shareit! 33

shareit!33

Summer 2011

The Magazine of Church Army

Patron: HM The QueenPresident: The Most Revd Dr Desmond Tutu

Church Army Evangelists share the Christian faith through words and action and equip others to do the same. Evangelists and staff are devoted to a wide range of service in Anglican churches, projects and teams throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Shareit! is the magazine of Church Army and it is available free upon request. Please let us know if you would prefer not to receive further issues of Shareit! or other communications from Church Army.

Wilson Carlile Centre, 50 Cavendish Street, Sheffield, S3 7RZ

Tel: 0300 123 2113email: [email protected]

Registered Charity Nos: 226226 & SC040457

Editor: Hannah Gray 0300 123 2113

Design & Print: CPO 01903 264556

ISSN 1751-3960

If you have a story for Shareit!, or suggestions on how we can improve this magazine, then please contact Hannah Gray.

The paper used is from sustainable forests and can be recycled. Printed by Bishops who have 14001 accreditation.

Evangelist Support Scheme

This symbol identifi es those Evangelists who, through the Evangelist Support Scheme, seek support for their ministry through prayer and giving. It may be that you are drawn to an Evangelist in this issue and would like to fi nd out how you can partner with them in their ministry. To receive further information about the scheme, please email [email protected] or call 0300 123 2113.

Dear friends,

Last time I wrote to you in Shareit! Church Army was in the process of relocating from its Sidcup offi ce to

the Wilson Carlile Centre in Sheffi eld – well, I’m pleased to announce we have arrived! And what an exciting journey it’s been – one which required us to trust in God’s provision on a daily basis as we waited for our new home to be completed. But now that all the boxes have been unpacked, we are beginning to work out how to establish and grow our vision for a Minster for Evangelism situated right in the heart of the city. We truly want to create a community where all are welcome and which shines out radically as a place of love to those on the edges of our society. Please pray with us as we discern how to use this amazing new building which God has so abundantly blessed us with. May all the glory go to him!

The past few months have also seen the Church Army family refl ecting on Micah 6:8 which encourages us to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.” At the Church Army Conference our guest speaker Brian McLaren spoke on this theme and we certainly came away challenged to press ahead with God’s work. Brian is one of the world’s leading thinkers on mission in a post-modern context and an in-demand Christian speaker – so it was a real privilege to have him there. There will be a feature on what Brian shared with us in the next issue of Shareit! this autumn.

In this issue of Shareit! fi nd out more about the Regeneration Youth Summit which was organised by Church Army with the support of the Archbishop of York Youth Trust (pages 8-11). The event took place at St Thomas’ Church Philadelphia in Sheffi eld and saw 35 bishops, 20 youth workers and 120 young people meet to discuss the future of the church. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York also attended and signed a pledge along with other bishops promising to make young people a priority in the Church of England. I came away inspired and refreshed to see so many people of different ages and from different backgrounds working together for Christ.

With the warmer weather hopefully on the way, why not read about Gordon Banks and his rural ministry at

shareit!The Magazine of Church Army

From the Chief Executive

2 Shareit!

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Walking Hu

www.churcharmy.org.uk

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The South of England Show on pages 28-29. In this issue we also feature Retired Evangelist and Supermarket Chaplain, Ray Mills, (page 19), the growing phenomenon ofMessy Church, (pages 26-27) and Tim Hyde’s Lighthouse Project on the Weston Estate in Southampton (pages 14-15). Meanwhile Communications and Marketing Offi cer, Bryony Wells, is preparing to head to Greenbelt and Soul Survivor to represent Church Army.

In our training section, Arthur Jones, Coordinator for Training, refl ects on Church Army’s mission-based training programme and how it has developed since it was introduced in September 2008. He talks about the team’s hopes for the future and how the Trainees are benefi ting from a “wonderful combination” of practical mission and academic study.

Finally, may I sincerely thank you for your

continued support during these historic times of change for Church Army. As Paul says in Philippians 1:1, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel.”

With this in mind, may I encourage you to keep standing with us as we go about God’s mission to grow the kingdom and to bring the hope of Jesus to those in need.

With my love and prayers,

Mark RussellChief Executivewww.churcharmy.org.uk/ceo

STOP PRESS!Evangelist, Richard Cooke, in Selby, North Yorkshire, is preparing to lead a new Centre of Mission which will see a second Evangelist and Trainee Evangelist join the team. Richard works on the Flaxley Road estate where he has established a new Christian community – The Edge Community. He runs a family-friendly ‘Gathering’ each month, an after school club, a parent support group and works in the local schools. He said: “We’re very excited to have new people joining us. We’re looking forward to seeing what gifts and skills they will bring and how God will use them to reach even more people with the good news of Jesus.”

Humbly with God

Mark Russell

shareit!Summer 2011

The Magazine of Church Army

33

Shareit! 33 Summer 2011C

on

ten

tsto give to our work call 0300 123 2113churcharmy.org.uk

NEWS6 News The latest news

from Church Army

8 Regeneration – a day to remember Archbishops sign pledge at Church Army youth summit

18 Festival fever Bryony Wells prepares for summer at Soul Survivor and Greenbelt

FAITH16 Bringing life

after death How legacies are transforming lives

19 At your service... Supermarket Chaplain, Ray Mills

22 A blank canvas Artist and Evangelist Colin Brown

28 On with the show! Gordon Banks at The South of England Show

WORDS20 In your own words

You have your say about Church Army

24 Sharing Faith the Jesus Way Jim Currin’s new book

31 The young are the best teachers Peter Graystone has the last word

Jim CurrinForeword by David Cornick

Churches Together in England

8 28 24

4 Shareit!

Is this the fi rst time you’ve read a copy of Shareit!? Would you like to receive your own FREE edition regularly? To sign up and to fi nd out more about other Church Army resources please visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/reswww.churcharmy.org.uk/res Alternatively email [email protected], telephone 0300 123 2113 or write to Church Army, Wilson Carlile Centre, 50 Cavendish Road, Sheffi eld, S3 7RZ.

We will be more than happy to help.


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ACTION12 Mission possible,

Mission pioneering, Mission excitingi– Arthur Jones refl ects on mission-based training

14 A haven of hope Tim Hyde at the Southampton Centre of Mission

26 A “messy” mission Gill Martin talks about the success of Messy Church

30 Getting creative with God Homelessness and Poverty Action Week at The Marylebone Project

2612

22

1618

14

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RECORD DEMAND FOR EASTER EGG

NEW DIRECTOR DOWN UNDER FOR CHURCH ARMY

The team behind The Real Easter Egg is celebrating after supermarkets and independent retailers reported record demand.

With over 80 million chocolate eggs sold each year in the UK, The Real Easter Egg sought to explain the Christian message on the box while raising money for charity through its profi ts.

