Paul Snell
At the end of November 2005, I was invited to be a part of a small group of people from the URC representing a wide range of theological positions. We met at Hothorpe Hall in Leicestershire for a 2 day consultation on the theme of "Evangelism and Spirituality in the URC".
Facilitated by the Life and Witness Committee of the URC and GEAR (Group for Evangelism And Renewal), the meeting was an initial part of the next stage of Catch The Vision (CTV). Much of the structural change part of CTV was already in process and the church generally was itching to get to the heart of what CTV was originally about-a transformation of the heart of the church to make it equipped and relevant in a society that had lost confidence in the church in the West, and yet was interested in pursuing spirituality in a variety of ways.
That meeting began a process which enabled us to open up to each other in different ways as we learnt to appreciate different theological stances and to be willing to listen to how God was speaking to us and using us in different contexts and diverse ways of worshipping and working together in our church communities. We were always open and straightforward, even in tackling thorny issues such as human sexuality, yet keen to hear the Spirit in each other and desiring to operate in grace rather than retreat into theological ghettos.
At our second meeting together we drew together the strands of previous discussions and eventually came to a dream! I can't remember exactly how we got there-which probably says something about the unity of vision we shared-but we dreamt of a 3 year period in the life of our church that would transform its heart through an emphasis in worship, preaching and teaching, home groups, and many other ways on the three themes of
Engaging again with the Bible
Rediscovering the power and value of Prayer
Finding confidence in Evangelism
The underlying theme was one of storytelling and the need for us to learn to share our stories with each other and the world. We went away from the meeting inspired and challenged-excited about the possibility that this just might be a way forward for the whole church. Could it be that we had hit on a way through the issues which face the URC? Would the sense of "it seemed right to the Holy Spirit and us" catch on throughout our denomination?
One of our group is Revd. Dr. John Campbell, principal of Northern College in Manchester, and as we drew that meeting to a close he mentioned that he had some months of sabbatical set aside in 2007 and would be willing to give considerable time to researching and formulating the beginnings of material and resources for such a plan. And so the beginnings of what was to become known as Vision4 Life were set in place.
The result so far is that we agreed a name and logo, and have devised a programme which begins with an introductory period on into the summer of 2008. Churches will then be asked to "sign up" through use of 4 sets of material for use in worship, church and elders meetings or house groups next summer. The main programme will begin with a focus on the bible from Advent 2008. The following year we will focus on prayer, and in 2010 we will look at material on evangelism.
That seems a long way away, but there is a real feeling that this is not just some flash in the pan programme. Indeed we are seeing this more as a 'process' than a programme. The V4L team's vision is to see a radical transformation of the church-hence the strap-line in the logo. If we are to become relevant to the society in which we are set, it will take more than a programme. Hearts need to be changed-lives transformed-habits altered-vision encouraged. The plan is not to offer proscriptive materials, but a set of resources that local churches can use and adapt to suit their own context. For some they will want to simply use the materials which the team and others will produce. But for many they will already be focusing on these themes as part and parcel of who they are. We want to learn from each other and share ideas. In short, we want to see the URC excited again by the God who loves us and confident about the faith we share.
So do you have a Vision for life? 2008 will be the chance to embark on this radical step forward in company with tens of thousands of others around the country. I hope you are going to join in!
Paul Snell [803 words]
Note to Magazine editors and publicity people in churches -
Please feel free to 'clip' the Vision4Life LOGO from the top of the Vision4Life fact sheet 1 to use in your magazine or wherever else you are presenting Vision4Life in your local setting.
Post Vision4Life materials We have produced a brand new set of materials for churches wanting to follow up on Vision4Life. Based on the book of Acts, “Acting out Acts” uses study notes and Bibliodrama to look at themes which include some review of the V4L process. There are 5 studies and an introduction to the themes and Bibliodrama.
Download the materials by clicking the links below
Acting out Acts introduction Acting out Acts session 1 - Acts 2 v3 - Recapping the story
Acting out Acts session 2 - Acts 4 v3 - Developing confidence
Acting out Acts session 3 - Acts 10 v3 - Bringing different perspectives together
Want to help your church get to grips with the whole Bible?Want to tackle some of the Bible’s hot potato issues?To get a grip on the Bible’s slipperiest stories and trickiest texts, Biblefresh is holding a series of events with inspiring teaching, expert input, panel Q&A and workshops.
Each event takes a head, hands and heart approach, helping you intellectually, practically and spiritually with the Bible.
