UK — In just it’s second year a UK wide Christmas evangelistic campaign set an ambitious target to mobilize 100,000 Christians onto the streets to share the real reason for the season with a million people.

As GNA reporter Peter Wooding discovered they far exceeded that goal and even received support from King Charles.

Over 1,500 churches joined together in a nationwide evangelistic initiative called Shine Your Light this Christmas, which reached more than a million people across the UK and beyond.

Shine Your Light encouraged Christians to take their carol services and other festive events onto the streets and shopping centers.

With the goal of reaching a million people exceeded, stories are flooding in of churches from different denominations working together for the first time.

As well as an increase of events in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland there were even events in Nigeria and France.

Young people featured in Shine Your Light too as their youth coordinator Jordana Smith explained during their outreach outside Westminster Abbey.

Jordana Smith – Shine Your Light Youth Coordinator:

The young people love Jesus and we’re just here to bring unity to the body. To make sure that they feel encouraged and empowered so they can shine their light brightly.

New this year included a Shine Your Light Advent Calendar featuring celebrities such as Bear Grylls, TV presenter Gemma Hunt and rapper FaithChild.

Marsha DeCovara, the Second Estates Commissioner within Parliament was among the political leaders who thanked churches for being bold in sharing the Christmas message this year.

Even recognized by Buckingham Palace King Charles sent a letter of encouragement to the organizers expressing his pleasure in hearing about churches from different denominations coming together over Christmas. Shine Your Light Founder Pastor Jonathan Oloyede tells us more.

Jonathan Oloyede – Shine Your Light Founder:

His message was well done, be encouraged. I heard what you did last year and I want to encourage every single one of you involved in Shine Your Light this year and we want to thank you for taking the message of Christianity into communities.

And Oloyede concluded by sharing how they are already preparing for Shine Your Light 2025.

Jonathan:

Yes we are. People are already volunteering for next year. They’re telling us that we need to do more next year. And so the vision for Shine Your Light is to get all the churches plugged in to sharing the Gospel at Christmas on the streets across the UK and Ireland.

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