19 May 2013

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About Elizabeth Harrison

Elizabeth is the Olympic Mobiliser for the Diocese of London, facilitating parishes and church schools to make the most of opportunities for mission during the Olympic Games.

Olympics: final report

7 November 2012 By

The Olympic Games were a once-in-a-lifetime event for London, attracting millions of visitors, worldwide coverage, and a sense of community and optimism that rarely breaks through in times of austerity. They provided an opportunity for churches to engage in mission, in whichever ways they wished to. As Olympic Mobiliser, it’s been exciting to see parishes grow and develop as a result of the activities undertaken, and to see how each of our different parishes responds to the needs of their community.

Over three blog articles, I’ve hoped to give an overview of what was done, and the resulting legacy for our churches and our diocese:

I hope they serve as a reminder of all we achieved over the summer, and prompt discussion about how to engage in mission opportunities in the future.

 

Filed Under: Featured articles, Olympics

Olympics: a legacy for London churches

7 November 2012 By

While each parish will have their own stories of the legacy of the Games, some effects are wider reaching, with a story forming from churches across the diocese. The main areas where this is notable are community ministry, international links, visitor welcome and church tourism.

Community engagement

For many communities around London, the Olympics was a moment when everyone could come together to celebrate. Our churches had the opportunity to be at the heart of that celebration, and many grasped it. From connections made during those few weeks, and conversations had, new ideas and initiatives are springing up. In the Isle of Dogs, churches worked together to put on a festival in Milwall Park for 4,000 local residents. One volunteer said:

“There was such an incredible feel to the day. I’ve never seen the park so busy – and certainly never seen so many people from so many different areas of the community dancing, singing and laughing together! It was a wonderful moment for the island, and I am delighted to have been part of it.”

To follow on, Christ Church are getting into the football season by taking hot drinks to spectators of the weekly football training and league matches. Children and teenagers train every week, so these Saturdays are a great chance to meet and support their parents. The vicar said:

“We are just about to recruit the helpers for providing touchline tea over in Millwall Park.  I think this is the most significant bit of legacy in mission terms.”

Festivals are just one way that churches have met with their community during the Games. Liz Wolverson and Sam Donoghue wrote a series of ten assemblies, which were well received by our schools and clergy. Later, one incumbent reported that offering an Olympics assembly had meant that he was allowed to speak at a state primary school, which he’d previously been trying to get into for five years!

International links

Mission teams from across the world have visited and blessed London churches. From well-mannered Texans bringing line-dancing and barbecuing skills to Shepherds Bush, to Brazilian footballers leading sports clinics for youth in Northolt, the international church has been working alongside us. For many teams, the friendships formed here will last a lifetime. Whether it’s arranging subsequent visits, praying for each other, or simply understanding our place in the world a bit better, both the team and the visited church have been strengthened by things that would only start because of the Olympics.

Welcoming visitors and tourists

While London has a steady stream of tourists all year round, it’s taken the Olympics to prompt an appreciation of what our church buildings have to offer. Churches around transport hubs have offered refreshment and hospitality, extending their opening hours over the busiest times. Near Kings Cross, Holy Cross stayed open every day during the Olympics, and met people of 21 different nationalities. Although specifically Olympic visitors were expected, one church near a venue found that local residents were particularly appreciative of their efforts, using the beautiful space to stop and reflect for a moment in a busy day. As a result, the vicar said:

“It no longer feels right to have the church closed for so much of the time”

Faith Walks

As part of our welcome to visitors and tourists, 42 churches and chapels were linked up on walking routes from Olympic venues. This was a significant pilot project in church tourism and included several conferences to share good practice on opening our buildings. One churchwarden said:

“For us the significant outcome of this is a desire to find a way to keep a welcoming presence in the church more often. Thank you for getting us started!”

As these areas continue to grow and develop, we can be assured that the Olympics and Paralympics served as a catalyst to our mission across London.

Filed Under: Olympics

Olympics: next steps for your parish

7 November 2012 By

If your church has been involved with events to celebrate the Olympics and Paralympics, you may be wondering what you can do next. While More than Gold, the organisation set up to help churches engage with the Olympics, is disbanding, the agencies who provided resources and training are still going strong.

