Inspire Magazine October 2011 by Steve Bayes

www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

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Issue 63

Stories to lift your spirits

My friends in Iraq US activist’s unarmed trip to say

thank you

Take a fresh look at Jesus How tough estate became haven of hope Work with homeless goes nationwide PLUS:I Great giveaways,I puzzles, fun and more!I

Church sports ministry opens up community October 2011

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WHEN YOU SPONSOR A CHILD WITH COMPASSION YOUR HELP WILL GO FURTHER THAN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE. With your support we can reach out to some of the world’s most vulnerable children and provide them with the skills and opportunities they need to change their lives and the lives of those around them. Your sponsorship of less than 70p a day will ensure a child in desperate need has access to education, healthcare, food, clothing and the opportunity to learn about Jesus.

BY CHANGING THE LIFE OF JUST ONE CHILD YOU CAN HELP TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

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CONTENTS ::

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Stories to lift your spirits

Sign up for an adventure People often describe the Christian faith as an adventure. When we give control of our lives to God, we begin to learn to expect the unexpected! And the great thing is that we find ourselves being used in ways we never thought possible. This month’s Inspire shows the real breadth of ways Christians are making a positive difference where God has put them. There’s the radical ministry to the poor of Shane Claiborne (4-5), the football ministry in India of Onside Soccer (12-13), community sports outreach from Beth Cutting and team in Berkshire (18-19), and Tim Hyde’s pioneering council estate work (8-9). Then there’s the extraordinary compassion of Maggie Golbran amongst Egypt’s needy children (24-25), and the inspirational work with homeless people of the Green Pastures team (26-27). We hope these all encourage you and show you ways God might want to use you! By the way, you can now view a digital issue of Inspire on our website – great for pointing people to so they can see if they’d like to order print copies for their church. ınspıre God bless Issue

www .insp

to lift

your

irem

agazine .org.uk

10 12 15

spirits

My fr iend in Iraqs US act ivis unarm t’s trip to ed say

thank you

Russ Bravo Editor

Take look a fresh at Jes us How tou becam gh est e hav ate en of hope Work goes with home nation les wide s PLU

S:I Great puzzlesgiveawa , fun ys,I and more!I

Churc opens h sports up com ministry munit y

16 18

Octo 2011 ber

TO ORDER INSPIRE

You can order a regular copy of Inspire for yourself, or a pack for your church (in bundles of 10) either by going to our website – www.inspiremagazine.org.uk and clicking the Order button – or by sending back the form on Page 23

Inspire is distributed free to around 70,000 every month in churches across the UK (readership 200,000), and is funded by partners, advertising and donations.

Editor: Russ Bravo :: editor@inspiremagazine.org.uk Assistant editor: Sharon Barnard :: sharonbarnard@cpo.org.uk Designer: Phill Roberts Advertising Sales: Display/Inserts: Paula Taylor paulataylor@cpo.org.uk :: Tel 01903 604342 Recruitment/classified: Sally-Jane Martin sally-janemartin@cpo.org.uk :: Tel 01903 604339 or advertising@inspiremagazine.org.uk Printers: Bishops Printers, Portsmouth Cover photo: Shane Claiborne Order enquiries: Steve Boyce, Barbara Godfrey subs@cpo.org.uk :: 01903 604348. Order: at www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

Contents © Copyright 2011 Publishers: CPO, Garcia Estate, Canterbury Road Worthing, West Sussex BN13 1BW :: Tel 01903 264556 Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement Registered in England No. 5298514

Big Interview – Shane Claiborne on why the Gospel is a way of life Bits n Pieces – fun, facts and websites to visit A winter of trouble – why the Middle East urgently needs our prayers

Stories

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A haven of hope – how practical outreach is transforming a housing estate Inspire Awards – the church project for people with learning disabilities Football mission field – sporting opportunities overseas Giveaways – books to boost your faith and a worship DVD The Word – Rob James on what it means to follow the Master Fitness and faith – serving the community through sport Jesus on the high street – this year’s exciting Christmas Starts with Christ campaign Puzzles – test your brainpower with our crossword, sudoku and word goal Mama Maggie – meet the remarkable woman helping destitute Christians in Egypt Inspire Awards – how Green Pastures is housing the homeless Jobs and Classified

26 28

32 Woman Alive – don’t miss a great

subscription offer from our sister title www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

ınspıre : : BIG INTERVIEW

Making friends, making peace W y

Christian activist Shane Claiborne tells GEORGE LUKE about the challenge of trying to return to Iraq to thank the men who saved his friend’s life ... LIKE many other western Christian leaders, Shane Claiborne has been following the events of the ‘Arab Spring’ with interest. But he’s probably the only one who has been thinking of possible honeymoon locations whilst doing so. Last October, Shane proposed to long-time girlfriend Katie Jo Brotherton in Philadelphia’s Love Park. The couple tied the knot in May this year. “I asked Katie when we got married whether we could go to Kabul on our honeymoon,” Shane says. “She said: ‘Maybe not the honeymoon! How about our one-year anniversary?’ “I’ve never been to Afghanistan; if I can get in there, I’d love to meet these faces that we’ve only seen on

Skype. I’d love to go to Libya or Egypt too. We had a Syrian guy come to our community and talk to us about what was going on over there. I think that we have a lot to learn and a lot to listen to about what’s happening in some of those countries.” Shane’s involvement in the Middle East started seven years ago, when he spent three weeks in Baghdad with the Iraq Peace Team.

We were the only visitors that they’d had without guns – in seven years “I was stunned by the hospitality and graciousness of almost everybody we met,” he says. “We were invited to worship services almost every night.