Morrisons, Waitrose, Co-op and Booths stocked a limited “trial listing” of the egg in their biggest stores and Traidcraft’s network of 6,500 stores also sold the egg.

Church Army’s Chief Executive, Mark Russell, said: “Some of the very best ideas seem both simple and revolutionary, I think The Real Easter Egg is a brilliant example of this.”

David Marshall, speaking for the Meaningful Chocolate Company who produced the egg, said: “We are delighted that our customers have made The Real Easter Egg such a success. I think we have proven that people are not afraid to buy the egg and we hope we have changed the face of Easter forever.”

He comes to Church Army from a strong background in evangelism and church planting, initially establishing

Martin Morgan has joined Church Army Australia after being appointed as its new National Director.

independent churches in New South Wales. He has spent the last seven years working at Rouse Hill Anglican Church, fi rst as a non-ordained worker, before being ordained as a minister in 2006.

He said: “Church Army Australia is a growing movement of local mission bases that reach the least, the last and the lost. The mission of planting, training and restoring is one that I am completely aligned to.”

Martin is married to Catherine and has three children Caleb, 16, Bronte, 14, and Isaac, 11. (pictured above).

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DIARY OF AN EVANGELIST

A new fi lm from Church Army has been released featuring this year’s intake of Xplore global gap year students. (www.churcharmy.org.uk/xplore)

This year seven young people aged between 18 and 25 are taking part in the programme which gives them the chance to learn about mission and carry it out for themselves in the UK or abroad.

In the fi lm, Jo Miller, Jessica Snuggs, Felicity Pennington, Tim Cottingham, Ollie Morgan, Leanne Kays and Ed Stanford refl ect on their experiences and reveal what they are most looking forward to.

Neville Barnes, Programme Leader (pictured with Xplorers above), said: “We have seven people who have signed up to be really engaged with mission – I’m so excited about the possibilities.”

news

GAP YEAR XPLORERS ON FILM

GOSPEL GIVEAWAYIN NORTHERN IRELAND

Hundreds of people in Portadown, Northern Ireland, will be receiving a free copy of The Gospel of Mark this summer as part of a church outreach initiative led by Evangelist Elizabeth Cairns.

The gospel giveaway has been organised by St Columba’s Parish Church and nearly 2,000 Fast Track To Jesus booklets will be distributed to households in the area as part of its mission theme; The Bible for All.

Elizabeth said: “This initiative is not only a free gift to all who receive it, but an opportunity to encourage our members to be involved in outreach and evangelism.

“We pray that God will open doors for people to receive a gospel and come to a personal faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.”

This year our Spring Appeal, Diary of an Evangelist, featured ‘Sue’ who works in the north of England alongside some of the most vulnerable, isolated and chaotic women of our cities – those involved in street prostitution. Through her prayer journal she revealed some of the struggles the women face on a daily basis and explained how thanks to Church Army supporters the gospel of forgiveness, hope and unconditional love is being shared with them. For more information or to donate please visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/www.churcharmy.org.uk/appealappeal or telephone Jon Pape (Individuals and Legacy Development Offi cer) on 0300 123 2113.

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churcharmy.org.uk

More than 120 young people, 35 bishops and 20 youth workers More than 120 young people, 35 bishops and 20 youth workers

gathered in Sheffi eld for the Regeneration Youth Summit which gathered in Sheffi eld for the Regeneration Youth Summit which

was sponsored by Church Army – a day which saw the future was sponsored by Church Army – a day which saw the future

of the Church of England discussed and change ignited…of the Church of England discussed and change ignited…

With only seven percent of the Church of England aged

between 18 and 35 years old – something needs to change. With only one in 300 18 to 24 year olds coming to church every week – something needs to change. With nearly 50 percent of the Church of England aged over 65 – something needs to change. The Regeneration Youth Summit sought to ignite that change.

The one-day event at St Thomas’ Church Philadelphia, Sheffi eld, was led by young people, aged between 15 and 21 years old, and offered them a unique opportunity to meet with bishops on their terms.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, attended the event and, along with the other bishops, spent time participating in discussion groups and prayer with the young people who had travelled from across the country.

Throughout the day, the groups took part in creative ideas sessions, prayed for the church and recorded their feedback on fi lm.

At the end of the summit a communion service was held and everyone attending was invited to sign a pledge to commit themselves to the work of the church and young people.

In his address to the summit the Archbishop of Canterbury encouraged those attending to think about how the church can keep Christians growing.

He said: “A living church is one that keeps you growing all through your life, and any answer to the questions we’ve been thinking about today has to be something that keeps you moving, keeps you growing and that doesn’t leave you in your comfort zone...”

The Archbishop of York, in his address, challenged the young people to “take risks for Christ” and reminded

a day to remember


Shareit! 9

newsas social networking websites

Facebook and Twitter. They also wanted to see the church involved in the community more and urged the bishops to show greater confi dence in proclaiming the

Christian message.Mark Russell said: “Regeneration

has fi lled me with such joy and hope for the future. It’s been so exciting to see young people’s passion for the church and their commitment to Christ - I hope they went away encouraged that the church and its leaders are also passionate about them! I cannot wait to see how God is going to impact the wider church through this event which has marked a turning point for the next generation.”

them that “youthfulness isn’t a barrier to people being used by God.”

Regeneration was led by the youngest member of General Synod, Sam Follett, 20, with the help of Church Army’s Chief Executive, Mark Russell, 36. Sam, who took part in Church Army’s Xplore gap year programme, organised the event with a team of four other young people: Winnie Amoaku, Caitlin Thomson, Chris Balding and Ben Palmer. Regeneration was also supported by the Archbishop of York Youth Trust.

Sam said: “I’m so pleased the Bishops and Archbishops are serious enough about young people to be here to listen to us. It was also great to see the different generations working together – just how church should be. Regeneration has shown that young people do care about the church and are prepared to really make a difference.”

The event also secured the backing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Church Army’s President. He said: “God loves young people, yet so many young people have little or no connection with our church. As President of Church Army, I am delighted it sponsored this major event to address this challenge head on. I pray this summit will help empower a new generation of young people to make a difference in our world for Jesus Christ.”

Throughout the day many ideas and suggestions were shared and during the feedback it was apparent young people wanted to see the church making more use of modern methods of communication such

Archbishop Rowan Williams prays with

young people at Regeneration

churcharmy.org.uk

10 Shareit!

Gathered in Sheffi eld for the Regeneration Summit we are

excited by all the positive work with young people across

our nation. We rejoice that so many young people are

involved in the life of our church, yet we yearn for more.