Venues are Glasgow, Durham, Cardiff and London. Check out the details at http://www.biblefresh.com/2011/09/22/get-a-grip-tour/#more-6783 or click here
We have posted a number of ideas to help you with evangelistic activities this autumn ranging from Harvest to Halloween, All Saints, Remembrance and Advent. Take a look here.
| This item gives an idea for a day using birds of pray to stimulate thinking about Isaiah 40:31 | Download eagle day.pdf |
| This provides some ideas for Dinosaur Sunday, also called Evolution Sunday. This can happen at any time of the year, but is usually associated with the Sunday nearest Charles Darwin’s birthday: 12thFebruary. You might want to do this event this summer or you might want to ‘think ahead’ and plan for next February (2012) in which case best start now! |
| This document contains ideas, information and stories about how churches in holiday areas might reach out to visitors. | Download Holiday Evangelism.pdf |
| Here is a meditation on Matthew 14:22-33 that you might like to use at a summer event. | Download meditation for summer.pdf |
| Here is another of Dave Croaker's Prayer Stations, this time designed for Pentecost. There is a set up file and also a booklet for participants. |
Easter Greetings from the V4L Steering Group!This is just a short email to ask you about a couple of things.What did you do for Holy Week and Easter?We set a challenge to V4L participant churches to do something evangelistic for Holy Week and Easter. So did you? We would be glad to hear from you with news, pictures, articles, or just a short email outlining anything evangelistic that you did and also how it went. Feedback at any time would be useful to hear, but if you have anything you can send immediately in readiness for the next Vision4Life Steering Group meeting next Tuesday 10th May, that would be especially good and earn you extra Brownie points!! Please email the V4L co-ordinator Janet Lees on admin@urc.org.ukSummer ActivitiesDo you have any summer evangelistic activities planned? It might be a cream tea or barbecue, a holiday club, or absolutely anything at all. If you have ideas or plans, again please email Janet on the email above and we may well share your idea to encourage other churches and inspire them to do something similar. Email Janet at admin@urc.org.ukFinally as always...Check out the website. More resources are accumulating there all the time and beyond the booklet, Exploring Evangelism. It is the place to go to find more ideas, thinking and resources. Click this link www.urc.org.ukWith every blessing The Vision4Life Steering GroupYou are receiving this email because you have signed up as a church to the Vision4Life process. We hope you will continue to stay on our email list so you can keep in touch with what is going on in Vision4Life. We only email out a few times a year and promise to never reveal your email to a third party outside the United Reformed Church. If you wish to unsubscribe from this email please click the link below or copy and paste it into the address line of your browser. {unsubscription_url}Who are we? The Vision4Life Steering Group is made up of members and ministers of the United Reformed Church who work in a variety of situations from local churches to serving on other URC committees, either in a full time capacity or as volunteers. Some are working in other ministry situations such as chaplaincy, and some are retired. They come from a broad variety of theological backgrounds and traditions. We only have one part time paid employee who works to coordinate the Vision4Life process and all are offering their time to this work alongside other, often very demanding workloads. The materials are produced by a variety of people in different situations. The materials are developed as the process continues and this means that sometimes materials are not available when some churches would like them to be. However we are finding that as God leads us through this exciting process, we are discovering new approaches to prayer, bible study and evangelism which we offer as they become available.
Back to Church Sunday is now the largest single local-church invitational initiative in the world. It is based on the simplest and shortest step in evangelism – that we should invite someone we already know to something we love; invite our friend to our church. If you want to be a part of this September's campaign, you need to have signed up by 30th June. You can download our document about BacktoChurch Sunday here Download back2church sunday.pdf or you can link to the official website here http://www.backtochurch.co.uk/
A new SEASONS section for SUMMER has now been published. It will grow with ideas to use over the summer period to help you plan ahead. Take a look via the top menu.
Here is a selection of resources to help you plan for Autumn evangelistic activities.
| Here are a number of ideas to help you with evangelistic activities this autumn ranging from Harvest to Halloween, All Saints and Advent. The second document is a poster used by Shanklin URC to advertise their Advent Cafe project. | Download V4L Evangelism Year autumn-1.pdf Download Cafe Adventure poster11.pdf |
TLS gateways into evangelism course is a standalone one year course or a follow on from the TLS foundation course. Starting in September you will be led into exploring biblical and theological insights into evangelism in the context of practical experience and contemporary culture with the aim of equipping people for an evangelistic life-style and ministry. Closing date for applications for all TLS Classic courses was 30th May but you can still find out more details on the HELP page.
