The Ark was founded in 2014 and our aim is to provide safe places when the storms of life come and can be found in the following settings: Iron Sharpens Iron- Offering a space for men to get together; China and Chats- ‘Pop up’ events for ladies in the community; Community Connect – Bringing all generations together in different settings; Hagar House – Supported housing for women. We partnered with Green Pastures in 2018 and Hagar House opened its doors for the very first time in September of that year. Hagar said of the Lord; ‘you are the God who sees me.’ Genesis 16 v 13; Our aim is that every woman would feel seen, not only by a loving God but by those she comes into contact with on a daily basis from The Ark. We help these women by providing guidance, mentoring and support to move forward positively in their lives. Our hope is that the people we meet will feel supported, encouraged and empowered to achieve their goals and aspirations.
The Ark has journeyed with many people from the local community from all backgrounds , young and old alike. We have been able to help those who are less able physically, struggling with poor mental health and, on low incomes to rebuild their home environments. We have done this by helping with DIY, maintenance and repairs.
The outreach safe spaces we have provided to those most isolated in our town have enabled us to build relationships and see growth in areas we never expected.
The reason the Ark does what it does is twofold: We believe that everybody should know that there is a saviour who wants to rescue them in the middle of their storm and we feel called to point them towards God in their time of need; and we believe that God wants to use us to throw a life line to people in the midst of their storms and help them in practical ways. We offer a place of safety when the storms of life come and help them get back on their feet and ready to set sail once again.
The Ark has many future plans that are yet to be revealed, watch this space for more exciting developments as our journey with Green Pastures continues!