missionscene February 13

February 2013

Encouraging Young Disciples Today ... not tomorrow

transforming the church for all ages Book places for the Roadshow

RE:5

a retreat for youth, children and family workers

page 4-5 A bi-monthly publication of the Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland

page 6

In this edition Page 3

Editorial: Jacky Storey, Regional Minister in the Southern Counties Baptist Association introduces our theme.

Page 4 - 6

Baptist Events: Find out about what’s going on and how you can get involved: The Today ... not tomorrow Tour - transforming the church for all ages, RE:5 retreat for Youth, Children and Family Workers, Reach: BWA Youth conference.

Pages 7

Step out: Discipleship today ... not tomorrow in Scotland.

Pages 8 - 12 Other Events:

Events being run by other organisations of interest to you or others in your church

Think Speak Act conference, Crucible course, Passion Plays, Incarnate Pioneering and Church Planting Gathering, ReSource weekends, Inspiring Faith in Schools, Pentecost Festival, Crossing London 2013, Conference on Ageing and Spirituality.

Pages 11

Church and School: Supporting your local school.

Pages 13 - 14 Messy Church: Messy Church founder, Lucy Moore, challenges churches to be counter-cultural.

Pages 15 - 17 Resources: A range of resources to help you and your church in mission

Resources from Damaris (Song for Marion), New Inter Faith resources, Pilgrim’s Progress, 2011 Census results, Church planting courses at Cranmer Hall, The Real Easter Egg. Pages 18-19 BMS Action Teams:

Young people making a difference overseas.

Pages 20 - 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, 1277 supporting church toddler groups, Urban Saints: Don’t make history, change the future events, Toddler Rocks days, RE:5 retreat, Free Bible images for churches, Acadia/EBF Youth Ministry Institute, Who let the Dads out conferences, Reach: BWA Youth conference, Youth and Children’s organisations, Amaze.

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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Sign up to receive a direct link to each new edition at www.fbbi.eu

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When I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s ‘family’ was ‘out’. Increased social mobility, people moving for reasons of employment, ‘free love’ and all that it contributed to fractured families, even fashionable books like R D Laing’s Sanity, Madness and the Family - all these made for a rather negative view of family life. If you like, it was at best, old hat. Now, however, for a number of reasons, family is back ‘in’.

It’s as though, as a society, we needed to lose something in order to miss it and recognise its value. Different patterns of working, stretched finances and both adults in a family needing to work, increased numbers of single people, people living longer and a system of care for older people squeezed - all mean that the generations need one another more. Could this be one of the reasons why there is so much renewed interest in the God who ordained families, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob?

This edition of missionscene is about children and young people. But every child or young person comes with a family. If we care about the health of our communities we need to value family and families – whatever shape they are. Families are where we learn to do life together, where we learn to give and take, fight and make up, share, work towards goals and learn to work together on shared goals over time. Doesn’t it make sense, then, that to learn about doing life with Jesus we also need to do this within the context of family?

Doesn’t this mean that as churches, we need to be truly intergenerational communities, places where children and young people and adults learn together?

been since three generations could sit together and hear a Bible story for the first time (apart from in non-reached communities overseas)? Well now it’s happening here in the UK, so scant is knowledge of the Bible in the UK. How exciting!

It seems to me that this is a real kairos moment for the church. Creative church for all ages, where people young and old can learn together, seems to be just what people are looking for – a safe space (no need to send the children to a stranger), warm and generous community, fun together, food and the invitation and opportunity just to dip a toe in the water and be stirred by … well something they just can’t quite put their finger on. A few months ago in a rural community near me, the local Baptist church started its own Saturday afternoon Messy Church calling it Re:Light. Already 12 ‘new’ families attend.

This is the focus of Today ... not tomorrow (Tnt), a new BUGB resource. It’s designed to help the whole church look at the whole of their life together and ask where children and young people can really be involved in serving, in mission and in seeking and hearing from God ... as well as the adults!

The strange thing is that, in some ways, in reaching out to others in quite a different way, we might also find healing and revival for our own communities. We might once again hear children playing in the streets. How cool is that?

I think it’s already happening, but thinking like this ‘inside’ our communities is already making a difference in how we reach out to those ‘outside’ (although hopefully the lines are more messy than that!). Today, if we have a challenge, we also have a great opportunity! How long has it

The Revd Jacky Storey Regional Minister, Southern Counties Baptist Association

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transforming church for all ages

transforming the church for all ages

An initiative to help you, as a whole church: think through your current ministry amongst children and young people

recognise the part God has for them to play within the church right now

seek God as your church develops intergenerationally

The Today‌not tomorrow initiative is designed to help you, as a whole church, think through your current ministry amongst children and young people, recognising the part God has for them to play within the church right now and to seek God as to where your church as a whole develops intergenerationally.

This new resource, developed by Ed Jones (Arise Ministries) in partnership with the BUGB Mission Department contains: • everything you need to plan and deliver a Facilitation Day for the whole church • teaching/discussion materials for all ages on Today ... not tomorrow, All-age worship, Child dedication, Discipleship, Evangelism and Resourcing Having worked through these, the church will be able to develop its own intergenerational charter.

These resources will soon be available to download from the Today ... not tomorrow website www.todaynottomorrow.org.uk

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Roadshow coming to a church near you Through the Today ... not tomorrow tour, churches have the opportunity to hear from resource author Ed Jones (Arise Ministries) about how to use the new resources to encourage discipleship for all ages. Ed will work through the various elements of the Today ... not tomorrow resource during the evening.

These events are primarily aimed at church leaders, deacons, youth, children and family workers - but all church members passionate about transforming the church for all ages are welcome.

We recommend that at least one person from your group books a ÂŁ16.00 ticket which includes a copy of the resource (to be collected at the roadshow). Other group members can purchase a ticket for ÂŁ6.00, which does not include a copy of the resource.

Please note: printed copies of the resource are only available by pre-order when booking for one of the Roadshows and will not be available to purchase at the event.

Date

Time

Venue

Wed 13 February

19:30 - 21:30

Blackley Baptist Church, Huddersfield

Thur 14 February

19:30 - 21:30

West Bridgford Baptist Church, Nottingham

Wed 27 February

19:30 - 21:30

Park Road Baptist Church, Northampton

Tues 5 March

19:45 - 21:45

Croxley Green Baptist Church, Rickmansworth

Wed 6 March

19:30 - 21:30

Crawley Baptist Church, Crawley

Thur 7 March

19:30 - 21:30

Salem Baptist Church, Cheltenham

Mon 11 March

19:30 - 21:30

Andover Baptist Church, Andover

Wed 13 March

19:30 - 21:30

Edward Road Baptist Church, Birmingham

Find out more, and book your place(s) at:

www.todaynottomorrow.org.uk 5

RE:5

Youth, Children and Family Workers Retreat King’s Park Conference Centre, Northampton 22-23 May A retreat for people who are paid Youth Workers, Children’s Workers and Family Workers, hosted by the Association Youth Officers.

