shareit! The Magazine of Church Army
33
Summer 2011
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shareit! The Magazine of Church Army
Patron: HM The Queen President: The Most Revd Dr Desmond Tutu Church Army Evangelists share the Christian faith through words and action and equip others to do the same. Evangelists and staff are devoted to a wide range of service in Anglican churches, projects and teams throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. Shareit! is the magazine of Church Army and it is available free upon request. Please let us know if you would prefer not to receive further issues of Shareit! or other communications from Church Army. Wilson Carlile Centre, 50 Cavendish Street, Sheffield, S3 7RZ Tel: 0300 123 2113 email: info@churcharmy.org.uk www.churcharmy.org.uk
Registered Charity Nos: 226226 & SC040457 Editor: Hannah Gray 0300 123 2113 Design & Print: CPO 01903 264556 ISSN 1751-3960 If you have a story for Shareit!, or suggestions on how we can improve this magazine, then please contact Hannah Gray. The paper used is from sustainable forests and can be recycled. Printed by Bishops who have 14001 accreditation.
Evangelist Support Scheme This symbol identifies those Evangelists who, through the Evangelist Support Scheme, seek support for their ministry through prayer and giving. It may be that you are drawn to an Evangelist in this issue and would like to find out how you can partner with them in their ministry. To receive further information about the scheme, please email ess@churcharmy.org.uk or call 0300 123 2113.
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Walking Hu From the Chief Executive
Dear friends, ast time I wrote to you in Shareit! Church Army was in the process of relocating from its Sidcup office to the Wilson Carlile Centre in Sheffield – well, I’m pleased to announce we have arrived! And what an exciting journey it’s been – one which required us to trust in God’s provision on a daily basis as we waited for our new home to be completed. But now that all the boxes have been unpacked, we are beginning to work out how to establish and grow our vision for a Minster for Evangelism situated right in the heart of the city. We truly want to create a community where all are welcome and which shines out radically as a place of love to those on the edges of our society. Please pray with us as we discern how to use this amazing new building which God has so abundantly blessed us with. May all the glory go to him! The past few months have also seen the Church Army family reflecting on Micah 6:8 which encourages us to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.” At the Church Army Conference our guest speaker Brian McLaren spoke on this theme and we certainly came away challenged to press ahead with God’s work. Brian is one of the world’s leading thinkers on mission in a post-modern context and an in-demand Christian speaker – so it was a real privilege to have him there. There will be a feature on what Brian shared with us in the next issue of Shareit! this autumn. In this issue of Shareit! find out more about the Regeneration Youth Summit which was organised by Church Army with the support of the Archbishop of York Youth Trust (pages 8-11). The event took place at St Thomas’ Church Philadelphia in Sheffield and saw 35 bishops, 20 youth workers and 120 young people meet to discuss the future of the church. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York also attended and signed a pledge along with other bishops promising to make young people a priority in the Church of England. I came away inspired and refreshed to see so many people of different ages and from different backgrounds working together for Christ. With the warmer weather hopefully on the way, why not read about Gordon Banks and his rural ministry at
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Humbly with God The South of England Show on pages 28-29. In this issue we also feature Retired Evangelist and Supermarket Chaplain, Ray Mills, (page 19), the growing phenomenon of Messy Church, (pages 26-27) and Tim Hyde’s Lighthouse Project on the Weston Estate in Southampton (pages 14-15). Meanwhile Communications and Marketing Officer, Bryony Wells, is preparing to head to Greenbelt and Soul Survivor to represent Church Army. In our training section, Arthur Jones, Coordinator for Training, reflects on Church Army’s mission-based training programme and how it has developed since it was introduced in September 2008. He talks about the team’s hopes for the future and how the Trainees are benefiting from a “wonderful combination” of practical mission and academic study. Finally, may I sincerely thank you for your
continued support during these historic times of change for Church Army. As Paul says in Philippians 1:1, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel.” With this in mind, may I encourage you to keep standing with us as we go about God’s mission to grow the kingdom and to bring the hope of Jesus to those in need. With my love and prayers,
Mark Russell Chief Executive www.churcharmy.org.uk/ceo
STOP PRESS! Evangelist, Richard Cooke, in Selby, North Yorkshire, is preparing to lead a new Centre of Mission which will see a second Evangelist and Trainee Evangelist join the team. Richard works on the Flaxley Road estate where he has established a new Christian community – The Edge Community. He runs a family-friendly ‘Gathering’ each month, an after school club, a parent support group and works in the local schools. He said: “We’re very excited to have new people joining us. We’re looking forward to seeing what gifts and skills they will bring and how God will use them to reach even more people with the good news of Jesus.” Mark Russell
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Contents
Shareit! 33
Jim Currin Foreword by David Cornick Churches Together in England
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28
24
NEWS
FAITH
WORDS
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News The latest news from Church Army
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Regeneration – a day to remember Archbishops sign pledge at Church Army youth summit
16 Bringing life after death How legacies are transforming lives
20 In your own words You have your say about Church Army
18 Festival fever Bryony Wells prepares for summer at Soul Survivor and Greenbelt
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Summer 2011
zin The Maga
19 At your service... Supermarket Chaplain, Ray Mills 22 A blank canvas Artist and Evangelist Colin Brown
24 Sharing Faith the Jesus Way Jim Currin’s new book 31 The young are the best teachers Peter Graystone has the last word
28 On with the show! Gordon Banks at The South of England Show
h Army e of Churc
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1 Summer 201
Is this the first time you’ve read a copy of Shareit!? Would you like to receive your own FREE edition regularly? To sign up and to find out more about other Church Army resources please visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/res Alternatively email info@churcharmy.org.uk, telephone 0300 123 2113 or write to Church Army, Wilson Carlile Centre, 50 Cavendish Road, Sheffield, S3 7RZ. We will be more than happy to help.
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ACTION 12 Mission possible, Mission pioneering, Mission excitingi– Arthur Jones reflects on mission-based training
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14 A haven of hope Tim Hyde at the Southampton Centre of Mission 26 A “messy” mission Gill Martin talks about the success of Messy Church 30 Getting creative with God Homelessness and Poverty Action Week at The Marylebone Project
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RECORD DEMAND FOR EASTER EGG Church Army’s Chief Executive, Mark Russell, said: “Some of the very best ideas seem both simple and revolutionary, I think The Real Easter Egg is a brilliant example of this.” David Marshall, speaking for the Meaningful Chocolate Company who produced the egg, said: “We are delighted that our customers have made The Real Easter Egg such a success. I think we have proven that people are not afraid to buy the egg and we hope we have changed the face of Easter forever.”
