Conference Report: Community Engagement

Hosted by the Elim Church in Tamworth, we had the treat of enjoying wonderful, spacious, well resourced facilities, with frequent refills of tea, coffee and an amazing lunch. In these excellent surroundings, we enjoyed three key presentations, telling very different stories about engaging with the community.

Stephen Jonathan and Martin Wild told us the story of Tamworth, including moving vignettes about the lives that have been touched through the ministry and helpful input about funding and practicalities. We were encouraged to;

Start with what we have (God asked Moses 'what it is in your hand'?).

Have perseverance within God's timing and provision - the story of Tamworth spans 15 years.

Believe that God has put our church where it is in order to do the good deeds He has prepared in our community.

Start, to take that first step, however small.

Link to PowerPoint of Martin Wild's Fundraising Talk

Arno Andreasen of New Horizons Christian Fellowship challenged us to be radical and bold, to start with the gifts God has given us. He stressed the importance of establishing a track record for our good works. We need to do what we do well and we need to do it over time, to earn the trust of the community, the funders and public service providers. He spoke of involvement for the long haul, sacrificially (Arno's church received no funding for the first 6 years of their work in the community).

Anthony Wareham from Hereford Baptist Church shared with us the front line work being done on Saturday nights with the night club crowds in Hereford. He challenged us to act now, speaking of the work his church is doing with the local migrant work force, and to act with other churches, so as to be able to resource work in the community. His key word was ‘simplicity’ and to do what you do well. He helpfully referred to Matthew 9 to encourage us to involvement, to persistence, to seeing, asking and going.

Nick Cuthbert had the challenge of rounding off the day, gathering up the parts and finding common threads and challenges. The mark of a healthy church is that we are doing what God made us to do, continuing what Jesus did, doing good and healing those oppressed of the devil (Acts 10). In a broken world, where people’s lives and relationships are fractured, we need to be releasing people to discover and use the gifts God has given to His body, the church.

I left having been challenged, encouraged, moved, humbled and excited. Refreshed by our time together and emboldened, inspired, but also eager to start, to act. Thank you to the speakers, the others I met on the day and to RUN for such a relevant and stimulating event.

Sandra Cobbin, Tanterton Christian Fellowship.