Issue 1 2018
Support on life’s journey
Women in Missions special
Inside 3 4 6 Support on life’s journey
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From the top Interview with Anne McCulloch Sharing Railway Mission work with school children New chaplain for Wales and the Marches Railway Mission pioneers remembered Look back Down the line Chaplains’ prayer requests and news Data protection
railwaymission.org
Railway Mission Rugby Railway Station Rugby • CV21 3LA
Cover: Anne McCulloch & Chaplain Dylis George check a Railway Mission calendar at St Pancras International.
office@railwaymission.org
07718 971919 Railway Mission is a registered charity in England and Wales (1128024) and in Scotland (SC045897). A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (06519565).
Contact us for Railway Mission News, Brochures, New Testaments, Calendars & Christmas Cards
Questions & answers ‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.’ 1 Peter 3:15
It’s important to know where people are coming from and asking questions helps establish this.
The idea of evangelism can be overwhelming, but this verse suggests people are asking questions. However, people today often live lives of isolation and refrain from asking questions, so perhaps we should ask questions instead.
But when we are asked a question, are we prepared to give an answer for the tough questions about suffering, other religions, or evil done in the name of God? It’s not about winning arguments, but about pointing people to the cross.
In the New Testament, over 150 questions are asked by Jesus and he often responded to questions with more questions!
As chaplains, we must be gentle and respectful, and, where necessary, be willing to lose the argument to win the person. Conversion, ultimately, is the work of the Holy Spirit; but it is often unanswered questions that stop people giving their heart to Jesus, or - more correctly - the lack of adequate answers.
Our questions should be expressions of care – we’re not preaching with ready-made answers, we’re saying, ‘your opinions matter’. Questions help overcome wrong assumptions; asking what a person understands or thinks is better than assuming we know. Questions can expose motive – we will answer very differently when speaking to someone looking for arguments than we would if someone is asking about suffering because they’re experiencing bereavement.
from the top
God is big enough to handle questions, so let’s encourage those around us to ask their questions and let’s prayerfully look into some answers, together.
Liam Johnston is the Executive Director of Railway Mission
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Interview with Anne McCulloch What is your background, and how did you come to be involved with Railway Mission? My background is Customer Service, having worked at Lloyds Bank in London and the South East, before marrying and moving to the Midlands. After a spell managing a Christian bookshop in Stratford-upon-Avon, I completed an eight month course in ‘Counselling Skills For Pastoral Care’ through St John’s Nottingham and, on a search for a part time position, saw that Railway Mission were looking for an administrator.
Although I hadn’t previously known about Railway Mission, I was curious and interested in the charity and the work they were involved in. It seemed an ideal opportunity to apply my skills and training in a mission environment. On a train we are often being told to ‘mind the gap’ and for me it was about bridging that gap between man and God. How does your role in Railway Mission relate to the workings of the chaplaincy team? I see my role as Administrator for RM as part of ‘the cogs that keep the wheels turning’. This involves making sure that chaplains get paid on time, taking minutes at the 4
Women in Missions special Trustee Board meetings, processing donations from our supporters, sending out our quarterly newsletter, and putting together a weekly prayer email, as well as many other varied tasks. Why is Railway Mission important to the rail industry? I see RM as being complimentary, a niche in the market for the rail industry. We are there 24/7 to provide a chaplaincy service to rail staff and those involved in rail operations. Unfortunately a lot of what we do follows the aftermath of rail incidents, but we are also there to provide pastoral support for those struggling with relationships, work issues or illness. Chaplains enjoy getting to know rail staff and building relationships with them – hearing about their holidays, weddings, and the birth of their children. Ultimately we are there to show the love of God through our words and actions.