PHOTOS: THE SCOTTISH BIBLE SOCIETY AND THE REAL EASTER EGG
The team behind The Real Easter Egg is celebrating after supermarkets and independent retailers reported record demand. With over 80 million chocolate eggs sold each year in the UK, The Real Easter Egg sought to explain the Christian message on the box while raising money for charity through its profits. Morrisons, Waitrose, Co-op and Booths stocked a limited “trial listing” of the egg in their biggest stores and Traidcraft’s network of 6,500 stores also sold the egg.
NEW DIRECTOR DOWN UNDER FOR CHURCH ARMY
Martin Morgan has joined Church Army Australia after being appointed as its new National Director.
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He comes to Church Army from a strong background in evangelism and church planting, initially establishing
independent churches in New South Wales. He has spent the last seven years working at Rouse Hill Anglican Church, first as a nonordained worker, before being ordained as a minister in 2006. He said: “Church Army Australia is a growing movement of local mission bases that reach the least, the last and the lost. The mission of planting, training and restoring is one that I am completely aligned to.” Martin is married to Catherine and has three children Caleb, 16, Bronte, 14, and Isaac, 11. (pictured above).
PHOTOS: THE SCOTTISH BIBLE SOCIETY AND THE REAL EASTER EGG
DIARY OF AN EVANGELIST
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GAP YEAR XPLORERS ON FILM A new film from Church Army has been released featuring this year’s intake of Xplore global gap year students. (www.churcharmy.org.uk/xplore) This year seven young people aged between 18 and 25 are taking part in the programme which gives them the chance to learn about mission and carry it out for themselves in the UK or abroad. In the film, Jo Miller, Jessica Snuggs, Felicity Pennington, Tim Cottingham, Ollie Morgan, Leanne Kays and Ed Stanford reflect on their experiences and reveal what they are most looking forward to. Neville Barnes, Programme Leader (pictured with Xplorers above), said: “We have seven people who have signed up to be really engaged with mission – I’m so excited about the possibilities.”
GOSPEL GIVEAWAY IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Hundreds of people in Portadown, Northern Ireland, will be receiving a free copy of The Gospel of Mark this summer as part of a church outreach initiative led by Evangelist Elizabeth Cairns. The gospel giveaway has been organised by St Columba’s Parish Church and nearly 2,000 Fast Track To Jesus booklets will be distributed to households in the area as part of its mission theme; The Bible for All. Elizabeth said: “This initiative is not only a free gift to all who receive it, but an opportunity to encourage our members to be involved in outreach and evangelism. “We pray that God will open doors for people to receive a gospel and come to a personal faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.”
This year our Spring Appeal, Diary of an Evangelist, featured ‘Sue’ who works in the north of England alongside some of the most vulnerable, isolated and chaotic women of our cities – those involved in street prostitution. Through her prayer journal she revealed some of the struggles the women face on a daily basis and explained how thanks to Church Army supporters the gospel of forgiveness, hope and unconditional love is being shared with them. For more information or to donate please visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/ appeal or telephone Jon Pape (Individuals and Legacy Development Officer) on 0300 123 2113.
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churcharmy.org.uk
a day to remember and 20 youth workers More than 120 young people, 35 bishops n Youth Summit which gathered in Sheffield for the Regeneratio which saw the future was sponsored by Church Army – a day change ignited… of the Church of England discussed and
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ith only seven percent of the Church of England aged between 18 and 35 years old – something needs to change. With only one in 300 18 to 24 year olds coming to church every week – something needs to change. With nearly 50 percent of the Church of England aged over 65 – something needs to change. The Regeneration Youth Summit sought to ignite that change. The one-day event at St Thomas’ Church Philadelphia, Sheffield, was led by young people, aged between 15 and 21 years old, and offered them a unique opportunity to meet with bishops on their terms. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, attended the event and, along with the other bishops, spent time participating in discussion groups and prayer with the young people who had travelled from across the country.
Throughout the day, the groups took part in creative ideas sessions, prayed for the church and recorded their feedback on film. At the end of the summit a communion service was held and everyone attending was invited to sign a pledge to commit themselves to the work of the church and young people. In his address to the summit the Archbishop of Canterbury encouraged those attending to think about how the church can keep Christians growing. He said: “A living church is one that keeps you growing all through your life, and any answer to the questions we’ve been thinking about today has to be something that keeps you moving, keeps you growing and that doesn’t leave you in your comfort zone...” The Archbishop of York, in his address, challenged the young people to “take risks for Christ” and reminded
them that “youthfulness isn’t a barrier to people being used by God.” Regeneration was led by the youngest member of General Synod, Sam Follett, 20, with the help of Church Army’s Chief Executive, Mark Russell, 36. Sam, who took part in Church Army’s Xplore gap year programme, organised the event with a team of four other young people: Winnie Amoaku, Caitlin Thomson, Chris Balding and Ben Palmer. Regeneration was also supported by the Archbishop of York Youth Trust. Sam said: “I’m so pleased the Bishops and Archbishops are serious enough about young people to be here to listen to us. It was also great to see the different generations working together – just how church should be. Regeneration has shown that young people do care about the church and are prepared to really make a difference.” The event also secured the backing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Church Army’s President. He said: “God loves young people, yet so many young people have little or no connection with our church. As President of Church Army, I am delighted it sponsored this major event to address this challenge head on. I pray this summit will help empower a new generation of young people to make a difference in our world for Jesus Christ.” Throughout the day many ideas and suggestions were shared and during the feedback it was apparent young people wanted to see the church making more use of modern methods of communication such
as social networking websites Facebook and Twitter. They also wanted to see the church involved in the community more and urged the bishops to show greater confidence in proclaiming the Christian message. Mark Russell said: “Regeneration has filled me with such joy and hope for the future. It’s been so exciting to see young people’s passion for the church and their commitment to Christ - I hope they went away encouraged that the church and its leaders are also passionate about them! I cannot wait to see how God is going to impact the wider church through this event which has marked a turning point for the next generation.”
