Soul Purpose

Soul Purpose 2006

2011-06-15T13:47:00.003Z

From the archives!

Soul Purpose Day 2

2011-06-03T08:07:00.002Z

Richard Taylor coming to Shrewsbury

2011-06-01T18:09:00.000Z

This is what we have to look forward to on Friday!

Soul Purpose Day 1

2011-06-01T07:20:00.002Z

Time to get cracking

2011-04-27T08:46:00.000Z

Hi everyone
It's been a long time but just wanted to urge everyone to get signed up, get your mates signed up, get your dog signed up, your dad signed up (should dad be in front of the dog?), your mates dad signed up and your mates dads dog.

Basically, we've got alleys to clear, gardens to clear (including one absolute belter), fun days to run, invitations to hand out, pet shows to judge, bouncy castles and playstations, magicians to watch and pigs to eat (if that's your thing).

Toilets have been ordered (you'll be pleased to know), T-shirts, radios, generators, strimmers, BBQs and buses.

We have leaders, associate leaders and helpers, we have cash from before the cuts. We have speaker and worship leaders, we have stories to change the world (our theme), we have everything but we don't have you or probably your mates.

This is my last Soul Purpose and I'd love to go out with a bang, on a real record breaking high. So do me a favour and get signed up, today!

Delegate sign up forms - 2011

2011-04-14T14:04:00.000Z

Delegate Sign Up Sheet 2011

Small Team Leader forms - 2011

2011-04-14T14:03:00.001Z

Small Team Leader Sign Up 11

Assistant Leader Sign up form - 2011

2011-04-14T14:02:00.000Z

Assistant Leader sign up sheet

Soul Purpose 2011 Helper Sign Up form

2011-04-14T14:01:00.000Z

Helper Sign Up 2011

Soul Purpose Christmas consent form

2010-12-21T12:59:00.002Z

Christmas Consent Form

Matt Broomfield's talk from SP Launch

2010-03-16T17:07:00.001Z

For some reason the audio guys didn't manage to get Esther's excellent talk recorded properly, so you'll just have to make do with Matt's

Word from Soul Purpose Launch

2010-03-16T16:49:00.002Z

It's a while since the launch but I've finally got around to uploading some of the files. Here's the word Lucinda shared at the launch

and this is the Bible passage

Thank you for a Wonderful Christmas

2010-01-05T17:07:00.000Z

This was a letter sent to the Shropshire Star last week:

"An invitation was given to the Ditherington Darby & Joan club for anyone who was going to be on their own on Christmas Day to join with others for lunch at Sundorne School.
Churches had grouped to arrange the day and what a fantastic time was had. An excellent turkey dinner was cooked and served to about 100 people followed by a choice of sweets and tea or coffee. Santa paid a visit and I have to say I have never seen a more energetic Santa.
Each of us went home with a beautiful gift after singing carols with great gusto. The amount of young people serving and helping was a pleasure to see.
Thank you all.

Val Davey
Shrewsbury"

Good eh?

The reward of kindness

2009-12-30T15:06:00.000Z

I received a letter today as a thank you for Soul Purpose Christmas. It's ample reward for a day I thoroughly enjoyed. Here it is:

"I felt I wanted to write and say many thanks to you and Soul Purpose and to other kind friends who helped to arrange such a Happy Christmas Day.
I've had ninety-six Christmas' and the one Soul Purpose invited me to was one of the best I wasn't looking forward this year to Christmas without my dear husband but you helped to take some of the sadness away.
I thank you all for giving me a happy joyful time to share with others and for the hard work and hours of preparation to give so many lonely folk such a great time.

A Happy New Year to you all.

God Bless"

I nearly cried.

What is Soul Purpose?

2009-11-04T14:53:00.000Z

Because I'm not very organised I tend to have about a dozen notebooks and notepads that I write in, because I can't find the previous one when I need it. So I have notes all over the place. Today I cam across these scribblings about Soul Purpose and thought I'd share them with you:

"What is SP? It's an opportunity for young people to be involved in social action in Shrewsbury. It's for the transformation of communities and individuals with the Gospel. It should spread across Shrewsbury > ongoing, creative, dynamic

- It's not "for me" but "with me" help
- It's about hopelessness to hope
- Dark to light
- Chaos to order"

You'll have to excuse the next bit because there's quite a bit of jargon but I like it...

"To build a sense of community and see a shift in mindsets.
To have cross-generational engagement (jargon that means adults and young people!)
Challenges perceptions of the church through the active involvement of church in the community.
Impacting families and individuals."

Sounds OK to me, but what would you add?

Soul Purpose Christmas 2009: Sign up

2009-11-03T11:19:00.002Z

Christmas Sign Up Sheet 09

Soul Purpose 2009: The Video

2009-09-16T08:46:00.001Z

Thank you

2009-07-03T13:31:00.001Z

This letter was published in the Shropshire Star.

"On behalf of all the people at Harlescott Grange, Shrewsbury, I would like to thank all the young people who gave up their Spring Bank Holiday weekend to serve the community here (also at Sundorne and Ditherington).

We admired the way that these young people worked so hard, worked together and so enthusiastically. Their thought and commitment, dedication and love for all the people from the youngest to the oldest, from the most able to the most needy, was wonderfully evident. Something of their Christian teaching and faith being worked out in practice was evident to all.