King’s Park Conference Centre, Kings Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6LL

Speaker: Roy Searle

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

Cost: £105 per person 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.htmlBooking

King’s Park Conference Centre, Northampton 22 - 23 May 2013

The cost for the event is £105 per person including overnight accommodation in single en-suite rooms and all meals. To reserve a place, please book as early as possible at

Closing date for bookings is Thursday 28 March www.baptist.org.uk/events.html

Closing date for bookings is Thursday 28 March

Please book as early as possible since places may fill up before the closing date Please book as early as possible since places may fill up before the closing date For more information, please contact mission@baptist.org.uk

Faith and Society Team, Baptist Union of GB, Baptist House PO Box 44 129 Broadway Didcot Oxon OX11 8RT telephone 01235 517711 facsimile 01235 517715 email mission@baptist.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1125912

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 The Baptist World Alliance is hosting the World Youth Conference in Singapore this year.

This is an exciting event aimed at those between the ages of 18 – 25.

If you have a group who would like to go, we recommend that you contact Phil Hindle (Thyme Travel, In partnership with Midcounties Co-op Personal Travel Agents) to discuss travel and booking arrangements Tel: 01823 351000 / 07957 173894 Email: phil.hindle@personaltravelagents.co.uk

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Discipleship today ... not tomorrow in Scotland When I read that a new discipleship resource was being launched called ‘Today ... not tomorrow’ the title caught my attention. I had just finished preparing for a meeting with some youth workers focussing on discussing what a national youth discipleship strategy may look like with our Union. Thinking of our young people as disciples of Jesus today ... not tomorrow sums up where my thinking has been lately. How do we build, and continue to build, a discipleship culture amongst our young people? While discipleship happens first and foremost in local churches, what role do we have together as a union of churches? What might that look like... what are our dreams... who might that involve... where might that lead us??? I get excited just asking the questions, never mind thinking about the answers!

While I love meeting with churches pre-summer, one of the greatest joys in my job is watching how the young people grow and develop in their discipleship during the summer and beyond. One of the folks who have been involved in Step Out for several years is now studying youth work at college, clearly called to this kind of work! Watching others step out of their comfort zones and develop deep conversations with tough young people, but then hearing how this has inspired them to continue sharing their faith amongst their friends, is so encouraging! Seeing young people who have never spoken in public before have the confidence (if somewhat shakily at first) to share their testimony of what God is doing in their lives and then comment afterwards about how much they enjoyed it, is brilliant!

Within our Baptist Union of Scotland Step Out is, at the moment, our main programme for mission and discipleship nationally. Step Out is about creating opportunities for young people to step out and share their faith with others. It means stepping out of comfort zones; going to new places and trying new things. It involves stepping out together; getting to know other Christian young people within Scotland. It encourages stepping out (and often stepping up) in discipleship as the young people follow Jesus.

Each June all those on Step Out come together for a weekend of training, not just in the materials that will be used in children’s holiday clubs and youth clubs throughout the summer, but also in helping them think through their own discipleship. In the last couple of years we’ve looked at things like ‘The Radical Jesus’ and ‘Under Christ’s Rule’. It’s a full-on weekend before the young people go out in teams to churches within our Union to work with them in reaching out to local children and young people. The young people decide how many weeks they want to take part in during the summer, some doing one, others three or four. After the summer everyone comes together again to share stories, as well as think about the year ahead through sessions like ‘Following Jesus... Beyond the Summer’.

All of this is part of discipleship today ... not tomorrow, and I love it!!!

If you, young people in your church in Scotland, or as a Baptist Church in Scotland, would like any information on joining Step Out or hosting a team then please get in touch with me at the Baptist Union of Scotland office or by email mo@scottishbaptist.org.uk.

Mo Gibbs Youth Development Coordinator, Baptist Union of Scotland

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Passion Plays Passion plays use theatre to bring the words of the Gospel to life in new, often vivid and startling, ways. They show how the message of second chances, forgiveness and new opportunities has the potential to speak life and hope into communities struggling with poverty, crime, addiction, hopelessness and boredom. The plays bring the story of Easter, a story that is still being told after two thousand years, to new communities in a fresh and inspiring way.

Saturday 2 February 2013 Carrs Lane Church Centre, Birmingham B4 7SX

As community events, put on by volunteers from churches and local arts organisations, these plays draw people into new relationships with each other.

All walks of life come forward to volunteer their help and all are impacted in some form or another.

In the journey together they discover new talents and skills, and they also help their community by staging a free event for their neighbours.

A one-day conference of inspiration and practical advice to help join the dots between action, politics and discipleship.

Speakers: • The Revd Dr Giles Fraser, priest, writer and broadcaster • The Revd Dr Martyn Atkins, General Secretary of the Methodist Church

The second Passion Trust Conference will be taking place on 2 February at Leamington Spa and is an opportunity to share your story and to receive advice and support in planning your Passion play event. Conference Cost: £55 per person.

Workshops to include: • Preaching and praying for justice • Getting your message across to your local media • Ten top tips for running a campaign • Lies, damned lies and statistics!

• What are the needs of my local area?

• Praxis: From theology to action using the pastoral cycle • A local politician’s guide to changing your community

For conference and booking details, see: www.passion-plays.co.uk or contact Gail Wicks at gail@passiontrust.org or phone 07887 415806 or 07710 485264

The cost (£10) includes lunch and coffee.

For more details and to book a place go to: http://dotsurvey.me/09bvi0c-0675527

Crucible consists of three intensive training weekends each year to equip Christians to follow Jesus on the margins.

To download the 2012-13 brochure, see: www.baptist.org.uk/component/docman/doc_ download/874-crucible-brochure.html

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Facilitators and speakers

Along with contributions and facilitation from the Incarnate steering team, there will be two guest speakers: Jonny Baker inspires creative leadership and works with those who have the gift of not fitting in. Jonny established and leads Pioneer Mission Leadership Training for the Church Mission Society. www.about.me/jonnybaker

Tuesday 5 - Thursday 7 March Somersal Cottages, Derbyshire

Jim Barker is a consultant to non-profit organisations and tutor on the CMS Pioneer Leadership Course.

The annual gathering provides a great opportunity to meet with those involved in pioneering, those overseeing it and those simply wanting to find out why this area is so important. The gathering covers church planting and pioneering in general and this year’s theme is on pioneering leadership.

It has become known for its three days of friendly conversations, insightful main sessions, collaborative workshops and stories of mission.

Cost: £125 per person including meals, the event and accommodation in shared rooms. Single rooms at a £95 supplement.

Book your place at: www.eventbee.com/v/incarnategathering2013

The remaining two weekends will be: • 12-14 Apr: Mission in a Multi Faith Context Birmingham

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• 10-12 May: To Be Church in a Changing Culture - Somerset

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Cost for an individual weekend: £95 For any more information and booking please look at www.resourcemission.com or email Rachel Bevan at admin@acpi.org.uk

ReSource is a Mission Training course to enable you to learn through experience and meet the people out there doing mission. ReSource runs across four weekends in a year and those involved get to hang out in the communities, hear the stories and then learn to think about mission in their own context.

