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Autumn2011 : Issue 2News and Stories For Your Churchshapein

Healthy Churches in Leicestershire

lives and communities transformedworship in a way that renews and inspires

self-giving service to the communitybeing rooted in prayer

confident and sensitive evangelismlifelong Christian nurture

the welcome of newcomersbecoming child friendly

celebration of people and places

In This Issue3. Bishop’s Letter

4. Whatever happened to YP4L?

5. Worship Outdoors

6. Sycamore Tree arrives at Leicester Prison

7. Pioneer Ministers

8. How Children Pray

9. How to run an evangelistic event

10. The Baca Project

11. Open the Book and a Starlight Party

12. Bible Study: A New Humanity 13. leicester.anglican.org/announcements

14. Winning noticeboards

15. leicester.anglican.org/events

16. The Interview: Bishop Paul Vasanthakumar

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For the past six years the Diocese of Leicester has been inspired by a long term vision called Shaped by God. This vision is of flourishing mission in each of the three hundred Anglican churches of the county and city.

Shaped by God includes nine ‘marks’ (listed right) which help define mission to all and for all. This magazine In Shape offers news and stories on these themes and on the latest events around the Diocese.

In Shape is edited by:Liz Hudson-Oliff Keith CousinsMike Harrison Barry HillKate Szejnmann Andy Rhoades

To contact the team that collates In Shape or for contributions: e-mail: inshape@leccofe.org tel: 0116 261 5200

Diary Dates should be sent todiomail@leccofe.org or entered atwww.leicester.anglican.org/events by 1st November. Inclusion is dependent on space available.

If you have idea for an article for the Winter edition contact the In Shape team by 1st October.

Commercial advertisers are invited to call for current rates. The inclusion of an advertisement in this publication does not constitute any endorsement of a product or service by either the editors or the Diocese of Leicester

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Bishop’s LetterOne of the Church of England’s stated priorities for the next five years is to attend seriously to Church growth. We have been playing our own part in this Diocese as a number of programmes have flowed from the publication of the Shaped by God report six years ago. Many have attended the “Leading Your Church into Growth” courses; there have been Diocesan leadership programmes for clergy and readers; Back to Church Sunday has started to make an impact, and the pattern of weddings and funerals is increasingly showing signs that people are recognising the value of these precious encounters with the Church.

Our Department of Mission and Ministry has published some statistics based on figures from the Diocese in the last two years which show some modest growth of around 1,000 people in 2009 and 2010 (more details below). This follows a period of decline in numbers in the previous five years, matched by every other Diocese in the East Midlands.

What are we to make of these statistics? Two messages seem to me to come through clearly. First, all of us have a responsibility as Christians to be bringing others to faith in Christ. This is not just

the job of the Bishop or of the clergy. Indeed, much of the most effective evangelism is done by friends, workmates and neighbours being ready to take the risk of inviting others to Church and of talking confidently about their faith.

If you look at the statistics for mission, ask yourself what part you may have played in contributing to the growth of your own church and ask prayerfully that God will enable you to play your part in growing the Church. But secondly, the purpose of the Church is not simply to grow itself. It is to praise God and to proclaim the Good News in word and deed. We must not become a Diocese fixated on its own statistics. We must continue to reach out in loving service to

Over recent months each parish has returned key information about what God is doing amongst them. Here are some of the things we’ve learnt.

1 Over a thousand new people joined churches in Leicester Diocese last year as regular worshippers. Just under 150 people left. This means over two thousand new people (net) have joined churches in the past two years.

2 Normal Sunday attendance is up (on average 500 more people a week); average weekly attendance is up (from 14,179 in 2009 to 15,624 in 2010); electoral rolls (the closest thing we have to church membership) are up 5% year on year to over 17,000 adults.

3 Patterns of attendance continue to change; with those newer to church more likely to attend during the week and more infrequently than existing worshippers.

4 The special days for clergy to consider how we might best welcome those interested in being married during 2009, plus the changing law on who can marry where, seems to be reflected in a 15% year on year growth in the number of people being married in a church building. It also underscores how important the ongoing relationship with couples after the wedding day is.

5 Despite a significant growth in the number of under 16s exploring faith, the average age of a worshipper in Leicester diocese continues to be significantly older than the population average (around 1 in 34 of those on an electoral roll died in 2009, compared with a national average of around 1 in a 100).

6 The number of infants and children being baptised has increased by 4%, but there has been a large drop (25%) in the number of baptisms for those over twelve

years old. This is despite around 1,500 adults joining churches in the past two years, most of whom have never been part of a church and therefore are less likely to have been baptised as infants than anytime in hundreds of years. How do we help those choosing to follow Jesus as Lord to appropriately mark that at the right time?

Much better news than the numbers themselves is that each ‘1’ hopefully represents someone coming to know more of the fullness of life Jesus offers to all. The numbers are useful only in so much as they illustrate lives and communities transformed by God’s goodness.

A summary can be downloaded from shapedbyGod.co.uk or is available from barry.hill@leccofe.org (0116 261 5335)

the poor, the sick, the disadvantaged and those without hope or meaning in their lives, whether it repays us in terms of Church membership or not.

Statistics for mission are important for us because they tell us about how many individuals are being brought to Christ through our work as a Church. But they are not and can never be the whole picture of the hidden work of the Holy Spirit.

Let us rejoice in the growth we are seeing, let us be encouraged by it and let us take more risks for the Gospel in the days ahead.

The Bridge Project reaches out to those who are homeless

Whatever happened to YP4L?

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celebration of people and places

The YP4L (Young People 4 Life) youth network is still alive and kicking with all kinds of work going on from Football Church to drops-ins, worship bands to retreats, young people all over the diocese are learning, growing, being challenged and supported as they take their journey into adulthood. However, there has recently been two very special events that we wanted to tell you about:

St Martins House PartyThe Bishops Youth Council has gone from strength to strength this year and as well as their involvement at every level of decision making within the diocese they decided that they wanted to celebrate their achievements by throwing a party. On 1st July 2011 over 70 young people with their leaders came to spend time eating, meeting new people, having fun, looking at our identity in Christ in small groups run by members of BYC and listening to an amazing worship group called GiveWay. There was also the opportunity to learn about some of the events attended by other groups such as Taize, Greenbelt, Wallisingham, and of couse the opportunity to find out how they could become part of the Bishops Youth Council.