As bishops and church leaders we pledge ourselves to

fi nd new ways to listen to the voices of young people,

and encourage them in their Christian walk. We will work

to enable young people's voices to be heard better, both

within our diocese and the national church. We will seek

to fi nd new ways to empower young people both in

leadership and ministry. We will endeavor to work with

colleagues to enable new mission initiatives with young

people, and consider if new fi nancial resources can be

made available to support these.

As young people gathered at the Regeneration Summit

we affi rm we will work hard to encourage and support

our church leaders. We will pray for our bishops, and do

all we can to bless their leadership amongst us. We will

work positively in our local churches, to encourage our

leaders. We pledge ourselves to pray for our friends, and

to try to fi nd new ways of sharing our faith with them.

Together, we commit afresh to pray for the church we

love, and to ask God to work a miracle amongst us,

that He would use us to help many more young people

across England come to a living faith in Jesus Christ.

The Pledge

www.churcharmy.org.uknew

s

For more information about Regeneration and to watch a fi lm of the day, please visit www.regenerationsummit.orgwww.regenerationsummit.org

What next?

Church Army has had some

great feedback from Regeneration and already people are putting their own ideas into action on a locallevel. Here are just a few of the messages we’ve been sent…

Shareit! 11

What the young people said...

“I just wanted to let you know that following RegenerationI have met with the vicar of my church and plans are in place to start an evening café-style service that’s led by and designed by youth. I’m so excited – they have accommodated my views so well and are very open to my ideas. God is really at the centre of it and He is providing me with the opportunities to seek and secure change.” Sarah Holmes

“I have written a report following Regeneration that is hopefully going to be circulated across my part of London. I also have a slot to talk at the Harrow Deanery Synod in July with an opportunity to run some sort of event like Regeneration on a local level. I’m still trying to work out what this will look like – all exciting stuff! James Slatter

“I’ve had an idea put on my heart recently to get young Christians in my area, regardless of background, to meet, read the Bible and pray together. I’ve got a really great feeling of what the Lord could do with us!” Josh Bell

possible

pioneering

exciting

churcharmy.org.uk

Arthur Jones is the Coordinator for Training at Church Army. Here he refl ects on the mission-based training model and explains to Hannah Gray how it has developed over the past three years

Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your role at Church Army?I’m the Tutor with responsibility for coordinating training and have a long mission background. I started out in scientifi c research at the University of Birmingham, but then went into college education. However, when I got married, my wife (a school teacher) and I went straight out to India. We spent 10 years in India and Nepal working as Educational Missionaries. Since returning to the UK, I’ve worked in various educational roles and for the last 15 years I’ve run undergraduate and postgraduate distance learning courses. I joined Church Army nearly two years ago and my job is proving wonderful for me as it combines education and mission. I also help my wife who runs an in outreach project in Muslim communities in the Manchester Diocese.

How does mission-based training work and what is its purpose?Most training programmes tend to be academic or classroom-based whereas we wanted to provide a course for practitioners - for people who were actually doing mission. So our four-year programme is mission-based which means our Trainees spend most of their time at a Centre of Mission working with a Church Army Evangelist in various projects. This allows them to be trained in the context of mission practice. However, they still come to Sheffi eld six times a year for half-a-week where they have more intensive, classroom-based training. But again, it’s always related to, and encouraging them to refl ect on what they’re actually doing. At the moment we have 14 Trainees and on completion of the course they are awarded a Foundation Degree in Evangelism by York St John University.

12 Shareit!

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...IF YOU ARE CALLED TO ACCEPT IT......IF YOU ARE

What are the benefi ts and challenges of this training model?Well, I think one of the strengths of mission-based training is just having that constant possibility for Trainees to refl ect on what they’re doing in mission. Their academic studies are brought into constant engagement with what they are actually doing. Trainees fi nd it to be a really effective action-refl ection programme. Also, the immediate immersion of Trainees into actual projects is very benefi cial – although the inner city situations can be a bit of a steep learning curve for some. Similarly, for those Trainees who are practitioners by nature, being asked to refl ect on their work and on some serious Christian reading can also be a real challenge. But I think the combination is wonderful and most of our Trainees really recognise that.

When you are selecting Trainee Evangelists, what do you look for?We are really looking for people who are born and bred evangelists - people who are clearly going to be practitioners and pioneers. Church Army is very much a pioneer calling. We want evangelists who can work in areas where the church is largely absent so their mandate is to not only to evangelise, but found fresh expressions of church which are appropriate for the different situations they face. And secondarily, we want people who will benefi t from this kind of training course which does require them to do a lot of academic reading – but only so that they can engage with the wisdom of other Christians in mission, both past and present.

How do you and the training team hope to develop mission-based training in the future?The major vision we have is to expand this programme and make it the training programme of choice for practitioners whether they’re part of Church Army or not. This vision raises huge challenges. How do we make sure we expand this programme and market it more widely? How do we make sure we are really training practitioners and not perpetual students? We would also like to extend the programme to higher levels of certifi cation – to a full degree and to Masters level. This would then allow existing Church Army Evangelists to further their training and have the opportunity to refl ect on their own experiences.

Finally, what excites you most about mission-based training?I was absolutely thrilled when I joined Church Army to fi nd that our Trainees were given the mandate to create fresh expressions of church in areas where there’s no existing church. I think one of the keys to evangelism in the UK today is to have churches that are mission churches. Therefore, I believe our Trainees ought to be creating models of church that attract and disciple today’s people.

To watch a short fi lm about Church Army’s mission-based training programme and to fi nd out more visit our website www.churcharmy.org.uk/mbt

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www.churcharmy.org.uka

ction...IF YOU ARE CALLED TO ACCEPT IT...CALLED TO ACCEPT IT...

“The immediate immersion

of Trainees into projects

is very benefi cial”

“We want to make mission-based training the training programme of choice for practitioners”

of HopeA HAVENThe Weston Lighthouse Project, run by Evangelist Tim Hyde, is bringing hope to those living on a Southampton housing estate. He explains how practical outreach is transforming lives

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A chance to live again!

What do you get when you cross a Church Army Evangelist

with a deprived council estate?

Three-and-a-half years ago my family and I became a part of the community of Weston, a housing estate on the outskirts of Southampton which is well-known for its extreme levels of deprivation.

The task was immense: to build community and help the people of Weston live again.

Since our arrival, with the help of a small band of volunteers, we have slowly and steadily worked towards fulfi lling the vision of the local church, Holy Trinity Weston, which is: “to be a beacon of light and a haven of hope for the many people living here on the fringes of society”.

In response to the congregation’s vision which was developed years before the Weston Lighthouse Project became a reality, we have tried to address the most desperate and

pressing needs of residents. All the while this has been underpinned with a demonstration of God’s love for any and every individual.