You can come for one or more weekends.

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A day conference at Waingels College in Reading 10:00 - 15:30 on Saturday 9 March As well as two keynote sessions there will be morning and afternoon workshop streams covering Christian leadership, well-being, spirituality and RE in schools. Details of these sessions and additional workshop sessions will appear over the coming weeks on the website www.inspiringfaith.org.uk where you can find out more about the Inspiring Faith in Schools initiative and buy tickets.

When schools embrace the best that faith has to offer and churches respect and support the broad educational remit of schools, the results can be inspirational.

Inspiring Faith in Schools is a day conference being held by REinspired for teachers, governors and all Christians working in and with schools.

Speakers will share some of these inspiring stories to encourage, inspire, and equip individuals, churches and schools to be bold in working together to improve our schools and the educational opportunities available to our children.

Tickets cost £20 including lunch.

If you are interested in exhibiting, or have an inspiring story you would like to share of how you have experienced faith making a difference in schools, please contact: info@inspiringfaith.org.uk or call Paul in the REINSPIRED office on 0118 9663929.

The conference will be opened by Rt Revd Andrew Proud, Bishop of Reading. The keynote speaker is Revd Steve Chalke MBE: Church Leader, author, TV presenter, campaigner against human trafficking and founder of Oasis Trust and Oasis Community Learning.

Church and School Mission Files Churches used to be at the centre of the community, but it is often the local school that now fulfils this function as most families in the area have some link with it. Schools and s File colleges are also the sion Mis places where children and young people are to be found for much of the week, whereas the number coming into our churches regularly has generally diminished.

Mission Files CHURCH AND SCHOOL Churches used to be at the centre of the community, but frequently it is the local school that now fulfils this function as most families in the area have some link with it. Schools and colleges are also the places where children and young people are to be found for much of the week, whereas the number coming into our churches regularly has generally diminished. Therefore, to support the heart of many communities and to influence another generation for Christ, linking the local church to a nearby school or college makes a crossingplace (see page 4) where gospel values can be demonstrated and explained.

In this series of ‘Church and School’ Mission Files, guidance is given for good practice, resources are shared, and stories are told to inspire and encourage you.

The teachers in your church are a unique Christian resource. They are called on a daily basis to be among young people and fellow educationalists. They are called to an environment where a diverse swathe of your community finds representation. Teachers have wonderful opportunities to share their faith in their school by their spoken words and lifestyle. Their influence (and Christ’s influence through them) frequently coincides with crucial

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The Baptist Union’s Education Working Group has developed a number of resources to help churches to support their local school or college. The series of ‘Church and School’ Mission Files offers guidance for good practice, helpful resources, and stories to inspire and encourage you. These cover the range from Pre-school to Further Education, and offer ways for the whole church to get involved - including praying for your local school, becoming a school governor, planning an RE Day and much more.

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To download these, free of charge, go to: www. baptist.org.uk/crossingplaces/church-and-school. html

Supporting your local school We would like to invite you to connect with a new initiative which for the moment we’re calling the ‘Baptist Education Group’.

Our vision is ‘for every Baptist church to strategically engage in supporting their local school’ Your church may already have links with schools but current changes in education are likely to alter the landscape of church and school relationships. Using a network of practitioners we want to resource churches to help them anticipate what’s happening and take advantage of new opportunities as they arise.

We would like to build a network of people in Baptist churches with an interest in their local school. You might be a teacher or a concerned parent – a person with little or no experience of churches supporting schools or considerably more - a Christian counsellor, minister, youth worker, school governor or a member of a local SACRE. From 1 February you can go to: www.baptisteducationgroup.org.uk to register your interest.

This is an independent initiative but one welcomed by the Baptist Union Mission Department. We were previously involved a Baptist Union Education Task Group but both have long term interests in churches supporting students and schools around RE, Collective Worship and Spiritual Development.

Education in England and Wales is currently the subject of radical reform. We believe there has never been a more critical time for Baptist churches to take a stronger interest in education and in developing a right concern for each of their local schools. It is also vital that any relationship with the local school must be appropriate, supportive and, above all, fostered from a genuine pastoral concern. Our aim is to honour and develop partnerships both locally and nationally, whilst offering help to those on the ground who want to do all they can.

We are aiming to: • Inform via a series of short accessible articles from key practitioners.

• Offer positive stories which identify good practice and connect people and churches.

• Encourage Christians to serve in positions of influence, such as governors and teachers and enable churches effectively support them.

• Advise how congregations can engage locally with education issues in the ‘public square’ and nationally where appropriate.

• Collaborate nationally with other denominations.

Martin Sweet and David Skinner Martin is CEO and team member of Spinnaker Trust based in South-east and chair of Bromley SACRE

We plan that Baptist Education Group website will have space for your comments when you visit.

You might also be interested to contribute as a practitioner and to help guide the direction the initiative takes. If so please be in touch with one of us at martinsweet@baptisteducationgroup.org.uk or davidskinner@baptisteducationgroup.org.uk

David is minister at Houghton Regis Baptist Church. He is currently part of Dare To Engage www.dare2engage.org and helped initiate REinspired www.re-inspired.net

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Pentecost Festival goes national!

In celebration of the birth of the Church, churches across the UK are invited to take part in Pentecost Festival 2013 and host ‘The Biggest Birthday Party Ever’.

2013 will mark the sixth year of Pentecost Festival and we’d love for your church to help us share the message of Pentecost with local communities across the UK. Our mission is to: • Celebrate the Church’s birthday and highlight its heritage, diversity and positive contributions to society.

• Challenge the Church to reach out to its community.

• Provide creative opportunities for people outside of the Church to explore the Christian message.

If you are excited about serving your community in a creative and collaborative way then download the ‘Biggest Birthday Party Ever’ booklet from www.pentecostfestival.co.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2012/09/Biggest-Birthday-ProposalE-Brochure.pdf and register your church or to organise a Pentecost Festival event.

From March 2013 www.thebiggestbirthdaypartyever.com will go live with news about all the Pentecost Festival events.

People in your area will be able to check out your event and all that’s taking place during the week of Pentecost - the biggest birthday party ever!

Planning Ahead

Crossing London is a major missional initiative will be taking place in London during 2013.

This is seeking to build on the work done in 2012 where many churches were involved in events around the Olympics.

Join us in prayer

The 5th International Conference on Ageing and Spirituality will be taking place from Sun 7 - Wed 10 July at The University of Edinburgh

Crossing London 2013 has four strands: sunday • Encouraging Leaders pray for blessing to be • Encouraging Christians upon your church and • Encouraging Communities its leaders Jesus • Encountering Formonday more information see: www.crossinglondon.co.uk pray for Jesus to be the centre of CRossinG LonDon – Mission 2013

More details to follow, or have a look at www.fiop-mha.events-made-easy.com

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Messy Church I sat in a showing of The Hobbit over Christmas and was struck by the range of ages in the audience: there must have been all ages there from 12 to 92. Certainly our own group of three generations all thoroughly enjoyed it for different but equally valid reasons. My own main reason for enjoyment - Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield - is probably less worthy than everyone else’s admiration for the animation of the eagles, the intricacies of the goblin city or the beautifullywritten schizophrenia of Gollum but hey, he looks very good in all that fake fur.