What do you see in the future for Railway Mission in a changing rail environment? For RM in a changing rail environment the future will be our responding - as we have for over 137 years - by continuing to update and provide professional chaplaincy support. How can readers get involved with supporting the work of Railway Mission? For me the most important support has to be prayer as in ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus’ (1 Thess.5:16-18). We still need donations. ‘Every little helps’ - whether it’s one-off donations, regular monthly standing orders, or even a legacy left to us in someone’s will. However, God will and does provide. He knows what we need. Finally, much of our work is still about getting the message out, to both the rail industry and Christians, about who we at Railway Mission are, and what we do. 5
Sharing Railway Mission work with schoolchildren Ruth McBean Regius Christian School is a small school just outside the city of Edinburgh. One of the ladies in my church is a teacher in the school, and since the children were doing a project on transport, she thought it a good idea to invite me along to talk to the children about my work. Gosh, how do I make my job relevant to five to seven year olds? I thought... Initially, as I explained my role as best I could to this age group while kneeling on the floor with them, they understood the idea of being a pastor on the train. So I decided to make up a few games, as I had been given a slot of thirty minutes. My first game was to change the names of the game ‘port and starboard’. So I used my rail companies: to have North - Network Rail, South - ScotRail, Virgin Trains East Coast and Virgin Trains West Coast, respectively. Then, I made up a few things related to the journey for them to do, such as, rush hour where they had to find three people to stand very closely with; ticket examiner is coming, to sit nicely, legs crossed, with their ticket ready; train has broken down for them to lie on their back with feet up in the air; chaplain on board, for them to find a partner to chat to. So it went on, and the children seemed to enjoy running about and getting into position. Another game was tunnel tig, so I used the BTP to be the catchers, the drivers to be the runners and if you got caught you became a
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Women in Missions special Land of the Midnight Sun
nland i F Midsummer
station and if you got set free you became a driver once more. Again, I was just trying to have some fun whilst helping them to remember the people I support. I did have another game, however we ran out of time, and that was to give them all a station and for them to make a map, using the previous north and south signs, and put them in order of north and south. I had printed out just the main stations, to make it easier for them. Then I allowed time for any questions at the end, so that was funny, one or two were good, "have I ever been on a train when it breaks down?" And "do you just travel on trains all day, just talking with people, that’s sounds like a good job!" I enjoyed preparing for this, thinking outside the box to make it fun and interactive while learning about Railway Mission and being a chaplain. Ruth McBean is one of Railway Mission’s chaplains in Scotland, based at Edinburgh
2018
June 22-24
una, a s , e in is u c h is n in F ... hiking, hospitality RailHope Suomi invites you to join them in Vesilahti village, Finland, for a traditional Midsummer weekend, staying at Rautiala Guest House. There is space for 20 international guests, so please book before March 31 2018. Find out more online at‌ railwaymission.org/finland
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New chaplain for Wales & the Marches Covering Wales and the Marches, Hannah Tuck is Railway Mission’s newest and, at just 20 years old, our youngest ever railway chaplain. Hannah has volunteered with St John Wales since she was 12 years old after she was treated for an injury by them at the Penarth festival and encouraged to join the organisation. During her time with St John Wales she became fully first aid trained and was named County Cadet for Cardiff and the Vale, acting as a mentor and role model to other young volunteers in the area. All this was at the same time as being a young carer. Hannah also received the Commandant in Chief Award for acts of kindness, one of the highest awards available to a St John Cadet and she brings that same care, compassion and kindness to her role as railway chaplain for Wales and the Marches.
Railway Mission Executive Director Liam Johnston welcomed Hannah to the chaplaincy team saying, “Chaplaincy is not about age, but compassion and care for people. Hannah has demonstrated that even through her childhood, she has always put others first and shown the care and love for others that makes her the ideal chaplain.” Along with the media interest in Hannah’s appointment, Welsh Assembly Member Jane Hutt paid tribute to the UK’s youngest rail chaplain in a speech on inspirational women in the Welsh Assembly.
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Women in Missions special Railway Mission pioneers remembered We have many women to thank for the development of much of Railway Mission’s early work. In Victorian and Edwardian times there was a clear distinction between the social classes. Before marriage, working class women had to work to bring money into the family home, and after marriage were fully occupied with children. In contrast, middle and upper class women might have had money and servants, which gave them free time. Many (especially those who were unmarried or widows) gave this time freely in the service of others. From the days of the navvies, middle and upper class women found ready acceptance of their care and spiritual direction. Emma Saunders, a banker’s daughter, started work with navvies building Bristol’s Clifton Extension Railway. Because she gave bunches of flowers and other gifts, she became ‘the Lady with the Basket’. She went on to manage Railway Mission’s Bristol branch. Lincolnshire corn merchant Henry Casswell and his wife, Mary, had eleven children. Of these, Amy, Ruth, Margaret and Elsie became Mission superintendents. They moved round the country, and some acted as senior superintendents sent to manage, perhaps even troubleshoot, at branches across England. Unlike many, they were paid employees.
