A crowd of approaching 10,000 people witnessed Leicester’s Christ in the Centre presentation – and were rewarded with a performance of great emotion and passion. Christ in the Centre – a dramatic recreation of Christ’s passion, trial, crucifixion and resurrection - has been staged in the city centre every year since 2003, making it one of the longest-running such events in the UK. The size of the crowd also makes it among the biggest such events.
This year cast and audience enjoyed bright sunshine – a stark contrast with the cold and wet conditions in which it has been held some previous years. Despite its size, the entire production is organised by an ecumenical team of volunteers, a theme reflected in the prayers that opened and closed the event. Local churches invested into the event and it really was a demonstration of unity and a chance to share the Easter story publically. After a welcome from the Anglican Bishop of Leicester Tim Stephens, the opening prayer was delivered by Rev Terry Oakley, Moderator of the United Reformed Church.At the event’s conclusion the closing prayer was delivered by the Rt Rev Malcolm McMahon, Roman Catholic Bishop of Nottingham. The Rt Rev Peter Hancock, Chairman of the Northamptonshire Methodist District was also in attendance throughout the event. This year’s production - which was again signed for the hard of hearing - featured a new lead actor Walt Kissack, in the role of Jesus, leading an otherwise entirely amateur cast from churches across Leicestershire and neighbouring counties. It also featured a new first act – written by James Burke-Dunsmore, the writer, director and actor who has previously directed the performance and played the role of Jesus, but who was unavailable to take the title role this year. Act One was staged at St Peters Square in the new HighCross retail development, and portrayed stories on the theme of hospitality and sharing, with a mix of Old and New testament stories, including Elijah feeding the widow and her son, the wedding at Caanan and the feeding of the five thousand. Cast and audience then processed down the city’s High Street to the main stage in Humberstone Gate, where Christ’s passion, arrest, trial and resurrection were portrayed. Canon Barry Naylor, who chairs the organising committee, says this year’s event was among the best received and most dramatic ever, and was delighted with the size of the audience. Lead actor Walt Kissack was amazed at the audience’s reaction: “It is astonishing to look out from the stage at 10,000 people and see their reaction – how enthused and appreciative they are. Sharing this celebration with them was wonderful”. (Author: Christ in the Centre team)Christian Aid
May 2013 story. (Author: )
Bristol Noise 2013
Report on May Bank holiday weekend (Author: )
Planning New Year’s prayer in Cornwall
. (Author: )
Learning to read in Milton Keynes
. (Author: )
A prayer encounter
Youth on mission in Newham (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Jericho Road project results in decrease in street prostitution
. (Author: Steph Glinski / Lucy Cooper)
Bristol HOPE
. (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Worcester embraces HOPE 2014
. (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Giving to those in need
Acts 435 (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Bringing HOPE to Norwich
. (Author: )
Church turn-around sparked by youth mission
. (Author: )
HOPE MK
. (Author: )
Churches' chaplaincy project thanked for 'giving me back my life'
. (Author: )
Skate and meet Jesus
. (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Hope for Les Miserables
Opportunity to talk about forgiveness and hope (Author: )
Rural mission
Cream teas and country pub meets, contextualising HOPE for villages (Author: )
Diamond Champion
Volunteers awarded for community work (Author: Catherine Butcher)
HOPE-filled Bus
Newbury get set to launch HOPE bus (Author: )
Little Dean provide lunch club
Fresh expression of Church. Meeting community needs (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Allotment Mass
Harvest outdoors (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Big Street Harvest Weekend
Street generosity (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Paralympic Opening festival
Churches reach out in Stoke Mandeville (Author: Inspire Magazine)
Paralympic Games - outreach
v (Author: Lucy Cooper)
The Games - outreach
churches active for 2012. (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Serve Our City in Preston
churches working together (Author: )
Love Streatham
Free Olympic-themed fun day (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Buzzy Bees - local contact with parents
Building community through mums and toddlers (Author: Care for the Family)
Hastings Temple blesses local estate
HOPE 08 inspired action became church plant (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Easter Festival - Lancaster
Lancaster to celebrate Easter on streets (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Primary school mum's impact
Easter lessons in local school (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Pancake Tuesday in Brent Cross
Local Christians chat about Easter (Author: Jesus House)
Easter Festivals and Passion Plays
Missional Easter 2012 (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Christ in the Centre
Passion Play (Author: )
Andover Passion
Passion play (Author: )
Soul by the Sea - Brighton
Easter Festival (Author: Lucy Cooper)
BBC Preston Passion
Passion play (Author: )
Bishops flip pancakes in Oxford
Pancake outreach (Author: Oxford Diocese - The Door)
Pancake Pandemonium
Local Lent outreach (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Home Hope
Combining practical provision with pastoral care
(Author: Lucy Cooper)
A light in every street in Hull
Churches pray for the whole city (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Sharing hope with neighbours
Lighting up JESUS (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Carols on the pitch
Stadiums instead of Cathedrals (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Christmas outreach - better together
Hampers are distributed and commuters offered prayer and gifts (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Swansea HOPE to launch night shelter
Seven churches will open their buildings (Author: Lucy Cooper)
HOPE Gatherings
Birmingham and Lancaster (Author: )
Light in every street
Hull pray at Christmas (Author: )
Going beyond belief
Cambridge youth mission (Author: Lucy Cooper)
God's bean to a boot sale