Feedback from young people included, “When can we do it again” .. “Just sad to go home, good to meet new people” .. “Pizza was fantastic” .. “Brilliant party .. thanks”.. “so good to know that there are other groups out there!” There could be plans afoot for more of these. . . watch this space!

ShowcaseOver the last year various groups have benefitted from grants from the Alan Everitt memorial fund which supports groups working with young people in the area of performing arts. On Sunday 3rd July two of these groups, YELL (from Hugglescote) and SLYPA from Thurby came together for the first time to perform some of their work to an audience of over 80 people including an Archdeacon and the Lord Lieutenant of Leicester . There was comedy, drama, dance, singing and the bible in a minute! The overall objective of the funding is to encourage young people to come together and learn about and express their faith in a variety of fun and challenging ways. From the showcase

pieces this was very evident and due to the success of this first year the fund has been made available for a second year. ..

so now is your opportunity to start that group that you have always thought of but never quite got around to putting together.

If you are interested to know more about funding for performing arts or how to be part of the Bishops Youth Council contact Mads, Youth Ministry Officers on mads.morgan@leccofe.org or Beth on beth.marvin@leccofe.org 01162615348

#Mini-Reviews The Word on the Wind by Alison Morgan

This is the latest book from Alison Morgan formerly of Holy Trinity Church Leicester and author of ‘The Wild Gospel’

The average age of churchgoers in Britain is now 47. Almost every denomination is experiencing steady decline. How sure can we be that we are still offering something people want to hear?

Alison identifies four clear reasons to find renewed confidence in the gospel. She uses her own experience of ministry in the UK and abroad as enlightening illustrations. Paula Gooder says it is ‘ A hugely important book. It is encouraging, uplifting and inspiring ‘

Available from Christian Resources, Leicester 0116 2615222 at the reduced price of £8.99. Review supplied by Christian Resources Leicester

worship in a way that renews and inspires

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Worship Outdoors

Mike Harrison writes,; Worship outdoors? Might sound like a hazardous occupation given the unpredictable weather, the challenge of acoustics and the potential for distractions all around, but there are a surprising number of services being held outdoors across Leicestershire that attract a great deal of interest. For example there’s the annual Bluebell Service in Swithland Wood (now in its 83rd year!) which attracts a congregation upward of 200 in the late spring. What pulls people? Partly the sheer beauty of the setting, partly the way our thankfulness can be naturally evoked by seasonal change in Spring and partly the resonances with new life and resurrection.

A quite different example of outdoors worship is the Lambing Service held at Hall Farm, Brooksby in association with Brooksby Melton College. This attracts over 120 people who enjoy the setting and the informality of it all. On arrival worshippers are transported by tractor and passenger trailer to the farmyard for a simple service held in a dutch barn with cows, calves and bull penned in close proximity either side. After the service everone can view the ewes and lambs and sows and piglets and hopefully witness the birth of some lambs. Refreshments are served and the farm staff are on hand to answer any questions that people may have about the animals. Appreciative comments have been made on the realism of being among the animals rather than bringing a token lamb or two into church and others have said how they find it much easier to communicate with God in the countryside setting than in a church building. It is also an attractive means of getting the “church” out into the community.

Elsewhere, open air services have been held at the ruins of Knaptoft Church since 1907. The Fleckney Silver Band plays and if wet, the services are held under cover in the adjacent farm, by kind permission of Knaptoft Hall Farms. Other examples could be mentioned, as well as the worship outdoors that happens at a variety of Christian festivals up and down the country.

Of course this is nothing new. The early Church regularly held services outside and these were both for practical reasons such as the size of the congregation, and to witness to their faith.

Such worship continues to give accessible options, not least to those outside the church to engage with the Christian faith at their own pace. While some find entering a worship building an intimidating prospect, being on the fringe of an outdoor event can be a way of people ‘dipping their toe in the water’. It’s worth considering…. ‘

Saturday 26th May 2012 at the Samworth Enterprise Academy,

Trenant Road, Leicester, LE2 6UA

celebrating children, young people and families

diocesan assembly 2012

coloursof life

Definitely a date to put in your diary now. This will be a day of gathering for the whole family of the Diocese to celebrate our faith, share good news of what is going on and encourage one another in witness and service, with lots to do for all ages.

The forthcoming Olympic and Para-Olympics will set the context for a wide variety of activities, workshops and speakers during the course of the day, and there will also be engaging and fun-packed events and resources!

An Olympic themed festival for all ages

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Recently a ‘Sycamore Tree’ Course ran for the first time at HMP Leicester. Generously financed by the Leicester Diocese mission fund and organised by Prison Fellowship in conjunction with the Helen Dearnley, the Prison Chaplain, a small group of volunteers, visited once a week for six weeks to work with a group of twenty prisoners.

The course is Christian, based but not Christian, promoting so that it is open to inmates of all faiths or none and it has external Open College Network accreditation. It centres on the bible story of Zacchaeus meeting with Jesus, hence the “Sycamore Tree” title. The course invites offenders to look differently at crime. In place of the questions: ‘What law has been broken?’, ‘Who committed the crime?’ and ‘What punishment do they deserve?’ it explores Restorative Justice – ‘Who were the victims hurt by the crime?’, ‘What are the victims’ needs?’ and ‘How can the offender make amends and be restored to the community?’

For many offenders the idea of victims having been created by their crime is a new and shocking concept. An apple thrown into a bowl of water demonstrates the mess created by the impact of a criminal act and the ripples travelling outwards shown the spreading consequence of crime upon communities including the offenders own families. It was a sobering moment for several of the men who claimed that their crime had no victims until their own families were brought into the picture.

DVDs are used to show Restorative Justice in action. Sometimes it has been possible to bring offender and victim together with a mediator. The victim of the crime is no longer a faceless person

lives and communities transformed

and seeing at first hand the anger and upset that has resulted from their criminal act has proved to be a turning point for the criminal. See the story of Peter Woolf www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1s6wKeGLQk . In the U.S., where Restorative Justice has been operating for some time, the results speak for themselves as cells stand empty while offenders make amends for their wrongdoing and have been absorbed back into community projects, some after having the opportunity to meet with their victims.

