Back to Church Sunday

More than 17,000 people are expected to return to church in September as Back to Church Sunday expands to take in 1,700 churches across England. With 19 dioceses taking part this year, the 1,700 churches involved is a tenfold increase on the 160 churches that took up the venture when it began, in Manchester, in 2004. On past records, participating churches welcome back an average of 10 former worshippers each, meaning that 17,000 people could come back to church in one day in September; equivalent to 1% of the total monthly attendance of the Church of England.

Recent research revealed nearly three million people would consider going to church with ‘the right invitation’. Churchgoing in the UK found that “there is a clear opportunity for churches to attract new members by tapping into the 2.9 million people (6% of UK adults) who are likely to go to church in future. The personal touch is a major trigger. A personal invite, family or a friend attending or difficult personal circumstances, are most likely to encourage people into church”.

The Bishop of Manchester said: “Inviting people into church is as important as taking the Gospel out to them. With three million ready to consider a personal invitation, the growth of Back to Church Sunday could prove one of the most effective aspects of the Church’s witness.”

At St John's we are inviting people to come Back to Church for our 10.00am service on Sunday 30th September.

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Check out Moby's Natural Blues.

Faith and excellence in employment

The Church Urban Fund has created an online resource to promote excellence in employment by faith-based social action organisations.

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Check out T. Bone Burnett's River of Love.

People traffiking is wrong

Last night, the young people at St John's led a service on the theme of STOP THE TRAFFIK. This innovative and exciting service used DVDs, drama, music and prayer stations to help people reflect on and respond to the campaign to stop people being bought and sold. During the response time in the service, the congregation were invited, among other activities, to: sign the global declaration and fix it to a freedom wall; send a letter to retailers of chocolate about fairtrade; and break a paper chain and write a prayer on it.

During the service Sian Evens said: "People trafficking is the world’s fastest growing illegal trade. People are trafficked across borders at the rate of one every minute of every day. We hope that this service will show the evil of people trafficking and that stopping it is God’s will."

Rachel Page said: "God is concerned about the suffering of people who are trafficked and wants to send people like us to rescue them. We might feel a lot like Moses when we hear that and wonder who are we to change things but God says to us just what he said to Moses, “I have sent you and I will be with you.”

Richard Guest said: "If we are prepared to call for the sale of people to be prevented, for traffickers to be prosecuted, and for those trafficked to be protected then we can see that freedom and release come in our generation and will know that we have walked in Jesus’ footsteps."

STOP THE TRAFFIK is a global coalition fighting against people trafficking, which is the world’s fastest growing illegal crime. The global declaration says 'People trafficking is wrong. I support STOP THE TRAFFIK in its call to: PREVENT THE TRADE OF PEOPLE; PROTECT THE TRAFFICKED; PROSECUTE THE TRAFFICKERS.' This Declaration will form part of a global petition to the United Nations and National Governments.

Young people at St John's are taking the lead in highlighting the evil of people trafficking to our church and community. Our events have been designed to raise awareness of this issue and to call for changes that will prevent the trade of people, prosecute the traffickers and protect the trafficked.

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Check out The Innocence Mission's Bright As Yellow.

The Clean-Up King - Part 5

Then it began to rain. No ordinary shower or thunderstorm that passes. This was hard, driving, persistent and torrential rain like the spray of continual machine gun fire. It forced the people off their streets into their homes, offices and factories, wherever there was shelter. It fell without let up. It fell relentlessly.

As time passed the rain began to make the rubbish mountains slither and slide. Avalanches of cans, wrappers, carriers, fag ends, bottles and papers began. The detritus of the rubbish mountains floated down the streets silting up the drains, clogging the overflow pipes. As the sewers blocked, puddles formed in the streets and spread. Water rose to kerb level and began to seep into homes. Rain continued to fall as time began to blur. Tomorrow turned into today and the waters lapping at the city wall continued to rise.

The children, though, were not in love with the wall. They hated the imprisonment that the wall had imposed. They had longed to break free and now they seized their opportunity. Splashing, stumbling through the rising water they made their way to a large construction site where the foundations for what was to be the third largest building in the city were being laid.

“A hole in the wall! A hole in the wall!” they shouted to the builders who were beginning to climb their cranes in the hope of avoiding the rising tide. One began to operate a demolition ball. With repeated swings it smashed against the city wall making the firmly fixed stone splinter and small pieces fly. Others ran to find explosives.

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Check out Olivier Messiaen's Louange à l'éternité de Jésus.

Stopping the Traffik

A small group from St John's Seven Kings and St Laurence's Barkingside collected signatures for STOP THE TRAFFIK's Global Declaration on Seven Kings High Road today. Wearing 'I am not for sale' banners to highlight the issue of people trafficking, we encouraged 219 local people to sign the global declaration opposing people trafficking.

Tomorrow evening the young people at St John's will lead a service (starting at 6.30pm) on the theme of STOP THE TRAFFIK. An innovative and exciting service has been planned using DVDs, drama, music and prayer stations to help people reflect on and respond to the campaign to stop people being bought and sold.

Young people at St John's are taking the lead in highlighting the evil of people trafficking. Today one woman, man or child is trafficked every minute. Our events are designed to raise awareness of this issue and to call for changes that will prevent the trade of people, prosecute the traffickers and protect the trafficked.

STOP THE TRAFFIK is a global coalition fighting against people trafficking, which is the world’s fastest growing illegal crime. The global declaration says "People trafficking is wrong. I support STOP THE TRAFFIK in its call to: PREVENT THE TRADE OF PEOPLE; PROTECT THE TRAFFICKED; PROSECUTE THE TRAFFICKERS." This Declaration will form part of a global petition to the United Nations and National Governments.

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Check out Lifehouse's Hanging By A Moment.

Friends, Strangers, Citizens? Life in Britain post 7/7

‘Friends, Strangers, Citizens? Life in Britain post 7/7’ is a new DVD discussion resource, produced by South Asian Development Partnership.

The DVD is the latest module in the Masala BridgeBuilders series and features community leaders, young people and people on the street giving their views on issues such as the threat of terror, the role of religion, multiculturalism and freedom of speech. It is split into 5 short sections (approx. 6 minutes each) covering the following topics:

• What happened on 7/7?
• Is religion the problem or the solution?
• Is multiculturalism dead?
• Freedom of speech vs respect?
• What kind of Britain do we want?

Worksheets with further material and discussion questions are included on the DVD and can be photocopied freely.

The resource can be used in a range of contexts, including schools, community groups, youth groups, and carer and toddler groups. Its aim is to help people talk and listen to each other, a key step in promoting understanding between people and building bridges - part of the long term solution for damaged community relations. It can also be used by church groups who want to explore the issues for themselves and for those who want to reach out into their local communities.

Clips from the materials can be watched by clicking here and from the South Asian Development Partnership website.

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Check out Marvin Gaye's What's Going On / What's Happening Brother here.

Prayer for Racial Justice

A prayer for Racial Justice Sunday:

Heavenly God, we praise your name and thank you for your glorious goodness and mercy.
Lord Jesus, we pray a blessing for all those actively engaged in the struggle for racial justice.
Holy Spirit, we beseech you to enter into the minds and hearts of all those in authority in the Church. Grant that they may:

Hear the voices crying out for justice
Engage in developing a better understanding
Act to bring about change
Lead and inspire others by their good example.

We ask this through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The love of God is greater than all evil. We pray for racial justice:
In our own lives
In our parishes
In our dioceses
In our land.
Amen.

A prayer written by Betty Luckham for the Catholic Association for Racial Justice.

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Check out the video for Mavis Staples' Eyes on the Prize.