Not all were naturally ‘upfront’ people, and were sometimes reluctant to take a leading role. Harriett Gardiner (pictured above), involved from the founding of the Hastings branch in 1883, was encouraged by her vicar to become superintendent when the post became available. She “shrank from the responsibility” but “it was, however, the wish of the railwaymen that led her to recognise the invitation as a call from God.” By 1900, of the 143 Railway Mission branch superintendents in England, 104 were women. Many other women undertook tasks more usually associated with their gender at the time, and found themselves Sunday school teaching or organising teas. The Mission’s Convalescence Homes were also run by women, and they maintained a strict regime with prayers, early lights out, no popping to the pub, and definitely no talking to the female staff! This article by RM historian Dudley Clarke originally appeared in a 2015 edition of Down the Line
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Look back Liam Johnston writes… Railway Mission has always been on hand to support railway staff affected by major incidents; but when Dylis George joined Railway Mission as a chaplain to the London Underground [LU] and British Transport Police [BTP] she had no idea that within a couple of years she would be responding to a succession of terrorist attacks in the heart of London. On March 22, 2017, Dylis was deployed in response to a terrorist incident outside Westminster Station, to support BTP and LU staff following the Westminster Bridge vehicle and stabbing attack. The attacker was killed by armed police. Then, on June 3, Dylis was called on a second time to support BTP after three men drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge before going on a stabbing rampage through bars at nearby Borough Market. The attack
killed eight people and injured more than forty others including a BTP officer. The attackers were shot dead by police. Dylis was joined in supporting BTP and rail staff by Steve Rowe. On September 15, the blast of an improvised bomb on a London Underground train at Parsons Green which injured more than two dozen people brought the number of terror incidents in the United Kingdom for the year to at least five. Once again Dylis and Steve Rowe attended to support those responding. This time the perpetrator was caught. “The police officers are always pleased to have our support,” said Dylis “and that support is coming from our love for God and his love for those who are in need of peace.”
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Where there is heartache may we bring peace
Manchester Arena Twenty-two people died - including a number of children - when the suicide bomber Salman Abedi carried out an attack in which an explosion tore through a crowd after a pop concert at Manchester Arena. Around 120 other people were injured in the blast at an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017. Railway Mission was called to attend by British Transport Police to help with the post-trauma care of police officers and railway staff.
Before the vigil Angela helped with serving the refreshments for families as a way of opening an avenue for anyone wishing to talk, ensuring they had support beyond that of the Family Liaison Officers (FLOs), who are specially trained police officers providing a two-way flow of information between bereaved families and the investigation teams. Angela (pictured below) also arranged for a Book of Condolence in York, which was later transferred to Manchester.
Among those to respond was Angela, RMs chaplain based in York. One week on from the attack, Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable asked Angela, as British Transport Police Chaplain, to attend the vigil that would be held at Manchester Victoria Station, where families of the victims would be present from 21:00.
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Down the line Historian Dudley Clarke
‘Let the little children come to me’ Matthew 19:14 NIV
Jesus’ concern for children was reflected in the life and work of the Railway Mission, which had been formed out of the Railway Boys Mission created to care for youths who had been attracted to London for employment on the railways. Whether a branch had a mission hall or not, there would usually be meetings for children, predominantly Sunday Schools. Once the emphasis had been broadened to include adult railwaymen they brought with them their wives and children. Often these were part of railway communities clustered around centres of railway employment such as workshops and major stations. These concentrations of families were entertained with Christmas parties, Sunday School anniversaries and outings that could attract hundreds of children. One draw would be the special tea of sandwiches, jellies and cakes. Transport to the outings might be on foot, by horsedrawn cart, tram or train. In August 1926
the Carlisle branch took 400 children and 200 adults by special train. From its inception a major emphasis of the Mission had been temperance and this extended to its children’s work with Band of Hope groups that encouraged their young members to ‘sign the Pledge’ to abstain from alcohol. The Mission had strong links with Scripture Union (SU) and encouraged regular Bible reading with daily portions published in the Railway Signal. There were children’s groups at branches from SU, Christian Endeavour and Girls’ Brigade. The Railway Signal carried material specifically for younger readers such as a story and Bible quiz. Later a column was added explaining how railways operated; well known railway author, Cecil J Allen, was one contributor. In 1948 General Secretary, George Smith, attempted to create a national club for train spotters. He offered to
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visit branches to show railway films and exhibit his model railway. The aim was to form ‘Fellowships of Locomotive Spotters’ whose purpose was to: ‘1) To locate trains; 2) To allocate time for daily Bible Study; 3) To communicate its teaching.’ The proposal coincided with the inception of the Ian Allan ABC spotters’ books, but does not appear to have been successful. The ’Bible Searching: Question Corner’ of the Railway Signal also encouraged Bible study among young and old through a monthly Bible Quiz with an under-16 year olds’ section called ‘Twigs’. Many Sunday Schools continued to thrive and in 1949 Springburn could take a party of 300 to the seaside for races, swimming and the customary tea.
