Erik's Blog

For those who missed the National Vineyard Celebration, here is a short film that was shown at the event, reflecting on the story of the Vineyard movement in the UK over the past 23 years. Watching it helps to understand the larger movement and story of God that we find ourselves part of. It also inspires gratitude for all God has done and continues to do. Enjoy!!

Celebration Documentary

Dear Church,
 
It's been exciting to see the interest expressed in Street Angels after Sunday's presentation.  To hear the presentation, please go to www.wokingvineyard.org/sermons_visiting.  Please find details below.

Be a Street Angel

Woking Street Angels has grown from Christian beliefs and a long Christian heritage of service and loving one’s neighbour. It stems from a desire on the part of the Christian Community in Woking to show care and love to people in need in our town. Values of selflessness and being non-judgmental, integrity and honesty, excellence and professionalism, collaboration and partnership lie at the heart of everything a Street Angel does. Street Angels respect and learn from diversity by caring for anyone regardless of who they are and whatever their circumstances. Safety of Street Angel volunteers and the people we seek to serve is essential.
If you want to be Street Angel please complete the attached short application for and return it to the address indicated before 8th November 2010.

Who are Street Angels?

Street Angels or similar programmes have been springing up across the UK over the last 6 years. Street Angels are adult volunteers, usually from local churches, who care and provide practical support for the people who use the night clubs and other leisure and entertainment venues in Woking town centre, including helping them to access any further support they may need.

What do Street Angels do?

Street Angels believe that people in need, particularly young people, deserve care and support. The needs of these individuals may be the result of homelessness, drunkenness, drug abuse, violence or any other issue, which has caused personal distress or the potential for physical harm.
They help people whoever they are and whatever their situation, for example by listening, caring, offering practical help and through simple acts of generosity and kindness. They can also help by referring people to other (specialist) agencies who can help them further and their calming presence on the streets late at night makes a really positive impact on crime and antisocial behaviour in town centres.

How will Street Angels work?

Street Angels is managed by a charity, Woking Street Angels, set up by churches in Woking. All volunteers will be recruited through a rigorous process (including Criminal Record Bureau checks) and will agree to abide by the policies and procedures that apply to Woking Street Angels.
Street Angels will normally need to commit to volunteer for 1 night every four weeks. They must also commit to an initial programme of 6 training sessions before they start. They will also be expected to attend occasional ongoing training to support them in their role. Training will cover a wide range of issues and skills including personal safety, listening skills, cultural awareness, understanding your town, drugs and alcohol awareness, child protection and working with the emergency services.
On any given night of operation, normally there will be 6-8 Street Angels working in pairs providing on-street care and support for anyone in need during the hours the bars and clubs open. They will work closely with the Police and emergency services. Street Angels will patrol on foot and have direct contact by radio with each other, the team base, CCTV and the Police.
Street Angels Values Selfless and non-judgmental
Street Angels expect nothing in return for the help they provide and believe that people in need are best served by a non-judgmental approach.
Integrity and honesty
It is imperative to the success of Street Angels that their service is delivered with the highest ethical and legal standards. Honesty, fairness and integrity are principles that underpin all Street Angels’ activities.
Excellence and professionalism
We believe that people in need deserve nothing but the highest standards of service and professionalism. Street Angels receive regular, high quality training and ongoing support to help them perform their role safely and to a high standard.
Collaboration and partnership
Woking Street Angels works in partnership with a wide range of statutory, voluntary, community and faith organisations.

If you're interested in being involved, or would like to give to the project, please email the church office (office@wokingvineyard.org) for the appropriate form. Applications need to be in ideally by 8th Nov, or very soon after.
 
Further info can be obtained from: Julian Lomas on 07802 957938 or julian@almondtreeconsulting.co.uk

Shane Claiborne's book of the above title is probably one of the most provocative and uncomfortable things I've read in years. I love it! Much like the words of Jesus, this book challenges our safe brand of faith, calling us to live as "ordinary radicals". Through his experimental community, The Simple Way, Shane is exploring a life of simplicity, love, and activism and shares his experiences here. Shane's writing is subversive, challenging, and very humerous. It is taking me weeks and weeks to read this book because every chapter leaves me reeling, needing time to recover before dipping in again. This book is like throwing tabasco sauce into your meal - be prepared to be thoroughly unsettled.

Follow this link to purchase the book at Eden: http://www.eden.co.uk/shop/the_irresistible_revolution__living_as_an_ordinary_radical_111388.html

As a nation, we’re moving quickly toward the General Election. You may already know how you will cast your vote; you may still be considering your choices. As a Christian, there is one message we are asking you to pass on to Parliament: I PROMISE TO VOTE.

Stand up and let parliament know that the Christian vote needs to be acknowledged in this General Election. To do so, you can sign this online declaration:

To The Speaker and Members of the House of Commons,

I promise to vote in the upcoming 2010 General Election using my Christian conscience to decide which party to support. I will be voting on matters of national importance to create a stronger and better country that reflects Christian values.

To sign the declaration go to: http://www.promisetovote.com

Last week I attended the Vineyard national leaders conference. At a seminar run by Jason & Michelle Scott (Vineyard Pastors from N. Ireland) they talked about getting out into the community and touching the lives of many. This is something we are really pursuing and emphasising at Woking Vineyard - we'd like everyone in the church to be involved in some form of outreach or community service. Things like Jigsaw, Outside Light and the Homeless shelters are part of this, but we also want to move towards doing things like Healing on the Streets.

Being a smallish church, we can sometimes feel a little inadequate, and this is where two encouragements really hit home from what Jason and Michelle shared:

1. Let's not define our success by counting how many people attend a church service but rather by counting how many lives we touch in the community.

2. Let's be a church that "punches above its weight". With the right God-directed connections and intentional focus we can make a hugely significant impact in our community that exceeds human expectations of a church our size.

One of the best and most fun ways of Being Good News is to perform random acts of kindness. It can be to strangers or people you know.

Surprise your work colleagues with a box of fresh doughnuts. Buy a homeless person lunch. Top up someone's hungry parking meter. Mow your neighbours lawn. Be creative - there are thousands of ideas.

Soul Survivor has launched AOK Day (acts of kindness day) - every Friday is AOK Day. They encourage people to do random, creative, fun things and then to share their stories. BRILLIANT!!

Check out the website for stories and ideas:  http://www.soulaction.org/aokday/

I read these words by Eugene Peterson, inspired by the reflection of the writer Annie Dillard, on what it means to be a Witness:

The premier biblical witness, John the Baptist, said, "He must increase, bit I must decrease." The witness does not call attention to itself; what it points to is more important. Being takes presedence over using, explaining, possessing…  Witness is a modest word saying what is there, honestly testifying to exactly what we see, what we hear.

But when we enlist in a cause, it is almost impossible to do it right: we embellish, we fill in the blanks, we varnish the dull passages, we gild the lilly just a little to hold the attention of our auditors… Important things are at stake - God, salvation - and we want so much to involve outsiders in these awesome realities that we leave the humble ground of Witness and use our words to influence and motivate, to advertise and publicise. Then we are no longer witnesses, but lawyers arguing a case, not always with scrupulous attention to detail. After all, life and death issues are before the jury.   

Are we willing to be Witnesses - simply and honestly testifying to exactly what we see and hear? Are we willing to let our lives be a Witness, pointing to the One who is more important than us? Are we willing to be honest with the details, even if those details look a little unattractive, or offensive, or politically incorrect? Without apology or compromise, I want to be a faithful Witness to the One who always courts controversy and intrigue.