Getting ready for the SPEAK Network National Gathering

Getting ready is the down to earth phrase for mobilisation as the dictionary definition of this word shows: 1. The act of …organising and making ready for use or action… 2. The act of assembling and putting into readiness …

Our society is full of things that de-mobilise: people are increasingly isolated and disempowered, feeling unable to make a difference to the problems we are inundated with through the news and the media. The injustice and inequality we see in the daily existence of our neighbours around the world is an emergency (both physically and spiritually), and we must be in readiness to act as instruments for change!

One of the key actions of a network like SPEAK is to be catalysts to mobilize people, whether to campaign, pray, share faith or create community. We need to avoid holding our values to ourselves and creating cliques instead of a genuine open and loving community that reflects God and empowers people to SPEAK out and be part of transforming society.

We want to re-engage, re-energise and re-vitalise people from all over the UK and Europe at the SPEAK National Network Gathering in Sheffield on May 10-11th 2008.

We need to mobilise to invite and welcome as many people as possible inside: not to show off our achievement, but because we want people to be aware and feel empowered to SPEAK out for justice and truth! We need to break down the idea that being concerned about the gospel, justice and immoral economics is something that’s just for people who are ‘into that sort of thing’.

“How can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?” (Romans 10:14-15).

If you want to be a Big Dress Mobiliser, and be supported and encouraged by others doing this and the Network Support Team, please get in touch with Becca on the email address above and there’s plenty more tips and ideas at www.speak.org.uk/mobilise

The Challenge >>> For everyone who decides to invite people to the Network Gathering at the Big Dress to bring 3 others. This isn’t an overwhelming number, and will (hopefully!) be good company on the journey. Groups can of course go further – if we take up the challenge to plan and pray together, extending the invitation beyond the usual bubble, many more people could be involved and aware!