OUR village playing field hosts an annual show: a marquee overflowing with exhibits of locally produced giant turnips, sweet-pea blooms, traditional Victoria sponge cakes (no cream please), and a spread of kids’s creations — all to the joyful accompaniment of a brass band. As the local pub landlady, I’m invited along to supply the liquid refreshment.
It’s a one-day event; and it seemed a waste that, the following day, the marquee stands empty. My sister and I are each sad that God is misunderstood (and sometimes misrepresented) in our culture, and desired to set the record straight by creating an event to have a good time and share God’s love, with no strings attached.
So, in 2019, we approached the show committee for permission to host an out of doors ecumenical service, which quickly evolved right into a music festival fun day (like a mini Big Church Day Out) — something for everybody to enjoy, no matter where they’re or are usually not on a spiritual journey. Our event needed a reputation, and we selected an acronym of “Share UR Faith” . . . Surfstage was born.
WE ASSSEMBLED a farm trailer for a stage, and five bands, mostly from churches near by. We hired bouncy castles (which we provided, freed from charge) and created a children’s activity trail with a mascot, Roly the Robot.
We recognised the importance of the event looking good. We hand-painted signs, and sewed giant festival flags and half a kilometre of bunting to present the festival its own brand and identity.
On the day, the sun got here out, and our village pitch was bathed with a tangible glow of affection, joy, and peace. The difference in feel from the day before today’s event was striking . . . and folks noticed.
We incorporated a well-being tent, where local charities offered help with eating well, addiction issues, and family life. One of our favourite activities was a prophetic tombola, with cards on which we had written blessings or verses. We witnessed people being astonished by the relevance of the cardboard that they picked out. One person, whose son had recently died tragically, received the words “God is near those that mourn.” Occasionally, it felt appropriate to wish with participants, but mostly it was light-hearted, no-strings-attached seed-sowing.
The presence of God surpassed our expectations. The big Christian summer camps are filled with Christians; Surfstage has the identical Spirit-filled atmosphere, but in a field of individuals mostly who mostly are usually not. As a mother of grown-up children, I adore it after they all come round for dinner, and I feel that God feels the identical joy when his children get on and work together.
One of the massive lessons that now we have learned was not necessarily to expect support to come back from our existing contacts. We were upset when just a few doors closed, but that forced us to look further afield for brand spanking new connections; so the event gained greater scope.
THE first Surfstage was in July 2019; the pandemic put a stop to every little thing in 2020; and, in 2021, the organisers of the village show decided to not run their event. During this time, a 14-acre field adjoining to our pub had come on to the market, and we were fortunate to have the ability to buy it. We decided to host Surfstage 2021 on our recent land. Although we had some reservations about moving on to non-public land, there have been benefits — not only could we run the event for 2 days, but, better of all, entry might be free, whereas the village show had needed a gate fee to cover the fee of the marquee.
It could be very necessary to us that the event must be financially accessible, a cost-free alternative for individuals who cannot afford the big-ticket summer festivals. Our whole ethos is generosity. Event-goers cannot understand why they don’t must pay each time their child desires to go on a bouncy castle, or have their face painted; however the strategy of receiving does something spiritually in a human heart.
We invested heavily in our own stretch marquee to maintain the event sustainable. We utilised our tithe to cover additional costs, and, on the day, managed to lift even more cash for our chosen charity. In the method, the community was blessed with a implausible event.
SURFSTAGE 2021 was the primary event to happen locally after Covid restrictions were lifted, and we were really busy, with greater than 2000 visitors. One big difference that we noticed with a two-day event was the Saturday-night breakthrough. We had created a schedule with morning and evening worship celebrations, and the unique “fun day” event running in between. We had bands singing worship music alongside secular music, our goal being to eradicate the segregation between “Christian” and on a regular basis life; and, within the evening, we had something like an old-school revival breakthrough, an open heaven that lingered for days.
But it wasn’t easy, and that yr was particularly tough. We all broke down in tears in the course of the set-up: there was an excessive amount of to do, it was too hard, and we were doing all this alongside our full-time jobs. We knew that we were called to non-public sacrifice, nevertheless it was becoming an excessive amount of for us, and we began constructing a core team to share the load of the responsibilities — including people to wish. If you might be considering of constructing an event, I might advise having a team to start with.
Over the years, now we have developed:
- a “youth village” for secondary-school pupils;
- activities for adults, including a craft tent;
- a recent stage, to present music greater centrality;
- a “Spirit Café” (which incorporates the tombola), making the Holy Spirit more explicitly accessible;
- camping (for a small fee); and
- a strapline, “Love is the way in which, Joy is for sharing, and Peace isn’t only for hippies”.
What Next?
We imagine that Surfstage is spiritually significant for the outpouring and overflowing of God’s Spirit within the north-west, and we’re on the lookout for recent locations where we will form partnerships with communities to host mini, one-day Surfstage festivals.
Alternatively, should you would love to create a music festival like this, we could be blissful to assist; so do, please, get in contact.
Rachel Birkett and Katie Street may be contacted at: hello@surfstage.co.uk
This yr’s Surfstage festival takes place on 5-7 July. www.surfstage.co.uk
To create an event like this you would like:
- • to ensure God is asking you to do it, and plenty of prayer;
- to involve a balanced network of diverse churches. The DNA for an event like that is collaborative, relational, and counter-cultural;
- communal land — a village green/playing field;
- a stage, sound system, and a few good-quality bands playing a combination of music;
- a good bar. This was easy for us as local publicans, but don’t skimp on this part because it is a serious draw, encouraging into God’s presence individuals who would never set foot in a church;
- tea, cake, and food stalls;
- plenty of volunteers; and
- to work hard: our current step-count champion has reached 50,000 in someday.