In this area they cleared Senior Citizens' gardens, led youth drop-ins, organised a Family Fun Day, painted church toilets, cleared graffiti and put PVA glue on a mural, hosted a Hog roast evening, cut grass from front & back garden of a severely disabled lady, cleared a huge amount of blackthorn and other rubbish from a local school and picked up litter and delivered leaflets to a thousand homes.

So much goodwill was generated through their endeavours. In a day when young people often get a bad press, it was thrilling to see another side that does not often hit the headlines. We probably saw around 50 of the 100 young people that were involved during that time. We are sure that the other areas were equally thankful for all that was accomplished.

Thank you too for the leaders of this movement, called 'Soul Purpose' and for the investment of time and energy and sacrificial love that you all gave to this project again. Thank you to the 15 sponsoring church youth groups that were represented.

We believe that much good was accomplished through your endeavours and we trust that many barriers will have come down and many bridges built into our communities through the endeavours of these young people and their enthusiastic efforts.

Roy Whittall, 13, York Road, Harlescott Grange, Shrewsbury, SY! 3RD

Tel. Shrewsbury 462581."

TEENS CONTRIBUTE £300 MILLION A YEAR TO SOCIETY

2009-06-30T10:26:00.001Z

I read this recently and obviously Soul Purpose is good evidence!

Faith is a significant motivation for voluntary work, says Evangelical Alliance report

Teenagers in England are contributing £300 million each year to the economy, through voluntary work and donations to charity, a report by the Evangelical Alliance has found.

Young People Matter, the report released today with a foreword from HRH The Prince of Wales, surveyed over seven hundred 14-18 year olds and found that 45 percent of young people volunteer at least once a month and 80 percent donate money to charity each month.

Young people who volunteer give on average 3.57 hours a month. When projected across England this is the equivalent of 33,000 full time workers and £210 million a year at minimum wage. According to the report, young people also donate approximately £110 million to charity each year.

Almost 40 percent of the voluntary work carried out by young people takes place through churches or religious organisations and 10 percent of those who declared themselves non-religious still volunteer through a religious organisation.

The report also found that the more active the young person is as a Christian, the more likely they are to volunteer. In the foreword for the report, HRH The Prince of Wales said: “I am deeply impressed by their efforts and these deserve to be recognised more widely,” concluding, “I sincerely hope that young people themselves will be inspired by the findings of this report. He continued: “What is striking, as the report highlights, is the way in which personal faith and religious organisations encourage young people to volunteer.”

Nicole May, 17, from Manchester, serves on the panel of the Manchester City Council Youth Opportunity Fund, which gives young people the chance to engage in positive activities. As part of her role, Nicole helps set up grant criteria, reviews grant applications, trains new panel members and visits beneficiaries. “My youth worker asked me if I wanted to volunteer, and I decided I wanted to give something back to the community, rather than just sitting at home watching TV,” she said. “I am a Christian, and my faith motivates me to volunteer. I am also from the Afro-Caribbean community, and since a lot of young black people get bad press, I wanted to highlight the positive things happening in the community and dispel some of the negative connotations.”

The Alliance’s General Director, Steve Clifford, said: “These results demonstrate what I have seen and known for years; that young people, contrary to the stereotypes, make a massive positive difference in our communities. Far too often they are branded as hoodies or gang members when the real statistics tell a very different story. “I hope this acknowledgement of how many 14-18 year olds are motivated to volunteer by their faith will mean that schools and Government will work with faith groups to encourage this selfless giving.”

The most common reasons for volunteering were wanting to help people (53 percent) and wanting to contribute something to society (43 percent). The most common factors hindering volunteering were lack of time (54 percent) and too much school work (52 percent). 41 percent said that gaining a recognised qualification would encourage them to volunteer.

More Soul Purpose pictures

2009-05-27T14:29:00.001Z

Some from Mark Hughes on Facebook

Mr Tumnus on Soul Purpose

2009-05-27T14:28:00.001Z

No really, Mr Tumnus. Read this

Soul Purpose 2009

2009-05-27T14:26:00.001Z

I dreamed a dream

2009-05-25T16:23:00.010Z

Phil Whittall on Romans 12:2

Sex and Shopping

2009-05-24T16:32:00.004Z

Rev Mark Salmon on Romans 12:2 - transformed and renewed

Living Sacrifice

2009-05-23T17:47:00.012Z

Elise Fletcher on Romans 12:1

What could happen?

2009-05-18T23:23:00.000Z

OK - so there 5 days before we get together, 5 days before we serve together, 5 days before we worship together, 5 days before we work together. In 5 days time we will clean streets, paint murals, play football with local children, paint faces, bless parents, sort gardens and footpaths. In 5 days time Soul Purpose 2009 will begin.

But what will happen between now and then? I hope this email will stir you ALL to do at least one thing. Pray. What could happen if hundreds of people called on the Father to bless this weekend, what could happen if hundreds of us asked all the Christians in our facebook friends to join us in praying, what could happen?

You can pray for good weather, you can pray for safety, you can pray for fun, you can pray for practical stuff. Please do.

OR/AND you can pray for God given conversations that change lives, for 'chance' meetings which only God could organise, for the kingdom to advance, for the world to change in one person's life, for love to come to north Shrewsbury. You could pray that.

Dear Soul servants, it's time to get on our knees.

