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Moseley Chimes
March 2008
‘Hope’ is intended to provide churches of all shapes and sizes throughout the UK with a fresh opportunity to work together across their communities over a twelve-month period. It is as relevant for urban or rural churches irrespective of tradition. After ‘The Message’ in Manchester 2000, and ‘Soul in the City’ in London 2004, many Christians were left with a strong desire for their town or city to be next in line. In a number of other locations churches worked together as part of what seemed to be a new wave of missions that emerged at the beginning of this century. This activity was built on years of faithful prayer and a commitment to work together and in many cases with a key role played by young people. After ‘Soul in the City’, three agencies began a conversation which grew to involve a side range of denominations, networks and national charities. This conversation concluded that if we all work together, across the whole nation that focused mission is possible, even in situations that gave seemed hopeless in the past. The ideas that are still emerging indicate that churches of all types and traditions can partner with other churches, with various Christian agencies and with local authorities and the police to make a real impact on their communities.
Churches across the United Kingdom are constantly at work serving and communicating with 58 million residents and many visitors to the United Kingdom. ‘Hope’ proposes to support this work, by facilitating intensified, united, focused prayer and a year of activities, communicating the Gospel through words and actions, creating a lasting legacy of both physical and spiritual change in the lives of communities and individuals. Supporting Local Churches across the UK in their commitment to serve and witness to their communities by:
At a recent Ministers fraternal meeting David Isgrove, (Riverside) gave us a presentation on Hope ’08 and this was also his theme for the sermon given at the united service in January. David’s ea is to get as many of our local churches on board as possible doing things together under the umbrella of Hope 2008. The suggestion is to get involved in The High Points.
When Hope 2008 was first suggested to a range of people, some expressed a desire for a strong programme that would leave people clear as to how they could participate, and others that the plans kept to the minimum allowing churches and communities to interpret the initiative as they saw fit. The response is a menu based approach with numerous great ideas, but none of these are descriptive or obligatory. Consequently the year will comprise Five High Points and a series of other reasons all of which resonate with the churches traditional calendar, but each of which provides fresh ideas to enable all to participate.
They are:
The Big Hope — Lent and Easter Perhaps as Churches Together we can make more of a witness over this period? For St Mary’s and St Anne’s trying to be a praying community our Stations of the Cross exhibition is part of this. It is also our intention to send an Easter card to every home this year too.
Hope where you live — Pentecost In Moseley this is the time when we get ready for Moseley in Bloom. Perhaps as Churches Together we could assist people with their gardens along the Alcester Road? YG is planning to create a peace garden at St Anne’s.
Summer activities As Churches Together we can get involved with the Moseley Festival, the summer Garden party will be part of this.
Hope explored — Harvest Riverside is interested in getting a team of people together to go into schools to deliver a sexual health programme. We may decide we want to do an Alpha or Christianity Explored course.
The Gift of Hope — Christmas In Moseley we are usually good at sharing our faith over this time with the carol singing on the green in particular, but what about taking over a shop to sell specifically Christian presents this year?
This is all something to think about. We do not want to overburden ourselves with doing lots of extra activities but perhaps to take a fresh look at what we already do and do it better, so as to more effectively communicate the good news of Jesus Christ, which is indeed Hope for everyone. For further information check out the National and Diocesan websites and keep an eye out for Hope initiatives such as the Hope Hut. This is a ‘space’ being developed on the Lickeys by Lickey Church as part of their commitment to providing a place for retreats and to develop their links with the Lickey Hills Park. Their vision, which ties in with this year’s Diocesan initiative, is that every day in Lent, from dawn ’til dusk, we will join together in prayer.
Churches, individuals and small groups are being asked to book a day to pray in Hope Hut and maps and guides for people wanting to prayer-walk around the Lickeys are also being developed. Perhaps a group from Moseley would like to go on Sunday 9 March 2008 following St Anne’s APCM. Bring a picnic lunch. The walk lasts about two hours.