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We are delighted to welcome Urban Life within the Urban Expression community. Having operated as a CIO for a few years, Urban Life were becoming increasingly unsure whether it was the best container for their work in the long term. Earlier this year their Trustees concluded that, while there was significant energy and uptake for the work, the amount of time and energy needed to ‘run a charity’ was disproportional to the output and, therefore, untenable going forward. Having had a close relationship since Urban Life’s inception the trustees at Urban Expression agreed to provide an organisational home for their continuing work. The values and activity of both organisations are complementary and we are already finding new and exciting ways of working together that are mutually beneficial. You can find out more about Urban Life - Carmel Murphy-Elliot and Anna Rudick, and the work that they do via their new https://www.urbanlife.org/
We presently have two coordinator vacancies, both for one day per week; they are geographically based. One in the north of England and one in London and the South-east of England. Job descriptions and details about the application process can be found by clicking the button below.
We have enjoyed a strong relationship for many years with CURBS (children in urban situations). We have featured their activities in previous newsletters and they have often led children’s programmes at our events. In January, our trustees and theirs agreed to a full merger. CURBS will shortly cease to exist as a separate charity and will operate under the auspices of Urban Expression. This will not only reduce administration and costs, but will enable us to work even more closely together. Sara Barron, CURBS’ development worker, who is already a mission partner, has joined the team of coordinators, and the chair of CURBS, Peter Davison, has become a UE trustee.For more information about CURBS, have a look at https://curbsproject.org.uk/. From the Curbs trustees: Curbs will remain Curbs as you know it. We will have the same heart, values and indwelling in the Lord’s word. We will have the same wonderful worker – Sara, who will still work with her Curbs hat on, but we will now work within a larger charity whose values, passion for urban ministry and vision align with ours, allowing us to do more than we ever could have done by ourselves.We will no longer be our own charity, but the identity and presence of Curbs will not change, if anything, we hope it will just grow stronger.  It's great to be able to look back over 25 years of Urban Expression, knowing that new and exciting stories lie ahead! Urban Expression celebrated our 25th anniversary in 2022. We began in 1997 during the so-called Decade of Evangelism. Church planting was high on the agenda in many denominations, but most of this was taking place in affluent areas where there were already many churches. Urban Expression began as an experiment to find ways of incarnating the gospel creatively in some marginalised urban neighbourhoods. We did not expect to still be going in 2022!This is the first Impact Report we have produced. It is our attempt to reflect on our activities, achievements, struggles and ongoing challenges. To invite friends and fellow-travellers to celebrate with us, and to hold ourselves accountable to those who have supported us (and sometimes criticised us) through the years. We share it with you and welcome any feedback. To view an online version, click here Some pages from the report
We want to share with all wider UE community, news about the brilliant time together we had for the 25 year celebration weekend.
In total 84 adults and children participated in our festival weekend, either staying at the superb Somersal Cottages venue in Derbyshire for the weekend or as day visitors. Several others were unable to be there, due to previously booked events, and some who had planned to join in succumbed to covid infections. Initial feedback on the event included words like ‘amazing’ and ‘wonderful’, which is very encouraging, and there is already enthusiasm for doing something like this again, maybe in 2024 and probably in the same venue, which worked brilliantly. Barney took photos and we have uploaded a selection of these here. We had some lovely greetings sent in before the weekend by people who have journeyed with UE over the years, you can find a link to them also. All in all it was a wonderful community time together, celebrating of the past 25 years, and a hopeful and encouraging look forward to the future for Urban Expression.
It's been a really special Easter time, the team and community exploring Jesus is growing. We had a lovely family fun afternoon in the church garden with a nature trail, egg hunt and leaf threading. We continue to have café gatherings with two recent baptisms and always lots of interactive items - ie mummifying one of the young people! The foodbank is ever busy and we provide lots of advice and signposting. The local community are taking leadership roles in the foodbank, a new small group and coffee morning. Its always real, fun and there is never a dull moment!
 Here's a super poem written at the UE Cobridge team's weekly gathering.
A selection of objects were scattered on the carpet and those present asked to select one and reflect on how it made them feel, or prompted their thinking. Rosemary for remembrance Stimulating senses, stirring synapses As I hold your woody stem, I realise the vast variety of memory I retain. I also know the cycle of forgetting has removed much from my ability to recall. Still this enmeshed mass of memory makes me ‘me’; holds my individuality. The good, the bad, the joyous, the painful; I would not willingly surrender even one of them. But into your hands they go, my Lord, with all I hold dear, all I have learned and all I am yet to know – for my tomorrows are less than my yesterdays. Nothing is lost in You and each now moment of remembrance is blessed and savoured in the sharp sensibility evoked by a stem of rosemary. Veriditas – the greening of memory rising. Check out this great video showing how mission partners in Birmingham are living our value of Creativity along with the young people in their community.  We're hosting our third Book Reading Group looking at topics in the news.
This time we have chosen from the suggestions UE people sent in: 'The Tyranny of Merit: what's become of the common good?' by Michael Sandel. We'll be discussing over 5 sessions: Tuesdays 7.30pm - 8.45pm 22 February, 8 March, 29 March, 12 April, 3 May We have selected this particular book to get us thinking and discussing - is valuing merit always a good thing? What about luck, humility and consideration of the common good? We hope it aligns with the values of Urban Expression too... we will see! Some of you may be familiar with Michael Sandel as The Public Philosopher (Radio 4), gathering people from across the world (virtually) to discuss challenging ethical issues. He has a calm and considered manner which holds space for differing views to be heard peacefully. No charge to join in but please sign up through TicketTailor to get the zoom link. We look forward to seeing you!  2022 is the 25th anniversary of Urban Expression and we plan to celebrate!
Throughout 2022 we also want to take the opportunity to look ahead to the coming years, the ongoing stories and the next chapter for Urban Expression - sharing ideas and hopes and inviting others to join the journey. |
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November 2023
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