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Archbishop Rowan Williams prays with young people at Regeneration
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e g d e l P e h T
it we are ration Summ r the Regene fo d le across el p fi ef eo p Sh with young Gathered in k or w ve iti people are ll the pos excited by a many young so t a th e r more. ic e rejo we yearn fo our nation. W church, yet r ou of e lif e involved in th e ourselves to ers we pledg d a le le, ch ur nd ch young peop As bishops a the voices of to work n ill te w lis e to W . ys hristian walk find new wa C r ei h th in r, rd bette bot age them es to be hea and encour ic vo 's ek le se p ill eo . We w ung p to enable yo tional church se and the na both in ce le io p d r eo p ou g within ower youn p em to ork with ys w a w deavor to to find new ry. We will en ist young in ith m w nd es a leadership ission initiativ m w be ne le b to ena sources can colleagues w financial re ne if er id ns co people, and t these. ble to suppor ila va mit a e d a m eration Sum at the Regen ed t er or th p a p g su le p urage and As young peo do hard to enco k nd or a w s, ill w op e r bish we affirm w ill pray for ou will aders. We w ongst us. We m a ip sh our church le er d a le r our ei e th g ss a ble encour all we can to l churches, to ca and lo s, r d ou en in fri ly y for our work positive rselves to pra . ou em e th g d ith le p w leaders. We ring our faith a sh of ys a new w urch we to try to find ray for the ch p to sh fre , a e commit amongst us Together, w k a miracle or w ple to eo p od ask G ore young love, and to help many m . to ist us hr e C s us ld in Jesu that He wou a living faith nd come to la g En s os cr a
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What the young people said...
What next?
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hurch Army has had some great feedback from Regeneration and already people are putting their own ideas into action on a local level. Here are just a few of the messages we’ve been sent…
For more information about Regeneration and to watch a film of the day, please visit www.regenerationsummit.org
“I just wanted to let you know th at following Re I have met with generation the vicar of my church and plan to start an even s are in place ing café-style se rvice that’s led designed by yo by and uth. I’m so exci ted – they have my views so w accommodated ell and are very open to my idea really at the ce s. God is ntre of it and He is providing me opportunities to with the seek and secure change.” Sara h Holmes “I have written a report follow ing Regeneratio hopefully going n that is to be circulated across my part I also have a sl of London. ot to talk at the Harrow Deaner July with an op y Synod in portunity to run some sort of ev Regeneration on ent like a local level. I’m still trying to w what this will lo ork out ok like – all exci ting stuff! Jam es Slatter “I’ve had an idea put on my hear t recently to ge Christians in m t young y area, regardle ss of backgrou read the Bible nd, to meet, and pray togeth er. I’ve got a re feeling of what ally great the Lord could do with us!” Jo sh Bell
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...IF YOU ARE C possible
Arthur Jones is the Coordinator for Training at Church Army. Here he reflects on the missionbased training model and explains to Hannah Gray how it has developed over the past three years Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your role at Church Army?
pioneering
exciting
I’m the Tutor with responsibility for coordinating training and have a long mission background. I started out in scientific research at the University of Birmingham, but then went into college education. However, when I got married, my wife (a school teacher) and I went straight out to India. We spent 10 years in India and Nepal working as Educational Missionaries. Since returning to the UK, I’ve worked in various educational roles and for the last 15 years I’ve run undergraduate and postgraduate distance learning courses. I joined Church Army nearly two years ago and my job is proving wonderful for me as it combines education and mission. I also help my wife who runs an in outreach project in Muslim communities in the Manchester Diocese.
How does mission-based training work and what is its purpose? Most training programmes tend to be academic or classroom-based whereas we wanted to provide a course for practitioners - for people who were actually doing mission. So our four-year programme is missionbased which means our Trainees spend most of their time at a Centre of Mission working with a Church Army Evangelist in various projects. This allows them to be trained in the context of mission practice. However, they still come to Sheffield six times a year for half-a-week where they have more intensive, classroom-based training. But again, it’s always related to, and encouraging them to reflect on what they’re actually doing. At the moment we have 14 Trainees and on completion of the course they are awarded a Foundation Degree in Evangelism by York St John University.
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E CALLED TO ACCEPT IT... n te immersio ia d e m im e “Th to projects of Trainees in ficial” is very bene What are the benefits and challenges of this training model? Well, I think one of the strengths of missionbased training is just having that constant possibility for Trainees to reflect on what they’re doing in mission. Their academic studies are brought into constant engagement with what they are actually doing. Trainees find it to be a really effective action-reflection programme. Also, the immediate immersion of Trainees into actual projects is very beneficial – although the inner city situations can be a bit of a steep learning curve for some. Similarly, for those Trainees who are practitioners by nature, being asked to reflect on their work and on some serious Christian reading can also be a real challenge. But I think the combination is wonderful and most of our Trainees really recognise that.
When you are selecting Trainee Evangelists, what do you look for? We are really looking for people who are born and bred evangelists - people who are clearly going to be practitioners and pioneers. Church Army is very much a pioneer calling. We want evangelists who can work in areas where the church is largely absent so their mandate is to not only to evangelise, but found fresh expressions of church which are appropriate for the different situations they face. And secondarily, we want people who will benefit from this kind of training course which does require them to do a lot of academic reading – but only so that they can engage with the wisdom of other Christians in mission, both past and present.
How do you and the training team hope to develop mission-based training in the future?
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The major vision we have is to expand this programme and make it the training programme of choice for practitioners whether they’re part of Church Army or not. This vision raises huge challenges. How do we make sure we expand this programme and market it more widely? How do we make sure we are really training practitioners and not perpetual students? We would also like to extend the programme to higher levels of certification – to a full degree and to Masters level. This would then allow existing Church Army Evangelists to further their training and have the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences.
Finally, what excites you most about mission-based training? I was absolutely thrilled when I joined Church Army to find that our Trainees were given the mandate to create fresh expressions of church in areas where there’s no existing church. I think one of the keys to evangelism in the UK today is to have churches that are mission churches. Therefore, I believe our Trainees ought to be creating models of church that attract and disciple today’s people. To watch a short film about Church Army’s mission-based training programme and to find out more visit our website www.churcharmy.org.uk/mbt
“We want to make mission-base d training th e training pro gramme of choice for p ractitioners” Shareit! 13
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A HAVEN
of Hope
The Weston Lighthouse Project, run by Evangelist Tim Hyde, is bringing hope to those living on a Southampton housing estate. He explains how practical outreach is transforming lives
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hat do you get when you cross a Church Army Evangelist with a deprived council estate?
