Droitwich

To all the lovely people who meet together each Sunday at our corps, It is with deep regret but at this time the right decision that the Salvation Army leadership in the UK, has with immediate effect cancelled all Sunday Worship Services until further notice. Please pray for each other and for our country at this particulary difficult time.

May I also encourage us all to draw near to God and remember that worship is a lifestyle and to make the most of seeking God and living in His presence. May God richly bless us all. Love in Christ Carl and Bev

In line with the above decision It has also been decided to suspend all weekday activities and practises.

You can listen to your favourite Salvation Army music at www.Fortressradio.online

14th May 2020

 As you will be aware, since March the way in which we 'do church' has changed beyond belief. Although how we are carrying out  mission may be very different, our motives continue to be the same, to reach out to our community with the  love and compassion of Jesus. Ways in which we are doing this are both seen and unseen but either way reaching out to our community is still very much on our 'radar'. Many in our community have asked how they can contribute to this work, both locally and nationally. Due to the financial pressure throughout the Salvation Army that the United Kingdom Territory now faces due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Corps within The Salvation Army have been encouraged by THQ to set up a Just Giving fundraising page to specifically support the work they are doing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. So in line with this, we have set up a Just Giving page for Droitwich Salvation Army in order to give opportunity for people to support our work. We would really appreciate it if you could 'spread the word' where you can. We are aware of many people in our community who are grateful for what we as a Salvation Army are doing in these days and if they should wish to support us financially we would like to give them this opportunity. You can visit the Droitwich Salvation Army the JustGiving site and share the link, alternatively you can 'share' the details from The Droitwich Salvation Army facebook page.

For links to Facebook, YouTube and other web items see the links at the top of this web page.

28th February

Good morning. 

It’s good to greet you again today on this final Sunday in February.  We’re still not able to meet together but we are another week nearer the date when we can again hold worship in our hall.  Until then we continue to follow the Government guidelines, stay home and stay safe. 

Our online worship this week will be available from 10.00 a.m. on YouTube.   You can go directly via the link on the Facebook page.   Our worship today is led by our Divisional Mission Enablers, Majors Steve and Jenny Forman and I am grateful to them for leading today. 

Next Sunday should have been our Self-Denial Sunday when we take opportunity to bring our Mission Appeal envelopes. We can’t do that this year, but we are still able to contribute to the Appeal either by envelope or directly through the bank.  If you need details please contact me.  Thank you to those who have already returned their envelopes to me.  Envelopes can be brought to the quarters or the office or I can collect if necessary. Our Sunday worship next Sunday will focus on our Self-Denial Appeal. 

If you have prayer concerns please contact Pauline directly so we can all add our prayers. Please also remember our Charity Shop and the employees and volunteers as the news from the Government this week means that we won’t be able to reopen the shop until 12th April at the earliest.  It’s difficult for those who have to stay on furlough and also a considerable drop in income for the Corps. 

We are of course still in the time of Lent, the time of preparation for Easter when we take opportunity to grow closer to God in prayer.  We are all allowed out for daily exercise.  Maybe you could make that a prayer walk, or just pray for those who live around you or those in our Corps fellowship. 

My prayer for you all in these coming days is that the Lord lift up his countenance upon us and make his face to shine upon us. May he confirm us, assure us, promise us, provide for us… and be pleased with us. 

God bless you, 

 Major Sandra 

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21st February

Good Morning friends,

It’s good to greet you on another lockdown Sunday morning.   We wait patiently (or not so patiently!) so hear from the Prime Minister tomorrow in the hope that there will be a plan for the gradual easing of the lockdown and we can look forward to the time when we can reconnect with friends and family (and hairdressers and coffee shops!).

Our online service is available on the corps YouTube site. Today we are focussing on Lent, the time of preparation for Easter.  Maybe many of you are doing your “Spring Cleaning” at home at the moment and this time of Lent could be called the Christian Spring Cleaning as we take time to clear the clutter from our lives and set aside anything that would distract us from focussing on God in these days. As always a transcript of the service is available if you would like it.