BIG INTERVIEW ::

I ended up talking to one bishop, and I said: ‘I can’t believe there are so many Christians here.’ and he said: ‘Yeah – this is where it started!’ So I learnt a ton. “Probably the most powerful experience was as we were leaving

Photos: TSAR FEDORSKY/ERIK STENBAKKEN

We don’t want your money; we want you to know that we love you Iraq, driving from Baghdad to Amman, Jordan. We had a really bad car accident and were all injured. The first car of Iraqi civilians that passed by stopped and picked us up on the roadside and drove us into a little town of about 20,000 folks. They literally saved my friend’s life. They took care of all of us – such grace! “I told the doctor that we wanted to show them we were thankful, and so I got a bunch of money together. The doctor said: ‘That’s not how you say thank you. You tell people about what we did for you; that’s all we’d ever want. We don’t want your money; we want you to know that we love you.’ “We’ve been telling that story for seven years, and this year we got to go back and meet those same doctors again. It was a tumultuous journey into Iraq. We were met by US and Coalition troops who told us we couldn’t go there. “We showed them our visas and said that we’d been invited in and had all our legal papers. They said: ‘No-one

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comes in here without a gun in their hand.’ And we said: ‘That’s part of the problem! We don’t think that the guns are making this situation better, but our friendships will.’ After about three hours, they let us in. “We were given an amazing welcome. The Mayor, the Sheikh and all the town elders were there, and they said that we were the only visitors that they’d had without guns – in seven years! It meant a lot to them that we came back just to say thanks, and continue to build friendships.” Back home in Philly, the Simple Way community Shane founded has recovered from the fire that destroyed all their belongings back in 2007. The community started 12 years ago, when – in the midst of a housing crisis in Philadelphia – Shane teamed up with a handful of friends and bought a house. “We’ve grown into a lot of the abandoned spaces in our neighbourhood,” explains Shane, “so we’ve got about a dozen houses and about that many lots that we garden on. It’s kind of moved from an intentional community to more of an intentional village! “We’re all just trying to be good to each other and get at the root of what’s created the economic catastrophe that now affects our neighbourhood. We’ve lost 200,000 jobs and we’ve got 700 abandoned factories. My neighbourhood was built around those factories. We often say it’s poised for resurrection! I love it, and I think that in struggle, community really thrives.” Shane Claiborne recently completed The Upside Down Kingdom Tour across the UK with Rend Collective Experiment. Read more about his vision of Loving God, Loving People and Following Jesus at www.thesimpleway.org

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ınspıre : : BITS ’N’PIECES

Web watch

STATS

http://wehelpedu.org. uk has been launched by Christian Nightlife Initiatives Network to encourage people to donate to projects working in the nighttime economy. The CNI Network supports and resources around 100 projects across the UK.

Biblefresh, the year-long campaign to help people rediscover scripture, announced at its halfway point over the summer that: 120 different organisations and agencies had come together under the Biblefresh banner. 30,000 Britons contributed to the first hand-written Bible in multiple languages. 12+ different dishes inspired by the Bible such as locusts and wild honey, were served up by members of the Churches Together in Sidmouth. 3,000 shoeboxes were filled with different items to represent each of the 66 books of the Bible and displayed at Peterborough Cathedral. Boxes featured knitted figleaves and the feeding of 5,000 jelly babies. 200 limited edition Viral Bibles were given away to people at 25 Christian festivals. Recipients were asked to underline the verses most meaningful to them and share these online before passing the book on. 2 people with visual impairments treated shoppers in Market Harborough, Leics to a reading of the Gospels of John and Matthew in Braille. For the latest information go to www.biblefresh.com

Driving lesson A vicar parked his car on a double yellow line because he was short of time and couldn’t find a space with a meter. Then he put a note under the windscreen wiper that read: “I’ve been round the block 10 times. If I don’t park here, I’ll miss my appointment. Forgive us our trespasses.” When he returned, he found a parking ticket along with this note: “I’ve been round the block here for 10 years. If I don’t give you a ticket, I’ll lose my job. Lead us not into temptation.” www.mikeysfunnies.com

We love Inspire

http://self-harm.co.uk was set up by Rachel Welch to shine a light on the issue of self-harm and “retract the gap that has formed between mental and physical health within the Church”. The Mission and Discipleship Council of the Church of Scotland has created http:// bigblether.net/ to engage their churches in discussing worship, witness and discipleship.

Thank you for this wonderful resource. Major Claire Dickens, Chaplain, William Booth Memorial Complex, Nottingham Your magazines are very much appreciated Stella Challoner, Holy Trinity, Norwich

I think your magazine has a truly wonderful name - and it certainly lives up to it! Eileen Baker, Liverpool

ARTICLE MIDDLE HEADER EAST ::

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The Middle East is changing and we need to pray for the Church there, says JOHN CARRICK

THE HOPE that the Arab Spring would bring democracy and religious freedom across the Middle East is fading and the Church faces a winter of trouble. The West is poor at reading Middle East signs. For example democracy is viewed very differently there and our big failure is to see that Islam pervades all of life: societal and personal. Muslim converts to Christianity are often accused of fracturing their communities. Pressure to recant can be fierce and while the West may rail against persecution, it seldom achieves much. Instead, Middle East church leaders make three prayer appeals. Courage and fortitude Arab Christians believe Islamism may well replace tyrannical autocracy, so church leaders call the western Church to raise a tsunami of prayer. But Egypt Bible Society leader, Ramez Atallah, writes unselfishly: “An Islamic state would also greatly affect moderate Muslims, especially women. Their freedoms and lifestyles would be most restricted.” Vision to see “the fields white to harvest” Egypt has the highest take-up of Bibles in the world. Is revival on the way?