In week three, Ray Donovan came to Leicester to tell his story to the inmates. Woken by the police in the early hours of the morning Ray and his wife Vi were taken at speed to hospital. They found one of their sons Philip with a broken nose and the other Chris, in the operating theatre where surgeons were battling to save his life. Set upon in an unprovoked attack by a group of youths high on drink and drugs they had been pushed to the floor and savagely kicked. Chris had been pushed into the road where an unsuspecting motorist had driven over the brow of a hill and dragged Chris’s inert body along the road. The surgeons were unable to save Chris, dying as a result of the kicks to his head. Ray described how he was only allowed to kiss his son’s forehead in the presence of a policeman - it was six weeks before Christ’s body was returned for burial and was in a condition of decomposition, so he and Vi were unable to give him a last hug. Being Christians they have, with God’s, help been able to forgive the three lads who were convicted of the crime. See www.forgivenessministries.org/ourtestimony.htm . Ray was able to share his story with the men and his motivation for coming into prison. He and Vi want to give

offenders the opportunity to change, to realise that they have a choice to move forward in a different direction and to show the men that each one has value, whatever their mistakes in the past.

The influence of this testimony became clear in the final week when offenders were given an opportunity to apologise for their behaviour. Some wrote letters, others poems or drawings or bought sweets to share, symbolic of giving rather than taking. In the absence of their victims several men gave their offerings to Ray and Vi. They were moving moments and a sign that the Holy Spirit was at work throughout this course at Leicester Prison making the possibility of future lives, free from crime, a reality.

Further courses can be achieved by giving donations via the chaplaincy.

Revd Helen Dearnley and the team at HMP Leicester

‘Sycamore Tree’ arrives at Leicester Prison

From Revd David Clark:

I was pleased to see the article about Lewis Donaldson on page 5 of the last edition. It would be good to make his life and work better known. In 2005 the University of Leicester published ‘Vicar of the Unemployed’: Frederic Lewis Donaldson, Christian Socialism and the March of the Unemployed, 1905, written by Barbara Butler (of Christian Aware), ISSN 1741 4563. Copies may be obtained from Christians Aware, 2 Saxby Street, Leicester, telephone 2540770, or email: barbarabutler@christiansaware.co.uk

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This October sees the commissioning of the first Pioneer Ministers for Leicester Diocese. Pioneer Ministers are a new category of ministry authorised by the Bishop. Their role is to lead Fresh Expressions of Church (new forms of church which reach out to those not currently involved in church in new and exciting ways). Pioneer Ministers, the first three of which are David, Keith and Judy, are volunteers passionate about seeing people come to be disciples of Jesus.

Dr David Boyce is a physics teacher at Lutterworth College (a cosmologist by training) who a while ago felt God calling him to move the school he was teaching in, a calling which has developed into that of creating a chaplaincy service at the college to reach out in mission amongst teenagers in south west Leicestershire. Keith and Judy Ellis are the leaders of a Fresh Expression called Xtra Time which is linked with St John’s Church in Hinckley and is focused around reaching whole families through wide ranging activities and by building community together.

Judy, Keith and David will be commissioned alongside those being licensed and re-licensed as Readers and authorised as Pastoral Assistants and Evangelists at the annual Called Together service. Everyone is welcome to this service of celebration and vocation at Leicester Cathedral on Saturday 8th October at 11am (no tickets necessary; refreshments served afterwards).

The Diocese of Leicester is delighted to be co-hosting a major day conference for all involved or interested in Fresh Expressions of Church in Leicestershire on Saturday 1st October.

Organised in partnership with The Methodist Church and The United Reformed Church, it’s a day to resource, encourage and help network those interested or involved in Fresh Expressions. There’ll be a keynote address, a choice of seminars and discussion on the challenges of starting new things. Seminars include: an intro to Fresh Expressions; Messy Church; Rural/semi-Rural Café Church; Fresh Expressions amongst Seniors; New Monasticism and Fresh Expressions in new housing areas (the last one TBC).

More details, including how to book, from barry.hill@leccofe.org or on 0116 261 5335. Barry is also the contact if interested in exploring Pioneer Ministry for yourself.

The first threePioneer Ministers

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How children praybeing rooted in prayer

If one would lay out certain items in front of a group of children, such as a radio, a CD player, an iPod, a mobile telephone, an mp3 player and ask them: What do these have in common with each other? They might answer that they communicate to us. Or, in child-like language, “they talk to us.”

When we encourage children to pray, it would be helpful if they knew that prayer is when we can ‘talk’ to God. It is the spiritual communication between God and ourselves. It is the only way to a loving relationship, because God only wants to give us good things.

How do children pray?

1) They learn it by ‘doing it.’ Prayer develops the more they do it. Some children have no problems praying out loud.

2) It isn’t the most important thing to pray out loud to God. It is helpful to explain to children that praying silently in your mind and heart is good enough. Tell them that Jesus often preferred to go to a special place and be alone to pray to his Heavenly Father. One doesn’t have to be the best

speaker. One could incorporate prayer with stories from the Bible.

3) Teach them that one can pray when one is happy or sad. That God could give guidance, protection, strength, and wisdom if one asks for it.

4) Writing love poems, songs, thank you letters. A picture of a heart with ‘I love you?’ Perhaps an active activity such as shredding a confession, or scrunching it up and throwing it into a special God box?

How can children teach us to pray?

Lat Blaylock, children’s leader (8-12yrs) of Holy Trinity church, Leicester made some interesting observations of the children in his group.

He says that the children want to pray, particularly prayers of ‘healing’. That they are aware that it is good to pray and that God is a great listener, always hears. They don’t need lessons in ‘faith’. Through their passionate prayers, they teach him about faith!

Lat also says that it could be a problem when children ask about prayers that

are answered and those that are not. He feels that if parents and children’s church leaders are natural and real in their replies, that answered prayer could be what nurtures and encourages them, yet they would also learn how to deal with unanswered prayers. These can be disappointing to them, yet a learning adventure. These are both part of the journey of faith and are a Christian experience.

We need to remind ourselves that we are all children of God.As Jesus says, ‘keep on asking and you will be given what you ask for.’ Jesus taught us how to pray (The Lord’s Prayer), because we too are his disciples.

Why don’t you have a family prayer time every week, or take it in turns to say ‘grace?’ You will all build up a loving relationship with God and you will be blessed richly as a family!

Kate Szejnmann

With thanks to Lat Blaylock for sharing his thoughts and experiences with her.

The Bishop’s Lay Congress 2011 God the Universe and EverythingThe BIG Questions Saturday 26th November 2011 The Samworth Enterprise Academy, Trenant Road, Leicester, LE2 6TF9.30am - 3.45pm

Are Science and Christianity compatible? A day looking at how Christianity and Science relate to each other. With special guests from the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, an academic research enterprise based at St Edmund’s College Cambridge. The Faraday Institute encourages engagement between Science and Christianity.

