missionscene_February 2012 by Baptist Union of Great Britain

February 2012

The challenge of the Boomer Generation p4

29 February: A Day of Blessing

Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the Church p13

A bi-monthly publication of the Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland

In this edition Page 3

Editorial: John Singleton introduces this edition, looking at mission opportunities for the Baby Boomer generation.

Pages 4-7

Baby Boomers: The challenge of the Baby Boomer generation, A layman’s view of the imminent Baby Bommer retirement era, Time for a change.

Pages 8-9 Baptist Events: Find out about what’s going on and how you can get involved: 29 February: A day of blessing, Evangelists’ Network houseparty, Incarnate church planters’ gathering, A Space for All Sorts youth and children’s workers’ Conference. Page 10-13

Other Events: Events being run by other organisations which may be of interest to you or others in your church DNA taster days, Cafechurch network training days, Christianity: I thought it would be more exciting than this Conference, Internet evangelism day, Lead Academy taster days and new learning communities, Crucible Elements days, Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the Church.

Pages 14-22 Resources: A range of resources to help you and your church in mission re:focus, Street Pastor National Year of Prayer, Marriage Week, Real Easter Egg, Hope for Easter, Resources for the Olympic / Paralympic Games from More than Gold, BMS (Undefeated) and BRF, Resources from Damaris, Not getting any younger, Special offer for Mother’s Day from Liberti magazine, So who is this Jesus? magazine Pages 23-29

Youth, Children and Family Workers: News of events and resources suitable for those working with children, young people and families Hand in Hand Conference, Hand in Hand Schools Conference, Chaplaincy in Education Conference, Porn Scars Conference, A Space for All Sorts youth and children’s workers’ Conference, 1277 Website, EBF Youth and Children’s Workers’ Conference, Baptist Youth World Conference, Resources for Lent and Easter, Olympic Year resources from BRF.

Page 30

A final word

Page 31

Contact details: Get in touch with your local representative on the Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland

is a bi-monthly publication of the Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland

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The focus of this month’s missionscene is those described as baby boomers. You may not be aware of it, but if you were born between 1946 and 1964, you are one! This group started to reach 65 in 2011 and over the next 18 years there will be a large group of post-war babies who are retiring. It is estimated that 1 in 4 of the population fit into this category, about 15 MILLION people! What a great resource they could be to the church if we could attract a percentage of these men and women into our fellowships. Just 1% would add 150,000 to our Baptist fellowships! Over the years that I have been a regional minister with special responsibility for mission, there have been many initiatives to reach various people groups. We have been made aware that the number of children and young people in our churches has been dropping and good progress has been made in halting that decline, often by moving programmes for these groups away from Sundays, or by the development of parent toddler groups. We have also focused on the lack of the 20-40+ age group in most of our fellowships, and the ‘Fresh Expression’ creative models of church like Cafe Church and Messy Church have been largely targeted at this group, with positive results in many cases. The group of people in the later stages of their lives have also responded to initiatives. Loneliness and the need to cook for yourself has meant that church-run lunch clubs continue to attract large numbers of people.

Importantly, they will also be more open into coming onto our premises! For many people, crossing the threshold of our churches is a major barrier to them, but those with past experience of church will be used to the layout and style of church and will not feel this barrier so keenly. Does this mean we should not look at how ‘fringefriendly’ our churches are? Certainly not – we need to make our services accessible and relevant to all, and an objective review of what we do and why is vital for each fellowship! However, it does mean that all churches, whatever their size and age profile, can reach out to this group of people. Befriending this group will still be key in attracting them, and engagement with the unchurched and dechurched outside the church, as well as outreach events within the church, will be key to drawing baby boomers in.

But what about this large group of baby boomers? Is there any hope of reaching them? Let me give you a statistic about the baby boomers. On average, 1 in 4 of this age group have a church experience in the past, often having attended Sunday school!

What an opportunity for us all to reach lifeexperienced people who, by the Spirit’s power, can have their Christian roots fanned into a saving faith! May God give us the desire to reach out to this group and the inspiration and energy to do it and extend his Kingdom on earth.

In my opinion that gives us a great opportunity to reach out to this group without having to worry too much about whether our services are contemporary enough and have moved away from the ‘hymn sandwich’! Many of the baby boomers who have had some experience of church will remember, and be comfortable with, the older hymns and choruses, but will also have lived through a wide range of secular and sacred music during their formative years and are likely to be open to different styles of worship music.

John Singleton Regional Minister Northern Baptist Association

The Challenge of the Baby Boomer Generation 2011 was a significant date in our cultural history, although it may have passed by unnoticed by many in our churches. In March that year, the first of the sociological group known as the Baby Boomers hit 65 years old and they began retiring in large numbers. Baby Boomers are the ‘bulge’ group in the population born after World War II, between 1946 and 1964. This adds to another milestone of a couple of years ago when the UK reached the point when there were more retired people in the UK than under 16s for the first time. Indeed, the Office for National Statistics projects that this generation will be responsible for swelling the number of over 65s by a massive 45% between the years 2011 and 2030, as an additional 4.5 million people enter retirement. Ageing Boomers are going to be a fact of life for many years to come!

Boomers had experience of church in childhood and as young people, with an average of one in four across this age group being sent to Sunday school. It was still the norm to marry in church. However, Boomers have also left the church in droves.

The numbers alone should be enough to alert the church to a new mission field, but any thoughts in churches that reaching out to the ageing Boomers will be just an extension of existing seniors’ work must be thrown out immediately. Baby Boomers are not only characterised by their large numbers, but also as the group that has experienced particular sociological changes in the second half of the 20th century. They are also the ‘hinge’ group in terms of church attendance. Boomers are on the cusp between the age group when the majority of the population had connections with church, and the younger group where the majority have not. Add to this the fact that most Boomers are in denial about their age, rejoicing in the fact that ’60 is the new 40’ and we see that any connection churches want to make with Boomers will have to be significantly different from existing mission with Third and Fourth Agers.

In the 1998 book Gone but not Forgotten2 Richter and Francis gave the results of their research into why people in the UK had left churches. They identified the Baby Boomers as leaving for distinctive reasons, which are important to understand if trying to re-establish contact with them is to be effective. Baby Boomers have left churches because they find them to be too much like other institutions, lacking authenticity and credibility. They sense that their values and life-style are not welcome at church. They feel stunted by church in their spiritual and personal growth; and they look in vain for their church to be genuinely concerned for the wide social and global issues. As I type I imagine cries of ‘our church is not like that’ from across the country, but the research indicates that these are the perceptions of Boomers who have left in large numbers, and should therefore be considered seriously. Boomers generally mistrusted the motives of leaders regarding the power they exercised, and although they may have mellowed, ‘leaders’ still have to earn their respect and trust, even in the church. Standing’s book gives case studies pointing to ways in which churches might address these issues.

