2021
Between January and March
The new
Together4Bristol website was launched. Two films had a big impact:
Carols for Bristol, with nearly 8000 views, and
Bristol Remembers to mark the first anniversary of the start of lockdown.
The
Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter involved hundreds of volunteers from 14 churches.
March
Continued engagement by the Christian community with the council and
City Office (over 40 from the Christian community were involved at the March One City Gathering of nearly 400 people)
April Relaunch of the Faith community's
Manifesto, plus 30 days of continual prayer, leading up to the Mayoral Election, led by
One Church, One Day. 54 churches prayed in turn for the peace of our city.
May
Marvin Rees was re-elected as Mayor of Bristol. He engages with about 50 to 100 church leaders three times a year at prayer breakfasts.
The Noise 2021 involved over 400 volunteers serving through small practical projects across Bristol over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
The
Keyboard Trust networker, Carmen Carrol, connects with over 40 black-led churches in the region. A gathering called “Racism and the Church” led to a
Facebook group with nearly 200 members, with other events throughout the year.
June
Over 70 church, prayer and sphere leaders, with the
Presidents of T4B, gathered to start work on the Christian Community Vision to 2050,
Building Bristol as a City of Hope, to help engage with Bristol's
One City Plan to 2050.
Summer
Over the summer and throughout the year, the
Politics and Social Action sphere,
Christian Action Bristol (CAB), led the Christian community's response to COVID-19, including to food poverty, as
this film shows. CAB also helps lead the Christian community's contribution to the
Recovery and Renewal of Bristol, emerging from the pandemic.
CAB and the Family sphere, responded amazingly to the need for emergency fostering, with over 60 households from 18 churches volunteering. By the end of 2021, 30 had become, or were in the process of becoming, foster parents (see
this film).
The
Education sphere and Bristol Schools Connection, working with CAB and the council, helped churches connect with
Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) to provide mentors in 20 schools, with ten in place by the end of 2021.
October
The
Bristol Housing Festival team had a virtual Housing
EXPO 2021, with 100s of people attending and over 70 speakers. Homes not Houses, focused on the vital role of the local church in providing homes (move-on housing) for those affected by homelessness. InHope explains it in more detail
here.
November
Together4Bristol's AGM had over 70 on a Zoom call to discuss the Christian Community Vision to 2050.
Ian Taylor was appointed as the new Enabler for Mission and Unity (EMU), taking over from
Roger Allen, who continues networking across the
spheres of life.
December
T4B's prayer networks (
Arise Bristol!), prayed continually, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, through WhatsApp groups, Zoom calls and in-person. The
Arts,
Business,
Education,
Health, and
Family spheres had regular prayer gatherings (recently on Zoom).
The
Arts sphere, or
Kingdom Creatives mentored about 50 creatives during the pandemic, including with regular Zoom calls. The
Health sphere had weekly Zooms for encouraging creativity, for healing and for the growing Healing Centre Project. Many resources, such as for Sport or Family, went online and over the year, most churches had online services.
2020
2020
January
The second iteration of Bristol's
One City Plan: a vision for Bristol in 2050 as a fair, healthy and sustainable city of hope.
“Building Families as Factories of Hope” conference about vulnerable children at City Hall
Between January and March
Bristol Churches Winter Nights Shelter involved 16 churches and about 500 volunteers from 50 churches.
March
Launch of a Manifesto from the Faith community for the 2020 Mayoral election (later postponed until 2021, because of the national COVID-19 lockdown)
March to July
160 were involved in the
National Day of Prayer for the COVID-19 pandemic. Regular prayer during the lockdowns, including on WhatsApp and on the hills surrounding Bristol.
The Noise organised about 300 volunteers from 67 churches to serve their communities during the lockdown.
The Major Emergency Plan's and
Bristol Chaplaincy's listening service, with over 90 volunteers, was a comfort and support to many.
An excellent response to food poverty, as
this film shows. Demand for food was four times higher during lockdown and this was met through Feeding Bristol, with foodbanks, which fed over 20k people, and food clubs (which grew from 5 to 16).
An amazing response to the need for emergency fostering, with over 60 households from the Christian community volunteering. See
this film.
September
The
Keyboard Trust networker, Carmen Carrol, had a Zoom gathering with about 70, sharing honestly about the Church and Racial Injustice.
