Outreach Mind and Spirit.   It was good to have Revd Ron Overton lead our service on 16 January to explain mental illness in the community and the role of faith and spiritual issues to address the problem. We are grateful and wish him well in the new work he has taken up in Bury St Edmunds. This was an initiative by our Mission Group. It recognises an opportunity and need for this Church to develop ways of providing for the large proportion of people with physical, mental or psychological problems. We have individuals with experience of mental illness, of taking worship to clients and staff at Bridge Hospital and helping the MIND Oasis support group meeting in our hall each week. Let's strive to make it easier for everyone in the community to recognise and access the healing benefits of faith. Brian Loader, Ron Overton and colleagues at InterAct are working hard to help the disabled and sick in numerous ways. This includes developing the wide recognition by health professionals of the value of faith communities in this field and providing training for those involved. In Witham Churches we are fortunate to have ministers and lay people experienced and interested in this. Plans are being developed for provision of organisation and training. Once our premises is improved we believe it will attract and enable uses such as counselling, training, conferences and more community activity like MIND OASIS and healing work. In the meantime we need to develop our understanding and ability to grasp this opportunity. Please consider what you could do and pray for God's help.   Pat Ripton Mission Group Secretary. Visit to St Andrew's Church, Westcliff-on-Sea On Wednesday 18th January Brian, Patrick, Neil, Avril & I, along with four members of St Nicolas Church travelled to St Andrew's Church in Westcliff. This was a follow up to our training day in Chelmsford and subsequent meetings, concerned with the plans to set up a support group for those in the Witham area, who are suffering from mental health problems. On Wednesdays, St Andrew's hold a coffee morning, which is open to anyone who wishes to attend and those with mental health problems are encouraged to drop in. This is a very informal time with members of the church greeting people, making cups of coffee and generally being available if anyone wishes to talk. We found the atmosphere very relaxed and friendly and we were able to chat to a number of people. Once the coffee morning had finished the Revd. Stuart Kimber and his wife Gill gave us a further insight to the work they are undertaking and the support they are able to give to those who need it. The work appears to be very low key at present with Stuart overseeing the coffee morning while Gill works with the Mother and Toddler Group. Gill also runs a small group on a Thursday called 'Journeying Through Depression'. However they do have a vision for the future involving more commitment but are taking things slowly at present as the plans will involve further financial investment and they feel that God is telling them that the time is not right yet. We all felt that the visit was very worthwhile as we were able to experience at first hand how the project is working. Please continue to include in your prayers the plans and those involved in discussions for a similar project to be set up in Witham. Ros Brown