— Love and action towards those in need, both in the local community and beyond —

Our hope and prayer is to see an integrated community of transformed individuals, living free from poverty, injustice, and their effects.

The Care Centre exists to equip people with the tools and support they need to move towards living a more independent life, empowering them to fulfil their God given potential. Our focus is to fill the gaps in existing service provision and support, rather than duplicate what already exists.

Check out this page to see what issues we’re focussing on this season, and how you can play your part in fulfilling God’s plan to restore His creation through justice & compassion.

 I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. // Amos 5:23-24

The Bible repeatedly shows us that God calls His people to feed the hungry, stand up for those who are vulnerable, and to love refugees. Jesus himself experienced first-hand what it is like to be a refugee. We are therefore delighted to be working with the Refugee Council, Herts Welcomes Refugees and other organisations to help to settle and integrate refugees in Hertfordshire.

Contact our Compassion & Justice Pastor, Heather Ryan, to find out more.

Our National Directors, John & Debby Wright, have spoken in recent years about how we as a Vineyard movement are compelled to help displaced people.

‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself…’ Leviticus 19: 33-34

 We are currently financially supporting TEARFUND’s Afghanistan Crisis Appeal. TEARFUND has been working in Afghanistan ‘on the ground’ for years now; they therefore have good relationships with local partners and are in a good position to support the people in Afghanistan in a purposeful and valuable way.

Unfortunately, the need is vast. Afghanistan is also experiencing its worst drought in decades, meaning food and water supplies are limited. And the coronavirus pandemic means that hospitals are already overstretched. TEARFUND is providing life-saving relief packages to those in need, such as food and vital hygiene supplies. As well as supporting people in practical ways, they are also funding trauma support to those affected by the horrific violence.

If you’d like to join us and support this valuable work, you can donate to Vineyard today, clearly marking your gift ‘TEARFUND’. We’ll send the first collective amount we’ve gathered for TEARFUND at Christmas. Find out how you can give here.

Prayer

Prayer is one of the foundations of our faith. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by drastic situations and subsequently stuck with what to pray for. Can you identify? Why not use our Prayer Points to help you start.

Praying with others is a great way to address this too. We join a beautiful online group that prays for the people of Afghanistan every week for 30 mins. You are warmly invited to join us.
Running every Monday on zoom at 8.30pm.
Meeting ID : 88930702411
Password: prayers

Each generation faces unique challenges.

We want to support today’s young people to grow and flourish, equip them to overcome the challenges they’ll face, recognise the opportunities available to them, and fulfill their God-given potential.

That’s one reason we partner with the local Christian charity STEP. STEP has been working closely with a number of secondary schools in St Albans for a number of years now. This unique charity aims to share, through words and actions, the Christian hope in Jesus in a lively, relevant and consistent way.

As well as offering school lessons and assemblies, running social action projects, delivering courses and mentoring schemes for young people, STEP are passionate about providing opportunities for churches and local Christians to connect with their local secondary school and make a positive difference to the lives of the young people and staff.

The Bible calls us to stand up for the exploited

Which is one of the reasons we support Azalea, a Hertfordshire-based charity that wants to see an end to the social injustice of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Their holistic approach recognises and provides for the complex lives of the men and women who are caught up in sexual exploitation. Their unique position means they are heavily involved in both providing care and compassion for those caught in sexual exploitation, and campaigning for a more just and fairer world that safeguards those involved in selling sex and prevents vulnerable people from being exploitated.

Over the years we've built up a great friendship with Bethesda Mission in India. Pastor G Samuel and his wife Laisha have established a wonderful Bethesda Orphanage in the Nilgiris Hills.

Around 150 children and 10 widows live at the Bethesda Home.

He has a huge heart for the children, all of who call him ‘Father’. Samuel was an orphan himself, and it's been his dream to share God’s love with children in the same predicament. Their video below tells the story beautifully. 

On Sundays our Blend Coffee Bar gives all its profits to these orphanages. Apart from our substantial, on-going financial support, Vineyard regularly gathers teams to travel over there and serve, continuing to built relationships with the children and to unite with Pastor Samuel in the work that he is doing. Samuel also runs his own church and has planted many others.

// For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. // Matthew 25v34-40