Coffee & tea provided - free- Bring your own lunchAll welcome but booking required.For more information or to book pick up a leaflet in your Church or contact Claire Stapleton on 0116 261 5317 or claire.stapleton@leccofe.org

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confident and sensitive evangelism

How to. . . run an evangelistic event

Jon Barrett, Vicar of St Luke’s in Thurnby writes, “When I was first asked to write an article entitled “How to run an evangelistic event” I was a bit sceptical, after all only experts write “how to” articles, and I’m not an expert. St Luke’s Church, however, has put on a number of evangelistic events recently, and I can certainly share some of the things we’ve discovered about what is “good practice” and what seems to work.

I guess we need to begin with defining what we mean by an “evangelistic event”. The way I’m using it is as a “one off” event, designed with non-churchgoers in mind, that provides an opportunity to overtly share a Christian message in a context other than a normal church service.

At St Luke’s we’ve had a Christian artist show his paintings, tell his life story and share a simple gospel message, the singer Helen Shapiro sing and tell the story of how she became a Christian, a Christian TV actor tell of how he overcame an addiction to gambling and alcohol as a result of his conversion, a local chef do a live “Ready, steady, cook” event after which he was interviewed about his faith, a Christian magician entertain families and tell Bible stories through conjuring tricks, and in October will be hosting an evening with ex-international cricketer, Zimbabwean political dissident and professional singer Henry Olonga who will sing, tell his life story and be interviewed about his Christian faith. With a bit of imagination and research it’s possible to find loads of interesting Christians with stories to tell.

So, now for a few tips:

Firstly, make it FUN. People won’t just come because we’re putting an event on, they need to know that it’ll be worth going to. An evening out organised by the church needs to be as enjoyable as whatever they’d be doing if they weren’t at the event!

Choose an appropriate location. While “Back to Church Sunday” works well in a church building, evangelistic events will probably be more attractive if held off the church premises on “neutral territory” (try the function room of a pub, the village hall, the school or hire a restaurant to find a non-threatening environment).

Use ticketing strategies that preclude ending up with a room full of Christians! Explain to the congregation that this isn’t a “jolly” for those who already believe, but a chance to invite friends who don’t yet believe. Perhaps only sell tickets in “pairs” so that every church member who attends has to bring a non-church friend (and encourage the church member to pay for that friend to come).

Choose a speaker with an interesting story. Find someone who people will want to come and see, so that it’s easy to “sell” the event to non-Christian friends.

Set a budget for the event (or even better get the PCC to agree a budget for evangelism)

Create a team to plan and run the event utilising the skills of the congregation.

Set standards as high as you are able (or as high as you can afford!) for printing and publicity material and for catering. Most of the events that we have put on have involved food and wine. The more professional and enjoyable the event is, the better the chance of people attending, enjoying and hearing the message.

Work out how to “follow up” those who attend and are interested. Consider having cards people can fill in if they would like to be visited by clergy or someone from the congregation. Have folk in place

to talk or pray with anyone who’d like to explore more on the night. Use the events to recruit for courses such as ALPHA or Christianity Explored or similar.

Have a display with information about the church and simple, attractive material about the Christian faith (such as the booklet “Why Jesus?” by Nicky Gumbel).

Lastly, make sure that there’s plenty of prayer going on in the run up to the event- it really does work!

Running evangelistic events calls for a lot of hard work, but is well worth the effort- after all, just remember how much rejoicing there was in heaven at the end of the parable of the lost sheep!”

Editor: remember to persevere! Often the first time a church hosts an evangelistic event it is attended by lots of churchgoers looking at whether it is something they would like to invite a friend to. The second event is often when guests start to come in greater number.

#Mini-Reviews ‘God on Mute’ by Pete Grieg; readable, moving, considered and immensely helpful guide to prayer, inc. the silence of unanswered prayer.

Christian Resources are offering 10% off cover price on 0116 2615222

Review by Mike Harrison

A few years ago, a group of Christians in Loughborough felt God calling them to serve Him by helping the victims of forced migration. Years later, Baca is now a registered charity seeking to make a significant difference to dozens of lives. The church central to this vision, Open Heaven, is led by one of the speakers at this autumn’s diocesan clergy conference, Ness Wilson, who has been involved in Baca from day one. Baca’s Development Director Bex Griffiths shares some of the story:

It’s an ordinary evening, when suddenly my phone rings. “We’ve got a new young person... Can you teach him tomorrow?”The next morning I wait in the Baca classroom in anticipation. My colleague enters with a timid young man about 16 years old. The boy looks nervous, bewildered, and a little unkempt. He also looks like he needs a few good meals. I greet him in his own language and his face relaxes slightly into a cautious smile. I say “In English: ‘Hello’..!” And that’s the beginning of our first English lesson.

This is a fairly typical situation at Baca, a Leicestershire-based charity working with 16-18 year old asylum seekers and trafficked young people. Our young people have usually been forced to leave their countries because their life is in danger. They come with no family and often arrive with little or no knowledge

of the English language. They often are suffering from post traumatic stress. As Baca’s ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teacher, I have the privilege of teaching them their first words - and what a joy it is! It is beautiful

to see them grow in confidence and to watch their character emerge as they learn to express themselves.

For me, my job is a way that I can use my love of language to reach out to the marginalised and under-privileged. It is about more than just language - it is about investing in these young lives, restoring hope and equipping them for the future.

Seeing lives transformed: The Baca Project

At times I feel as much like a mother or a sister as I do a teacher. As a result of the trust built in English lessons, I often have the chance to speak to my students about some very deep issues. My ultimate desire is to be a reflection of God’s heart to these young people.

Baca would love to expand the work we do to incorporate counselling and teaching young people in their own languages as well as English. This is vital for their futures and Baca’s vision is to “invest hope and shape futures”. For more information about the work Baca does please visit www.bacaproject.org.uk. My role is unfunded and relies on individual donations so if it has captured your heart and you would like to make a donation to the work that Baca does (both one off or as a standing order), we would love to hear from you (01509 550438 or info@bacaproject.org.uk.)

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self giving service to the community

#Mini-Reviews Creative Mission by Rona Orme

“Full of practical ideas suitable for use in services and small groups. Material for larger churches, rural churches & very small groups. Themed on Christian festivals, weird internet days (national apple day), milestones (back to school, start of holidays) + more (Red Nose, Prisons Week, X Factor). Excellent!”