More Iraqis are open to the Gospel than ever before. Iran is witnessing its greatest church growth for centuries, despite apostasy carrying the death penalty. But is the Macedonian call “Come over and help us,” being heard by the Church in the West? Christians shaping the new world Young believers try to escape to the West. Yet their witness is needed at home. Bishop Mouneer of Egypt writes: “It breaks my heart. My prayer is for the Church to play a role in shaping the new Egypt.” Imagine the horror of a Christian businessman, who had to flee from Baghdad, when his daughter found the severed heads of their Christian neighbours lined up on the garden wall. How should the Church in the West respond? Join us in MECO to raise that tsunami of prayer and find out more about how the Gospel is penetrating this present darkness. Rev. John Carrick, MECO’s UK Director and International Development Director is available for Church meetings. For further information about MECO see the advertisement on pag e 11 or go to www.aboutmeco.org

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ınspıre : : MISSION

A haven of hope The Weston Lighthouse Project, run by Evangelist TIM HYDE, is bringing hope to those living on a Southampton housing estate. As part of Church Army’s latest appeal, he explains how practical outreach is transforming lives … WHAT 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. Many of its residents struggle with unemployment, family breakdown, drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness and loneliness. The task was immense: to build community through faith, words and action and to help the people of Weston live life to the full. Practical support As a team, the Weston Lighthouse Project has tried to address the most desperate practical needs of the residents. All the while this has been underpinned with a demonstration of God’s love for any and every individual. Therefore, we have established a variety of outreach projects which include: a fortnightly lunch club for the elderly, the lonely, and the semihousebound; a renovations project which provides a basic decorating service for those who move into substandard accommodation; a domestic rubbish collection service; 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 us. By equipping people practically and spiritually through these servanthearted expressions of love, we enable them to trust in God’s provision for their own lives. We are not selling them a quick fix like the rest of the world, but instead offering them faith in an eternal saviour – Jesus Christ. We are also committed to the people of Weston for the longterm. That is why we have chosen to live among them and walk alongside them through life’s ups and downs. Centre of Mission In the summer of last year we were delighted the project was expanded to become a Church Army Centre of Mission with the arrival of a second Evangelist, Trevor Clarke, and Evangelist-inTraining, Maria Hembrow. This is a gritty, hands-on type of job and it has been brilliant to have the extra support. We are also constantly working towards the vision of creating a separate worshipping community on

MISSION ::

the estate. 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. Hope for residents As a team, it has been a real privilege to see members of our community grow in their understanding of faith and to see their everyday lives improved.

We are not selling them a quick fix … but instead offering them faith in an eternal saviour, Jesus Christ 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

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providing them with much-needed furniture and kitchen appliances, all given freely. Afterwards, he said to us: “I’m extremely grateful to the project for offering me hope for a new start.” Another Weston resident, Karen, said: “My family was in desperate need of a fresh start and it would have been a lot harder to achieve without your help. You have restored my faith in human kindness, which had been destroyed many years ago. God bless you.” We thank God daily that he has given us the task of reaching out to the people of Weston. 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.

HOW CAN I HELP? Will you partner with us prayerfully and financially as we reach out to forgotten communities across the United Kingdom and Ireland? To make a one-off donation or to set up a direct debit for Church Army’s latest appeal, please visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/appeal or telephone 0300 123 2113. Alternatively, please send a cheque to Wilson Carlile Centre, 50 Cavendish Street, Sheffield, S3 7RZ. To watch a film about The Weston Lighthouse Project please visit www.churcharmy.org.uk/appeal

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ınspıre : : INSPIRE AWARDS

Where

everyone

feels at home

DEBBIE STARLING explains how Celebrate Together in Exeter is helping people with learning disabilities to worship in a way that suits them IT ALL started with a service I put together for Disability Sunday back in 2006 when I began working as a voluntary Disability Awareness Adviser for Exeter Diocese. We were not very well prepared for the number of people who came along that day, but it showed us that there was a need for a service where people with disabilities could be themselves, and their families could feel relaxed. A year later we set up Celebrate Together, led by an ecumenical team, which aims to share the good news in ways that are easy to understand, but are not childish. The service takes place on the first Sunday of every month. We don’t use a liturgy, but we have a basic format covering a biblical theme. We have singing with Makaton signing, a time of sharing news, prayers, drama, dance, teaching and application, and there are percussion instruments available so everyone can join in. We welcome about 50 people on average. At the moment we meet in different

churches each time. We felt this would help more churches to become better at welcoming people of all abilities and get involved. But using different churches does cause difficulty for some of our members, so now we are looking at having one venue. From this month (October) we are meeting weekly on a Monday too. It will be a drop-in with a social time as well as worship and teaching. The biggest challenge for us now is raising money to match the funding granted by the Church of England’s Mission Growth Fund to enable us to develop the work. We have around £14,000 to find! We have had so many encouragements along the way. It’s been lovely to see those who were previously afraid to be with people with learning disabilities coming alongside them, and also enabling our members to find a welcome and discover Jesus. Often church is very complicated. Celebrate Together is relaxed and tries to make everyone feel at home. As told to Sharon Barnard

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Celebrate Together was nominated for an Inspiring Project Award by Lee Bramham from Devon

Arab Spring? For some of us it is always winter

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For those in poverty, believers suffering persecution, widows, refugees, street kids, those with disabilities... it always seems to be winter. MECO is changing this in partnership with Middle East churches... and you can too! We need Finance to run special projects Funding for Church workers Skilled workers e.g. Teachers and Nurses Contact us if you have skills that God can use

With your prayers, gifts, and skills many churches and projects can be supported

I would like to give a gift to support MECO’s work in the Middle East

MECO UK and Ireland 22 Culverden Park Road, Tunbridge Wells Kent, TN4 9RA E: info@twoffice.co.uk Tel: 01892 521541 W: www.aboutmeco.org

Title: Name: Address:

Email: Tel:

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/aboutmeco

We would like to keep you informed about the work of MECO. Please tick the box if you do not want to receive such information.

Make it Spring for someone in need in the Middle East today!

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You can donate online at www.aboutmeco.org/donate

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Gift Aid it? (tick box)

Please make your cheque payable to MECO UK and Ireland. A Gift Aid form will be mailed/emailed if you wish to Gift Aid your giving.

