‘SHINE YOUR LIGHT’ UNITES RECORD 1,500 CHURCHES IN SHOW OF UNITY OVER THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
OVER 1,500 churches – more than double the number in 2023, joined in the inter-denominational evangelistic initiative called Shine Your Light this Christmas season – taking carol services and other festive events onto the streets and shopping centres. Shine Your Light (SYL) organisers had hoped to increase last year’s total of 738 participating churches to 1,000, but with registrations still coming in, as of today (31st December) 1,711 churches took part – many working for the first time with other local churches to take the Christmas message outside church walls, and into their community. With their original goal of over 1-million people hearing the gospel smashed, stories are flooding in of churches from different denominations working together for the first time. In Blairgowrie, Perthshire in Scotland, the Episcopal Church worked for the first time in the history of both churches with the Assemblies of God Church. Morag who coordinated this event said: “For the first time in living memory, 85 Christians from seven churches gathered in The Wellmeadow – an open space in the centre of the town – to sing carols and follow the story of the nativity through seven Bible readings. Members of the public joined in, and gifts of Bible texts in rafia-bound mini-scrolls were eagerly accepted, along with free sweets. We returned to the church hall for hot drinks, mince pies, and fellowship. “The event was a powerful public statement of witness and brought together churches who do not regularly worship together – they included: the Church of Scotland; Catholic; Episcopal; Brethren; and Life Plus. Together, we proclaimed Christ as the focus of Christmas” In Wales, in Llangefni town centre, according to Jacqueline, “something extraordinary happened. The Welsh and English congregations got together from four of the different churches to sing carols, pray for the community and share the good news from the Shine Your Light carol booklet. This unity is not usual here! “The Town Council even allowed us to have power from the town clock – which powers all our town Christmas lights – and as the clock struck the first stroke of ‘11’, the power came into our sound system. There was a Christmas market on the same day. Many people stopped and joined in with a carol or two and listened to the prayers and readings as they passed by. As we sang ‘Silent Night’ a holy hush fell on the town centre, and the tangible presence of God was there. It was precious.” Across England, over 1,000 Shine Your Light events took place, including in workplaces, prisons as well as care homes. Amy, who attended a Shine Your Light in the Midlands reported: “There was a group of about 50 Christians from five local churches. It was encouraging as we haven’t worked together in outreach for quite a while. We sang, shared testimonies, read from the Bible, and prayed blessing over our community. Some people stopped and joined in. We were able to give out a number of programmes, to which we’d added a map and info about the churches taking part.” And at Bournemouth’s large Castlepoint Shopping Centre, Gabriel explained: “There were several choirs arranged to sing carols throughout the day, and also 700 bags of ‘Hope and Joy’ to be handed out to shoppers. “Just before the event, the shopping centre Authority raised concerns that the bag contents might be too ‘religious’ – a box of chocolates, a Christmas card including a Bible verse, a list of Bournemouth Christmas Church Services, and a booklet of Testimonies of people whose lives had been changed by Jesus. So, we prayed, and they agreed that we could go ahead – without taking anything out of the bags! “The event was originally planned for the week before but because of the storm forecast, the organisers thought it might have to be cancelled because of the stage needed for the choirs. So, it was postponed till December 14, Shine Your Light weekend. This meant a lot of late organisational changes because not all the people in the choirs were available on the revised date. An estimate that about 50 people were involved in running the event is conservative! “On the day, the Lord blessed us with good weather, and all 700 bags were handed out by about 1 pm – though the event was scheduled to finish at 4 pm. There were many meaningful conversations with shoppers, and some people were prayed for during the day. The following Monday, we received news that the shopping centre Authority would like us to do two Saturdays next December, not two!” This year’s unity was even recognised by Buckingham Palace. King Charles sent a letter of encouragement to the organisers expressing his pleasure in hearing about churches from different denominations coming together over Christmas. Whilst the focus of the four-nation evangelistic campaign was aimed at the weekend of 13-15 December, churches registered to use free evangelistic resources to help them spread the Christian message at any time in December. These included an 8-minute evangelistic talk by Dr Amy Orr-Ewing (adapted for local context), a professionally designed and printed Carol sheet for events, music backing tracks to accompany the carols, or a music score for each carol, and resources for churches to follow up contacts made at events. Pastor Jonathan Oloyede, Convenor of the National Day of Prayer & Worship said: “The Bible says ‘How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! In this year’s Shine Your Light, we’ve seen more than double the number of participating churches, and we’re hearing more and more stories of churches working together for the very first time in unity to reach their local communities. Shine Your Light has united believers on the essential truths of the gospel, though there will always be some aspects of church life and beliefs we may differ on. “There’s something very powerful when God’s people come together to pray and to witness to their local community. From it friendships are built, barriers are broken down, believers continue to gather for joint events, and over time, the Body of Christ is built up and together,