Chelmsford churches do church at a car boot sale (Author: Emma Smith)
Bus brings hope to Belfast
HOPE bus used for outreach in Northern Ireland (Author: Clive Price)
Building a mission legacy
More than Gold and HOPE - more mission together using every opportunity (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Peterborough youth bless their city
Street Invasion 2011 (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Young people break down cultural barriers in Harehills, Leeds
as part of HOPE Leeds '11 (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Brighton-ing up lives
HOPE Brighton '11 makes a difference
(Author: Lucy Cooper)
Preston's youth shine brighter
PR: Festival hits Preston (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Young people show love for Leeds
HOPE Leeds '11 mission (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Bridging cultures in Birmingham
Cross-cultural experience gives youth a chance to learn about and do relevant mission. (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Outreach in Stratford
Churches in Stratford are doing mission in the open air. 7-11 July (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Youth to go to Cambridge on a mission
Preparations for October for the first Youth mission in a series of HOPE missions (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Shaw street redemption
Big lunch sees community mingling (Author: Tell it in Colour, Belfast media hub)
Love all - Serve all at Wimbledon
Tennis Outreach (Author: )
Diversity defeated downpour
20 churches unite in Northampton (Author: Clive Price)
Police request coffee van to help youth
From Frome to Glastonbury (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Churches supply solace to rockers
Isle of Wight churches of all ages get behind the Solace team (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Norwich will celebrate faith
Celebrate Norwich and Norfolk festival (Author: Clive Price)
Youth invest in deprived area
Project causes church to relocate (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Project HOPE - Swansea
Ten social action projects and a celebration over Bank Holiday weekend (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Southampton Passion
A dramatic Easter musical performance
(Author: Neil Maddock @ Southampton Passion)
The Noise - 10th year!
A Bank Holiday weekend of social transformation to share Jesus with N. Bristol (Author: The Noise)
Primary School mums make impact
Easter lessons and a Hope display from one small group of mums (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Ignite Hope Local
A weekend of word and action in South Wales (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Hope-filled Hobbits
A production by the Hope Players (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Who moved the egg?
Theatre performance caused audience to consider the message of Easter. (Author: HOPE in Bedfordshire)
Eggstravaganzas and giveaways
Easter outreach in Warrington and Enfield (Author: )
Neighbours become friends
Seven Belfast students with a passion to see neighbours become friends (Author: Tell it in Colour - N.Ireland)
Messy church for families
Messy church is attractive to families who are uncomfortable with tradition.
(Author: Evangelical Alliance - Idea)
Gospel goes streetwise
Chris Duffett takes Church to the streets (Author: Clive Price)
Easter Passion Plays
Several cities are performing outdoor Passion performances (Author: )
Highland community to experience Easter
A small community celebrates Easter in a new way (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Roy Crowne is an Angel - for an evening
Roy joins the new Beeston Street Angels team on launch night (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Love and Angels in Notts
Love your Streets launch and Street Angels in Notts (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Bradford Street Angels: 3 yrs street patrolling
Bradford Street Angels grew out of a Hope initiative and is celebrating 3 years of making streets safer (Author: Bradford Media Hub)
Christmas - Getting in the picture
Festive events in Bedford that share the hope and message of Christmas (Author: HOPE in Bedfordshire)
Launch of new food banks UK wide
Christians reach out to those in need. (Author: Evangelical Alliance)
Churches in Bradford join together to host homeless
A PILOT project allowing homeless people to sleep inside local churches has grown to include hundreds of volunteers and the involvement of a staggering 53 churches.
(Author: Bradford Media Hub)
Methodists rescue marooned motorists
Methodist Church becomes a relief centre from the snow. (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Happy 5th Birthday Halifax Street Angels
Street Angels is celebrating five years working on the streets of Halifax. (Author: Halifax Street Angels)
HOPE Nottingham launches with vision to reach every area of the city
Over 50 church leaders and hundreds of worshippers gathered at the HOPE Nottingham launch event on 14th October to share their vision for their city and commit to working together more. (Author: Lucy Cooper)
Reaching out to the party scene
Christian nightlife ministries encourage each other in their good work (Author: Steph Glinski)
A hub for the community
Englefield Community centre (Author: Hannah Street)
Fun day attracts 2,000 in Bedford
Hope in Bedfordshire in conjunction with Bedford Street Angels, Jaffa Orchard and local churches hosted a free Family Fun Day (Author: HOPE in Bedfordshire)
Cardiff young people challenge stereotypes
IgniteHOPE saw thousands of teenagers make a positive impact on South Wales for the third year running.
(Author: Lucy Cooper)
Ministering to the homeless
With a new drop-in centre and soup kitchen for the homeless, HOPE Nottingham, formerly NG9, is providing for the practical needs of the homeless. (Author: Stephanie Glinski)
'Hope Players' thrive in Cambridge
Following the 2008 project, ‘Hope Players’ aim to connect Christians where they live and try to help churches collaborate more in the local community.
(Author: Stephanie Glinski)
Northampton celebrates Global Church's birthday
Northampton churches joined together to celebrate the festival of Pentecost by heading to the Park and leaving their buildings to encourage and share with the town. (Author: Lucy Cooper)
HOPE on the Street brings change to communities
Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable have continued a door to door ministry, market stalls, coffee mornings, sport events, hope puppets, as well as a monthly Hope Café. (Author: Lucy Cooper)