Through following God’s leading a variety of outreach projects have been established which include: a rapidly expanding fortnightly lunch club for the elderly, the lonely, and the semi-housebound; a renovations project which provides a basic decorating service for those who move into sub-standard accommodation; a domestic rubbish collection; an allotment project designed to give people “green therapy”; and a service providing the most needy with furniture and white goods which have been donated to the project.

In the summer of last

faith

action

To fi nd out more about Tim and The Weston Lighthouse Project visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/timhyde and www.churcharmy.org.uk/SouthamptonCOM

“We need to live alongside our neighbours in their struggles”

Shareit! 15

To fi nd out more about Tim and The Weston LighthouseProject visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/timhyde andwww.churcharmy.org.uk/SouthamptonCOM


Please pray for Tim, Trevor and Maria as they continue to reach out to people on the Weston Estate. May their conversation be seasoned with salt and their actions a demonstration of God’s unconditional love.

How can I help?

like this before. We endeavour to show them unconditional love by doing anything we can for them, with absolutely no cost to them, and that includes removing the rubbish that clutters up their homes, environment and lives.

One individual was brought to our attention when he moved to Weston having lost everything in a fl at fi re. Over a period of two weeks we were able to help him and his daughter by providing them with much-needed furniture and kitchen appliances, all given freely. Afterwards, he said to us: “I’m extremely grateful to The Lighthouse Project for offering me hope for a new start.”

We thank God daily that He has given us the task of reaching out to the people of Weston. As a Centre of Mission we hope and pray that our experiences will encourage others to take the plunge and share their faith in hard to reach places so that God may be glorifi ed and his Kingdom grown.

year we were delighted the project was expanded to become a Centre of Mission for Church Army with the arrival of a second Evangelist, Trevor Clarke, and Trainee Evangelist, Maria Hembrow. This is a gritty, hands-on type of job and it has been a relief to have the extra support.

We are also constantly working towards the vision of creating a separate worshipping community, but have been hindered by the inability to fi nd a suitable location for this on the estate. We’ve always felt the work here should be based within the community and that goes for our worship space too.

If we are to reach our neighbours with the gospel message then we need to live alongside them in their struggles. We have already begun to experiment with different styles of worship in the parish hall, seeking to fi nd the most culturally relevant forms for the area. So far, we have been blessed by good numbers and encouraging comments.

As a team, we have experienced both the highs and lows of outreach since we took to the task here. It has been a privilege to see members of our community grow in their understanding of faith, but we’ve also seen our sharing of God’s love rejected.

But we are not down-trodden. We continue to move forward, having the faith to believe that God’s plan is

greater than anything we could ever imagine. We hold onto the hope that we will see lives changed and we will see a community of home-grown Christians serving one another.

As Christians we know only too well what it means to be loved by God and to experience His acceptance, and it is a great joy for us to share that acceptance with broken and hurting people who may never have felt anything

Weston Lighthouse Project team

How do you want to be remembered? What sort of legacy could you leave? Do you sometimes wish you could do something extraordinary? Remembering Church Army in your will is just one of the ways you can do this and make a transforming impact

Born in 1917, Betty Waller was a lifelong supporter of Church Army

and when she passed away in 2008 she generously left us more than £12,000 to further our work. We fi nd out more from her son, Hugh Waller.

“My mother and father, Betty and Lawrence Waller, were committed supporters of Church Army and ever since I was a child I’ve been conscious of a long-standing connection between it and my family.

“My parents met each other during the 1930s in London and in 1940, during World War Two, they married. In the 1950s they came into contact with Church Army through a parish mission where they met some evangelists.

“So when Mum discussed how she wanted her estate to be distributed

I was more than happy that the Waller tradition be continued through to her passing because there was this long-standing connection with an Anglican charity that was really making a difference. Church Army is clearly doing this through its outreach to people in a 21st-century context and I think that’s something that’s really important in today’s society where people need to hear about Christ.

“Throughout their lives my parents were rooted in their faith and regularly attended their local church. They always wanted to support causes that mirrored their belief in God and the Holy Scriptures. This is why they chose Church Army because it portrayed their faith through action, word and belief.”

Bringing life afte

16 Shareit!

Betty Waller

a Holiday at Home event every August where up to 60 older people come together each day to enjoy activities, entertainment, stories, refreshments and much more. The four-day event is themed and enables people to enjoy a holiday without having to travel.

We really do rejoice that we are able to provide fun, food and fellowship for so many people. In each situation, through friendship and through prayer, we believe that God’s love is being shared with another of His children and we consider it such a privilege to be equipped to serve with others in this way.

Go to www.churcharmy.org.uk/PaulandSheelaghEasby to see a short fi lm about the REACHOUT project.

So what can be done with a legacy donation like Betty’s? We speak to Evangelists Paul and Sheelagh Easby in Starbeck, near Harrogate, who are creating a Christian community for older people living in the local community and in residential homes

For the last four years, Sheelagh and I have been working in Harrogate with

small teams of Christian volunteers who help to run the fresh expressions project REACHOUT which aims to engage older people with the love of God.

The most visible expression of our work happens each Wednesday when more than 30 older people gather at 10.30am to enjoy fellowship together – the group is known as PLUS! During the morning the church hall at St Andrew’s Church is a buzz of activity as people take part in quizzes, keep-fi t, watch DVDs and listen to talks. At lunchtime they join others for an enjoyable three-course meal which is prepared by our volunteers.

Some of the group’s members are regular churchgoers, but for many, these activities are their only contact with church. Each month, after keep-fi t, a Communion service is held for those who wish to participate.

One of the members, when asked about PLUS! said: “This group has been a lifesaver for me after the death of my husband,” while another said: “This is my church!”

In addition to PLUS!, we also run

er death

Shareit! 17

faith


a Holida at Home e ent e er

www.churc

Could you remember us in your will? To fi nd out more visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/legacy or telephone Church Army’s Individuals and Legacy Development Offi cer, Jon Pape, on 0300 123 2113.

“ This group has been a lifesaver for me after the death of my husband”

Paul and Sheelagh Easby

18 Shareit!

churcharmy.org.uk to give to our work call 0300 123 2113to give to our work call 0300 123 2113

Your bags are packed with

sun-cream, wellies and waterproof

macs. It can only mean one thing…

it’s festival time! Communications

and Marketing Officer, Bryony Wells,

tells us more about Church Army’s

event plans this summer

FeverFestival

Getting out and about to meet

all the wonderful people

who support Church Army and

having the chance to tell them

about our work is one of the things

we love doing. Christian festivals

are just one of the great opportunities

we have to do that!

This year you’ll fi nd the events

team and I at Soul Survivor:

Week A (29th July - 2nd August) and

Greenbelt (26th - 29th August). Our

Chief Executive, Mark Russell, will also

join us at Soul Survivor in Stafford where

he will be speaking at a number of

seminars to hundreds of young people.

