Episode 2 Chaplains: Angels of Mersey

Chaplains are modern-day disciples.

-Ta-da!

-Yay!

-Would you like a bacon sandwich?

-Are you Jewish?

-No.

-Have you got any Jewish pals?

They take the word of God out of the church and into the places we work and play.

This is what Christ did. He came and walked and talked and lived amongst people.

This is really what a chaplain does.

They're employed in our hospitals and universities, at the football ground, on the street.

-We're here to help everyone who's vulnerable, right?

-We are very vulnerable(!)

SIREN WAILS All chaplaincy is front-line ministry.

It means you're actually out where it's happening.

It's a kind of "sleeves rolled up and get your hands messy" spirituality.

Bringing people together and trying to do good.

They come to us with a listening ear,

spiritual guidance and a helping hand when life gets tough.

This is where we should be. These people will not be in church on a Sunday morning. They'll be in bed.

When the wheels fall off, that's when people pray.

People don't expect children to die. They expect them to get better.

It's about real life and sometimes real death situations.

The streets of Liverpool will feel the Lord's presence. Don't worry about that.

We're following chaplains in the city of Liverpool, the work they do

and the people's lives they touch.

Every weekend, over a quarter of a million people go into Liverpool

for a night out in the city's clubs and bars.

Keeping the streets safe is a major challenge for the police,

but soon a new religious force will be there to back them up.

Make no mistake.

Street Pastors is all about lifting up Jesus, lifting up the name of Jesus on the streets.

A group of Christians from churches all over the city have volunteered to become Street Pastors.

In a week, they'll venture out into clubland, offering help to anyone that needs it.

With Jesus, faith and deeds...

Chaplain Keith Hitchman is part of the team in charge.

For girls perhaps who have had too much to drink and are in high heels,

we'll be giving them flip-flops to wear,

handing out bottles of water, chatting to people, talking to people.

Tonight, police inspector Greg Lambert is taking a group of trainee pastors around the area

they'll be patrolling.

Ladies and gents, thank you for coming out. Much appreciated of you giving up your time.

I'm guessing that the majority of you don't go into Concert Square at half past 12, one in the morning.

The police are backing the project

because schemes like this in other cities have helped stop street crime.

Follow me, ladies and gents.

# Ready, steady, go... #

I'm probably the most improbable person imaginable to be involved.

I'm 72. It's a completely different life scene from anything that I've ever experienced,

so I'm excited.

I'm a little bit apprehensive about it,

a little bit scared, but I'm also quite excited because it's the start of Street Pastor training in a way.

Welcome to Mathew Street.

As you can see, although it's not particularly busy, it is incredibly noisy.

If you come in here on a busy night, you are literally like sardines.

I have heard it described as like Faliraki without the sun.

It goes on right the way up the street.

That's where the world-famous Cavern Club is.

# Ready, steady, go... #

I always find it very difficult to speak "drunk". It's a separate language.

But most of them respond perfectly well to a bit of patience and a bit of humour.

If your son or daughter or family member needed help,

I think you wouldn't be that bothered where that help came from as long as that person got help.

It doesn't necessarily, as I say, have to come from the police.

The Street Pastors with their listening skills, their life skills and their ability to talk to people,

they can provide an extremely valuable service.

We'll walk into the square. Be careful crossing the road.

# Ready, steady, go... #

Somebody else is on a mission too.

Rabbi Shmuli Brown is doing his bit to reach another section of the city's population - students,

in particular, Jewish students starting at Liverpool University in a few weeks' time

at the beginning of the academic year.

I contact every single student prior to his or her arrival on campus

and I also try and contact the parents.

I contact them and I tell them what we have to offer

and we are seriously an open home for them 24/7,

whenever they need anything, if it's a shoulder to lean on, if it's an ear to listen to,

if it's just a family to be united with.

The rabbi is part of Chabad,

an organisation providing a home from home for Jewish students,

but there's a lot more to it than this.

"Dear Shmuli and Tzivia, thank you so much for your Facebook message..."

Parents are getting in touch as well.

I must admit that I was worried about this particular student, her daughter...coming to university.

"She's been brought up in a very traditional, kosher environment,

"having had a Jewish education at nursery, primary and secondary school since the age of two.

"She rebelled against us somewhat and chose Liverpool, as opposed to Nottingham, Birmingham, Leeds..."

The main concern of any parent

is that their child should marry a non-Jewish person

because that means you're killing off the religion for generation after generation.

Once you marry a non-Jewish person...

If a male marries a non-Jewish female, all the kids will be non-Jews.

How do the students feel about you contacting the parents?

To be quite honest, certain students do not actually like it, but that's the price we have to pay.

This weekend in Liverpool city centre, the Street Pastors will begin their clubland mission.

