21.05.2019
Dublin Street Pastors Reach Out to Vulnerable in Night Time Economy
The official launch and first commissioning service for Dublin Street Pastors took place on Wednesday May 15 in Christ Church Cathedral.
Dublin Street Pastors is a local initiative of the global Street Pastor movement. It seeks to mobilise Christian volunteers from different churches to engage relevantly with issues of social vulnerability and substance misuse, by training volunteers to effectively care, listen to and offer help to those who may be at risk in the context of the Dublin’s night time economy.
The first group of Dublin Street Pastors represents a range of churches across Dublin including Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Methodist, Baptist and Pentecostal congregations. St Ann’s Church on Dawson Street is providing space in their parish centre for the base of operations on Saturday nights.
Dean’s Vicar at Christ Church Cathedral, the Revd Abigail Sines, who was commissioned as a Street Pastor last week, explains that Street Pastors offer practical assistance which may include minor first aid, offering flip flops when high heels have become too uncomfortable, giving out bottled water, helping someone who has become separated from friends so that they don’t become vulnerable, or chatting with people who are having a rough night and need someone to listen. “This may open up questions or curiosity about faith or why individuals have chosen to volunteer as Street Pastors—or it may not! Prayerful presence is central to this ministry,” she said.
She added: “It is wonderful to be part of this initiative drawing together participants from so many different churches. As our diverse team comes together, we hope to be of service to our city and in that service to bear witness to the presence of Christ among us”.
Archbishop Michael Jackson, who is one of the Street Pastors license agreement signatories, presided at the service. He spoke of the ways in which they connected the work of God in church and the work of God on the street. Commending them for their willingness to put themselves in the front line of care and compassion he said he was mindful that the Street Pastors Movement had come out of a response to drugs, gangs and guns.
The address was given by Paul Rothwell of Trinity Church Network who said that God was a God of peace and order. He suggested that peace could be brought about through governance and grace and that Christians, as ambassadors of Jesus in the Kingdom of God, could be both the custodians and dispensers of that.
He said that in today’s world there was much fragmentation and many were concerned about what ‘tribe’ people belonged to adding that his tribe was humanity.
Referring to Jeremiah 29 he said that the people in exile were told that they were to own the city spiritually. He suggested that a church that could not be seen impoverished Irish society. Street Pastors enabled volunteers to show God’s love on the city streets and told the newly commissioned volunteers that when they went out to meet those on the streets at night they were representing Jesus, who himself pastored on the streets.
Mr Rothwell said that a sanctimonious church could look down its nose at the people who Street Pastors would engage with. Again, this was reflected in Jesus’s own experience. He would reach out with relevance and would not break or snuff out the fragility of humanity that lies behind the bravado, the drink or the dope, he stated. Jesus’s servanthood was carried out with grace, truth and blessing.
Street Pastors was founded by the Revd Les Isaac OBE who pioneered the organisation in 2003. On the first night 18 volunteers took to the streets in Brixton, London. Since then Ascension Trust has trained over 14,000 volunteers and has about 280 initiatives in the UK and around the world. Over six years volunteers have collected 37,000 weapons as part of their work. In recognition of his contribution to society he has been awarded an OBE and was recently appointed an honorary Ecumenical Canon at Southward Cathedral.
Speaking in Christ Church Cathedral, he said Street Pastors was synonymous with the church. He suggested that God is dynamic and touches people where they are. He spoke about the need to have a vision for the city and the need for incarnational ministry.
The charge given to the newly commissioned volunteers was: “Street Pastors are called to show the love of Jesus to those whom they meet. They are called to be a listening ear, a practical help, a ready friend and a prayerful presence on the streets of Dublin. Street Pastors are called to be open and approachable, and to take responsibility as citizens of integrity to make our streets a better and a safer place to be.”