June - the shipping report
Mobilising London's churches
June has been a very busy month as I’ve taken meetings in different parts of the UK. However, for this monthly report I’m going to share a different aspect of my work. I am often called upon to provide consultancy support for projects in the UK and overseas. These can range from national prayer events to local social action projects. None has been more interesting than working with Operation Mobilisation to bring their latest ship, MV Logos Hope, into London’s Docklands for two weeks of evangelism, outreach, literature distribution and church partnership.
It all began when Operation Mobilisation (OM for short) asked me to put together a team of London church leaders to visit the ship while it was being re-fitted in Denmark. This was an amazing trip, involving the Peace Alliance, the Salvation Army, the Free Churches’ education department, a youth worker, an Anglican Archdeacon and a film crew...
Video of the visit to Logos Hope being re-fitted in Denmark
Since then Trevor and I have worked closely with OM and the ships amazing line-up team to put together a series of events on board as well as seeing teams from the ship come ashore to help London churches in their evangelism and outreaches.
The bookfair on board was officially opened by the deputy mayor of London, Richard Barnes – a self-confessed bibliophile and multi-linguist.
The first few nights saw the on-board 300-seat theatre host youth concerts and events to evangelise London’s lost, as well as help with how to deal with gun and knife crime, drugs and addictions.
Amy and Martha, Logos Hope London line-up team
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Youth event in the Hope Theatre
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Over 15,000 people visited the ship whilst she was in Docklands. A pastors’ breakfast was hosted by Hugh, sponsored by Premier Love London and addressed by George Verwer founder of OM.
George Verwer giving away books!
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Hugh Osgood encouraging leaders on-board
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By the end of the visit many people from London’s very diverse Christian population, (from existing OM supporters, to local residents, members of other faiths and none, local business leaders and companies, to visitors from Black Majority churches and every shade of theology and ethnicity between) had shown strong interest in being involved in the ship’s mission around the world.
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Trevor's Dad (left) supervising the bridge,
on leaving London
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Everyone in my team was closely involved with the ship’s visit – Dan organised youth visits, and was the youth worker who stayed on board when Logos Hope was being re-fitted in Denmark, Kwame mobilised many from the Ghanaian churches and youth to visit, Trevor and I linked the line-up team with churches and leaders across London and consulted on maximising the ship’s visit. Even Trevor’s Dad got involved as he was the river pilot who took the ship out of Docklands and down the Thames on its way to Cork! It was very exciting for me once again, as someone who has been involved with OM in many different ways over the past 43 years, to be using my experience in networking and mobilising church leaders to ensure that the ship’s visit was a success. The thousands who were new to OM and experienced the mission of the ship for the first time was a real reward.
If you are interested in supporting the facilitative work that I and the rest of my team give to projects like this alongside my Bible teaching ministry, then do pray for us and consider sending us a gift and playing your part in mission.
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