I've hit the bullseye

Report offers churches hope

While UK churches have endured unprecedented challenges and difficulties during the last two years, a new report has revealed there are significant reasons for Christians to remain hopeful and confident in the face of the Covid pandemic.

The Evangelical Alliance's third Changing Church Report – revealing the views and concerns of leaders and individuals across the UK – paints a picture of decreasing congregations and a significant drop in volunteering and financial giving.

Yet, at the same time, the research also demonstrates the importance of churches to the lives of local people, as it reveals most are not only managing to maintain a strong presence in their communities with reduced resources – in terms of essential food and medicine provision, vital mental health work they undertake and the asylum applications they actively support – they are doing much more than before Covid-19 struck.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: despite fewer volunteers, church food banks have never been busier. 

Amid all of the trials and tribulations faced by so many, the report highlights the 'average' church member continues to actively talk about Jesus, speaking about their faith to an average of six non-believers since February 2020. Encouragingly, 42% of respondents had invited a non-believer to their church between August-October 2021.

Significant regional variation around evangelism was uncovered by researchers, with Scotland and Wales more likely to be seeing people become Christians than in other parts of the UK.

Wales has changed from being one of the lowest to one of the highest regions when it comes to people attending a course exploring Christianity. Also, younger church leaders are seeing more people come to faith than they did before the Covid-19 pandemic, increasing from an average of 1.4 people before the pandemic to 2.6 people in the last three months.

HELPING HANDS: more people suffering from poor mental health have sought church support.

“The church continues to face a changing, and at times challenging, landscape,” says Rich Powney, lead theology researcher at the Evangelical Alliance. “Yet this is also an opportunity to reflect and reset, to ask strategic conversations and hold formative conversations as we learn some lessons from lockdown.”

The report's key findings include: 

• 95% of churches are back to in-person services and 61% are continuing to offer online services.
• One-in-three people (32%) have stopped attending church services in-person – but this is offset by a rise in accessing church online.
• Almost 60% of church leaders have perceived a decrease in volunteering and 24% of churches who offered youth ministry before the Covid-19 pandemic are not currently offering this important service.
• There is a downward trend in relation to congregations supporting their churches financially.

FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE: churches have increased their support for asylum seekers during Covid.

A total of 552 responses from church leaders were used by the report authors, as were 1,676 responses from church members. Of these, 58% of respondents were leaders of churches affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance and 39% of the individuals were also members. The overwhelming majority of responses – 86% of church members and 94% of church leaders – described themselves as an 'evangelical Christian'. The research was conducted between 14-24 October 2021.

Formed in 1846, the Evangelical Alliance is the oldest and largest evangelical unity movement in the UK. To access the full report, click here.

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All systems are 'Mo'...

So, here we are in the final few days of November – or 'Movember' as it is often referred to; a month known for Guy Fawkes, reduced daylight hours – and the abundant growth of moustaches by millions of men.

If the truth is known, most of us like a nice bit of growth above our top lip. And if we could have our way, wouldn't we all want a 'hairy caterpillar' that rivalled the one sported by the late Lemmy of Motorhead infamy, Prince Albert (husband to Queen Victoria) or even the great 'tache of Colour-Sergeant Green (played by Nigel Green, pictured above) in the stirring 1960s film Zulu?

And these days we have the perfect reason to do so – as more and more of us heed the call to support men's health issues.

To get an idea of the popularity of Movember, all you need to do is watch a rugby match and see how many international stars have taken up the follicle challenge. During the most recent autumn series between European and southern hemisphere sides, which ended last weekend, the vast majority of players sported hair above the lip.

HAIR WE GO: England winger, Johnny May, has grown a fine 'caterpillar' during Movember.

But what about when December beckons and yet you want to retain the growth and the Edwardian look; how do you go about 'maintaining your Mo', and how do you combat the curse of upper lip itch?

With our friends From MARS, the leading online pharmacy, Sorted has come up with a five-point plan that will help you keep your moustache in pristine condition long after November has come and gone. Follow these simple steps and you will have little difficulty in keeping your growth looking trim and healthy:

Keep it clean

Blokes often forget to give their facial hair a thorough wash, but it’s just as important as cleaning the hair on your head. Some people opt for standard shampoo or face wash to clean a moustache, but there are beard shampoos available which might work better for you.

Keep it smart

Whether you have just a moustache or full beard, it’s important you comb it regularly, as this will help the hairs lie the way you want them to and achieve a more suave appearance. As your facial hair gets longer, you might find the comb pulls through the hair, so opt for a dry oil product.

ROCK ON: Motorhead frontman, Lemmy, was always seen with a thick 'tache.

Train, don’t trim

When growing a 'Mo' it’s only a matter of time before the hair starts to cover your top lip and the upper part of your mouth. If you’re not used to trimming facial hair then it’s easy to mess up, so use one of the many available 'style waxes' to train your 'Mo' into the direction you want it to go. If this doesn’t work, then carefully use trimming scissors to cut the edges.

Wax those whiskers

Growing facial hair can be hard for some and this is the case for you, then a wax can not only promote healthy moustache hair, but it can also provide it with more definition. Simply apply a small amount of wax to your fingertips and rub it into your 'Mo' for the ultimate look and smell.

And look after your skin

The longer your 'Mo' grows the more chance of the skin underneath drying out increases. It’s important that you still moisturise the skin underneath your facial hair, as this will not only replenish the skin but prevent dreaded dandruff from becoming visible.

THE KING OF 'TACHES: Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, was known to love his moustache.

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All hail the male...

So, today is the day we celebrate all things male as it is officially International Men's Day.

Yep, believe it or not, there is such a day on the calendar – and quite right too!

There are many reasons to hail the maleness in our world (and admittedly, some reasons not to). We are different to women in so many respects, particularly in the way we think and conduct ourselves in the home, workplace and social environments. And when that is wholesome, that is most certainly something to smile about.

Who doesn't love going into a bloke-only loo and seeing it catering for our maleness – and aren't we all full of admiration for football fans (who all seem to support Newcastle United) when in the midst of winter, they whip off their coats and shirts and stand there bare-chested for well over an hour, letting it all hang out in sub-zero temperatures?

That's what being a man is. We are a bit cranky and a bit crazy. But we are the more loveable for it. Apart from our wives, girlfriends and close family members and friends, who'd want to change us?

Seven reasons to celebrate being a man...

We turn our dirty pants inside out to wear them again on another day

We sniff our armpits to check if it's time to take a shower

We like to blow our noses in the shower

We rarely wash our hands after going to the bathroom

99.99% of the time we forget to lift the toilet seat

We wear our jeans for more than a month without washing them

And we always eat something that fell onto the ground because it was only on the ground for five seconds – and five seconds is nothing!

So, enjoy today. Bask in being a modern kind of man for 24 glorious hours – and then try to make a positive difference wherever and whenever you can.