At St Stephen's Church in Gateacre,

wardens Carol Burke and Hazel Dickens are looking forward to their first night out.

Are you nervous about the Street Pastors?

I couldn't believe it was so soon.

Do you think God will be out there with you on the streets?

-Yeah.

-Every second we're out there.

-Yeah.

Every step we take, every person we speak to, it will be God's words we're speaking in Scouse.

-Yeah.

-In the Scouse language, won't it?

-Yeah, definitely.

Definitely, um...

On our own, we couldn't do it.

I reckon on our own... You've got to remember, I'm 56. How old are you?

-Oh, I'm 63.

-So we're not young women.

-We're going to go out with people who are very drunk...

-Yeah.

..possibly got badness on their minds anyway with the drink, and yet we have no fear.

-No.

-Without the Lord, we would be terrified, wouldn't we?

-Anyone would be our age.

-Yeah.

Why on earth are you doing it?

Because I want to give something back.

-Many years ago, I had a bit of a problem with alcohol and drugs. You know the true story.

-Yeah.

-I wasn't a very good person, was I, Hazel?

-I didn't know you then.

-You've heard what I've told you.

-I'm not judging.

Right, I wasn't. I was one of the naughty people and I have been in the gutter in Liverpool many a time.

And if I can help one person,

then I feel all the training, going out of a night and everything, will be worth it.

That's why I'm doing it. I just want to give something back that Jesus has given me.

Do you remember I used to call all Christians "anoraks"? I did, didn't I?

Then I went out and bought an anorak!

-LAUGHTER

-You joined the club.

-I joined the Anorak Club!

Rabbi Shmuli Brown is at Liverpool University Freshers' Fair,

searching for new Jewish students.

-Excuse me. Are you Jewish?

-No.

-Do you have any Jewish pals here?

-No.

-No-one? Enjoy Freshers'!

There are 200 Jewish students expected on campus this year

and when Rabbi Brown is around, there's nowhere to hide.

-Excuse me. Are you Jewish?

-No.

-Do you have any Jewish pals here at uni?

-No.

-Enjoy Freshers'.

We have to be very proactive in making sure that we find these Jewish students

and bring them to us and show them exactly what we're all about.

-Do you have any Jewish pals here?

-No.

'I don't think anyone is offended if I ask them if they're Jewish.'

Anyone Jewish here? No?

'People come over to me and ask me if I'm Greek. So am I offended? No.'

At last, the rabbi gets the answer he's been looking for.

-You're Jewish?

-Yeah.

-You're Jewish. What's your name?

-Zach.

-What are you studying?

I'm not studying. My girlfriend is studying here.

But Zach's non-Jewish girlfriend is cause for concern.

I think you should come tonight for a free meal.

We're going to have a barbecue with all the Jewish students...

Yes, he has a non-Jewish girlfriend and I don't know any personal information about him,

but he seems a very nice guy.

But is that what you think is happening on campus?

It definitely is happening on campus.

The university years are when you befriend tons of people and that is why we are here also -

to try and stop that, to make sure that all Jewish people stay within the faith.

But we do not reject anyone who goes away from the beaten path. We accept every one of them.

-Julia.

-Julia? There's one for you.

We're very much into match-making and, hopefully, many successful marriages come through our home.

Tonight, for the first time,

a new type of chaplaincy will be tested out on the streets of Liverpool.

As the city gears up for a busy Saturday night,

the Street Pastors are arriving for a special church service

to mark the start of their mission in the city.

Carol, you are a medium...

Before prayers begin, Carol and Hazel get to try out their new uniform.

-What do you reckon?

-I reckon it's a good fit. It's a perfect fit.

This is my protective armour.

This is God's armour I'm wearing now.

And I'm protected now.

SHE CHUCKLES

I'm too excited!

Just looking forward to getting out on the street.

I feel sorry for the public.

I pray for the public.

HAZEL LAUGHS

Public, we're coming to get you!

LAUGHTER

We ask for your blessing upon us.

We ask for your protection.

So it has come to this moment, oh, Lord,

that we seek your blessing.

As we go out on these nights in the city that you love,

we ask for your blessing upon us.

We ask for your protection.

CHEERING

# Be thou my best thought

# In the day and the night

# Waking and sleeping, thy presence... #

Les Isaac, the founder of Britain's Street Pastor Movement,

will deliver a sermon to the new recruits before the night's work begins.

There is more than one way of preaching the Gospel.

Yes, there's the proclamation, but there's also the good works

of loving and caring for our neighbour, the complete stranger.

It is not about us preaching. We are there to listen to people.

Listen and they will talk to you and they'll want to talk.

If I speak to one person all night, that's my task accomplished.

# I wanna give you devotion... #

At the University Freshers' Fair,

Rabbi Brown's meticulous research on social networking sites is paying off.

