The launch week for Red Letter Christians UK began on Saturday with a public action against knife crime that brought together around 800 people in East London. 

Knives seized from the streets of Newham by police were melted down in a creative Christian initiative to make garden tools and sculptures for display in a community garden. 

Local young people were given the chance to join in under the guidance of an expert metalsmith to create new pieces at the site in East Ham. 

The launch event was joined by Red Letter Christians founder Shane Claiborne, the Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz, minister of Bonny Downs Baptist Church, Dr Sally Mann, and East Ham MP, Stephen Timms. 

Claiborne said: "The prophetic vision of beating swords into ploughshares reminds us that life is more powerful than death and love is more powerful than hatred.

"God doesn't want to change the world without us, and he invites all of us to participate in building the world we dream of."

Paris Tankard, a young man who lost his friend in a knife attack in London just four months ago, was among those present on Saturday.

He said: "I'm here today because events like this are incredibly important in helping communities to stand up against violence."

Waheed Khan, Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police in Newham, said: "I am pleased to support this Red Letter Christians UK event, which highlights the tremendous work being done locally by so many people to help tackle the scourge of knife crime that blights our community."

The metalworking initiative coincides with the launch of Newham's first and only knife surrender bin. Its first year of operation will be funded by Newham Council and local church network, Transform Newham. 

The bin is being run in conjunction with the Salvation Army and Word4Weapons, a faith-based charity that provides bins where people can anonymously give up their weapons. 

It comes at a time when the UK is struggling to tackle a spiralling knife crime problem.  Knife offences reached an all time high in 2018, with 40,000 reported in England and Wales last year and around a third of these taking place in London alone. Last year, Newham also had the highest number of murders in any London borough.

Saturday's event marked the first in a series of events launching Red Letter Christians UK, a new interdenominational network of Christians that has crossed the Atlantic from the US. 

Dr Mann, who is also spokesperson for Red Letter Christians in the UK, said: "Today we've seen 800 people vocally and passionately calling for change. We're determined, in our own small way, to create a legacy that lasts.

"The beautiful tools and art we've created out of knives from the streets will serve as a public reminder that hope can win over hate.

"We've committed today to delivering a knife surrender bin this summer, the only one in our borough. Perhaps above all, we look forward to discussing the great ideas we've heard today from many people already working for a safer community about how we can partner together better."

Red Letter Christians was founded in the US in 2007 by Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo out of a concern that Western Christianity had lost its focus on Jesus and that the term "evangelical" no longer meant good news in American culture. 

Launch events are being held across the UK this week in Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Liverpool.