A children’s page from the February 1917 Railway Signal
The continued existence of an organisation is often determined by its ability to communicate with the next generation and in his immediate postwar survey of the Mission, the General Secretary gave this reason among others for the decline of branches: “The children of members have not in many cases followed in the steps of their parents and have left the district.” _________________________________________________
Huge thanks…
Sunday School parade in Derby circa 1930
Fifteen years later the teachers at Derby went from door-to-door to encourage parents to send their children, increasing attendance by a quarter. In the 1960s more attention was being paid to youth groups with ‘Young People’s House Parties’.
…to volunteers Carly Warner, Sonia Philips and Siva Ravi, who helped out at Railway Mission’s HQ in Rugby by sorting through a pile of donated books to be sold via Amazon to support the Mission.
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Chaplains’ prayer requests and news Prayer Insights
We have asked our chaplains to give a brief picture of how they see their ministry at this time and to give a feel for how we might all direct our prayers for them.
Scotland Dereck Grant
North Scotland
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ctober saw the loss of three signal boxes in my area: Nairn, Forres and Elgin. I miss my regular conversations with the signallers at those locations, although I try to keep in touch. I’ve supported four signallers who have lost close family, and conducted one of the funerals. Even when someone retires from the rail industry we continue to support them: I helped conduct the funeral for a former BTP Sergeant who passed away on Christmas Day. These are real people needing our support. Equally, I have supported others facing serious illnes and others facing relationship break-down and accommodation problems. I’m grateful for
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those who faithfully support us in prayer and with their donations which allows us to support those in need.
Ruth McBean
Edinburgh & East Scotland
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y enjoyable first year in Edinburgh has led to being involved in several major prayer initiatives with local ministries, opening up invitations to share about the Mission and our work. ScotRail have provided the opportunity to take part in staff safety briefings which are a great way to meet staff. Many have contacted me directly following these. Pray for the Scotrail Executives as they roll out changes across the network. I’ve been studying a CMI Management coaching and mentoring course sponsored by BTP, and I’m excited to be able to start coaching officers. BTP in Scotland are in turmoil at the moment. Pray for CS John McBride and those deciding the future of the force. Please pray for our continued work with rail staff and our partnerships with suicide prevention strategies.
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Chaplains’ prayer requests and news Graham Whitehead
Glasgow & West Scotland
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he industry in Scotland faces considerable pressures and change. Recruitment is largely frozen, and staff are being offered redundancy, resulting in fewer people without any reduction in workload. Morale within ScotRail is very low. Reorganisation is creating a structure which looks more like two companies under one MD, creating some tensions across both. The merger of BTP D Division into Police Scotland still forges ahead, despite recent questions in the House of Lords, and staff are concerned about the future role of the police within the industry. Please pray for all of the people on Scotland’s railways, and for Alex Hynes and his team as they try to bring in electrification and the new seven cities services within tight budgets and under intense political scrutiny.
The North East Helen Bartlett Newcastle
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y husband’s new book, ‘Looking through Jesus’, containing reflections for Lent, set me thinking about our ‘tools for the trade’, as chaplains. When travelling the railways, dropping in on depots or offices or standing on station platforms, I take in what’s going on around. I have chance encounters with people (which are often clearly God
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given) and engage with them, using the different tools at my disposal. Jesus was the best role model for chaplaincy in his itinerant ministry. Whether in public or private, he used the tools around him, engaging at a profound level. Pray that I too will use what’s available wisely, whether it’s my voice, a Gideon New Testament, an encouraging text or prayer or simply a timely pat on the back.
