SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND EVANGELISM Brexit Resources

Version: 02

Last updated: 29 November 2017

Author: Anne Richards and the Mission Theology Advisory Group

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Table of Contents

StartingOut 4PursuingtheHuman....................................................................................................................................................4

Trust 7MakingCommunity.....................................................................................................................................................7

Confidence 9HonouringMemory.....................................................................................................................................................9

Hope 11NewNews..................................................................................................................................................................11

Sharing 13FaceofLove...............................................................................................................................................................13

The Mission Theology Advisory Group is an ecumenical group formed in partnership between Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and the

Church of England

We provide resources in the areas of Spirituality, Theology, Reconciliation, Evangelism and Mission

This resource belongs to our Evangelism series. Please print and share.

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Starting Out Pursuing the Human

Enabled Church: Starting a Conversation

Genesis11.7‘Come,letusgodown,andconfusetheirlanguagethere,sothattheywillnotunderstandoneanother’sspeech’

OneoftheissueswhichhasarisenfromtalkingtopeoplewhovotedtoLeavetheEuropeanUnioninJune2016,wastheriseofwhatmightbecalledthe‘Babel’factor,theexperienceoflivinginanareawheremanypeoplearearoundyouaretalkingtoeachotherinlanguagesotherthanEnglish.MigrantslivinginthiscountryhavesometimesbeenthesubjectofmistrustandabusefornotbeingabletolearnortospeakEnglish,includingfrompreviousgenerationsofmigrantswhohavesuccessfullylearnedthelanguage.

SomeChristiansalsoreportedthatitwasfrustratingbeingunabletowelcomepeopletochurch,tellpeopleaboutwhat’sgoingonintheirlocalchurchsceneortosharefaithwiththeirneighbourswhentherewasalanguagebarrier.Conversely,someEnglishworkershavevoiceddisappointmentandresentmentthattheyareunabletojoininbanter,orunderstandinstructionswheretheirteamsofworkershabituallytalktoeachotherinotherlanguages.

Formanyeconomicmigrants,refugeesandasylumseekers,thetaskoflearningEnglishisanextraburdenontopofeverythingelsetheyaretryingtocometotermswith.Often,thechildrenpickitupfasterthantheadults,makingitevenharderforadultstomakesenseoftheworldaroundthem.Whileshopsmayprovideshelvesoffamiliarfoodsandsomechurchesprovideservicesinotherlanguagesforparticularcommunities,manypeoplefeelcutoffandisolatedwhentheirstrugglewithourlanguageletsthemdown.

Whatcanwedo?

OneofthebestwaysforpeopletolearnEnglishisthroughinformalconversationratherthanformalclasses.Whynotseeifthereareneighboursorpeoplecomingtochurchwhowouldlikeabitofspaceandtimejusttochat,withoutbeingjudgedfortheirlanguageskillsandinaspacewheretheycanmakemistakes?Someothersimplethingsthatpeoplearrivinginthiscountryhavefoundusefulare:

• Afriendtoaccompanythemtoshopsandtoansweranyquestionsaboutthegoodsthere.

This is one of our ‘Brexit’ resources in the Social Engagement and Evangelism series.

Check out the full range of resources in the Church Resources section of the Church of England website.

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• Afriendavailabletohelpwithmedicalmatters,suchasgoingtothedoctororunderstandingtheinstructionsonmedication,ortohelpwithanyinteractionswithsocialworkers,lawyersorthepolice.

• Acoffeetimetoofferhelpwithpayingbillsormakingcomplaints.• Aschoolparentfriendtohelpwithschoolmattersandchildren’shomework.• Aconversation‘class’intheeveningtotalkwithasympatheticpersonandimprove

conversationalskills.• Ahelper’sphonenumbertocontactincaseofconfusionsormiscommunications.People

whodonotspeakEnglishverywellareofteneasilyscammed.• Anamedhelpertoassistwithspiritualmatters,suchasreadingtheBible,followingachurch

service,ortalkingtoapriestorminister.

