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 In the Bible, Revelation 21 paints a picture of the world healed by Jesus. A time will come when Jesus is fully present to his Southend people and his people are fully present to Jesus. We have written versions about Southend as it will be.
Jesus started this work with his death and resurrection being the source and beginnings of the healing of creation. God's space and our space will become inseparably joined. No more praying to the God who is both present and absent. Jesus will be fully present as will his ways.
The Community Groups whilst studing our series "Sensing God's mission", are creating these version of Revelation 21 and what it means for a renewed and healed Southend.
Index:
The Bible: Revelation 21: 1-5, 9-12, 21-27
 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." …
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates…
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
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I was at the top of Quantock flats
Looking out over a place of darkness and fear.
And then the dawn begins to break.
As the light kisses the faces,
Peace and love rain down.
Where money was once the ruler,
It has now been bent into a tool of generosity.
Poverty has been banished –
All needs have been met.
And the postcode lottery is won by all.
We no longer hear the cries of the young girl
Made to prostitute herself
To fill the void that love’s departed.
We no longer hear the shouts of bullying
Or the echoes of lying and gossiping.
Instead, the squeak of swings and the ring of children’s laughter fill the air.
Deafening.
The hole that people tried to fill with drugs and alcohol
Is filled by God.
Southend-on-Sea will be the place to be on a Friday night –
One big party.
Every day – not just on weekends.
There is no more fear because all fear is gone –
There is nothing to be frightened of.
People have stopped shagging about
And learnt to love with their hearts
Instead of their bodies.
Every child is loved.
Every man, woman and child knows what it is to be loved
But to also love themselves.
The light that shines from every face
Tells each one they have a place
In God’s love that’s full and free
And found throughout Southend-on-Sea.
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Monday night group at Rachel's: Revelation 21
We see a beautiful Southend
where the sun gracefully sets across the estuary
reflecting hope and peace.
The Golden Mile a beacon of fun and enjoyment for families
Without a hint of despair, hopelessness or desire to escape from reality.
Neighbourhoods without suspicion or fear but replaced with
Smiling neighbours keen to greet, share and be part of each other’s lives.
We see mothers enjoying, loving and encouraging their children
because they see hope, promise and opportunities in their futures.
We see young men happy in their own skin.
Not trying to ‘out do’ each other or prove their worth
With flashy cars and booming stereo systems.
We see young men keen to help one another, encouraging one another
to improve and better themselves.
Where conflict, anger and broken relationships are replaced with reconciliation.
A town with positive role models.
Where young girls value themselves and their bodies.
Where they have a strong and positive self esteem with dreams of a bright future.
A place where alcohol and drunkenness are not needed to have a great night out
because people smile at each other. Are community with each other
and keen to help each other have a good time.
A place where the strongest aroma is US
being the fragrance of Jesus’ Hope and God’s Love.
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Glasgow church's version: Revelation 21
A renewed Glasgow
I saw a vision – it was last Thursday at 11 O’clock in the morning:
I was standing on the Necropolis, looking down over the city;
And the cold blue winter sky broke open above my head
And the spirit of God breathed on my eyes
And my eyes were opened
I saw Glasgow, the holy city, coming down out of heaven;
Shining like a rare jewel, sparkling like “clear water in the eye of the sun”;
And all the sickness was gone from the city,
There were no more suburbs and schemes;
No difference between Bearsden and Drumchapel
I saw the Clyde running with the water of life,
As bright as crystal,
As clear as glass,
The children of Glasgow swimming in it.
And the sprit showed me the tree of life
growing in Glasgow Green
I looked out and there were no more homeless people,
No more women working the streets,
No more needles in the alleys,
HIV and Aids were things of the past,
There were no more racist attacks,
No more gay bashing,
No more rapists,
No more stabbings
No more Protestants and Catholics
No more IRA graffiti, no more Orange marches
Because there was no more hate!
And I saw women walking safe at nights,
Saw the men were full of passion and gentleness,
That none of the children were ever abused,
Because the people’s sex was full of justice and of joy.
I saw an old woman throw back her head
and laugh like a young girl;
and when the sky closed back, her laughter rang in my head
for days and days
and would not go away.
This is what I saw, looking over the Gallowgate,
Looking up from the city of death;
And I knew then that there would be a day of resurrection,
And I believe
That there will be a day of resurrection.
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