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4. gap year ideas: urban shift
Time out in Salford, Manchester with Langworthy Community Church. Urban Shift is a 10 month internship programme committed to equipping you to be part of a church that can impact urban Britain!
***The next course is scheduled to begin in September 2012***
the basics...
"This is a time when the need for, and relevance of, the gospel has rarely been greater, but the relevance of the church has seldom been less. If ever there was a time for innovative missionary effort in the West, it is now"
(The Shaping of Things to Come, Frost/Hirsch)
are you passionate about seeing the church become all God wants it to be? Do you want to spend 10 months exploring what that could look like?
Urban Shift is a 10 month internship programme committed to equipping you to think outside the box about how the church can impact Britain, with an emphasis on urban areas.
Based with Langworthy Community Church, a church plant in inner-city Salford, Urban Shift is packed with dynamic teaching, practical discipleship, and life-changing mission experiences including an overseas mission trip.
who are we?
Langworthy Community Church started in 2004 with the aim of being a welcoming church for people living in Langworthy and the surrounding area who were interested in Jesus, but didn’t attend another church. Its origins go back to 1999 when EDEN Salford started, which was a partnership between The Message Trust and Mount Chapel Christian Fellowship.
Over a dozen volunteer workers moved into the Langworthy area to specifically work with young people and the local community. After several years of input into the community, it became clear that the time had come to launch a new style church plant, having a very strong missional community focus. Chris and Esther Lane returned from Watford to help lead the church, after spending two years working with Soul Survivor.
As a church community we want to be a positive influence for change in Langworthy, and to serve the area in whatever way we can, whether joining residents or events groups, working with young people at the LifeCentre (a youth facility), being local school governors, praying for the area, working with other church communities, doing clean-up projects etc. We want to help and encourage whatever looks like the ‘Kingdom of God’ – things promoting justice, peace, joy, community, serving the poor – this is what Jesus was (and is) all about.
Urban Shift will go further in exploring how God’s church can become all that He wants it to be for this generation, especially in urban areas. We would love you to come and get involved in the things that God is already building, helping us as church to demonstrate His love to people living in the city of Salford. It would be great to hang out with you, pointing you towards people and projects we believe in, to help you to grow in your dreams, skills and passions. How can we be followers of Jesus, reaching out to people who don’t know him, loving each other as we go along? Come and explore these questions with us!
the details...
If you're considering taking a year out up here in Salford, you might be wanting just a few more details.
We've guessed your top questions and concerns and given a few answers below.
Timescale...
10 months from September... the next course will begin in September 2012
Costs...
We ask that you pay £2500 to cover the cost of accommodation, bills, food, travel, teaching and the Mission Trip. We recommend you allow about £10- £15 spending money a week to cover your personal expenses.
Accommodation...
Accommodation will be with, or very near to, members of the church community and where possible you’ll be living with one other person from the programme.
what does urban shift involve?
Urban Shift will last for 10 months. The course will be a combination of teaching, community placements, church events and doing everyday life together.
There will also be an overseas mission trip.
The course is being organised by Beth Myring, Chris Lane and Andrew Lane, although the whole church community is taking a real interest in it. Beth and Andrew will act as course leaders and mentors, meeting up with you regularly to have a proper chat and pray on a one-to-one basis..
people:
Course Leaders...
Andrew Lane and Beth Myring
Andrew and his wife Natalie have been working for in Salford with young people for 10 years, and have a wide range of experience in youth and children’s work. Andrew was a key part of setting up and leading the Heat youth meetings in Salford, as well as the Eden Salford project, Kidz Klub and Langworthy Community Church.
Beth is a regular speaker at LCC, is involved in debt counselling and is an experienced youth leader. She works as a social worker in a mother and baby unit. Beth is married to Dave, loves Krispy Kreme doughnuts, and is generally a top woman. And she didn’t write this.
church leaders...
Chris and Esther Lane
Chris and Esther helped to start the Heat youth events, and were both part of the Heat band. They spent three years as part of the Eden Salford team before moving to Watford to work with Soul Survivor church and ministries. They returned to Salford in 2004 to plant LCC. Chris is a trustee and regular seminar speaker at the Soul Survivor festivals.
teaching...
There are a few things that we are really into and these will be central themes of the course.
1) Church: It’s God’s plan for blessing the world and drawing people to him. How can we create communities of people who love each other, wherever they are at in their journey with God? How can churches really love people who don’t know Jesus in a relevant and real way?
2) Justice: Jesus was always rooting for people who were suffering from injustice. In a world (and country) where the gap between rich and poor is growing, how can we really act on God’s words about wealth and poverty?
3) Theology: The Bible matters. How do we get to grips with it so it can impact our generation? As a church community we’re learning how to interpret and get into God’s word; we’d love you to join us in that.
community placements...
Langworthy Community Church run several different projects, and are involved in a lot of others that we can link you up with. We’d like to give you a good overview of what we’re doing when you first get here, and then allow you to really pursue the things you feel most passionate about. Some of the things you can get involved in are:
1) Kidz Klub: Run by volunteers from the church, Kidz Klub happens every Monday evening in term time and is for local children aged 6-11. As well as the Monday Klub, there's mid-week home visits to children and their families to develop and maintain contact with the whole family.
2) Life Centre: A youth centre in the heart of Langworthy
3) School’s work: Lessons, assemblies, lunch clubs in both Junior and High Schools
4) Work with Refugees/asylum seekers
5) Working with church communities in Salford and Manchester
6) Prisons work (to be confirmed)
7) Healing on the Streets: Praying for people on the streets of Salford
You will spend at least two days a week as part of these placements which are a really important part of the course.
mission...
We think that God cares passionately about people suffering from injustice, whether locally or in other places. That’s why we want to go and spend some time overseas on a mission trip, learning about God’s work in a completely different cultural context.
apply...
If the stuff you’ve read sounds exciting and you think God is talking to you about church in urban areas, then we’d love to hear from you.
Download the application form, fill it in and email/send it back to us. If you have any questions please get in touch on either of the numbers below.
download the application form...
If you're interested in being involved with Urban Shift the get in touch with Andrew Lane on the following details...
Phone: 07915 087753
Email: urbanshift@hotmail.co.uk
web: www.langworthycommunitychurch.com