LearningNewLanguages

Atthesametime,weshouldn’tjustassumethattheburdenisonmigrants,asylumseekersandrefugeestolearnourlanguage.Theconcernsthatpeoplehaveaboutthe‘Babel’factoremergejustasmuchfromthefactthatwedon’tunderstandourneighbours’languageseither.Thatsenseofbeingcutofffromothersthatcanhappenwhenpeoplearoundusaretalkingontheirphonestofamiliesandfriendscanbeimprovedbydevelopingnewconversationalskillsofourown.Soit’sworththinkingaboutstartingconversationswhichhelpothers,butwhichalsoaddtoourownskills.

• Nexttimeyouhaveacoffeemorning,ahousegroup,orevenatwork,findoutwhatlanguagespeoplealreadyhaveaworkingknowledgeof.Findoutwheretheylearnedthoselanguagesandwhattheyhaveeverusedthemfor.

• Askanynewfriendsatchurchwhattheirwordsandphrasesareforfamiliarthingsinchurch.

• TogetherwithnewChristianfriends,tryinglearningtheLord’sPrayerintheirlanguage(s)andprayingittogetherwiththem.

• Learnsomesimpleconversationalphrasesforgreetingothersinyourcommunityandusethemwhenyouareoutandabout.

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• WorktogetherwithnewChristianfriendstomakeinvitationcards,producesimplenoticesandoffersofhelp(lifts,baby-sitting)intheirownlanguagessothatyoureachouttoothersfromtheirfamiliesandcommunities.

• Afterafewmonths,thinkaboutwhetheranyoftheseactivitieshavehelpedyouunderstandwhatitislikeforpeopleinthiscountrytryingtolearnEnglish.

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Trust Making Community

Enabled Church Working against Racism

John4.9‘JewsdonotsharethingsincommonwithSamaritans’

AftertheBrexitvote,therewasanoticeableriseinracistbehaviourandincidents.DespitethevotebeingaboutBritain’smembershipoftheEuropeanUnion,theresultalsoseemedtocreateconditionsforexpressedxenophobiaagainstpeopleofAsianandAfricanoriginaswell.Peoplewhohadbeenlivinginthiscountryformanyyearsandevenseveralgenerationsfoundthemselvesbeingabusedandtoldto‘gohome’.

reported28/07/16

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/racism-unleashed-brexit-eu-referendum-post-referendum-racism-true-scale-of-post-eu-referendum-a7149836.html

Manypeoplereportedfearandanxietyaboutfar-rightgroupsinoursocietyandincreasedmistrustofpeopletheythoughtweretheirfriends.

Whatcanwedo?

Wecancreatetrustandsafer,trustworthycommunitiesasChristiansbyouractionsinthecommunityandensuringthatourchurchesandcongregationsaresafespacesforpeoplewhomaybetargets.Herearesomeideasforbeingactiveworkersagainstracisminourcommunities.

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• Ifyouseesomeonebeingraciallyabused,dosomethingtodisrupt(safely)whatishappening.Don’ttakeonanyabuserorescalateanargument;insteadmoveovertothevictimandtalktohim,offersolidarityandtrytogetotherstoreactinasimilarway,shieldingthevictimandmakinghimlessisolated.Letthevictimknowthathecantrustyou.TheSafetyPininitiativeisbeingusedbysomepeopletoshowthis.

• Talktopeoplewhoexpressracistviewsinyourpresenceaboutwhytheyfeellikethat.Don’tstartanargument,buttrytogettheirthoughtsandfeelingsoutintheopenwheretheycanbechallenged.Sometimesfindingpeopletheyadmire(egTVstars)whofittheethnicityprofiletheyreject,canhelpcreateawayintothinkingaboutwheretheirhatredandfearmightbecomingfrom.

• Becomemoreawareofwhomyoumeetandgreetwhenyouareoutandabout.Ifyoufindthatyoumainlysayhellotowhite,middleclasspeople,makeanefforttosmileatandgreetinafriendlywayawidergroupofpeopleregardlessoftheirethnicity,age,gender,ability,oreconomicstatus.Ifyoudiscoverit’seasierforyoutoaddresssomepeoplemorethanothers,workonovercomingyourownpreferences.

• Findoutmoreaboutanyracistincidentsreportedinyourlocalnewsandfindoutwhatisbeingdoneinyourareatocombatracism.Seeifyoucanhelpwiththeiractivitiesorprogrammes.#moreincommonisaninitiativeofHopenotHatewhichinvitescommunitiestoholdeventswhichbringpeopletogether.