We are also in the time of our Self-Denial Appeal. I am hoping that most of the Soldiers and Adherents have received SD envelopes or details of how to donate via the bank.  Please let me know if you haven’t received anything and would like to donate.

Please note that next Sunday (28th) our online worship will be led by our Divisional Mission Enablers, Majors Steve and Jenny Forman and I’m grateful to them for agreeing to lead our worship that day. (So there won’t be a written transcript available.)

Let me leave some verses of scripture with you from Psalm 62: 1 – 2 (NLT) as we continue into another week of lockdown and restrictions.

“I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.”

During this long lockdown, we may feel shaken, stressed, bruised, lonely and be grieving all kinds of losses, yet in these verses the Psalmist reminds himself to wait on the Lord for his deliverance in quietness and trust. I encourage you in this Lenten season to draw close to God in prayer, our rock and firm foundation and I pray that in Him you will find rest and peace for your soul.

Please remember to pray for each other and keep in touch with each other where you can.

God bless you,

Major Sandra

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all Sunday activities are suspended until further notice

10am  Church Service with cafe fellowship

11:30am - 12:30pm Sunday Live (3-12yrs and Pro Fide 13+)

5.00pm - see the Special Events section for details of our occasional Sunday Evening activities

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all weekday activities are suspended until further notice

Monday       

10:00 till 12:00  Bereavement Support Group - See separate section below

19:30 till 21:30 Potting Shed gardening Club - See separate section below

Tuesday       

09:30 till 11.30 Parent and Toddler Group (Term time only)

16:15 till 18:15 Kumon

Wednesday 

10:30 till 12:15 Friendship Group

11:30 till 14:00 SA Community Lunch Club

20:00 till 22:00 Fellowship Band Rehearsal (3rd Wed of Month)

Thursday     

11:30 till 14:00 SA Community Lunch Club

19:00 till 22:00 Senior Choir and Band Rehearsals

Friday         

16:15 till 18:15 Kumon

17:00 till18:30 Junior Band and Learners Rehearsals

Saturday     

10:00 till 14:00 Encore Theatre Academy (Term time only)

The Kumon sessions and the Encore Theatre Academy are not run by the Salvation Army.

Pre School - Monday to Friday 09:15 till 14:15  (Term time only) see separate section below                                                     

Pre-School operates 5 days each week during term time. For further information phone Karen Perry (Manager) on 01905 794179

Mondays         9.15am till 2.15pm

Tuesdays        9.15am till 2.15pm

Wednesdays   9.15am till 2.15pm

Thursdays       9.15am till 2.15pm

Fridays           9.15am till 2.15pm

Each Thursday we operate a Play and Stay event at the WANDS Childrens Centre on the Westlands Estate. Please phone using the above telephone number for further details.  

The club is open to all. Annual membership is £5 and the meeting fee is £2 to cover heat light refreshments etc. Visitors £3.

We meet in the main building of the Salvation Army on the second Monday of each month at 7pm for refreshments. Our meetings begin at 7:30. There are more than 40 members of the group having a wide range of experience. So if you have in interest in any aspect of gardening whether you are a novice or an expert  we would welcome you to any of our evenings. For further info phone 01905 794179.

2020 Programme

Jan 13th John and Gunha Farmer - Tree grafts and Gardening as a Therapy

Feb 10th Philip Aubury (Former director of Birmingham Botanical Garden)  - House and Conservatory plants

Mar 9th Frances Carroll (Waitrose) - Gardening for Wildlife

Apr 6th Gardening Guru Reg Moule (BBC and Rowberrys's Garden Centre) answers your gardening questions

May 11th Adrian James - Folklore and more

May 16th Annual Plant Sale at 10pm

June 8th Information about Transition Towns

July 13th Members only visit to White Cottage Garden

Aug 10th Social evening

Sep 14th AGM

Oct 12th Duncan Coombs - Ponds and plants

Nov 9th Ross Barber - Getting ready for winter

Dec 14th Members Christmas meal

The Care and Share shop is re-opening on Tuesday 14th July from Tuesdays to Saturdays. There will be a limit of 5 customers in the shop at any one time and Government rules relating to Covid-19 will be adhered to.