£8.99 (or with 10% off when purchased from Christian Resources, 0116 261 5222, or christianresourcesleicester.com)

Review by Barry Hill. Read a full review at www.ShapedByGod.co.uk

a Shaped by God event to resource and encourage mission : Tuesday 1st November

What does it mean to be evangelistic and missional in a society where more and more people know less and less about the Christian faith? Author and missionary, Krish Kandiah helps us explore this. Extended morning session: 9:30am-1:00pm (with coffee and pastries from 9:15am). At St Botolph’s Church, Shepshed, LE12 9RH. Free parking near church. Repeated, but shorter, evening session – 7:30-9:30pm (with coffee and pastries from 7:15pm). At St Martin’s House, Cathedral Square, Leicester. Parking available in the St Martin’s House car park (on a first come, first served basis on the night).Both these sessions are free to attend, but, with demand already high and limited places, book soon to avoid disappointment! Bookings to beth.marvin@covlec.org or 0116 261 5348

Subzero Evangelism

“I look forward to ‘Open the Book’ assemblies and learning more about Jesus” was the response from a Class 2 pupil in Husbands Bosworth Primary school when asked what they thought about their assemblies brought to them by All Saints Church in Husbands Bosworth. Other responses were “I like ‘Open the Book’ assemblies because they are fun and we learn new songs”, “the ‘Open the Book’ assemblies are good because the people wear costumes and act out stories” and “the props they use in the stories make the assemblies more fun”.

The Head teacher, Mr Matthew Bown comments that ‘Open the Book’ assemblies have greatly supported our collective worship, community cohesion and religious education. The assemblies

are a fun, multi sensory experience for the children, which they avidly look forward to. The fact that the children are enjoying listening and learning bible stories makes this, to me, a great success. ‘Open the Book’ now plays a vital role in our school”.

The Hexagon Benefice started taking Bible stories into Husbands Bosworth Primary school

and Arnesby Primary school with teams of willing people from the Anglican, Methodist and Baptist Churches, using costumes and props made by the local community and acting out each Bible story at assemblies. We were inspired by the work with ‘Open the Book’ from a neighbouring Benefice in the Upper Soar. Brian Fowler tells their story.

Reverend Julia Hargreaves, during the early days of her curacy in The Upper Soar Benefice gathered together a team to take Bible stories into Dunton Bassett Primary School. Now 3 years later 3 teams ensure that children at that school and at Claybrooke and Ullesthorpe Primary schools all have a story acted out several times in each term. Folk who never saw themselves as actors prior

to the advent of ‘Open the Book’ now happily meet to rehearse and then put on costumes to suit the role they are playing. It is quite amazing how a coloured robe or smock can transform a person into a character from the Old or New Testament and with very simple props the Sea of Galilee, the Garden of Eden or the walls of Jericho can be swiftly created in a school hall. Teachers and children and their parents quickly became enthusiasts of the scheme. Children have been seen jumping for joy as they gather before school on seeing the ‘Open the Book’ people arrive.

The members of the Church delight in seeing the enthralled faces of the children as the narrator reads and they act out their roles, involving the children as well. A tea towel makes an ideal eastern headdress or a child can become a Roman soldier by donning a painted cardboard helmet.

‘Open the Book’ is a National scheme that came out of Bedford Churches in 1993 to bring to life Bible stories for children in primary schools brought to them by local Churches. It is wonderfully fulfilling and fun for children, teaching staff and church members.

Reverend Andrew Rhoades, Curate, Hexagon Benefice.

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becoming child friendly

With Halloween approaching many churches will be holding alternative events. Harriet Orridge, curate in the Ironstone Group of Villages in North East Leicestershire writes about one such evening:

“As a church we are challenged as to how we celebrate Halloween positively given its increased commercialisation over recent years. The word Halloween comes from the All Hallows or All Saints evening, the night before the celebration. Nowadays

All Saints’ Day with it’s the act of remembering those who have died, is overshadowed by Halloween. We can bring light to this dark night and our local church has been doing this with a Starlight night party. Youngsters who enjoy dressing up are encouraged to

come along dressed in the theme of Stars. We have had a wide range of ideas along this theme from Pop Stars, to Star Trek and even a fantastic star costume!The church is decorated with hundreds of stars and Christmas tree lights. There are games and craft activities along the star theme too, along with more traditional activities such as apple bobbing. Pumpkin carving is made into a positive activity with the competitions such as Funniest , Celebrity and most like their owner categories.

Over the last two years we have had 60 children with their parents (40) come into church and have a great time. Plus Starlight night has raised over £300 each year for the village Pre-school making it a really positive community event.”

Open the Booka resource for schools

Starlight Partya resource for halloween

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lifelong Christian nurture

Jean Lakin writes, ‘when the Rector of my church suggested that I might like to attend one of the Diocesan courses, my first thought was that I couldn’t do it, particularly as Journey in Faith appeared to be the first step towards training for a particular position in the church. However after lots of encouragement I decided to give it a try. With fear and trepidation I went to the first meeting.

The group was a mixture of gender and ages and because it appeared that we all felt nervous about the course, the ice was soon broken. I knew the course would be challenging and certainly when I saw the course manual, I wondered if I would ever be able to cope. However, as the weeks

progressed and I spent time doing the homework tasks, I found myself looking forward to the weekly meetings, when more discussion between the group could take place and we could each explore our own faith and begin to have an idea of what God was doing in our lives and where he was leading.

We explored the old and new testaments and this in itself brought new insights in to my faith. I have learned to listen and take part in group discussions and there has been plenty of reading material available to assist with the understanding of each

A New Humanity:A Bible StudyProfessor David WilsonArchbishop Rowan Williams has observed: “Christ takes us captive to make us free. We are his prisoners and, because we are his prisoners, we know freedom, and love, and hope. (This) hope is more than just a feeling in our hearts or a thought in our head, but the hope that is the very presence of Christ – that is the centre and the focus, the engine and the energy of everything we are”.The new humanity, which is outlined in Ephesians, emphasises “the very presence of Christ”. It focuses on the centrality of Christ. It is he alone who can break down barriers and make this ‘new humanity’ ideal a reality.

