Hamilton Road Baptist hosts ‘Women Together’ event for ‘Bangor Cares’

A ‘Women Together’ event will take place at Hamilton Road Baptist Church on Thursday 26th September 2019 as part of the wider ‘Bangor Cares’ project.

‘Mind Matters: Depression’ will be the title for this gathering, which will run from 10:30am-11:30am. (Refreshments and pre-school crèche facilities will be available from 10am).

The Mental Health Foundation states that depression is the predominant mental health problem worldwide and that women are more likely than men to suffer from it. A staggering 10% of all mothers in the UK will have mental health problems at any given time. Women Together want to address this important issue that affects not only sufferers, but also their family and friends.

Our speaker for the morning will be Pauline Wilson, Biblical Counsellor and Community Life Coordinator at Belfast Bible College. The morning is open to all women across our community.

The ‘Mind Matters: Depression’ event is just one of several initiatives that will take place throughout September 2019 as part of ‘Bangor Cares’.

Numerous programmes aimed at men, women and young people are planned in Churches, schools and other venues throughout the town.
One of the main organisers is Rev. Mark Johnston, Minister of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on the Clandeboye Road in Bangor.
Explaining the background to Bangor Cares, Mark told us: “Bangor Cares was initially birthed in a Prayer Room for pupils from Clandeboye Primary School, in the basement of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church back in January 2019, where many young people began to open up about their mental health struggles and the challenges of unsupervised screen time.

Since then a grass roots movement has grown, involving many sectors of the wider community. It’s been driven by people who want to raise awareness of mental health challenges that we all experience, and who are seeking to create a culture of pro-active care for one another across Bangor. It’s encouraging to see that church families from across the town are at the centre of the Bangor Cares movement, and we’re praying that this will continue. Jesus commands us to love and care for those in the world around us, showing us how to do this through His life, death and resurrection. As His followers we have this incredible message of Gospel hope that we’re compelled to share with those we encounter in our everyday lives, seeking to care deeply for them in a way that points them to Christ.”

Mark went on to say: “To that end we’re coordinating a week of special events from 22nd-29th September called ‘Bangor Cares’ week that are involving not just churches but community groups, Primary and Secondary Schools, local businesses, the PSNI, the Public Health Agency, the local Council, and many other groups, as we seek to raise awareness of mental health issues and the challenges of unsupervised screen time.”

‘PARENTING IN THE DIGITAL AGE’ – Tuesday 24th September 2019, 7:30pm at Bangor Grammar School

Talking about the event, Mark said, “This is a FREE special event for parents and grandparents across Bangor. The internet revolutionised the way that we live our lives. From smart phones to social media, digital technology allows young people to develop life skills and build connections that were never previously possible. Despite this, we as parents and grandparents, can feel out of touch with our children’s online habits. Many of us are concerned about how to protect our children from online bullying, pornography, and the pressure of the selfie culture; not to mention worries over the sheer amount of time spent on screens. But as well as the challenges there are advantages – the internet can be used as a tool for good within families. Embracing the positive aspects of digital life together can help us as parents and grandparents become good role models and build a close connection with our children.”

Visit their Facebook page here to find out more about Bangor Cares or email bangorcares@outlook.com