The retail trade, holiday companies, and marketing consultants are all seeing Boomers as a key consumer group. Witness the rise in numbers of cruises and the plethora of moisturising anti-wrinkle creams for both women and men! But as yet, the Christian community remains largely unaware of this development in society. The only UK Christian book on the subject so far is Re-emerging Church1 written in 2008 by Roger Standing, now Deputy Principal and Director of Training at Spurgeon’s College. In this book, we are reminded that many

It is likely that adolescents have always rebelled, but Baby Boomers were exposed in their most formative 2 Gone but not Forgotten, Richter and Francis, 1998, ISBN 0 232 52236 7

1 Re-emerging Church, Standing, 2008, BRF, ISBN 978 1 84101 492 0

years to immense cultural upheavals. Rock and roll came along with extensive illicit drug taking, the permissive society, intense political idealism and unrest, and the growth of New Religious Movements. There was easier access to higher education for both men and women, and this, along with the development of the contraceptive pill, gave women in particular a new ability to determine their own life choices. Even those who did not become ‘flower people’ or join in the early years of the Glastonbury Festival or demonstrate in Grosvenor Square were affected by the ‘counter-cultural’ values of the Baby Boomer generation. Despite changing personal moral values, many did have a social conscience and their student years were characterised by protests against nuclear weapons, harmful pesticides, class inequality and the like. Research in America3 showed that those most affected by the value-shifts are least likely to have returned to church. This must be relevant in the UK too, since all the major issues relating to increased divorce, the breakdown of the traditional family unit, and the rise of the homosexual agenda were started with this generation.

Now is the moment for us to grasp the opportunity of re-engaging Baby Boomers with Christianity. Now is the time when Baby Boomers are starting to grapple with the life-changing experience of retirement. For many, loss of identity comes with giving up a paid job as well as new economic challenges and there is always a process of change to negotiate. As a group, Boomers are healthier, wealthier, more educated and travelled than any preceding retiring generation. They are also more separated from the church and have the potential to be dealing with more moral issues and regrets than previous generations too. An increasing number are also caught in the ‘generation sandwich’ caring both for a long-living parent and for the young grandchildren to enable their parents to go to work to pay the mortgage. With thought and focus, it should be within the capacity of many churches to engage with Baby Boomers. Encouragingly, in 2011, the Office for National Statistics reported that 78% of the 5064 year olds in Britain said they were Christians in response to the question ‘What is your religion, even if you are not currently practising?’4 Interestingly, any focus on evangelism to Boomers either by existing churches or by a new expression of church, is most likely to produce an intergenerational group of new people linked to the church, because of the close involvement many Boomers have with their grandchildren.

Interest in the transcendent was not abandoned by Boomers. Many have explored spiritualities other than Christian and relate readily to New Age spirituality and an immediate and personal spiritual experience. Life-long learning, ongoing personal growth, including spiritual growth, has a high priority for Boomers. This provides a point of re-connection with Christianity if the latent narrative laid down in earlier life can be re-awakened in the appropriate way. The right sort of nostalgic link can bring back positive childhood memories in a flicker. A third space meeting place where shared passions can be explored regularly with old and new friends can provide the framework for sharing life and an authentic faith journey. An invitation to a cause such as working with Street Angels can be the outlet for the social conscience, as people journey back towards the Christian faith. A way of worshipping that engages all the senses, and has that ‘double listening’ to both the mission context and to the essence of Christian inheritance, can be effective. A church building that is welcoming, comfortable and serves good coffee can make all the difference!

Baby Boomers are the last generation that will have had a high level of affiliation with the Christian churches earlier in life. With the passing of this generation, we shall have lost the last strong link to our Christian heritage. It is vital that churches take the Baby Boomer mission field seriously and grasp this Kairos moment. Kathryn Morgan There will be resources offered later this year suitable for engaging with Baby Boomers, along with a new retirement course being written by Baptist minister Dane Baker, and others. 4 ONS Integrated Household Survey 2011, which collects the views of 420,000 people

3 WC Roof 1993:171

A Layman’s View of the Imminent Baby Boomer Retirement Era Baby Boomers are both an opportunity and a challenge for churches. I’ll let others address the challenge. I want to speak about the opportunity. The opportunity is that baby boomers potentially make up a very large resource pool for church work. My wife, Jan, and I were born at the leading edge of the baby boomer period and we are keenly interested in seeing the church thrive. We would like to tell our story. I had a 31-year career in the chemical industry and served my church as deacon, children’s Sunday school teacher, minister to widows, and director of our boys’ missions organisation. After early retirement, I went back to work for several years as a contractor, engineering capital improvements in chemical plants. It occurred to me that I could keep working and putting money in the bank, or I could be more actively involved in the Lord’s work. I chose the latter. I left the best-paying job I ever had to volunteer for the Lord and we have not looked back.

As I served as interim pastor in two UK Baptist churches, Jan and I got to stretch ourselves in ways we could never have imagined. I went from the engineer’s world of numbers, chemicals and machinery to the responsibility and joy of being a pastor. A highpoint of our ministry was a baptismal service in St Paul’s Baptist church in Skegness. Jan got to use her experience with children in our assignments. We were pleased to learn that forty years of teaching and serving had prepared us well.

A few years after retirement, Jan and I learned about American Interim Pastor Ministries’ volunteer work in small British Baptist churches. We learned that AIPM were looking for both retired pastors and God-called lay people. I felt that the church work that I had done during my industrial career might prepare me to serve as volunteer interim pastor.

Jan and I were very well received and blessed by our British church families! We made life-long friends and we stay in touch with a good number of those dear people. This has been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding periods in our lives.

Jan’s work over those same years as a teacher of children and later as a paid church Children’s Minister also prepared her for our new venture.

John and Jan Ward

Time for a change About five years ago, as John and I began to think about retirement, God intervened and challenged us about how we would utilise those early years. We had heard about how some young adults spent their Gap Years before and after university and started reading about Gap Year opportunities for older people. Both of our families have had long term contact with missionaries and so we had grown up with some knowledge of life and work overseas. We had participated in beach missions and camps, overseas mission trips and taken some of our young people to Bulgaria to work with a partner church. Having dipped our toes in the water, God challenged us about spending a larger chunk of time overseas in order to become more involved with a Christian work or project.

the staffing shortage in January, but a number of volunteers came forward during December, which means that we will not be the only new recruits on induction and orientation next week. Our first week includes various sessions on life and procedures at KISC, plus emergency evacuation, as well as language tuition and a city tour.

Two years ago we applied to BMS World Mission, Operation Mobilisation and Tearfund. The first two showed interest in our CVs, work, church and life experiences and thus commenced our journey with BMS World Mission. We have visited Baptist House on three occasions to discuss the way forward and possible openings.

When it was first agreed that we would go to KISC, accommodation was arranged in the school guesthouse. Then we were offered a flat for the second half of our stay and now we are not in the guesthouse at all!! All change, but we are open for God to use us in and around the school and community.

The wonders of modern communications have been extremely beneficial as job descriptions were emailed to us whilst on holiday in Australia and we were able to confirm interest and agree an interview date. Having been accepted in October 2011, BMS World Mission provided us with a week’s training course at International Mission Centre in Birmingham in November along with nine other short-term volunteers. This gave time and space to gain information and insight about work overseas, to think and start more detailed plans. Training and guidance by BMS World Mission staff was first class.