Ephesians majors on what God did through the historical work of Christ and what he still does by his Spirit today, in order to build a new humanity. We are reconciled firstly to God and secondly to each other. As a result we are nothing less than God’s

new humanity which, as Ephesians stresses, includes both Jews and Gentiles on equal terms. The new humanity is not the result of social engineering or political theory; it is rooted in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The centrality of Christ is at the very heart of what Paul has to say. The Bible speaks of two dimensions of human alienation: one is alienation from God and the other is alienation from each other. The breaking down of this double alienation is the theme of the second half of Ephesians 2. Gentiles are described (v.12) as “alienated (or excluded) from citizenship in Israel”. The animosity between Jew and Gentile was massive. Gentiles were also cut off from the Temple by what verse 14 calls “the dividing wall of hostility”. This stone wall displayed notices which read, in effect, not “Trespassers will be prosecuted” but “Trespassers will be executed”. The battle lines were clear for all to see. Ephesians 2 reminds us that Christ has overcome both these apparently insuperable problems. In verse 14 we read that he “has made the two one, and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility”, and in verse 16, “that he might reconcile both of them to God

Successful JiF Coalville group celebrating the end of the course (Jean fifth from right)

A journey deeper into faith

through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility”. A new humanity is possible but only in Christ. William Temple, at his enthronement as Bishop of Manchester in 1921, said this: “I come with one burning desire: it is that in all our activities, sacred and secular and ecclesiastical and social we should help each other fix our eyes on Jesus, making him our only guide”.

Too often as Christians we tend to submerge the rhythms of the day, the week, the year; we become susceptible to spiritual exhaustion; we confuse activism with effectiveness. If we are not careful everything is reduced to a dull average. We become vulnerable to the dejection which swept over Hamlet when he exclaimed “how stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me all the usages of this world”. Keeping our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus (as Bishop Temple advocated) can greatly enrich what we are about.

In Ephesians 2 verses 11 and 12 Paul refers specifically to the Gentile or heathen world before Christ, to those whom the Jews (the circumcision) scornfully called the uncircumcision. In William Hendriksen’s

module and for completing the required tasks. In fact I would have liked to spend more time on some of the modules. This course has been one of encouragement by giving us a vision to recognise the gifts God has given each one of us and confidence to go forward and put them into practice.

Stuart Burns, Head of the School for Ministry adds, “Journey in Faith is just one of the courses available through the School for Ministry. This autumn we have also begun a course on worship development called Worship4Today, and a discipleship course for people who prefer to learn through conversation and activity rather than books, called ‘Discovery’. We are always on the lookout for people with the skills and gifts to contribute to the delivery of our courses, and if this is something that you feel you could offer, please do get in touch.

One of our recent ‘Discovery’ tutors, Frances Knight, said ‘One of the most amazing thing about tutoring is seeing how the course participants grow and flourish, like nurturing seedlings planted in the darkness of winter, and watching them flourish in the spring and summer of life’.

A list of the courses and events we offer throughout the diocese can be found on the Mission and Ministry pages of the website.”

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leicester.anglican.org/announcements

The Rt Revd Richard RuttBishop of Leicester between 1979 and 1991 died Wednesday 27 July

Revd Cynthia HebdenStanding down as Area Dean of Akeley East on 30 September 2011

Revd Canon Beverley StarkStanding down as Area Dean of Framland on 31 August 2011

Revd Robert PaddisonNew Appointment: Priest in Charge of the Benefice of Barrow upon Soar, Walton le Wolds, Wymeswold, and Prestwold in the Akeley East Deanery. Licensing: Thursday 15 September at 6.00 pm at Holy Trinity, Barrow upon Soar by Bishop Tim

Very Revd John MorleyNew Appointment: Priest in Charge of the Benefice of Gaulby

Revd Alison BookerNew Appointment: Priest in Charge of Billesdon, Skeffington, Goadby, Keyham and Hungarton. Licensing: Tuesday, 4 October at 7.00 pm at St John Baptist, Billesdon by Bishop Christopher

Revd Graham GittingsRetires as Vicar of the Benefice of Earl Shilton cum Elmesthorpe on 31 October 2011

Revd James ShakespeareNew Appointment: Team Vicar (half-time) of St Peter and St Paul, Great Bowden within the Benefice of Market Harborough and The Transfiguration – Little Bowden with Lubenham and Great Bowden

Revd Rob MilesNew Appointment: Associate Vicar with responsibility for St Catharine’s Houghton on the Hill in the Gartree Second Deanery. Licensing: Tuesday 6 September at 7.30 pm at St Catharine’s, Houghton on the Hill by Bishop Tim

Revd Lesley ButlerNew Appointment: Assistant curate in the Benefice of Kegworth, Hathern, Long Whatton, Diseworth, Belton and Osgathorpe (Team Ministry)

Revd Myrtle CookNew Appointment: Non Stipendiary Priest in Charge of Church Langton, Tur Langton, Thorpe Langton and Shangton

Revd Rachel AlexanderNew Appointment: House for Duty in the Benefice of Thorpe Acre with Dishley

Revd Canon John SharpeStanding down as Area Dean of Sparkenhoe East Deanery when his licence expires on 30 September 2011

summary, Gentiles were ‘Christless, stateless, friendless, hopeless and Godless’. In Paul’s phrase (13) they were ‘far off’ or ‘far away’, alienated from God and from the people of God.

In verses 13-18 the apostle goes on to elaborate the work of Christ, in terms both of what Christ did and how he did it. What he did is plain (verse 14): “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one, and has destroyed the dividing wall of hostility”. The previous verse reminds us that it is he, Christ Jesus, who shed his blood on the cross and who offers himself to his people today to be united to them. It is he who by what he did once for all now offers us peace with God.

We turn now to the question of how Christ did it. What did he do when he died on the cross to get rid of the deep division between Jew and Gentile, and between humanity and God? The answer is given in verses 15 and 16. We are told that he abolished the law of commandments and regulations in order to create a single new humanity and to reconcile both parts of it to God.Note the way in which Paul moves from

the negative to the positive, from the abolition of something old (the divisiveness of the law) to the creation of something new (a single, undivided humanity). Jews and Gentiles were firmly at odds with one another. But once the divisive law had been set aside, there was nothing to keep the two parts of humanity apart. Instead Christ brought them together. This new humanity, writes F. F. Bruce, is the Christian community viewed corporately: “What Paul is referring to, in fact, is not a ‘new man’ but a ‘new human race’, united by Christ in himself”.

This new unity in Christ does more than span the Jew-Gentile divide. In other passages Paul says that it also does away with sexual and social distinctions. “Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.” Again, “There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Inequality before God is abolished. There is, quite simply, a new unity in Christ.That is the vision. But when we turn from the ideal portrayed in Scripture to the concrete realities experienced in the church

today, it is frequently a very different and a very tragic story. For there is all too often alienation, disunity and discord. This hinders the world from believing in Jesus.