Community Festivals

Many churches who ran festivals or Opening Night events said that they met people who’d never been in contact with their church before. Some churches worked with local organisations and charities for the first time.  A good quality event every few months will help keep your links with local organisations strong, and provide opportunities to keep meeting with the people you met over the summer. You may be celebrating All Saints Day with a Light Party, get involved in local fireworks nights, or be planning ahead for community carol singing. Plan ahead now to put something in the diary for spring, summer and autumn next year, and advertise your spring event at Christmas carol services.

Our Community Minstry team are always sharing new resources and ideas. If you’d like to keep in touch, sign up to their enews, follow @comminmatters on twitter, read their blog, webpage, or get in touch with mailto (Email: mailto [at] jack.maple)@london.anglican.org" target="_blank">Jack Maple
Fusion YAC is continuing to provide great resources and training on Open Crowd festivals, with a training event in London next Monday, 5 November.

Children’s Holiday Clubs

About 1,400 children attended holiday clubs this summer, with 700 volunteer helpers at 32 churches. If you ran a holiday club, make sure you’re getting all the latest news and ideas about children’s ministry from Sam Donoghue (Email: sam.donoghue [at] london.anglican.org), our Children’s Ministry Adviser. Sign up to his monthly newsletter, join the Children’s Ministry group on Facebook, follow @DioLondonCYW on twitter, or read regular blog articles on Ministry Matters to find out more.

If you ran the ‘On Your Marks’ holiday club and found the resource to be helpful, there are lots more ideas on the Scripture Union website.

Enquirers courses

Through big screen events, cafés and festivals, many Londoners have come into contact with the church during the Olympics, often for the first time. These people may wish to find out more about your church, what you believe, or explore the Christian faith. While maintaining those ways to meet and get to know Christians informally, you may also wish to run an enquirers course.

There are many courses to choose from, and finding one which suits your tradition and the people coming is important. Some are more academic, or more relational, some rely on strong lay-leadership, or on the ability to show a DVD to the group. Some are better suited to those who’ve never been in church before at all, those from another faith, or those who’ve been in church for years but need a refresher. You may choose something off-the-peg, or develop something of your own to respond to the needs of your group.

If you’ve met lots of sportspeople during your Olympics outreach, you may wish to consider Sports Alpha. Their series of film clips with successful sportsmen and women sharing different aspects of their faith can be used to accompany each Alpha talk. Visit the Sports Alpha website for downloads, and for creative ideas to run an Alpha course for sportspeople near you.

Disability awareness

If the Paralympics has inspired your congregation to improve the way that people with disabilities are welcomed, included and encouraged to belong in your church family, there are plenty of parachurch charities who can help with resources and ideas. Keep up to date with the latest conferences, resources and training events from charities such as Churches Inc. , Through the Roof, Churches for All, or Inclusive Church. You may find it helpful to visit other local churches who are already doing this well – your area dean or archdeacon may know of examples.

Visitor Welcome

The Olympics and Paralympics were a brilliant opportunity to improve the way we welcome visitors and tourists to our church buildings. The ‘London Churches Unlocked’ conference, held in autumn 2011, and the ‘Faith Walks’ training session helped churches to consider their visitor welcome. If you’d like to keep up to date with training events and tourism projects, keep an eye on the Care of Churches blog, or contact Edmund Harris (Email: edmund.harris [at] london.anglican.org) to register your interest.

Sports Ministry and major events

Discussions over the future shape of sports ministry in London are still ongoing, and with the Rugby World Cup approaching, a similar major event response may be called for. Keep an eye on diocesan communications for further developments.

With the wide variety of projects during the Olympics, it’s impossible to signpost support for every new growth area. As ever, your area office will be able to direct you to appropriate support or resources.

Filed Under: Olympics

Olympics: parish stories and statistics

7 November 2012 By

It’s difficult to evaluate the effect of mission with quantitative statistics. But where the opportunities have been well met, churches will have become stronger as a result of wise strategic decisions. Meeting people involved in mission during the Games, and reading their feedback and reflections forms an exciting picture of what the church is doing in London. Here are just some highlights of the good news stories from across the Diocese.