October
The Bristol Housing Festival team had a virtual Building Expo, with 600 attendees and 3000 on You Tube. Projects, such as ZedPods, Innovate UK and BokLok are being delivered and awards won. Also a week of prayer to release new housing across Bristol.
November
Together4Bristol's AGM, with over 100 on a Zoom call about “COVID-19 and Racial Injustice. The Response of the Christian community in Bristol and implications for the future.”
December
The
Bristol Churches City Fund raised over £130k this year, to purchase food and to get it to where it was most urgently needed, during the COVID-19 crisis.
Over lockdown, the spheres were engaged in regular prayer, through WhatsApp and Zoom.
The Arts sphere mentored about 50 creatives and there was weekly prayer for healing, for example through Bristol Healing Rooms.
Many resources, such as for Sport or Family, went online and over the year, most churches had
online services.
2019
2019
January
The launch in a couple of churches of the One Church, One Day prayer initiative to cover the city in continual prayer.
The launch of Bristol's first ever
One City Plan: a vision for Bristol in 2050 as a fair, healthy and sustainable city of hope.
Between January and March
Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter involved 14 churches and about 500 volunteers, providing shelter for about 100 homeless people.
February
Global Aware Bristol held a Festival of Transformation about the environment and sustainable development.
March
Healing streams (Health sphere) “Stronger Together” conference.
Spring
First
Christians Against Poverty (CAP) opened its first debt advice centre in South Bristol.
Christian Action Bristol (the Politics and Social Action sphere of T4B) launched its website.
May
The Noise involved 900 volunteers from 57 churches helping out on 80 projects and 10 Family Fun afternoons.
June
Thy Kingdom Come with about 350 people at the Cathedral, as part of a global wave of prayer, to pray that people would come to know the love of God.
July
City Office launched “Bristol City of Hope”, with later a plaque placed in the foyer of City Hall.
Summer
Feeding Bristol's Healthy Holidays project raised £125,000 from 55 businesses. Over 600 volunteers provided over 50,000 meals over the summer holidays to feed about 5,000 children in the city on free school meals, vulnerable to food insecurity during holidays.
October
The Bristol Housing Festival has made progress with ZEDpods, Launchpad and other projects. The 2019 Festival had about 900 visitors and 15 events to help re-imagine affordable housing solutions for the city.
There are now about 20 C
hristian Workplace Groups (Transform Work UK) across Bristol.
The Kingdom Creatives' (Arts sphere) "Press Red" conference about violence and abuse against women worldwide.
November
T4B Annual gathering, with Keyboard networker, Carmen Carrol, connecting across over 40 black-led churches, and Asher Craig, Deputy Mayor.
Gather Collective, with key Christians from 140 towns and cities across the UK, came to Bristol to hear and discuss the Bristol story: what God is doing to bring transformation to Bristol.
Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) is now being run by 18 churches providing mentors for local schools, to help children who are in danger of exclusion.
December
Lunch for 15 communicators (website, social media) to be more strategic in communication across the Bristol region.
Over the year, there were three church leaders' prayer breakfasts with Mayor Marvin Rees.
Bristol Churches City Fund funded 4 projects in 2019.
2018
2018
January
Bristol Churches City Fund launched by mayor Marvin Rees.
January and February
Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter's second year, with over 400 volunteers.
April
Hope 2018 with 1400 volunteers from 93 churches, bringing transformation to urban estates through 170 projects, 15 Family Fun afternoons, in 25 communities.
May
Bristol as a City of Hope gathering at City Hall, with 200 key people, including Mayor, Cabiner members, businesses, charities and churches.
October
The
Bristol Housing Festival launched, with about 6000 visitors over two weeks, to help re-imagine affordable housing solutions for the city.
Prayer networks conference for intercession over various issues, including student suicides.
Bristol Churches City Fund raised £42k and funded 5 projects in 2018.
Kingdom Creatives (Arts sphere) had three Outreach gatherings at the Colston Hall during 2018.
Over the year, there were three church leaders' prayer breakfasts with Mayor Marvin Rees.
2017
2017
January
Christian Action Bristol (Politics and Social Action sphere) held a week of Prayer and Fasting.
One of the first Offers from the Christian community to
City Office began:
Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter.