John and Maureen Richards Locks Heath Free Church, Hampshire

BMS World Mission provides a wide range of opportunities for you to engage in overseas mission. From two weeks to a lifetime, whether in a team or as an individual, couple or family, BMS is committed to making mission possible - for you. We’ll match your time and skills to needs and opportunities overseas. Find out more at: www.bmsworldmission.org/go-serve

At the beginning of December we had a number of answered prayers as we sought to secure visas for a short visit to India on our return to UK, booked that trip, finalised our airline tickets and found house sitters, all in the space of a couple of days. Tomorrow (Saturday 7 January 2012) we bid farewell to family and friends and head off to Nepal to work at Kathmandu International Study Centre (KISC) for six months. John is to be Site Manager and oversee the maintenance of the building and grounds and Maureen is to be Special Needs Teacher in the Primary Department. The staff at KISC were very concerned last autumn about

For a church-based scheme in Britain for people of all ages allowing people to take time out in their own church or in other British churches, have a look at the opportunities available through DNA. Find out more at: www.dna-uk.org

29 February 2012: A Day of Blessing ‘Blessing’ is powerful and, as Christians, we are given the privilege of praying and embodying God’s blessing to others. ‘Blessing’ is a rich biblical concept. It is both profound as we consider how God has blessed us, but also simple as we present it as a way of relating to people we meet in practical ways. Praying a blessing over someone is deeply spiritual when it happens, but acts of kindness and thoughtfulness to those around us are the outworking of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives and can happen every day. On Wednesday 29 February, the ‘extra’ day in this year, we encourage every church to ask everyone in the congregation to deliberately set out to bless others with acts and words of kindness and support. This may be easy within our Christian family, but this Day of Blessing is also for all the people we meet in our crossingplaces, at work, in the shops, at the gym, or with the neighbours. We shall all need some help to achieve this! So we invite you to make this a focus for prayer, especially when Lent starts on 22 February. The A4 poster above, which you could display on an internal board or put in your church magazine, is downloadable from www.baptist.org.uk/ crossingplaces/evangelism/seasonal-initiatives. html?start=1 There is also a new Mission File with more information available from the same page.

Count Your Blessings Christian Aid’s Lent resources on-line are called Count Your Blessings, to start on Ash Wednesday, 22 February. Go to www.christianaid.org.uk/getinvolved/lent-2012/ index.aspx

On Twitter, follow #DBlessing On Facebook www.facebook.com/bugbcrossingplaces Blessing(s) Day can stand alone in the life of the church, or go alongside a course looking at the theme of blessing at the moment:

Alternatively, you could use Lent as a time to focus on the crossingplaces that people have in their lives and highlight that on 29 February. A module about crossingplaces for use with your church is part of re:focus. Download Module 7 from www.baptist.org.uk/component/ docman/doc_download/1051-refocus-module-7.html

Join the Journey The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity have introduced ‘Journey’, an opportunity to follow a prayer pathway for 40 days. The theme starting on 1 February is exploring the pathway of blessing. By signing up for this journey you can receive a daily prompting to pray by email, and a related Word for the Week. Sign up at www.licc.org.uk/prayerworks/join-thejourney

Incarnate Church Planters’ Gathering // 20-22 March 2012 Somersal Cottages, Derbyshire

Healthy churches, healthy planters The annual gathering is a great opportunity to mix with a wide range of church planters, pioneers, overseers and those wondering if this could be their future.

Incarnate Church Planters’ Gathering

20-22 March 2012 Derbyshire

Healthy churches, healthy planters

in partnership with Baptist Union of Great Britain Mission Department

With speakers Margaret Gibbs (BMS World Mission) and Stuart Murray Williams, the gathering will use a mix of workshops, interactive sessions, talks, coaching and times of prayer and reflection to explore the theme. More information and online booking at: www.incarnate-network.eu

A number of day and residential events are available throughout the year with inspiring speakers, the opportunity to share ideas and encouragement, and meet with others working in similar situations. Please book your place at events as early as possible and note that some venues have limited space - places may fill up before the closing date.

Evangelists’ Network Houseparty

A space for all sorts

for people working as evangelists or with responsibility for evangelism in the local church King’s Park Conference Centre,Derbyshire Kings Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6LL Somersal Cottages,

19 - 20 March 2012

Youth, Children and Family Workers’ Gathering a gathering for those employed in youth and children’s ministries in Baptist churches organised and hosted by the Association Youth ofﬁcers

Speaker: David Pile

King’s Park Conference Centre, Northampton

Baptist Coordinator for More than Gold

Hosted by: Kathryn Morgan

22 - 23 May 2012

BUGB Mission Adviser Booking

The cost for the event is £90 per person (including £30 non-refundable For more information, and to book your place, see deposit) including overnight accommodation in single en-suite rooms and all meals. To reserve a place, please book as early as possible at www.baptist.org.uk/events.html www.baptist.org.uk/events.html Closing date for bookings is Friday 9 March

Please book as early as possible since places may ﬁll up before the closing date Closing date for bookings is Thursday 1 March For more information, please contact mission@baptist.org.uk

Mission Department, Baptist Union of GB, Baptist House PO Box 44 129 Broadway Didcot Oxon OX11 8RT telephone 01235 517713 facsimile 01235 517715 email mission@baptist.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1125912

Please book as early as possible since places may fill up before the closing date

See page 25 for details, or www.baptist.org.uk/events.html 9

Are you looking to spend time serving God through a gap year or time out scheme?

FREE TASTER DAYS Come join one of our

23 January 26 March 22 May 2012

DNA runs a national church-based scheme for people of all ages. It allows churches to have people taking time out in their own church or for people to do placements in other churches. It has three block weeks of training and regular training days throughout the year. It offers other elements including an overseas experience and working at a Christian festival. It is a very flexible system.

• Hear for yourself quality training • Meet with current trainees, staff team and speakers • See changed lives changing others • Feel the buzz of shared lives; challenged and changed by God • Enjoy fun and friendship forming across a DNA year Committing to a year out with God is a big decision. Rightly so. Let us help. Don’t take our word for it; come and check it out.

To find out more, why not join one of DNA’s ‘Taster Days’ Aberdeen 26 March and 22 May London 7 February, 5 March, 15 May and 17 July

For details, see www.dna-uk.org

What is cafechurch?

It’s church, but not as you know it. cafechurch is coffee with a conscience. It’s the fresh expression of community on the high street. It brings communities into the relaxed café atmosphere of Costa Coffee and other coffee shops to deal with issues from a faith perspective. At cafechurch you’ll tackle issues such as fair trade, the environment, stress, adoption, parenting, debt and divorce, together with quizzes, interviews, round table discussions, live music with great coffee and great chat!

The next training day is being planned for: Saturday 10 March at The Public, New Street, West Bromwich 10:00 to 14:45 Cost: £20 per delegate (£15 early bird rate available - book by 10 February) Lunch provided, book by 8 March

Together with the friendly service of Costa and your local church – you’ll find there is a welcome for everyone – whether a church-goer or not!

For more info and booking: www.cafechurch.net Other venues across the UK are being planned for 2012 - if you would like to host a training day, contact Alison Latty: alisonlatty@cafechurch.net

www.cruciblecourse.org.uk

A Crucible Elements event under the auspice of the Crucible Course

Christianity:

How can we rediscover the adventure we first felt called on?

I thought it would be more exciting than this!

Join trainers Peter Dominey, Juliet Kilpin and David Mayne for this day to re-imagine our faith. Saturday 21 April 09:30 - 16:30 Shoebury Baptist Church, Shoeburyness, Essex

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9.30 Arrivals

Or contact Peter Dominey on 07812 117180 or peter@dominey.org.uk

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12.30 Lunch (provided)

social enterprise called Shared Space. He helps lead Incarnate Network which connects pioneers. ............. was led to believe that following Jesus was an adventure but is often dismayed at how safe Christians want their faith and life to be. She is privileged to be part of Urban Expression, a community of risk-takers involved with pioneering. ..0DDs�..ss is currently the Lead Pastor at Shoeburyness & Thorpe Bay Baptist Church. He is passionate about helping the church rediscover the radical nature of our faith and helping people engage creatively in mission. .............................

