e-xpressions May 2011 - extra

Welcome

Welcome to a special May 2011 edition of e-xpressions introducing our brand new resources - available now:

• expressions: making a difference - our new DVD packed with stories of fresh expressions of church.
• Share booklets: the first seven in a new series of booklets exploring fresh expressions of church.

For just £32 (plus delivery) you can order the complete pack, including all seven booklets and the DVD. Further details of each resource are given below.

Order the complete pack now.

Our new DVD: expressions: making a difference

Fresh Expressions show how the Church can reach out in new ways to those around us. We should be encouraged and inspired by these projects which are showing God's love in practical ways all over the country. I hope this DVD will help other church communities realise the wonderful potential they have to make a difference wherever they are.

John Sentamu, Archbishop of York

This helpful resource shows the potential of Fresh Expressions to help us plant church that makes a difference. I recommend it highly.

Pete Greig, 24-7 Prayer and Alpha International

Twenty eight stories to inspire and challenge, illustrating lessons to be learnt as fresh expressions of church make a difference to people's lives.

1. authentic(?), Glasgow (Starting from scratch)
2. Boring Wells, Belfast (Becoming mission-shaped people)
3. CCM Gorton, Manchester (Serving people from around the world)
4. Church for the Night, Bournemouth (Being church in clubland)
5. CoffeeCraft, Clee Hill (Creating mission in the countryside)
6. Colin Brown, Falmouth (Establishing a fresh expression for artists)
7. Divine Divas, Tadcaster (Building church around relationships)
8. Exeter Network Church, Exeter (Discovering natural networks)
9. Grafted, Newcastleton (Making disciples and creating leaders)
10. Harvest New Anglican Church, Thanet (Reaching diverse networks of people)
11. King's Cross Church, London (Planting church in a developing area)
12. Monks Road Threshold, Lincoln (Creating church in an area of deprivation)
13. re:generation, Romford (Growing a new generation of leaders)
14. Reconnect, Poole (Building community and recreating church)
15. safespace, Telford (Drawing on the wisdom of monastics)
16. St George's, Deal (Growing church but staying fluid)
17. Sanctus1 and Nexus, Manchester (Taking the next step)
18. StreetSpace, Chard (Taking youth culture seriously)
19. Streetwise, Sheffield (Helping the marginalised)
20. The Beacon, Dartford (Forming church in a new housing area)
21. The Lounge at Costa, Woodbridge (Engaging seekers in a market town)
22. The Ruth Project, Stanley (Working where conventional church struggles)
23. The Sunday Sanctuary, Portsmouth (Growing community through hospitality)
24. The Wesley Playhouse, Howden Clough (Using buildings and exercising faith)
25. 3.08@Kingshill, Nailsea (Learning from mistakes)
26. Tubestation, Polzeath (Moving from community to discipleship)
27. Wolverhampton Pioneer Ministries, Wolverhampton (Growing church with young adults)
28. Zac's Place, Swansea (Establishing church on the edge)

With over three hours of material, this DVD demonstrates that God's Spirit is helping Christians live mission-shaped lives in a whole range of fresh contexts.

The Fresh Expressions team has done it again! Here are 28 stories to inspire and challenge you and renew your sense of possibility. They prove that the gospel is as contagious as it ever was, if only we open ourselves to communicating in languages and forms that our culture understands.

Roberta Rominger, General Secretary, United Reformed Church

If you ever thought 'church' was the same everywhere, this DVD will quickly change your mind! Fresh expressions is no longer theory, these stories inspire you to reach people you've never reached previously and enable the church to take its rightful place as the hope of the nation.

John Coles, Director, New Wine

This new collection of stories is an excellent and timely contribution from Fresh Expressions to the wider Church. They tell of the celebratory communities as people discover the depth and privileges of relationships within local contexts. But the stories also tell of the hard work, difficulties and challenges that are faced by leaders and communities as they seek to be faithful to God's promptings.

As you watch and hear these stories my hope is that we all gain an ever greater confidence in developing disciples of Jesus that connect with the many ways God is at work in our local churches, circuits and wider communities.

Martyn Atkins, General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Great Britain

What a fantastic DVD! To see such creativity, vision and innovation in helping reach people for Christ. Get a coffee, sit down, watch and be inspired!

Mark Russell, CEO, Church Army

Share booklets

Published next month are the first seven in our brand new series of Share booklets. These handy-sized guides want to encourage good conversations about fresh expressions of church, without telling you what to do.

If you would like to start a fresh expression of church but don't know where to begin, these booklets are for you. Learning from the experience of those who are already involved, they provide guidelines without being prescriptive, encouraging readers to be open to whatever new thing the Spirit might be doing.

John Drane and Olive Fleming Drane

Another great resource from Fresh Expressions. The booklets in this series are intensely practical and an invaluable addition to the toolkit of anyone who takes contemporary mission seriously.

Ian Bell, Coordinator, Venture FX, Methodist Church

The first seven booklets explore the whole process of how a fresh expression of church can emerge (booklet 1), from how (booklet 2) and what (booklet 3) to start, through getting support (booklet 4) and finding the way (booklet 5) to being sustainable (booklet 6) and building a great team (booklet 7).

The booklets are £5 each or £3 for a downloadable version. You can buy all seven for £21 (or £14 for the downloadable versions). You can order any of the booklets or packs from our shop.

1. How can fresh expressions emerge?
2. How should we start?
3. What should we start?
4. How can we get support?
5. How can we find our way?
6. How can we be sustainable?
7. How can we be a great team?

These booklets are a simple starter kit to put in the hands of pioneers. They are full to the brim of ideas, practical wisdom and stories. They will help you to catch a vision, take the first steps together and sustain new communities of faith for those outside the churches.

Steven Croft, Bishop of Sheffield

It's about time someone distilled the wisdom learned through fresh expressions into a format that is simple, practical and not overly prescriptive. The Share booklets seem to be exactly that - what a great idea! 

Jonny Baker, pioneer mission leadership team, CMS

One of the key aspects of mission engagement is discernment. This booklet series will help you to consider your mission heart, your mission team, your mission values and your mission focus. It is a must in the process of listening to God in mission, a vital resource for potential pioneers.

Francis Brienen, Secretary for Mission, United Reformed Church

And finally

Our usual e-xpressions will be out next week. Have a good week,

The Fresh Expressions team.