July 2009
SHOPPERS and workers in Oldham town centre took a break from the hectic pace and enjoyed a moment of reflection as the town centre chaplaincy took its place in the Spindles Town Square shopping centre.
The Oldham Town Centre Chaplaincy regularly visits shops and businesses in the town centre to lend a listening ear to staff or advise them of where they can go to seek solutions to their problems.
And as part of the Festival of Diversity, the team pitched up in the busy shopping centre to tell people what they do and offer to say prayers for them.
The Rev John Piper, from the United Reformed Church in Union Street, said: “People told us what they wanted us to pray for and we wrote it down on slips of cards and put it up on our notice broad. We then took the piece of cards away and will pray for them on Sunday. people responded positively to what we were doing and it was good to let people know what we’re about.”
The Oldham Town Centre Chaplaincy is supported by the Interfaith forum and consists mainly of ministers from the town centre churches, although the group is expanding to incorporate Muslim imams soon.
Although a chaplaincy, Mr Piper says that the group supports people of all faiths, as well as those with no faith.