Small Team Leader Application Form

2009-03-27T00:19:00.001Z

Small Team Leader Sign Up 09

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Business & Legal leadership team

Soul Purpose Helper Form

2009-03-27T00:18:00.002Z

Helper Sign Up 2009

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Business & Legal service sales

Delegate Application Forms

2009-03-27T00:18:00.001Z

Delegate Application 1

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Business & Legal conference computing

Delegate Application 2

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Business & Legal conference computing

Associate Leader Application Form

2009-03-27T00:17:00.001Z

Associate Leader Application 1

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Business & Legal oracle conference

Associate Leader Application 2

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Business & Legal oracle conference

All the forms you need

2009-03-26T09:13:00.003Z

Click on the appropriate link, print it off - fill it in, send it back. Make sure you've got both forms if you see a 1 and 2!!

Delegate Application Form 1
Delegate Application Form 2
Small Team Leader Application Form
Associate Leader Application 1
Associate Leader Application 2
Helper Application Form

Soul Purpose Launch

2009-02-03T23:42:00.000Z

Here are the talks from Sunday night's launch.

I thought Rachel and Tom did well, what did you think?

Feedback needed

2009-01-28T09:23:00.001Z

We'd like to get some feedback on Soul Purpose Christmas so we can let people know who very kindly supported it - so if you took part in anything pre-event or on the day, please leave a comment on the blog so we can get some thoughts together. Thanks very much.

The Baby Jesus Among Neighbors in Need

2008-12-30T12:30:00.001Z

This article by Will Willimon may have been written for Methodists in Alabama but I think it captures pretty well what Soul Purpose Christmas was all about

SP Christmas dinner

2008-12-28T17:32:00.001Z

SP Christmas dinner
Originally uploaded by Sundornvic

A little bit of live action for you - all pics and videos courtesy of the Rev Salmon. Thanks Mark!

Even enjoying the washing up!

2008-12-28T17:30:00.001Z

Even enjoying the washing up!
Originally uploaded by Sundornvic

I love the fact that we all can be servants

Christmas dinner for 100+

2008-12-28T17:29:00.001Z

Christmas dinner for 100+
Originally uploaded by Sundornvic

Some pics of Soul Purpose Christmas

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (25th)

2008-12-25T11:45:00.000Z

For everything on the day to be fun and for those staying till the end clearing up that even that will be done well and with good humour!

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (24th)

2008-12-24T11:44:00.001Z

Ask God that everyone who intends to come will be able to make it on the day and not be worried

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (23rd)

2008-12-23T11:40:00.000Z

Today a team will be decorating the hall, ask God that this will be fun for all

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (22nd)

2008-12-22T11:39:00.000Z

Please pray that the event speaks to people about the love of Jesus

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (21st)

2008-12-21T11:38:00.000Z

We will give going home bags to each guest, please ask God that they will speak to our guests about the real meaning of Christmas

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (20th)

2008-12-20T11:38:00.000Z

Please pray for the cooking teams, especially Steve Clarkson and Angela Robinson

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (19th)

2008-12-19T11:35:00.000Z

Please pray that on the day guests and delegates will mix and mingle well from the start and good relationships built

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (18th)

2008-12-18T11:35:00.000Z

There will be early preparation of food and vegetables, ask God to be with those serving in this way

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (17th)

2008-12-17T11:34:00.000Z

There will be lots of equipment in use, please pray that everything works - all the time!

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (16th)

2008-12-16T11:33:00.000Z

Please pray for the older children that this will be a special Christmas day and for the team who will be serving them

Good news spreads

2008-12-15T12:09:00.002Z

So today I get a call from a lady called Sam who works at the hospital and gets business to give gifts to her patients who are in hospital over Christmas (good stuff), and anyway somehow she heard about us and wants to give the surplus to Soul Purpose Christmas. Fantastic.

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (15th)

2008-12-15T11:23:00.000Z

There will also be a toddler team, please pray that this will be lots of fun and for energy for the team

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (14th)

2008-12-14T11:22:00.000Z

We will be providing a creche, please pray that all the little ones will settle and for those looking after them

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (13th)

2008-12-13T11:21:00.000Z

Pray for safety for everyone involved

This is Christmas

2008-12-12T15:37:00.000Z

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (12th)

2008-12-12T11:20:00.000Z

Thanks God for all the delegates and families taking part on Christmas Day

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (11th)

2008-12-11T11:20:00.000Z

Please ask God for any publicity of the event to be positive and honouring to Jesus

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (10th)

2008-12-10T11:19:00.001Z

Please pray for the steering group (Si, Fi, Mark, Martin, Verity and Phil) to maintain energy and get everything organised

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (9th)

2008-12-09T11:18:00.000Z

There are decorations to make and presents to wrap, pray that this will be a fun time for those taking part

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (8th)

2008-12-08T11:17:00.000Z

People will be preparing food in advance, ask God that they will be blessed in their work

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (7th)

2008-12-07T11:16:00.000Z

Thank God for all those involved in whatever way, large and small and pray that being involved would be a great blessing to each one

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (6th)

2008-12-06T11:16:00.000Z

Thank God for the provision of finances so far and that the whole event would be funded

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (5th)

2008-12-05T11:15:00.000Z

We're asking supermarkets for donations and support. Please pray for favour and a generous response from them

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (4th)

2008-12-04T11:14:00.000Z

It would be great to have a good age range of guests - children to seniors. Please pray for this

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (3rd)

2008-12-03T11:03:00.000Z

Ask God for good contacts and favour with Social Services and other organisations

Prayer for Soul Purpose Christmas (2nd)

2008-12-02T09:58:00.000Z

2nd Please pray that those guests would reply in good time

Soul Purpose Christmas Launch

2008-10-08T08:57:00.003Z

So the launch was great, and the interest shown has been amazing. Really encouraged by the way so many people are backing our crazy ideas. We're on the hunt now for a massive turkey...or perhaps just one pig like this would be enough...