Church Army will be giving

festival-goers the opportunity to

have their photo taken for the

Make Jesus Famous photo wall

(www.makejesusfamous.org.uk). MJF

is a web resource that offers young

people the chance to contribute their

ideas about how to share the gospel

at school, college, youth group and

in their community. We will also be

profi ling our internet initiative Now a

Christian (www.nowachristian.org)

which is an email course for people

who are exploring Christianity. As usual

we’ll have copies of Shareit! and Prayer

Diary for visitors to take home.

This year we’re really pleased to

be joined at Soul Survivor by some of

our Xplore gap year students who will

be on-hand to share their stories. This

programme is aimed at those who

want to take mission seriously and our

latest group of Xplorers have recently

returned from locations as varied as

Romania, London and Australia.

(www.churcharmy.org.uk/xplore)

At Greenbelt in Cheltenham we’ll

be helped by one of our Evangelists,

Graham Nunn, who will literally have

tricks up his sleeves as he entertains

the crowds with his own special

take on magic!

So if you’re attending either event

you’ll fi nd us at G-Source at Greenbelt

or in the Toolshed at Soul Survivor.

You’ll defi nitely get a warm welcome!

aw

hs

news

Bryony Wells


Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

I grew up in Northern Ireland and at the age of 21 I felt God was calling me to service. I’d heard about Church Army through its caravan missions and it attracted me because it gave opportunities to lay people. Over the years I’ve worked in projects nationwide and as part of management.

You are now a Chaplain at the ASDA superstore in Chatham. How did you get involved?

When I retired I moved to the Chatham area and began to attend the same church as the head of the Kent Workplace Mission. One Sunday, after the service, we had a chat about the role at ASDA. When I discovered there were over 500 people employed at the store and so few of them were Christians, I thought, here is a place I can minister.

What does your role involve?

I go into the store each Wednesday for two hours and chat with people in the staff canteen. After that, I go onto the shop fl oor and speak to the staff and customers. They get awfully surprised and say: “I didn’t

know there were Chaplains at these sorts of places!”

What’s the best part of your job?

Well, I enjoy having a bacon butty when my wife’s not looking! But seriously, I think it’s when shoppers or staff come to you because they know you’re going to listen confi dentially.

What are the struggles you face?

The struggle is to break through on the God-front – the number of conversations I have about football is immense! We do hold an annual remembrance service for ASDA staff that’ve passed away which lasts for 15 minutes – around 60 staff turn up for it. We also do carol singing at Christmas with local churches.

Finally, how would you like to develop the ministry?

I would like to see a team join me as I just don’t have enough time to meet everybody. So please pray for God to grow the ministry and provide future volunteers. Also, give thanks for the other Church Army Evangelists who are involved in supermarket chaplaincy.

At your service…

Retired Evangelist Ray Mills is a familiar face

at the ASDA superstore in Chatham, Kent.

Here he speaks to Hannah Gray

about his work as a Supermarket Chaplain

action

Shareit! 19

PHOTO

S: ASD

A

In your own words

churcharmy.org.uk to give to our work call 0300 123 2113

Michelle West

Please find enclosed a donation in memory of the time I spent in a Church Army sanatorium where eventually I was cured of tuberculosis in 1925 when I was seven years old. Thank you. Mrs Lambourne, Derby

Welcome to our letters page! I’d like to

introduce myself as the new Income Processor

and Supporter Care Administrator who has the

privilege to receive all your letters of encouragement

and generous donations. Thank you so much for

your commitment to our work; it is a joy to see

how your support is changing lives.

Please keep your calls and letters coming in –

your input into Church Army is extremely valuable –

particularly during this time of change as we

settle into our new Minster for Evangelism in Sheffi eld.

I hope you enjoy reading this page and thank

you once again.

Michelle West,

Income Processor and Supporter Care Administrator

I have just been re-reading I have just been re-reading

the winter edition of the winter edition of Shareit!Shareit!

It is so good to hear about It is so good to hear about

the various and exciting ways the various and exciting ways

in which opportunities are in which opportunities are

taken to share the good news taken to share the good news

of our Lord Jesus with of our Lord Jesus with

those outside the church. those outside the church.

Barbara Cudmore,

Market Harborough, Leicestershire

Throughout the year my thoughts and prayers are always with you as I use your Prayer Diary on a daily basis.

David Priestley,

Whitehaven, Cumbria

20 Shareit!

www.churcharmy.org.ukw

ords

I have just watched the Ethos film (www.churcharmy.org.

uk/ethos) and I thought it was a wonderful production -

maybe it was because I knew the people and some

were a great influence on me when I first came to

Church Army almost 50 years ago. It was refreshing

to see members of the family and have memories

rekindled and prayers renewed.

Ian Ferguson, Tyne and Wear

Please keep sending in your comments, memories and photographs to us. Our new address is: Church Army, Wilson Carlile Centre, 50 Cavendish Street, Sheffi eld, S3 7RZ. Alternatively, please email [email protected]

Shareit! 21

Thank you for the opportunity Thank you for the opportunity of receiving of receiving Now a Christian

Now a Christian in in the form of emails. I think it the form of emails. I think it is an excellent course and very is an excellent course and very well presented. It has become well presented. It has become very important to me. very important to me. Online comment

I really appreciate the I really appreciate the

safe space to work out safe space to work out

so many tricky spiritual so many tricky spiritual

questions. The Christian questions. The Christian

Enquiry Agency Enquiry Agency

(www.christianity.org.ukwww.christianity.org.uk) )

is a fantastic thing and is a fantastic thing and

long may it continue. long may it continue.

Online comment

I am very much a Christian who went to church but never really thought about why I was going so it is great to learn a bit more about what it is all about from Now a Christian. I am finding it really helpful. Thank you! Online comment

I thought you may be interested in this picture of Church Army at work in Sheffield during the Blitz. Its 70th anniversary has recently been remembered in the news. My father won the George Medal for an act of bravery during the Sheffield Blitz when he was in the Home Guard. Aileen Taylor, Leeds

A BLANK CANVAS

22 Shareit!

Artist and Evangelist, Colin Brown, speaks about exploring faith among the creative community in Cornwall

I was walking along the seafront overlooking Falmouth Bay with

my wife Angela several years ago. We were in the midst of a major life transition, felt really stuck, and had been waiting a long time for a way ahead. Our mood was refl ected by the heavily overcast day and, as we gazed out to sea in our longing, the clouds parted slightly and an intense ray of brilliant white sunlight shone on the water. As we looked on this, it began to move across the bay and came directly toward us. We felt and heard within us the message: “It will come to you”. This transformed how we felt, our angst being replaced by peace and stillness as God held our longing for the future.