Events held during the Olympics and Paralympics

296 events were run by 145 organizations, including churches, chapels and schools. These fell into the broad categories of On Route; Hospitality; Community and Under 18s and Social justice, prayer and services. The majority took place between 20 July, when the Olympic Torch arrived, and 12 August, the Olympic Closing ceremony, though some continued through the summer or were run for the Paralympics.

On Route

The main routes affecting the Diocese of London were the Olympic torch relay, the road cycle events and the marathon. Churches often gave away bottled water, entertained children, or just interacted with those in the crowds. These events increased the number of people the churches had met, and provided a social atmosphere in which those on the fringes of church could get to know people.

St Mary at Hill opened during the Marathon race

“We had to express more than once that there were no dress restrictions, and that talking and laughing were welcome inside! The most vital element was that the parish church took part in the fun of it all and shared what it had with all and sundry.”

Hospitality

During the fortnight of the Olympics, there were 8,400 hours of opening from 103 buildings. Hospitality was directed towards both locals and visitors, and always appreciated by those who came in. Some offered refreshments, a cafe, or a place to watch the Olympic coverage, others simply a tranquil space for reflection. The ‘Faith Walks’ project involved 42 central participating churches and chapels, who were linked together on walking routes from Olympic venues. Athlete Family Homestay was run by More than Gold to offer free accommodation to families and friends of athletes.

One visitor said:

“I really want to thank you, all the people in the Church and even the St. Mary itself for inviting me and welcoming me within your community. It has helped me not to feel as a stranger or foreigner in London anymore”

Community

Churches planning a community festival were encouraged to follow the Fusion ‘Open Crowd’ model, which hosts central games and activities inside a horseshoe of stalls and spectators. St Mary with St Alban, Teddington held a festival to begin their opening night celebrations. A variety of local businesses and community groups contributed to the event, which attracted 600 visitors, far more than expected.

“[The Opening Ceremony Fete] gave us a real purpose and direction that was of interest to the whole community, not just a section of it.”

Big Screen events were popular, with 17 churches showing the Opening Ceremony.  Churches who have the necessary technology could repeat this at any moments of sporting or national celebration. One vicar commented:

“[Events where we screened Olympic events and coverage] were significant and helpful occasions at bringing together the community.  One person who lives in a hostel told me it was the closest experience he could have to watching the event with family.”

Under 18s

Children’s Holiday Clubs with an Olympic theme were popular and well-supported with resources. Some churches held one for the first time as a result of the Olympics, while others themed a regular annual club. Conservative estimates would indicate an attendance of 1440 children at a recorded 32 holiday clubs with 700 helpers.

Youth Cafés were not taken up widely, but the three cafés were received positively. Around Stepney Area in particular, groups of young people were taken to watch the Games, either to ticketed events or to watch the torch relay or Marathon.

At St Hugh’s Northolt, a team of 25 were invited from Brazil, to evangelize through preaching the Gospel in various ways, including drama, dance, clowning, face painting, fingernail painting, etc. They stayed with church families, and contributed greatly to the life of the community during the weeks they visited. The vicar spoke about the changed attitudes:

There were benefits of having young, attractive and vibrant Christians working alongside the church in an area where the members ‘expect’ that their young people will leave church when they become teens. I also took three of them to The Grange Care Home for my monthly church service slot there. They were fantastic, and as loved by the old folks as they were by children.

Social Justice, prayer and services

UN:GIFT boxes were hosted by three churches. These art installations sought to raise awareness of human trafficking. The project was run by Stop the Traffik in conjunction with the MET police. St Martin in the Fields held a vigil for the Olympic Truce, just one of the Peace events held by faith groups during the Games. They also hosted an exhibition on the environment:

“As we entered the Olympic period celebrating global relationships in sport, this exhibition forced us to take a harder look at what international partnership is really all about if we are to be careful stewards of our earth.”

These are just some of many encouraging stories from across the Diocese of London. As well as a legacy for individual parishes, there are some ministry areas in which the experience of the Olympics has catalysed growth and development. Read on for more information.