Ed and Becky, what stars

2008-09-10T17:04:00.002Z

I found this video from a while ago...

Soul Purpose Christmas

2008-06-09T22:51:00.003Z

I get the feeling God is speaking to me about Soul Purpose Christmas. I'm reading a book from Lent 2006, so not Christmas at all. Here's what I've read:

"Let's return for a moment to Christmas giving. I described it earlier as a feast of mutual delight in exchange of gifts within the circle of family or friends. But there is something very one-sided about celebrating Christmas only by ritually enacting a community of joyous giving and receiving. Though such a loving community is an earthly good on par with any other, in a world of massive and unrelenting need, it's positively sinful for such communities to remain turned inward. The gifts should not just circulate within the community to delight its members. They should also flow to outsiders to alleviate their needs...

...It [Christmas] should be a feast of giving to those outside the circle, a small contribution helping to align the world of sin and need with the coming world of love...Gifts should therefore chiefly flow out to the needy; they shouldn't largely circulate among friends." (emphasis mine)

From Miroslav Volf's 'Free of Charge' p 73-75

More pictures

2008-06-05T08:51:00.001Z

Updated the photo album - see links to the right. Thanks to the Rev Salmon for those!

Soul Purpose Monday Worship

2008-06-04T14:15:00.004Z

This was the recording from BBC Radio Shropshire's recording of our Monday morning worship. It's well edited from over an hour to 23 minutes. It's first up, listen here (you'll need the BBC iPlayer)

How Christians live....

2008-05-29T09:00:00.001Z

"It is the Christians, O Emperor, who have sought and found the truth, for they acknowledge God. They do not keep for themselves the goods entrusted to them. They do not covet what belongs to others. They show love to their neighbours. They do not do to another what they would not wish to have done to themselves. They speak gently to those who oppress them, and in this way they make them their friends. It has become their passion to do good to their enemies. They live in the awareness of their smallness. Every one of them who has anything gives ungrudgingly to the one who has nothing. If they see a travelling stranger, they bring him under their roof. They rejoice over him as over a real brother, for they do not call one another brothers after the flesh, but they know they are brothers in the Spirit and in God. If they hear that one of them is imprisoned or oppressed for the sake of Christ, they take care of all his needs. If possible they set him free. If anyone among them is poor or comes into want while they themselves have nothing to spare, they fast two or three days for him. In this way they can supply any poor man with the food he needs. This, O Emperor, is the rule of life of the Christians, and this is their manner of life."

- Aristides 137 AD, taken from Jesus for President, by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haws, p232

Soul Purpose Christmas

2008-05-28T13:14:00.002Z

During Soul Purpose Sunday, we floated an idea to host a big Christmas Day bash and invite people who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day to come along. So far the idea has met with positive response. Today in the book I'm reading, I read this:

"Every culture has particular ways of eating. Some folks eat with chopsticks: others sit on the floor. In India we ate with our right hands. How do Christians eat? Christians eat with poor folks, with the outcast, the marginalized, and the excluded - all who were never invited to anyone else's party."

From 'Jesus for President' by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haws, p241

Soul Purpose: Day 3

2008-05-27T15:34:00.003Z

Confession: This is written the afternoon following the morning after the night before....

Soul Purpose has finished for a...I was about to write another year, but as Soul Purpose Christmas may yet happen I should be careful. The morning worship was recorded by BBC Radio Shropshire (I'll add the link when it's on the net) and led by Verity Lowe and Fi Iddon. Maggie Kelly spoke clearly and thoughtfully on sharing hope with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

The weather was much better than on Day2 and the afternoon projects went down a storm, more gardens cleared, more rubbish removed, more fun days and drop ins held, and the gross things discovered was 'only' a fridge full of mouldy chips and some mossy girls pants.

The evening was incredible, including the 110 delegates and the 50 or so helpers and leaders, there were over 400 people at the Church of the Holy Spirit! It was packed with so many families having a really good time, the atmosphere was great and there were 50-60 young people outside having a crazy game of football and hanging around chatting and chilling out.

It was spoilt somewhat at the end by a group of young people refusing to move on from the church grounds and then going to a near car pack and vandalising the car of one our helpers. Windscreen smashed and damaged. It was great to then 'pray for those who persecute you'.

It was humbling to receive along with the rest of the steering group a standing ovation from 100+ young people who we admire and respect SO highly. We were speechless.

So, there were some challenges and there are some things to think about it and learn and improve on for next year, as I guess there always will be. But so far the verdict seems clear: This was the best Soul Purpose ever!

Soul Purpose: Day 2

2008-05-25T22:21:00.002Z

Perhaps 11.21pm is not the best time to write a brief account of the day, but what a day. I've already posted Joel Preston's outstanding talk from this morning on this blog, the service was great. Gareth LeLong-McKean and band led us in worship well, Joel spoke compellingly, we were ready for the afternoon.