John Stott provides us all with a challenge: “I honestly wonder if anything is more urgent today, for the spread of the gospel, than that the church should be, and should be seen to be, what by God’s purpose it already is - a single new humanity, a model of human community, a family of brothers and sisters who love their Father and love each other, the dwelling place of God by his Spirit. Only then will the world believe”.

We have seen that William Temple emphasised the importance of fixing our eyes upon Jesus, “making him our only guide” and we have seen that Rowan Williams wrote of Christ being “the centre and focus of everything we are”. Knowing Jesus, serving Jesus and seeking his will is the key to the new humanity becoming a reality and in this context we all have a vital role to play.

David Wilson is Deputy Vice-Chancellor at De Montfort University, a Cathedral Canon and a Reader at Rothley Parish Church.

Revd Dr Stephen HeygateRetiring as Vicar of St Denys, Evington on 31 December 2011

Revd Richard KingRetiring as Priest in Charge of the Benefice of South Framland on 31 December 2011.

Revd Canon Chris OxleyNew Appointment: Priest in Charge of the Benefice of The Avon Swift Team Ministry (parishes of Ashby Magna, Catthorpe, Gilmorton, Kimcote cum Walton, Misterton, North Kilworth, Peatling Parva, Shawell, South Kilworth, Stanford-on-Avon and Swinford).

Revd Patty (Patricia) BaileyNew Appointment: Half-time stipendiary Priest in Charge of the Parish of Ibstock and Heather.

Revd Stephen MonkNew Appointment: Priest in Charge of Darley, South Darley and Winster in the Diocese of Derby (Archdeaconry of Chesterfield).

Mr Mark Blackett-OrdBecame Chancellor of the Diocese of Leicester on Friday 1 July following the retirement of James Behrens

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“Our new notice board says to people that we care about them knowing what goes on at the parish church and want to welcome them in. We are not some cosy little group wanting to keep people out.” says Revd Rachel Ross, All Saints with Holy Trinity, Loughborough.

The Church of England has far and away the most valuable and the least utilised ‘advertising space’ in the country. Whether we like it or not, the first point of contact many visitors have with our worshipping communities is through our noticeboards.

What do they say about us, the type of church we are, the kind of welcome we might give? A tired, out of date or confusing noticeboard can send powerfully negative messages to those who pass it about the church it represents. However, a clear, up to date and vibrant noticeboard makes it easier for new people, or those on the church fringes, to find out more and become part of the worshipping community.

A little over a year ago, using money from a special mission grant given by the national church, a competition was run across the diocese. The prize, two new noticeboards for the churches which could identify the greatest need to replace their existing board and the best plans for its replacement. St Chad’s in Leicester and All Saints with Holy Trinity, Loughborough won grants towards new noticeboards which are being erected over the summer.

It can be easy for us to walk past our church noticeboard week in, week out, without paying it much attention. Hardly surprising given it is not aimed at us, but why not ask some visitors to your church, ‘we’re thinking of changing our church noticeboard, did you find it helpful? In what ways? Was anything not clear? How might it be improved? ’

What we say on out noticeboards and the signs we display in our church porches set an important tone - one way or the other.

the welcome of newcomers

Winning noticeboards

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leicester.anglican.org/events

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Barlestone Festival St Giles ChurchSaturday 3rd and Sunday 4th September Service on Sunday at 11am and 4pm

An illustrated talk on the history of St Peter’sMonday 5th September - 7.30pm at St Peter’s, Mountsorrel.

Support and Resourcing Gathering for Mission Partnership ConvenorsWednesday 7th September 2011 Christ The King Church building in Beaumont Leys.

Association of Christian Counsellors Midlands and East Anglia Training EventFriday 9th September - Richard Worsley will be speaking on “A Person-Centred Approach to Narrative: Its Philosophy and Spirituality”

Prayer Lunch at St Nicholas ChurchFriday 9th September - Monthly prayer lunch “ Feed your Soul” raisaturner@live.co.uk

Celebration of 400th Anniversary of King James Bible at St.Peter’sSaturday 10th September - St Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel. 10am-4pm

Food Hygiene Certificate CourseSaturday 10th September - One day training course on at St Wilfrid’s, Kibworth Church Hall. martyn.rest516@btinternet.com

Choros Amici in ConcertSaturday 10th September - All Saints’ Church, Gilmorton. 7.30 pm. Tickets: 01455 553475 or davies-john1@sky.com

Open Church, SwithlandSaturday 10th September -St. Leonard’s, Main Street, Swithland and on Sunday 11th

Arts Exhibition LockingtonSunday 11th September - St Nicholas church Lockington-cum-Hemington for three weeks. Opens at 5.30pm with wine and cheese

Harvest Festival St Mary the Virgin, WyfordbySunday 11th September - at 6.30pm

Memorial Concerts St Martin’s, DesfordFriday 16th and Saturday 17th September - Memorial concerts for Eunice Causon.

Harvest festival St Nicholas, LeicesterSaturday 17th September - Flower Festival Saturday 11am – 4pm and Harvest Festival Service Sunday 6.30pm on the 18th

King James Bible 400th Anniversary ConcertSaturday 17th September - The Bible in Voice and Verse at St Mary’s Church Hinckley, 7.30pm £6 inc. light refreshments

Harvest Festival at Knaptoft Church RuinsSunday 18th September - Open air service at 3pm conducted by Rev’d Andrew Rhoades.

ALPHA course Christ Church, MountsorrelFriday 23rd September - THE ALPHA course starts at Christ Church at 7pm

Musical evening at St. Mary Magdalene Church, PeckletonSaturday 24th September- with Houghton Singers. 7.30p.m.

Coffee Morning at St Nicholas ChurchSaturday 24th September - also 11am-2pm Saturday 29th October, 11am-2pm Saturday 26th November

Harvest at Church of St. James the GreaterSaturday 24th September - 11.00 am to 4.00pm

Back to Church Sunday 2011Sunday 25th September 2011

‘The Cabinet of Dr Caligari’ at Leicester Cathedral - accompanied by Donald McKenzieTuesday 27th September at 7.30pm

Autumn: a seasonal flower demonstrationWednesday 28th September - by Nick Grounds,a NAFAAS national demonstrator Leicester Cathedral 6.45 for 7.30p.m. Tickets please phone 0116 273 4870

Cables from KabulWednesday 28th September - The Inside Story of the West’s Afghanistan Campaign at All Saints’ Church, Pickwell at 7.00pm. Tickets 01664 454 231

Celebration of Harvest through the yearsFriday 30th September - St Philip and St James Church Ratby. to Sunday 1st October. Details 0116 239 0010

Service of Blessing of AnimalsSunday 2nd October - St Andrews Church, Jarrom St, £pm, conducted by Barry Naylor. All welcome with or without pets. Enquiries Mr Chris Stephens 0116 2716086

Organ recital, FleckneySaturday 8th October - St Nicholas Church Fleckney. 7:30pm.

