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2012 monthly update from Christians in Sport |
March 2007 |
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Welcome to 2012 News More Than Gold More Than Gold, the charity to co-ordinate the response of the UK Church to the London Games in 2012 was launched at Central Hall, Westminster on Monday 26th February, with participating guests the Most Reverend Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury; Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Minister for the Olympics; His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster; Baroness Kathleen Richardson, the former Free Church Moderator; and Reverend Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance.
More Than Gold, will be established as a charitable company and will build on the experience of churches supporting the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester in seeking to serve forthcoming major sporting events like the Grand Depart of the Tour de France, the World Gymnastics Championship 2009, the Ryder Cup 2010, the London Games in 2012, and potentially the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, through a range of supporting activities.
The churches and Christian agencies have something to offer each of these events, but precisely what activities are undertaken will depend on a range of factors. These will include developing good relationships with the relevant authorities and ensuring that, where appropriate, there will be an inter-faith dimension.
It has been the tradition for the churches in the host country for recent Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and other major events to mobilise thousands of volunteers, providing hospitality for families of athletes, offering chaplaincy services and the distributing of water to spectators, among many other activities.
"I thank and congratulate the churches on coming together in support of Olympic and sporting values once more, building on the excellent support the churches provided for Manchester 2002," says Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, "London 2012 will be the world's greatest festival of sport. It is an unprecedented chance to regenerate our capital city and deliver economic benefits across the whole country. I'm delighted that this initiative will support not only London 2012 but a host of major sporting events in this country."
"This initiative will give expression to the Olympic and sporting values of excellence and friendship, building an active generation of young people inspired by sport. It will help us celebrate the diversity and inclusiveness of London and regenerate the East End, one of the poorest parts of London. It is this human opportunity which is more than gold."
The More Than Gold initiative is the result of a partnership between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brentwood, Churches Together in England, Soul in the City London, the African Caribbean Evangelical Alliance, The Peace Alliance, Christians in Sport, the London Churches Group and Transform Newham.
More Than Gold has its own website, www.morethangold.org.uk
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Lord
Brian Mawhinney, the proposed Chairman of the Board, says, "I am
delighted that the churches will be working together to serve
sporting events in the UK. Major events like the Olympic Games and
Paralympic Games have the benefits for the whole country and
community." Lord Mawhinney will be responsible for, with the Company
members, the selection of board members. Keith Proctor, Managing
Director of Christians in Sport adds, "We are delighted to be part
of More Than Gold as it serves the Christian community
throughout the UK in delivering the best sporting experience
possible."
