Last Sunday (3rd August) a team of young people from all over the country descended on Bedford to put on an enjoyable afternoon of fun for all the family. Re:ACT is a short term mission project organised by Urban Saints (formerly Crusaders) that has been going on for several years, but has gained an awareness from churches in the country this year through Hope 08. Volunteers for Re:ACT are usually in their teens and embark on an 11 day residential outing where they learn practical skills for running 6 events in an area as well as more about their faith and how to express it with other people.
The Free Family Fun day in Bedford was the last stop on this team's tour, and would not have been possible without the involvement of the churches in Bedford which join together under the banner of Hope in Bedfordshire. It was held next to the river in Bedford which provided plenty of space for the crowds which soon followed. The day started slowly (mainly because people were having their lunch) but after this the site began to populate.
Being separated into three areas, there were plenty of different activities in which visitors could participate. On the main stage, the presenters and band took it in turns to entertain the crowd, with music and messy games. For those feeling peckish, the hotspots were the barbecue area and the tea and coffee marquee (managed by Jaffa Orchard), which had a large range of home-made cakes. Elsewhere around the field there was a combination of inflatables, provided by Urban Saints, and other games put on by the churches for the entertainment of all the family, with favourites being Beat the goalie and the coconut shy.
In the centre of the grounds, the prayer tent offered support, discussion and prayer with a team of volunteers from the local churches. There were also many leaflets and flyers for people to take away with them with regard to faith, Hope and the Alpha course, as well as display boards of community projects reaching out to families and churches involved in the area.
The afternoon concluded with Church Outdoors, an event separate to the activities of the fun day yet still presented by the Re:ACT team, in which the informal congregation joined in with worship performed by the band. Most of the attendees were from churches in the community. This was really nice to see as it was a reminder of being all part of the same family and that good things happen when we all come together. The service included testimonials and a short talk before the clouds, which had been threatening all day, opened above us and washed the grounds.
I would just like to give a big 'thank you' and 'well done' to all those who were involved with the organisation and preparation for running this event. Overall this was a very successful and much appreciated day out for the local community.