Filed Under: Olympics

How to play Paralympic sports in your youth group

14 September 2012 By

Today’s article was inspired by one of our youth workers, whose 11-14s were so excited by watching the Paralympics that they’ve asked to do some Paralympic sports in their youth group.

Paralympic sports often require different skills to those displayed in more traditional sport – in Boccia, which I’ve chosen to profile, concentration, accuracy and tactics are far more important than speed, strength or mobility. And it’s something which those of any ability can play – for those with severe mobility impairment, a ramp is used to direct the ball, with an able-bodied assistant moving the ramp into place, following the player’s instructions.

If you’ve enjoyed watching the Paralympics, why not introduce some Paralympic sports into your youth, children’s or seniors’ programme this term?

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured articles, Information, Olympics, Paralympics, Youth ministry

A Harvest of Sport

11 September 2012 By
Yesterday’s Athlete’s Parade celebrates Team GB and Paralympics GB’s outstanding sporting achievements this summer. After such a great year for sport, with Euro 2012, Wimbledon, the Olympics and Paralympics attracting huge audiences, the interest shown in sport by the British public has never been higher. As a result of the Games, many people will be thinking about joining a sports club, or taking up some form of exercise. As community hubs, our churches and church schools are well placed to make this easier, by bringing sports groups together locally.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured articles, Olympics

Paralympics ideas for your church services

28 August 2012 By

The Paralympics is the world’s second biggest sporting event. With Olympic withdrawal setting in, the nation is gearing up for more sporting action, and to be inspired by the stories of struggle and triumph from some more world-class athletes. But with it’s motto of ‘Spirit in Motion’, and values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality, there’s more to the Paralympics than just sport.

So how can we celebrate this in church? One idea is a dedicated church service, on 2 or 9 September.

Undefeated

‘Undefeated’ is an exciting new resource from BMS World Mission. They’ve got together Christian Paralympians to talk about their faith and their sport, visited countries where people with disabilities face profound injustice, and put together everything they’ve learnt into an easy-to-use DVD.

‘Undefeated’ contains all you need for a one-hour church service during the Olympics and Paralympics. It is now available priced £6 and contains three inspiring DVDs of Paralympians,a sermon outline, all age interactive material, theology of disability and much more.

The Undefeated campaign aims to persuade the UK government to benefit the lives of disabled people in developing countries by becoming more inclusive in their foreign aid strategy.

Find out more and purchase the DVD at www.bmsworldmission.org/undefeated.

Paralympics Service ideas

You may wish to complement ‘Undefeated’ with dramas or other creative ideas of your own. And it’s worth making an effort to specially invite members of your community who may feel that because of their disabilities, church is not for them. Churches for All has some great advice and guidance online at www.churchesforall.org.uk/paralympics/

Their Disability Sunday resource pack, ‘Redefining Ability‘, is free to download, and has a focus on the Paralympic Games.

Prayers for use during the Paralympics can be found on the More than Gold website, and from the Church of England.

Flame festivals

The Paralympic cauldron has been lit in Trafalgar Square today, with a flame kindled on Scafell Pike. ‘Light a Lantern‘ encourages community groups to make and light lanterns in celebration of the torch relay, and the start of the Paralympics. You may wish to include this as a craft activity in church, or as part of a holiday club or after-school club.

Planning something? Get in touch

If you’re planning an event to celebrate the Paralympics, contact me (Email: elizabeth.harrison [at] london.anglican.org) – I’d love to feature it on this blog.

Filed Under: Featured articles, Olympics, Paralympics

We are the Body of Christ

20 August 2012 By

This week’s post comes from Revd Barry North, disability adviser in Chichester Diocese. As the Paralympics approach, our attitudes to disability are challenged. Barry draws out some of the implications.

We are the Body of Christ, in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body

But are we one body? Do our churches exclude some people?

It is important that everyone should be given a warm welcome into the House of the Lord, there should be no barriers to the worship of God, but sometimes our churches can appear to be less-than-welcoming to people with disabilities.