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The amazing growth of digital media is transforming the world and changing the way we communicate and even think. There are growing opportunities for digital evangelism. Internet Evangelism Day is an annual focus day, scheduled for 29 April 2012. It creates a space for churches, ministries and individual Christians to investigate the many options for sharing the good news online. The Internet Evangelism Day website is also a year-round online resource guide to help Christians understand these varied opportunities. Topics covered include: • how to build a church website that is ‘outsider friendly’ • using Facebook and Twitter in evangelism • the growing options for using your mobile phone.

Internet Evangelism Day is an initiative of the Internet Evangelism Coalition, based at the Billy Graham Center, Wheaton. It is supported by a wide range of Christian leaders and groups. “I am glad to commend Internet Evangelism Day,” said the late John Stott.

More information: www.IEDay.net

For many of these opportunities, you need no technical knowledge at all. And there are many opportunities to volunteer to be an email mentor to inquirers who have visited outreach sites operated by several online ministries.

Crucible Elements days Crucible is hosting a growing range of introductory training events in venues around the UK, in partnership with local agencies. By offering two-year learning communities for church leadership teams who share similar ministry contexts, Lead Academy uses a distinctive and creative approach to equipping leaders and helping churches fulfil their vision.

Crucible Elements events were formerly known as ‘101 Days’.

Taster Days: Joining one of the four-hour Taster Days is an excellent way to get an idea of what a two year learning community might look and feel like. Anyone can come and there is no pressure to sign up for anything. There will be some teaching input, interviews with people who are already involved and a sample group exercise – even refreshments and a nice lunch!

10 March: ‘Don’t mention the F word’ - London

The current list of events is as follows, with more days coming and more details on the website:

21 April: ‘Christianity: I thought it would be more exciting than this’ - Southend (see page 11) 19 May: ‘Church Planting in a Rural Context’ Bristol www.cruciblecourse.org.uk/crucible-elements

The next taster days will be on: Tuesday 20 March in Bristol (10:00 - 14:00) Thursday 29 March in St Albans For more information and to book see: www.leadacademy.net/Groups/176052/Lead_ Academy/Events/Taster_Day_Leamington/Taster_ Day_Leamington.aspx New Learning Communities Many churches are considering joining a learning community, and if you are one of them then this is a great time to explore what’s on offer. If you are interested or would like to find out more do have a look at the Lead Academy website, and get in touch. Applications are currently invited for: Breaking Growth Barriers: Medium-sized Churches - (120 – 200 adult attendees) Starting late spring / early summer 2012 Larger Churches – (350+ adult attendees) Starting 13 – 14 March 2012 Scottish Churches Starting 16 – 17 April 2012 For rurther information see: www.leadacademy.net or email info@leadacademy.net

Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and the Church The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee presents churches with an opportunity to take a lead in community celebrations focused around the Big Jubilee Lunch on Sunday 3 June. HOPE has all the resources to make this a major mission opportunity, which will build lasting bridges in communities countrywide.

The Big Jubilee Lunch

The Eden project which organises ‘The Big Lunch’ each year has asked HOPE to help churches to get involved. During 2011 three million people shared food with neighbours as part of The Big Lunch. In 2012, on Sunday 3 June, up to six million people are expected to sit down together for Sunday lunch with neighbours and friends at parties in streets, parks and playgrounds. This is an opportunity for churches to work with other residents’ groups to make the Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend a once-in-a-lifetime community celebration in which churches can play a key part.

Hope can provide you with copies of a DVD and flier to encourage your church to get involved, and there are lots of other resources available on the HOPE website (www.hopetogether.org.uk): • Resources for schools: drama, lesson plan, assembly ideas. • Ideas to use with senior citizens in residential care homes. • Service plans and liturgies to use for church services on the Sunday morning before the Big Jubilee Lunch. • ‘My Prayer for Queen and Country’ sheet where children can write a prayer for the Queen, for their own family and for the nation. • Games to develop community at your celebration so that everyone can join in and have a lasting memory of the day.

Saying thanks to God as a nation

The Queen’s Chaplain is writing a special Grace to be said at the start of the Big Jubilee Lunch – the nearest thing we’ve had to being a nation at prayer since 1942. Plans are being made for the Grace to be televised at the start of the Big Sunday Lunch and shown on giant TV screens in cities around the country as well as live on air. HOPE will provide you with the wording of the Grace as a download as soon as it is available.

The Big Thankyou

As well as encouraging parish churches to work with others in their communities to hold a Big Jubilee Lunch, Anglican Bishops are organising a Big Thankyou to the Queen from cathedrals and parish churches.

The words of the Grace will also be included in a special souvenir booklet produced by HOPE and CPO for churches to use in their communities with schools and in residential care homes.

HOPE would like to extend The Big Thankyou to churches of all denominations. Could your church take part? HOPE has a ‘Big Thank You’ Letter for churches to download and print. Your church could print copies and collect signatures and other thankyou comments. The letters will be collected in June and July, then presented to the Queen on behalf of the Church.

Why not take a lead in your community and co-ordinate a Big Jubilee lunch and send ‘A Big Thankyou’ from your congregation and community.

www.hopetogether.org.uk 13

re:focus is an updated, re-written and more flexible version of the BUGB Mission Consultancy scheme first launched in 2003, with many extra features. It has been developed in modules to be suitable for a wide variety of churches. User-friendly, it assumes two external facilitators will work with each church. The re:focus journey will take 6 to 12 months and most associations will provide the facilitators for this. It is a valuable tool for any church, including churches developing a mission strategy in order to apply for a grant. All modules are freely downloadable from the BUGB website.

re:focus incorporates thinking about the individual disciple’s crossingplaces as well as the crossingplaces opportunities of the church. It also embraces material on life-long discipleship and missional spirituality through the preparatory sermons, small group work and follow-up material. The re:focus journey is inclusive of people of all ages within the church, especially through small groups and the main meeting. The main fifteen modules in re:focus are colour-coded to match this diagram:

There are several re:focus resource modules that can be recommended as part of the Action Plan for the church. In some modules, resources are brought together in unique way, for example from the Baptist Union Corporation, the Mission and Communications Departments when looking at how best to make our buildings suitable and welcoming for our local mission. Some modules may also stand alone as a way of helping churches, for example: • A Welcoming Place • Local Community Research • Sowing, Reaping, Keeping • Resources • Evangelism Resources • Discipleship Resources

Does re:focus work in a small church?

re:focus works equally well in all sizes of church. It is ﬂexible to suit each individual church. The experienced facilitators will guide you in this. However for smaller churches (say up to 40 to 50 members) there is an additional resource called LIFEsize that can be undertaken as a ﬁve-week small group study and which will provide an excellent beginning. Copies are available from www.baptist.org.uk/crossingplaces/ church-health-and-growth/small-churches.html

re:focus also includes an Introduction in A4 and A5 format that can be given out in quantity to churches thinking about going on the re:focus journey. How much does re:focus cost?

All the material required is free and can be downloaded from the BUGB website (www.baptist.org.uk/refocus). The church should oﬀer hospitality to the facilitators on their visits and cover their travelling costs. Facilitators give their time freely, so a parting gift is appropriate. Check with your association about any registration fee they may require to cover some of their administration and training costs for re:focus. This is a small ﬁnancial outlay across a year.

What should we do next?

When you have decided to go ahead with re:focus , contact your association. The association will provide you with appropriate facilitators who will contact you to sort out a timetable with you and answer any further questions.

Contacting your Association Name of contact Contact details ...