ınspıre : : FOOTBALL MINISTRY

PAUL Harbinson has always had a heart for people. Working for the charity Compassion, he kept encountering places both here and abroad where football is huge and the idea of Onside Soccer began forming in his head. “I just felt that a lot of guys fall through the cracks at church and don’t have anything to get their teeth into. “Sport is something the church used to be involved heavily in. Aston Villa, Fulham, Everton and quite a few other premiership clubs were started as either church or Sunday school teams. And combining football/travel and men’s ministry seemed to be a good idea. I prayed about it and doors just started flying open.” Onside Soccer started in late 2009. The basic ethos is to establish long-term sports ministry programmes alongside

Paul has established links in Chennai, India. In May he went with Rev Rob Powell on an exploratory trip to set up a sports ministry at Christ Church and decide whether to establish their overseas base there. Rob said: “I had never been on a football ministry trip before but can see how it makes a huge impact on the local community. Just being there generates local interest and it’s great to see the kids come along every day, get involved in playing and then see how they respond as the Gospel is shared.” While there, a local sports ministry team (Christian Sports Fellowship) and a local charity (The Dr John Joseph Foundation) helped them with a football camp. They saw 60 to 100 kids every day, ran coaching sessions, provided food and gave a Christian message or testimony,

Onside Soccer gives sporty volunteers the chance to kick a ball about and make a lasting difference in communities. CLAIRE MUSTERS reports

Football as a mission churches, building in mentorship programmes too. Groups of volunteers from the UK travel to different international locations to play football or coach it. They also get stuck into a social action project and receive some Bible-based training. Their hope is “really to empower people and, rather than them look at mission as something you need to go overseas to do, to see their neighbourhood as their mission field,” said Paul. “I guess we hope that a trip will be the catalyst for UK expansion, which we will then support.”

Rev Rob Powell with Xavier from Christian Sports Fellowship

n field

related to what they had been doing that day. Churchill Joseph, from Christ Church, Chennai, commented: “This was the first time that a sports ministry had been held at this church and the impact has been huge. Around 80% of the children attending were from a Hindu background so to see them come along, even just into the grounds of a church, was fantastic. “It has changed their perspective of us and I think it has been good for the church members too, as they are meeting people who would never usually come to church. It benefits everyone.” All the children are attending the camp that now runs every other Saturday. Onside Soccer was able to donate kit and equipment and made sure there were people to keep the camp running; the three coaches all became Christians through football. The aim is to expand the work to reach the local fishing community the kids come from, where there are huge problems with alcohol, prostitution and HIV. The goal is to set up similar coaching sessions in the UK, as well as continuing work with the organisation Ambassadors in Sport. But they believe their main focus here will be on training the men who have returned from trips and want to set up something similar in their own churches. Onside Soccer wants to show the huge variety within the face of Christianity worldwide, and open

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Photos: Onside Soccer

FOOTBALL MINISTRY ::

people’s eyes to the different challenges each country faces. They have already established links in Egypt, USA and Uganda. Sports ministry is a vital tool for evangelism around the world. For example, in parts of India it is hard for Christians to openly share their faith; if they are caught preaching they could potentially end up in jail. Sports ministry is regarded as a way around that, especially if overseas coaches are involved. While the charity started as a men’s ministry, Paul says they are keen for anyone who has a heart for sports ministry to get involved. “If you have a skill we want to enable you to use it! Everyone has something to offer and our passion for football is the vehicle we use to provide the initial focus.” For further information go to: www.onsidesoccer.com

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ınspıre : :

Property Services Technician To help care for our properties Two Year Fixed Term Contract – Flexible place of work

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HE PILGRIMS’ FRIEND SOCIETY is a Christian charity with roots going back to 1807 and the founding of The Aged Pilgrims’ Friend Society. Today we care for older Christians in 14 different locations, with residential, dementia and nursing care, and a variety of sheltered housing, from bungalows to houses to apartments. We are experiencing a period of expansion and growth as well as wanting to progress a number of capital build projects, and are therefore looking to strengthen our property management team by appointing a Property Services Technician to work closely with our Property Services Manager, being responsible to our Director of Property Services.

ABOUT THE JOB: It involves assisting in identifying future works and areas of capital expenditure as well as running regular maintenance and improvement programmes: budget management, advising our Homes’ Managers and supporting our Maintenance Ofﬁcers, and liaising with statutory authorities. The aim is to provide safe and comfortable properties for our residents and occupants.

ith Christmas fast approaching...

ABOUT YOU: You will have a background in building maintenance, and will be able to organise building repairs, maintenance and small projects by way of speciﬁcations, drawings, site inspections and documentation. You may have a qualiﬁcation as a Building Surveyor, architectural technician, or similar. You will also be fully numerate, computer literate and able to work in Microsoft Word, Excel and Access and be competent in using AutoCAD or similar.

If you are a Mission Organisation why not advertise in our ‘Alternative gifts’ feature? And encourage our readers to give a ‘Gift that does good’

We are looking for a committed individual, with a genuine interest in buildings and their use by those with impairments. Does this sound like you?

70 words plus your logo

Please contact:

only £250 plus VAT

Human Resources Pilgrims’ Friend Society 175 Tower Bridge Road London SE1 2AL Tel: 0300 303 1400 Email: hr@pilgrimsfriend.org.uk

01903 604342 E-mail: paulataylor@cpo.org.uk 004D1011

www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk

Contact: Paula Taylor on

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21 great giveaways!

