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Reverend Richard Jevons' picture is a snapshot of one of the many activities that his church, Cottingham Road Baptist Church has been involved with the past year as part of Hope 2008. This initiative of the churches of Britain is helping to demonstrate faith in action and to explain the meaning of faith.

Rev. Jevons became minister at the church five years ago. It was his first appointment as a Minister after completing his training for the Ministry in Oxford.Ìý Although coming from a religious background it was only later in life that his career changed dramatically and brought him full-time into the Church.

After leaving Sheffield Polytechnic he was quite sure that his vocation lay in administration.Ìý To this end he very quickly established himself in a variety of roles.Ìý Much of his work was concerned with caring.Ìý He has managed residential care homes and also been involved in social care housing.Ìý He also served for seven years as a manager in the NHS.

But, wherever his career has taken him, he and his family have always taken an active role in church life. After moving to Solihull, he took much more of the leading role in the Church there and gradually came to the conclusion that he had a calling. With the support of his family he began his training at Oxford.

Taking up his post at Cottingham Road Baptist church proved to be quite a challenge. He says the job didn't come with a training manual. His only support was from a fellow church worker based far away in Huddersfield.Ìý Keen to try new ideas he quickly set to work, not only to maintain the existing congregation but also to set in place a strategy to increase Church membership.

He has arranged a number of activities throughout the years, but this year has decided that Hope 2008 was an opportunity to think of new ideas to encourage more people to engage with the Church.Ìý Members of the church have washed cars for free in all weathers, providing free coffee and cake whilst their cars were spruced up.Ìý Each Sunday church members have delivered flowers, normally given to Church members at end of the service to local people in the community as a gift.

Sunday, 28th September is a special date in the Church calendar this year.Ìý It's been allocated 'Back to Church Sunday'.Ìý This is an opportunity for people to try out church for the first time and to ask former churchgoers to make a welcome return.Ìý Richard and his colleagues are hoping to make this a special day with some interesting activities to encourage local people to become more involved with the Church in the future.