HIS MAJESTY KING CHATLES SENDS WARMEST WISHES TO 100,000 CHRISTIANS TAKING PART IN CAROL SINGING FLASH MOBS
PRESS RELEASE HIS MAJESTY KING CHARLES SENDS WARMEST WISHES TO 100,000 CHRISTIANS TAKING PART IN CAROL SINGING FLASH MOBS His Majesty sent his “warmest good wishes” to all who have gathered this weekend to come together to celebrate the “Shine Your Light Campaign”, a nationwide campaign which has seen and will see carol-singing flash mobs spring up across the UK and Ireland in the lead-up to Christmas, admiring the campaign’s “efforts to bring many Christian denominations together, and share in faith this festive period.” The letter from Buckingham Palace shared that The King was most touched to learn of the success of the event last year, and sent wishes for a Happy Christmas and a peaceful year ahead to all who attend this year. The Shine Your Light Campaign is gathering pace as Christmas fast approaches, with over 1100 events currently across the UK and Ireland having united 100,000 Christians to share the real meaning of Christmas with 1 million people through carol singing and nativity plays. The campaign has been backed by over 75 key Christian denominations and organisations and has been endorsed by representatives across the major political parties. Dr Jonathan Oloyede, Convenor of the National Day of Prayer and Worship which is spearheading this national call, welcomed this endorsement from His Majesty The King, saying: “To see Christians publicly recognised for taking the true message of Christmas into our communities by His Majesty, The King is such an encouragement. We look forward to being able to share with him the great stories of inspiration from across the Isles as many spread light, hope and joy everywhere!!” Shine Your Light is a Christian grassroots movement, which last year saw over 78,000 Christians from over 700 churches take their Christmas events into public spaces in December 2023. This year, the campaign will see over 100,000 Christians singing the real meaning of Christmas to over 1 million people, with large events taking place across the whole of December in public places across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic. In the lead up to Shine Your Light, there has been an advent social media campaign on Instagram @shineyourlightnextgen which has seen prominent influencers such as Bear Grylls and Gemma Hunt read the nativity story from the Bible to raise awareness of the campaign and the true story of Christmas. To find out more or sign-up visit www.shineyourlight.org.uk For further information, including additional photos and interviews with spokespeople, contact Claire Thacker at Jersey Road E: claire@jerseyroad.agency M: +44 (0)7542 913 599 Notes to editors About Shine Your Light Shine Your Light is a nationwide Christmas campaign taking place this year over the weekend of 13th – 15th December 2024. This Christmas, the vision is to mobilise over 100,000 Christians outdoors to reach 1 million people in the streets, offices, workplaces and public places with the Gospel. This UK and Ireland grassroots movement saw over 75,000 Christians from over 700 churches take their Carol services and nativity events into shopping centres, town halls, high streets and public spaces in December 2023. This was suggested by many leaders to be one of the largest Christmas outreaches on behalf of the UK Church. Shine Your Light is a united collaboration of many Christian Denominations, organisations, local churches, and networks; including The Salvation Army, Bible Society, Evangelical Alliance and hundreds of local congregations in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic. Last year’s campaign was endorsed by the Prime Minister, Downing Street among others. The weekend was highlighted by many media outlets including Good Morning Britain where hundreds of thousands heard that Shine Your Light was about proclaiming Christ at Christmas! Find out more: www.shineyourlight.org.uk/ Facebook: National Day of Prayer and Worship Instagram: @shineyourlightnextgen YouTube: @nationaldayofprayerandworship_ X: @ShineLight2024
1000+ CHRISTMAS CAROL FLASH-MOBS PLANNED ACROSS THE NATION THIS WEEKEND