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Every month in Inspire, we give you the opportunity to bag an inspiring book, CD, DVD, tickets – anything we can lay our hands on to give away. Just fill in the form and tick your preference. You never know, you could be a winner! Many Christians worry about things and suffer in silence, unsure if psychological solutions are appropriate for them, or if biblical teaching can lead them to freedom. The Worry Book (IVP, £7.99) offers a fresh solution: seeing the process of worry as the problem, rather than getting stuck into individual concerns. The authors, Rev Will van der Hart and Dr Rob Waller, a consultant psychiatrist, combine good theology and psychology to offer new perspectives and real hope for the worrier. 6 copies Over the years the summer event Soul Survivor has given birth to the songs and worship leadership of Matt

Redman, Tim Hughes and Ben Cantelon – and helped a generation of Christians to engage in worship. The newly released Soul Survivor Live DVD (Kingsway, £8.99) enables viewers to join with thousands of young people as they worship God. The DVD features 10 songs, including some of the biggest anthems to have inspired the Church in recent years. 5 DVDs Need some fresh ideas to get your youth group talking? The Think Tank (Monarch, £12.99) written by Youthwork editor Martin Saunders, contains 100 stories (quirky; ethical and moral dilemmas; testimonies etc) along with a number of elements designed to provoke

discussion, and Bible study material aimed at Christian young people or those exploring the faith. 6 copies God gave Mary Beth Chapman an award-winning singer/ songwriter husband, a busy life and a houseful of children. She would never have imagined the tragic loss that befell her family one day. In Choosing to SEE (Revell, £9.99), Mary Beth unveils her struggle to allow God to write the story of her life and wrestles with some of life’s big questions, such as, where is God when things fall apart? She shows that even in the hardest and darkest of times, there is hope if you choose to see. 4 copies

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Following ınspıre : : THE WORD

the Master Maybe it’s time for all of us to take another look at Jesus, says ROB JAMES

Reading John 20:10-23 Acts 9:1-5

Prayer Heavenly Father, we want to thank you for showing us just how much you love us. Help us to imitate your Son’s way of life that many will discover the reality of eternal life.

THE WORD ::

I’VE MENTIONED before that I have listened to the radio for as long as I remember, but since I became a member of the ‘iPod Generation’ I have been able to listen to whatever I want, whenever, and wherever, I choose. I particularly enjoy listening to Matthew Parris’ Great Lives because I never know the kind of intriguing facts I’ll discover about the rich and famous. Whoever would have guessed, for example, that Winston Churchill’s one regret was that his dad never saw just how much he achieved in life?

If people are going to be attracted to Jesus they need to see the evidence of his work in our lives Some time ago I found myself listening to an edition that focused on Gerry Robinson’s choice of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett. Robinson, a highly successful businessman, told Parris that initially he loathed his work, thinking it all “pretentious nonsense”. But, some years later, when his daughter was in drama school, he took a fresh look at Beckett’s material and now sees him in a totally different light. It made me wish that lots of people would take a ‘fresh look’ at Jesus and all he has to offer. He can help us when the going gets tough, for example. I see evidence of this all the time. Just a few weeks ago an oil industry executive told me that he was aware that “someone is helping him”. This was no flippant comment, given the fact that he is coping with the consequences of a recent explosion at his refinery. Jesus also offers those who have messed up the opportunity of a new start. ‘Jane’ (not her real name) knows that. Jane told us her story when she turned up in church one Sunday morning last year. She had been

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abused to the point where she had ended up selling her body at night and filling it with Class A drugs throughout the day. But thankfully, she (reluctantly) accepted the offer of a place in a Christian drug rehabilitation centre. While she was there she discovered that God not only loved her, she came to see that he could also help her kick her destructive habit. Jane is a completely transformed young lady now. And there’s a word of comfort for people like Milly Dowler’s parents too. I couldn’t help thinking that as I watched them sharing their sense of injustice on TV some time ago. Life can be very unfair, but the Bible assures us that no one will ‘get away with it in the end’. The bills will have to be paid one day. Faith does not insulate us from pain. It does not guarantee that we will have all the answers. But it is very relevant, and can prove life-changing, which is why lots of people would benefit from “doing a Gerry Robinson” and taking a fresh look at Jesus. But that has major implications for all of us who claim to be his disciples. If people are going to be attracted to Jesus they need to see the evidence of his work in our lives. And that means we should be living his way. We tend to forget the fact that the term Christian is only used on three occasions in the New Testament, whereas the term ‘The Way’ seems to have been one of the oldest descriptions of the Church. It does me good to remember that because it reminds us that we are supposed to be apprentices who are learning to imitate their Master’s way – the way of selfless love, especially for those who do not yet know him. As someone wisely observed: “The ball’s in our court now”. www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

ınspıre : : SPORT

Fitness, friendship and faith Members of the afterschool club in action

“I DIDN’T have to be a Christian for this job – but it’s great that I am,” says Beth who works as a sports development officer at the FBC Centre in Berkshire. The community facility, built and owned by Finchampstead Baptist Church in partnership with Wokingham Borough Council and Finchampstead Parish Council, is open to the public from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays the church uses it for worship, teaching and other activities. Beth is employed by the FBC Centre and the post is funded by Sport England. “It’s a three-year post that the church was awarded to complement a

£500,000 grant to build the sports hall,” she explains. “My role is to work with young people, adults and those with disabilities and encourage them to get active – and stay that way. “As well as this are the events and evangelism that link in with the church. I also work closely with the local council, school sport partnership, community clubs and groups.” Beth, who studied Sports Science at university and has also worked with Christians in Sport for three years, is very sporty herself. “I’ve played football for the last 11 years at club/university level, as well as regularly running and playing tennis and badminton. My newest challenge is golf.”

Photos: FBC Centre

Beth Cutting is helping Berkshire residents to get active at a sports centre built by Finchampstead Baptist Church. SHARON BARNARD reports

Smiling faces at the afterschool club

SPORT ::

Badminton for the ‘FBC Formidables’ – the over-50s

“There is no separation between ‘church’ on a Sunday and ‘church’ during the week” The FBC Centre

Every day is different at the FBC Centre, but Beth typically spends two or three hours delivering activities such as PE lessons in schools, a disability sports club and a session for the over50s. “I always make sure I find time to enjoy a cappuccino from our lovely café though! “I try to have a couple of hours every day at my desk to keep on top of the admin. I also spend time meeting with other local sports providers as we work together on lots of different projects. “I’m an ideas person and often have 20 ideas and new projects in my head before breakfast. The challenge is to plan well and to know the needs of the community, rather than rushing ahead with what I think is best. “We endeavour to put on programmes which are affordable and appeal to different groups of people. We also try to find ways of having a

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childcare facility so mums get the chance to burn off some calories without having to worry about their little ones. “Joining a club or activity not only helps to improve a person’s health and fitness, but also adds real value with new friendships and social opportunities forming – in the community and through the church.” Bringing in the spiritual dimension she says “is a really exciting” aspect of her work. “As there is no separation between ‘church’ on a Sunday and ‘church’ during the week, there are countless opportunities to share the vision of the FBC Centre with people – and to help them see that they can meet with God at any time, any place.” One of her biggest encouragements has been “seeing people come to know Christ – and knowing that the sports development programme has helped them on their way a little bit. “Finchampstead Baptist Church members are just as involved in the badminton, circuits and holiday clubs as they are serving at church – which is a fantastic way to serve the local community and to build strong friendships with people.” FBC regularly arranges tours and meetings for churches who are interested in setting up something similar in their area. See www.fbcentre. com for further information or call 0118 908 8155.