The weather was pretty poor all day, with constant rain but every team was impeccable in their attitude and approach. They worked hard, made great progress in their projects and continued to have an impact on a watching community. Conversations with old school friends, thank you cards, another great teenage drop in, gross things found (and kissed Mick Claes!). It never ceases to amaze me how resilient the spirit is when you know you're doing the right thing.

However that spirit was tested in the evening, it was disruptive - but we ploughed on. It was a learning experience but the amazing thing was, that God moved and we'll see what happens tomorrow as the dust settles and we hear all that has happened, but it seems some lives were impacted by what was heard and that was what it was all about.

Roll on Day 3...

Overflowing with hope

2008-05-25T16:41:00.005Z

This is a great talk by Joel Preston at this morning's Soul Purpose Sunday

Soul Purpose - Day 1

2008-05-24T22:40:00.003Z

Well Day 1 of Soul Purpose is quite literally over. There are always things, you think you can do better but on the whole it was a great day. We had the largest number of delegates (110 young people), and a team of over 50 leaders and helpers. The fun day was possibly our biggest ever with around 250 members of the local community coming - plus an RAF helicopter (I'll add images as soon as I can) and owls and pet shows. 30 teenagers at the first drop in and loads (hard to count) at the family disco. As an annual event it just keeps growing.

We were the best organised we'd ever been and the worship this morning was passionate and the teaching serious and clear.

Down at Ditherington and at Harlescott Grange the teams continued to amaze with their hard work as garden after garden was transformed. People were continually coming to ask me if we could help with those. It seems that in one small area of life, (sorting gardens) people are turning to the Church first. One day that will not be the extent of it - but in relationships, parenting, debt and most importantly direction of life now and eternally. Just great.

Tomorrow is gathered worship at NSCC, projects, the Try the Polish gig and I'm giving a short Gospel talk. Should be exciting.

SP08

Seeing lives changed

2008-05-21T22:41:00.002Z

Last Sunday, across 21 churches in the West Midlands over 80 people made the decision to get right with God and follow Jesus. 80. Not in China, or Africa or America but here. In my own church, a guy who'd only been to our church for the first time the previous week gave His life to Christ. I asked him, 'how do you feel?' - 'I feel new!' That's exciting. So exciting that the angels started celebrating and haven't stopped yet. Just think, this coming Sunday night - it could be your friend that gives the angels a reason to party. It could be your friend who has their eternal destiny changed, who will never be the same again, who could be made new. Don't be afraid, instead be bold, (if you're looking for inspiration read the prayer of the believers in Acts 4:23-31) and see what God will do.

Do good works...

2008-05-15T21:56:00.005Z

I don't believe you get to heaven by doing good works, but I also don't believe we can know how to live on earth without them. God saves us by His grace and then calls us to work for His kingdom.

Soul Purpose is a brilliant, God given opportunity to put our faith into action. This afternoon I was out assessing some of the core projects and so this year we get to:

Create a better garden for 2 year old Melissa who has Downs Syndrome, who feeds through a tube into a stomach and has to see a heart specialist regularly but who is a real bundle of mischief and joy
Help an elderly couple (Mr & Mrs Glover) return their garden to the 'English country garden' you can see it used to be. Mr Glover is recovering from a stroke and Mrs Glover just can't manage the work
Give Julie (in a wheelchair) a new looking hallway, full of light and freshly painted
Help Tom, who has Parkinsons, and his wife Pam sort out their back yard and get rid of the stuff he can no longer use or lift
Help Margaret, who suffers with arthritis, recover the jungle of her garden from the invading waist high army of nettles
Help a small church redecorate their hall for the children and young people they serve
Create afternoons of laughter and fun for families that need a bright spot in their bank holiday weekend
Remove litter that degrades the community and insults the Creator
Turn wilderness into places of beauty

That's not simply a great weekend, that's hope bringing, that's action that is filled with the potential of being eternally significant. That's a God glorifying mix of worship, prayer, mission and action that for a short while demonstrates the beauty and power and hope that is only found in the church. Can't wait, can you?

Teenage affluenza is spreading fast.

2008-04-26T18:42:00.001Z

Don't become a victim! Save yourself now...

Letter to the SPers

2008-04-24T14:11:00.001Z

Greetings Potential SPers
I have been unbelievably bad at getting these Soul Purpose emails out so apologies. However everyone else has been unbelievably bad at getting signed up so I'm owed like, you know like, a thousand apologies from you all.

It's slightly shocking to realise that Soul Purpose starts in just 30 days time!! So get signed up, like YESTERDAY! Seriously now, in case you haven't quite caught on to my point and some of you are a little bit slower on the uptake than Simon Iddon is to do any real work, but really GET SIGNED UP. The capitals is like shouting, just to make my point.

We have some great projects coming on board for everyone to tackle including all the usual fun stuff of fun days, street cafes, litter picking, BBQs, gardening, teenage drop ins, and transforming our urban landscape (that's painting murals)! Oh yes plus pumping your bows, painting your faces, dancing till your legs fall off, eating a lot, walking around in the prized possession that is the SP08 T-shirt, making new mates from other churches. And there's more - awesome worship, inspiring teaching and life changing prayer. Why would you be anywhere else?