He is spotting plenty of familiar faces in the crowd.

Yo, yo, yo!

# I can't get enough of your love, babe

# Girl, I don't know, I don't know why... #

Of course we know your name. We met each other on Facebook.

He's spoken to my mum more than he's spoken to me.

We deal with the parents before they come to university.

Any question that they have, I message their mum and dad

and say, "If you've got any problems at all, give me a buzz."

-I think we shouldn't lose this opportunity of signing Alex up.

-OK, where do we go?

# I can't get enough of your love, babe... #

Please contact us. We are seriously your home away from home and whatever you need...

-This is the calendar of events for the whole year.

-Thank you.

-Put it up on your wall.

-I will do.

-If you have any problems with lecturers or anything like that, give me a buzz.

-Thank you very much.

-Here's a Jewish student.

-I am a Jewish student.

-Jake, where are you from?

-Cheshire.

-You've heard of Chabad?

-Vaguely.

-No?

-No.

-We're an organisation...

Jake is about to experience Rabbi Brown's sales pitch in full throttle.

-We do social events. Do you want to come to a barbecue? It's at 4.30.

-OK.

-Lots of kosher meat.

-Are you here for Rosh Hashanah?

-I might be going home.

-If you're not, you can come to us for all of the meals.

-OK.

-Let's sign you up.

-OK.

-Let's get a pen.

-What happens if I sign up?

We're going to send you emails and lots of information of all the different events that we have on.

-OK.

-You'll get to meet lots of Jewish friends.

Basically, we are a home away from home, we're a family and we invite everyone to our place.

-We're here totally for the students. I'm the rabbi of the university.

-All right, man?

-All right?

-Is he a Jewish pal?

-No, not that I know of.

When was the last time you had one of these toffees? You've never had a kosher candy?

-Kosher candy?

-This is good.

-I didn't know there was such a thing.

-It's for the sweet new year.

-Thank you.

-This is yours, Jake. You've got to come tonight to our barbecue.

-I may do, yeah.

-You'll meet tons of new Jewish students.

-OK.

-Jake, it was nice meeting you.

-You're here for two or three years?

-Yeah. I'll see you soon.

-Excellent.

-Thank you.

-Keep up the necklace. I love it.

-Thank you.

-I love it, I'm telling you.

-Cheers.

Right now, it's just kind of a quick "hello",

but he's going to be getting 24/7 love, that guy, if he wants it or if he doesn't want it.

-But not only the protection of the car, we have the protection of the Lord.

-Amen.

That's what's so exciting about it because we know that we're...

You know, we think we've chosen to do it, but He's appointed us.

# Total dedication and a lot of devotion... #

The Pastors park up in the heart of the city on the appropriately named Church Street.

That rapid response is here!

We're the rapid response!

Hello, love.

-We've just met your friends down there.

-We're all out tonight.

-It's a brilliant job you do.

-Thank you.

Where are you off to?

Tonight, the streets will be even busier than usual.

Liverpool and Everton played a derby match today.

Everton!

The students are back in town and the weather is unusually warm for the time of year.

Happy birthday!

I used to be one of them, didn't I?

Only five years ago, I would have been one of them getting drunk, so I know where they're at.

They are just having fun, not meaning any of us any harm.

THEY SING "Happy Birthday"

# Happy birthday to you! #

Rabbi Brown is back home preparing for his Freshers' Week barbecue.

Well, of course, many of our events are connected with food and it is a pull.

Of course it's a pull, especially as everything is home-cooked.

We serve them only kosher stuff.

That's one of our missions over here - to teach them the traditions of eating only kosher.

-Hello...

-Students are arriving for an evening of fun and kosher food.

Are these all the freshers? Hello, everyone!

-Freshers, how are you? I'm Rabbi Shmuli. What's your name?

-I'm Al.

But this is more than just a social event.

It's part of an ongoing mission to keep Jewish students true to their faith.

I've been speaking to many parents prior to their children leaving their homes, coming to university.

They are extremely worried, that's why I'm in touch with them,

about their children basically drifting off the Judaic path,

befriending a non-Jewish girlfriend or a non-Jewish boyfriend,

ending up marrying her or him,

then building up a whole life, forgetting the past, forgetting the tradition.

They're very worried about that. We are here to make sure we can enhance the Jewish identity

and complement the Jewish identity whilst on campus.

It's not an easy task, but we're here for that.

SINGING IN HEBREW

OK, everyone can enjoy the cake.

He spoke to me on Facebook a couple of times.

He's a really nice guy. It's nice to know someone is looking out for you.

Many, many students ask me about the fundamentals, about the basics,

about the Aleph to Tav of Judaism, the ABC of Judaism, the base, the core.

I hadn't even met him before today. I'd met him on Facebook. He contacted me.

Even from that, you got a good vibe that he was friendly and welcoming.

