Our Amazing First Years and their Easter Outreach

I have been lecturing on the Light Project FDA since September and it has been genuine pleasure working with the first years in their double module: Communicating Christian Themes Effectively! This Easter they did an excellent outreach where they contacted around 200 people with opportunity for them to talk about Easter and what it really means! The outreach was wonderfully varied with a central theme of New Life, ranging from T-shirts with New Life printed on the front and Happy Easter written on the back, from planting your own sunflower and being able to take it away in a little brown paper bag to somebody dressed in an awesome bunny suit giving out chocolate Easter Eggs! Brilliant! It was a pleasure to watch and be a part of!

Jon Phillips

Easter Nativity

Last weekend we set up a nativity scene in Chester at Easter time. The idea was all about finding God in unexpected places and times - a king born in a stable, a good man found in court, a pure person dining with the prostitutes, the person supposed to free the Jews from the Romans found on a Roman cross - God found in unexpected places. And finally, an empty tomb, not where you expect him to be. Hence the nativity at Easter, finding God in Chester in unexpected places and times. We chatted with hundreds of people over 2 days and talked about how God turns up often when you don't expect him - we prayed with a guy that God would show up in his life in an unexpected way.

shoe shine

We have been out recently doing some street evangelism in Chester city centre. One of our approaches was to offer a shoe shibne to passers-by as a kind of modern footwash. People welcomed the opportunity to stop and chat although we need to improve our shoe shining skills.

Get in the picture

Over Christmas, we have been out with Chris and his 'Get in the picture' nativity - check out www.jc4uk.com for stories and pictures

We gave out glow sticks this Christmas inviting people to be enlightened - I spent hours sticking labels on sticks and went out with Lydia and Ben. I gave out 2 glow sticks before spending an hour chatting to some people about God - they had searching questions and objections and we chatted frankly and prayed for them.

Back at the auction

So I'm wandering around the car auction eyeing up a shiny citroen and I recognise Danny. I met Danny a year ago - we were ofering to pray for people in the street - felt a bit stupid, to be honest. Danny was watching bemused and asked me what we were doing. I chatted with him and he said that his mum suffered from agoraphobia and couldn't leave the house so I prayed for her while he puffed his cigarette.

Haven't seen Danny for a year and he turns up at the auction. He was surprised I knew his name and remebered the encounter - "how's your mum", I asked. "She's better" he smiled, "thanks", he said. Got outbid on the citroen but left with a skip in my step - who needs a citroen?

DAVE

I told the students one of best ways to chat to pople everyday is to ask everyone they meet "how's your day going?" It's a simple way to listen to people and show an interest with no agenda. Went to a car auction this week - lots of noise in the background and it's cold so I get a cup of tea.

"How's your day going?", I ask to the lady serving.

"Great she replied, really good, how are you ?"

"Great", I replied.

"You know they're having baby", she continues. At this point I lose it - what is she talking about?

"Right", I said "erm who"? I venture ...

"What?" she says

"Who's having a baby" ? I continue.

"Dave, of course", she laughs, "who else?"

"Right," I smiled, " Of course, Dave", I laugh - pause - "who's Dave?" Now we're both looking really confused.

"Dave my son , you asked me how's Dave going?". The Penny drops.

"No, I said how's your day going." Peels of laughter ...

I'll keep Dave in my prayers.