Angela LevittHarwood
York & Kings Cross
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ecently my work has been a mix of services such as Remembrance and the 30th Anniversary of the King’s Cross Fire whilst at the same time giving an increasing amount of support to those who have found themselves caught up in the aftermath of a railway incident. Please pray for all who find themselves in this awful situation that the light of God might break through. Also, I have been out around my area delivering calendars giving me the opportunity to reconnect with many railway staff. I have also been able to leave some of our New Testaments which have been very well received and I pray that they will be a well-used resource. It has become ever more evident that all the changes taking place are having a big effect on morale, conditions and relationships. Please pray for me as I spend time with all those affected across the industry, that a way is found for reconciliation and peace.
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Chaplains’ prayer requests and news
The North West Richard Cook
The North West
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t’s said that, ‘Time heals’. I’d say things often get easier with time, but it is a process. For Railway and BTP staff in the Manchester area, 2017 was a bad year. As the first-year anniversary dawns for more than one incident, please uphold the staff who were caught up in those events. Please pray that they may be able to move forward and find healing not trauma in those anniversaries.
Paul Holloway
Merseyside & North Wales
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o far, this year has been fairly quiet on the rail front in the area I cover. Having said that, Merseyrail have appointed a new MD, Mr Andy Heath. We have always had good working relationships with previous MDs, and I pray that this will continue to be the case. Several other northern chaplains and I recently met with CS Alan Gregory at BTP Headquarters in Manchester. He was highly complimentary regarding our support to his officers and again thanked us for our efforts at the Manchester Arena incident last May. He requested regular quarterly meetings. The force is facing big challenges re finance and reorganisation this year. Finally, please pray for opportunities to share the Gospel in the workplace throughout the coming year.
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The Midlands Ralph Coleman East Midlands & St Pancras
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y thanks go out to all the staff involved in the recent fire incident at Nottingham Station, for the prompt and safe evacuation of the station. The station was cleaned and available for a full train service within three days. Pray for all the staff involved in the recovery and their continued work. They all do an amazing job daily. Pray also for our BTP officers who work so hard, often in traumatic situations. Pray for more opportunities to share the love of God with staff, for openings to distribute New Testaments and Christian literature to staff.
Andrew Hall
West Midlands & Chiltern Area Manager North
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ovember to February is a challenging yet rewarding time for a railway chaplain. Remembrance, calendar distribution, Christmas and the weather all take up our time but, equally, promote many opportunities to share with staff. Due to some tragic events BTP have also referred members of the public to myself and other colleagues to support them in their loss. Please pray for our continued excellent relationship with BTP and so many other people and companies on the railway. May we truly find favour both with God and man as we endeavour
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Chaplains’ prayer requests and news to demonstrate the Kingdom in the workplace. I had the opportunity to spend four days in Scotland recently, to spend some time with Dereck, Ruth and Graham. I found this to be very helpful as it is important for us to also build relationships with each other. The diversity of chaplains we have makes the Mission all the richer.
Wales Hannah Tuck
South & Mid Wales & the Marches
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he last couple of months have seen a lot of change for me. Starting a new job meant forging new relationships and discovering an industry I knew very little about. Very early on I was invited to go out with BTP for two late shifts in Cardiff for the Rugby Internationals. I saw firsthand what the officers go through when dealing with drug and alcohol abuse situations. I have met with the managing directors of both Arriva and Network Rail. We pray that the franchise change this year will go smoothly. I am in the process of meeting the men and women who keep our railway running. I have been introduced to the best and the worst parts of their jobs. I’m amazed at the strength of people but have seen that we can’t always be okay. It’s so important that staff have chaplains available for support.
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The South West Steve Cosslett The South West
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he run up to Christmas in the South West saw a number of recently retired and serving staff die, some unexpectedly. I was involved in five such funerals in November. What has this meant for the region in 2018? As I have begun the new year I’ve found many to be in a reflective mood; many evaluating the meaning of their life and life in general. As a chaplain I am in a key role in their lives at the moment to be able to support them and sensitively introduce some to the hope that goes on beyond this life. It is true that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Please keep supporting and praying for Railway Mission so the Lord of the harvest can send us more workers.