As Christians we are horrified at the suggestion that we are not welcoming but sometimes our church life and buildings can appear to be ‘unfriendly’ to people with disabilities. This is not a deliberate policy but can occur through a failure to think through our approach to disability. Churches very rarely discriminate intentionally but may fall into a trap of unwitting discrimination. Think about your church… does it have steps at the entrance? Can everybody read your weekly news-sheet? Does everyone use the microphone? For people with disabilities these questions are important because there can be barriers that prevent some people from being part of the one body; getting things wrong can create problems.

In 1 Corinthians 12:12ff St. Paul tells us that ‘Christ is like a single body which has many parts’ and then goes on to explain how the Body of Christ – the church – has many parts which all work together. Paul reminds us that all parts of the body are of equal importance. However, some people with disabilities find that it is difficult for them to feel fully part of the body of the church because attitudes, barriers, or lack of provision, exclude them from full participation in church life.

As Christians we should welcome all people into our churches, we should enable everyone to fully participate in worship and in church life; no-one should feel unwelcome or excluded. It is good, therefore, to take some time to explore the attitudes and facilities (or lack of them) that people with disabilities may encounter when coming to your church – and to do all that is possible to change things to give a full and complete welcome.

After speaking about the body in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul goes on to his ‘great hymn to love’ in chapter 13. If we truly seek to be the disciples of Christ we will reflect the love that he showed us on the cross by welcoming everyone into our churches.

The Practicalities

In order to offer the best possible welcome to all people, every church should examine its buildings, practices, and, above all, attitudes to see how welcoming these are for disabled people.

Some considerations of the practical implications of various disabilities can be downloaded here:

Practical considerations

For an access audit to assess how your church shapes up, visit the Buildings pages.

These charities offer further help and information:

Don’t be overwhelmed!

Some changes can be costly and time-consuming, but there are some easy changes which cost nothing and can be made quickly.

  • Encourage all speakers to use a microphone appropriately - if you have a hearing induction loop, whatever’s said through the microphone can be heard. Even if people can project well, they should use a microphone for the benefit of hearing-aid users.
  • Make a large-print newsletter – people whose sight is deteriorating may not feel able to say that reading small print is difficult. Provide some large print copies alongside large print hymnbooks and bibles etc.
  • Clear the clutter from the disabled toilet – it’s not a cupboard, and clearing the room makes it easier to use. Adding nice soap or flowers, and posters about forthcoming events at eye-height when seated is a thoughtful gesture.
  • Communicate what you do – before people come to your church, they’ll probably look you up online. A brief note on your website describing the facilities and adaptations, with perhaps a contact number/email for a disability advocate within the congregation will help, as will making sure your entry on A Church Near You is accurate.

I hope that begins to approach a subject that can easily feel daunting. With all members of the Body of Christ able to come together and worship, the body itself is more able to function.

Filed Under: Information, Olympics, Paralympics

The Paralympics

16 August 2012 By

This year, the Paralympics will have more TV coverage than ever before, and with the success of the Olympics, the momentum will only build over the next month. Here are some facts about the Paralympics to introduce you to it.

The Athletes

It’s worth stating to begin with that Paralympic athletes are elite, world-class athletes. Like all athletes, they train hard, look after their bodies, eat carefully, and have a determination and drive that is to be admired by all of us. Though not as big as the Olympics, the Paralympics is still the second biggest sporting competition in the world. Look out for Anne Wafula Strike, a wheelchair racer who came to speak at the2012 commissioning event in April; Ellie Simmonds, teenage swimming star; and Oscar Pistorius, the ‘blade-runner’, who’s already been competing for South Africa in the Olympics.

The Sports

There are only 21 sports in the Paralympics. Some are adapted versions of regular Olympic sports – eg wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball. Others are unique to the Paralympics. Look out for Boccia, a sport a bit like boules involving directing a ball to hit a jack, and Goalball, a game somewhat like Handball, played with blindfolds and a team of three. If you want a fun way to get active in your church, a Seniors vs Youth game of Boccia could be a great way to start! (Those with mobility impairments can use a ramp to direct their ball, which can be operated by giving instructions to an assistant.)

The Torch Relay

Unlike the Olympic flame, the Paralympic flame can be split to allow it to travel to multiple destinations. A flame will be lit in each capital city – London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff – and will be taken to Stoke Mandeville to combine to make the torch relay flame. It is then run to London to start the Games.

