| the plant takes root |
October 2004 indexWith five universities serving 85,000 students, Manchester has the highest concentration of students in Europe. The vast majority pass through without ever hearing the good news about Jesus Christ. Convicted by this need for more Gospel ministry, a small group of local Christians, including two Anglican ministers, has set up “The Plant”, a new church in the campus area of South Manchester.
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John and Flick Hindley
Phil and Louise Keymer
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Meeting in various venues where students and graduates live and work, the main meeting on Mondays centres around a meal, a talk going though a book of the Bible, and group discussion. As well as a repeat meeting on Sundays, there will be small groups offering seminars and an evangelistic course for enquirers and new Christians. John Hindley, the other minister of The Plant who finished his curacy at St Paul’s, Astley Bridge in July explains: “We hope to meet and organise our church life in a way that will challenge some preconceptions held by non-Christians. We pray that by teaching the Bible in all its relevance and power in an informal, smaller, caring community, people will be saved to the glory of Christ.” Phil and John, along with their wives Louise and Flick, will be accountable to the worldwide Anglican communion as associate mission partners of Crosslinks. General Secretary Andy Lines comments: “Crosslinks is ideally placed to help this exciting Gospel venture. Our passion has always been to make Christ known through the proclamation and teaching of God’s word alongside lives lived in a way that support the message. The Plant fulfils these criteria on both counts: reaching the students of the five universities for Christ together with the actions and attitudes of the leadership. That’s why we’re giving full backing to this bold initiative.”
“The frontiers of missionary endeavour have always included the so-called ‘Christian’ West, so it’s no surprise that Crosslinks is increasingly involved in the United Kingdom and Europe. Until recently this meant enabling churches to reach those of other ethnic origins or faith backgrounds. However we mustn’t neglect the majority who don’t fall into this category but face an eternity separated from Christ.” The Plant team had hoped that the new church would be part of the Anglican Diocese of Manchester, but this has not proved possible at this stage. Andy Lines comments: “Crosslinks is not a denomination and does not seek to plant ‘Crosslinks churches’, but we wish to support people engaged in strategic Gospel work and commit ourselves to mobilising prayer for The Plant.” Over a hundred people have already signed up to pray regularly. For more information about The Plant and becoming a supporter, visit www.theplant.net “Student ministry is vital because they’re exceptionally open to the Gospel at this stage in their lives.”
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Launched in September, The Plant is an evangelical and evangelistic congregation working amongst students and new graduates who are beyond the fringes of existing churches and Christian Unions. Phil Keymer, until recently a curate at St Mary’s, Cheadle, and one of The Plant’s ministers explains: “Student ministry is vital because they’re exceptionally open to the Gospel at this stage in their lives.” 
Hindley
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