A church that commits to giving its time to the surveys and sessions, to participating and to praying, will gain a renewed mission focus and a deeper level of discipleship. Kathryn Morgan - BUGB Mission Adviser and facilitator

Introduction re:focus is a journey to help your church: • focus on its life as a Christian community • develop new and existing crossingplaces • share the Christian message in actions and words. Using a selection of the re:focus modules, the church will: listen to each other and to God be guided by experienced external facilitators

• •

All modules can be downloaded from: www.baptist.org.uk/refocus

The Street Pastor National Year of Prayer 2012

Praying to see a change in our communities All Baptist churches around our nations are being encouraged to take part in this year of prayer. The aim is to cover the nation in prayer 24/7/365 and the focus for the year of prayer is asking God to bless our nations (including our home town) using the line in the Lord’s prayer: ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’.   Individual churches and ministries, as well as street pastor groups, are asked to contact Wendy Thomas (National Prayer Coordinator for Street Pastors and School Pastors) to let her know which day/weekend or week of 24/7 prayer they will cover. Email Wendy on prayer2@streetpastors.org.uk

‘… We have designated 2012 to be a National Year of Prayer; praying for our communities, the church, the police, the government and praying for all our Street Pastors, School Pastors, College Pastors, Prayer Pastors and Word 4 Weapons. … I particularly want to encourage you to pray the Lord’s Prayer everyday at 12 noon throughout the National Year of Prayer.

It is then up to the individuals how they cover the 24 hour periods in prayer, as God leads them. Some people may want to sign up for one day every month during the year of prayer and that would be welcomed also.

Thank you all for your commitment to the work of His Kingdom.’

Some suggestions to cover the 24 hours in prayer: • a prayer room where people sign up for an hour at a time to pray • a prayer chain where people sign up to pray for an hour from wherever they are • a prayer walk • a prayer picnic • a day of prayer/praise and worship held in a church.

Les Isaac CEO – Street Pastors

For more information, see www.streetpastors.co.uk/ PrayerSupport/YearofPrayer2012/tabid/898/Default. aspx

Marriage Week 7 -14 February Churches can use the week to invite couples to a meal, to renew vows, or to listen to a speaker giving advice on marriage. There are varous ideas in the Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Mission File, downloadable from www.baptist.org.uk/ resources-events/missionfiles/doc_download/379sharing-a-message-of-love-on-valentines-day.html For an evening about marriage in London on 7 February, to consider how Christians can be more active in promoting marriage, see: www.talkmarriage.co.uk

Further information about Marriage Week is available at http://marriage-week.org.uk

The Real Easter Egg The Real Easter Egg is the first and only Fairtrade Easter egg to explain the Easter story on the box and give money to charity. Launched successfully last year, the egg is being produced again in a brighter box but still with the Easter story in cartoon form on the back. The Real Easter Egg is made from 125g of high quality Fairtrade chocolate and 15 pence from every sale is donated to Traidcraft Exchange. The price is ÂŁ3.99. There are limited supplies so early ordering is advised. The official Real Easter Egg online shop is at www.realeasteregg.co.uk. To ensure supply, churches are advised to place a bulk order by the end of February. The site has sign-up form, posters and other resources. Online ordering will be open for as long as supplies last.

A church in the remote northern Highlands marked Lent and Easter in a fresh way this year. From pancake parties to reflective services, the Melness and Tongue Church of Scotland helped their small community to experience the true meaning of Easter. After being inspired by the HOPE for Easter resource, Minister Stewart Goudie has been encouraging his congregation to get to know their neighbours even better and invite them along to Easter events. The Revd Stewart Goudie said: “With only around 600 people in the whole area we were really pleased with the numbers we had along to the pancake parties [over 40], because that represents roughly 7% of the community. Many of these people were not in touch with the Church before now.”

Easter resource is relaunched HOPE are relaunching their highly popular Easter resource for 2012 – to help churches make the most of this all-important Christian festival

“We love the HOPE idea of giving something back to our little community and pointing to Jesus at the same time.”

Thousands of people have already been inspired for mission. Churches of different denominations have joined forces in outreach. And it’s partly because of Hope For Easter – a 64-page resource that offers a stream of ideas to help congregations make the most of this all-important Christian festival.

Copies of Hope For Easter can be ordered by phoning 01788 542 782 or through the website www.hopetogether.org.uk

More than 2,000 copies were sold in the run-up to Easter 2011. And to keep up the momentum, the nationwide initiative HOPE and publishers Authentic are relaunching it for 2012. The book includes: • more than 20 mission ideas; • small group studies from Church Army; • youth group materials by Soul Action. There are also inspiring articles from the likes of Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, Evangelical Alliance General Director Steve Clifford and Andy Hawthorne OBE from The Message Trust. ‘Churches have been joining together to make an even bigger impact on their communities with this resource,’ said HOPE Executive Director Roy Crowne. ‘They’re rediscovering the opportunities Lent and Easter give us – to keep telling the story of Jesus. ‘And this is just one part of our vision for HOPE over the coming years. We’re building towards 2014. That’s when we’re aiming to get thousands of churches across the nation to undertake a whole year of mission.’

Free pack helps churches respond to the 2012 Games A vast compendium of resources is now available to help churches make the most of their engagement with the 2012 Games. The 48 page publication offers churches a host of practical ways to engage with their community during the Games and the Torch Relay, which will come within ten miles of most of the UK churches. The ideas include large screen festivals, barbecues, street parties, picnics, breakfasts, children’s games, sports quizzes and sport competitions. There are also resources for church activities, including an all-age sermon outline, sketches, prayers and outlines for small groups. To help churches publicise their activities there are a sample press release and church magazine article. The pack comes from More Than Gold, the agency set up by all the main denominations to help churches make the most of the Games. Produced and funded by Traidcraft, it is available free of charge from www.traidcraftshop.co.uk/ churcheventpack or calling 0845 330 8900.

Jon Burns, UK Director of More Than Gold said, ‘There is a wealth of practical help here for churches. We are so grateful that Traidcraft has made this possible’.

Throughout, there is an emphasis on helping churches keep justice in mind with the encouragement to use fair trade products during the Games and beyond.

Jon added, ‘There is something every church can do during the Torch Relay and the Games themselves. This valuable pack points the way and puts the help they need into their hands’.

Jane Riley, Traidcraft CEO explained, “With so many churches planning to run events in the context of the 2012 Games, we wanted them to have the vital issue of fair trade in mind. We often produce event packs to help our 6,000 supporters use fair trade products and are glad of the opportunity to serve More Than Gold in this way”.

The importance of churches being able to respond to the Torch Relay was emphasised by Marty Woods, of Fusion Festivals. He said, ‘In Sydney we had no idea the Torch Relay would be so big. People felt it was like the Olympics was visiting then. As the torch moved around the country, so the excitement grew and whole communities wanted to be part of it’.

Jane added, ‘The Games will bring the world together. But when it comes to trade there is no level playing field, with discrimination against the poorest and weakest producers. It’d be great if every event that was held by churches in 2012 served fair trade products what a difference that would make to the lives of people and their families in the developing world.”

