A number of the programs that MTG will be involved in will be controlled by LOCOG. MTG will seek to work as closely with LOCOG as possible so to assist with the delivery of these official programs and engage the U.K. Churches with these programs. The Big Screen Festivals Team will also work with the official Organizing Committee to implement some components of their program as well.
Working alongside the LOCOG Interfaith/Multifaith Committee, the Chaplaincy Team will help coordinate the recruitment and placement of chaplains for the Religious Services Center in the Olympic Village. They will also take care of the accommodation and logistics needs of the incoming Chaplains.
The local Church community has typically been the largest provider of homes to past Official Games Organisers to host athlete family members who normally could not provide afford to come and see their relatives compete. The focus on the AFH Team will therefore be to encourage local Christians to open their homes to host families of athletes for a seven to ten day period providing bed and breakfast at no cost to the guest family.
Thousands of volunteers will be needed to stage the Games and as the Church is typically one of the largest, if not the largest, provider of volunteers in the community in goes without saying that the Church can provide top quality volunteers to serve during the Games. The Volunteers Team will work with LOCOG to make sure that church volunteers get every opportunity to serve in this capacity.
The Torch Relay provides many opportunities for Churches around the country to engage in service and ministry leading up to the Games. A variety of Hospitality, Sports Ministry and Creative Arts programs can be implemented in association with the event. The Torch Relay Team will coordinate ministry implemented by churches at the local level during this event.
During recent Games, The Salvation Army, in partnership with local churches and under the banner of MTG, has provided millions of cups of water, tea and coffee at major event venues and high pedestrian corridors. This program has typically been done in close cooperation with Games Organisers and City Government. The Canteen Operations Team will seek to coordinate and offer this program once again so as to provide a very simple but biblical opportunity to serve during the 2012 Games.
The Games have become as much about culture as there are about sport. The desire of the Creative and Performing Arts Team is utilize the Games to celebrate the cultural diversity within the U.K. and around the world as a reflection of our Creator through artistic expression. The goal is to recruit both British and International Artists and place them into various main stage, minor stage, and street level performance venues. One of outcomes is to create a network of artists across the U.K. that can be utilized for future artistic and ministry opportunities.
The Paralympic Team will be responsible for making sure that all the other program teams have a Paralympic emphasis in their programs and for developing and promoting programs that encourage and train Churches to minister to athletes and people with disabilities.