We are pleased to announce a small reprint of the Exploring Evangelism booklet and limited numbers are now available again. Please contact Tracey Hardingham for details or to order copies.
Seasonal Resources
These resources will be especially linked with the current season to stimulate evangelistic activity linked with some of our greatest opportunities to share the gospel and reach out to our communities.
| Lent can be a good time for sharing our faith story as it plays an important part in our life together. Here are a few ideas | Download ideas for Lent.pdf |
| Darwen Church Partnership have produced a Lent course which is available on line at this link | http://www.churchpartnership.org.uk/lentcourse.html |
| ROOTS for Churches are following on from the successful Advent calendar with a new Lent Calendar for 2011. This can be used by all ages and offers a simple reflection or activity for each day of Lent. | Follow this link to download a PDF in colour or in black and white: http://www.rootsontheweb.com/Lectionary/52March-April/Lentcalendar |
| ROOTS publishes ecumenical, lectionary-based worship resources in two bi-monthly magazines: ROOTS Adult & All Age and ROOTS Children & Young People, plus a supporting website | www.rootsontheweb.com |
| Maybe you are planning a School Assembly or piece of Youth work in Lent. Here are some things you might find useful – written from a school context for young people aged 11-18. | Download lent assemblies.pdf |
| In the pages of this booklet, you will find stories from the bible—some more familiar than others—re-told from a specific perspective, conveying refreshing insight and instigating reflection. Each contributor brings their own style, showing unique creativity, a great depth of understanding, and a renewed way of looking at faith. This re-telling of tales will both challenge pre-conceived ideas and confirm deeply held beliefs. We hope that God will speak to you through these stories and that they will inspire you into further exploration of your own. Contributions from: Jan Berry, Sarah Brewerton, Alma Fritchley, Alan Gaunt, Lyn Gallimore, Stewart Graham, Michelle Haller, Sue Rowe & Sue Shaw. | Download Telling_Tales.pdf |
| Easter can be a good time for sharing our faith story as it plays an important part in our life together. These ideas and thoughts have been generated by a group of 16 -18 years olds at Silcoates School, but could be used with people of all ages. | Download ideas for Easter.pdf Full size versions of the images below are available by clicking the image. |
| Here are some ideas for Easter Evangelism in a powerpoint file | Download Easter ideas Powerpoint.ppt |
| Here are a series of scripts and suggestions for an evening exploration of the Easter story on the premises of a local church. | Download reinhabiting the Easter story.pdf |
| Here is some material based on Kennings for Easter in Evangelism Year – or next year if you need to ‘think ahead’. | Download Easter Kennings.pdf |
| HOPE together website is worth having a look at: www.hopetogether.org.uk They are promoting events to do at Easter 2011 and a booklet of ideas has been published, priced at £4.99. Take a look here. Andrew Willett has produced a background paper about HOPE together. Download HOPE together.pdf |
| In another of Colin Udall's studies using film, he makes use of "Pay it Forward" to look at different aspects of the way we should live our Christian lives, from the teachings of Jesus and parts of the Old Testament. This study is highlighted as suitable for Lent but could be used at any time. | Download pay it forward.pdf |
Click the links below to download the audio files of the Exploring Evangelism booklet. The files are sessions of the booklet and the largest file size is around 17 Mb. You should only attempt to download with a broadband connection. We are sorry but we are unable to supply these files other than from this website in MP3 download format.
| Pages 1-8 - Cover, contents & Introduction | Download URC - Exploring Evangelism001.mp3 |
| Pages 9-16 Session 1 - Getting started | Download URC - Exploring Evangelism002.mp3 |
| Pages 17-24 Session 2 - Making relationships | Download URC - Exploring Evangelism003.mp3 |
| Pages 25-29 Session 3 - Following Jesus | Download URC - Exploring Evangelism004.mp3 |
| Pages 31-40 Session 4 - Making a commitment | Download URC - Exploring Evangelism005.mp3 |
| Pages 41-48 Session 5 - Getting on with it | Download URC - Exploring Evangelism006.mp3 |
An increasing selection of links and other resources produced by other organisations are available on the Help page. Including TLS Gateways to Evangelism - GEAR Evangelism and Renewal Advocates - Not Ashamed - Hope Together - Just 10 - Back to Church Sunday - Mission Enabled - Internet Evangelism Day - Talking of God.
Click the Help heading to take a look.
