What will you remember about this summer? Did you capture a torch bearer on camera? Were you lucky enough to watch history being made by Usain Bolt? Or did you weep with joy at the medal won by the Chambers brothers? This summer has been a delight of torches, trophies and gold post boxes, as up and down the country we’ve been celebrating with our Olympic and Paralympic athletes, sharing a brief moment of their glory. In the 5 years that I’ve lived in London, this summer has certainly been the most memorable. There’s been a sense of community and celebration, strangers talking in the streets, a shared pride of our islands achieving great athletic feats. But this fantastic sense of well being can’t just be medal fever. Earlier on this year, we got to know our neighbours as we spread bunting out across the length and breadth of our street, decorated pillars and posts in red white and blue, baked beautiful cup cakes and brought out our gazebos to share a meal in the street together. And in great spirits, we celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee. This year has been a momentous occasion for bringing people together, sharing good stories and being neighbourly. We’re seeing a movement of good things happening in our neighbourhoods. It was only a year ago that the UK watched on as the scenes of deliberate and angry attacks on major cities unfolded. But The Games have re-introduced us to positive role models, people to proud of, to cheer on and to celebrate with. People who have faced challenges in their lives - and overcome the odds.
I’ve had the huge privilege over the last few months of getting to know a few people from different organisations, coming together under the banner of ‘Serve.’ Serve is a group of organisations, committed to supporting churches passionately as they transform their communities. It is about celebrating what the church is doing, inspiring others to action, sharing the good news stories with the government and media.
I’ve often been inspired and moved by stories shared by colleagues working overseas. The work of partners alongside the local church, releasing potential. It really changes lives: people start to see their natural resources; to see how to lift themselves out of poverty and become independent. And there’s spiritual transformation too: because the church is at the centre of the process and people start to experience God’s heart for the last and the least.
Bill Hybels said ‘the local church is the hope of the world.’ And hope is what we need, when the stories spread across the papers tell us that 13 million people in the UK are living on the breadline. Hope can come in the form of the local church, a visit from a neighbour, a hot meal or debt counselling. It’s a real privilege to be involved in Serve at this time, working with churches and organisations and people who are passionate about transforming lives. Feeding the hungry. Sheltering the homeless. Loving the unlovable.
This is where the church is. And this is where it should be.
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| Mo Farah’s Gold post box in Teddington. Mo trained at St Mary’s college, Teddington and worked in the sport shop on Broad Street. |