The Dates: 24 August to 9 September

It’s nearly here! The key dates of the Paralympics are:

Torch relay festivals: London – 24 August; Belfast – 25 August; Edinburgh – 26 August; Cardiff – 27 August; Stoke Mandeville – 28 August.
The Opening Ceremony is on Wednesday 29 August, and the Closing Ceremony on Sunday 9 September.

The transport implications

  • Although traffic and congestion during the Olympics has been fairly light, it’s worth bearing in mind that half of the competition takes place after schools have gone back, and business begins again in earnest. And Paralympic athletes tend to have more equipment, which will be driven around on Games Lanes. So continue to use www.getaheadofthegames.com to plan your journeys.
  • The majority of events take place on the Olympic Park (Earl’s Court, Wembley, and Wimbledon are no longer in use), so these place will be quieter.
  • It’s predicted that a higher proportion of spectators will have disabilities themselves. So if you’re in the habit of giving directions to lost tourists, be aware that not all tube stations have lifts, and even then some are quite complicated to get around in a wheelchair. Take time to learn your regular stations well.

Watching the Paralympics

The tickets are quickly selling out, so get them while you can! If you’re planning to screen events at church, the coverage is on Channel 4, and you may need a special licence to show it. With over 150 hours of coverage, this should be the most watched Paralympics ever. So get together and get ready to enjoy some more world-class sport!

To find out more, visit www.london2012.com/paralympics.

Filed Under: Featured articles, Olympics, Paralympics

What next after the Olympics?

13 August 2012 By

The closing ceremony is over, and after two weeks of sporting greatness, the Olympics are sadly over. If you’ve enjoyed engaging with the Games there are plenty of ways to keep the momentum going.

1. Tell us how you got on

I’m trying to evaluate how we did, so we can learn lessons for the future. Whether it’s the next big Royal event, the Rugby World Cup, or simply another summer, there’ll always be ways to engage with whatever’s going on in our cultural calendar.

There’s a brief questionnaire to complete, or send stories and photos that you’d ordinarily put in your parish magazine, what’ever’s easier. Email me (Email: olympicmobiliser [at] london.anglican.org) with your feedback from the events.

Feedback – stories and info from your Olympic event

If you didn’t do anything but feel you missed out on a good opportunity, you could:

2. Do something during the Paralympics

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be writing about ways to celebrate the Paralympics. This could include:

  • A service on 2 or 9 September with features on Paralympic athletes
  • An audit of your church building, and training sessions for your teams in disability awareness
  • A tournament with some Paralympic sports like Boccia or Sitting Volleyball

Follow this blog for more information.

3. Follow up from your events

If you’ve met new people while running community-focussed events, build on the strength of this by making contact again while you’re still fresh in their mind.

  • Inviting people to groups in your church, or a special event – whether it’s a Paralympics service, Harvest Festival, a curry night or a toddlers’ group open morning, find something in September or October to appeal to people who you’ve met. Send invitations down the channels you used to advertise your community event, and welcome people in!
  • Alpha, Emmaus, Christianity Explored and other courses which introduce the Christian Faith in an informal setting could be advertised widely. If you’ve done any outreach to sporty people, then new resources for Sports Alpha, including talks from Christian athletes, may appeal to this group. 98% of young adults don’t go to church, and many don’t know any Christians, so the opportunity to ask questions and meet some new people might be just what they were waiting for.
  • Keeping your community relationships strong – make sure you send thank you cards to your volunteers, and write to any groups that have helped you run your event. A local community centre who hosted, a pub who’ve put up your poster, or a school who lent you sports kit – value everyone’s contribution and you’ll open doors for more events in the future. You may like to include a photo of the event, or a short report. After running the race, it’s good to finish well and thank your team.
Filed Under: Featured articles, Olympics

What’s on: Saturday 11 August and Sunday 12 August

11 August 2012 By

Please pray for these parishes as they get involved in events to celebrate the Olympics.