This attitude of waiting and trusting continues to be very important as God leads us in our work.

The original vision we developed with the help of Church Army was to live and work as a practising artist in Falmouth, meeting and building relationships with fellow artists and others involved in the creative community. A dream job you might think, which to a great extent it is. But the reality of growing such relationships so they reach a point where faith can be discussed is often extremely diffi cult. There is also the danger of rushing into things – there were many opportunities I could have dived straight into. However, with God’s guidance, I have grown to understand the importance of patience and the need to form relationships slowly. You can’t make someone want to explore faith.

Before joining Church Army, Colin was a technical illustrator in Cornwall and then worked for 20 years as an airbrush artist in photo-realism, for advertising agencies and design companies around the world. For more information about Colin and his work visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/colinbrown and www.colinsart.org.uk

Before joining Church Army, Colin wasa technical illustrator in Cornwall andthen worked for 20 years as an airbrushartist in photo-realism, for advertisingagencies and design companiesaround the world. For more informationabout Colin and his work visitwww.churcharmy.org.uk/colinbrownand www.colinsart.org.uk

Shareit! 23

faith

Please pray for Colin, for patience and wisdom, and that the artists and people of Falmouth and beyond might see a glimpse of God’s clear horizon and, in His good time, take the plunge of faith so they too can enjoy life to the full.

How can I help?

My paintings are inspired by the incredible beauty of the world around us

My prayer is that the creator of such beauty can also be seen, who is beyond our words, yet is at the heart of every person.

So, returning to the analogy of winter, God invites me to trust and pray whilst waiting. During winter, deep underground and hidden from our view, energy is being stored ready for seeds to germinate, sap to rise and bulbs to push their shoots up towards the light and warmth. Winter is always followed by spring, then summer, when we begin to see the growth we long for.

We may be enjoying warmer weather now, but the ‘season’ in terms of the ministry feels a bit like winter. Often the ground is barren, the soil dark and cold. There is little sign of growth and any tender shoots appearing look fragile – a sudden frost could see them off before they’ve developed enough to grow strong. Occasionally someone wants to talk about faith, but it feels important to allow him or her the freedom to choose when and how far to take it.

At the moment I’m running bi-weekly Art and Spirituality Discussion Groups at Falmouth’s art college and about 40 people have been so far. There have been some encouraging times and we value silent prayer together. One young man described this group as his ‘church’.

I also exhibit work which relates to my Christian faith. I hope that through mine and others’ paintings, people may be touched and perhaps inspired to ask some of the bigger questions about life. Recently an exhibition entitled Bless_edfeatured work from 20 West Country artists who had been invited to refl ect on one of the Beatitudes. My own painting responded to Jesus’ teaching: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.

My paintings are inspired by the incredible beauty of the world around us – special places that excite, move and draw me - where I sense the presence of God. This was portrayed in my most recent exhibition, Aqua, which included work inspired by the stunning coastline of Falmouth Bay.

Sharing

24 Shareit!

churcharmy.org.uk to give to our work call 0300 123 2113

For many people, sharing their faith is something For many people, sharing their faith is something

that fi lls them with dread or confusion. that fi lls them with dread or confusion. Jim CurrinJim Currin, ,

in his new book in his new book Sharing Faith the Jesus WaySharing Faith the Jesus Way, ,

tackles this by looking at how Jesus spread the tackles this by looking at how Jesus spread the

good news and the principles he appliedgood news and the principles he applied

How would you describe your faith journey? One thing I am sure about is that it will

be quite different to anyone else’s.This is illustrated on the website

www.faith-journeys.com run by Christian Research. Have a look. You can see the stories of lots of Christians, and you can add your own. The research is clear – we all come to have our faith in Jesus Christ through many different ways.

We also share our faith in a variety of ways too. As a student in Church Army training I remember discussing how we were going to evangelise when commissioned. One said: “we must preach for conversion”, while another said: “No – we can only love them into the kingdom”. I remember one student saying: “Okay, you do it your way, and I’ll do it His!”

I like to think of all this variety as the “360” gospel of Jesus. It is as if we are all at different points on a compass and Jesus speaks to us all in turn. He addresses our deepest need with a facet of the gospel message most relevant to us personally.

The theologian, John V Taylor, said in Pray Every Day (1976): “An essentially biblical emphasis – all too often ignored by the church – is that Christ is Lord and Saviour of the whole of a person, or he is no saviour at all. Because Jesus insisted on seeing the person whole, one could never be sure which aspect of a person’s need he would tackle fi rst.

“Here comes the paralysed man,

helpless and obviously sick in body. His friends have bought him hoping for a simple cure, and Jesus talks about the forgiveness of sins. Here on the other hand comes a clear case of spiritual need, an enquirer asking how to gain eternal life, and Jesus gives him an economic answer, telling him how to give away his goods to the poor. Because ultimately Jesus cannot rest content until all of a person’s needs are fully met, it does not matter much to him where he starts on the work of salvation.”

To me, this quote is very exciting. I think it opens all sorts of doors for connecting with people so that they can hear the good news of Jesus today.

But then I have to ask, how do we share our faith in the way in which Jesus did? What do the four gospels tell us? How do we help people hear the good news?

Basically I think that there are three stories. The place to start is with “their story” as you listen to another person. Then there is “your story” as you share and get to know each other. Finally there is “God’s story” in Jesus Christ. The key is to connect the three stories together.

How we learn from Jesus and connect these three stories is explored in my new book called Sharing Faith the Jesus Way which is being published by Bible Reading Fellowship in July this year.

David Cornick, General Secretary at

visit the brf website at www.brf.org.uk

978-1-84101-862-1UK £ ™xHSLIOBy018621z

Jim CurrinForeword by David Cornick Churches Together in England

Sharing Faith the Jesus Way

Jim Currin

Faith is personal, but it is not private. We are Christians today because other people shared their faith in the past. We might think the good news mainly came to us through Peter, Paul and the other great preachers that have followed since. In fact the Gospel travelled down the centuries in a variety of ways: chiefl y through ordinary Christians doing ordinary things made extraordinary by the Holy Spirit. We are part of a 2000 year old chain.

This book is written for all those who feel they cannot share their faith, or have never read about doing it before now. Together we shall explore principles linked to how Jesus shared the good news: on the road, in the home on the lake or up a mountain. We shall read the Gospels and follow his example, to make it possible, natural and a positive experience as we pray. Each chapter includes practical exercises to explore with a friend or wider group.Jim Currin has been a Church Army Evangelist since 1979, leading missions, training, and facilitating evangelism. He is currently Secretary for Evangelisation at Churches Together in England. He has written many articles, web material, study courses, and workbooks, as well as three booklets for the Grove evangelism series, most recently Paradox in the Gospel.