Gorgeous people, gorgeous people.

We hope to see them every week over here. If not here, then on campus.

-Straight ahead, straight ahead.

-Yay!

The Street Pastors are getting into the swing of things.

We'll give you water, we'll help you get home, get you a taxi.

-A free taxi?

-No, we're not that generous, but we'll make sure you're safe.

# I believe in miracles, baby

# I believe... #

Only minutes after arriving, a young woman needs the Pastors' help.

This girl's really distressed. She's had far too much to drink.

We've called her sister and she'll pick her up.

This is exactly why we have this vehicle here. It's a great sanctuary.

Within five minutes of us starting this project, we're already using it for that purpose.

We're Street Pastors, right? We've just come to help people, show you the way.

-If you get lost, if you get drunk and need help...

-Do you volunteer for this?

-We volunteer, yeah.

I don't know what I'll be like in church tomorrow. I've got a harvest service in the morning!

-Come on, sweetheart.

-These shoes are not meant for walking.

I feel like we're here for a reason and God sent us. I don't think it any more. I know it.

-There were two girls lying on their back.

-So they need us?

-They were lying there like..."Agh!"

-Would you feel good knowing we're here?

-Yeah. If I was going to be sick, you're here to help.

-You'd like that, yeah?

-Yeah.

The Pastors aren't here just to chat to people. They're here to pray for them as well.

While one of us is speaking to somebody, engaging,

another one of us will watch round them to make sure they're safe, but also send arrow prayers up to God.

Arrow prayers are just quick prayers. "Lord, keep them safe, make them safe," that kind of thing.

God, I thank you for this guy that we've met. He's really distressed, as you know.

We just pray for his peace and we pray that you'll keep him safe.

-Amen.

-Amen.

-We're here to help everyone who's vulnerable, right?

-We are very vulnerable(!)

This is Michelle and it's her 30th...her 21st birthday.

-Your 21st? Happy birthday!

-No, it's really her 30th.

LAUGHTER

This is where we should be. These people will not be in church on a Sunday morning. They'll be in bed.

SHOUTING

Yeah!

Isn't this the best place to be, where we should be,

with the people of our city, relating to them, showing them that Christians are not boring, dull and irrelevant?

We do care about these people and I do love them.

I'm loving it. I really am. I'm feeling God's presence on these streets and that's what's needed.

A taxi has arrived for the young woman the Pastors found on the street. Soon she'll be home safe.

It's their first success story.

Her friend's sister has picked her up with her husband

and they're all safe and home, hopefully, soon, tucked up in bed.

-Job well done.

-Yeah. That was OK, wasn't it?

At the moment, everyone is jolly and happy and wants to talk to them.

It may be later on when people have had a lot more to drink, they're not so willing to engage with them.

-All right, Mum?

-Hello!

TUNELESSLY: # Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead... #

It's nearly midnight. 100,000 partygoers are on the streets.

A team of Pastors move into the busiest part of the city.

-When we go into here, keep slightly apart, but keep an eye on...

-On each other?

-Yeah.

-Jesus loves you and Jesus feels a lot...

-Jesus!

-Your mate doesn't agree with that, does he?

-No.

I'll meet Jesus...in Kingdom.

Is Jesus coming to Kingdom?

-He'll be over there, won't he?

-Kingdom, is that a pub?

Kingdom, the club. Jesus will be there.

Jesus is there with you.

-SLURRED:

-Will be buy me a new BMX bike?

-Maybe not, but you can ask him.

Just before midnight, Carol can finally put her Street Pastor skills into action.

-What's your name?

-Maria.

I'm Carol. Don't be scared. We're here for you now.

We've just found a young girl. It looks like she's twisted her ankle really badly.

I've advised her to go to hospital, but she's getting this taxi home.

-Let's go and get the next one.

-Let's go and get the next one!

-Bring it on!

-We've got to really now look in the doorways.

What about the man over there? Can't we help him?

-He's homeless. We're not geared up for...

-Unless I take him home with me, he's staying there, OK.

I remember him saying if we help one person, then it's been worth it

and I feel like tonight's been worth it for that one person.

And that guy in the doorway was really grateful.

One night and we've already got loads of stories and things.

A successful first night, but only a taste of what is to come.

Next time, they'll be out on the streets until four in the morning.

The streets of Liverpool will feel the Lord's presence. Don't worry about that.

They won't realise what they're feeling, but they'll feel good. LAUGHTER

Hallelujah!

-So we're all in church in the morning?

-Yes, I'm on duty.

Next time, the chaplain praying for a homesick student.

I believe I'm where God wants me to be... God bless you!

And the mother whose baby faces his tenth operation.

He's gone through so much.

He's actually going through this.

If he can do it, then so can we.

You know, he's got some willpower!

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