A chance to live again! Three-and-a-half years ago my family and I became a part of the community of Weston, a housing estate on the outskirts of Southampton which is well-known for its extreme levels of deprivation. The task was immense: to build community and help the people of Weston live again. Since our arrival, with the help of a small band of volunteers, we have slowly and steadily worked towards fulfilling the vision of the local church, Holy Trinity Weston, which is: “to be a beacon of light and a haven of hope for the many people living here on the fringes of society”. In response to the congregation’s vision which was developed years before the Weston Lighthouse Project became a reality, we have tried to address the most desperate and
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pressing needs of residents. All the while this has been underpinned with a demonstration of God’s love for any and every individual. Through following God’s leading a variety of outreach projects have been established which include: a rapidly expanding fortnightly lunch club for the elderly, the lonely, and the semi-housebound; a renovations project which provides a basic decorating service for those who move into sub-standard accommodation; a domestic rubbish collection; an allotment project designed to give people “green therapy”; and a service providing the most needy with furniture and white goods which have been donated to the project. In the summer of last
year we were delighted the project was expanded to become a Centre of Mission for Church Army with the arrival of a second Evangelist, Trevor Clarke, and Trainee Evangelist, Maria Hembrow. This is a gritty, hands-on type of job and it has been a relief to have the extra support. We are also constantly working towards the vision of creating a separate worshipping community, but have been hindered by the inability to find a suitable location for this on the estate. We’ve always felt the work here should be based within the community and that goes for our worship space too. If we are to reach our neighbours with the gospel message then we need to live alongside them in their struggles. We have already begun to experiment with different styles of worship in the parish hall, seeking to find the most culturally relevant forms for the area. So far, we have been blessed by good numbers and encouraging comments. As a team, we have experienced both the highs and lows of outreach since we took to the task here. It has been a privilege to see members of our community grow in their understanding of faith, but we’ve also seen our sharing of God’s love rejected. But we are not down-trodden. We continue to move forward, having the faith to believe that God’s plan is greater than anything we could ever imagine. We hold onto the hope that we will see lives changed and we will see a community of homegrown Christians serving one another. As Christians we know only too well what it means to be loved by God and to experience His acceptance, and it is a great joy for us to share that acceptance with broken and hurting people who may never have felt anything
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Weston Lighthouse Project team
like this before. We endeavour to show them unconditional love by doing anything we can for them, with absolutely no cost to them, and that includes removing the rubbish that clutters up their homes, environment and lives. One individual was brought to our attention when he moved to Weston having lost everything in a flat fire. Over a period of two weeks we were able to help him and his daughter by providing them with much-needed furniture and kitchen appliances, all given freely. Afterwards, he said to us: “I’m extremely grateful to The Lighthouse Project for offering me hope for a new start.” We thank God daily that He has given us the task of reaching out to the people of Weston. As a Centre of Mission we hope and pray that our experiences will encourage others to take the plunge and share their faith in hard to reach places so that God may be glorified and his Kingdom grown.
“We need to live alongside our neighbours in their struggles”
How can I help? Please pray for Tim, Trevor and Maria as they continue to reach out to people on the Weston Estate. May their conversation be seasoned with salt and their actions a demonstration of God’s unconditional love.
To find out more about Tim and The Weston Lighthouse Project visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/timhyde and www.churcharmy.org.uk/SouthamptonCOM
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Betty Waller
Bringing life afte How do you want to be remembered? What sort of legacy could you leave? Do you sometimes wish you could do something extraordinary? Remembering Church Army in your will is just one of the ways you can do this and make a transforming impact
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orn in 1917, Betty Waller was a lifelong supporter of Church Army and when she passed away in 2008 she generously left us more than £12,000 to further our work. We find out more from her son, Hugh Waller. “My mother and father, Betty and Lawrence Waller, were committed supporters of Church Army and ever since I was a child I’ve been conscious of a long-standing connection between it and my family. “My parents met each other during the 1930s in London and in 1940, during World War Two, they married. In the 1950s they came into contact with Church Army through a parish mission where they met some evangelists. “So when Mum discussed how she wanted her estate to be distributed
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I was more than happy that the Waller tradition be continued through to her passing because there was this long-standing connection with an Anglican charity that was really making a difference. Church Army is clearly doing this through its outreach to people in a 21st-century context and I think that’s something that’s really important in today’s society where people need to hear about Christ. “Throughout their lives my parents were rooted in their faith and regularly attended their local church. They always wanted to support causes that mirrored their belief in God and the Holy Scriptures. This is why they chose Church Army because it portrayed their faith through action, word and belief.”
So what can be done with a legacy donation like Betty’s? We speak to Evangelists Paul and Sheelagh Easby in Starbeck, near Harrogate, who are creating a Christian community for older people living in the local community and in residential homes
er death F
or the last four years, Sheelagh and I have been working in Harrogate with small teams of Christian volunteers who help to run the fresh expressions project REACHOUT which aims to engage older people with the love of God. The most visible expression of our work happens each Wednesday when more than 30 older people gather at 10.30am to enjoy fellowship together – the group is known as PLUS! During the morning the church hall at St Andrew’s Church is a buzz of activity as people take part in quizzes, keep-fit, watch DVDs and listen to talks. At lunchtime they join others for an enjoyable threecourse meal which is prepared by our volunteers. Some of the group’s members are regular churchgoers, but for many, these activities are their only contact with church. Each month, after keepfit, a Communion service is held for those who wish to participate. One of the members, when asked about PLUS! said: “This group has been a lifesaver for me after the death of my husband,” while another said: “This is my church!” In addition to PLUS!, we also run
Paul and Sheelagh Easby
a Holida Holiday at Home e event ent e every er August where up to 60 older people come together each day to enjoy activities, entertainment, stories, refreshments and much more. The four-day event is themed and enables people to enjoy a holiday without having to travel. We really do rejoice that we are able to provide fun, food and fellowship for so many people. In each situation, through friendship and through prayer, we believe that God’s love is being shared with another of His children and we consider it such a privilege to be equipped to serve with others in this way.
faith
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“This group has been a lifesaver for me after the death of my husband”
Could you remember us in your will? To find out more visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/legacy or telephone Church Army’s Individuals and Legacy Development Officer, Jon Pape, on 0300 123 2113. Go to www.churcharmy.org.uk/ PaulandSheelaghEasby to see a short film about the REACHOUT project.
