A special welcome to the NEW V4L website.

We have completely rebuilt the site in an attempt to make it more user friendly and to accommodate the expanding range of resources on offer as we continue through the Vision4Life process. This site will continue to change and develop as the weeks go by so bear with us if things seem a little unfamiliar at first. However we hope the new menu at the top and the Bible year menu to the right will make it easier to navigate to what you are looking for. In addition there are some brand new resources available. Click here for a guide to using the site.

Vision4Life is a process which the United Reformed Church is following for 3 years from Advent 2008 through to Advent 2011. It is three years of focus on re-engaging with the Bible, Prayer and Evangelism with the purpose of bringing transformation to the URC and its partner churches. Take a look through the contents of the site using the menu above or select items from the Bible Year menu to the right. You can sign up to the process as a local church or join in the forums as an individual below. There’s lots to discover and the site grows week by week with resources, comment and news. Enjoy!

Check out the full Bible Year Menu page or use the menu on the right

advent special – one – The story we all know

re-examining the Christmas Story and the Gospels

This is an ‘advent special’ Bible conversations that probably should have been available at the start of Bible Year but didn’t seem to have made it onto the website, so here it is now at the start of Prayer year, to help groups that are still engaging with the Bible even whilst they are extending their explorations in prayer.

A second conversation “Mary’s Yes” was available last year and can still be found through the link below.

Find the Advent specials here along with all the other Bible Year Advent materials

Prayer Year Coming soon – take a sneak preview

Take a look at some of the exciting resources we have on offer NOW in preparation for the Prayer year beginning in Advent 2009. Click here

Mission gets messy – People of the Book are breaking free of the book culture.

Revd Kate Gray is featured in the new Bible Society publication, Word in Action, about using the bible at St Mark’s Wythenshawe. It’s a perfect example of the new ecumenical Biblefresh campaign, starting next year, that encourages churches to rethink Scripture. Click here to find out more and download a copy or sign up for future copies

Encounters in Mark’s gospel – a BRAND NEW resource by John Campbell

‘Encounters in Mark’s Gospel’ brings you suggestions for a series of up to fifteen small-group conversations based on particular stories in Mark’s Gospel. These conversations all share the same basic shape. They aim to help you, and everyone else in your group, to:

• build up your confidence in actively exploring bits of the Bible
• make connections between the biblical story and your own life story
• find fresh vision for the business of being human today

all from watching and talking freely with each other about encounters between Jesus and those he meets – as we find them recorded in Mark’s Gospel.

New materials

Take a look at Additional materials through the Recent News pages – there is a summary of other news to the right

The Bible Year Materials

The booklet for the bible year of Vision4Life was published in January 2009 and all churches were mailed copies. You can see the Vision4life Bible yearbooklet (pdf) under the Bible Year Menu . It is full of initial ideas for engaging with the Bible but it is now up to you. Use the materials to develop your own ideas throughout the year. You can also download the videos for use with one of the studies in the booklet.

Vision4Life – What’s all the noise about?

See the About Vision4Life page

How to use the menu

The Vision4Life Bible Year Menu is a collection of materials to help local churches of the United Reformed Church devise their own programmes to enable a fresher, deeper and more confident engagement with the Bible by everyone associated with their church. It will continue to grow and develop all through the ‘BIBLE YEAR’ of the Vision4Life process (Advent 2008 to Advent 2009). The materials are available in a menu format under a number of broad categories.

If you’ve ever ordered anything from a menu before you know how to use the Bible Year Menu.

Select from the menu on the right or view the Bible Year Menu Card