•

FBC is planning a range of events and sports programmes for the community in the run-up to London 2012 using the More than Gold resources for churches and Christian groups. For further information visit www.morethangold.org.uk or call 0845 475 2012.

www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

ınspıre : :

Jesus CHRISTMAS

This year, the Christmas Starts with Christ campaign aims to engage with consumers. MIKE ELMS unwraps the package

CHRISTMAS starts … Actually it has already started, hasn’t it? Harrods opened their Yuletide section, complete with trees and cards in July – five months before Christmas! Also on offer is a life-sized Father Christmas for £2,999 and festivethemed ice-cream flavours, including mince pie, mulled wine and brussel sprout. Nationwide, the buying frenzy will increase, culminating in that last hectic week before Christmas. Research reveals that 85% of people agree that “Christmas should be called Christmas because we are still a Christian country”. But, research also shows that only 12% of adults know the Christmas story – and just 7% amongst 18 to 24-year-olds. So, if Christians want to keep Christmas focused on Christ, we need to be retelling the story of his birth in ways that engage creatively and positively with the public’s interest. This is the aim of ChurchAds.net, an ecumenical charity comprising senior communications experts from all major

on the high street

denominations and many Christian organisations, including Church Army, Evangelical Alliance and CPO, working in a strategic partnership with Premier Christian Media. Our ‘Christmas Starts with Christ’ campaign retells the Christmas story in modern, secular contexts to capture the general public’s attention and interest. Poster ads in previous years have set the nativity in a bus shelter and featured a dramatic ‘Jesus babyscan’. Radio ads have placed the story in a football match, horse race and pop chart countdown. This year we have a very simple but dramatic idea. To reset the nativity in modern professions and high street fashions. Shepherds become cycle couriers and plasterers. Wise men are successful entrepreneurs and their gifts are iconic ‘treasures’ of modern culture: a Swarovski crystal perfume bottle, a Fabergé egg and a replica Damian Hirst skull. All are sharply dressed. But the traditional nativity arrangement is unchanged, with Jesus as its clear focus. And the message is compelling: “However you dress it up … Christmas Starts with Christ.” It’s the meeting of Christianity and high street consumerism, with Christ in the middle. In the final few days before Christmas, millions of people will be heading for

CHRISTMAS STARTS WITH CHRIST Church 25/12

UK Ref: C2956MP www.cpo.org.uk Printed by: CPO, Worthing, © Andrew Gadd, www.churchads.net

CHRISTMAS ::

“A Damian Hirst skull, a Fabergé egg and a Swarovski crystal perfume bottle are seen as treasures by many within our culture. That they be presented to a baby has the same shock factor as gold, frankincense and myrrh being presented to a child born in the squalor of a stable, two thousand years ago in an outback corner of the Roman empire. “We are left with the question of who really is this child?” David Wilkinson Principal, St John’s College, University of Durham

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This year a generous sponsor, Jerusalem Trust, is funding the poster campaign, so we want to break new ground and place ads featuring the image in national newspapers – still the country’s key opinion-forming arena, and a major channel for retail advertising. A double reason for putting our message here. Take a moment now to prayerfully consider the effect of this image as a whole page advertisement in, say, the Daily Mail and Sunday Mirror – exposure to more than eight million readers. This would cost £80,000. Expensive? That’s just 1p per reader. But, it could only be done with your help. Please consider donating. It would need just 800 churches or individuals to give £100. There are 40,000 church groups and four million churchgoing Christians in the UK. Do we really want Christmas to centre on Christ? Our radio ads can convey the same message in the middle of ‘buy, buy, buy!’ ad breaks. But we need Churches Together groups to buy the airtime. You can see and hear the ads and make donations at www.churchads.net Research shows 61% of people surveyed like the message ‘Christmas Starts with Christ’; with 41% saying it makes them think more about the true meaning of Christmas. Last year we took the message to 30 million people. We want to build on that this year. Only 4% of Christmas cards on sale in high street retailers contain a Christian message. By visiting www.churchads.net and making a donation you can help place a dramatic ‘Christian card’ right in the heart of Christmas consumerism: high streets, national newspapers, radio – and ensure that in December the real Christmas starts ... with Christ.

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shopping centres. Could there be a better time to expose them to this Christian message? We shall be placing this image on posters in major shopping centres across the country. A message for the high street delivered by a poster in the high street.

www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

ınspıre : : BRAIN STRAINERS

Crossword CLUES Across 6. Mummy (6) 7. Map (3) (Anag) 8. Scoffed food (3) 9. Desserts (6) 10. Me and ___ (3) 11. Fixed to a sink (3) 15. Dormant, dozing (6) 17. Before d, e, f (3) 18. Harp on about (3) 19. Closed when blinking (6) Down 1. Vegetable served roasted (6) 2. Covered by a tyre (5) 3. Leaping, chirping insect (11) 4. Narrow to a point (5) 5. A dot (4) 12. Northern polar area (6) 13. Noise from horse (5) 14. Flows from taps (5) 16. Having performed song (4) You’ll find the solution in our Extras section at www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

SuDoku SuDoku in Japanese means ‘number-solving’.

