Shadwell

The first Urban Expression team began work in Shadwell in September 1997. Led by Jim and Juliet Kilpin, the team of eight moved into a collection of estates and communities in this part of Tower Hamlets, where they sensed God had called them.

The early months, and indeed years, were spent building relationships and getting to know the community – East End families, Sylhetti-speaking Bengali neighbours and people from many ethnic backgrounds. Many people were suspicious of us 'newcomers' for a long time, and regularly asked when we would be moving out (as they thought most of the do-gooders did who chose to target inner-city areas), and it was only after three years that people realised that we were here for the long term and stopped asking the question.

Members of the team looked for ways to become involved in the community and to meet some of its practical needs. Activities over the years have included washing windows for elderly residents, clearing waste ground that had become an eyesore, setting up a motorbike project, helping in a local youth club, running summer sports programmes and getting involved in the restoration of an adventure playground (which has in the last year re-opened with 2 full-time staff and employs several local people). In recent months we have also taken 50 local people on a church holiday to Butlins and invited newcomers to join a Bible study based on the film The Full Monty!

One of the clear convictions of the team was that we should not try to impose a pre-determined model of church on the community – assuming we knew what kind of church was appropriate in Shadwell, setting up meetings and expecting people to attend them, declaring our arrival with a great fanfare. Instead, we have patiently and gently built relationships and allowed church to emerge. One expression of this conviction was the decision not to name the church that emerged, but wait for local believers to name it. This happened in 1999, and Cable Street Community Church emerged.

This approach might have meant slower progress than some people would expect of a church plant, but has resulted in the gradual emergence of a more indigenous form of church. The church meets in households on Sundays and together on a Wednesday evening. In September 2003 a student youth worker was appointed for two years to develop the growing work with children and youth, and the church is beginning to grow strongly in numbers and maturity.

As the church develops it faces the challenge of learning how to organise things in a manner that is suitable for the number of people, but also in a way that retains the values that have been the foundations of the church. We continue to ask questions of what is appropriate and resist the temptation to do things in a certain way just because that is what all churches seem to do!

Map of Shadwell :

Stepney

The second Urban Expression team began work in Stepney in September 1998. Led by Phil & Sarah Warburton, the team of seven found accommodation in the area and began to develop relationships with each other and a vision for the community. Much time in the early months was spent researching the area and slowly getting to know neighbours. East Enders and Sylhetti-speaking Bengalis are the predominant groups in the area, but there are also many people from other backgrounds. Time was spent also building links with other churches.

The team has had a strong emphasis on prayer over the past five years, conscious that their work in Stepney depended on God’s help and direction. The church is known as Open Door.

Sunday services involve meeting for a simple meal, communion and prayer. The church has grown at a slow pace over the past five years but is now are struggling to fit around the table for the shared meal (extra people not extra lbs!) Formal teaching takes place in 6 week courses that run mid-week. In addition, once a month there is a celebration with an emphasis on worship and interactive preaching. There are other opportunities to be together through the week, including a pub quiz on Tuesday nights.

Christmas saw the church’s first carol service. This was a café style event with about thirty people attending. Sarah and Phil also hosted a Halal Christmas where about 15 Muslim neighbours joined us for a meal. Some were guests for the first time.

Another possible initiative for this year is a project called ‘Helping out,’ that will seek to provide practical help to households. Open Door is in the process of researching similar projects and talking to local partners and agencies about what such a project may look like. The hope is to have something up and running before the summer.

Overall, Open Door is excited about what the God of surprises may do in 2004.

Map of Stepney :

Newham

A third Urban Expression team started work in the London borough of Newham in 1998, with a particular concern to build relationships with people from the various South Asian communities. They are a group of followers of Jesus, made up of people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds experiencing and expressing the love of God in Christ desiring to be biblically obedient and culturally appropriate among the South Asians of East London.

This team is working in a sensitive area and it would not be wise for us to say too much about who they are or what they are doing on this website. For this reason the newsletters on this site do not contain sections on the work of this team.

However, if you are interested in learning more about this team and its work, please contact us, as they are happy to share with people about the work God is doing here in seeing men, women and children become faithful followers of Jesus and responsible members in his church.