Allow 3 x 2 line endorsements.David Spriggs, Bible SocietyIan Bunce, Baptist Union of Great BritainClare Ward, Home Mission Advisor, RC Bishops Conference

xHSL

Allow 3 2 li

BritainRC Bis

978-1-84101-862-1UK £

Allow 3 x 2 line endorsements.DavDavid avid DaD SSpSprprigpriggpriggiggs, B, BBibBibbs, Bs, lee SocietyIaIaannn BuBunnnccee, Baappttiissstt UUnion of Great BCCllaaarree WWWaaarrdd,, Hooommmmee MMissionission AdvisAdvisd or, or, Faithw.brf.org.uukk

SLIOBy018621zt t wwwwwwwwww

™xHSLvvvisisssiit t tthehhe v brfbrf wwewebwebebsbsisitte ate twebwebsbsitsitwe e atf

UK £ ™™


Shareit! 25

www.churcharmy.org.ukw

ords

Churches Together in England, says in the foreword: “In days gone by, people in Western Europe learnt the Christian story from clergy, teachers and parents. Now, for the fi rst time in about 1,500 years, ordinary Christians need to be missionaries to people of their own culture who have no background knowledge of the gospel. This is a daunting task.”

Sharing Faith the Jesus Way can be used as a personal journey or a six-week series of studies in sermons and small groups – each week being based on one well-known gospel reading.

I pray it will help us to continue passing the

gospel down the centuries as ordinary Christians have done for thousands of years. May God use us, through his Holy Spirit, to continue this 2,000-year-old chain.

Jim has been a Church Army Evangelist since 1979, leading missions, training, and facilitating evangelism. He is currently Secretary for Evangelisation at Churches Together in England and has written three booklets for the Grove evangelism series, most recently The 360 Gospel of Jesus. He has also launched www.jesus360.org.uk

BOOK GIVEAWAY! BOOK GIVEAWAY! We have fi ve FREE copies of Sharing Faith the Jesus Way to give away thanks to Bible Reading Fellowship. Please complete this coupon and send it to the address below by 30 September 2011. The fi rst fi ve drawn at random from entries submitted will get a copy of the book.

Title________________________Name _________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________Postcode ___________________________

Email ______________________________________________________________________________________

Church attended (if any) ___________________________________________________________________

Year of birth _______________________________________________________________________________

Return this form to: Sharing Faith the Jesus Way giveaway, Church Army, Wilson Carlile Centre, 50 Cavendish Street, Sheffi eld, S3 7RZ

DATA PROTECTION: In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, we hold your details to provide you with updates and information on

how you can pray and support our work. If you do not wish to receive any future communications from Church Army please tick this box.

Reg. charity nos: 226226 & SC040457

A MESSY” MISSION

26 Shareit!

churcharmy.org.uk

George Lings from Church Army’s Research Unit, The Sheffi eld Centre, discusses

the thinking behind the Messy Church phenomenon with his colleague Claire Dalpra

What is Messy Church?

Messy Church is an all-age fresh expression of church that offers families the chance to come together to be, to make, to eat and to celebrate God. The fi rst Messy Church began in Portsmouth in 2004. There are now more than 640 examples of it across a variety of denominations and countries.

What are its strengths?

Messy Church is one of the best kinds of fresh expressions of church at attracting the non-churched. The church-based values of hospitality, creativity and celebration work well because people new to church fi nd they are values they can identify with. It is also the best resourced kind of fresh expression with national and regional coordinators, books

and a website. (www.messychurch.org.uk).

What are its challenges?

Most Messy Churches hold their public gatherings monthly which raises the challenge of discipleship in a particular way – the national leaders are working on it! There is also the challenge of including boys and dads more fully in Messy Church gatherings, although stories are beginning to emerge that show how this can be done well.

Is Messy Church really church?

Its best practitioners are intending it should be. Being church is a core value; Messy Church is not intended to be a bridge to ‘normal’ church. However, across the 300 examples that exist, the reality is mixed. For Messy Churches that adopt the shape – craft, worship and food – without attending to the values beneath, the end result may look more like an outreach project than church.


Some of the very best ideas seem both simple and revolutionary – Messy Church is one of them. This all-age, fresh expression of church has grown so popular that there are now more than 600 examples of it across the country. We fi nd out how Church Army is getting involved


Shareit! 27

Church Army Evangelist, Gill Martin, runs a Messy Church at St Francis Church in Strood, Rochester. She tells us more about this “huge venture” in faith.

At St Francis Church in Strood, we have very

few families attending on Sunday. This is due to a variety of reasons: children visiting relatives, shopping, or people feeling the traditional Sunday worship is restricting in some way.

For some time I’d wanted to offer something for young children after school. We already had an after school club which is run by volunteers from church but had no specifi c Christian content and we did not want to be another childminding service.

Then I discovered Messy Church, a monthly gathering of local people learning more about God in a fun and creative way. We usually meet on the fourth Wednesday of the month. From 3.30pm families arrive and are greeted with a drink and biscuit and we have about four or fi ve activities based on a theme. We also provide table football, giant Connect 4 and Mr Potato Head activities. At 5pm we go into church for 15 minutes of worship and then return to the hall for a meal together. We ask for donations but there is no charge.

For our church, this is a huge venture

in faith. We are not large in numbers, but we are committed to our community. There is a team of caterers and a small team who organise the activities. It is also essential to have people who will sit amongst those who attend to build up relationships and talk about their faith.

We get between 60-80 people who wouldn’t normally attend worship on a Sunday and it is such a privilege to share the good news of Jesus with them. Messy Church allows people to engage with church in a relaxed environment and it is great to see it growing.

To see a fi lm on Gill’s work visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/gillmartin

To fi nd out more about Messy Church read Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore (BRF, 2009) and Encounters on the Edge no.46 Messy Church: Ideal for All Ages? by George Lings (order at www.encountersontheedge.org.uk £4 plus p&p). Alternatively visit www.messychurch.org.uk

“ People can engage with church in a relaxed environment”

faith

Sh it! 2

Please pray for Gill as she develops her Messy Church community, that people would be discipled and built-up in their faith.

How can I help?

Gill Martin

28 Shareit!

County shows have played a major role in rural communities

for decades, providing farmers and visitors with a chance to truly celebrate the ‘Best of British’. The South of England Show is no exception and since its beginning in 1967 it has grown to attract more than 90,000 people each year.

With so many people gathered in one place, Church Army Rural Link Offi cer and Chichester Diocese Evangelist, Gordon Banks, has made the show a date in his diary and over the years has helped to develop a Church Tent ministry at the event.

He said: “The church has had a presence at The South of England Show for a good number of years and it all began with a crèche and lost children facility.