It has struck me for many years that there aren’t many activities that can be enjoyed by all ages in our Western society. When my children were younger, I would happily take them to Brownies, music lessons, gym sessions or swimming but would have been horrified if I’d been asked to join in.

We soon realised that so-called ‘family days out’ at theme parks just meant that parents were allowed in rather than that we were expected to enjoy the rides too. ‘Family’ in this context means ‘children with adults to make sure they’re safe.’ Choosing a restaurant too often means a choice between those with an excellent attitude towards children but drearily chip-based food, or excellent food but an expectation of impeccable behaviour by children.

If we’re getting political, we could argue that our government’s determination to get all young children to nurseries, the rising cost of living which drives parents back to work and leads to long hours and a weariness that precludes playing, added to many broken families and living a long way from extended family all leads to a bewilderment and lack of confidence among adults about how to ‘be’ with children.

When our church began Messy Church eight years ago, we wanted to do something for all ages together from a conviction that the best way to nurture faith in a child is to be in a relationship with the whole family, not with the child in isolation. A good Messy Church is one that has activities which the teenagers and adults enjoy as well as ones for children; which makes the celebration relevant, comforting and challenging to all ages, provides a meal which crosses generational tastes and which values building relationships with adults as much as with children. Yes, different people will get different things out of a Messy Church session, just as my mother and my teenagers and I got different things out of The Hobbit , but the aim is that it will be somewhere everyone can enjoy, contribute to and benefit from, whatever their age.

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the twenty-first century deliberately organised our main gathered worship to exclude people of a different colour, different abilities or from different social strata, there would be an outcry.

But worship in many churches is organised deliberately to exclude children, and we don’t bat an eyelid. This challenge will make many people angry as it questions strongly-held assumptions about the way we should worship. But it’s a good question to ask any church: what picture of the kingdom of heaven does your church reflect to your community?

Messy Churches, like any other form of church, can easily be held with no understanding of this bigger agenda and can undersell the adults turning the session into a kiddies’ entertainment session with adults there only to prevent anarchy, rather like those supposed ‘family’ theme parks.

But changing things for the better isn’t hard: it might simply mean checking each time that at least one activity is fun and rewarding for adults too. It might mean using illustrations for the story that aren’t toddler-orientated ones.

Or making it crystal clear that the adults are expected to join in the celebration, not sit and text during it. Or encouraging the adults to sit and eat alongside the children: it’s not rocket science, just a shift in attitude.

In its early days, the Christian Church was radically counter-cultural, with its openness to everyone from all walks of life, either gender, slave or free, foreigner or national, rich or poor. No other gathering in the ancient world was like it. By its very existence it declared a new order, the possibility of new and more equal ways of living. It was God’s kingdom in the flesh, lived out. What Messy Church is trying to do two thousand years later in a very different society is to be similarly counter-cultural and declare without words that the kingdom of heaven is about open doors, equality, acceptance, justice, forgiveness, love for everyone not just those with the right qualifications, birth, wealth or habits.

To say that God is interested in children as much as adults, in helping families stick together and work out what it means to live life out in this tough world together. This means learning to play together, to enjoy each other’s company, to feel what it’s like to eat together round a table, to pray together, hold a conversation, watch how other families work things out. It’s no good trying to do that in agesegregated groups: this is about learning together, modelling to each other, apprenticeship, social learning about faith, love and life: hugely important in shaping both children and adults. The gathered Messy Church models and demonstrates rather than just speaks about transformation.

Now, how do I join a dwarf fan club?

Lucy Moore Messy Church founder and Team Leader • Messy Church began in Portsmouth in 2004 • 1590 Messy Churches registered in 14 countries • 50 Regional Coordinators including several Baptists • is a core ministry of BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship)

Churches have a tendency to orientate their worship towards the needs and learning preferences of those with the loudest voices or most apparent ability to contribute. For decades, it has been assumed that the ‘best’ way of worshipping is in a style based heavily on listening, literacy and being still and quiet, none of which are immediately associated with the learning styles of many children, especially young ones. Yet Jesus did not put a well-behaved adult in the midst of his disciples to be a model of discipleship, but a child. If we in

Contact Carole Darius on 01235 858246 or messychurch@brf.org.uk for more information.

www.messychurch.org.uk 14

Resources for Churches, Schools and Community Groups from Damaris Damaris is an educational charity that is growing very fast through partnership with the film industry. They create official community resources to accompany the latest feature films. These resources help a wide range of community groups to engage with the themes and ideas explored in the films.

Worth Singing About

Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) goes through life with a sunny disposition. She’s in her later years, but she still approaches every day with enthusiasm. One of her greatest sources of joy is the local community choir, where she experiences unconditional friendship with a group of people who care more about having fun than keeping their dignity.

This is at odds with the attitude of her husband, Arthur (Terence Stamp), who dotes on Marion, but despairs of her hobby. He goes through life seeing the downside of everything, playing his cards close to his chest, and never stepping outside of his comfort zone. Marion is able to see past his grumpy exterior, but it casts a shadow over his relationship with son James (Christopher Eccleston).

The Damaris Trust has produced a set of free resources to help people to embrace and engage with these issues. Two Movie Moments videos get to the heart of Song for Marion’s message, with a leader’s guide to help plan a fun and enlightening evening. These are suitable for any group wanting to think about the value of community, reconciled relationships, and a positive outlook. For churches wishing to help people to relate the film’s message to their own personal walk with God, there’s a supplementary guide complete with additional questions and biblical reflections.

When Marion receives some difficult news at the hospital, the tensions which have been simmering in the family come to the surface. Can Arthur learn to accept Marion’s love of singing, and understand why she values her time with the choir so much?

And can he be vulnerable enough to build bridges with James? The story shows how it’s possible for relationships to be strengthened during times of change, and how a hopeful outlook can change everything.

Song for Marion reminds us just how challenging life can be, especially when times of change come.

But it also affirms our deep need for community, and for a source of joy which goes deeper than our circumstances. It’s certainly a message worth singing about.

The film is sure to speak to anyone who has navigated differences within a loving relationship, or who has been through challenging times. The characters are people we will all recognise, and their experiences ring true. As we watch Arthur find his own voice, we’re encouraged to think about our attitudes towards change, and towards those who share our lives.

For free resources see www.damaris.org/ songformarion

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New Inter Faith Resources As part of Inter Faith Week 2012 (18-27 November) we launched a new resource to empower Christians in a multifaith world.

12 Myths of Inter Faith Engagement is a set of postcards dealing with some common misconceptions people have when dealing with those of other faiths. They include background information and suggestions to get you thinking within a small-group context.