Alan Thorpe Bristol
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omeone said that the one constant in life is change. My role has changed to part-time, but the needs of rail men and women remain the same. It is a privilege and a responsibility to minister to this industry, and we are grateful for the open doors of welcome afforded the chaplaincy here in the West Country. Constant areas of concern are illness, fatalities, relationships and stress, but we praise God that staff at all levels approach
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Chaplains’ prayer requests and news us and talk openly and comfortably about their various problems. We don’t have all the answers, but we are often able to point to the Lord Jesus as the answer to all our spiritual needs. Thank you for your prayerful concern.
David Hardy
Cheltenham, Gloucester & Worcester
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n a very wet Monday in January, I was up early to catch a train from Bristol Parkway to Totnes. Walking from the mainline station to the branch, I met some old friends from my days as the Chaplain of the South Devon Railway, while I was the Methodist Minister in the Totnes Circuit from 1996 to 2004. When I arrived at the station, I found the family and friends of the late Dave K, and his coffin in a specially prepared van. Dave had been a steam engine footplate man all his life – an unbroken 63 years! I had the privilege of knowing him while in Devon. I was able to conduct a short service on the train. It was easy to say good things about a kind, very gracious and lovely man to know. Please pray that God will bless Dave’s family and friends.
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London & the South East Dylis George
London Underground
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fter a period of intense vigilance in London, we pray for a safer and more peaceful 2018. There have been some organisational changes on the network with some Area Managers changing areas of responsibility. I have had the opportunity to speak with many of them. Currently, staffing levels are problematic across the service. It is our prayer that the resources are provided to keep the network going. A supportive member of the administration team at one station has now moved on. I pray God’s speed on all his future endeavours and for the new person in this role. Please pray for inner strength and wisdom for me, as I continue to serve a multi-cultural and diverse community. I pray for an effective witness as I continue to build relationships in the London Underground and the British Transport Police.
Dan Godwin
London Underground
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s I type this, the party season of Christmas seems like a distant memory and we are heading speedily towards a more reflective Lent. Likewise, the London Underground network seems caught in a period of both joy and reflection. For every person that
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Chaplains’ prayer requests and news I meet who is experiencing celebration there is another with a struggle. It is the joy and privilege of chaplaincy that I have an opportunity to offer support and encouragement as required. There are few jobs, if any, that allow you to break into strangers’ lives in this way. It is my prayer that as a chaplaincy team we look after ourselves spiritually, physically and mentally. As we engage with people in their daily struggles we are like walking billboards for the faith. When people meet us at stations I pray that they see in us a God who is alive and vibrant.
Humphrey Gillott
Areas of North London
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he Railway Mission kindly provide for me a sufficient number of calendars each year for me to give to every member of the railway staff in my area, encompassing every railway company. These calendars are a wonderful ‘Help Point’ to refer to for spiritual nourishment and guidance. From the preface, ‘A New Perspective’, just inside the front cover of the calendar, to the verses from the Bible under the photograph for each month, spiritual guidance is at hand with information on how to obtain personal help, should that be required. My prayer is that the recipients of these calendars will be drawn to looking at them thoroughly, rather than just enjoying the photograph of the month.
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Christopher Henley London South West.
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am truly blessed (as are we all!), however, in my case l am a Railway Chaplain. On a regular basis l am approached, requested or engage with people who want someone to talk to who is independent and not on the ‘payroll’ of a rail company, BTP or other employer. I am constantly being told that the service I provide as a railway chaplain is a much needed and beneficial service. I always say, “please tell your colleagues, tell your boss, the managers, the directors, please pass on the word”. We endeavour to visit those who work for and are associated with the railway but we need your help as supporters and prayer partners to spread how beneficial and crucial our work is to the railway industry.
John Robinson
London South East
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s the New Year gallops on and we can see spring in the horizon, I am able to reflect upon working with many staff across Kent, London and Sussex. Staff difficulties have included addictions (particularly alcohol and drugs), rail fatalities (in which I have worked with family members who have lost loved ones to suicide), bereavements (including parents and siblings) and mental health difficulties. My prayer for railway staff and the railway industry is that health and well-being for staff remains a massive
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Chaplains’ prayer requests and news corporate priority and that chaplaincy is at the centre of the support offered. I pray that my colleagues and myself continue to break through staff emotions in the areas of love, compassion and knowledge of the Lord.
