Covenant Restoration Assembly (CRA) Nottingham is dedicated to supporting our community. We shine a light on those in need by giving back to our society. We are God’s gift of love in action.
Giving Back
We connect and engage with our community, we provide outreach programs that motivate and improve the livelihood of our people.
We value every life, every moment and every experience of our church and the community around us.
We are of service to God and through God, we are of service to people. Through charity and community outreach, we fulfil Gods promise of love.
MAGIC MOMENTS: Outreach Events
We are passionate about the safety and protection of all children around the world. In partnership with COMPASSION, we have spent 5 years sponsoring children from underprivileged backgrounds.
“I sponsor a 12-year-old child in Columbia. As an individual, I wanted to give to a child somewhere in the world. It is about making a connection and a difference in the life of that child. It is to enable a child, who may not have had a future.” Pastor Vincent Ibikunie
Getting involved in 2013, we have spent many years in developing and supporting children from African nations, Asia and South America. We donate by means of direct debit of £25 per month, per child.
About 25 families within our congregation sponsor and help to change the lives of children around the world. We encourage all naturalised groups within the church to sponsor a child.
In 2015, Pastor Vincent Ibikunle travelled to Uganda for 1 week to see the project first hand. The pastor was witness to:
- The focus on early childhood development – staying healthy, learning, school completion.
- The teachings of life and social skills within schools and communities
- The building of project sights to train and educate children within professional settings
- Children’s free access to medical care and health facilities within their communities
- Bible teachings in church – helping to identify Christ
We exchange letters with our sponsored child once or twice a year to keep track of their growth and total development. Our kindness aids in the healthcare, food and education of every sponsored child by the grace of God.
Every child deserves a chance. Every child deserves a future.
Lifestyle: Healthy Living
We recognise that our health is important. We care for the health and well-being of our congregation and its community.
In 2015, PhD student Damilola Omodara from Nottingham Trent University, coordinated a project that dealt with health-related issues.
The 2 to 3-hour programs took place on the Saturday of each month over a period of 8 months. Funded by the church each program dealt with:
- Eating well
- Exercise
- Understanding Disease: HIV/AID, Diabetes
- Prevention
The programs encouraged people from outside the church to coordinate exercise and dance such as Zumba and aerobics. During the 8 months, health professionals were invited to a health events show, Healthy You.
Guests invited:
- Velma Hamilton from the Black African Minority Ethnic Group (BAME)
- Mojatu
- Nottingham City Council
Medical practitioners including Nursers, Doctors, Counsellors and Psychologists were given a space for presentations, activities and talks in regards to healthy living. The show provided free counselling for illnesses such HIV/AIDS and Diabetes. Health professionals further informed the congregation about sickness and prevention.
Working alongside The Nottingham City Council and Velma Hamilton, from BAME , Damilola Omodara coordinated and organised a health event, specifically focused on diabetes within the black community.
Motivated by the public’s lack of knowledge and understanding, Damilola encouraged the church to take away the stigma often associated with the disease in order to discuss the disease openly and to learn how to prevent or treat the disease.
Magic moments: Charity
Donations: Food and Shoe Box
Christmas is the season of goodwill. Funded by the church, we have donated approximately 120 boxes in 2016, 100 boxes in 2016 and 80-100 boxes. In 2017, we deliverered to the Nottingham City Council: Children’s Services, who then delivered to the South of Nottingham; Sneinton, St Anns and Mapperly. Many youth hospitals benefit from this program, especially during the Christmas period. We donate:
- Pens
- Biblical Books
- Educational books
- Sweets
- Notepads
- Clothing
- Gloves hats
- Scarves
- Jumpers
- Shoes
- Sandals
OUR FUTURE
Our church offers a safe space to talk, to learn, to grow and to develop, in the name of Jesus. We take every opportunity to use the church to reach our community. We are motivated by the success of our events. We pray that our path leads to better things.