National Pilgrimage to Shrine of Edward the ConfessorSaturday 15th October - trip to Westminster Abbey

All Saints, Highcross annual serviceSaturday 29th October - 12 noon: Holy Communion at All Saints, Norman/ Medieval Churches Conservation Trust building.

St. Mary The Virgin Church, Thorpe Arnold Christmas FayreSaturday 5th November - At The Samworth Centre, Burton Street, Melton Mowbray, 9.30 am to 2.00 pm

Christmas Tree Festival, MountsorrelSaturday 26th November - At Christ Church, Mountsorrel a Christmas Tree Festival will be open Saturday 26th to Monday 28th of November

Quiet Day at Offa HouseTuesday 29th November - Quiet Day arranged by The Fellowship of Contemplative Prayer. contact The Revd Canon Martin Tunnicliffe at tunnicliffe@tmartin7.orangehome.co.uk

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The Bridge is a Leicester based charity offering support to the homeless. The Christmas and Emergency Shelter will provide accommodation from 23/12/11 to 31/01/12 incl. The successful applicant will liaise with participating churches, volunteers and paid night workers to seek donations of food; seek donations of food and materials; manage the project in collaboration with the management team.

Applicants will have good organizational skills, be confident, self-motivated, IT proficient, be compassionate towards the homeless, and be sympathetic of Christian values.Make a difference - all applications will be considered.Applications by letter, with full CV to:Keith Lawson-West, Woodland Cottage, 4 Home Farm, Gaulby Lane, Stoughton Leics LE2 2FL Tel 0116 271883thebridge@thurnbychurch.com

THE BRIDGEhomelessness to hope

This November Make a Will; Make a differenceDuring November a host of solictors across Leicestershire will draw up basic wills without their usual fee. Instead Will Aid clients donate a sum equivalent to the usual fee to one of nine UK charities including Christian Aid (suggested minimum donation level is £40 for a codicil, £85 for a single Will and £125 for a pair of mirror Wills).

For more information about Will Aid, how you can help our work through your Will or to find a participating solicitor in your area, please call your local Christian Aid Legacy Officer, Martin Gage on 01509 265013 (mgage@christian-aid.org; Andrew Nutter Diocesan Director of Parish Funding & Fundraising, 0116 261 5322, Andrew.nutter@lecCofE.org or contact Will Aid direct on 0300 0300 013; www.willaid.org.uk

16

Leicester Diocese is pleased to be linked with three other areas of God’s worldwide church. One of them is the Diocese of Trichy-Tanjore in South India. Recently their Bishop, Paul Vasanthakumar, joined us in Leicester for two weeks. During that time he made time to share news about life and faith in the Tamil Nadu area of India…

“At the outset, I bring greetings from Trichy-Tanjore diocese of Church in South India. I thank God for the link that has been established.

My grandfather was the first convert in my family. He was a priest in the local Hindu temple and a businessman. He received a pamphlet one day and when he read about Jesus Christ, he accepted Him as his Lord and Saviour and was converted to Christianity, but in those days it was very difficult for a Christian to live in a Hindu village so he faced a lot of problems. The whole village excommunicated him, but despite this he stood firm and brought all the others in the village to Christ!

I was a teacher in a secondary school when I sensed God’s call to ordination. After waiting on the Lord for five years I finally resigned my job. My parents were worried, but God strengthened me and helped me to obey His call. I got married on the 23rd May 1977 and left my job as a teacher a week later! We had to rely on God and He never forsook us all these years. He is gracious. He is enough for all our needs. We learnt a great lesson of faith during those days!

Our diocese is very large – 450km wide, so I have to travel a lot. I need to take a confirmation service almost every Sunday of the year. The diocese has three universities, nineteen secondary schools, fifty-two primary schools, three hospitals,

three technical institutions plus special homes for children, those with HIV and people with mental illnesses, so there is a lot of administrative responsibility! Whenever I am in Tiruchirappalli [where the diocesan office is] I work from morning until night. Every day I spend between one and two hours kneeling in prayer. Prayer is a source of energy. Prayer alone brings victory so I spend the morning hours in prayer and God strengthens me everyday, gives me courage to face to challenges, gives His grace to bear the cross sometimes. God is wonderful! Everyday I feel the presence of God in my ministry.

We have started a programme in our diocese called ‘equipping the congregations for mission’. Mission is the essence of the church, the DNA of the church. Mission is a calling not only for the bishops and clergy, but the calling of God for the congregations. We lead mission seminars within congregations to equip everyone for mission in their own area. By equipping the congregation we will achieve the target of doubling the congregations within five years.

We have just had a wonderful three day

rally in Tiruchirappalli where ten thousand people came and three hundred and fourteen young people committed their lives to Christ! We are now helping them to grow in spirituality. I would like to appoint more missionaries. Our target is to appoint twenty missionaries before 2013 and fifty more in five years. Sometimes here [in England] telling people about Jesus is considered an interference in the freedom of the person. It is not like that in India. We are free to tell people about Jesus Christ and help them in their spirituality.

In Tiruchirappalli we have a very good relationship with people of other faiths. On special gatherings we invite friends from other faiths. It is necessary for the church to have good relationships with people of other faiths. It provides us a platform to witness and the flavour of the Gospel spreads through these relationships.

In our culture we do not give much importance to individualism. We have a strong family bond – a joined family system – that is the way of living in India. I find it very difficult to find the time to be with my family, but that is not right! I must spend time with my family - I go to my office in the morning and I forget the family, but I come back to my house in the evening and I will forget the office! Other than emergencies, I don’t want to be disturbed, I want to be with my family.

Please pray that God sends a revival in the churches, so they become strong in faith and missionary churches. I am so grateful to Bishop Tim for the invitation he has extended to visit the diocese these days. I am so grateful or the partnership with Leicester Diocese we enjoy; the global fellowship in Christ.”

Bishop Paul was in conversation with Barry Hill.

The Interview:Bishop Paul