Churches unite to transform communities
20 Jul 2010
Christians from 18 churches are set to work together this summer to engage in community projects in the north west of England. Engage 2010 is a project 12 years in the making and building on the success of a one-day event in Hoole, Chester in 1997. This one day developed into a week-long Hoolefest in 2004 and then Chesterfest in 2007. Each year it has grown to include more people and to have an even greater impact on local communities. 20 churches have partnered with local businesses and agencies to deliver a week-long youth and community programme. Young people have grown in confidence as they have understood their value and significance as well as building character, self-esteem and teamwork. 18 church congregations from across Cheshire West and Chester are working together with the support of partner organisations including Link Up, The Light Project and Chester Christian Schools Work to organise the programme. Pray: for God’s blessing on all those involved in this project as they live the Gospel message. (1Pe.3:15) More:http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/chester.churches.unite.to.transform.communities/26265.htm
Churches Together hail ‘year of celebration’
02 Feb 2012The Presidents of Churches Together in England (CTE) have heralded 2012 as a ‘year of celebration’. With the Olympic Games and torch relays, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee all on the horizon, they say the four month period from May to September will provide opportunities for people to gather and celebrate together ‘in ways which will both enhance and deepen community life’. The CTE Presidents are the Moderator of the United Reformed Churches, the Rev Michael Heaney, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, and the head of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain, the Rt Rev Jana Jeruma-Grinberga. In a joint statement, the Church leaders spoke
of the ‘unprecedented’ collaboration between the denominations ahead of the Olympics. ‘More Christian communities from different traditions than ever before are coming together to plan practical ways of serving the project of the Olympic Games, which can bring many and diverse benefits,’ they said.
Pray: for all those involved in the preparations for the celebrations and especially for the successful collaboration between the denominations. (Ps.145:7)
Churches to focus evangelism on Men
17 Jan 2011Anglican churches in the Oxford Diocese are being urged to focus their evangelistic efforts on men in an attempt to redress the gender balance in many parish churches. Estimates indicate that 65 percent of regular worshippers are women, and in many churches, the percentage is much higher. On February 5, the Oxford Diocese, in partnership with Men And The Church (MATCH), is to host a one day conference for clergy and lay people. The aim is to review resources and ideas for churches wanting to reach un-churched men with the gospel, to explore why so many men leave the Church, and to encourage new strategies for evangelism to men. The event is the idea of the Revd Paul Eddy, curate at Grove Parish Church, who said: ‘In churches across the diocese, clergy are very concerned about the lack of men in their congregations and have been asking for resources and support in developing effective evangelism’.
Pray: for the Holy Spirit to open up the way to bringing the Gospel to more men or more men to the Gospel. (3Jn:8)
Churches that serve rural communities
11 Nov 2010
Rural Presence is the new interactive website for Christians engaged in rural mission. It provides a forum for all Christians to share good news stories and information about the church in rural communities. The aim is to encourage and inspire mission and discipleship in rural churches. By sharing the wealth of ideas and practical approaches from churches around Britain it is hoped that an effective Christian presence can be promoted and sustained in the countryside. ‘This site offers an opportunity to share in all that is good and exciting about the rural church,’ said Rev Graham Jones, National Rural Officer for the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. ‘Whether it’s setting up community cinemas or hosting local post offices, the opportunities for rural churches to serve their communities are endless. We want to resource, enthuse and inspire Christians to think differently about their ministry in the countryside.’ Experiences may be shared at www.ruralpresence.org.uk where creative ideas can be found. Pray: for the mission and work of rural churches and for their leaders. (Ac.16:5) More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=474
Churches are struggling to cope with the rise in demand for homeless and housing services. Housing Justice says that churches in its network have reported an increase in the number of people turning to them for help with housing. New church shelter schemes that opened up this winter in Milton Keynes and Birmingham were filled to capacity. Newly published Government statistics show that rough sleeping has risen in England by 23% in the last year. Figures from the Department of Communities and Local Government state that 2,181 people are sleeping rough on any one night, up from a total of 1,768 in last year's count. The figure is based on street counts carried out by 53 local authorities between October and November of last year, and estimates made in partnership with local homelessness agencies. Housing Justice director Alison Gelder said: ‘This increase is sadly part of a familiar picture of chronic and growing housing need in society.'
Pray: for God to enable the Church to meet this challenge and for the Government to ensure the most vulnerable are adequately supported. (Ps.140:12)
Churches pray for healthcare workers
22 Oct 2012Churches across the UK are said prayers last Sunday for doctors, nurses and others working in healthcare. Healthcare Sunday is held each year by the Christian Medical Fellowship, Christian Nurses and Midwives, and the Healthcare Christian Fellowship. It is an opportunity to show their support for healthcare workers as they live out God's call to care for the sick. Dr Peter Saunders, Chief Executive of Christian Medical Fellowship, said: ‘Many more people pass through our hospitals and GP surgeries than through our churches, and Christian doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers play a key role as Christ's hands and feet with the opportunity to touch people's lives at what can be their greatest time of need. ‘They also face big ethical and moral pressures in a workplace which is often hostile to Christian faith and values. As ordinary Christian disciples facing these challenges and with their own personal, spiritual and emotional needs, they need our prayer and encouragement.’
Pray: for all those who work in healthcare often under severe pressure of work, and for some, of their faith too. (Pr.16:24)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.pray.for.healthcare.workers/30832.htm
Churches offer homeless rolling night shelter
17 Jan 2011Twelve churches in Tower Hamlets have clubbed together to open a rolling night shelter for homeless people in the East London borough. The GrowTH project is offering homeless people a safe and warm place to sleep seven days a week until the end of February. Participating churches are taking it in turns to open their doors to guests from 7.30pm and provide a hot dinner in the evening and breakfast the following morning. Tony Uddin, of Tower Hamlets Community Church, is one of the project organisers. He said the churches were inspired to set up GrowTH because of the gap in service provision for local homeless people in their area. ‘Our volunteers’ generosity means that we can make a real difference this Christmas and throughout the winter,’ he said. ‘It is important for churches to be involved in the local community and our initiative is proof that we can make a real difference and implement the much publicised Big Society ethos.’
Pray: for this and similar initiatives across the country and that the Gospel message will be lived out in practice. (Pr.28:27)
More people in the UK are turning to church-run food-banks to cope with the rising cost of living. The Trussell Trust said 100,000 people had received emergency food from its network of foodbanks in the last six months. New food-banks are being opened by the Christian charity at a rate of three a week to meet the demand. The network has fed almost 110,000 people across the UK since April 2012, compared to just under 129,000 people during the whole of the 2011 to 2012 financial period. Trussell Trust is expecting to feed over 200,000 people by the end of the 2012 to 2013 period. The increase in demand is being put down to rising food and fuel costs, together with static incomes, high unemployment and changes to benefits. With winter just around the corner, the Trussell Trust said it feared more Britons would be so hard up that they cannot afford to eat.
Pray: that the ability of the Church to provide for the needy will match the demand. (Ps.20:2)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.meeting.growing.demand.for.emergency.food/30821.htm