WHAT'S 'HUG IN A MUG'?
Neighbourhood Chaplains, Steve and Elaine Richardson, tell Ignite about the success of ‘Hug in a Mug’ Steve and Elaine live near Barnstaple, North Devon, and have been Neighbourhood Chaplains for two years.
So, Elaine, what is ‘Hug in a Mug’?
“We put sachets of tea and coffee, hot chocolate, cake bars, biscuits, and marshmallows into mugs along with a gift tag and a laminated verse of encouragement. “The verses we sent out at Easter were:
‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has been pleased to give you the kingdom’. Luke 12: 32
‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ Psalm 23:4”
How did you get involved?
As family group leaders at our church, we had a message asking if we knew of people in our group who are going through difficult times and who would be encouraged by receiving a ‘Hug in a Mug’ and we knew people who were isolating or going through very difficult times, so we jumped at the chance of using them. We were a bit cheeky, and we extended beyond our church, as there were people living near us who, we knew, would also appreciate them.
When did you start giving them away?
“We gave the first lot out on Valentine’s Day – just a small number; but it became so popular that at Easter we gave out another 120 mugs.” Elaine adds: “Because of its popularity, we couldn’t fund it all, so we asked those giving them out to buy a mug and for a fee of £1.50 we filled the mugs and put them in little gift bags.”
How did that work during lockdown?
"We have a large church building so we filled the mugs and put them on separate tables to give them to other church members whilst remaining socially distanced. Those people then rang on doorbells and left them on doorsteps – a bit like the postman,” Steve laughs. “People did have conversations on the doorstep or in front gardens though too.”
Elaine, it sounds obvious but what is the purpose of ‘Hug in a Mug’?
“It’s really an outreach approach to encourage people in the church, neighbours, front line workers and those in need. We want to show Christian love, concern, care and to try and evangelise, if possible. Although lockdown made in-depth conversations difficult, we saw it as planting a seed.”
What kind of response did you get Steve?
“One of the people who received a mug said: ‘The timing must have been from God as I had just been reading the doctor’s report following my mother’s recent death and I was feeling very low’ “Another neighbour had only just moved in and was really grateful for being made to feel welcome. The gesture prompted a half hour conversation about faith that wouldn’t have happened without it.”
Are you going to continue doing ‘Hug in a Mug’ Steve?
"Yes, we would love to give some mugs out to Street Pastors. We were hoping to bless them for all they do as not all of the people who are involved in that scheme are necessarily Christians. We are hoping that will come about. We are constantly thinking about new ways we can reach out to new groups of people.”
What has being involved in the scheme meant to you both?
“It’s good to show Christian love to neighbours and people we come into contact with. A ‘Hug in a Mug’ is useful for displaying God’s love and a recognition of offering a hand of friendship to somebody else.”
Neighbourhood Chaplaincy is a connecting, befriending, and serving initiative within the community. So, faith ‘looks’ like something because Christians are living it out, in the context of the community.
Autumn’s Ignite will feature a full article on how you and your church can get involved in Neighbourhood Chaplaincy.
Immediate information is available at:
www.counties-training.org/neighbourhood-chaplains