The Big Dress Tour: Sheffield SPEAKs Out Against Injustice
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SPEAK is a Network connecting the emerging generation to campaign and pray on issues of global justice. Through bringing change to situations of injustice we aim to share our faith in our creator: God.
SPEAK combines campaigning and prayer because we believe that they make a powerful combination to bring social transformation. We believe in networking because only together, when acting and praying in unity, can we really make a difference.
Visit the SPEAK site at
www.speak.org.uk
by Asha Rogers, Sheffield Univeristy Speak Group
I recently heard the American author, poet and worship leader David Ruis speaking about the nature of ‘true worship’. He challenged the audience to “walk into the simplicity of engaging with what we have, and the need that we see.”
In many ways, this is a good summary of what lies at the heart of our decision to try and host the Big Dress Tour in Sheffield, from 8th to 12th May 2008.
It’s not because our SPEAK group is completely organised, brimming with capability, resources and bright ideas (although they’re coming!), but precisely because there is a need to continue making a big noise about corporate accountability, and as students we have a uniquely unusual amount of time and an unhealthy amount of energy (albeit little money!) which we can bring together in pressing for social change.
For most of us in Sheffield, SPEAK represents an intersection of justice, prayer and creativity all within a community context, and we hope that through hosting the Big Dress we can reflect something of these qualities (which have had a real impact on us) onto the student and local community.
Personally, I’m really passionate about exploring the creative arts in new ways. For instance, seeing how dance and installation art can gather people to collaboratively encourage and inspire one another in journeying deeper with Jesus and in maintaining the pressure on government and companies to act justly.
We’re incredibly excited, and positive about it, although we are aware of how massive a project hosting the Dress is, and so, really want to encourage everyone in the network to join us and share in the responsibility and the rewards. It’s a fantastic opportunity to model in an often individualistic culture, what it means to take collective responsibility, and be part of an inclusive community that looks beyond its own needs and into the potential for social, personal and spiritual change.
The Big Dress Tour is a big undertaking, so it’s important to have the support of the whole network of groups, links and individuals, not only for practical arrangements and prayer, but as an intentional commitment to tackling the issues of injustice that we are highlighting in the Big Dress campaign.
Irrespective of whether you live in Sheffield right now, any amount of time you and/or your SPEAK group can give to supporting this adventure is going to be really beneficial come May ’08! There are some ideas across the page, but the key way you can help is by telling people about it. Mobilising people is a vital skill in all campaigns, and the Big Dress Campaign is no exception!
The Network Support Team have huge bundles of Big Dress Tour fliers available to you – just email us saying how many you want, and get mobilising!
More details coming soon...