“The work has moved on since then, but the ‘lost people’ facility remains a bedrock for the ministry which provides a safe and secure place for vulnerable adults or children to wait until they are reunited with the appropriate people. It’s a bit like the Tent of Meeting set up by the wandering tribes of Israel.”

Throughout the three-day event the Church Tent is a real hub of activity and provides visitors with refreshments, a children’s craft corner, games, exhibitions and the opportunity to take part in prayer and acts of worship.

Each day people are invited to take part in worship and regular prayer slots where a freshly baked loaf of bread is blessed and shared amongst the guests.

Gordon said: “This in every way makes us the church at the show


The South of England Show, held at the Ardingly Showground in West Sussex, attracts thousands of people each summer and is a bastion of rural life and tradition. Church Army Rural Link Offi cer and Chichester Diocesan Evangelist, Gordon Banks, explains how his work at the show’s Church Tent is literally connecting him with lost people

churcharmy.org.uk to gchurcharmy.org.uk

On with the show!

Gordon Banks

PHOTO

S: THE SOUTH O

F ENG

LAN

D A

GRIC

ULTURAL SO

CIETY


Shareit! 29

as we eat together, share faith, care for our guests, demonstrate our engagement with the world and worship together.”

The Church Tent is an ecumenical ministry and is run by local churches and Christian organisations. It takes a lot of preparation and each year Gordon and his wife Jane set up residence at the showground in their Church Army Mission Caravan.

He said: “It is a real privilege to be on-site throughout the entire event and to be able to offer people a real hope for the future by reaching them with the gospel of Christ.”

Alongside the Church Tent’s outreach, Gordon also works with the Farm Crisis Network (FCN) which seeks to help farmers who are experiencing stress and anxiety. Gordon is Chaplain to the Sussex FCN group which exhibits at the Church Tent.

Gordon said: “The FCN is a vital support network for farmers who frequently fi nd themselves struggling against the odds – especially when there are crises of animal disease and adverse weather conditions.

“The group is run by volunteers, with a strong Christian ethos, and by attending the show they have a great opportunity to reach isolated people. Rural life can seem idyllic, but in reality it is often very lonely.”

Yet despite the diffi culties of rural living, Gordon continues to fl y the fl ag for Christ and there’s no mistaking him at The South of England Show – dressed in navy blue he’s Church Army through-and-through!

To fi nd out more about Gordon’s work at The South of England Show, visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/GordonBanks and watch a short fi lm.

Gordon has also helped to produce a workbook on the churches’ engagement with county shows which is now available to download at www.ruralevangelism.co.uk

faith

“We care for our guests and demonstrate

our engagement with the world”

Please pray for Gordon and his engagement with rural communities, that he would fi nd innovative ways to reach people with the gospel and practical ways to support them.

How can I help?

To fi nd out more about Gordon’s work at The South of England Show, visitwww.churcharmy.org.uk/GordonBanksand watch a short fi lm.

Gordon has also helped to produce aworkbook on the churches’ engagement with county shows which is now available todownload at www.ruralevangelism.co.uk

Please pray for Mark and his team as they bring Jesus to vulnerable women in diffi cult situations.

How can I help?

30 Shareit!

Who counts in society? This was the question asked to people

nationwide as part of Homelessness and Poverty Action Week which is run annually to raise awareness about such issues. It is organised by Church Action on Poverty, Housing Justice and Scottish Churches Housing Association.

Here at The Marylebone Project we offered residents and day centre clients the opportunity to participate in creative prayer. Each session involved arts and crafts and had a different theme.

The fi rst session of the week was a celebration of Taize´ worship with singing, prayer and refl ection on the theme “longing in us”. Worship was led by Time For God volunteer Miriam Block.

The subsequent sessions saw the women enjoy a time of quiet refl ection by candlelight in the Bradbury Chapel, take part in a drama exploring the

idea that people are equal in the eyes of God, and create a timeline collage about the different “seasons” of life.

These sessions sparked much discussion about homelessness among the women; how they count in society and are not “invisible”, and the importance of women in the life of Jesus.

During the week, Lynda, one of the day centre users, refl ected that well-known truth: “Jesus loves all his children. Red and yellow, black and white, they

are precious in his sight. Jesus died for all his children of this world.”

Another day centre user and ex-resident, Yvonne, said: “There comes a time in one’s life where you come to a bridge that you cannot cross. I feel that we are living in a battlefi eld, but the only place that I can be free and be myself is at The Marylebone Project.”

Give thanks for all that was learnt and shared. Give thanks for The Marylebone Project!

To fi nd out more about The Marylebone Project visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/Marylebone

The Marylebone Project in London works with vulnerable homeless women and is one of the largest hostels of its type in the UK. To mark Homelessness and Poverty Action Week, its residents and day centre clients took part in a Creative Prayer Week exploring different ways to express spirituality through arts and craft. Community Evangelist, Mark Dadds, tells us more…


Getting creative with GodGetting creative with God

churcharmy.org.uk

action


Shareit! 31

The young The young are the are the best best teachersteachersby Peter Graystone

the last w

ord

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:1-2

thoughts about God. “Children dare to ask questions that adults don’t ask,” she says.

Celia is a Church Army Evangelist working in Bedworth. It is a former mining town near Coventry where areas of wealth and areas of deprivation are side by side. She runs Kidzone, a club that is introducing children to the wonder of God in the context of great fun and real care.

“Many children are dismissed as rubbish, sometimes even before they are born, and they need to hear about our God who loves them unconditionally,” she says.

Young people have featured often in this edition of Shareit! Many of Church Army’s Evangelists devote a lot of time to children and young people. They do so because they have so much to tell them. But they also do it because they have so much to learn from them.

Perhaps a bit more childish amazement would be good for us all from time to time.

Thirty centuries ago a songwriter stood on the walls of Jerusalem

and gazed into the night sky. He was overcome with wonder at the number of stars, and their brightness. Today an astronomer turns her telescope toward the heavens and sees vast distances in the cosmos of which the songwriter could never have dreamed.

The scientist analyses. The poet composes. But there is someone who is thinking thoughts that are more powerful than either of them. And that is a baby!

A child just marvels. He doesn’t try to explain God, or deny God, or describe God. He just marvels. Nobody would ever tell a child that he is stupid to be in awe of the universe because it is a random scientifi c accident in a godless world. Not even God’s worst enemy would do that. Instead a child is encouraged to wonder. Infant one. Atheist nil.

Celia Hare isn’t surprised at all that children are able to think great

Peter Graystone

THE MAGAZINE FOR TODAY’S CHRISTIAN WOMAN

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The power of a praying granny

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Wherever you are on your faith journey, Woman Alive offers ideas, inspiration and advice to help you draw closer to God and to live out what you believe. Meet women like you every month in the magazine for today’s Christian woman.

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