Regenerate

Churches in Reading have a greater sense of purposeful unity than ever before. This unity is a growing thing and where it will lead is not known. The name “Regenerate” has certainly been an important step along that way.

In Reading we have TWO ecumenical bodies! For years Churches Together has had Groups in different parts of Reading and Churches Together in Reading (CTR) as an umbrella body. More than half the churches belong formally and others join in events. More recently, Reading Christian Network (RCN) started. It invited everyone from all churches to its weekly minister’s prayer meetings, but eventually it became a mainly evangelical and Charismatic group. Membership of the two groups overlaps. CTR represented the widest range and number of churches which is important. On the other hand this width could limit fast decision making in some areas.  RCN’s sharper focus gave it strength and speed in some areas. Arguably, they complement each other.

At that time as Vice-Chair of CTR, I received an email from Adeyinka Oyekan of RCN saying that they were thinking of a mission to Reading. What was interesting is that they wanted all the streams of church life in Reading (including Roman Catholics!) to do evangelism in their own style. This sounded new. The aim became not so much to hold large rallies but for each local church to build appropriate forms of evangelism, and outreach, into the on going life of the church.

CTR then invited 12 ministers who represented all the main streams of church life in Reading to meet, eat, pray and talk about this. We had representatives from CTR, RCN and every denomination with more than one church in Reading. The Bishop of Reading, who is held in great respect by many non Anglicans, was present. This Group became “The Reference Group” which set policy and general direction. The name “Regenerate” was eventually chosen for this undertaking. We set up a “Core Group” to act as its executive.  This Core Group set up subgroups to organise particular areas, training, Worship, Resources exhibition, Joint Evangelistic events, Children’s event etc.

The plan was that 2006 would be a year of prayer, preparation and training. 2007 would be a year of prayer and action, when every local church was challenged to do at least one new thing in outreach and evangelism.

The year of training started with a Resources Exhibition with 40 stalls attended by 1400 people.  The Bishop of Reading ran an excellent course thinking about how our churches can evangelise. We ran the excellent “Lost For Words” course by CPAS. There were also courses on “Is Evangelism really Catholic?” and “Equipping The Church In A Spiritual Age”. Hundreds of people were trained. Back To Church Sunday was supported.

The year of action (2007) started with a service where 60 projects run by 40 churches were commissioned. These projects are the main thrust of Regenerate. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Portsmouth was the main speaker at this service. About 1,000 people were present.  On Good Friday we organised a march of witness through central Reading, with a dramatic mime in the High Street. Over 1,000 people took part and we were covered on TV and the local press (though Regenerate has yet to make the Door!). On Sunday 30th September there was a large Children’s event at the Hexagon. Teams went round local schools to advertise it. Rather embarrassingly the thousand tickets were all sold before all the schools could be visited. In November there will be a service of celebration and feedback on what has happened.

After this we will have to review where we are both in Reading and in each church. One step is, however, clear. The Reference Group will continue and allow itself if led to widen its brief to other forms of ministry. Also CTR have appointed Adeyinka Oyekan, a member of CTR and RCN, as a special Vice-Chair to keep in touch with RCN.

What we have found is that unity builds best round joint action, that it needs to give freedom and respect to churches that do things differently, and needs to be gracious to each other, relying on the grace of Christ.