We have a selection of good quality clothes, briq-a-brac and furniture for sale and are always grateful for your similar surplus items. The shop is located in St Andrews Street  - for location see the map at the top of the page. 

Donations of good quality clothing and bric-a-brac urgently required.

Please contact for further information.

12 St Andrews Street 

Droitwich,  

Worcestershire WR9 8DY

United Kingdom

Phone: 01905 797780

If you have recently suffered a bereavement or are finding it difficult to come to terms with your loss come and join the Bereavment Support Group,  people who are in a similar situation to you. The group meets on the second Monday of each month at 10.00am in the Conference room on the first floor of the new building.

Bereavement Support Group meetings are suspended until further notice due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Bible Study and Prayer group will meet at 7.30pm on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month in the Conference Room in the new building. It will not run during school holidays or in December due to the carolling programme. It will start with a Bible Study, the content will be largely based on how we apply the Bible message to our everyday lives and time will be given for prayer at the end of the Bible Study.

Bible Study and Prayer Group meetings are suspended until further notice due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Ladies Fellowship meets at irregular intervals, please keep looking here for details.

An evening at Ascot

Fun on a ww2 night

Fashion show 1

Fashion show 2

Fashion show 3

Report by Michelle Day

Every Tuesday morning during term time we have a LARGE parent and toddler group! (It is the group that is large, not the parents).Up to 40 parents, grandparents and carers together with 40+ babies and toddlers come along each week to play, cry and laugh and that's just the parents! Seriously though, Chris, Lesley and myself along with Ann, Josie and Margaret in the kitchen build close relationships with parents and children, some of whom are vulnerable and need a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear.

We have a snack around 10 o'clock and now need to have 2 sittings as there is not enough room to sit, then we go outside to play, weather permitting. At 11.15 we tidy up and end the morning with a song time.

It is a great bridge between the Toddler group and Pre-school with several children attending the latter because of the relationships that have been built within the group. Many parents have returned to us after having more children and occasionally grandparents who use to bring their own children are now bringing their grandchildren. We do not advertise as we are recommended by parents to their friends but we do have some kind comments on the netmums.com web site which also brings new parents in.

As we are now so busy we could do with some help please. Chris and I  get around as many parents as possible, especially those on their own, but sometimes we need to sit with someone for longer and others get missed out. If you could spare even an hour on a Tuesday morning we would be most grateful. The group runs from 9.30 until 11.30 every Tuesday morning.

Parent and Toddler Group meetings are suspended until further notice due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The group meetings are open to all adults who are looking for something to do or someone to chat with. It is an informal get together. There will be activities that you can enjoy or you can just sit and chat. Tea and coffee will be provided all for a contribution of £1 to cover the expenses and heat/light etc. The meetings run from 10.30am until 12.15pm. You are free to come and go as you please.

There is no fixed plan for the group, it will develop as the members require. We are aware that there are many people in Droitwich who have little contact with other adults during a 'normal' week so if you fall into this category or just want a change of company come along and enjoy the morning.

The Friendship Group meetings are suspended until further notice due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Please check back for future dates.

See the video of one of our pre-Covid sessions. 

