Street Pastors

A Street Pastor is a Church leader or member, with a concern for society, particularly in respect of the many young people in society, who can so often feel marginalised. Street Pastors are willing to engage people, both where they are and as they are, given their background and mind-set.

Typically, Street Pastors work with fellow activists, church and community leaders, and statutory and voluntary agencies, to look at ways of tackling issues affecting young people and building trust between them and the Pastors.

Street Pastors have been operating in Middlewich since November 2010.  Rev. Andrew Lindley, minster of Lower Withington and Rood Lane Churches in this Circuit, was able to help get the operation strated in Congleton by building on his experience of Street Pastors in Gravesend, Kent.

In Middlewich, the pastors operate under the aegis of Churches Together.  Before setting foot on the streets, they hold prayer and Bible reading sessions, asking for God's guidance and for God to be with them and everyone they meet.

They have been well received by the young people they have encountered. The most frequently asked question in the beginning was “what is a Street Pastor?” but now they seem to be accepted as a normal part of the Friday night scene in the town.

Another group operate in Hanley, Stoke on Trent, from their NightChurch, in premises provided by the Saltbox Christian Centre.  To raise awareness of their service, the group hand out lollipops to clubbers! It’s surprising how much that can diffuse confrontations between drinkers.  An average of 30 people come during each session. If someone is too drunk to walk or stand, the volunteers and pastors sit with them to see if they can recover, or call the ambulance if things are too bad.

The scheme in Congleton operates on Friday evenings, between 7.00 pm and 11.00 pm, targeting youngsters hanging about on the streets.  In his briefing, Rev. Andrew Lindley emphasised that the pastors work purely for the wellbeing of the community and not as Christian missionaries. 

The Street Pastors are just one of the schemes operated by The Ascension Trust and all pastors have to be accredited by them.  After they have gone through the rigorous training, Congleton's pastors operate from local churches.  People who wish to contribute are expected to be well regarded members of churches and should have a good knowledge of the community.