Two New Contact Postcards Available

'HOPE' has been designed with Hope08 in mind and reflects a hope that prevails despite adversity. In 2008, the HOPE initiative will see the whole Church increasing its activities in the community in very practical ways, across the whole nation for the whole year. This card is the first of a number of resources planned for HOPE and can be used in churches, during community action projects, or simply posted through the doors of the local community. Alongside the contact details for the Christian Enquiry Agency it has a space designed for churches and Christian groups to include their own contact details, giving people two places to go for more information. Click here and here to see the reverse side of the card.

'Feeling full of life?' is for general use and offers more information on how to live life in all its fullness. It is centred around a verse from John 10:10b: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Enquirers sending off the tear-off card will each receive a personal response explaining more about why Jesus represents life in all its fullness, pointing them to further resources and with an offer to put them in touch with a Christian local to them who can answer their questions. As with all enquiries the Christian Enquiry Agency deals with, everyone is offered details of local churches and Alpha courses. Click here and here to see the reverse side of the card.

Both cards offer information on the Christian faith and include a tear-off freepost response to the Christian Enquiry Agency and are can be ordered online from the Deo Gloria Trust now in packs of 25.

Churches: offer an opportunity to visit rejesus.co.uk

rejesus.co.uk is an imaginative, evangelistic website offering a quality, creative and trustworthy place to be used in outreach - as a way of giving people an opportunity to follow up an interest in Christianity, faith or spirituality.

Christian Enquiry Agency includes rejesus.co.uk on almost all of its outreach initiatives and receives many enquiries via the site.

Churches are invited to use the site in their own outreach by including an invitation to explore 'who is Jesus' on the home page of their websites. Banners can be downloaded from the 'about us' section of rejesus.co.uk and used on church websites.

Church leaflets, magazines, invitation cards and service sheets could include an invitation to rejesus.co.uk. Emails could have rejesus.co.uk at the bottom so recipients can click straight to it. Also, each page on the site includes a button to allow it to be sent to someone.

There are more ideas in a 'movie' in the supporters section of rejesus.co.uk which gives ten ways to use the site in outreach.

Outreach resources for spiritual seekers

Angels, nature and the environment are some of the key themes being explored by people seeking spiritual fulfilment in their lives. Now there are outreach materials for churches to use which tackle these themes.

According to Borders Books, angels are going to be everywhere! "Any book or product that is about angels will fly out of the door next year," said a Borders senior buyer Becky Harlowe in The Times on 1 January 2005. There is also growing interest in self-development and making a difference through books like Change Your Life in 7 Days and Change the World for a Fiver.

The Christian 'Angels' and 'Nature' materials, which pick up these interests and desires, have been created by Bruce Stanley. "They explore the Christian angle from the perspective of the user's desires and interests, offering practical thoughts about life fulfilment and how to make a difference. The spirituality of Jesus Christ and the Bible is introduced and ways for further investigation are suggested," said Bruce, a creative communications expert and life coach. (See embody.co.uk, rejesus.co.uk and labyrinth.org.uk)

Spend a Week with the Angels is the invitation on the contact postcard for churches to use in outreach. The double postcard has thought-provoking words and a freepost section offering a pack of seven Angels cards from Christian Enquiry Agency. The theme of nature is explored in a Supernatural - echoes of Eden contact postcard, offering a '7 days in the natural realm' pack of cards. For an introductory pack of postcards, sets of cards and posters go to Deo Gloria Resources. These resources have been commissioned by the Churches Together in England Group for Evangelisation and are linked to the Equipping Your Church in a Spiritual Age workbook.

Outreach papers and magazines - something for everyone

A wide range of Christian newspapers and magazines are available for churches to use in outreach. Here are five and each one includes a response opportunity to Christian Enquiry Agency.

There are three tabloid size newspapers written in a popular style. All tackle current issues and include stories of Christian faith today. Challenge Newsline and New Life are monthly and The Son is currently bi-monthly. The papers are ideal to have at church for visitors, deliver door to door and give away at outreach events.

No Ordinary Man is a new magazine including Luke's gospel with photos from the Jesus film together with current stories of faith and how to know God personally. It is produced by Agapé and Deo Gloria Resources.

MOTA is the latest magazine for men from Christian Viewpoint for Men. Topics include the Da Vinci Code, pornography, evolution and creation, plus stories of Christian faith today.

Contact CEA for more details of any of these publications.

Outreach Contact Cards

A range of eye-catching Contact Cards has been produced by Lifewords to help Christians and churches get God's word out on the streets and into people's hearts.

Each of the four postcard size cards covers a key theme: stress, love, forgiveness and satisfaction. There are striking graphics on the front and thought provoking words plus a verse from the Bible inside each card. There's also an invitation to find out more about the Christian faith by returning the response section of the card to Christian Enquiry Agency (CEA), or by visiting rejesus.co.uk.

CEA sends each enquirer free evangelistic material related to the theme and offers further help, including contact with a local Christian.

The cards are ideal to give to friends, use in door to door outreach, put on a church welcome desk, place in coffee bars . anywhere where it is possible to place a postcard for people to take (see below for more ideas).

You can order cards in packs of 20 (5 of each design) or quantities of individual cards. If churches use more than 500 for an outreach initiative they can be involved in the follow up - details are sent with each order.

10 ideas on how to use the Contact Cards

1. Friends, neighbours and work colleagues - give them a card.

2. Church welcome desks - display the cards for visitors to take. Postcard display racks are available from major stationers.

3. Themed Sunday services - plan some church services around the four themes (stress, love, forgiveness and satisfaction) and have the appropriate cards available.

4. Door to door outreach - use the cards in addition to information about your church.

5. Wedding services - provide the 'love' theme cards for guests to take.

6. Outdoor mission events - hand the cards to contacts.

7. Christmas events and services - have the 'love', 'stress' or 'satisfaction' cards available to take.

8. Luncheon clubs - place cards on the tables.

9. Easter services - the 'forgiveness' card could be used.

10. Coffee shops, doctors' and dentists' waiting rooms, libraries etc etc - try to place the cards here.

• Two New Contact Postcards Available
• Churches: offer an opportunity to visit rejesus.co.uk
• Outreach resources for spiritual seekers
• Outreach papers and magazines
• Outreach Contact Cards