Local Festivals
Why Run a Community Festival?
Want to connect more with your community? Concerned that some people don’t know you’re there? Want to build relationships with new people outside of your church and encourage your congregation to get to know their community and share their faith through celebration?
Community Festivals are a great way for churches to position themselves at the centre of community life, reminding society of the importance of the Gospel message. They’re a chance to make connections, build community and see lives changed.
“Our church had a fabulous programme of activities for young people. One summer we thought we’d branch out into the park and do some festival events as well as our normal programme. To our surprise lots of people commented ‘we thought that church was closed’ or ‘I didn’t know you were still doing stuff’. Getting out of our buildings and into our community allowed us to meet with so many people that would otherwise never have known we were there.”
Naomi, South East London“We are constantly reminded about the ways in which our society is divided. Festivals help us to join together as a community, to celebrate, and to make us aware of the exciting and beautiful things that are already happening within our community. Festivals help bring communities together.”
Rev. Joanne Cox, the Evangelism in Contemporary Culture Officer for the Methodist Church
SJI and Community Festivals?
In 2008, SJI pioneered the Pentecost Festival, an annual celebration of the church’s birthday, in Central London. The festival now attracts tens of thousands of people. We believe that festivals are an innovative model of mission for contemporary society and have assisted groups of local churches across theUKto host similar initiatives.
Festivals are celebrations comprising of several events in a focussed area during a focussed time period and are a way to build relationships with your community as well as encourage the congregation to connect with their local communities and share their faith.
Does it Work?
Here are a few stories from festivals around the country that show how festivals have changed communities.
“We have been working with the children and young people on our local housing estate for years. During the summer they have little to do so each year we run a week of events for them. It has become the highlight of their year! This summer, through our festival, we’ve had the privilege of praying for members of the community, seen several kids make a decision to live for Jesus and strengthened our relationships with over 100 young people.”
Trisha, Wimbledon
In the months leading up to our event, the churches were mobilised in prayer, with at least four key prayer initiatives taking place. There were over 100 people mobilised to engage in mission activity and well over 1000 people who attended all the events. People were reached with the gospel for the first time. Since the event we have had reported that new people have started attending young people’s events, another person experienced healing while sitting outside a pub and there has been testimony about people coming to Christ. God blessed the event so much that we want to do it next year!
Jonathan, Dronfield
Can anyone run a community festival?
Festivals can be large or small, rural or urban, and can involve a diverse spectrum of events from flower arranging to street dance to political debates. For this reason they can succeed in any community and there are never two festivals the same. Whether you have a large church full of enthusiastic volunteers already fully engaged with the community, or you are a small struggling congregation, a festival has the potential to positively impact your community; you have the potential to run a great festival and we would love to help you do it!
What can we offer you?
Training
We would love to come to where you are and run some training for church leaders on how to run local festivals. We’re currently booking in dates for Autumn 2011 so if you think there are a few church leaders in your community that would benefit from such a training day let us know and we’ll ensure that one comes to somewhere near you! Alternatively fill in the form at the bottom to register for a training day ot get in touch with your details and we’ll email you about future training days.
Festival Guide
Designed to accompany training, a comprehensive guide with practical guidance, including how-to guides, useful forms, case studies and ideas. Order now
Helpline support
SJI staff will be available to offer phone support as often as you need it! Call Joy on 020 8781 1735.
Contacts
We know artists, performers and speakers from around the country and would be happy to put you in contact with people who may be willing to participate in your event. Download this or get in touch for further ideas.
Ideas
With our experience from Pentecost Festival and assisting with local festivals elsewhere, we are happy to discuss ideas with you, offer suggestions and share what has worked well in the past. Here’s fifty of our favourite Festival Event Ideas to get you started!
If you would like to meet with us about how we can work with you in your community or would like us to bring a training day to where you are or for more information please contact Joy on 020 8781 1735, joy@sharejesusinternational.com.
Share Jesus International
info@sharejesusinternational.com
Pentecost Festival
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