Circuit commission, questionnaires, question and answer sessions, it was all leading to the same conclusion – we had a Circuit brimming with faithful people who were sure of THEIR faith, but unsure as to how to share it.

Small churches with elderly congregations, bigger ones with successful but insular activities… "What about a Cliff Mission?…" mused the Super, "… to give us the confidence to share our faith".

And so the idea was explored.

"Have you heard of Antony Gormley’s Fields?" asked the Junior Church Leader of a new Children’s Worker.

"No" she said, hoping it wasn’t some outdoor project that might involve digging.

"It’s a sculpture of 35,000 clay figures all in one room", he continued. "I though it would be a good way to show the feeding of the 5,000".

"Shelve that one" thought the new Children’s Worker.

We sat in the staff meeting discussing the forthcoming mission. It needed a focus; Sharing faith; Making a difference in people’s lives; encouraging us to invite folks in.

In walked Harry with a cake box with my name on it. "Mmmm, this could be good" I opened it up and staring up at me were a dozen or so little salt dough figures. I’d explored the clay figures sculpture idea and found it would be too expensive to use clay but salt dough may well work.

"Salt people!" we exclaimed, that’s what they are and that’s our mission, to be salt people flavouring other people’s lives, and so the focus was set. Salt People .. it’s what’s inside that counts!

All the churches were asked to instruct all their groups e.g. see and know; ladies fellowships, choirs, brownies etc; to make and bake a salt dough figure to represent one of the 5.000. Also groups who meet at the churches, such as day centres; luncheon clubs and playgroups were encouraged to join in. Local schools and friends at other churches were asked to take part and whole services were given over to exploring the concept of, and making, the salt dough figures.

Toddlers to teens and up to folk in their 90’s all creating, moulding and sculpting - in meetings, services, coffee mornings, youth groups, day centres and assemblies.

Oh yes! Let’s not forget the assemblies! More than 2,000 local schoolchildren heard about Jesus feeding the 5,000 with its message of miracles, faith and sharing, not to mention what a little boy’s lunch might look like in Biblical times (two wet, good looking! fish and 5 pitta breads from Morrisons).

The week’s plan was then structured around this theme. The team arrived and their first port of call was to Eccleshill Methodist church to view the Feeding of the 5,000 community art project.

A ‘hill’ had been erected using staging and ‘stuff’ behind the communion rail and under the piano. They arrived as I had just set out little figure number 4,999! By now each figure had been lovingly placed in its group and I felt as though I might know each one by name and had started to talk to them… Oh dear! – Andy, Sue, Nic, Paul and Graham looked somewhat bemused by the sight that greeted them but soon became attached to the little

folk and ‘ran’ with the idea.

Sessions on Christian Conversation; Building House Groups; and quite simply how to add salt i.e. Share our Faith, were just some of the topics covered by the team during the mission week. Although the emphasis was on learning to talk about God, each church had been asked to put it into practice by putting on an event which gave them the opportunity to show what’s inside … what’s inside us, what’s inside our building, what’s inside our hearts. The team would be at these events to encourage us and set examples for us to follow. (Many people have remarked on the team reminding them of simple ways to start conversations about God on a one to one basis)

We came up with Quiz Nights to which friends and groups who rent the premises were invited. ‘Meet the parents’ (a time of fun with the parents of the children in our uniformed organisations, with Mums and Dads playing games in the church alongside its Minister, Children’s Worker, Leaders and Church Members!), a Pavement Café and of course a visit to see the sculpture.

Loads came to see it – people from the Circuit, schools, other churches and even the local paper! Children made fishes, coloured in pictures and looked for their figures in the crowd. Grown ups marvelled at the vastness, the art, the craziness of such a project and looked for their figure in the crowd!

Comments in the visitors book ranged from "the church is very cosy, I would like to come back" to "Just Amazing!" A prayer room created nearby was open all week and children calling in to see the sculpture, started to pray in it – a very moving experience for those manning the room.

All were able to experience the wonder of this familiar Bible story with fresh eyes and it started many conversations about faith and sharing.

The Mission provided us with an opportunity to learn how to share our faith and our salt dough people gave us an opening to actually do that!

New relationships started in this Mission, old friends met up, prayers were said, new schools are asking for Christian input, Brownies are planning to work towards faith badges, house groups are growing, new seeds planted in both fresh and old ground.

All thanks to a vision, surely given by God and acted on by a Circuit and a Cliff College Mission Team united in becoming and creating Salt People – flavouring the lives of those they meet with the love of Jesus Christ.