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Jesus in the City

The 2nd UK Urban Mission Congress

"Community Conflict and Celebration"

Belfast, 26-30 September 1998

Alternative forms of church

  1. Are there problems with the existing churches in urban areas? Do we need a change.
  2. When is a church not a church? What are the irreducible minimum requirements?

A personal journey shared.

Some input on the early church, and some suggested dynamics of healthy 'church'. - community, service & distinctive lifestyle.

  1. Community. A brief biblical and social justification
  2. Service. An exploration of the notion of Social Action as a bolt-on, or as central to being church. What do images of yeast, sah and mustard seeds say about the way church should operate? How can the church lose itself to tind itself'?
  3. Distinctive lifestyle. Who listic living needn't be self-conscious. A consideration of the way power is used/abused in church, and how empowerment can be derived through different models.

Stories which break the mould - drawing out the key theological ideas each reflects Some of which may include:
  • Hope Community. Wolverhampton
  • Urban Expression, Shadwell
  • Lee Abbey Urban Communities
  • Church of the Saviour. Washington
  • The Furnival, Burngreave
  • Mill Grove. South Woodford
  • living Proof, Cardiff
  • Emmaus groupings
  • 4-week programmes from Australia
Other stories from participants

More reflection on the nature of church in the light of the stories

Reformation or Revolution? Ways of change.

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