Latest news with #HopeChurch
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Luton man says he hosted his own wake to celebrate life
A man diagnosed with terminal cancer has attended his own wake as he said he wanted to "celebrate my life"."I'm 'Party Pat'. And I decided, I'm going to be at the party," said Pat Mahoney, who is 74 and from Luton, Bedfordshire."I invited all the people from all the groups that I attend, and I'm going to be on that floor bopping around," he told the also recorded a performance of Elvis Presley's The Wonder of You with his dementia choir at the Marshall Studio in Milton Keynes, which was played at the wake. Friends and family packed out Hope Church in Luton to spend time celebrating Boyd, who helps to run the singing dementia cafe, said: "It's a real honour but it's tinged with sadness."Pat has been a fantastic friend to our dementia cafe for those 10 years."We can hopefully celebrate his life because he's had a wonderful life. He's been Mr Party Pat."Another friend said: "I don't think anyone could be upset, the way you're doing this tonight. It's absolutely brilliant."You mean the world to us, you've always been there." Pat said it had been "very emotional, seeing my friends having this wake and seeing their love".He wanted to make the most of his last few months and weeks."I thought, I'm going to have a party like no other party. I'm going to bop around on that floor as long as I can."Because when the time comes and I have to go into palliative care, that's not going to happen – but until then I'm going to continue going to the groups."He told his friends at the event: "Thank you for coming. You're diamonds, love you all, you mean the world to me." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Nonprofit, area churches offer hot showers during gas outage
TUPELO — Following a line burst that has left many Lee County residents and businesses without natural gas service, local Christian nonprofit organization Eight Days of Hope has partnered with three area churches to offer hot showers to the public. Until gas services are restored, three trailers with eight shower stalls will be in operation at First Baptist Church at 300 North Church Street, Harrisburg Baptist Church at 4675 Cliff Gookin Boulevard, and Hope Church at 2094 McCullough Boulevard. All churches are located in Tupelo. 'It's a small way to meet needs,' said Harrisburg Baptist Church Communications Associate Danielle Mullins, who is volunteering to help organize the showers at the church. 'We take (hot water) for granted. It is not always guaranteed.' Harrisburg Baptist Church Pastor Rob Armstrong said when the organization reached out to offer the partnership, he and the church were happy to help by supplying a location and volunteers. Spring break week, Armstrong said, is typically a time the church uses for local outreach, so this fit in perfectly with their schedule. 'This is a way to serve the community,' he said. 'Sometimes a little goes a long way … We care about Tupelo, and we want to help as many people as we can.' Both Harrisburg and First Baptist opened the showers at noon. In the first hour, Armstrong said, seven individuals came to use the facilities. Mullins and other volunteers said they loved watching the reactions of the people stepping out of the facility in fresh clothes and a smile. Harrisburg will close at 8 p.m. and First Baptist will close at 9 p.m. Meanwhile, Hope Church will open at 4 p.m. and close at 9 p.m. Volunteering, Mullins said, encompasses organizing the individuals using the showers by signing them in and managing which showers were occupied. She noted that half of the showers were for men and the other half were for women and children. Connection and Community Associate Charlie Seelen said they have enough resources to run the showers until Wednesday and if the gas has not returned by then, they will reevaluate. 'First Baptist wanted to reach out to our community,' he said. 'It is one of those comfort things … We want to show that we are part of the community. It's not about who we worship; it's more than that. We want to be good neighbors.' Those interested need to bring their own toiletries and a change of clothes. Seelen noted that there are no restrooms in the facilities, so urged individuals to use the restroom before coming.
