Page 14 - March-April 2022 Together

TOGETHER MARCH – APRIL 2022
BRF Celebrate
ANNIVERSARY their Centenary

By Eley McAinsh, BRF Press & Media Officer.

BRF: Sharing the story for 100 years. Living Faith is both the newest and the oldest of BRF’s ministries. With a
BRF marks its centenary this year with thanksgiving, celebration and an direct line back to Leslie Mannering’s typed and duplicated Bible reading
exciting range of special events and publications. Its 100 years of ministry notes, BRF’s publishing and events ministry was rebranded in 2020
began modestly in St Matthew’s Parish Church in Brixton in January to highlight its vital place at the heart of the charity. Today, Living Faith
1922, but in the years that followed it grew into a worldwide operation, provides a range of high-quality resources and events, both physical and
surviving the challenges and deprivations of the war years to emerge with digital, enjoyed by subscribers and participants across the world.
royal patronage and jubilee services in the greatest cathedrals of the land. Still, in 2022, BRF is best known for
Although a different organisation in so many its Bible reading notes. The most
ways today, BRF’s DNA remains the same popular of the current series is New
as the day it began and its vision keeps Daylight, but Guidelines, Day by
faith with that of its founder, the Revd Leslie Day with God, The Upper Room and
Mannering (1883–1974). Bible Reflections for Older People all
have their faithful and appreciative
In December 1921, Leslie Mannering was fans. The titles have changed over
exploring the question, ‘What can we do the years as BRF has responded
to help our church get a move on?’, as Leslie Mannering to the needs of the day. During the
they were approaching the new year in St war, for example, one of the first
Matthew’s. His answer was to launch ‘The Fellowship of St Matthew’, measures taken by the Fellowship
with the aim of encouraging spiritual growth in the areas of prayer, Bible was the production of Service Notes
reading and communion. for the use of men and women in
From January 1922, a the Forces.
new monthly leaflet was According to Margery Sykes, the first paid employee of BRF and author
produced, providing Bible of The Bible Reading Fellowship Story (Lutterworth, 1958), those Service
passages for daily reading Notes were one of the key initiatives of BRF’s war years, meeting ‘a
with brief explanatory notes special need of the times’:
and prayer needs for the
parish, the wider church ‘The fact of having the Bible passage printed in the Notes greatly added
and the world. More and to its practical use, as may be illustrated by quoting from one of the many
more churches began letters received from men and women in the Services during the war.
requesting copies of the The writer in this instance was a stoker in one of our battleships, and he
leaflets and in 1926, ‘The wrote: “It’s good to have the Bible part printed. I keep the little book under
Fellowship of St Matthew’ my cap, and so can read it whenever I get the chance, without having to
became known as ‘The rootle in my locker for my Bible.”’
Bible Reading Fellowship’. Sharing the story
By 1939, 238,000 copies BRF’s centenary
of the Bible reading notes theme of ‘sharing
were being printed for an the story’ reflects
international audience. the breadth of the
CEO Richard Fisher has charity’s ministry
been with BRF for over and includes the
Bible Reading Notes 1922
thirty years: BRF story, the
Bible story which
‘I have a strong awareness of the original vision of Leslie Mannering, and I has been at the
believe it’s a privilege that we who are involved with BRF today have been heart of its ministry
entrusted with the work he started all those decades ago. We’re entrusted from the very
to take that work on into a new season, but the essence of BRF, the DNA beginning, and the
of BRF, still remains absolutely the same as it was at the very beginning. I stories of people
find that very exciting.’
who have participated in BRF’s growth and development, including writers,
Living Faith subscribers, supporters, volunteers and staff. This focus on stories is
BRF’s vision is, and always has been, to enable people of all ages to grow reflected in a series of special centenary publications, including The BRF
in faith and understanding of the Bible and to see more people equipped Book of 365 Bible Reflections (October 2021) and a new companion volume
to exercise their gifts in leadership and ministry. Today, that vision inspires The BRF Book of 100 Prayers (to be published in August 2022). Both of
BRF’s four ministries – Anna Chaplaincy, Living Faith, Messy Church and these beautifully produced hardback collections draw on the wisdom and
Parenting for Faith. experience of many people associated with BRF over many years.
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