Open Church
at Bishop Street Methodist Church, Town Hall Square, Leicester.

Open Church is a way of the Methodist Church offering a Christian welcome in Leicester city centre.

We are open each  week from Tuesday to Friday, 11.30 - 1.00 p.m. and we'd love you to call in and see us too. At 1.00 most days we have a short time of prayers. Wednesday tends to be a slightly longer service (up to 30 minutes) with monthly midweek communion.

There is a wide variety of people calling in and the more Christian friends are around, to sit and chat, the better that is for everybody. We want people to experience a warm welcome, a safe place to sit, a listening ear if they need it, somebody to pass the time of day with, a friendly chat from somebody who is available for half an hour or so. Please come and see what goes on, and join us for as long as you can.

There is an opportunity to take part in Amnesty Letter Writing on Wednesdays and Bible Study on Thursdays.

This is part of the Methodist Church's mission in the city centre and you can be part of that just by calling in for a drink any time you are in town.

Friday Pop-in: This is a drop in particularly aimed at pensioners, and provides a place for a hot drink and a sit down and chat. It is open from 9.45am to 11.30am on Fridays, and all are welcome.

Oriental mums and babies: This is a new group still finding the right format for providing a network where particularly chinese mothers and babies can meet, but also find a way for this to become a more inclusive group, with mums, babies and toddlers from different cultures can meet together, and learn something of each other’s culture and background. It is currently meeting 11.30-1.30 at the Church on Friday Mornings. Please call at the church during these times to find out more. New members from any cultural background are welcome.

Maitri Project: Every Monday, the Foyer is open from 10.30-1.00 and 2.00–4.00, for a listening ear. The project is run by a multi-faith group, for people of all faiths or none, and has a particular heart to help those suffering with mental health issues. 

Zimbabwe Association ZA Leicester Popin: This is a  venture that began in mid-April 2010. It is currently every two weeks, on Friday afternoons, 2.00-5.00. The group is a drop-in, open to all, to help Zimbabwean refugees and asylum seekers learn how to integrate into British society, and start to make sense of the situation they find themselves in. It features Zimbabwean-style food and lots of lively conversation. Please come along, or contact the church office (0116 255 4111) to check dates, if you are interested in this.

Practical support for refugees and asylum seekers: Food Collection

Leicester as a city provides a refuge for many refugees and asylum seekers and the Red Cross provides support for those who are refused leave to stay and find themselves destitute because they fear returning to their country.  Some people have no accommodation and are literally living on the street with no food or money, while others may be given shelter by community members but this may depend on contributions of food from time to time.  The Red Cross provides bags of food for those in most need but relies on contributions from ordinary people, particularly church members, to meet this demand.

Bishop Street Methodists have made many contributions to this in recent years. We would now like to revive it and Alison Skinner has volunteered to ensure that our offerings are transported to the Red Cross office on a regular basis.

The Red Cross encourage each group to give a minimum of one bag of food a week. If people who are interested could buy even one or two extra items in their shopping and bring them to church on Sunday, it would make a real difference to the lives of very vulnerable people.

The following items are the ones suggested by the Red Cross as being most helpful.

Dried  Provisions  Rice, cous-cous, maize mealie-meal or polenta. cooking oil, sugar, salt, porridge, flour (self raising), spices, mashed potato (Smash), tea, coffee, powdered milk, fruit juice, semolina, water.

Tinned Provisions   (best to supply easy opening tins which don’t need a tin opener if possible)  Baked beans, fish, meat, tomatoes, pulses (beans, peas, chick peas, sweetcorn), soup, fruit, rice pudding, sauces, vegetables.

Pre-prepared food  Dried fruit, cereal bars, chocolate, biscuits, nuts, crisps, pot noodles  (especial good for people without accommodation who can get water in cafes for them)

Baby items  Nappies (sizes 2,3,4) baby wipes, food, milk, lotion, talc, clothing

Toiletries  Toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shower gel, shampoo, hair conditioner, deodorant, moisturiser, toilet paper.