Click on the red words to follow the links

Keith Lewis' exquisite piano playing on his YouTube channel 

Songs by Charlie Green

Charlie Green - It's No Secret - YouTube

Charlie Green - Rejoice With Exceeding Great Joy - YouTube

What a friend we have in Jesus - Facebook 

May the Lord Bless You - Facebook

Charlie green with Salvation army Boundless 2015 - YouTube

Charlie green at Boundless salvation Army 2015 - YouTube

Charlie's YouTube channel

Droitwich Spa Songsters

Visit of Droitwich Spa Songsters - Part 1 - YouTube

Visit of Droitwich Spa Songsters - Part 2 - YouTube

Droitwich Spa Songsters - Amazing God - YouTube

Droitwich Spa Songsters - Creation Sings - YouTube

Droitwich Spa Songsters - It Is Well With My Soul - YouTube

Droitwich Spa Salvation Army Songsters Singing 'Written in Red' - YouTube

Droitwich Spa Songsters - There's Never Been A Mountain - YouTube

Your love Still Amazes Me featuring Kerry Harris and Jono Stubbington

Songs written by Lee Fisher

Amazing God! | Lee Fisher (Brindley Venables & Lily Finikin) - YouTube

Come Let Us Worship the Lord - Facebook

Droitwich Spa Songsters - Go In Peace - YouTube

Droitwich Spa Songsters - God Is Greater - YouTube

The YP Band

Droitwich Spa Salvation Army YP Brass Band - YouTube

Droitwich Spa Salvation Army YP Brass Band "I Will Survive" - YouTube

Droitwich Spa Salvation Army Young People's Band - Novos Domos De Deus - YouTube

The Senior Band

Droitwich Spa Salvation Army Band play the March 'Crown of Conquest' by Ray Steadman-Allen - YouTube

Three Kings Swing

Kerry Harris sings "Through it All"

Other music sites

Citadel Promotions

FortressRadio.online

Salvo Audio

The work being done by Carolyn during the Covid-19 lockdown is being featured as part of this years national Christmas Appeal - click here to see it.

The final instalment of the Droitwich stories have gone out on social media and through our news centre. The story can found here:

https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/news/meet-jo-i-sometimes-feel-invisible-i-rely-people-carolyn-salvation-army

Carolyn’s video can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/salvationarmyuk/videos/804807523415219

Thanks to all at Droitwich who made this so special and that we were able to tell the story of how we help local people, which is so important at this time. God bless you. It is so great to know that older people may begin to be able to get out again soon, with vaccination roll-outs coming through.

Kind regards,

Maria Ball
Communications Officer (DHQ)

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More work being done to support people in lockdown due to Covid-19 - click here 

Another video of the work being done by the Army in Droitwich

Carolyn and Sandra preparing Christmas parcels - chat with Councillor Richard Morris

30th September. At the invitation of local councillor Richard Morris, Droitwich Salvation Army's Community Support Worker, Carolyn Gomersall was invited to meet with Worcestershire High Sheriff (Mark Jackson OBE) and Droitwich Town Mayor (Cllr Bill Moy) in recognition of The Salvation Army's work within our local community, particularly through the current pandemic.  

A bit of artistic license but couldn't resist this for my Salvationist slimmers 😂

JANUARY REGRETS

Was the month after Christmas and when I looked through the house,

no uniform  would fit me, not even the blouse.

The stuffing I'd nibbled, the turkey I'd taste,

the yummies I'd eaten gone straight to my waist.

The schloer and the mince pies, the bread and the cheese.....

I should have just said, "no thank you, please." ...

So as I dressed Sunday  in my army shirt,

I couldn't believe my bottom and belly - the.................. gi......rth!

I said to myself, as only I can,

"you can't spend the year out of uniform Oh man!"

So away with the last of the sour-cream dip,

get rid of the fruitcake, every cracker and chip.

Every last bit of food that I like must be banished

'til all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie, not even a lick,

instead I'll chew on a long celery stick.

I won't have ice cream, or chocolates, or pie.....

I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry:

"I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore -

but isn't that what January's for?"

Unable to giggle, no longer a riot,

Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

Marie Mears

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TWENTY-TWENTY!

March twenty, twenty.......lockdown time,

The first few weeks were so sublime!

No work, no school - a time to rest,

Those carefree days were some of the best, 

Time for walks and time for play,

Time to share what we wanted to say.

Quizzes and jigsaws, cooking and baking,

Loads of people their diets forsaking!

There were numerous 'phone calls to those felt abandoned,

To those who were grieving, whose hearts had been saddened!

Also, moments of joy with a special ceremony...

When two hearts were joined in blest matrimony!

Many lessons were learned during difficult days...

But, through it all, we've continued to praise!

Thankful for family and dear Christian friends,

Time to reflect and, perhaps, make amends?

But, one thing's for sure, our Lord has been there,

Filling our souls with His love and His care.

So, no matter whatever future days bring,

In our hearts let us trust, and continue to sing......

Of Him who has held us when times have been stormy,

Let's go forward and serve in our Lord's Droitwich Army! 

Margaret Green, September 2020