Mandy Catto

Recently on Eddie Mair’s programme on BBC radio 4, listeners have been encouraged to send in questions they would like answered. These could be on any topic for any reason. The best question would be picked by the IPM team. Thousands of people responded with a random selection of ideas for the competition. Last Saturday the winning question was announced. It was “Do you know your neighbours?”

I was astounded that out of the variety of questions, this one was picked! I was also delighted as it is something that we, at Activate have been encouraging for a long time. It is the best way to reach out in love to those around us and something which seems to be unusual in our society today.

Eddie Mair, the presenter, phoned the winner to interview her about the reason she had chosen that question. Her answer was interesting. She said that although she had lived in her home for several years, she only had a nodding acquaintance with her neighbours. When asked why, she said that they all live busy lives and don’t have time to build friendships and she didn’t think her neighbours would be interested in getting to know her.

Eddie Mair then turned up on her doorstep and asked her to go with him to her neighbours to discuss the issue. This ended with all the neighbours saying that they would take time to meet up for a meal and get to know each other!

ICM are now going to do a survey of thousands of people to find out how many people know their neighbours. It was estimated that it would not be more than 30%.

I remember some time ago, a TV programme about a row of terraced houses in a street in London , having a “makeover,” in order to raise the value of all the properties. Initially none of the neighbours knew each other, but while the improvements were going on and each neighbour was outside gardening and painting, they got to know and trust one another. Friendships were built and parties and barbeques followed. The atmosphere in the street changed as they began to care for and support each other.

As Christians, can we be instigators of change in our neighbourhoods, to build friendships and trust and make a difference?

Like many churches, we have been holding Alpha courses for decades at our church, writes Fiona Castle.

Each one has been adapted to suit the candidates.

Two very successful courses have been run for the mothers at our Mums and Tots group, Pop In. These were held in the morning over coffee and cake, and condensed to fit in with the schedule for mothers to collect their children from nursery, although crèche facilities were provided at the church.

There have been courses for guys, held at the local pub, where issues were discussed over a glass of beer and of course, the traditional ones, where a good meal is provided before the discussions.

At our most recent course, Katrina Reading, who is our Community and Family worker, commented how effective it had been. This was a ladies only course, which was appropriate as several of the ladies had been in abusive relationships.

Two came because, when asked, they had not liked to say no, even though they had been warned off by family and friends! One of these ladies has already become a strong believer and has also seen her daughter come to faith through her mother’s encouragement to also attend an Alpha course elsewhere.

Katrina said that another woman who was depressed and suicidal has now found a living faith and reads three sets of Bible notes each day and can’t stop smiling and hugging people!

Another course, set up by Holy Trinity Brompton, is Recovery from Divorce and Separation. More than ten of these courses have now been run very successfully at our church. One of the offshoots has been that people can come to an Alpha course if they are interested in following up what they have learned at the Recovery course. Apparently many of the men have found Alpha really helpful and have come to faith as a result.

We certainly have been grateful to Nicky Gumbel for this amazing initiative, which has touched more than 13 million people all around the world.
If you want to find out more about attending or running a course in your area look up www.alpha.org

Want to know more about our keynote speaker at the Activate November weekend away? This website gives a biography, a book list and an up to date ‘twitter’ by the man himself.
The address?
www.krishk.wordpress.com/bio/

It was a bright weekend morning as we gathered with a crowd of people, smiling and laughing as we entered the building. The music was ‘boppy’, children and their parents gathered in the rows of seats provided. We listened and watched as a story unfolded and it was then that God spoke to me. But this was not church. This was the movies.

My daughter and I had come to see “Hannah Montana – The Movie” and I hadn’t been looking for God in it until His words ‘jumped out of the screen’ at me.

Let me fill you in on the plot. With a busy jet-set lifestyle starting to have a negative effect on Miley and her fictitious alter-ego Hannah Montana, Miley’s father insists she goes to her hometown of Crowley Corners, Tennessee to get some perspective on what matters in life the most. The film follows the twists and turns as Hannah/Miley juggles her two identities. As the story comes to a head, Hannah takes to the stage in her hometown and sings “Life’s a climb”. The theme of the song comes from Miley’s friend Travis who tells her that life’s a climb but the view is great.

Here’s an extract of the lyrics but if you’d like to hear it all, click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2zyeVRcbs&feature=related

There’s always gonna be another mountain
We’re always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an up-hill battle
Sometimes we’re gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
Its The Climb

The struggles I am facing, the chances I am taking
Sometimes might knock me down
No, I ain’t breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I am gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

It’s all about, it’s all about, The Climb

Maybe it was the parent next to me with the hankie that gave it away, but somehow this potentially cheesy Disney number struck a chord. Maybe it was the common experience of struggles and pain that resonated with the audience. And it echoed in my heart, because circumstances in my life have felt like a pretty tough climb recently.
In the Bible, God often met with his people on mountains and Jesus preached the Sermon “on the mount.” I have often found that when I’m climbing the mountains in my life, God often seems somehow nearer than when things are easier. Of course, there are other times when our pain seems so overwhelming that we cry out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And yet God teaches me so much when I am climbing.
I have to disagree with Hannah that “it’s not about what’s waiting on the other side”, because we “…press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:14) And it’s not always all mountains. God gives us valleys of rest too as we look back at all the amazing works God has already done. Then we can look ahead at the challenges in front of us and trust Him for those; the same God who brought us through all the mountains before.
I have this hope, but the parent next to me with the hankie, does she have that hope? And there in the midst of the encouragement, came the challenge. I see her every day on the school playground. How will I share my hope and my climbing companion with her?
So, does God go to the movies? Yeah I think he does!