The last weekend of the Olympics brings with it lots of community festivals! On Saturday:

  • St Barnabas, Finchley are having a community Olympics party
  • St Mark’s, Kensal Rise are watching the football final over a bring-and-share lunch
  • St Mary’s, Hornsey Rise are having a Family fun day with a barbecue and a bouncy castle
  • St John the Evangelist, Friern Barnet are using St John’s School to have a big screen event with a barbecue and sports events
  • St Barnabas, Ealing are open during the afternoon

Closing Ceremony

On Sunday, the final day of the Olympics, there are Closing Ceremony parties at St James, Clerkenwell Close; St Paul’s Hammersmith; St Helen’s Kensington; St John’s Notting Hill and St Barnabas Ealing. The ceremony should be a brilliant event after all the medal successes of Team GB, and a chance to congratulate all the teams on their achievements and good sportsmanship.

Some churches are having special services:

  • St John the Evangelist, Hyde Park Crescent has the last of its special Olympics evensongs
  • St Peter’s, Eaton Square has the last of its “This Sceptered Isle” Eucharists

This is the last day-by-day post until the Paralympics, I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about what’s going on across the Diocese. Many thanks for your prayers.

Planning something?

If you’re planning an event but haven’t registered it, please send details to elizabeth.harrison (Email: elizabeth.harrison [at] london.anglican.org) with ‘MAP’ in the subject line.

Share your stories

If you’ve just run an event and want to share how you’ve got on, or if you’ve had local press coverage, please send reports, photos and stories to olympicmobiliser (Email: olympicmobiliser [at] london.anglican.org)

Filed Under: Featured articles, Olympics

What’s on: Wednesday 8 August – Friday 10 August

8 August 2012 By

Please pray for these parishes as they get involved in events to celebrate the Olympics.

Wednesday celebrations

  • St John’s, Notting Hill are having a fun day. Elsewhere, holiday clubs, cafés and open churches continue – St Paul’s Old Ford are having another week of holiday clubs this week (which I neglected to mention in my last post).

Thursday theatre

  • St Barnabas, Ealing are having another open church drop in session.
  • St Michael’s, Chester Square are having a theatre night entitled ’Dangerous Journey’.

Friday festivals and concerts

  • St John’s, West Hendon, St Peter Cricklewood and the Parish of Golders Green are using Clitterhouse Park to run a community festival together.
  • St Barnabas, Ealing continue their Arts festival with a concert by Anna Cashell (violin) and Simon Watterton (piano) playing Beethoven, Korngold and Kreisler.
  • St Giles in the Fields will be hosting the Evropska Quartet who will be playing music by Schubert and Shostakovich.
  • St James’, Clerkenwell Close are having a sports café with a quiz and Olympic highlights.

Planning something?

If you’re planning an event but haven’t registered it, please send details to elizabeth.harrison (Email: elizabeth.harrison [at] london.anglican.org) with ‘MAP’ in the subject line.

Share your stories

If you’ve just run an event and want to share how you’ve got on, or if you’ve had local press coverage, please send reports, photos and stories to olympicmobiliser (Email: olympicmobiliser [at] london.anglican.org)

Filed Under: Featured articles, Olympics

What’s on: Monday 6 August and Tuesday 7 August

6 August 2012 By

Please pray for these parishes as they get involved in events to celebrate the Olympics.

Another Monday, another batch of holiday clubs beginning. There have been some encouraging stories from churches who’ve run clubs over the past few weeks, so thank you for your prayer support.

  • St John the Evangelist, Upper Holloway
  • St George’s, Southall
  • St Joseph the Worker, Northolt who have sports, dance and drama workshops for children
  • On Tuesday, Christ Church, Fulham are starting their holiday club for 5-11s.

This evening, St Mary’s, Bryanston Square are having a Sports Quiz, and the band of St Luke, Oseney Crescent are performing at St Michael’s Camden Town.

Planning something?

If you’re planning an event but haven’t registered it, please send details to elizabeth.harrison (Email: elizabeth.harrison [at] london.anglican.org) with ‘MAP’ in the subject line.

Share your stories

If you’ve just run an event and want to share how you’ve got on, or if you’ve had local press coverage, please send reports, photos and stories to olympicmobiliser (Email: olympicmobiliser [at] london.anglican.org).

Filed Under: Featured articles, Olympics

What’s on: Sunday 5 August

5 August 2012 By

Please pray for these parishes as they get involved in events to celebrate the Olympics.

