This October marks Hope Centrals first birthday. Run by Andy Boxall, Pastor for Elim Ryedale, Hope is a place for people to meet and take part in many different activities.
The church obtained the building on Castlegate that used to be White Rose Saddlery in October 2007. The building was in need of some attention and apart from the extension at the back; the work was all done by volunteers, including replastering the entire inside. In total around £100,000 was spent on the work, which was from some grants but mostly from donations and offerings from the church collection. In March 2008 an Open day was held and groups such as Parents and Tots began, and in October 2008 the Café opened as well.
When talking to Andy Boxall it is clear he has a lot of gratitude for peoples generosity, “Every step of the way was a journey of faith. We didn’t have all the money when we started out, but it would always arrive when we needed it.”
Andy first had the idea to open Hope Central after arriving as the new Pastor at Elim Ryedale in Norton 3 years ago. He saw what the church had done in the past and what they were doing at the time and decided they could become a bigger part of the community.
“Churches are seen as doing a lot of talking and not much doing and I wanted the opportunity to show that we can do a lot of doing as well. I aimed to create a place that was accessible to everyone and the café is a great place to meet people and find out all about the other activities and events available.”
Hope Central provides not only a relaxed area to meet and chat with great food, but also groups such as Stepping Stones (a parents and tots group), Beautiful Feet (chiropody treatment), Youth Groups, Alpha Courses and Quizzes. There are also meeting rooms for hire and a free debt advice service with trained advisors. Hope look at what is needed in the local community and use the skills and talents of volunteers to provide that service.
Hope Central strives to connect to the local community and Andy is keen to break the stereotype of churches. “We’re not here to force people to join the church. If people want to ask any questions then we are happy to answer them and provide them with all the information so they can make an informed decision.”
Andy has plans to carry on providing the same level of service in the future and would love to have all the rooms full and activities happening every day. The lease on the building will be up in April 2011 and his aim is that people will say ‘ please don’t close’.
When asked to sum up Hope Central in 3 words there are so many things to sum up it’s too difficult, but to sum up the main aim in one statement is easy – “Serving the People of Ryedale.”
For more information contact 01653 697796, hopecentral@elimryedale.net or pop in and see Andy and his team at 62-64 Castlegate, Malton.
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