Reflections From Denominations
Rt Revd Andrew Watson - Bishop of Aston (Before that he ministered in West London where his church was deeply involved in HOPE 08").
'I'm an atheist myself, but God bless you for what you're doing': such was the unusual response of a man in his later fifties as he watched a large group of young people washing cars in our local park! Hope '08 really captured the imagination of both congregation and community, and was a wonderful climax to my years as a vicar. Two weeks of serving the community were followed by a powerful open-air celebration in the park, attended by up to a thousand people: incarnational mission at its best!
Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill - Bishop of Lichfield
In the Diocese of Lichfield the rumour of HOPE keeps popping up. In my travels as bishop in 2008 I kept coming across stories of our churches doing more, doing it together and doing it in word and deed. I hope that these good-news rumours continue into the future, and that the impetus of HOPE 08 keeps churches thinking creatively about God's mission
Revd. Ian Bunce - Head of Mission Department Baptist Union of GB
Hope 08 has broken down walls and made creative mission possible where before it seemed out of reach. As I have travelled the country, I have heard testimony of new creative ecumenical co-operation which before was beyond even dreams and risky joint church ventures, that before could not have been thought of. The legacy of Hope 08 will be a stronger church and transformed lives. Oh, and discovery that God works through churches that are different from the ones we think are the only way! God has truly blessed this venture, and people have found faith and hope in God. I will settle for that any day!
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