4 1

5 3

9 9

6 7

3 7 4

You’ll find the solution in our Extras section at www. inspiremagazine. org.uk

How many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? Each must contain the centre letter, all the others can be used only once. Goal: Superb – 21; Excellent – 19; Well Done – 14; Good – 10

N N C S

008D0910

RATING: Easy

Word Goal

Puzzles by www.puzzle.tv

The grid is 9x9, but has nine 3x3 mini-grids or ‘regions’ built in. Some numbers, called ‘givens’, are inserted to give you a start. The goal is to fill in the empty cells, one number in each, so that each column and row in the main grid, and each region, contains the numbers 1–9 exactly once.

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www.inspirem

Issue 62

Order Inspire –

Fu n

din

gf pri or ca nc ipl re an es d for bib The con fam lica ten ilie l ted c a regi s Reclaim ver ing the older p eople in family silver – the loc al chur ch

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Stories to

agazine.org.uk

lift your spirits

‘God is good all the time’ Ex-football thug’s journey from anger to grace

Happy hens help young people find direction God’s call to love justice

If this is the first issue of Inspire magazine you’ve come across – welcome!

How theat re is rebuilding broken lives

Faith rediscover ed: why thousands are going Back to Churc h

PLUS:I Great giveaw puzzles, fun ays,I and more!I

September 2011

We’re hugely encouraged with the continued growth of Inspire – since our launch in March 2006 with a circulation of 50,000, we have grown to around 70,000 copies monthly, entirely because of demand. Every day, new churches and individuals join our readership, and tell us how they find Inspire a great mix in both encouraging them with stories of God at work, and challenging them to make a difference where they live. Published by CPO, and funded by partners, advertising and donations, it’s been our vision from day one to produce a magazine that is good news, telling the stories you don’t always hear of changed people, churches, and communities. From what you’re telling us, we’re delivering that. Find daily updated news on www.inspiremagazine.org. uk as well as stacks more content not in the magazine. You can also find us on Facebook (Inspire Readers Group) and Twitter (http:twitter.com/inspirenews)! *We do encourage churches to consider an annual donation towards our postage costs. Russ Bravo Editor

Advocacy and protection of vulnerable adults ocess ving pr ie r g e h and t ues ement e iss f i Bereav L d of g En n i s res Add

THE WORLD, THE CHURCH & OLDER PEOPLE

You can have a personal copy of Inspire sent direct to your door each month by completing the form below – or order bulk copies for your church

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ınspıre : :

CARING FOR THE SUFFERING

God’s love

Showing amidst the rubbish

Photos: Matjaz Kacicnik

‘Mama Maggie’ is the remarkable woman behind the Egyptian ministry Stephen’s Children which helps Christians in dire poverty. WILFRED WONG reports

Mama Maggie standing in one of Cairo’s numerous garbage dumps where many poor Christians live and work

MINA is a poor Egyptian Christian child. There are seven in his family, but his father cannot find a regular job. One day the father went looking for work but was unsuccessful. He urgently needed money to buy food. His family felt extremely hungry and despondent. Suddenly a Christian charity worker appeared. He had a food parcel and said: “God sent this gift for you.” Mina’s mother knelt down and cried, praising God and saying: “Jesus Christ never forsakes us.” This worker was one of many sent out by an Egyptian Christian, Maggie Gobran, affectionately known as ‘Mama Maggie’, to help impoverished Christians living in the slums, garbage dumps and countryside of Egypt. She named her ministry Stephen’s Children, after the first Christian martyr because Egypt’s Church has a long history of martyrdom. As one worker aptly put it: “Our ministry helps others to see God’s love.” In a Cairo garbage dump I saw a Christian woman sitting amidst the rubbish. Next to her was some bread. Initially I thought she’d bought the bread, then realised she’d picked it from the garbage for her and her family to eat. This sight was even more disturbing when I saw several rats running around. Some of the rats are huge and at night they often go into homes. One worker saw some Christian children with bits of their ears missing and was informed that the rats had bitten off parts of the children’s ear lobes while they slept.

CARING FOR THE SUFFERING ::

Mama Maggie giving a pair of sandals to a poor Christian child

Children praying at one of the numerous camps organised by Stephen’s Children

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Sadly, it’s also quite common for the children to pick rotting food out of the garbage and eat it. Out of Egypt’s 12 million-strong Christian community, about eight million of them live in dire poverty. Mama Maggie says that for poor Christians hunger is their constant companion. Many of the children die before the age of five because of their appalling living conditions. This situation has been greatly worsened by the global rise in food prices. Mama Maggie said: “It’s very, very difficult to see young children hungry. I went to visit one family and saw the mother boiling water to give the impression that there would be food, but every night these children went to bed crying with hunger. “How can you bear it? Without the grace of God, we cannot bear it.” It was more than 21 years ago that Mama Maggie left her prestigious well-paid job to answer God’s call to serve the impoverished, forgotten Christians of Egypt. She has set up so many initiatives to help them including kindergartens, clinics, vocational training centres and regular camps for the children. Stephen’s Children also operates an extensive home visiting programme. Thousands of poor children in the garbage dumps, city slums or poor villages are visited once a week by a ministry worker. The worker teaches the child from the Bible and to memorise verses, as well as how to pray. If the child has schoolwork problems the worker also helps with this. Such personal, regular mentoring does wonders for the children’s development. A Coptic Orthodox Christian, Mama Maggie works with Christians from other denominations including Protestant Evangelicals. Maggie emphasises that the children should make a personal commitment to Jesus, memorise Bible verses and pray and read the Bible daily. Stephen’s Children helps poor children with their spiritual, mental, physical and social development. Tens of thousands of poor children have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour due to the outreach by Mama Maggie and her team. Tens of thousands of poor children have also been enabled by Stephen’s Children to obtain education or vocational training and go on to earn a good income. Since the Revolution in early 2011 which toppled President Mubarak from power, Egypt’s Islamic fundamentalists have grown much stronger. Anti-Christian violence and persecution have escalated and the economy has deteriorated sharply, making the lives of Egypt’s poor Christians even more miserable. More than ever Egypt’s Christians urgently need our support. To find out more about the work of Stephen’s Children or make a donation, write to: Stephen’s Children, 30 Pied Bull Court, Galen Place, London WC1A 2JR. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Stephen’s Children’. www.stephenschildren.org