Easter
The Turning evangelistic mission saw over 650 first time commitments and Christians from about 70 churches were involved.
May
The Noise had 860 volunteers. First time in South Bristol.
Bi-monthly Keyboard lunches started, to connect across the black-led churches.
October
Group from Bristol involved in
Gather's Movement Day in London for Christians from 130 Unity for Mission Movements in towns and cities across UK.
Autumn
Learning Hub for eleven churches to explore LICC's Whole Life Misssional Discipleship
November
Reformation 500 gathering with speaker Bishop Declan Lang.
Over the year there were three prayer breakfasts for between 50 and 100 church leaders with Mayor Marvin Rees
2016
2016
February
Conferences from the spheres of life, for hundreds of people:
Swords into Ploughshares and
Love Work.
March
Let's Work Together (a Manifesto for the elections of 2016) was launched.
April
A T4B Hustings for the Mayoral candidates was held.
Love Bristol held a conference, with Randy Clark, called
Release 2016.
Launch of Together4Bristol website.
October
First meeting to decide what do do with the Keyboard Fund, for connecting across the black-led churches
2015
2015
April
T4B's gathering for prayer about Politics and Social Action (before the General Election).
18
Parties in the Park by churches working together to connect with their local communities, (including
The Noise, with six Family Fun Days and nearly 1000 volunteers).
September
The launch of the
Cinnamon Faith Action Audit, which gives numerous examples of churches and Christians working together to serve and benefit the Bristol region.
Bristol BlessFest, as part of Bristol Green Capital's Healthy City Week.
October
T4B's gathering to help form a Big Vision for a Good Bristol, and a Manifesto from the Christian community for the Mayoral Election in 2016.
2014
2014
May
All Night Prayer Vigil at Bristol Cathedral/St Stephens for the spheres of life
Pentecost
T4B's city-wide gathering at College Green and in a packed Bristol Cathedral
November
T4B's first gathering, with Roger Sutton of Gather, with 45 prayer, church and sphere leaders to build on the city-wide gatherings
2013
2013
Launch of Together4Bristol (T4B) to organise and publicise city-wide gatherings
Pentecost
T4B's “
Party in the Park” at Castle Park, with about 5000 people.
Numerous other
wider gatherings, with food and drink, such as across the spheres of life, in the summer of 2013.
August
T4B's “
Going Deeper” at the Colston Hall, with 60 exhibition stands, 16 seminars on issues from the spheres of life, performances and evening celebration.
2012
2012
Start of Arise Bristol! gatherings
Spectrum gathering at Bristol Cathedral, with 55 exhibition stands, a celebration service and over 500 visitors.
The
Arise Bristol! Ashton Gate stadium gathering at Pentecost / Global Day of Prayer, with over 5000 people. Church and sphere leaders repented and made Declarations to work together more for the good of Bristol.
2011
2011
Spectrum gathering (CTGB) at Bristol Cathedral. 50 exhibition stands, a celebration service and about 500 visitors.
The launch of the
Bristol Networks website.
2010
2010
Love Bristol held a conference at the Colston Hall called Release 2010.
The Bristol Evangelical Alliance (EA) facilitated the Bristol Prayer Networks gatherings to pray for the region and also Forum for Change (F4C) gatherings of Christian in the spheres of life (Arts and Media, Business and Workplace, Education and Young People, Politics and Social Action, Sport and Health). F4C met twice a year.
Churches Together in Greater Bristol (CTGB) is given a new lease of life, having remained dormant for four years
pre 2010
pre 2010
The church denominations and networks in the Bristol region have collaborated for many years. Evangelical Alliance started nationally in 1846. Churches Together in Greater Bristol (CTGB) started in the 1920's.
Billy Graham's “Mission England” visit to Ashton Gate stadium in 1984, brought together many churches and 250,000 people over eight days.
The Celebration network of newer churches has met in various ways, since the 1980's, bringing together many Christians and church leaders, and now also links with the
New Wine Bristol hub.
There have been various evangelistic campaigns and social action projects over the years, including:
The Noise, which has happened every year in Bristol since 2001. God has used this vision to transform lives, communities and churches.
and LOVEBRISTOLFESTIVAL in 2006, which was an expression of love and care with the people of South Bristol.