Urban Life: a snapshot 

Exploring the story of our faith through meals, a new book, a masters degree - lots of exciting developments with Urban Life

Urban Life is a network of people exploring and researching new approaches to mission and Christian presence in deprived and marginalised urban neighbourhoods. It aims to provides practical, local and accessible training to Christian groups in marginalised places. 

It launched in 2014, formed by Bristol Baptist College, Urban Expression, BMS World Mission and the Baptist Union, with the latter providing much of the funding.

Urban Life is facilitated by Mike Pears, accredited Baptist minister and member of an Urban Expression team in Bristol. In June it celebrated two years, and has in grown in its capacity to develop and deliver learning and research opportunities in a range of key areas.

The movement's latest update spoke of a number of developments over the coming months, including the Meals with Meaning project. It stated:

‘Meals with Meaning’ sets out to explore how we might develop creative approaches to worship that relate well to our own families and neighbourhoods alongside making space for an open invitation to friends and visitors of all ages and backgrounds. The invitation is to participate in a creative and imaginative time of exploring the story of our faith in an engaging and memorable way. This year we are creating a series of resources for a calendar of intentionally storied meals that can be hosted just around a table, in homes, or in larger communal settings.

There was also mention of the launch of Urban Life's first two books at the International Mission Centre (IMC), Birimingham on 15 October. Urban Life plans to produce six books drawing on theology and social sciences to explore key issues in mission and marginality.

In collaboration with Bristol Baptist and Trinity Colleges and IMC, Birmingham, Urban Life also offers a Masters degree in Mission and Marginalisation. The degree opens up the opportunity for people to do some in-depth study to issues connected to their own context and experience. The course starts in this academic year and there is still a chance to sign up.

The update also stated how Urban Life is planning two 'Creative Conversation events in the north of England and Scotland. Creative Conversations helps Christians to foster careful and thoughtful listening to voices of those who experience marginalisation, exclusion and deprivation through open-hearted attentiveness in order to become more aware of what’s happening in our communities.

Sign up for Urban Life email updates and keep in touch with all the developments at www.urbanlife.org