New Creations of God's Grace

Some of our friends and supporters will be aware of Zac's Place connections with Fresh Expressions, originally a joint initiative of both the Church of England and Methodist denominations, for exploring new ways of being church. Some may wonder how and where Zac's Place fits in as it is neither Anglican or Methodist by formal association!

Here in a farewell speech from Rowan Williams, whilst speaking at 'Following The Missionary Spirit' last week in London, summing up the progress of the Fresh Expressions movement, he gives some indication where Zac's Place fitted in with his early thinking behind it and why we have the connection we do.

It's also a message the wholeheartedly endorses much of the way we have been functioning as a community of faith together, as a 'new creation of God's grace'. Have a listen and be encouraged about the bigger picture. We have been very grateful for Rowan's ongoing keen interest and support over this past ten years during his time as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Rowan Williams and Zac's Place.

"As far as the Church of England is concerned, Rowan Williams has said he wants to be remembered for the Fresh Expressions initiative when people look back at his time in office. Speaking during an interview for a York Courses audio CD, the Archbishop says that encouraging new forms of church was one of his first thoughts when he arrived at Lambeth in 2003. He also added that it was important to go to where people are, and be willing accept a 'mixed economy' church with fresh expressions and more traditional forms of church sitting side by side."

He also states in the interview that during his time as a bishop in Wales, is when he first became aware of both the need for different forms of church and that it was already happening in Wales. Virtually from day one, (1998), he has been an enthusiastic supporter of what we have been trying to do through Zac's Place, for which I am very grateful and it also seems it may have been one of the contexts that encouraged and challenged his thinking as he launched the Fresh Expressions initiative.

Listen to Interview Excerpt Here

Original Post Here, Monday, 12 October, 2009

"The work going forward at Zac's Place is in every way innovative, courageous and important for the community in general as well as the Christian community. I have been privileged to watch the development of this initiative over several years and would want to pay the most sincere tribute to the dedication and vision of those who have been running it."

Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, October 2005

Zac's Place Story on Fresh Expressions Website