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church and landscape
Jesus in the UK
beginnings
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How has Christianity shaped the area where you live?
 

This all depends, of course, on where you live - a small village? An ancient town? A new town? A modern housing estate? A city centre?

Begin with a map of your area. Are there any churches? Where? How old? Are they at the centre of things? Then try to investigate under the surface of things - there's a good chance, even in the most modern housing estate, that the land was once owned by a church institution!

Also, as the video makes clear, the church's influence was more than simply being a place of worship. It provided medical and social welfare, education and housing. Has this been the case in your area? Do you go to a church school? Are there alms houses nearby? Did the local hospital begin as a religious foundation (or as a workhouse?).

And what is the place of the church in your local community today?
If you need a map of your local area/town, try:
     Web Link http://www.streetmap.co.uk/

extension  
  Develop your work to look at the influence of places of worship of all the faiths in your area. How long have they been there? What are their distinguishing features? Who comes to worship at them, from how far away?
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