Postcard sets are available to order through the Baptist Union of Great Britain Online Store (www.baptist.org.uk/resources/bugbonline-store.html) for £3 a copy.

Inter Faith Journeys shares the stories of 13 people who have been engaging in inter faith encounters. Each person was asked to reflect on questions about their involvement in inter faith matters, what excites and concerns them about it, and how it has affected their own faith. We hope that their stories will help readers gain the confidence to develop encounters in this multi faith world. This new resource is available to download free of charge from: www.baptist.org.uk/interfaith If you have a story that you feel is worth telling, do contact us with your response to the questions that each of the people in this Mission File have answered, along with a short bio of yourself. We will then consider using it for a future update.

The Inter Faith working group is also developing another resource for those who wish to explore this subject in more detail. We hope that it will be available soon.

John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress

2011 Census Stats Released

is a wonderful story about a pilgrim called Christian and his adventures as he tries to find his way to the City of Gold (heaven). Liz Stacey has developed an interactive study guide which she’s used with some 80 and 90 year old seniors to help them gain a greater understanding of what the Christian life is all about, especially the wonderful provision of eternal life God has made through Jesus. Many found faith, and all experienced comfort.

Just before Christmas the results of the 2011 Census were published showing a 12.4 per cent drop in those saying they have a Christian faith.

The study guide costs £25 + p&p and is full of interesting ideas, dramas, and relevant artwork for each session. In fact everything you need to run your group. You need buy only one copy per church or group as copyright permission is given for making up to 10 copies of anything you need.

Cranmer Hall, an Anglican theological college in Durham, offers modules in cross-cultural mission and in pioneer ministry and fresh expressions of church to Anglicans and those of other denominations.

For a summary of these results, comments from churches and links to the full report, see: www.cte.org.uk/Articles/336982/Churches_Together_ in/News_Events/News/2011_Census_stats.aspx

Church Planting courses at Cranmer Hall

For more information, see the Cranmer Hall website www.dur.ac.uk/cranmer.hall or contact the Director of Mission and Tutor in Pioneering at: m.j.volland@durham.ac.uk.

To order a copy, or find out more, contact Liz Stacey on e.stacey@talktalk.net or 01962 808783.

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Change a life The Real Easter Egg campaign Churches, schools and individuals are being asked to Change a Life by giving a Real Easter Egg this year.

Out of the 80 million chocolate Easter eggs sold each year in the UK, The Real Easter Egg is the first and only Fairtrade chocolate egg to explain the meaning of Easter and it remains a unique way to share the Easter story.

This year the Real Easter Egg has a free activity pack in the box which includes the Easter story, activity poster, free i-tune download and a sticker set. The resurrection text from Mark can also be found inside the lid along with the greeting ‘Happy Easter!’

Change a life - through faith

Join the campaign - How to buy

The Real Easter Egg is now in its third year of production with more than 200,000 sold so far. Last year stories began to emerge of people whose life had been changed after being given a Real Easter Egg.

Last year churches across the UK joined the campaign to establish the first religious Easter Egg. Congregations promoted the egg, put sign-up lists in church, took orders, collected money and placed a direct order. More than 90,000 eggs were delivered through the post to churches in this way. Each Real Easter Egg costs £3.99 for a 125g milk chocolate egg and incudes the free activity pack in the box and a 15 pence donation to Traidcraft Exchange. The buying options are below:

A charity worker, from the North of England, said; “The first time I visited clients, half way through the visit the bailiffs arrived and they were really scared….we had a long chat about Easter after I’d taken a Real Easter Egg for the boys. Both of them went to church this Sunday and were given a Bible.

The mum sent a really lovely text after the visit saying she was sure God had sent us.”

• Church and school bulk orders – if ordering 6 or more eggs then either visit the official online shop at www.realeasteregg.co.uk (order by 14 February and get free delivery), or buy through your Traidcraft Fair-trader or contact one of the independent shops listed on the check the How to Buy section at www.realeasteregg.co.uk

A grandmother from Oxfordshire gave an egg and explained; “Tracy saw the book that was included in The Real Easter Egg and wanted her mum to read the story to her… The following week Tracy attended Sunday School.”

• Pick up one or two eggs while supermarket shopping – you will only find 12 eggs on supermarket shelves at any one time. Check the How to Buy section at www.realeasteregg.co.uk to see which supermarkets are stocking the egg.

Change a life - through trade

But it is not only at home that lives have been transformed. With each sale of The Real Easter Egg, a donation is made to Traidcraft Exchange to support some of the poorest farmers in the world over £40,000 has been donated so far. A Fairtrade Premium is also paid to farmers allowing them to invest in their community, buying everything from school books and solar panels, to providing fresh water supplies.

• For individual orders check the How to Buy section at www.realeasteregg.co.uk and pay by debit or creditcard.

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“I knew about the corruption and trouble and I didn’t know whether to feel excited about this challenge ahead, or just terrified.”

Harriet, a former Action Team member in India, describes her experience: “The bus arrived at 8am to pick us up for the first day of school. You get on the bus and lots of little hands grab yours and pull you in all directions to the seat closest to them. They are beautiful children. They’re street children so they aren’t very clean, but you see past that and the beauty shines through. Knowing that these children sleep on the streets every night breaks my heart. As you would expect with coming to a place like this, there is a lot of poverty, and hunger and need. I want to show them Jesus and show them there is hope.”

Stepping into the unknown, young people like Phoebe who embarked on a BMS Action Team gap year in a country affected by war, anticipate that this will be a journey of discovery they’ll never forget. Whether this fills them with excitement or trepidation, they are all agreed on one thing: God has good and challenging experiences in store!

Many of the Action Team members go with the expectation that they will make a difference, experience something new, and maybe even change the world. But they are often surprised by how much God uses the world they encounter to change them. Leaving what is comfortable and familiar, their training can only prepare them in part for what will meet them when they arrive overseas.

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The reality of the situations in which they find themselves hits hard and the task seems overwhelming. But showing God’s love in the practical, community-based projects, the Action Teams encounter God in new and exciting ways.

Action Team members are inspired; they come home and live differently in the light of what they have experienced. As Action Teams tour churches on their return to the UK, they have a unique opportunity to share their stories, and to inspire others for mission.

These young people, with their passion to change the world they encounter, begin a journey; a journey that does not end when they land back in the UK, but one that will change and impact the rest of their lives. The journey into mission has begun.

Liz Stephens Mission Teams Administrator To find out more about the BMS Action Team programme, visit:

Phoebe reflects on her Action Team year: “This year has given me so many unique experiences, taught me so much and given me a desire to serve God overseas in the future. It was truly an unforgettable time: teaching and working with local children and young people; making great friends; hearing testimonies about the lives of local believers and the huge commitment that it is to have a Christian faith and how Jesus has drastically changed their lives.”

www.bmsworldmission.org/actionteams

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1 - 3 February, Eastbourne If you are involved in any aspect of children’s, family or schools’ ministry, plan to join with hundreds of other delegates and representatives of organisations serving these ministries for a weekend of learning and worship, resource discovery, spiritual refreshment and possibly meeting up with old friends!

