'What hurts you the most?'
Everybody hurts but not everybody has hope. WHO CARES? is a nation-wide initiative where churches are working together to listen to the needs of local people and offer compassion and hope. Lorna Bradley tells us more.
WHO CARES? started in 2011, when Rob Tervet piloted asking people in the community of Attleborough, Norfolk one question: ‘What hurts you the most?’ He received around 400 responses. This gave Christ Community Church, Attleborough an amazing opportunity to respond to these answers with the love and hope of Jesus and they then ran a sermon series based on the top six answers.
Since then, Who Cares? has worked with churches and organisations across Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire and North Essex to help them carry out similar outreaches, and our vision is now to work further with areas across the UK.
This summer we were delighted to be invited back to the Newfrontiers youth event Newday in Norwich. We set up in the Depot shed for the week, excited at the opportunity to share with thousands of leaders and young people what Who Cares? is and how churches can get involved.
Throughout the week, we had hundreds of conversations sharing about the work of Who Cares? and gave away 150 bags of fudge, along with a postcard summarising what’s been happening with Who Cares? since 2011, and how to connect with us. These conversations led to people looking at the responses board and sharing what their biggest hurt was, while others wanted to share with their church leaders about running Who Cares? in their area.
We had a UK map to show the 165 churches and organisations that have been involved with Who Cares? so far. The board showed examples of some of the 38,000 responses we have currently received – things like “Feeling unable to cope with the things I have to cope with”, “Being by yourself”, “Son dying before his 19th birthday”, and “Husband in care”.
Since Newday we have followed up with several churches interested in looking further at working with us, which is exciting, and we are praying for many doors to open into new areas.
If you want to know more, please contact me by emailing: lorna@who-cares.org.uk
Connect with us: www.who-cares.org.uk Twitter, Instagram and Facebook: @whocaresmission