AChristiancouplewereconcernedaboutaneighbourwhoregularlyexpressedracistviewsaboutsomeoftheirIndianfriendsontheirstreet.TheyinvitedherouttoamealatanIndianrestaurantwheretheneighbourwasverydismissiveofthestaff.Thecoupleastonishedherbygreetingtheirwaiterbyname,catchingupwithhisnewsandsharingajokewithhim,introducinghimtotheirneighbourandgettinguptotalktohisfamilyinthekitchen.Theneighbourgrudginglyagreedthatitwasinterestingtofindoutaboutpeopleandshemighthavebeenwrongaboutthepeopleinherstreetandsaidshewasgoingtotalktothemalotmoreinthefuture.

Photo:UnBolshakov

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Confidence Honouring Memory

Enabled Church Remembrance

Photo:DavidWright

‘Notwhatwefoughtfor’

Proverbs10.7‘Thememoryoftherighteousisablessing,butthenameofthewickedwillrot’

ItwasinterestingthatthereferendumonBritain’sfuturewithintheEUcoincidedwithanumberofcentenaryeventsconcerningtheFirstWorldWar,includingtheBattleoftheSomme.SomeofthepeopleaskedaboutwhytheyvotedLeavecitedadutytotheirfathersandgrandfatherswhofoughtinthetwoworldwars.ThecommemorativeeventshadmadethemthinkaboutissuesofEuropeanpower,aggressionandoccupationandthefreedomstheirownfamilieshadfoughtanddiedfor.Consequentlyforsome,mainlyolderpeople,thevotewasaboutpreservingsomethingthatwasamatteroftradition,‘Britishness’,‘values’andbeingourownmasters.SomeofthosepeopletalkedaboutperceptionsofEuropeasinterferinginBritishlife,introducingunsuitableregulationsand

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laws,andpermittingEuropeanmigrantstoliveandworkintheUKasakindofpeacetimeoccupationwithpowerimperceptiblytransferringtothemastheysentmoneyandgoodsbacktotheircountriesoforigin,undercuttingself-employedBritishworkersandsqueezingBritishpeopleoutofhousingstockandservices.SomepeoplefeltthatGermanywasstillinsomewaythe‘enemy’andthatGermany’sstrongpositioninmodernEuropewasathreat.Theirperceptionwasthatthecommunitiestheysawaroundthemwere‘notwhatwefoughtfor’.

Thequestionis:howdowehonourthememoryofourancestorsandthosewhodiedinthetwoworldwars,acknowledgingthepastandthelessonswemightlearnfromit,whilehelpingpeopletoliveinthepresentandthefutureasadifferentandnewsetofopportunities?TheChurchisattheforefrontofRemembranceDayservicesandcentenaryeventsandthesehavegeneratedpowerfulmemoriesandpopularappeal,suchasthedisplayofceramicpoppiesattheTowerofLondonin2014.

Whatcanwedo?

• Openupthehistory.Thetwoworldwarswerefoughtforthefreedomandself-determinationofallEuropeannations,notjustBritain.Europeanmigrantsalsohadancestorswhofoughtinthosewarsorwereaffectedbythosewars–whataretheirmemories?Whatwasitliketoliveinanoccupiedcountry?HowdoEuropeanmigrantsinthiscountrythinkaboutthehistoryofthosewars?

• Uselocalhistorysocietiesandlocalmuseumstofindstoriesofopenness,hospitalityandwelcomefromthewaryears.Howdidpeoplepulltogetherandtakecareofeachotherincommunities.HowwerePOWsandrefugeestakencareof?Howcanthosestoriesmakeadifferencetoourcommunitiesandchurchactionstoday?

• EngagelocalpeopletounderstandthecurrentcampaignstobringmorerefugeestoBritainwhohaveexistingfamilyhere.

• Tapintothememoriesofolderpeopleaboutthingslikebeingevacuated,usingairraidshelters,rationingandreconstructionaftertheSecondWorldWar,togainagreaterunderstandingofwhatasylumseekersandrefugeesareexperiencingrightnow.