Map of Newham (click on the map for an interactive version at Mapquest.com)

From church plant to church

In November 2005 the decision was taken to recognise that the church here had been planted and should be encouraged to develop without any sense of dependence on Urban Expression. The remaining team members have become Urban Expression Associates.

The story remains on the website as a record of what has happened.

Wapping

The fourth Urban Expression team began work in Wapping in September 2000. Led by Karen Stallard, the emergence of this team was rather different than the earlier ones. Rather than bringing with her a team of people from elsewhere, Karen joined a small group of Christians already living in the area, who had been praying for a new church to develop there.

Wapping is a very mixed area. Along the Thames are new developments of luxury flats and converted warehouses, surrounding renovated docks. Elsewhere there are many older blocks of flats, homes to East Enders, Bengali families and people from many other backgrounds. One of the challenges for the team has been how to engage with such a diverse community. An ongoing goal for the church is to try to build bridges between those with different cultures, beliefs and practices, providing safe places for good relationships to be encouraged between different people.

Wapping Community Church has gradually emerged, meeting initially in the house that the church has managed to purchase as a manse. At the end of 2003 increasing numbers have meant the church has needed to find a larger place to meet and they have been delighted to be allowed to use premises owned by the local Catholic church.

The vision of the church is to be like a cedar tree, planted in amongst other trees to provide shelter and rest. The church has a particular interest in the area of mental health and is seeking to facilitate discussion and help support initiatives which provide spiritual care for people suffering from mental distress. The Wapping Community Church motto is ‘living and sharing the good news of Jesus’ and the work of the church involves exploring creative ways in which individuals can be encouraged to do just that.

Map of Wapping (click on the map for an interactive version at Mapquest.com)

Plaistow

Doreen Westley leads the Urban Expression work in Plaistow. Here is her introduction to where they live and work and their hopes for the church they are planting:

'Plaistow is located about five miles from the “Square mile” of the City of London, and is in the centre of the East London borough of Newham. Plaistow consists of many houses and shops and a small number of larger business premises. Formally a part of Essex, it is a typical big city suburb, noisy, grubby and a little neglected.

'In recent times it has become one of the most multicultural areas in London, with people from all over the world settling here. All of the world’s religions are represented here with the Christian faith playing a large part in Plaistow life.

'It is in this context that we started Harvest Rock Church. Our desire is to see a church that truly represents the diverse mix of Plaistow. We want to become an international church that will know what it means to walk in the love of God and give it away. At present the Church is made up of English, African, West Indian and Asian people of all ages.

'Our international make up is often reflected in our worship. With various styles of music being used, prayer being expressed in native languages and international food being shared, our meetings are something we all look forward to.

'Freedom of expression is something that we have come to value. We want adults and children to feel safe and secure enough to be able to express themselves in humility and confidence to God.'

Map of Plaistow (click on the map for an interactive version at Mapquest.com)

Kidbrooke

Ocean

In March 2003 The Salvation Army, commissioned Nick and Kerry Coke to begin a new church in East London. On arriving at their new home on the Ocean Estate, Stepney, they fell in love with their community.

A sprawling estate with a dubious history, the Ocean is in a state of flux – largescale re-developments of homes and huge financial investment are making a visible change to the physical landscape. Amidst the upheaval are elderly eastenders mourning the loss of familiarity, a strong Bangladeshi community trying to preserve its religion, culture and values from Western erosion, a growing Somali population vying for position in an already overcrowded area and wealthy middle-class city workers buying up homes nearer to work. On every corner are traces of God at work as he enables people to overcome their difficult circumstances.

Over the past four years the church has seen steady ‘growth’ in all dimensions of life: a small community meets for meals, prayer, Biblical reflection and worship twice a weeka weekly men’s football evening, a messy play morning for pre-school children and parents, and regular inter-faith events cross the cultural, ethnic and religious divide to defy the segregation that prevails in almost every aspect of Ocean life; a wide network of individuals link informally as neighbours and friends with the church and enjoy the regular get-togethers and parties that have come in some way to define the church and express the kingdom of God on the Ocean Estate.

The team linked up with Urban Expression informally when they discovered them on their doorstep and were amazed at how closely they shared the same values. In April 2004 the Ocean team became a formal part of the network.

Website:
http://www.hopeasha.org.uk

Blog:
http://ashes2asha.blogspot.com