The F Word

The Forgiveness Project - The F Word Exhibition.
Stories have the power to transform... 
Dear fellow members of Christ Church,                
November 2019
Part of the vision of our refurbishment project has been the creation of a space for community events, an opportunity to bless the people of Ware.

One of the earliest of these will be the staging of an exhibition that has travelled the world and been seen by over 70,000 people. It’s about stories. Stories that contain the F-Word. Stories about the limits and possibilities of Forgiveness. Stories from people over the world who have rebuilt their lives following hurt and trauma; Narratives of healing and of the quest to becoming Forgiving.

The exhibition is just one expression of the work of the Forgiveness Project. Founded in 2004, this charity works with people of all faiths and none in the belief that there is a choice, an alternative to the cycles of hate and violence, bitterness and injustice. The charity also works in prisons and in schools, where its storytellers create ‘a space to learn that life can be lived differently to how I’ve lived it before.’ (Echoes of John 10: Life in all its fullness)  This is exactly what the F-Word exhibition does too.
We are really excited about this and want you to put it in your diaries and start talking and praying about it.  Who might you invite to come and see, do you need to engage in the process of forgiveness or are you just interested to know more?
However, we are going to need some help to make the exhibition a success!
Already the MADD men have been invited to help with the erection and dismantling of the 12 storytelling and photo panels, but we will also need:
•    Welcomers – to greet visitors and help them navigate around the exhibits
•    A café team to serve refreshments
•    A creative response team (providing ‘art’ materials)
•    Listeners (should people want to talk to someone)
•    Etc!
We shall launch the exhibition for our church family on the afternoon/evening of Ash Wednesday, February 26th; it will remain in church till the following Saturday 29th February, to allow the local community as well as ourselves to engage with it. It is our prayer that all those who visit will be prompted to examine their own choices (small or large) relating to forgiveness.
We’d love to hear back from you as to how you may support this community event. We are envisaging that people would sign up for a morning/afternoon or evening session. Training and debriefing would be provided for the ‘listeners’. They would listen in the same way as we do for LoveWareLiveWare, i.e. letting the speaker introduce any reference to God.

For more info, visit the website. A version of the exhibition is currently on display in St Martin in the Fields’ atrium, until November 18th.  Or get a ticket for the Forgiveness Project Annual Lecture on 12th November in London. The subject this year is a timely one. The speaker (and founder of the Charity) will speak on ‘Power and Persuasion: the urgent need for restorative narratives in these unforgiving times’. Further info can be found on the website: https://www.theforgivenessproject.com
Yours in Christ
John Hookway, Martin Dudley, Paul and Rosie Watson