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l a v i t s Fe r e v Fe
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packed with Your bags are rproof llies and wate sun-cream, we thing… nly mean one macs. It can o ations e! Communic tim l a iv st fe s it’ ny Wells, g Officer, Bryo and Marketin rmy’s out Church A b a re o m s u tells is summer event plans th
Now a ternet initiative profiling our in org) t n. ia ee ist m hr .nowac about to Christian (www etting out and ople pe r fo le se l cour rful peop hich is an emai w all the wonde . As usual d ing Christianity hurch Ar my an who are explor Prayer who support C em of Shareit! and ance to tell th ll have copies e’ w having the ch e. things rs to take hom k is one of the Diary for visito about our wor a sed to ls ea pl va ly sti al fe re n ia re Christ This year we’ s we love doing. some of tie ni by rtu ul Survivor the great oppo be joined at So are just one of who will s nt de gap year stu that! re lo do Xp to r ve ou ha we ries. This share their sto find the events be on-hand to This year you’ll e who aimed at thos Soul Survivor: programme is team and I at and our d ly us an rio st) se gu n ly - 2nd Au t to take missio an w ntly Week A (29th Ju . Our lorers have rece h - 29th August) st group of Xp te la as d Greenbelt (26t rie so will al locations as va , Mark Russell, returned from Chief Executive ia. where rd fo af St on and Austral in r rvivo Romania, Lond e) join us at Soul Su or pl of /x r rmy.org.uk king at a numbe (www.churcha e’ll w . he h will be spea le am op nh pe g Chelte ndreds of youn At Greenbelt in lists, se s minars to hu ge an Ev r g ou of will be givin helped by one be Church Ar my lly have ty to , who will litera the opportuni Graham Nunn ins festival-goers es as he enterta o taken for the cks up his sleev tri l have their phot ia all his own spec mous photo w the crowds with Make Jesus Fa MJF . k) .u rg s.o ! ou usfam take on magic (www.makejes event tending either at offers young th ce ur so re So if you’re at enbelt is a web r re ei G th at e e at G-Sourc ce to contribut us an nd fi ch ll e u’ th yo le peop ivor. gospel ed at Soul Surv w to share the or in the Toolsh ideas about ho elcome! d w an m p ar w ou ge, youth gr finitely get a lle de ll co , u’ ol Yo ho sc at so be unity. We will al in their comm
G Bryony Wells
18 Shareit!
PHOTOS: ASDA
Retired Evangelist Ray Mills is a familiar face at the ASDA superstore in Chatham, Kent. Here he speaks to Hannah Gray about his work as a Supermarket Chaplain
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At your service… Can you tell me a bit about yourself? I grew up in Northern Ireland and at the age of 21 I felt God was calling me to service. I’d heard about Church Army through its caravan missions and it attracted me because it gave opportunities to lay people. Over the years I’ve worked in projects nationwide and as part of management. You are now a Chaplain at the ASDA superstore in Chatham. How did you get involved? When I retired I moved to the Chatham area and began to attend the same church as the head of the Kent Workplace Mission. One Sunday, after the service, we had a chat about the role at ASDA. When I discovered there were over 500 people employed at the store and so few of them were Christians, I thought, here is a place I can minister. What does your role involve? I go into the store each Wednesday for two hours and chat with people in the staff canteen. After that, I go onto the shop floor and speak to the staff and customers. They get awfully surprised and say: “I didn’t
know there were Chaplains at these sorts of places!” What’s the best part of your job? Well, I enjoy having a bacon butty when my wife’s not looking! But seriously, I think it’s when shoppers or staff come to you because they know you’re going to listen confidentially. What are the struggles you face? The struggle is to break through on the God-front – the number of conversations I have about football is immense! We do hold an annual remembrance service for ASDA staff that’ve passed away which lasts for 15 minutes – around 60 staff turn up for it. We also do carol singing at Christmas with local churches. Finally, how would you like to develop the ministry? I would like to see a team join me as I just don’t have enough time to meet everybody. So please pray for God to grow the ministry and provide future volunteers. Also, give thanks for the other Church Army Evangelists who are involved in supermarket chaplaincy.
Shareit! 19
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In your own words
to d like ssor age! I’ Proce p e rs m e t o t c le In r u the new e to o o has as the nt elcom tor wh geme myself ra t e ra is u c u in o d c m n ro d e t A f in r re rs o er Ca uch fo r lette upport eive all you u so m o y k e n and S e rec Tha to s ge to tions. a joy privile s dona ur work; it is u ro e o en . and g ent to g lives angin mmitm h o c c g in – r is u yo – comin pport u rs s e r t t u luable o ely va and le how y s m ll a re t c is ex your as we Ar my keep ffield. hange hurch c C Please f o o in She t e in m s t im li u t e p this ang your in ank for Ev during and th inster ularly e M ic g rt w a a e p p his ur n ding t into o settle joy rea n e u yo I hope r ain. istrato ce ag n o Admin you re a C st, porter lle We nd Sup a r o s Miche s e e Proc Incom
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re-reading I have just been of Shareit! the winter edition hear about It is so good to exciting ways the various and unities are in which opport e good news taken to share th s with of our Lord Jesu e church. those outside th
Please find enclosed a donation in memory of the time I spent in a Church Army sana torium where eventually I wa s cured of tuberculosis in 192 5 when I was seven years old . Thank you.
Mrs Lambourne, De rby
e, Barbara Cudmor gh, Leicestershire ou or rb Ha t ke ar M
my Throughout the year are s er thoughts and pray e your us always with you as I ily basis. Prayer Diary on a da David Priestley, ria Whitehaven, Cumb
20 Shareit!
Mic h elle West
words
www.churcharmy.org.uk rmy.org. Ethos film (www.churcha I have just watched the tion it was a wonderful produc uk/ethos) and I thought e knew the people and som maybe it was because I to me ca st fir I me when were a great influence on rs ago. It was refreshing yea 50 Church Army almost mily and have memories to see members of the fa ewed. rekindled and prayers ren Wear Ian Ferguson, Tyne and
Thank you for the op portunity of receivin g Now a C hristian in the form o f emails. I think it is an excel lent cours e an well presen d very ted. It has become very import ant to me.
Online com ment
I thought you m ay be interested in this picture of Church Arm y at work in Sheffield duri ng the Blitz. Its 70th ann iversary has recently been remembered in the news. M y father won the Georg e Medal for an act of bra very during the Sheffield Blitz when he was in the Home Guard.
