Training for new Town Pastors and Prayer Base Supporters
Town Pastors are out on the streets of Ipswich every Friday and Saturday nights throughout the year, from 10pm until 4 am, offering support to vulnerable people, helping de-escalate potential trouble and generally assisting the police and other agencies.
Pastors are drawn from local churches, and undergo a full training programme before becoming part of the team - covering core values; the power of prayer; personal safety and conflict management; safeguarding, and drug and alcohol awareness.
Prayer Base Team
Town Pastors on the street are supported by the Prayer Base Team. They cover and support the Pastors in prayer, responding to needs and requests, and also provide a valuable toast and hot drinks ministry when Pastors come in for a break. They liaise with the home prayers and are a source of encouragement.
Their role has widened more recently to welcoming and looking after police officers and other officials who pop in to the Prayer Base, explaining our work and representing our core values.
Home prayers each offer an hour at home to support Town Pastors.
Everyone involved has to be sensitive to issues of confidentiality.
Are you interested?
The next course for potential new Town Pastors will start on Saturday April 21 andcontinueon the following Mondays – April 23, 30, May 14, 21 and 28. Interviews will be held on 26 and 27 March. The closing date for applications is 19 March.
Prayer Base Team applicants are asked to come to an informal chat.
If you would like to talk to a TP about any of these roles, this can be arranged. A night spent with the Prayer Base Team at CYM is a good way of seeing the work at first hand and exploring whether you are being called to this work.
Click below to see the Town Pastors video:-
Town Pastors (Ipswich) is a voluntary, independent, inter-denominational church response to urban problems, engaging with people on the streets to care, listen and dialogue. . Its main aim is simply to serve people, regardless of their faith or background, showing concern, and offering practical help in a non-judgemental and unconditional way
Town Pastors work as part of a team in collaboration with the police and Ipswich Borough Council, and seek to be a positive influence, principally on the streets of the town centre and other night life areas.
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