Last Sunday (15th September 2024) was an exciting day for Hackney Seventh-day Adventist church, as members had been busy all week decorating and cleaning the church in time for their street party. The church has been organising these street gatherings for over a decade, focusing on sharing the good news. Sister Patsy, Sister Beverly, Elder Herminia, and Brother Daniel, along with others from the team, came out as early as 9 am to make sure everything was prepared for the community.
It was wonderful to have support from church members of all ages and backgrounds including 94-year-old Sister Ann Williams who is a great cook, and 25-year-old Anisha who helped with the games.
This year, we invited the community to enjoy Christian music, feast on nutritious home cooking and, most importantly to, get the locals to know who Jesus is. Sister Eileen, Hackney's Prayer warrior, decorated one of the tables outside with books, bookmarks and small gifts that local people could take away. Some of the free merchandise given out was booklets on mental wellbeing and keeping healthy.
Other members donated their time to do foot washing and massages, and a massage parlour was stationed inside where locals came to receive some Godly self-care. As a wellness advocate, I encourage looking after one'sone's body as well as the mind. A good number of children and young people attended, including church members' children and the children in the local estates. My foster daughter, aged 4, spent most of her time on the bouncy castle, whilst my 10-year-old son enjoyed playing Jenga with a young person from the surrounding estate.
As the sun shone brightly in the middle of September, we praised God for giving us the sunshine that had filled the entire road. Recently ordained Elder Chris Brooks had set up his DJ booth from 10am and was playing spiritual music to uplift and entertain the families that had come out. I was happy to meet two non-Adventist friends I had invited. One had come last year with her mother and said she was delighted to be able to make it again. The other was a parent from my son'sson's former school.
Hackney's Pathfinder leaders Sisters Jen and Margaret also helped with the cooking and serving whilst one of Sister Margaret's daughters did face painting. I spoke with a lady I had met whose son had just been diagnosed with autism. She told me that she had seen the Church flyer and thought it sounded fun for her child. I spotted her son having fun blowing bubbles and laughing with the other children.
Later, we explained the church is open every Saturday from 10 am where we sing songs and hear real life stories about Jesus and his Disciples. She said she may pop in one day. In the background I could see another member giving a book to one of the workers who had been in the area. He took the book and thanked the member.
There were also free health checks available where one of the church members who is a nurse sat and took blood sugar readings. Just before the meal was served there was a beautiful prayer for the community at large and all Hackney church members. It was wonderful to see a sea of faces of all different ages and backgrounds. It reminds me of what heaven will be like in the new earth!