Aileen Taylor , Leeds
I am very much a Christian who went to church but never really thou ght about why I was going so it is great t o learn a bit more a bout what it is all ab out from Now a Ch ristian . I am finding it really helpful. Th ank you!
Online co mment
e preciate th I really ap ut o to work safe space al u icky spirit so many tr an ti The Chris questions. ncy Enquiry Age k) tianity.org.u s ri h (www.c d tic thing an is a fantas e. u contin long may it ment Online com
Please keep sending in your comments, memories and photographs to us. Our new address is: Church Army, Wilson Carlile Centre, 50 Cavendish Street, Sheffield, S3 7RZ. Alternatively, please email comms@churcharmy.org.uk Shareit! 21
A BLANK CANVAS Artist and Evangelist, Colin Brown, speaks about exploring faith among the creative community in Cornwall
I
was walking along the seafront overlooking Falmouth Bay with my wife Angela several years ago. We were in the midst of a major life transition, felt really stuck, and had been waiting a long time for a way ahead. Our mood was reflected by the heavily overcast day and, as we gazed out to sea in our longing, the clouds parted slightly and an intense ray of brilliant white sunlight shone on the water. As we looked on this, it began to move across the bay and came directly toward us. We felt and heard within us the message: “It will come to you”. This transformed how we felt, our angst being replaced by peace and stillness as God held our longing for the future. This attitude of waiting and trusting continues to be very important as God leads us in our work.
22 Shareit!
The original vision we developed with the help of Church Army was to live and work as a practising artist in Falmouth, meeting and building relationships with fellow artists and others involved in the creative community. A dream job you might think, which to a great extent it is. But the reality of growing such relationships so they reach a point where faith can be discussed is often extremely difficult. There is also the danger of rushing into things – there were many opportunities I could have dived straight into. However, with God’s guidance, I have grown to understand the importance of patience and the need to form relationships slowly. You can’t make someone want to explore faith.
faith
We may be enjoying warmer weather now, but the ‘season’ in terms of the ministry feels a bit like winter. Often the ground is barren, the soil dark and cold. There is little sign of growth and any tender shoots appearing look fragile – a sudden frost could see them off before they’ve developed enough to grow strong. Occasionally someone wants to talk about faith, but it feels important to allow him or her the freedom to choose when and how far to take it. At the moment I’m running biweekly Art and Spirituality Discussion Groups at Falmouth’s art college and about 40 people have been so far. There have been some encouraging times and we value silent prayer together. One young man described this group as his ‘church’. I also exhibit work which relates to my Christian faith. I hope that through mine and others’ paintings, people may be touched and perhaps inspired to ask some of the bigger questions about life. Recently an exhibition entitled Bless_ed featured work from 20 West Country artists who had been invited to reflect on one of the Beatitudes. My own painting responded to Jesus’ teaching: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. My paintings are inspired by the incredible beauty of the world around us – special places that excite, move and draw me - where I sense the presence of God. This was portrayed in my most recent exhibition, Aqua, which included work inspired by the stunning coastline of Falmouth Bay.
My prayer is that the creator of such beauty can also be seen, who is beyond our words, yet is at the heart of every person. So, returning to the analogy of winter, God invites me to trust and pray whilst waiting. During winter, deep underground and hidden from our view, energy is being stored ready for seeds to germinate, sap to rise and bulbs to push their shoots up towards the light and warmth. Winter is always followed by spring, then summer, when we begin to see the growth we long for.
My paintings are inspired by the incredible beauty of the world around us
How can I help? Please pray for Colin, for patience and wisdom, and that the artists and people of Falmouth and beyond might see a glimpse of God’s clear horizon and, in His good time, take the plunge of faith so they too can enjoy life to the full.
Before joining Church Army, Colin was a technical illustrator in Cornwall and then worked for 20 years as an airbrush artist in photo-realism, for advertising agencies and design companies around the world. For more information about Colin and his work visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/colinbrown and www.colinsart.org.uk
Shareit! 23
to give to our work call 0300 123 2113
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For many people, sharing their faith is something that fills them with dread or confusion. Jim Currin Currin,, in his new book Sharing Faith the Jesus Way Way,, tackles this by looking at how Jesus spread the good news and the principles he applied
Sharing
H
ow would you describe your faith journey? One thing I am sure about is that it will be quite different to anyone else’s. This is illustrated on the website www.faith-journeys.com run by Christian Research. Have a look. You can see the stories of lots of Christians, and you can add your own. The research is clear – we all come to have our faith in Jesus Christ through many different ways. We also share our faith in a variety of ways too. As a student in Church Army training I remember discussing how we were going to evangelise when commissioned. One said: “we must preach for conversion”, while another said: “No – we can only love them into the kingdom”. I remember one student saying: “Okay, you do it your way, and I’ll do it His!” I like to think of all this variety as the “360” gospel of Jesus. It is as if we are all at different points on a compass and Jesus speaks to us all in turn. He addresses our deepest need with a facet of the gospel message most relevant to us personally. The theologian, John V Taylor, said in Pray Every Day (1976): “An essentially biblical emphasis – all too often ignored by the church – is that Christ is Lord and Saviour of the whole of a person, or he is no saviour at all. Because Jesus insisted on seeing the person whole, one could never be sure which aspect of a person’s need he would tackle first. “Here comes the paralysed man,
24 Shareit!
helpless and obviously sick in body. His friends have bought him hoping for a simple cure, and Jesus talks about the forgiveness of sins. Here on the other hand comes a clear case of spiritual need, an enquirer asking how to gain eternal life, and Jesus gives him an economic answer, telling him how to give away his goods to the poor. Because ultimately Jesus cannot rest content until all of a person’s needs are fully met, it does not matter much to him where he starts on the work of salvation.” To me, this quote is very exciting. I think it opens all sorts of doors for connecting with people so that they can hear the good news of Jesus today. But then I have to ask, how do we share our faith in the way in which Jesus did? What do the four gospels tell us? How do we help people hear the good news? Basically I think that there are three stories. The place to start is with “their story” as you listen to another person. Then there is “your story” as you share and get to know each other. Finally there is “God’s story” in Jesus Christ. The key is to connect the three stories together. How we learn from Jesus and connect these three stories is explored in my new book called Sharing Faith the Jesus Way which is being published by Bible Reading Fellowship in July this year. David Cornick, General Secretary at
Sharing Faith the Jesu s
Faith is personal, but it is not private. We are Christians today other people share because d their faith in the past. We might think news mainly came the good to us through Peter , Paul and the other preachers that have great followed since. In fact the Gospel trave the centuries in a lled down variety of ways: chiefl y through ordinary doing ordinary thing Christians s made extraordin ary by the Holy Spirit part of a 2000 year . We are old chain.
