Olympic Games 27/7/12 - 12/8/12
Paralympic Games 29/8/12 - 9/9/12
In Brief
Could you qualify as a Games Pastor?
An army of volunteers is needed as Games Pastors for both the Olympics and Paralympics. They will assist the thousands of travellers, sightseers and spectators with practical and spiritual help.
Effectively, Games Pastors will demonstrate the love of Christ on the streets and at transport terminals to those visiting London for the Games. Those applying will need the support of their church leader and be ready to face a variety of challenges. For more information go to www.morethangold.org.uk/
gamespastors
Buns on the Bus
A hospitality bus will be touring the Districts to coincide with the arrival of the Olympic torch at designated sites across the UK. Would you be willing to act as a hospitality co-ordinator and/or cake baker?
As a hospitality co-ordinator, your role would be to encourage people to start preparing and bake cakes for the bus. If you are interested and would like further information, please email games@methodistchurch.org.uk
Gold Champions
If you would like to sign up as a Gold Champion, please email games@methodistchurch.org.uk
Over 1,000 Methodists have signed up as Gold Champions. By having their own Gold Champion (Church Representative) a church can keep up to date with information on More Than Gold’s activities and resources.
Gold Champions receive their own dedicated eNews update, On Track, and invitations to special briefings so they are always in touch and can share ideas and information with each other. If you are already a Gold Champion, please forward this email on to other churches in your Circuit as well as your friends and family members.
Dear friends
Since our last newsletter we have learned more about the route of the Olympic Torch. Between 18 May and 27 July, the Olympic Flame will come to within just 10 miles of 95% of the population of the UK. The torch will visit every county in England and every Local Authority area in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
The torch will be carried by 8,000 Torchbearers, visit iconic landmarks including Loch Ness, Snowdon, Stormont and Stonehenge and use some more unusual modes of transport including horseback, steam train and even a zip wire.
Seb Coe said 'Now everyone is invited to plan their welcome and find out where they can go to be part of this historic occasion. The Olympic Games are coming to you as the Olympic Flame gives our people and places their moment to shine.’
To find out how close the torch comes to you see www.london2012.com/olympic-torch-relay-map.
Other news from the organising committee to get excited about is the launch of the 2012 Festival. This will be a spectacular 12-week, UK-wide celebration bringing together leading artists from across the world from 21 June – 9 September 2012.
A unique Festival commission will ensure the Games begin in style next summer with a simultaneous nationwide bell-ringing. On 27 July 2012 at 8 AM it is hoped that as many bells as possible will be run as quickly and as loudly for 3 min. Throughout history bells have traditionally been rung to mark special moments in time, this commission will give people across the UK an opportunity to be part of the work by Turner prize-winning artist Martin Creed. Everyone can take part by ringing everything from bicycle bells to church bells to find out more please go to www.allthebells.com.
Read on for more news.
Best wishes
Ish Lennox
Please forward this email to anyone you think may be interested
Those intending to show the opening ceremony live in the outdoors face the problem that this will be before the hours of darkness. The free guide suggests cost-effective answers as well as covering sound and lighting, health and safety, transmitting live footage and more. The guide also includes full details of the BBC’s permission for the public showing of their transmissions so long as this is without charge and the content is not altered. Marty Woods, who leads More Than Gold’s Festivals Team said, ‘It’s a minefield running a big public event, especially when it involves a big screen. This guide puts churches in touch with the expert advice they need to have a roaring success’. More than 1,000 events involving big screens and run by churches are expected all over the country, with many featuring the Opening Ceremony. The guide is based on the work and experience of the team at Event & Management Services. Since 1981 they have delivered events including village fetes, touring shows, corporate presentations and festival sites such as Greenbelt. The guide is available as a free download from www.morethangold.org.uk/free-resources 
Free guide helps churches stage big events for the 2012 Games
Churches planning large events in celebration of the 2012 Games now have a practical guide to help them solve the many practical issues involved.
London Prepares – Lord’s Cricket Ground
The object of the sport is simple: to shoot arrows as close to the centre of a target as possible. Archers shoot from the standard Olympic distance of 70 metres. A gold ring marks the centre of the 122 centimetre target, and is worth a maximum 10 points. Amongst the teams appearing was the British Women’s team consisting of Alison Williamson, Naomi Folkard and Amy Oliver (below), who have all competed on international levels before. The event was played in a head-to-head knockout format. The winners of each match qualified for the next round, until the last two teams went head-to-head in the gold medal match. The losers of the two semi-finals in each event competed in play-off matches to determine the winner of the bronze medal. The British team came a very close fourth while the Koreans proved to be the best on this grey and windy day. Being one of many hopefuls who have not received tickets for the Olympic Games, I was especially thrilled to be watching world-class sportspeople in this unique setting, although mostly empty seats and not quite sturdy enough banners and barriers reminded me more of BBC Four’s ‘TwentyTwelve’ than of professional Games. It reminded me of our discipleship journey, victory belongs to those who keep looking at the goal not the going. Verena Thim
Verena Thim, a member of the Connexional team and a keen archer reflects on the sports preparation and how that links to discipleship.
Being a member of Archery GB, I was fortunate enough to have the chance to attend a free archery event which was part of the London Prepares series, the London 2012 sports testing programme.
It has a key role in helping the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) test its operations ahead of next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. The event has also been awarded world record and world ranking status by the World Archery Federation (WA).
Change your email details
Registered charity no. 1132208
