Manor Park Evangelical Church|Serving Christ and the Community in St. John's
Men
We are all familiar with Women's Circles, Women's Hour, Women's Institutes, Women's Fellowship Groups and the like, but a Men's Group? What is that all about?
The 21st Century presents new challenges for us men in how to live out our faith as Christians in our homes, our work and in our leisure time. Look around most established churches and you have to confront the question: 'where are the men?' No longer exclusively in the pulpit, they increasingly are nowhere else either. Not present, not involved, not challenged by a message not made relevant to their lives.
The Men's Group at Manor Park is part of our response to those issues. We believe that we can worship God in our lives on Monday as well as Sunday - just in a different way.
It is about recognising the issues, confronting the problems and talking them through honestly. Sometimes this is by sharing how we have coped or failed with certain issues. It can be about unfinished business, where God is still at work. We look at the Bible in a thematic way. What does it say to us now in key areas of our lives? With no women around, we find it easier to face some truths or difficulties and support each other.
It is not all serious stuff! Food features prominently, whether it's sharing a curry in the evening or a fry-up for Saturday breakfast. We meet in each our homes, briefly displacing our families from the most comfortable chairs or the kitchen stove.
MANTLE
Recognising that you are not alone in coping with things is a big part of it. We actively support MANTLE, a citywide initiative to encourage, support and challenge men.
MANTLE hold 2 meetings a year. In the autumn, there is an opportunity to bring friends and colleagues who are not yet Christians to hear the story of someone's changed life in a neutral venue - currently they use the Worcester Rugby Club. In the Spring a faith-building event is held bringing men from churches in the area together.
MANTLE is linked to Christian Vision for Men (CVM). It has a wide range of resources and material on its website. Getting God to Work (gender neutral!) has some great workplace stuff too including details of workplace fellowships.
So - if you are male and wanting to work your faith out between Monday and Saturday, come along.