ARedCrossofficermeetingPOWSandgivingthem‘comfort’bags.

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Hope New News

Enabled Church Speaking and Listening Truth

Ephesians4.25‘letallofusspeakthetruthtoourneighbours,forwearemembersofoneanother’

DuringtheEUreferendumcampaign,manypeoplewereaffectedbyclaimsmadeonbothsides.However,talkingtoLeavevotersafterwards,manymentionedtheclaimmadebytheLeavecampaignthatmoneysenttotheEUcouldbespentontheNHS.

Whilemanyofthosepeopleweresuspiciousofthefigurequoted,theclaimnonethelessgottheirattentionandsympathy,becausetheNHSissoimportanttoBritishpeople.Theytalkedabouttheirexperiencesofwaitingforalongtimetoseetheirlocaldoctororspendinghoursworriedandinpain,inA&E.OtherswerefrightenedthattheiroperationswouldbepostponedorthattheywouldnotgetthedrugstheyneedinthefuturebecauseoffundingproblemswithintheNHS.

ThestrengthoffeelingabouttheNHSanditssignificanceinourlivestellsussomeimportantthings.Firstthatweliveinanagewhenuntruthscanbetoldanditdoesn’tseemtomatter.‘Fakenews’andunsubstantiatedclaimscangetasmuchofaholdonpeople’semotionsandideasas‘truth’.Secondly,wefindthatpeoplerespondto‘fakenews’asifitweretruthbecauseitchimeswiththeirdeepfearsandintheirspiritualheart.Illhealthanditstreatmentarenotjustphysicalbutspiritualmatters.Waitinginadoctor’ssurgery,inA&E,onamaternityward,orwaitingforanoperationaretransformativeexperiencesinpeople’slives.

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Wehavethecapacitytobringhopeintotheseanxious,andsometimesdark,placesandtobringpeoplenewnewsaboutthesupport,loveandcarethatChristianswhobelieveinJesusChristasGod’sTruth,canoffer.

Whatcanwedo?

• Wecanbecomemoreawareofthelocalandindividualconcernsofpeopleinourcommunities.

• Findoutwherepeoplearegettingtheirinformationfrom–arethesourcestrustworthy?SomepeoplemightnotspeakEnglishtoowellorhavedifficultyunderstandingormakingsenseofwhattheyreadoraretold.Wecandomoretobeourselvestrustworthysourcesofinformationorfactcheckers,notgossipsandrumour-mongers.

• Whatarethenewspaperssayingandhowaretheyformingopinionsinyourlocalcommunity?Youcantalktoyourlocalnewsagentsaboutwhatthemostpopularnewspapersareinyourarea.Whatnewshavewegottocounterscarestories?Churchescangatheranddisseminatepositivestoriesofeghospitalcare,localcrimeratesandthepositivecontributionsofEuropeanmigrantsinthelocalarea.

• Findoutwhopeoplefollowandwhotheylistentoontelevisionorthroughsocialmedia.Doopinion-formersneedtobechallenged?

• Findoutaboutpeople’sfears.Whataretheirissues,-health,climatechange,money?Thinkabouttheseasspiritualissuesaffectingpeople’srelationshipwiththeirfaith.Howcanweprovidereassuranceandhopefromourownfaith?

• Gatherstoriesaboutpeople’sexperiencesoftheNHS,commuting,lookingafterchildrenetc.Whatdothesestoriestellusabouttheir‘truth’andtheirspirituality?

• Createasupportnetworkorhelplineforpeoplewhoareworriedandupsetabouteverydaythingswhichimpactontheirlives.ThesethingsmightincludetheNHS,trainandbusservices,childcare,pensions,employment,benefits,orhousing.

• Helppeoplewhentheyrealisetheyhavebeenpersuadedbyuntruths.AsChristiansweknowthatJesuswasbetrayedandmanyliesweretoldabouthim.Hedidnotargueaboutit,butcontinuedtospeakGod’struthandactGod’struth.HowcanwebemorelikeJesusinhelpingpeoplewhofeelbetrayed,anxiousorhopeless?

‘...whenwedoitlikeJesuswesooftenexperienceacascadingofgrace.Andthatcascadeofgracefavoursmission’.