There will be plenty for everyone – from the basics of working with children of various ages for folk just starting to help out in their church and lots of

creative and helpful ideas for everyone, to sessions that dive deep into issues of mission driven through children and family ministry.

On Friday afternoon there will be ‘Included or Excluded’, an additional forum for people engaged in shaping and resourcing ministry with children who have additional or special needs and this will lead into a stream of sessions over the weekend that will impart a vision and give practical advice for all of us who want to ensure good integration in our churches.

To encourage you to bring your Junior Leaders along to the conference for training and inspiration, half price tickets are again being offered for under 21s.

In addition to the general sessions, there will be special sessions for Junior Leaders to meet to discuss issues that particularly relate to them and also an area for them to meet up with each other and the Junior Leaders’ designated team.

For more information, and to book, see: www.familyministry.co.uk/Group/Group. aspx?ID=195496

1277: supporting your church toddler group 1277 is a consortium of churches and agencies supporting church toddler groups. The consortium is called 1277 as, on average, a UK child has just 1,277 days between birth and starting nursery education. 1277 aims to bring together all who have a heart to see Toddler Groups make a difference in our society. The group seeks to represent the views, concerns and interests of Church-based Toddler Groups with those in authority both in Westminster and around the country.’

By registering your group and receiving information from 1277 you will become part of a movement that together will make a difference to our society; by reaching one parent and one toddler at a time.

Mission Files 12771: SUPPORTING YOUR CHURCH TODDLER GROUP Just imagine if...

Just imagine if your church discovered a way to effectively engage with over 50% of the local community. Just imagine if half of the young families in your area came along every week.

You’d notice, wouldn’t you?

Well, I’ve got news for you - in many churches in the UK they already do!

Recent research has found that 52% of under4s in England (and, of course their adult carers) attend a Church-led Toddler Group2.

As a young Baptist Minister, it took Richard Hardy (Director of The Entheos Trust) some years to realise that every week some 5060 parents with toddlers from the local area gathered in his church. Furthermore, they were not only willing but eager to do Bible Crafts, hear Bible stories, sing Christian songs and even say prayers! Richard explains: ‘Of course I knew that the Parent and Toddler Group existed. In fact I was glad it was there… but also very glad I never had to attend! For me it was a scary place. It had that potent cocktail that, as a male church leader, I tended to avoid - young women and small children.

www.1277.org.uk

Day of Prayer for Toddler Groups Sunday 2 June 2013

This annual Day, promoted by the 1277 group, will take place at the end of this year’s National Family Week. Why not encourage your whole church to pray for all those involved in toddler groups - leaders, volunteers, parents, carers and children - and the opportunities that these contacts bring?

I commit to pray for parent and toddler groups, their leaders and the families and communities they impact.

Father, as we seek to nurture, develop and encourage our children, would You challenge us with Your love, deepen us with Your grace and teach us with Your wisdom, so that through us Your Kingdom comes and Your will is done. Amen

‘To my shame, I saw it as unimportant, even trivial. I saw it as just a few mums gathered together to natter about kid’s stuff.

Somehow I had segregated the group from the rest of the life and mission of the church.

‘That was until I visited as part of a Church Mission Audit. I popped in to ask how many of those present attended church.

1 A consortium of churches and agencies supporting church toddler groups. The consortium is called 1277 as, on average, a UK child has just 1,277 days between birth and starting nursery education.

2 Source: Children’s Workforce Development Council, ‘More than Sundays’ report, 2009 available from the Family Matters Institute www.familymatters.org.uk/research-top-page/sociological-research/more-than-sundays

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Toddler Rocks!

Making the most of your toddler group’s mission opportunities.

A day to encourage & equip Toddler Group & Church Leaders to integrate their group into the church’s strategy for mission.

Bring 4 save £20!

Bournemouth Saturday 9th March 2013 Burnley Saturday 20th April 2013 Cambridge Saturday 18th May 2013 Email: mail@theentheostrust.org Web: www.theentheostrust.org

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RE:5

Youth, Children and Family Workers Retreat King’s Park Conference Centre, Northampton 22-23 May A retreat for people who are paid Youth Workers, Children’s Workers and Family Workers, hosted by the Association Youth Officers.

King’s Park Conference Centre, Kings Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6LL

Speaker: Roy Searle

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

Cost: £105 per person 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 Booking

King’s Park Conference Centre, Northampton 22 - 23 May 2013

The cost for the event is £105 per person 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 Closing date for bookings is Thursday 28 March

Closing date for bookings is Thursday 28 March

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

more information, please contact mission@baptist.org.uk Please book as early as possible since places may fillFor up before the closing date

Faith and Society Team, Baptist Union of GB, Baptist House PO Box 44 129 Broadway Didcot Oxon OX11 8RT telephone 01235 517711 facsimile 01235 517715 email mission@baptist.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1125912

Would high quality free sets of Bible story images ever be useful in your Ministry?

Then great news! You’ll be pleased to hear there’s a new award-winning free Christian website, where you can download over 70 sets of Bible Story images! Just great for those who teach the Bible.

And yes, they really are free - we’re a charity run by Christians in the UK. The images are available in PowerPoint, PDF, Keynote and JPEG files and you can view them on screens, tablets, and mobile phones.

The website is called Free Bible images, is being used in 198 countries and was voted People’s Choice Winner at the 2012 Christian New Media Awards, hosted by Premier Christian Radio.

Please take a look at: www.freebibleimages.org

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Register now! May 27-31, 2013

Acadia/EBF Youth Ministry Institute

Engaging Youth in the Real World:

Looking at Youth Culture Through Sociological and Theological Eyes “...wonderful, fantastic, leadership based training, centered upon and sustained in my identity in Christ...” Chad The experience and knowledge of the lecturers and new friendships with fellow youth workers was refreshing...” Filip "It was one of the best conferences I have ever been part of...” Pascal “I got to see and experience ministry (and missions) in an entirely new way, making new friends and connections along the way...” Melinda “pushed me to think beyond my narrow worldview and box-sized thinking of how God is building His kingdom on earth...” - Patrick

This Acadia/EBF has been jointly sponsored by the EBF and Acadia University since 2004

Jeff Carter is the youth leadership training coordinator for the European Baptist Federation, international lecturer and researcher in youth ministry.

Malenovice Christian Retreat Center in the beautiful mountains of Moravia, Czech Republic

Come expecting, Leave Refreshed

Promo Video http://youtu.be/sZH4nejfrs8

Limited seats, scholarships available / Reg info: jcarter@ebf.org

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Who Let The Dads Out? conference Saturday 15 June - Cowplain Saturday 12 October - Chester These two Who Let The Dads Out events serve two main purposes: • They provide a great opportunity for group leaders to meet, encourage and learn from one another.

• They allow church leaders, church family workers and any others looking at ministries for men in a parenting/family context to hear and learn all about Who Let The Dads Out?

