Woolwich: New Wine Church Hosts Civic Leaders from Royal Greenwich

by Benson Agoha | Woolwich

Mayor, Borough Leader, newly elected and re-elected MPs as well as other senior council officials attend New Wine Church Reception

Credit: NWC

WOOLWICH - New Wine Church, Thursday hosted the leadership of the Royal Borough of Greenwich to thank them for their good works and welcome the newly elected MPs and other officials of the borough.

The occasion drew the top leadership of the borough, including but not limited to:

The new Mayor and his Deputy - Cllr Norman Adams and Cllr Olu Babatola;

The Royal Borough Leader and her Deputy – Cllr Denise Hyland and Cllr John Fahy

Newly elected and re-elected Members of Parliament, including: Mathew Pennycook MP for Greenwich and Woolwich; Teresa Pearce MP for Erith and Thamesmead and Clive Efford MP for Eltham.

After a short opening prayer by David Chick of New Wine Church in which he asked God to guide the elected and selected leaders of the borough to lead the people under His divine direction, the colourfully attired New Wine Church Choir welcomed the guests with songs.

In the run up to the event Pastor Michael Olawore had said it would be used to recognise the contributions of people in politics and to celebrate the efforts they are making towards building a better community, saying "Over the years we always criticise our civic leaders when things are not going the way they should go. Nobody ever thought of celebrating them and encouraging them, to go beyond, to reach further.”

"We just want to tell them, look, we're here to support you, we're here to serve along with them, we're here to engage with them, we're here to partner with them, just to make the community a better place for everybody.”

In his welcome address, host Pastor said “we are gathered here together today to celebrate the newly elected and selected civic leaders of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and to remember and appreciate them for the works they are doing.”

“Also to say well-done for the good works that you are doing. “We are delighted and honoured to host you as eminent leaders of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.”

Pastor Olawore said the Borough has changed over the years and that New Wine Church shares the zeal of the Council to make "our communities" a better place, saying some of the ways the church helps include visit people in jail, hosting the weekly Saturday Breakfast at which over 40 people are provided with full English Breaksfast.

The Church, he said has also given away 25,000 Xmas Hampers to the poorer and less endowed families of the community who might otherwise not have been able to afford a Christmas meal.

At least 24,000 families, he said are expected to have benefited from the scheme over the years.

Guests were treated to assorted snacks, fried meet and chicken all prepared and cooked on location. The meals were washed down with assorted non-alcoholic wines, while the government officials were presented with commemorative gifts, each presentation followed by praises and appreciation of the contributions that New Win Church to making to the local community a better place.

All recipients said their gifts will occupy a prime position in their offices, at the Town Hall or in their homes.

Teresa Pearce MP stirred general laughter when she said "I will show it to my children and say to them "listen to your mother”.