Mearns Kirk

Dear Supporters,
More and more government restrictions are being lifted and we are beginning to venture out to see loved ones, those shielding
and catch up with a few friends.  This month has seen the frontline Street Teams, from our partner agencies, begin to
venture out and engage with vulnerable individuals in our city centre too.
Here at LHM our new normal routine continues, as our dedicated small team of volunteers prepare emergency food and toiletries parcels.  We recognise that this important Covid-19 response work is only made possible through the generosity of our supporting congregations, individuals and organisations so please accept our thanks and know we are encouraged by your continued prayers and words of support.
Over the summer months we would ordinarily be encouraging our supporters to ‘get on your bike’ for our popular 18 mile Sponsor Cycle Event via Clydebank and the riverside pathway.  Sadly, having taken advice from Cycling Scotland we have decided to cancel this year’s event.
We know this will come as a disappointment to many of our keen participants but under the current circumstances we felt this was the best
way to keep everyone safe.

(Photo Courtesy of Greenbank Church Clarkston)
We continue to post on our Facebook page and celebrate the hard work of our volunteers and partner agencies.  If you have not visited our page we would encourage you to ‘like’ and ‘share’ all the work we are involved in to raise awareness of the ways we are making your donations go further and make a positive difference to the lives of those experiencing homelessness. 
We ask for your continued prayers for,

• the whole Lodging House Mission Family; our vulnerable client group, our staff team who remain on furlough or who are shielding, our dedicated volunteers and the many partner agency staff who we continue to work closely with.
• the coming months as we review and adjust to the phased lifting of lockdown restrictions and the impact this will inevitably have on the vulnerable, homeless and socially excluded individuals we seek to support.
• a period of rest and holiday for our volunteer and staff team who have continued to work throughout this period in different and often demanding roles.
• those in positions of authority who have the power to make homelessness a thing of the past. Measures taken during the peak of the pandemic demonstrate this can be achieved.
  Pray for those in power to have the courage to take the radical decisions, backed by action, needed to achieve an end to the scourge of homelessness.
• in light of recent events at the Park Inn, on Friday 26th July, we ask for prayers for: the emergency services, the individuals relocated from Park Inn and agencies working to offer support, those who sustained injuries in the attack, and their families and friends. May God comfort them and restore peace.
  May God bless and keep us all safe until we can gather again.