Faith
Way
This book is writte n for all those who feel they cannot share faith, or have never their read about doing it before now. Toget shall explore princ her we iples linked to how Jesus shared the good on the road, in the news: home on the lake or up a mountain. read the Gospels and We shall follow his example, to make it possible, and a positive exper natural ience as we pray. Each chapter includes pract exercises to explo re with a friend or ical wider group. Jim Currin has been a Church Army Evang elist since 1979, leadin missions, training, g and facilitating evang elism. He is curre Secretary for Evang ntly elisation at Churches Together in England. written many articl He has es, web material, study courses, and work well as three book books, as lets for the Grove evangelism series, Paradox in the Gosp most recently el.
words
www.churcharmy.org.uk
Jim Currin Foreword by David Cornick Churches Together in England
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Churches Together in England, says in the foreword: “In days gone by, people in Western Europe learnt the Christian story from clergy, teachers and parents. Now, for the first time in about 1,500 years, ordinary Christians need to be missionaries to people of their own culture who have no background knowledge of the gospel. This is a daunting task.” Sharing Faith the Jesus Way can be used as a personal journey or a six-week series of studies in sermons and small groups – each week being based on one well-known gospel reading. I pray it will help us to continue passing the
gospel down the centuries as ordinary Christians have done for thousands of years. May God use us, through his Holy Spirit, to continue this 2,000-year-old chain. Jim has been a Church Army Evangelist since 1979, leading missions, training, and facilitating evangelism. He is currently Secretary for Evangelisation at Churches Together in England and has written three booklets for the Grove evangelism series, most recently The 360 Gospel of Jesus. He has also launched www.jesus360.org.uk
BOOK GIVEAWAY! We have five FREE copies of Sharing Faith the Jesus Way to give away thanks to Bible Reading Fellowship. Please complete this coupon and send it to the address below by 30 September 2011. The first five drawn at random from entries submitted will get a copy of the book. Title________________________Name _________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________Postcode ___________________________ Email ______________________________________________________________________________________ Church attended (if any) ___________________________________________________________________ Year of birth _______________________________________________________________________________ Return this form to: Sharing Faith the Jesus Way giveaway, Church Army, Wilson Carlile Centre, 50 Cavendish Street, Sheffield, S3 7RZ DATA PROTECTION: In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, we hold your details to provide you with updates and information on how you can pray and support our work. If you do not wish to receive any future communications from Church Army please tick this box. Reg. charity nos: 226226 & SC040457
Shareit! 25
to give to our work call 0300 123 2113
churcharmy.org.uk
A MESSY” MISSION Some of the very best ideas seem both simple and revolutionary – Messy Church is one of them. This all-age, fresh expression of church has grown so popular that there are now more than 600 examples of it across the country. We find out how Church Army is getting involved
G
eorge Lings from Church Army’s Research Unit, The Sheffield Centre, discusses the thinking behind the Messy Church phenomenon with his colleague Claire Dalpra
What is Messy Church? Messy Church is an all-age fresh expression of church that offers families the chance to come together to be, to make, to eat and to celebrate God. The first Messy Church began in Portsmouth in 2004. There are now more than 640 examples of it across a variety of denominations and countries. What are its strengths? Messy Church is one of the best kinds of fresh expressions of church at attracting the non-churched. The church-based values of hospitality, creativity and celebration work well because people new to church find they are values they can identify with. It is also the best resourced kind of fresh expression with national and regional coordinators, books
26 Shareit!
and a website. (www.messychurch.org.uk). What are its challenges? Most Messy Churches hold their public gatherings monthly which raises the challenge of discipleship in a particular way – the national leaders are working on it! There is also the challenge of including boys and dads more fully in Messy Church gatherings, although stories are beginning to emerge that show how this can be done well. Is Messy Church really church? Its best practitioners are intending it should be. Being church is a core value; Messy Church is not intended to be a bridge to ‘normal’ church. However, across the 300 examples that exist, the reality is mixed. For Messy Churches that adopt the shape – craft, worship and food – without attending to the values beneath, the end result may look more like an outreach project than church.
Gill Martin
Church Army Evangelist, Gill Martin, runs a Messy Church at St Francis Church in Strood, Rochester. She tells us more about this “huge venture” in faith.
A
faith
www.churcharmy.org.uk
in faith. We are not large in numbers, but we are committed to our community. There is a team of caterers and a small team who organise the activities. It is also essential to have people who will sit amongst those who attend to build up relationships and talk about their faith.
t St Francis Church in Strood, we have very “People can engage with church few families attending on in a relaxed environment” Sunday. This is due to a variety of reasons: children We get between 60-80 people who wouldn’t visiting relatives, shopping, or normally attend worship on a Sunday and people feeling the traditional Sunday it is such a privilege to share the good news worship is restricting in some way. of Jesus with them. Messy Church allows For some time I’d wanted to offer something people to engage with church in a relaxed for young children after school. We already environment and it is great to see it growing. had an after school club which is run by
volunteers from church but had no specific Christian content and we did not want to be another childminding service. Then I discovered Messy Church, a monthly gathering of local people learning more about God in a fun and creative way. We usually meet on the fourth Wednesday of the month. From 3.30pm families arrive and are greeted with a drink and biscuit and we have about four or five activities based on a theme. We also provide table football, giant Connect 4 and Mr Potato Head activities. At 5pm we go into church for 15 minutes of worship and then return to the hall for a meal together. We ask for donations but there is no charge. For our church, this is a huge venture
To see a film on Gill’s work visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/gillmartin To find out more about Messy Church read Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore (BRF, 2009) and Encounters on the Edge no.46 Messy Church: Ideal for All Ages? by George Lings (order at www.encountersontheedge. org.uk £4 plus p&p). Alternatively visit www.messychurch.org.uk
How can I help? Please pray for Gill as she develops her Messy Church community, that people would be discipled and built-up in their faith.