For more information about ideas and resources from More than Gold, see: www.morethangold.org.uk

Key dates in 2012 for the Olympic and Paralympic Games February Feb Games Maker volunteers training begins 3 Feb Olympic and Paralympic ticket resale programme closes 11 Feb 200 days to go until Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony 16-19 Feb UCI Track Cycling World Cup presented by Samsung, test event, Velodrome 20-26 Feb 18th FINA Visa Diving World Cup, test event, Aquatics Centre 29 Feb 6 Months to go to Paralympic Games

June 3 Jun

March 3-4 Mar

Olympic Flame arrives in London (evening) 21-22 Jul London 2012 Festival River of Music concerts along River Thames 23 Jul Olympic Flame visits Albert Square in EastEnders episode 25 Jul First Olympic Games sports events – Women’s Football Preliminary matches at Cardiff (including Team GB), Coventry and Glasgow 27 Jul Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

Olympic Torch Relay reaches Northern Ireland 6 Jun Olympic Torch Relay reaches Dublin 8 Jun Olympic Torch Relay reaches Scotland 21 Jun Start of London 2012 Festival 23-24 Jun London 2012 Festival Radio 1 Big Weekend event, Hackney Marshes 25 Jun London 2012 World Sport Day celebrations in UK schools July 20 Jul

London 2012 Festival ‘Music Nation’ weekend across UK 3-10 Mar British Swimming Championships, test event, Aquatics Centre 28-30 Mar IOC’s final Coordination Commission visit to London 31 Mar National Lottery Olympic Park Run event April 1 Apr 18 Apr

Gold Challenge event in Olympic Stadium 100 days to go to the start of the Olympic Games 18-19 Apr International Invitational Wheelchair Rugby test event, Basketball Arena 18-22 Apr FINA Olympic Games Synchronised Swimming Qualification, presented by Visa, test event, Aquatics Centre 23 Apr Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Qualification Play-Off Match, test event, City of Coventry Stadium 23 Apr London 2012 Festival World Shakespeare Festival opens

August 12 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug

May 2-6 May International Invitational Hockey Tournament, test event, Olympic Park 4-7 May British University & Colleges Sport Outdoor Athletics Championships, test event, Olympic Stadium 8 May London Disability Grand Prix, Olympic Stadium, Paralympic Athletics test event 9 May School Games events in Olympic Park venues 19 May Olympic Torch Relay starts at Land’s End 21 May 100 days to go to the start of the Paralympic Games 25 May Olympic Torch Relay reaches Wales

Olympic Games Closing Ceremony Paralympic Flame lighting in London Paralympic Flame lighting and flame festival in Belfast Paralympic Flame lighting and flame festival in Edinburgh Paralympic Flame lighting and flame festival in Cardiff Paralympic Flame festival in Stoke Mandeville, start of the 24 hour Paralympic Torch Relay to London Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony

September 9 Sep Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony

The Christian Enquiry Agency and the Olympics All the Christian responses from UK visitors to the Olympics this year will be channelled to the Christian Enquiry Agency. This would be a good time to be putting the link to the excellent CEA website on your own church website by going to the ABOUT US page, and making contact.

www.christianity.org.uk 19

The DVD contains four short videos and a range of other resources. Two of the videos feature sport contributions and comment from four leading athletes with a disability: • wheelchair racer Anne Wafula Strike • archer Robert Shaw • runner Sophia Warner • goalball player Michael Sharkey.

Undefeated is designed for a one-hour church service, particularly suitable for use during the Olympics and Paralympics. The aim of Undefeated is to help churches to: • Become more inclusive in their welcome towards people with disabilities • Be inspired by the faith of athletes hoping to compete in the Paralympics • Acknowledge the excellence of Paralympic sport • Discover what the Bible has to say about disability • Celebrate the contributions made by people with disabilities in our churches • Remember international issues of justice and disability • Highlight how BMS is serving people with disabilities around the world

The other videos focus on issues of global injustice in relation to people with disabilities in countries where BMS World Mission works. DVD contents: • Video 1: Undefeated celebration (3mins) • Video 2: Undefeated motivation (3 mins) • Video 3: Undefeated in Haiti (6 mins) • Video 4: Undefeated campaign (1 min) • PowerPoint Quiz • Prayers • Interactive all-age experiences • Sermon outline and theology of disability • Inclusion checklist • Leader’s guide All the videos have subtitle options Order your copy, at £6.00 + £2.50 p&p, from www.bmsworldmission.org/undefeated

Running the race marked out for us Lessons from Hebrews 12 Engage your home study groups

In a verse by verse exploration of one of the New Testament’s most inspiring passages, this book invites us on the challenge of a lifetime the race of faith, which we run in the company of a ‘cloud of witnesses’ who urge us on as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

Author: Andrew Wooding Jones Publisher: BRF ISBN: 978 18410 1527 9 RRP: £5.99 For other sports-related resources from BRF, for use with children and young people during this Olympic year, see page 29 or www.brfonline.org.uk/sports

Not Getting any Younger Baptist minister, Alison John, has developed an eight-session meeting time for older people which provides a safe place to think and talk about issues that affect older people, from a Christian viewpoint. It encourages a deepening of Christian faith, and closer friendships and support networks. Download a copy of the resource free of charge from: www.baptist.org.uk/component/docman/doc_ download/995-not-getting-any-younger.html

The Damaris Trust is delighted to be creating free official community resources which will enable groups to make the most of the enjoyable and stimulating movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (in UK cinemas from 24 February).

Not Getting Any Younger an eight-session meeting time for older people

Featuring a wonderful collection of much-loved British actors (Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup) The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is an engaging and surprising tale of a disparate group of pensioners whose retirement takes an unconventional turn. Enticed by advertisements for a seemingly luxurious sanctuary for ‘the elderly and beautiful’ in Jaipur, India they leave behind their old lives for a new adventure. On arrival at ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ they discover that it falls somewhat short of the romantic idyll promised in the brochure, but they are gradually won over by the ever-optimistic young manager Sonny (Dev Patel), and discover that it is possible for life to begin again in many different ways. The Damaris resources for this movie will be freely available on www.damaris.org/marigold. They will include a special episode of Pollard on Film which explores different perspectives on how individuals can find fulfilment within a community; and a special episode of Movie Moments which inspires us all to welcome new opportunities to learn and develop, whatever our age. Each resource is accompanied by helpful Leaders’ Guides for use within various community groups.

For other useful resources for working with older people, see: www.baptist.org.uk/age-specificmission/the-second-half-of-life.html

Liberti Magazine

So who is this Jesus? Magazine

Looking for a great resource for your Mother’s Day Service? Well, look no further. Liberti is a new and dynamic Christian magazine for women. Launched last May by the team behind the hit men’s publication, Sorted, it’s the ideal gift for women of all ages on Mother’s Day - Sunday 18 March 2012. Special Offer At just £50 for a box of 40 magazines it’s a whole lot more healthy than chocolates and will last longer than a bunch of daffs. Order today from www.libertimagazine.com

The Gospel of Luke in a new 52-page A4 glossy magazine, featuring real life stories of different people whose lives have been changed by Jesus. The magazine also has Q&As where frequently asked questions about Jesus/The Bible/ Christianity are answered. There is the opportunity for the reader to make further enquiries through the Christian Enquiry Agency website. Ideal to make available for church events and for distribution to public places like surgery waiting rooms, the cost by buying 100 is only 80p per copy. Great to have on the coffee table at home too. For more information, and to order copies, see: http://deo-gloria.co.uk/osc/product_info.php/ products_id/55

Hand in hand conference Friday 3 - Sunday 5 February Whether you have been involved in children’s or family ministry for years or are just starting as a volunteer, the Hand-in-Hand weekend conference in Eastbourne is a great place to be.

A day conference exploring new opportunities in school and college Chaplaincy

You’ll find seminars, workshops, ministry showcases, exhibiting organisations and resources that are helpful to you. There will also be time to worship, pray and study the Bible together – sending you home resourced, refreshed and reinvigorated for your work with children and families.

Keynote Speaker: Tim Hastie-Smith (Scripture Union National Director) Date: Thursday 1 March 2012 Time: 10:00 - 16:00

To encourage you to bring your junior leaders along, there is a half-price ticket for under 21s and some sessions aimed particularly at them.