AnnMorisey,2004,‘Withoutpowerandatriskofbeingoverwhelmed:astrategyformission’Lecture.

Photo:AnneWorner

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Sharing Face of Love

Enabled Church: Beyond ‘Nice’

Photo:Calgrin@morguefile.com.

Deuteronomy7.2‘Makenocovenantwiththemandshowthemnomercy’

ItwassurprisinginaskingpeopleabouttheirreasonsforvotingtoleavetheEUthatanumberoffaithfulChristians,activemembersoftheirlocalchurches,wereamongthemostanti-migrantvoices.However,afteraskingpeopleabouttheirfeelingsaboutwhathadhappenedintheircommunities,oneoftheissueswhichemergedwastheimpossibilityoftalkingaboutfearsandconcernsintheirchurchcircles.Sopeoplesaidthattheyfeltthattheycouldnotdiscusstheirworriesabouttheirlocalsituation,askforprayerorseekhelpandadviceaboutissueslikejobsorhousing,becausetheywouldnotbeshowingChristiantolerance,‘niceness’orkindnesstowardstheirneighbours.OneChristian,whoadmittedtoaninnerstrugglewithguiltandanxietywhichledtoaLeavevoteatthepollingstation,saidhehadcometotheupsettingconclusion,‘Idonotlovemyneighbour’.

WearecalledtobethefaceofGod’slovetoothers,buthavewebeenputtingpressureonpeopletobemoreChrist-likethantheycanhandle?Christiansarehuman,fallible,sinful,sowhatsafespacesinchurchesoronlinearemadeavailableforpeopletodealwiththeirprejudices,anxietiesandfears?HowdoweequippeopletobethefaceofGod’sloveandenablethemtosharetheirfearsaswellastheirfaith?Aremissionandevangelismonlyaboutconfidence?OrdoesthemissionoftheChurchalsorequireadmissionoffailureandvulnerability?JesustoldthestoryoftheGoodSamaritanbecausehewaswellawarethatthosearoundhimdidnotlovetheirneighboursandhegavethemastorytohelpthemtoconfrontthosedeep-rootedfeelingsandsubvertthemuntiltheycouldimaginethemselvesinneighbour-relationswiththoseaboutwhomtheyhadfeltthedeepestsuspicions.

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Whatcanwedo?

• Createsafe,neutralspacesinChristiancommunitiesforpeoplehonestlyandopenlytoexpressanyconcerns,anxietiesandfearsabouttheirlivesandwhatishappeningintheirlocalarea.Findcreativewaystoallowdifficultconversations.

• Don’tassumeeverybodyisokwiththefastpaceofchangeinsomecommunities.Whendemographicschange,servicesarestretched,andnewpeoplemoveintotheneighbourhood,beingthefaceofChristianlovecanbechallenging.Findwaystounderstandhowpeopledevelopdeepresistancetochangeandwherethatresistancemightbeatworkinyourchurch.

• Createoutletsforconcerns,forexampleopportunitiesforprayer,confession,supportgroupsandwaysofmeetingnewpeoplemovingintothearea.ThedocumentHatebustersandNeighbourlovershttps://www.churchofengland.org/media/2552147/hate_crime_and_the_churches.pdfpointstoexamplesofgoodpracticeforhelpingpeoplebecomegoodneighbours.

• Genuinewelcome,hospitalityandconcernforothersincludesacknowledgingtrepidationandcautiononallsides.Newrelationshipsaretendershoots.Don’tjustassumenewpeoplewilljustbeabsorbedintothechurchcommunityautomatically.Somethingstothinkaboutinclude:

Ø Helppeopletopronounceunfamiliarnamescorrectly.Don’tputpeopleinpositionswheretheycanbeembarrassedorstrugglewithprayersorannouncements.

Ø Somepeoplemayhavetroubleunderstandingnewcomerswithstrongaccentsandsoavoidtalkingtothem.

Ø SomeChristiansmaybehidinggriefforchangesinthechurchandcommunityespeciallyifthismeansthelossofoldfriendsandneighbours.

Ø Don’tsilencepeopleorexpectthemtobeniceallthetime.Findwaystodispeltensionandcreateopportunitiesforbefriendingpeoplethroughsharedactivitiesorstories.