Watching Olympic coverage

Lots of churches are showing Olympic coverage today, which includes the 100m men’s final:

  • After their regular service, St Stephen’s, Ealing will have a big screen and a BBQ lunch
  • All Saints, Isleworth are having afternoon tea
  • Christ Church, Cockfosters are showing some evening coverage at Christ Church House
  • St Mark’s, Kensal Rise are holding another barbecue with big screen
  • St Matthew’s, Yiewsley are watching the 100m final with refreshments

Festivals and parties

  • St Barnabas, Woodside park are having an Olympics party
  • Christ Church Cockfosters and St Thomas’ Oakwood are working together on an afternoon community festival in Trent Park.
  • St Paul Old Ford are hosting a gospel concert.
  • St Paul’s, Hammersmith are having a community festival

Special Services

Some churches are having themed services:

  • St Peter’s, Eaton Square
  • St Thomas’, Oakwood
  • Christ Church, Cockfosters
  • St John the Evangelist, Hyde Park Crescent
  • All Souls Langham Place

If you’d like to include prayers for the Olympics in your forthcoming services, you can download Olympics liturgy and service plans here.

Planning something?

If you’re planning an event but haven’t registered it, please send details to elizabeth.harrison (Email: elizabeth.harrison [at] london.anglican.org) with ‘MAP’ in the subject line.

Share your stories

If you’ve just run an event and want to share how you’ve got on, or if you’ve had local press coverage, please send reports, photos and stories to olympicmobiliser (Email: olympicmobiliser [at] london.anglican.org).

Filed Under: Featured events, Olympics

What’s on: ‘Super Saturday’ 4 August

4 August 2012 By

Please pray for these parishes as they get involved in events to celebrate the Olympics.

There are 25 gold medals in contention today, so a great day to watch wall-to-wall coverage. Or if you’re out in London, there’s a lot to see and do, with many of these events continuing for several days. For further info, visit the More than Gold website.

Cafés and big screens

  • Watch Olympic coverage at St Mark’s, Kensal Rise; St John’s Community Centre, Wembley; St Aldhelm, Edmonton; St Michael, Chester Square; St Luke’s, Isle of Dogs; and St Barnabas’, Ealing.
  • Drop in to cafés at St Paul, Old Ford; St Mary of Eton, Hackney Wick; Christ Church, Turnham Green; St Philip, Earl’s Court; or All Souls, Langham Place. St Luke’s Hackney are offering cream teas in the church from 3-6pm. These have been very successful the last two weekends, bringing in many who are new to the church.

Exhibitions and open churches

  • The Parish of Old St Pancras is open for visitors, with tours of the church, evening concerts and hospitality in the churchyard. Different events take place at each of the four churches.
  • Visit exhibitions at St Mary Woolnorth, St Lawrence Jewry, St Paul Bow Common and St Dunstan Stepney.
  • Find out about Human Trafficking at UN:GIFT box venues. Some are at Diocese of London churches, St Mary of Eton, St Mary Upper Street and St Paul’s Cathedral.
  • St Barnabas, Kensington is open, and Bow Church is providing simple refreshments and a quiet space for visitors.
  • And our ‘Faith Walks’ churches are still open for visitors – why not take a group around one of the trails?

Community events

  • St Luke, Oseney Crescent is very excited to be partnering with Kentish Town Community Centre to host a community games event. There will be fun for all ages including a toddlers’ crèche, bouncy castle, youth games tournament, drop-in cafe plus a BBQ and live music later in the evening.
  • Clapton Park Games concludes this evening after a spectacular week-long festival.
  • All Saints, Isleworth are having 24 hours of prayer for Olympic nations.

Planning something?

If you’re planning an event but haven’t registered it, please send details to elizabeth.harrison (Email: elizabeth.harrison [at] london.anglican.org) with ‘MAP’ in the subject line.

Share your stories

If you’ve just run an event and want to share how you’ve got on, or if you’ve had local press coverage, please send reports, photos and stories to olympicmobiliser (Email: olympicmobiliser [at] london.anglican.org).

Filed Under: Featured articles, Olympics