Comment by Harborough churches: Offering a source of warmth and light

Viewpoint by Ceriann Kelly, youth work manager at The Cube Youth Centre which is linked to Churches Together in Harborough

As we head through autumn towards winter, with the colder weather and longer nights, I like to think of this time of year as soup season. A time when the warming comfort of soup is a welcome break from the darker evenings and the chill in the air.

And my favourite is the seasonal spiced pumpkin soup, it is like a warm hug on a cold day. I am always struck as I walk the streets around the end of October by the numerous pumpkin displays outside people’s homes, some as lanterns, others incorporated into wreaths or simply piled artfully by the door. Between lanterns and soup, pumpkins are a source of light and warmth for many of us at this time of year.

As a Christian I believe we are called to be a light in the world, and to share the warmth of God’s love by the way we act and respond to people. At the Cube we strive to be a source of warmth and light to our young people. We do this through the relationships formed at the groups we run, whether it be a targeted afterschool group or our open Wednesday evening youth group. It is our aim that all the young people of Market Harborough thrive in all aspects of their lives and we are privileged to be able to walk alongside them.

One of the ways we are currently trying to be a light to our young people is to empower them to make greener choices, and to encourage us to be greener too. A new venture that has this at its core is our “Sponsor a Green Period” project in partnership with Refill Revolution to empower young women in Harborough to go green with their periods. Through this we hope to also combat period poverty by enabling young women to try a sustainable period kit, consisting of three washable period pants and one washable period pad for free.

It seems like such a small act, to provide a young woman with these things but we know for her it is far from it. Small acts can sometimes make the biggest difference. An almost seemingly random act of kindness can completely change a person’s day or even outlook on life. And you don’t have to be a Christian to be kind, or to understand kindness when it is shown.

We all know it can be a challenge to find a source of light when the darkness surrounds, or warmth when it feels like the freezing winds are creeping in. So, I wonder where else can we look for that sense of light and warmth, how can we be it, and how can we share that with the people around us?