Sh it! 2 27 Shareit!
h t i w n O how! s e h t
to give g to our work call 0300 123 2113
churcharmy.org.uk
Gordon Banks
28 Shareit!
C
ounty shows have played a major role in rural communities for decades, providing farmers and visitors with a chance to truly celebrate the ‘Best of British’. The South of England Show is no exception and since its beginning in 1967 it has grown to attract more than 90,000 people each year. With so many people gathered in one place, Church Army Rural Link Officer and Chichester Diocese Evangelist, Gordon Banks, has made the show a date in his diary and over the years has helped to develop a Church Tent ministry at the event. He said: “The church has had a presence at The South of England Show for a good number of years and it all began with a crèche and lost children facility.
“The work has moved on since then, but the ‘lost people’ facility remains a bedrock for the ministry which provides a safe and secure place for vulnerable adults or children to wait until they are reunited with the appropriate people. It’s a bit like the Tent of Meeting set up by the wandering tribes of Israel.” Throughout the three-day event the Church Tent is a real hub of activity and provides visitors with refreshments, a children’s craft corner, games, exhibitions and the opportunity to take part in prayer and acts of worship. Each day people are invited to take part in worship and regular prayer slots where a freshly baked loaf of bread is blessed and shared amongst the guests. Gordon said: “This in every way makes us the church at the show
PHOTOS: THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
The South of England Show, held at the Ardingly Showground in West Sussex, attracts thousands of people each summer and is a bastion of rural life and tradition. Church Army Rural Link Officer and Chichester Diocesan Evangelist, Gordon Banks, explains how his work at the show’s Church Tent is literally connecting him with lost people
as we eat together, share faith, care for our guests, demonstrate our engagement with the world and worship together.” The Church Tent is an ecumenical ministry and is run by local churches and Christian organisations. It takes a lot of preparation and each year Gordon and his wife Jane set up residence at the showground in their Church Army Mission Caravan. He said: “It is a real privilege to be on-site throughout the entire event and to be able to offer people a real hope for the future by reaching them with the gospel of Christ.” Alongside the Church Tent’s outreach, Gordon also works with the Farm Crisis Network (FCN) which seeks to help farmers who are experiencing stress and anxiety. Gordon is Chaplain to the Sussex FCN group which exhibits at the Church Tent.
faith
www.churcharmy.org.uk
“We care for our guests and demonstrate our engagement with the world” Gordon said: “The FCN is a vital support network for farmers who frequently find themselves struggling against the odds – especially when there are crises of animal disease and adverse weather conditions. “The group is run by volunteers, with a strong Christian ethos, and by attending the show they have a great opportunity to reach isolated people. Rural life can seem idyllic, but in reality it is often very lonely.” Yet despite the difficulties of rural living, Gordon continues to fly the flag for Christ and there’s no mistaking him at The South of England Show – dressed in navy blue he’s Church Army through-and-through! To find out more about Gordon’s work at The South of England Show, visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/GordonBanks and watch a short film. Gordon has also helped to produce a workbook on the churches’ engagement with county shows which is now available to download at www.ruralevangelism.co.uk
How can I help? Please pray for Gordon and his engagement with rural communities, that he would find innovative ways to reach people with the gospel and practical ways to support them.
Shareit! 29
action
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to give to our work call 0300 123 2113
The Marylebone Project in London works with vulnerable homeless women and is one of the largest hostels of its type in the UK. To mark Homelessness and Poverty Action Week, its residents and day centre clients took part in a Creative Prayer Week exploring different ways to express spirituality through arts and craft. Community Evangelist, Mark Dadds, tells us more…
Getting creative with God
W
ho counts in society? This was the question asked to people nationwide as part of Homelessness and Poverty Action Week which is run annually to raise awareness about such issues. It is organised by Church Action on Poverty, Housing Justice and Scottish Churches Housing Association. Here at The Marylebone Project we offered residents and day centre clients the opportunity to participate in creative prayer. Each session involved arts and crafts and had a different theme. The first session of the week was a celebration of Taize´ worship with singing, prayer and reflection on the theme “longing in us”. Worship was led by Time For God volunteer Miriam Block. The subsequent sessions saw the women enjoy a time of quiet reflection by candlelight in the Bradbury Chapel, take part in a drama exploring the
30 Shareit!
idea that people are equal in the eyes of God, and create a timeline collage about the different “seasons” of life. These sessions sparked much discussion about homelessness among the women; how they count in society and are not “invisible”, and the importance of women in the life of Jesus. During the week, Lynda, one of the day centre users, reflected that well-known truth: “Jesus loves all his children. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus died for all his children of this world.” Another day centre user and ex-resident, Yvonne, said: “There comes a time in one’s life where you come to a bridge that you cannot cross. I feel that we are living in a battlefield, but the only place that I can be free and be myself is at The Marylebone Project.” Give thanks for all that was learnt and shared. Give thanks for The Marylebone Project! To find out more about The Marylebone Project visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/Marylebone
How can I help? Please pray for Mark and his team as they bring Jesus to vulnerable women in difficult situations.
The young are the best teachers by Peter Graystone
the last word
www.churcharmy.org.uk
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:1-2
T
hirty centuries ago a songwriter stood on the walls of Jerusalem and gazed into the night sky. He was overcome with wonder at the number of stars, and their brightness. Today an astronomer turns her telescope toward the heavens and sees vast distances in the cosmos of which the songwriter could never have dreamed. The scientist analyses. The poet composes. But there is someone who is thinking thoughts that are more powerful than either of them. And that is a baby! A child just marvels. He doesn’t try to explain God, or deny God, or describe God. He just marvels. Nobody would ever tell a child that he is stupid to be in awe of the universe because it is a random scientific accident in a godless world. Not even God’s worst enemy would do that. Instead a child is encouraged to wonder. Infant one. Atheist nil. Celia Hare isn’t surprised at all that children are able to think great
thoughts about God. “Children dare to ask questions that adults don’t ask,” she says. Celia is a Church Army Evangelist working in Bedworth. It is a former mining town near Coventry where areas of wealth and areas of deprivation are side by side. She runs Kidzone, a club that is introducing children to the wonder of God in the context of great fun and real care. “Many children are dismissed as rubbish, sometimes even before they are born, and they need to hear about our God who loves them unconditionally,” she says. Young people have featured often in this edition of Shareit! Many of Church Army’s Evangelists devote a lot of time to children and young people. They do so because they have so much to tell them. But they also do it because they have so much to learn from them. Perhaps a bit more childish amazement would be good for us all from time to time.
Peter Graystone
Shareit! 31
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