Here are some key things you need to know and some things you need to do:

SIGN up. (I'm a bit shouty today, sorry)
May 2nd there's prayer for Soul Purpose and the Noise in Bayston Hill at HTMB - get along to it on the Friday night. Find Corinne Ashton on Facebook and ask her for more info. So Pray. Please. Lots.

Here's another thing to pray about - on the Sunday night by popular demand TTP are doing another gig since the awesome night last year. We're also going to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. So if you have a friend you'd like to hear this amazing news, that is an amazing opportunity. We'd really love it if there was loads of non-Christian young people there from all over Shrewsbury because we believe there will fewer by the end of the night. That's not because we're going to do anything nasty to them but because we believe they'll want to follow Jesus by the time they leave. How awesome would that be?!
So be bold, take your fear in both hands and shove it in a bag , then go out and invite your mates. Here's the deal, free food, great music, two different but equally relevant stories of the difference Jesus makes and then a short talk on 'why you're a fool not to follow Jesus' or some other catchy title that I haven't thought of yet. In my own church we're seeing people give their lives to Christ this year more than ever and it's so great. Do not miss this chance - invite your friends.

Sign UP. (Say it with me now, quiet 'sign' really loud 'UP'. Oh yeah.)

Pass this email on to everyone you know, plaster it all over the place. Hassle your church leaders to pray for it and support it.

We want this year to be bigger, bolder, brighter (well not the T-shirts they're still Black, White or Grey) and better than ever. It quite honestly won't be the same without you. Let's bust a 100 and make it a weekend with effects that will last eternity.

See you there
Phil

Small steps to a different life

2008-03-23T17:29:00.003Z

Just wanted to update people - in my last post I mentioned Julie and how much meeting her impacted me. Well last night, our church had a Bingo and chips night (brilliantly attended with over 100 there) and Julie was among them, with her daughter and grandson. One of the members of our church volunteered to be put on her car insurance and came, picked them up and took them to the event. It was just good for her to be out and doing something normal. It wasn't a huge thing, no miracles, just ordinary people doing ordinary things and including those who for whatever reason would otherwise have been excluded. Who knows where it will end? I hope it will lead to changed lives...

The need for hope bringers is still there

2008-03-07T11:51:00.002Z

On Tuesday I went down to Ditherington to take part in the Council organised Pride in Shrewsbury initiative. They had organised a litter pick and rubbish removal day and I decided to tag along and see how the families we had helped during the last Soul Purpose were getting on. Some are doing, some gardens are still clear and show signs of being cared for, others are back to the state they were in - that's quite depressing.

But I had my heart-broken, as I met Julie again. For the last two years we have Julie by doing some work in her garden. We'll definitely make it three in a row. Julie is in a wheelchair having had both legs and one arm amputated. Before I say anything else, that is more suffering and pain than I can comprehend. Her husband Mike made appearances on the last two Soul Purpose DVDs saying how much he appreciated our help. Mike was diagnosed with cancer last May just before the last Soul Purpose. Mike died in October. Julie has a car outside which can take her wheelchair but she has no-one to drive it. The only place she gets to go out to, is the hospital. Think about that.

So, I'm going to give Julie a copy of the Soul Purpose DVD because her husband is on it and it's a good memory. We're going to help Julie, decorate her hall, tidy up her garden and we're going to drive her to the evening events (if she feels able to come) so she can be out.

I don't know of any organisation on earth other than the church of Jesus Christ that can offer hope to Julie and others like her, but if we do nothing nothing will change. Jesus said the banquet of the kingdom of God is open to the crippled and the lame, they are not excluded they are invited but it is the task of the disciples of Jesus to go out into the highways and byways and find those who are excluded and invite them to the banquet of the King.

Sneak Preview of SP08 Theme

2007-12-31T13:41:00.000Z

For the few readers of this blog, I've decided to give you the distinct advantage of knowing the theme for SP08 in advance. Growing excitement is what we're looking for...

Anyway the theme is: "A Faith worth sharing"

I'm already looking forward to it....

Launch Night

2007-11-12T17:27:00.001Z

Hi guys,
Just so you know - we have a date for the launch service for SP08. And it is Sunday February 24th

More soon

Soul Purpose in Pillar

2007-09-25T16:15:00.000Z

News of Soul Purpose reached the homes of every Severnside tenant with the Autumn issue of their Pillar magazine. Click here to see it for yourself, it's on page 7 and you need Adobe Acrobat to see it.

Are you in the picture? Do you know who is? The leaders are Emma Whittall and Liz Davies but who are the others?

Another Thank You!

2007-08-16T10:00:00.000Z

I've been meaning to type this up for ages so finally here we go:

"Thank you so very much for doing such a WONDERFUL JOB of the gardens, Julie is so very pleased with her shrubs and would have loved to have wrote herself she thanks you from the bottom of her heart.

I would also like to thank you all as I know how hard you and all the young people have worked. I hope that I can keep it up and looking nice. I am down for a smaller place but it might take a while.

It's great to know that a lot of younger people do good work. Theres not enough praise for all they do, we only hear the bad. Thank you all once again and wish them all well in what they choose to do in life.

Yours faithfully

M Edwards and Julie Davis"

2007-06-30T11:17:00.000Z

Dearest Soul Purpose Dudes,

We, the Soul Purpose organising committee bods, would like to invite you to an event like no other. The place is the Church of the Holy Spirit, the date is the 7^th July (next Saturday), the time (8-10pm).