Come and be inspired by what God is doing through Who Let The Dads Out? and be re-envisioned for your part in this ministry.

Tickets cost £15 per person which includes lunch and refreshments. Book your places at: http://brf.org.uk/calendar/upcoming

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 The Baptist World Alliance is hosting the World Youth Conference in Singapore this year.

This is an exciting event aimed at those between the ages of 18 – 25.

If you have a group who would like to go, we recommend that you contact Phil Hindle (Thyme Travel, In partnership with Midcounties Co-op Personal Travel Agents) to discuss travel and booking arrangements Tel: 01823 351000 / 07957 173894 Email: phil.hindle@personaltravelagents.co.uk

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Youth & Children Organisations: Arise Ministries

Boys’ Brigade

There are four key areas of ministry: • Equipping and Support • Events • Resources • ALF Clubs

The Boys’ Brigade provides a balanced programme of activities for children and young people from 5 to 18 years old. These resources have been developed to help volunteer youth leaders work in a relevant and creative way. We hope through these programmes they will be able to make a positive contribution to a young person’s life and be able to share their faith.

Arise Ministries wants to work with you to pioneer new outreach to children in your community. Working on a local, regional and national level, Arise Ministries seeks to help the Church reach children with the gospel, so that they have an opportunity to discover Jesus and become his followers.

Each week The Boys’ Brigade works with thousands of young people, many of whom have no other connection with the Church. Today we are working with over 60,000 children and young people in over 1500 companies (groups) in the UK and Republic of Ireland every week.

Our vision is ‘Equipping the church to reach a generation’. We believe children can become, be and make disciples of Jesus, whilst children. We want to work in, through and with the church to see this become a reality.

For more informations, see: www.boys-brigade.org.uk

Girls’ Brigade

Arise Ministries is involved in producing a range of exciting and engaging resources to equip you in your ministry amongst children.

GB Ministries is part of a global Christian movement with a great history and a passionate vision for this generation and the future - it’s committed to seeing lives and communities transformed and enriched as individuals seek, serve and follow Jesus Christ.

Through the delivery of ministry to children at a local, regional and national level, the events Arise Ministries runs and is involved with provide a great opportunity for children to hear about the lifechanging news of Jesus!

Its work is expressed in various ways, but all with the same aim – that children and young people discover what it means to experience and share ‘life to the full’. GB Ministries is committed to supporting and developing the various aspects of its ministry and to launching new initiatives in mission.

Find out more about the events Arise Ministries is involved in, or about how Arise Ministries could come and work with you to deliver an event reaching out to the children of your community,see: www.ariseministries.org.uk

For more information, see: www.girlsb.org.uk GB Europe’s annual conference will help leaders see how they’re made to make a difference to the lives of the young people they work with. Taking place in Belfast between 7 - 9 June it is set to be a great weekend for GB leaders of all ages. Find out more at: www.girlsb.org.uk/made-to-make-adifference-_364

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Scripture Union

Soul Survivor

Scripture Union is an international mission movement that was founded over 140 years ago. We work in over 120 countries making God’s good news known to children, young people and families and encouraging people of all ages to meet God daily through the Bible and prayer. Our goal: that all may come to a personal faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, grow in Christian maturity and become both committed church members and servants of a world in need.

Soul Survivor is a Christian charity that puts on events for young people. The ‘main’ event of the year is the five-day Soul Survivor during the summer, when thousands of young people gather together to journey with God. The main focus of the events are morning and evening meetings where we spend time worshipping God with music, learning more about him through his word (the Bible) and waiting on the Holy Spirit to change us and equip us to live lives for him.

www.scriptureunion.org.uk

Week A: 26-30 July Stafford Showground

Holidays

Week B: 13-17 August Week C: 18-22 August Bath & West Showground, Somerset

We offer a range of young people’s regional holidays in the North East and Yorkshire, South East and Midlands for groups aged 8+, 11+, 13+ and 15+.

Whilst each of the camps is unique in its own way, several core values are shared, regardless of location, activity or age group: • God - At the root all that we offer is our passion to give young people the opportunity to explore the Bible, learn more about God and discover his relevance to them today.

• Fun - Holidays are all about fun! And fun can be defined in many different ways. That’s why we offer a wide range of options, and many holidays provide different activities within them.

• Safety - is of paramount importance to us. All leaders are appropriately vetted (including a CRB check) and given specific training. There is a ratio of at least one adult to every four young people on every holiday.

• Affordability - We do not run our holidays to make a profit. In actual fact, we try to keep our prices as low as possible, and grants are available to those who need help.

To find out more about these summer events, see: www.soulsurvivor.com/uk/ss2012 Naturally Supernatural is for anyone involved in the church. You could be a cell group leader, pastor, youth leader, or just member of a church. The whole point is that anyone one of us - young or old - can be used by God, so the event is for everyone!

Who’s running it?

Naturally Supernatural is being organised by Soul Survivor. We usually run events for young people and young adults, but with Naturally Supernatural we’re looking to equip the whole church, whatever your denomination or background!

When is it?

The event is being held at the Soul Survivor Warehouse in Watford from Wednesday 13 to Saturday 16 February. You can also come for just a day or evening too. Find out more about what will be happening at: www.soulsurvivor.com/uk

For more information about SU Holidays, see: www.scriptureunion.org.uk/Holidays/739.id

Resources

Scripture Union is well-known for the range of resources for all ages, and this year has launched new holiday Bible club material. Space Academy is a five-day holiday club, for 5 to 11s, especially suitable for children who are not yet part of a church community. It has a space theme and explores the early chapters of Daniel. For more information, see: www.scriptureunion.org.uk/ HolidayandMidweekClubs/2368.id

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Urban Saints

Youth for Christ

Since 1906 Urban Saints (formerly known as Crusaders) has been reaching out to children and young people with the good news of Jesus Christ. We are passionate about working with children and young people who have no church connection, helping them to realise their full God-given potential as they journey from childhood to adulthood.

Young people (aged 5 to 18+) connect with the movement in a variety of ways, including weekly youth groups, special events, holidays, community projects and training programmes, led by thousands of volunteers.

Youth for Christ (YFC) is a national Christian charity founded by Billy Graham in 1946. Working with over 250,000 young people each month, we draw alongside teens from every background and culture in Britain. Our 150 fulltime staff and countless local volunteers specialise in working with unchurched youth: communicating and demonstrating the Christian faith.

What we do: • Church resources – a great selection of Christian youth material • Education resources – resources for schools and teachers • Mission teams and artists – cutting edge teams and award winning artists • Residentials – giving young people a break • Conferences – events for everyone to get away and get together • Training and coaching – a variety of training days to help you reach young people and sharpen your skills • Young offenders – work with marginalised young people • Sponsored events – epic challenges to raise funds and awareness for YFC

For more information, see: www.urbansaints.org Don’t Make History, Change the Future An inspiring evening of music, laughter and challenge with a message worth living for! The event is aimed at young people and adults. Whilst it is biased towards people with faith, it will inspire and challenge non-Christians also.

