the small but dedicated team begin this new sphere of service.
Christian principles need to impact upon our society at all levels – from street level all the way up to the corridors of power in our Parliaments and the Queen upon the throne. “I will speak Thy Word to kings, and I will not be ashamed” Ps 119:46.
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Donald,
i stumbled across your blog looking at christian work in the highlands and have noticed the good evangelising and spirit filled work that the pastors do in Inverness and surrounding areas. I would be interested in finding out more. How ecumenical is it and are all Christian Churches involved as at present i am not attending any particular church and am a bit of a floater between Baptist, CoS, Free and others each Sunday. Yet to find one that i find home!
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