Between now and then you may need to ensure you spend long periods of time in a darkened room having a lie down in an attempt to contain your excitement. You may need to warn family and neighbours in case you start jumping and shouting uncontrollably at the sheer wonder of it all. After all this could be your ONLY chance this year to throw Simon Iddon into a swimming pool. He has been found guilty of many serious crimes, here are just a few of them

Slander - I never touched his porpoise. Lies all lies

Cruelty - how many times did he get me to the front and then made me sit down again? Too many

Bad jokes - Soul Purpoise? Please...

Poor fashion sense - no further comment needed

And if that isn't reason enough, there is almost no other time other than next Saturday than to reward him for becoming Assistant Head at Meole Brace School than by giving him a really good dunking. If you go to Meole Brace School, he's the Assistant Head, brilliant. If you don't go to Meole, he does so equally brilliant. It's a win whichever way you look at it. I mean how many more reasons do you need? Even Fi thinks we should dunk him and as Simon doesn't know what he's doing unless Fi tells him (he said that himself remember) then a dunking it is.

If that wasn't reason enough (and it really should be) then there will also be the premiere (we hope) of the SP07 DVD, a BBQ and a chance to worship God together and thank Him for yet another amazing weekend.

So please bring yourself, your appetite, your enthusiasm and possibly a towel - this could get messy. Well for Mr Iddon anyway. Don't miss it, next to Soul Purpose itself, this could be the highlight of the year.

See you there

Phil

Can you do the 7th July?

2007-06-20T09:43:00.001Z

We're trying to sort a date for the SP07 BBQ and DVD premiere. Who can do the 7th July?

This photo is nicked from Facebook

2007-06-07T22:09:00.001Z

2007-06-03T20:37:00.000Z

THE SOUL PORPOISE.

A sad story of a little girl's toy, viciously stolen by an evil, twisted genius and hidden away. Tears are cried at bedtime and mean old Phil has the porpoise and will, I know, hold it for ransom. If any of you can help - please do!!!

Letter of Thanks

2007-06-02T19:33:00.000Z

Mark Salmon received this letter of thanks:

"On behalf of Rose at Moston Green, I am writing to thank you and members of Soul Purpose for all the hard work that you put into tidying her garden and the surrounding area last weekend. I know that Rose was extremely grateful for the time that the young people were able to give - indeed, she couldn't speak highly enough of how helpful and how hard working they were.

Rose was beginning to get quite worried about the state of her garden. This has given her a real lift.

Our grateful thanks once again.

Trevor Thorold
Community Support Officer."

Soul purpose images

2007-06-02T19:28:00.000Z

This was from 113 Wingfield Close. Question is though, is that the famous lead singer of 'Try the Polish'?

Soul Purpose on Facebook

2007-05-31T22:28:00.000Z

If you're on facebook - find, sign up to and contribute to the Soul Purpose Facebook group! Keep the past inspiring the present

Soul Purpose Clip

2007-05-29T17:57:00.000Z

This is a clip from the 1st Soul Purpose as found on the BBC....click here

How was it for you?

2007-05-29T07:28:00.000Z

Faces have been painted, gardens have been dug, murals have been created and an alleyway has been cleared, songs have been sung - all this and more was Soul Purpose 2007.
So how was it for you? Ok, alright, not bad or something more? We want to hear from you, we'll be posting more stories and pictures in the next few days but we want your thoughts - so post a comment so all the world can see what you thought of SP07

It's a rubbish problem to have

2007-05-23T11:56:00.000Z

We have a problem and it's rubbish. No really, quite literally rubbish. All the skip companies are taking the weekend off and a small and very good natured bunch of some 100 young people
are taking the weekend on to clear up Ditherington. So how do you get rid of the rubbish? I have till Saturday to solve the problem...

Buckled bikes and alleyways

2007-05-17T21:29:00.000Z

So yesterday I went down to Wingfield Close to check out some potential project sites and I lock my bike up against a metal fence and off I go. I clamber up this overgrown, litter strewn dump of an alleyway that has been a dumping ground for years and ruined the back of people's gardens.

Then I have a conversation with a local man who shows me his garden (very nice) and he tells me how he no longer knows his neighbours, how the community spirit has disappeared and he's afraid to even ask people their name any more.

By the time I get back to my bike I understand a little of what he meant, the chain has been cut and my bike dumped over a fence buckling the back wheel. No point to it, just bored, meaningless vandalism, although I guess the lads that did it found it funny briefly.

I move on and visit some more residents who for a variety of reasons are struggling with the upkeep of their properties and gardens. You get a sense of how poverty (in its many varied forms) undermines people's ability and capacity to manage. There seems little point.

Well I'm not accepting that - not in my town. I don't accept that there should be families in one of England's prosperous county towns should be left to feel helpless and hopeless, if they do then the church is failing in its mission. Soul Purpose can make a difference in those homes and families lives and through a practical demonstration perhaps people can sense or feel just even for a moment that God loves them. Let's hope so.