Venue: KingsGate Community Church 2 Staple Way Peterborough PE1 4TY

For more information and to book your place, visit www.familyministry.co.uk/conferences.

Cost: £25.00 per person The event will be aimed at people of all levels, so whether you are already involved in Chaplaincy or you are thinking about getting involved, then this event is for you. Things to expect from the course:

4 February Devonshire Park Complex, Eastbourne 09:30 - 13:45

• to hear from some well-established Chaplaincy workers • to take away tried and tested ideas on how to make it work for you • a chance to get involved in networking, group work, structured conversations, and much more...

This programme, taking place within the Hand-inHand Children’s and Family Ministries conference, is for primary school teachers who want to know more about what Christian organisations and local churches can offer their school.

A choice of Workshops:

• Hear about INSET and other training that Christian organisations can offer schools • Experience DVDs, drama and other interactive resources that ministries and churches can bring into schools • Discuss what schools want from their local church and what churches can offer schools • Exhibition and shop

• One to one mentoring within Chaplaincy • Addressing Muiltifaith issues • Resources for Spiritual Development If you have any questions, please email Kim Ross at KimR@scriptureunion.org.uk

Price: £10 per person For more information, see: www.familyministry. co.uk/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=270467

A space for all sorts Youth, Children and Family Workers’ Gathering

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a gathering for those employed in youth and children’s ministries in Baptist churches organised and hosted by the Association Youth ofﬁcers

A new consortium of churches and agencies has come together to support church toddler groups and help release the mission opportunities that exist through toddler groups. The consortium is called 1277 as, on average, a UK child has just 1,277 days between birth and starting nursery education. Together, we want to ‘make them count’ for the children, for their families and for the toddler groups that they attend.

King’s Park Conference Centre, Northampton 22 - 23 May 2012

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Register your group Why not register your group and receive updates and access the latest resources for toddler group leaders?

ate Mission Department, Baptist Union of GB, Baptist House PO Box 44 129 Broadway Didcot Oxon OX11 8RT telephone 01235 517713 facsimile 01235 517715 email mission@baptist.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1125912

This is the third annual conference for people who are paid Youth Workers, Children’s Workers and Family Workers. This year our theme picks up the need for churches to be more welcoming to people of all ages - seeing them not as the church of tomorrow, but followers of Jesus, and part of the whole church community, who can share in every aspect of the life of the church and faith. Of course this challenges the way in which we do church, celebrate faith and view the faith of young people and children. Alongside the main sessions addressing this theme there will also be time for sharing, praying and being relaxed among peers who are doing similar roles in their local church.

Church leaders - you can also join 1277 to discover how you, and the other estimated 27,000 churches who currently run toddler groups, can make the most of them. To find out more go to www.1277.org.uk Supporting toddler groups across the country

Speakers: Mark Griffiths and Sian Hancock Cost: £90 per person (including £30 nonrefundable deposit) including overnight accommodation in single en-suite rooms and all meals. For more information, and to book, see:

www.baptist.org.uk/events.html

Closing date for bookings is Friday 9 March

European Baptist Federation’s Youth and Children’s Workers’ Conference January 2012

The annual meeting of the European Baptist Federation Youth and Children workers took place in the multifaith communities of Beirut. This is a place that bears the scars of war and civil war, yet in the ruins and brokenness, is another story; the story of God’s people, particularly the Baptists, really making a difference in Jesus’ name. In 95% Muslim areas, the church is showing love and compassion and working to both make Jesus known, and to bring peace. I do not have space in this magazine to tell the stories of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, the Baptist-run school, Sat 7, Baptists feeding war victims, the many coming to faith in Jesus or how the Baptists are pioneering Special Educational needs. There is so much more about these things that could be said, and it was in this place we paused with friends from 24 countries throughout Europe, including Norway (in the shadow of the recent massacre), The Ukraine, Italy, Sweden and Denmark. As we heard the local stories, and spoke to and visited the local churches, shared the stories from around Europe on the theme of being Christian in a multifaith world, together we came to the convictions that are outlined in the statement on page 27. A great Conference; now I am left thinking about the next steps. Ian Bunce

The statement of the European Baptist Federation’s Youth and Children’s Workers’ Conference January 2012 This conference met in Beirut, Lebanon from 13-17 January with representatives of 14 unions from across the EBF. The theme that was explored was ‘Knowing God: Navigating Faith in a Multi-religious World’. The conference, after exploring the theme from many angles, including talks, visits and testimony, believes: 1 That the Baptist principle of the freedom of belief remains central and we call on Baptists throughout Europe to continue to be zealous in our living of this, for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and for those from other faiths, less they be persecuted. We encourage the young people and youth and children workers of the EBF to work for the freedoms and rights of all people irrespective of race, religion or any other reason.

5 In the stories and studies of the conference, the intervention of the living God is evident. This conference calls the EBF family to be ready for the encounters of God in the ordinary; in the troubles and everyday living that we are called to. God can do immeasurably more than all we can imagine, according to his power that is at work in us ( Eph 3). In good times and bad, we commend youth and children workers to be aware of the reality of encountering the God who can do all things.

2 True understanding comes through deep listening to one another. We call on the young people of the EBF to find ways to listen to our neighbours of all faiths and none, that they may understand, respect and value the other before God.

6 The passion for Christ, and the call of the gospel, should drive all believers, young and old, to be salt and light where they live day by day. As disciples, we commit to serve the work of the Gospel in our every day lives. We undertake to pray for one another, upholding those for whom this is a tough calling. Afresh we offer our whole lives to God as living sacrifices, (Romans 12:1) that the world may believe. We call on the children and young people of the EBF to be committed to their faith and society, seeking to walk the way of Christ in all things.

3 Through the stories of the churches here in Beirut, it was shown that even in trials and trauma, God gives us opportunities to display the love of God to people of other faiths. As we practice hospitality and love for all humankind in the name of Christ, God will give opportunities for Christ to be glorified. We encourage the children and youth leaders to have a openness to the call of God at all times and in all circumstances.

We pray that the members of this conference and the wider Baptist family will commit together in this way.

4 In our dialogue and service we are also called to make the gospel of Christ known through words and actions. In our respect for the other, our love for them and our commitment to Christ, the message of salvation is essential for Humankind and we have a calling before Christ to share the good news. We call all children and young people of the EBF to first be disciples of Jesus, and to be committed to the calling to make him known to all.

A life-changing experience. Youth strengthened . . . encouraged . . . emboldened

Meet, fellowship & worship with Baptist youth from around the world.

Singapore 17-21 July 2013 Baptist World Alliance www.bwanet.org

We are working on a package for groups attending the conference. If your group is interested in finding out more, contact mission@baptist.org.uk

Resources for Lent and Easter Friends and Heroes: Why does Easter Matter? This award winning, DVD-based resource is suitable for family and group studies during Lent. The Easter story is a vivid, life-changing demonstration of how much God loves human beings and what he was ready to sacrifice so that they may come back to him. The five sessions include an in-depth look at these Bible stories: 1 - Jesus rides into Jerusalem International 2 -Suntec JesusSingapore and the Widow’s Offering Convention & Exhibition Centre 3 - The Last Supper and Jesus’ Arrest 4 - Jesus carries his cross and the Crucifixion 5 - Jesus seen on the road (to Emmaus)

Singapore July 17–21, 2013

For more information, scroll down the page at http://ukstore.friendsandheroes.com/acatalog/ Friends_and_Heroes_Resource_Packs.html

Parent Toddler Groups Together PTGT have produced a number of downloadable resources Baptist World Easter Alliance booklets, ideas, templates. w w w. b w a n e t . o r g See: www.ptgroupstogether.org. uk/resource.php for details.