Michele Ashton East Anglia
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ver the last few months I have had several referrals from BTP to support bereaved family members. The pain and trauma experienced by losing a loved one and not knowing which way to turn is massive. Recently I have spent time in the evenings and at weekends working with families who are struggling to process their situation. Please pray for all railway chaplains as we seek to bring hope and light. I recently received a call from someone crying for help. It had been a big step for them to call me. We spoke again later and I was told that I had helped enormously. They had been in a hopeless situation and were grateful to me for picking up the phone. Thank you for all your prayers about setting up a Bible study - Cambridge station have a general meeting room that I can use. I value your prayers as we set up times for the study that will fit in with the staff who have expressed an interest in meeting up.
We’re here for you… no matter what
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Stephen Rowe
London Overground & Eurostar • Area Manager South
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ailway Mission calendar delivery is always a busy time, with tens of thousands being placed in the hands of staff, mostly in time for New Year. The important thing about calendar delivery is personal contact with staff from every kind of work situation - from executives to customer hosts, revenue inspectors, engineers, control and operations staff, signallers, security teams, food preparation staff, route directors, cleaners, electricians, drivers, managers, BTP officers - as we visit depots, stations and offices. Calendars are a reminder to staff of Railway Mission chaplains’ presence on the railways should they need our support. We see a high retention rate of calendars - in mess rooms, on office desks and on ticket office noticeboards. They are free and last all year, so are a very good deal, and there’s a choice of wall or desk calendars. Please pray that staff will see, through information in their calendars, that chaplains are available to them for support throughout the year.
Railway Mission 20
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Data protection You may have heard of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which comes into force on May 25 2018. Your privacy is important to us and we only want to communicate with those who want to hear from us. You can view our privacy policy on line at
www.railwaymission.org/privacy-policy How does Railway Mission use your information? Mail – Currently three RM News Magazines including Newsletters.
Railway Mission will not: Share your information – We do not share or sell your information Cold Call you – It is not our policy to ‘Cold Call’ our supporters
News Emails –Currently three RM News Magazines including Newsletters
Text you – It is not our policy to text supporters
Prayer Emails – Currently weekly to those that have specifically asked You are able to change your mind at any time about what information you receive from Railway Mission Via our website
www.railwaymission.org By phoning Admin
07718 971 919 By emailing
office@railwaymission.org By writing to Railway Mission, Rugby Railway Station, Warwickshire, CV21 3LA
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Your donation takes us further… How your gift can make a difference £10 funds a chaplain’s 20-minute support meeting with a distressed member of rail staff, a BTP officer or a member of the travelling public. £50 buys a chaplain some of the essential safety clothing needed to support people involved in the scene of a rail incident or emergency.
£100 funds a series of chaplain’s visits to a sick or injured rail worker, or to the grieving family of someone who has died on the railways. £500 provides an area’s rail staff, BTP officers and members of the travelling public with support for a fortnight.
Six ways to help us support rail staff 1. Cheque or Postal Order
You can make a one-off or regular cheque or Postal Order donation by simply sending your gft to : Railway Mission, Rugby Railway Station, Rugby, CV21 3LA.
2. Standing Order
4. Payroll Giving*
There are tax benefits to Payroll Giving, and you can effectively match this option to Gift Aid. See the star option panel below for details…
5. Gift Aid
You can make a regular donation through your bank. Email our Administrator for more information: office@railwaymission.org.
If you’re a UK taxpayer, we can claim an extra 25% of your donation from HMRC, as long as you meet their conditions and complete, sign and return a Gift Aid form to us.
3. Web
6. Wills
Go to our website at www.railwaymission.org and click onto the Donate page, where you can give via the Donation Manager website, or try other options…
To include us in your Will, our charity name is Railway Mission, our charity number in England and Wales is: 1128024., and our charity number in Scotland is SC045897.
How to consistently give more for less…
*Payroll Giving is a tax-efficient way to give
regularly through monthly payments from your salary. Because the donation is taken from your gross pay, every pound you give will only cost you 80p, or only 60p if you are a higher rate tax-giver.
www.railwaymission.org/giving
Railway Mission is a registered charity in England and Wales (1128024) and in Scotland (SC045897). A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (06519565).
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“They helped me through the hard times.” Support on life’s journey www.railwaymission.org
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