This will be taking place around the UK in February and March. See page 21 for details, or the Urban Saints website: www.urbansaints.org/ pages/12253/Dont_Make_History.htm Young people’s Holidays You just can’t beat an Urban Saints holiday for a life-changing experience. Friendships deepen, faith grows – and you have ridiculous amounts of fun.

Don’t let 2013 go by without one. Check the website for details of the range of holidays…ranging from action-packed Spree weekends to week-long summer holidays: www.urbansaints.org/pages/3987/ Holidays.htm

http://yfc.co.uk/ Young people holidays Amazing weeks away that are transforming young lives across Britain. Young people from all corners of Britain come to campsites, activity centres and boarding schools to enjoy fun activities, great teaching, sports, fancy dress balls and much, much more. Fantastic leaders offer action-packed programmes and plenty of choices, so whatever your ideal holiday might be, you’ll find it here.

Holidays in 2013 include: • Criccieth Adventure Camp, North Wales 29 July – 6 August • xTreme, Frontier Centre, Northants 27 July – 3 August • xTremeXtra, Frontier Centre, Northants 21 - 28 July • Breathe Contemporary Youth Retreat, Peak District - 17 - 23 August • Aquasports: Marlow, Buckinghamshire 11 - 18 August

Residential centres for hire Urban Saints runs four residential centres which can be booked for your group: • Westbrook residential activity centre on the Isle of Wight for up to 100 people.

• Cae Canol in Snowdonia accommodates 30 people in a house and dormitory caravan.

• Combruith outdoor centre in the heart of Perthshire, accommodating up to 46 people.

• Tweedsmuir outdoor self-catering centre in the Scottish Borders, accommodating 12 - 29 people.

For more information, see: www.urbansaints.org/ pages/4177/Centres.htm

Find out more at: http://yfc.co.uk/what-wedo/residentials/impact-holidays

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So you wowed the panel at the interview with your slick presentation and talk of how young people develop spiritually. You charmed the youth group in the first week of your job with stories of your previous adventures with young people, cool camps and wacky activities. But now it’s three weeks in to your new role as the senior youth pastor at the Baptist church and you need a plan. Your years of experience working with another local church will stand you in good stead, but you need to start from scratch: set a vision, inspire the volunteers, encourage the congregation, upwardly manage your boss. Where on earth do you start?

How can we help?

Amaze exists for the benefit of its members. With each of the three levels of membership (basic (free), plus and pro) youth, children’s workers or their employers can get support on everything from how to grow and coach their volunteers, to what are the church’s responsibilities as an employer, through to what do I need to remember to do before a major residential activity.

We know there is no set way of doing youth work, or rules for how to employ a children’s worker - and the last thing we want to do is prescribe any - but we believe passionately in borrowing great ideas from others and revising them to suit our own needs. As part of Youthscape, Amaze is heavily influenced and supported by local youth workers working on the ground with children and young people.

With it’s wealth of resources, ideas and inspiration, www.amaze.org.uk is here to help.

Amaze exists because we believe in treating people with excellence and that great practice can and should be shared. We want to see more and better youth and children’s work, we believe that young people deserve the best youth and children’s work, youth workers deserve the best resources and their employers deserve the best employment support.

So, if you’re in week three of your job or year 33, get a cup of tea, sit down with the Amaze website and borrow as much as you think will help you do your work more effectively for the benefit of the young people and children in your care. You deserve it and they deserve it.

Amaze has just been relaunched with a dynamic and vastly expanded new approach, offering essentials for building effective Christian youth and children’s work. We aim to not only offer help for youth and children’s workers and their employers around issues of employment, but also support in three other key areas; • how to set your strategy and vision, • how to maximise the best training and development opportunities and • how to manage finances and fundraising.

Ruth Bennett Amaze

The website offers grounded and practical tools, ‘how to’ guides, advice and practical templates on a wide range of strategic youth work and employment issues. Alongside these resources, ‘pro’ members have access to telephone and email support, as well as membership to the Amaze book club, two free places on Amaze training events and a whole lot more.

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Many will remember the Baptist Union of Great Britain’s ‘On our Knees’ campaign in 2006 which aimed to reverse the decline of children within Baptist churches. Since that date we have seen a 19% increase, but sadly we are still largely failing to keep them or help them become disciples. This edition of missionscene has sought to explore the theme of young discipleship. The big challenge we have, as we move forward to see this dream, is will we let the children and youth really celebrate faith, mission and ministry within the church community?

The potential of this dream is exciting, but to see it come to reality takes courage, sweat and risk. Will you let children and young people discover faith, be part of the church community, today ... not tomorrow?

God bless your attempts

Ian Bunce BUGB Mission Department

Board Game Week at Le Plas Opton 9-16 September 2013 Spring Harvest Holidays owns a 4* camp site in France, and it’s going to be a fantastic venue for this week – really nice mobile homes to stay in, big bar area to play games in, and loads of other things to do, like swimming pool, volleyball, multi-sports pitch, countryside, beach etc. With it being the end of the season, it’s really cheap that week ... and because it’s a Christian site, there’s an optional programme of evening worship meetings and morning bible studies, and a general ethos and atmosphere conducive to deep conversations about God that could be awesome evangelistically. It’s a great opportunity to invite friends and engage in games and conversations.

Throughout the week there’ll be opportunities to play new games and old favourites. Later in the week you can show your competitive side, taking part in a number of tournaments and competitions (all with a friendly edge!).

Tournaments will be sponsored by organisations in the board game community, with prizes to be won!

Accommodation is available in fully equipped tents, mobile homes and luxury villas.

For more information about the campsite, Games Week, and booking, see: www.springharvestholidays.com/board-game-week

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Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland Baptist Union of Scotland Judy White 07875 644672 judy@scottishbaptist.org.uk

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Scottish Baptist College Principal - Jim Gordon 0141 848 3988 scottishbaptistcollege@uws.ac.uk

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Shetland Islands

Northern Paul Revill 01661 843710 revillfamily@tiscali.co.uk

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

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Northern Community Learning Network

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

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Baptist Union of Wales Simeon Baker 5 01267 245660 simeon@bedyddwyrcymru.co.uk

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

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South Wales Andy Hughes 029 2049 1366

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andy@southwalesbaptistassociation.org.uk

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

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richard.lewis@easternbaptist.org.uk

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Channel Islands

London David Shosanya 0208 543 6447

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Spurgeon’s Baptist College Roger Standing 12 020 8653 0850 ex228 r.standing@spurgeons.ac.uk South West Barbara Carpenter 01823 490195

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barbara@heurisco.globalnet.co.uk

Central Helen Wordsworth 10 01733 237046 rev.h@rhwordsworth.plus.com Eastern Richard Lewis 01842 754953

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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

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

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5

Southern Counties Colin Norris 07725 039943 c.norris@scba.org.uk Regent’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

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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

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BUGB Faith and Society Team Ian Bunce 01235 517709 mission@baptist.org.uk

15 February 2013