For Such A Time As This

The festival weekend in Wythenshawe Park is just part of what ’s happening through Festival Manchester. Together with hundreds of churches across the North West and the Luis Palau Association, we’re stepping out in mission on a scale not seen in a generation, and have a vision to reach the whole region with the good news of Jesus.

As people talk to teams, see love being poured into their neighbourhoods or come along to events, they’ll not only hear the gospel but be invited to the Festival Manchester weekend in the park too.

Never ones to dream small, there’s lots going on! Here’s your low-down on what’s happening!

Our biggest-ever schools tour

SoulBox, Amongst Wolves and OTC together with LZ7 and Saintz are already in schools with the Love Where U Live Tour. At least 50,000 young people will see the bands in lessons and assemblies where they’ll perform their gospel- filled music, tell their powerful stories and share with young people what it truly means to love your neighbour and discover your true identity in Jesus. Each student they meet is not only being invited to build-up gigs happening before the festival weekend but to the youth night of Festival Manchester too (Friday 1 July).

Word and action through Love Where U Live

We want to show people Jesus’ love as well as tell them about it, so churches will be heading out to do just this. Imagine the lasting impact that 200 social action projects could have as teams head out into their communities picking up litter from streets, tidying up gardens or running activities for children, to name just a few of the things that are planned. And as the teams get to know their neighbours, they’ll be inviting them along to Wythenshawe Park where they’ll hear the gospel boldly proclaimed.

Life changing Campaigns

Partnering with Compassion and Home for Good, we’re making sure that Festival Manchester impacts lives for the long-term. With a child going into the care system every 15 minutes across the UK, thousands of children need a home where they can be loved and nurtured, and the church can play a key part in this. So together with Home for Good we want to find 500 homes for children and young people through fostering, adoption and supported lodgings, giving each child a place to call home and thrive. And it’s not just young lives here we want to impact. Through the festival we hope to see 1,000 Compassion children in developing countries sponsored, giving them education, support and medical care so they can break free from poverty.

Banquets for those experiencing homelessness

We don’t want anyone to be forgotten, which is why banquets for sex-workers and those experiencing homelessness are going to be put on. Our heart is to bless those society often forgets or ignores and tell them how loved they are. And as we feed people and help practically, those we meet will also be offered support through our partners like Barnabus and Embassy so that lives can be changed for good.

Outreach across the city

Whether people spend their days in an office, hanging out at a skate park or at home with the kids, we want to connect with them. So, in the build-up to the festival weekend, we’re putting on multiple events across the city that you can invite your not yet Christian family and friends to. As people come along and have a good time, they’ll get to hear the gospel as it’s shared and have a chance to respond to it, before being invited to Wythenshawe Park too.

Huge kids’ choir

As well as high schools, Festival Manchester is heading into primary schools too, giving children the opportunity to perform on the main stage in Wythenshawe Park! As hundreds of pupils sign up to take part in a once-in-a- lifetime experience, they’ll be taught catchy songs before coming together with pupils from across Greater Manchester to form huge Festival Manchester Soul Children choir.

Each day of the festival, a different choir will sing live on stage and as they do, their family and friends will come and watch them and get to hear about the love and hope Jesus offers. But performing in July won’t be where it ends. After the festival we’re planning to help form 10 brand-new Soul Children choirs in different areas of Greater Manchester so that as well as keeping the kids’ passion for music growing, the relationships between children, families and the local church can continue.

Sharing Jesus in prisons

Day in, day out, our prisons teams are sharing the good news of Jesus in word and deed. And this isn’t slowing down with Festival Manchester. We’re taking the same message people will be hearing in schools, communities and the park into prisons working with chaplaincies to run different groups, events and services.

Decisions that last

We’re excited about what God’s going to do through Festival Manchester. As thousands of people hear the gospel and respond, we don’t just want decisions, we want to see people grow into lifelong disciples. This is why follow-up in the local churches is one of the most important parts of what’s happening. Within hours of responding at an event or in Wythenshawe Park, each person will be put in touch with a church close to them inviting them along to follow-up courses they’re running and church services, so that they can find out more about Jesus and grow in their faith.

And it doesn’t stop there. This is just the start of ramping up mission even more across our nation. Over the coming years we’re hoping to run missions like Festival Manchester across the UK!

We need you to be part of Festival Manchester and help make it all happen. There’s lots of ways you can do this.

1. Run a social action project – Based in the North West and want to reach your community? Why not run a Love Where U Live project? It can be as big or small as you want – all you need is a heart to tell your neighbours about Jesus!
2. Volunteer – We need 3,000 volunteers to make Festival Manchester happen. Could you give up your weekend from 1 – 3 July and be part of our team?
3. Connect – Discover more about the life-changing work our partners are doing and connect with them.
4. Pray – None of this is happening without prayer. So please be praying for everything that’s going on and if you live in Greater Manchester, help us prayer walk every street in the city by praying for the streets near your home, office, church or on your commute?
5. Give – Can you help us make this all happen by giving to Festival Manchester today?