Long live the Revolution

2007-05-16T09:27:00.000Z

Greetings Comrades

It’s been two weeks since my last communication when I set some pretty challenging targets of 70 people signed up for SP07 while I was away on holiday. It seems that I was too easy on you, too soft, not demanding or challenging enough as you waltzed through that target with 87 delegates plus small team leaders. I had planned on setting 100 as your next mission but it all seems too easy now….so with just 10 DAYS left can we get to 120? Can you round up, press gang, lasso, kidnap, arm twist, blackmail or otherwise persuade anyone not signed up to do so. If we can get to 120 perhaps we can get Simon Iddon to do something really silly (feel free to post ideas at http://soulpurposeshrewsbury.blogspot.com/) and that would be fun for everyone….the possibilities are well endless really.

So where are we at with everything else? Well halls have been booked, bouncy castles ordered, projects scouted, tools bought, and flyers printed which leads me cunningly to my next point. This Sunday, May the 20^th at 3pm from the Church of the Holy Spirit (drum roll please) well - we’re delivering the flyers to the whole area to tell them Soul Purpose is coming and we need your help. The more there are, the quicker the job gets done, simple as that. We’ve 5000 flyers to deliver but this is more than just a flyer through a letterbox this is 5000 homes to inform, tens of thousands of people to reach (who knows – the house you deliver to, could be a changed life forever) so please there won’t be anything better to do (even if it’s raining).

Speaking of which, lovely weather isn’t it? Nothing at all like the weather we experienced on holiday, in Cuba where it was boring and sunny every day. Cuba is an amazing place and is one of the very few communist countries left in the world. All over Cuba are banners and posters with slogans from the revolution, things like ‘Long live socialism’, ‘Defend the revolution’ and stuff like that. Anyway it made me see that Fidel Castro and Che Guevara and co were all motivated by a desire to help the poor, Che Guevara even said that it was his aim to ‘create a new man’, people who were motivated to help one another. That’s good and I agree with that but I think the best way of doing that is through showing the love of Jesus Christ to people in practical ways that they can understand like sorting their garden. I don’t know if you realised this but Soul Purpose is revolutionary, it wants to change society and remove injustice, it wants to encourage people to know and love their neighbour and to do it all with a smile on our face. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

So sign up, get your mates to sign up, come and deliver flyers and pray like crazy that everything falls into place and the sun shines all weekend because Soul Purpose is only 10 days away!

Long live the revolution

Phil

Soul Purpose Pics

2007-04-18T00:32:00.000Z

Soul Purpose

Soul Purpose 2007 is Coming

2007-04-18T00:04:00.000Z

Bonjour, Guten tag, Howdy, N'amahoro, Hello, Hey Y’All, Hola, Jó napot, Ohayo-sama

WHAAAAAAASSSSSSSSUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPP?*

Right now we’ve got the pleasantries out of the way lets get down to business. First things first – sorry that I’ve not sent out any emails before now, I’ve got lots of excuses but no good reasons. Here are some of my excuses

1) I’ve been trying to take over the world involving a series of cunning plans that are TOP SECRET and it’s kept me really busy

2) I’ve actually been on holiday for the last 9 months in space

3) The dog ate my homework (that one used to work in school – the excuse not the dog)

4) The Cricket World Cup has been so exciting I forgot all about Soul Purpose (May 26-28^th)

5) I’ve been busy doing this
I have more excuses but I know you’re all busy people. Anyway I’m sorry. Things will be different. Possibly. Possibly not, I am actually about to go on holiday so it will be different when I get back.

Still that gives you two weeks to accomplish the following simple tasks

1) Sign up for Soul Purpose 2007 (May 26-28^th). 30 or so have so far and we’re aiming to break the 100 barrier this year so get your mates signed up too. Can we get to 70 by the time I get back in two weeks?

2) Get your youth leaders signed up as small team leaders and your vicar/pastor/church leader/cult figure (delete as appropriate) to plug Soul Purpose on Sunday’s

3) Check for wrong and old email addresses on this email (this is why for the only time you can see everyone’s email address) and let me know new ones please? DO IT NOW!! No I mean it, really, now. I’m not joking. Now. You’ll forget otherwise and I’ll sulk and others will miss out. That’s a lose, lose, lose situation.

4) Pray that, like all the best A-Team plans – (you have seen the A-Team right?) That all the projects, finances, food, invitations and the thousand other things that need doing in the next 6 weeks get done. We’re excited but there’s a lot of work to be done.

5) Sign up for SP2007 (May 26-28^th)

This is the third year that Soul Purpose has taken to the streets of north Shrewsbury with deeds of kindness and love and this year we want to step up another gear. We’re stretching ourselves from Harlescott and increasing our presence in the Grange and Ditherington areas. There are 5 areas in Shrewsbury that are in the bottom 30% of the country (most deprived) 4 of them are in North Shrewsbury and we’ll be working in 3 of them (although not everywhere falls into that category). One of the areas is in the bottom 15% while most of the rest of Shrewsbury is in the top 30% in the country. We want to see more than 100 young people demonstrating the good news of the kingdom with free gifts of kindness, challenging ideas that the church has nothing left to offer, and that things can change for the better and that young people are leading the way. Our morning theme for this year is that we have a ‘God worth following’ – He really is. We believe He’s calling us to follow Him back on to the streets into the highways and byways of our town demonstrating love and compassion.

See you in May.

Adios Amigos

Phil

PS If you received this email in error please let me know and I’ll remove you from the list. We don’t give your email addresses away to third parties. We don’t sell them either. Make me an offer and see….

* For greetings in over 800 languages go here http://www.elite.net/~runner/jennifers/hello.htm