About PLACE:

Welcome to PLACE – the website behind a new network for pastors and mission workers in cities across Europe. The basic aim is to meet once or twice a year in different places to share what we are learning. Our first meeting in Budapest in April (see below) met under the umbrella of the HOPE 21 Congress.   In the future, we aim to offer: regular consultations in various regions and languages of Europe each year the development of a website for the exchange of news, resources, reflection and discussion networking people who share a vision for the Kingdom of God across the cities of Europe opportunities for orientation, exposure and training in urban ministry in Europe   PLACE is important in spirituality and urban spirituality recognises the sacredness of physical space. Rob van Essen has pointed out to me that the Hebrew word ‘megom’ meaning a ‘place of standing’ can also mean ‘a city’. For example, in Genesis 21 v. 31 we have “the place shall be called Beersheba”, in Genesis 28 v. 19 “the place shall be called Bethel”…   The vision and values behind PLACE are broadly: (a)    Evangelical – maintain a commitment to evangelism (b)   Ecumenical – maintain a commitment to dialogue (c)    Learning together – share what we are reading, writing and discovering in ministry (d)   Acting together       – co-operate in joint initiatives to make the most of resources   Increasing demands and expectations in the church do not help us to value the ‘place’ and the context of our ministry. In PLACE we are prepared to engage critically but passionately with the social and cultural diversity of our cities. Sometimes ‘thinking urban’ is missing in attempts to plant new churches. In this network we do not want to by-pass the history or stories of the city.   By 2050, it is confidently expected that two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in cities. We live in urban times. In the twenty-first century, love for Jesus and love for the city are one. As Jesus Christ is key to the renewal of urban life, the city is key to the growth of Christianity. My story is that I have been converted twice – by Christ and by the city. As a pastor, twelve years in community development ministry in a poor area of Glasgow and now seven years of international ministry in the city-centre of Rotterdam have taught me that ‘context’ is all important. In Glasgow the challenge was for local people to be connected with the rest of the city which affected them – e.g. job opportunities and social services. In Rotterdam, however, the challenge is for international people to be able to relate meaningfully to inner-city issues and communities. We do need different approaches for different contexts. We need different churches to reach different people in the city. Sometimes urban mission has been only identified with industrial mission or community work, but the Gospels show that urban ministry is with: (1) the POOR - those who are socially excluded, such as the homeless, the addicted, displaced or uprooted people. We recall how Jesus reached out to touch the lepers, the sick, and the scorned, and trained his disciples to do the same.   (2) the POWERS - the policy-makers, politicians, the privileged, recognizing the systems at work in business and the media. We recall how Jesus talked with Zacchaeus and Simon the Pharisee besides upsetting the Temple and the Pharisees themselves.   (3) the PLACE - strategic planning and vision for such issues as the environment and housing, as well as evangelism and church-planting. We recall how Jesus organized his disciples to visit the towns and himself looked over the holy city and wept. It is this emphasis that is reflected in the proposed name of the network. On this website, you can catch up with what took place in Budapest in April as well as anticipate the meeting in Marseille next January. This is the prototype! Your book reviews and other kinds of contributions are needed. Initially, please send them into me at: scotsintchurch@cs.com  We have also tried to translate material into other languages using a computer program but you must be the judge of whether this has worked! Currently the Church of Scotland has released some of my time from the church in Rotterdam for this network. My colleague, Steve Thrall, works for International Teams in Paris and is also able to give time for networking. Both us have recently undertaken doctoral studies under Dr. Ray Bakke of International Urban Associates. In the future, we hope to build links with I.U.A. as well as training institutions and urban ministries in Europe. Finally, while I have attempted to listen and learn from our discussion in Budapest, the views expressed here are my own. Let me know what you think!   All good wishes and God’s grace   Robert Calvert scotsintchurch@cs.com