PRESS RELEASE A national campaign asking Christians to unite in sharing the real meaning of Christmas through flash-mob-style public carol concerts has been backed by over 75 church leaders from many of the key Christian denominations and organisations around the UK and Ireland. At present, more 1000 events are planned, ranging from small gatherings of a few people to medium-sized community initiatives and large-scale celebrations in stadiums involving hundreds of participants. Representatives of the major Christian denominations in the UK, as well as evangelical and ecumenical organisations, local churches, and networks, have urged Christians to bring their carol concerts and nativity events outside church buildings and into high streets, shopping centres and town halls over the weekend of 13 th – 15 the December. Dr Nicola Brady, General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland has given her backing to this campaign saying; We are delighted to add our voice to celebrate the thousands of Christians of different denominations and traditions coming outside to shine their light this year. It gives everyone the opportunity to hear the real meaning of Christmas as they bring the hopeful and joyful gift of our shared faith in Jesus Christ into the heart of their local communities across Britain and Ireland.” The movement has also received political backing from Marsha de Cordova, MP and Second Church Estates Commissioner for the Church of England, saying: “Thank you to every person who has offered to host one of these events in their community. This year, the joy and message of Christmas needs to be felt across the country.” Shine Your Light is a Christian grassroots movement, which last year saw over 78,000 Christians from over 700 churches take their Christmas events into public spaces in December 2023. This year, the campaign hopes to see over 100,000 Christians singing the real meaning of Christmas to over 1 million people, with large events planned in December at Trafalgar Square, Westfield Shopping Centre East London, Trafalgar Square alongside many Football Clubs. There are multiple events in public places in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic. Dr Jonathan Oloyede, Convenor of the National Day of Prayer and Worship which is spearheading this national call added: “We are inviting Christians from the North, East, South and West of these Isles to join us in Shining Their Light in their communities this Christmas. Imagine the impact of hundreds of thousands of Christians taking the message of Jesus into all public places and spaces…” In the lead up to Shine Your Light, there is an advent social media campaign on Instagram @shineyourlightnextgen which has seen prominent influencers such as Bear Grylls and Gemma Hunt read the nativity story from the Bible to raise awareness of the campaign and the true story of Christmas. To find out more or sign-up visit www.shineyourlight.org.uk For further information, including additional photos and interviews with spokespeople, contact Claire Thacker at Jersey Road E: claire@jerseyroad.agency M: +44 (0)7542 913 599 Notes to editors About Shine Your Light Shine Your Light is a nationwide Christmas campaign taking place this year over the weekend of 13th – 15th December 2024. This Christmas, the vision is to mobilise over 100,000 Christians outdoors to reach 1 million people in the streets, offices, workplaces and public places with the Gospel. This UK and Ireland grassroots movement saw over 75,000 Christians from over 700 churches take their Carol services and nativity events into shopping centres, town halls, high streets and public spaces in December 2023. This was suggested by many leaders to be one of the largest Christmas outreaches on behalf of the UK Church. Shine Your Light is a united collaboration of many Christian Denominations, organisations, local churches, and networks; including The Salvation Army, Bible Society, Evangelical Alliance and hundreds of local congregations in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic. Last year’s campaign was endorsed by the Prime Minister, Downing Street among others. The weekend was highlighted by many media outlets including Good Morning Britain where hundreds of thousands heard that Shine Your Light was about proclaiming Christ at Christmas! Find out more: www.shineyourlight.org.uk/ Facebook: National Day of Prayer and Worship Instagram: @shineyourlightnextgen YouTube: @nationaldayofprayerandworship_ X: @ShineLight2024
OVER 900 CHURCHES GEARING UP TO TAKE CAROL SERVICES ‘ONTO THE STREETS’ THIS CHRISTMAS
Press Release For Immediate Release 5 December 2024 OVER 900 CHURCHES are gearing up to take Carol Services and other festive events onto the streets over the next fortnight – with co-ordinating group Shine Your Light confident they’ll break their 1,000-church goal for 2024 – reaching over 1-million people with the gospel. Last year, when the Shine Your Light initiative was launched, 738 churches took part, with the majority signing up in the last 10-14 days. Shine Your Light, an initiative linking denominations, prayer networks and streams, is seeking to mobilise churches to take the Christmas story of ‘comfort and joy’ outside church walls, and into shopping centres, village greens, community centres – anywhere where the public will gather this December! Whilst the focus of the four-nation evangelistic campaign is aimed at the weekend of 13-15 December, any church can register and benefit from a range of FREE resources to help them spread the Christian message. The free resources from the SYL website, including:- ● an 8-minite evangelistic talk by Dr Amy Orr-Ewing – which can be adapted to local contexts ● a professionally designed and printed Carol sheet for events (P+P costs only) ● music backing tracks to accompany the carols, or ● a music score for each carol, and ● resources for churches to follow up contacts made at events Dr Nicola Brady, General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland is the latest national leader to endorse the campaign. She said: “Churches Together is delighted to add its voice to celebrate the thousands of Christians of different denominations, and traditions coming out to ‘shine their light’ this year. They bring the hopeful and joyful gift of our shared faith in Jesus Christ into the heart of their local communities as we prepare to celebrate and communicate the real meaning of Christmas.” Dr Jonathan Oloyede, Convenor of the National Day of Prayer and Worship which co-ordinates Shine Your Light added: “After last year’s pilot we heard many stories of people coming to faith and churches welcoming in new people. It shows that when Christians come together for the Gospel, whole communities can be reached!” ● For further information, resources and event ideas, visit www.shineyourlight.org.uk ENDS For further information/interview: Revd Paul Eddy 07923 653781 paul@pauleddy.uk PR Consultant to Shine Your Light Adam May 07736 949869 adam@ndopw.com Director of Communications and Engagement for NDOPW Editor’s NotesShine Your Light Partner Organisations includes: The National Day of Prayer & Worship, Churches Together In England, Churches Together in Britain & Ireland, The Redeemed Church of God, The Salvation Army, United Reformed Church, Pray For Scotland, Try Praying, World Prayer Centre, Assemblies of God, Baptists Together, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Church of England, Church of God of Prophecy Trust,, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of London, Elim Church, Congregational Federation, Evangelical Alliance, Gather Movement, Ground Level Network, Ichthus Christian Fellowship, Manchester Evangelicals Together, The Methodist Church, Neighbourhood Prayer Network, New Covenant Church, New Testament Church of God, ACUK, Bible Society, CFAN, Crown Jesus Ministries, The Gregory Centre For Church Multiplication, Hope Together, Isaiah 61 Movement, Kingdom Impact Vision International, Leading The Way, London City Mission, London Mission Collective, Mission 24, Sports Chaplaincy, SSJ, Street Pastors, TransformWork, CPO, God TV, Premier Media, Revelation TV, UCB and the UK Christian Chart.
THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES TO TAKE CAROL SERVICES ONTO STREETS THIS CHRISTMAS
UK CHURCHES are being invited to reach 1-million people this December – by taking the Christmas story of ‘comfort and joy’ outside of church walls! Shine Your Light, a united initiative of denominations, prayer networks and streams, is seeking 1,000 churches to share their vision of taking carol services, nativity and other Christmas events from within church buildings out into shopping centres, village greens, community centres – anywhere where the public will gather this December. Whilst the focus of the four-nation evangelistic campaign is aimed for the weekend of 13-15 December, any church can register, and benefit from a range of free resources to help them spread the Christian message throughout December. The invitation comes at a time when church attendance in the UK is in decline. Recent statistics show that weekly Church of England parish attendance has declined between 25-40% since 2015, and 15,000 churches in the UK have congregations of less than 20 worshippers. [1] Last year, when Shine Your Light was piloted, over 78,000 Christians from 700 churches in 68 denominations, streams and groups took their Carol Services and Christmas events onto the streets. This year’s goal is 1,000 churches, and 100,000 Christians reaching 1-million UK residents and visitors. Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England said: “Christmas can sometimes be over-commercialised. People feeling pressure to spend money they don’t have on stuff they don’t need. Shine Your Light reminds people of the true meaning of Christmas. God’s gift to the world in the person of Jesus Christ. “Churches Together in England endorses the Shine Your Light campaign. Our 54 Member Church denominations unite in declaring this Christmas that “Jesus is the reason for the Season!” Dr Jonathan Oloyede, Convenor of the National Day of Prayer and Worship added: “After last year’s Shine Your Light, we heard stories of people coming to faith and churches welcoming in new people. It showed that when Christians come together for the Gospel, whole communities can be reached! “In a recent UK survey [2], 20% of people in the UK say that they believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That’s 16% more than go to church every week. By taking the gospel onto the streets, churches reach the 80% with little or no belief in Jesus. They can also engage in a neutral venue with those who have a nominal faith but lack a personal relationship with Jesus – whose birth we celebrate at Christmas!” Free resources for churches include: Further information on these, and other resources to follow, together with programme ideas and how to sign up can be found on the Shine Your Light website at www.shineyourlight.org.uk A video to show in churches and to share on social media, sharing the vision to bring a message of hope and joy to communities this December can be found at Shine Your Light 2024 – you are invited! – YouTube For further information/interview:Revd Paul Eddy | 07923 653781 | paul@pauleddy.ukPR Consultant to Shine Your Light Adam May | 07736 949869 | adam@ndopw.comDirector of Communications and Engagement for NDOPW