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Preface
A heart at the city center
The Church City Mission works in the city. Most of the city’s inhabitants live well, they thrive and flourish and appreciate what the city has to offer. Many, however, live in loneliness and poverty and lack a sense of belonging. This is also an aspect of life in the metropolis.
The Church City Mission wishes to meet those who are lonely in the midst of a crowd, to see the individual and give help and support when they feel the need. Through deeds, The City Mission wishes to contribute towards making people feel wanted and respected.
The Church City Mission is a major diaconal organization. We have more than 1300 employees and about the same number of volunteers in more than 40 different institutions and projects in the Oslo area.
Our work ranges from care for the elderly, for people with psychiatric problems, for children and youth at risk, to service to drug addicts, prostitutes, unemployed, and people affected by HIV and AIDS. We also arrange street services and provide pastoral care in our own church centre situated in the multi-ethnic downtown area Tøyen.
Most of these activities are carried out in close cooperation with and even on behalf of local and national authorities. Hence near 85% of our financial resources come from official budgets.
God is present wherever people dwell or journey. God knows our lives and stories, for better or worse. We meet God every day, in times of suffering and need and in fellowship, faith and hope. God challenges us to act in love and compassion for one another and to share with each other fellowship and the courage to live.
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