•

Mama Maggie cleaning a child’s dirt-covered feet

www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

ınspıre : : INSPIRE AWARDS

Houses

for the homeless SOMETIMES God has a way of changing our plans and making the little we have go further than we could imagine. Take for instance Pastor Pete Cunningham. In 1999 Pete was Pastor of Shoreline Church in Southport. He became convinced that rather than hold on to his pension for his retirement, God was asking him to give it up to help the homeless in his town. Together with his son Andrew and Vicki Woodley, another member of the church, they got together enough money to buy a pair of flats and began to house and care for two homeless couples. They called the ministry Green Pastures. Today, Green Pastures houses and supports more than 200 formerly homeless people in the area. In 2005 the local authority recognised that there were no longer any longterm rough sleepers in Southport. All this without ever receiving any government grants! Pete says: “As well as caring for their physical needs we are sometimes given the privilege of leading our tenants to Jesus. In the last few years we have seen 27 come to faith, 19 baptised and currently 32 of our tenants and former tenants are attending Shoreline or other churches.” He adds: “It only took a night for God to get the children of Israel out of Egypt, but it took 40 years to get Egypt out of them – homelessness is like that,

giving them somewhere to live is the beginning, not the end. “We work with people to help them face the problems that caused them to become homeless, and enable them to take their place as productive members of society.” The really surprising thing about this for Pete was the way the ministry grew from local to national. Green Pastures now has network of 28 partners – churches, Christian charities and local authorities – providing support to homeless people. “If you’d told me in 1999 that what we were starting would enable us to house 410 homeless people across the country, I’m not sure I would have believed you, but this is where God has led us and by his grace, we’re still growing.” For Pete, Vicki and Andrew it’s all about the people. “We’re not really that interested in counting the number of buildings we have – it’s about those buildings becoming part of a homeless person’s restoration,” they say. “Green Pastures’ mission is to enable local churches and Christian charities to reach out to the homeless and poor in their towns, cities and villages. We

“This is where God has led us and by his grace, we’re still growing”

INSPIRE AWARDS ::

Green Pastures started with a pair of flats for two homeless Southport couples. It’s now a national ministry housing more than 400 people. DAN RUSSELL tells the story

re s ”

don’t tell our partners who they should care for; we offer houses and support to help them bring practical love and care to the homeless and poor they see on their streets and in their communities.” For some partners this means reaching out to rough sleepers or providing move-on accommodation for people otherwise trapped in hostels. For others it has enabled them to provide a home for specific groups of people like ex-offenders or destitute asylum seekers. Green Pastures buys houses for homeless people through Green Pastures Housing CBS Limited, which is an exempt charity and an industrial and provident society. This company issues unsecured loan stock to raise the finance to buy properties for housing homeless people. Pete says: “Without the investment we have received in the past, there would be many people who are now securely housed who would still have been on the streets.” Green Pastures’ latest project is to help formerly homeless people

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create sustainable businesses for themselves and others, to help them get off benefits. Recently a Green Pastures house in Wigan has been rewired, plastered and had a new heating system fitted by a group of ex-homeless men who have been trained in construction skills by The Lighthouse in Rotherham, another Green Pastures partner. Andrew Cunningham says: “This is such an exciting project; here we have men who were homeless, now using the skills they have been taught to make a house ready for homeless people to live in – it doesn’t get any better than that.” For further information go to www.greenpastureshousing.co.uk

•

Green Pastures was nominated for an Inspiring Project Award by Dan Russell from Chesterfield, Derbyshire

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CELEBRATE AT NEW LIFE FELLOWSHIP PENTECOSTAL CHURCH THANKSGIVING SERVICE Oct 8th @ 1pm All Welcome Emmanuel school 38 Blackboy Road Exeter EX4 6SZ (free pizza after service) Bible studies @ Taunton and Weston-super-mare Call pastor David 07939 087757 details www.facebook.com/pentecostalexeter

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November issue of Inspire is…

CARE SERVICES CLUBS AND EVENTS TEACHING AND TRAINING

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TUESDAY 25TH OCTOBER www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

NEW

Christmas Collection Catalogue from CPO Our new Christmas Collection is now available Discover a great selection of colourful designs and co-ordinated publicity material – ideal for your Christmas outreach! New Resources include: ❅ Christmas Publicity ❅ Christmas Cards ❅ Posters & Banners ❅ Invitations ❅ Christmas lights ❅ Candles ❅ Outreach tracts and booklets ❅ Children’s Christmas materials ❅ and much more!

To order a catalogue Tel: 01903 263354 or order online at: 30

www.cposhop.org.uk

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

Yes, I would like to receive the next 3 issues of Woman Alive for £3 and pay £5.25 per quarter thereafter.

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issues for

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THE MAGAZIN E FOR TODAY’S CHRISTIA N WOMAN

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JUNE 2011 £2.50

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What’s your ministry? The answer is in your hands! FUN WAYS TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS

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Christ ngle

Light up children’s lives with The Children’s Society Christingle For over 40 years The Children’s Society Christingle has been a key part of celebrations within churches and has raised essential funds to support the charity’s work with vulnerable children and young people in the UK. Thanks to celebrations held up and down the country last year, and the support of thousands of volunteers, we raised over £1 million… and now it’s time to get ready for this year’s celebration. By taking part in The Children’s Society Christingle you can have a wonderful celebration in your church, welcoming children and families from your area. Together, we can raise vital funds and reach out to children and young people in your community and across the country. Our new FREE resources are now available and include collection candles and envelopes, practical service suggestions, wax candles and a wide range of activities for children to help share the message.

Simply visit www.christingle.org for more information and order your resources today. Thank you!

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The Children’s Society Christingle stingle A better childhood. For every child.