Churches forge ahead.

MISSION Action Plans, commissioned for the 125th celebrations and presented to Bishop Martin at the Alnwick Garden party last year, are bearing fruit throughout the diocese, reports Canon Dave Elkington, Adviser in Local Evangelism.

"It's all happening," he says, "The good news is that so many of our churches are actively pursuing their action plans that we haven't enough room to list them all!" From this issue, Link is reporting on the many new initiatives that parishes have launched since the start of the action plan drive - activities as diverse as tea dances, sharing life history stories with members of the community, Godly By sessions, large-scale dramatic productions and art exhibitions.

One church, St. Nicholas in Gosforth, presented a series of Mystery plays during the summer, another, St. Mary's in Throckley, launched a "Trip Down memory Lane" event in which members of the congregration interviewed their older friends within the church and wrote up their stories for a special exhibition.

In other churches, fresh expressions of worship have taken root and there has been new thinking about relating to young people and children, reaching out to the community and involving older people in the active life of the congregation.

Over the coming months Link will be reporting from Fenham, Warkworth, Gosforth, Longbenton, Seaton Sluice - and all points in between. If your parish has a story to tell and encouragement to offer other congregations, get in touch with the editor or with Dave Elkington.

"This is no paper exercise," Dave says, "Nor is it a flash in the pan. The mission action plans are starting to shape the life of our churches. It's an exciting time for all of us."

Read about Newburn and Throckley churches on Page 3, and turn to the centre pages for news of the Bottleworks exhibition at St. Paul's, Seaton Sluice.