Olympic Year Resources from BRF 2012 offers many opportunities for churches to engage with their communities through sport. These new resources from BRF, approved by More than Gold, will help your church to inspire young people towards life-improving change. The Sports Academy Holiday Club

Who Comes First?

This sports-themed holiday club with five complete 2 1/2 hour programmes plus extra ideas for a special service or event.

Inspiring stories from the history of the Games A cross-curricular classroom and assembly resource for Key Stage 2 RE teachers contains material for seven lesson plans and three assemblies.

Running alongside the primary theme of David’s rise from shepherd boy to king of Israel, the material links the biblical teaching to contemporary living by exploring five essential ingredients of sport, not just for healthy living, but also as a tool for spiritual well-being on the journey of faith.

Who Comes First? gives teachers a chance to explore the themes of Respect, Excellence, Friendship, Courage, Determination, Inspiration and Equality with their classes in RE lessons, encouraging pupils to ask hard questions about sporting values, respond to true-life stories in a variety of ways - and reflect on the opportunities and challenges that an athlete’s sense of purpose could possibly have for their own lives.

Author: John Hardwick ISBN: 978 1 84101 433 3 RRP: £11.99

Sports Fun for Messy Churches

Author: Chris Hudson ISBN: 978 0 85746 048 6 RRP: £6.99

Games and activities suitable for all ages and abilities. Includes ideas for community-based outdoor family events, all-age celebration ideas based on Olympic themes and sportsthemed craft activities.

Who Comes First? Barnabas RE Day These days give schools a chance to explore sporting values and challenges through the eyes of faith and belief.

Author: Lucy Moore ISBN: 978 1 84101 824 9 RRP: £5.99

Each session will involve a mix of games, reflective storytelling and participative drama. Workshops normally last 50-60 minutes and will require use of a large indoor space. If requested, a whole-school assembly can be included. The cost is £275 for the whole day.

For more information about these resources, see: www.brfonline.org.uk/sports

Why not gift a Barnabas RE day to your local primary school and make the Olympic year one to remember for the children in your community? For more details, see: www.barnabasinschools. org.uk/whocomesfirst

From this edition of missionscene, you can see that there is no shortage of ideas. There is also no lack of need to proclaim the gospel. There could be though, a temptation to do it all and wear yourself out. In doing this you would also be ineffective in your busyness. Nick Mercer and Steve Gaukroger in their book Frogs in Cream1 cited the following poem: “Mary had a little Lamb Was given her to keep, Then it joined the Baptist church And died for lack of sleep.” As you look to doing the next thing in mission, whether that is for the Olympics with More than Gold, for Baby Boomers or whatever, I thought it would be a good time to remind you of a few of the thoughts from various Healthy Church reports: 1 Do a few things well So much energy of churches is wasted doing frantic, unfocused work with multiple projects, rather than just doing one or two things with excellence. The danger of a journal like this, is the temptation to feel that we must do it all. Please do not. What can you do well? 2 Do double listening, listen to God’s word and the world John Stott encouraged us to have a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. What is it that God is calling you or your church to do? We can only discover that as we spend time discovering the world through God’s eyes. Take a moment to read Nehemiah chapters 1 and 2 and then walk around your community, workplace, social space with the eyes of the prophet and discover your calling before God. 3 Find out what God has planned for your community As we discover the community we live in, we also discover the heartbeat of God. God loves this broken world, that he gave...... yes Jesus, but also his disciples, that is you and me, to make a difference, to make a difference in Jesus’ name. In the words of HOPE, ‘do it in words and action’. 4 Find ways of being effective in our everyday lives, not just as a gathered church Our friends at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (www.licc.org.uk) remind us that there are 110 hours a week, when, if we are not on the staff of the church, we are not at church or asleep. God can use you at these times to make a difference. LICC describe this as our frontline mission places. 5 Don’t do it the way you have always done it Church needs to change the way it is and how it reaches out to the wider world. I could write at length about this but for now I want to say, ‘think differently’! What kind of church would Jesus want to belong to? Answers on a postcard to.........! Last month saw the launch of re:focus, a series of resources to enable you to spend time as a church exploring what God is calling your church to be and do. You can find out more information on page 14, and download the resource free of charge from www.baptist.org.uk/refocus. We encourage you to work through this to find out what you are uniquely placed to do, to make an impact for God where you are. The Baptist Unions have a great team of Regional Ministers and staff who are more than willing to come and explore these mission questions further if you would find it helpful. Their contact details are on page 31 of this publication. Do contact them and explore together: ‘what is God’s big idea for your church?’ Ian Bunce BUGB Mission Department 1

Scripture Union (1990) ISBN: 08620 1714 9

Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland Baptist Union of Scotland Alan Donaldson 0141 423 6169 alan@scottishbaptist.org.uk Scottish Baptist College Principal - Jim Gordon 0141 848 3988 scottishbaptistcollege@uws.ac.uk

Northern John Singleton 2 01642 655551 johnsingleton@thenba.org.uk

North Western Sandra Crawford 01942 221595 sandra@nwba.org.uk

Northern Community Learning Network

Glen Marshall 0161 249 2520 glen.marshall@bigfoot.com Yorkshire Jane Day 0113 278 4954 jane.day@yba.org.uk

3 2 4 4

Baptist Union of Wales Marc Owen 5 01267 245660 marc@bedyddwyrcymru.co.uk

Y Coleg Gwyn (North Wales Baptist College) Elfryn Jones 5 01248 362608 coleg-gwyn@hotmail.co.uk

South Wales Andy Hughes 029 2049 1366

andy@southwalesbaptistassociation.org.uk

Bristol Baptist College Principal - Stephen Finamore 0117 946 7050 admin@bristol-baptist.ac.uk

richard.lewis@easternbaptist.org.uk

London David Shosanya 0208 543 6447

12 14

Spurgeonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Baptist College Roger Standing 12 020 8653 0850 ex228 r.standing@spurgeons.ac.uk South West Barbara Carpenter 01823 490195

barbara@heurisco.globalnet.co.uk

Central Helen Wordsworth 10 01788 817292 rev.h@rhwordsworth.plus.com Eastern Richard Lewis 01842 754953

Peter Dunn (Director for Mission) 01235 517648 pdunn@bmsworldmission.org

david.shosanya@londonbaptist.org.uk

South Wales Baptist College Principal - Peter Stevenson 8 029 2025 6066 pks@swbc.org.uk West of England Alisdair Longwill 01453 883308 awlongwill@googlemail.com

11 10

Heart of England Adrian Argile 6 0121 472 4986 adrian.argile@blueyonder.co.uk East Midland Mike Fegredo 07972 350242 mfegredo.emba@gmail.com

Southern Counties Colin Norris 07725 039943 c.norris@scba.org.uk Regentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Park Baptist College Nick Wood 01865 288129 nicholas.wood@regents.ox.ac.uk South Eastern Stuart Davison 01444 253163 stuart@seba-baptist.org.uk

Mat Wilson (IMC Team Leader) 0121 683 7948

mwilson@bmsworldmission.org

www.bmsworldmission.org Irish Baptist Networks Stephen Adams stephen.adams@ibnetworks.org www.ibnetworks.org

BUGB Mission Department Ian Bunce 01235 517716 mission@baptist.org.uk BUGB Mission Department Kathryn Morgan 01235 517704 kmorgan@baptist.org.uk

February 2012