Mission Network News

Fresh News about MSI and MSM

In response to requests from Missioners the widely used mission shaped intro course is now available in published form. The whole course presented in a 130 page book with accompanying dvd-rom is available for £10 with participant's workbooks available for £4 each (or £3.50 each when ten or more are ordered). The dvd-room includes all the PowerPoint material. To find out more or to buy please visit www.freshexpressions.org.uk/shop For those who prefer the downloadable version, this will continue to be available free of charge.

The in depth one year learning journey mission shaped ministry has now been experienced by over 3000 people in eight countries (now including Barbados, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa). Continuously updated in the light of feedback and fresh learning msm has recently been augmented with a worship companion with creative ideas for worship, prayer and further reflection produced by Olive Fleming-Drane.

The outcomes of msm are continually monitored. 90% of respondents say that the course has produced at least one of the following six outcomes:

• start a fresh expression of church (26%);
• develop an existing fresh expression of church (32%);
• apply the principles of msm to their present 'inherited' church (58%);
• clarify a call to pioneer ministry (20%);
• grow in support or oversight of a fresh expression of church (38%);
• grow in discipleship or Christian ministry (66%).

The Fresh Expressions team is now arranging msm courses for 2014. If you are interested in having a course in your area please contact Andrew Roberts andrew.roberts@freshexpressions.org.uk

Engaging- Milton Keynes June 8th 2013

‘Engaging’, an exciting day event for Christians seeking to understand and engage with contemporary spirituality and spiritual seekers, will be coming to Christ the Cornerstone Church, Milton Keynes, this June. The day will include exploration of who spiritual seekers are, together with explorations of how the church can adapt its form and practice to engage with contemporary spirituality.

The event features three well known practitioners in the field of engaging with contemporary spirituality. Ian Mobsby, Anglican priest, an Associate Missioner with the Fresh Expressions team and founder of the Moot Community at the Guild Church of St Mary Aldermary in the City of London; he is involved in  mission with spiritual seekers in the City of London.  Steve Hollinghurst, from the Church Army, has a great deal of experience of youth mission work and has carried out research into contemporary spirituality. Andrea Campanale is the creator of Sacred Space where the arts are used to explore spirituality, and has pioneered mission outreach work at Mind, Body Spirit Fairs.

Talks and workshops will be provided on issues such as spirituality in today’s culture, meditation and prayer as a medium for mission, how people use language in contemporary spirituality, and how we might speak of the Christian faith to spiritual seekers.

‘Engaging’ lasts from 10am-4pm on Saturday 8^th June at Christ the Cornerstone Church, Central Milton Keynes. It costs £15 and £10 for concessions including a buffet lunch.

Event organiser, Katharine Crowsley says ‘We are looking forward to an interesting and stimulating day that will provide the opportunity to think about how we engage with those beyond the reach of traditional church in contemporary society.’

Rob Winn, VentureFX pioneer missioner for the Methodist Church says ‘I’m really glad to be part of the team organising this event. Contemporary society has a keen interest in all things spiritual and it’s essential that Christians feel confident to engage in those conversations.’

Revd. Cate Williams, Anglican Minister in Woughton Ecumenical Partnership, Milton Keynes says:

‘This is an important issue for Christians to explore. Many around us are seeking a spiritual path in life but not finding that traditional church resources are helping them. We need to think about why this is and how we can connect with the questions they are asking.’

For more information please visit: www.engagingevent.info

Table Talk for Uni Students

Table Talk for Uni Students is a conversational game that aims to create space for friends to talk with friends about the bigger questions of life. With no "right" or "wrong" answers and no agenda to 'convert' anyone this pre-pre Alpha resource was created on the basis that "people do not want to be told what to believe but rather have a conversation" and "people want to know if it works more than if it is true".

Each game contains six big questions... and for each of the big questions (you do one big question at each get together) there is a two minute introduction to be read (by anyone at the table) and sixteen smaller question cards - each card has a question on it that relates to the big question. 

With regard to how you play table talk. Six to eight people gather at a table - some form of social lubrication is enjoyed - they choose which of the six big questions they are going to discuss - someone reads the two minute introduction - sixteen question cards are placed face up on the table - anyone at the table picks up one of the cards and poses the question to the group - when the group is ready someone else picks up another question card and poses that question to the group. Groups normally last between 30-45 minutes and answer three or four questions. 

The six big questions in the Uni Students pack are: 

Relationships: How do you relate to others?

Identity: Who am I?

Life's Unfair: Is there any justice in the world?

Purpose: What do you want to do with your life?

Wellbeing: What makes you happy?

Choices: How do we make a decision? 

Table Talk costs £24.99... with discount for bulk orders 

It is important to note that this is a draft version..... we are more than happy for people to make suggestion on how it can be improved... 

More information available at: www.table-talk.org

A Poem About Messy Church

The below poem was posted on the C of E website last week.

Sunday morning,
on the BBC news was the Lord,
hearing about his latest mission,
and praise I have to award.
Change to the church,
yes there will be uproar,
this is a great forward lurch,
and I see no flaw.
So numbers can grow,
there is no need for liable,
because "God" is now going with the "flow",
indirectly getting children closer to the bible.
Let children play,
learning is better when it's fun,
who knows, there might be a crime delay,
less kids turning to the gun.
I am going to publicize,
in fact I am going to be the Lord's preacher,
because saving me was "Gods" exercise,
and I am truly a grateful and humble creature.
Bring your children along,
the "Messy Church" gets the young involved,
play and sing a song.
And this is the key to the church never being dissolved.

Leadership Conversation

Tim Ling invites applications from 15 people to join “A Leadership and Missional Church Conversation with Pat Keifert” at Church House Westminster on Friday 28 June (10.30 for 11am until not later than 3pm).  He apologises that this date excludes any who will be at the AAEN conference, but dates available with overseas visitors are inevitably limited… 

“In advance of the Ministry and Mission network joint conference in July here’s a good chance to get the conversations about the interface between mission and ministry development started.  Building on the work of Leslie Newbigin and others many of us are aware of the missional church movement which now has several manifestations around the world. This day event is for diocesan senior staff, directors of mission and ministry, mission enablers and theological educators to share together our own experience and interest in leading and developing missional churches and congregations in UK. 

Helping us will be Lutheran pastor and theologian Pat Keifert from Church Innovations in US (http://www.churchinnovations.org). Pat, has for over 20 years has been enabling deep cultural change in congregations for what he calls the New Missional Era (see his key text We are Here Now), both in US, South Africa, Europe and most recently UK. The three-year Partnership for Missional Church process (not programme!) has been running in the dioceses of Bath & Wells, Southwell & Nottingham and Leicester (alongside St. John’s College, Nottingham) over the past few years and some of those involved in delivering PMC will be present to share their experiences. The process also holds out the possibility of reconnecting the ‘academy’ with the local church and has been generative of innovative theological thinking.

 This conversation is limited to 15 places - to book yours please tim.ling@churchofengland.org as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Festive Angels

I met Andy Nicholson at Spring Harvest and he is running “Festival Angels” during his local Leeds festival.

He was looking to connect with others who are doing similar work around the country in other festivals?

Do you know anyone working at a festival near you and could you check with them about giving their details to Andy. That way a network that could encourage and share experience could be created. 

Andy Nicholson : reverandy1@gmail.com

Thank you all

Rachel

Study Day and Commissioning Service

The College of Evangelists Study Day and Commissioning Service

Thursday 16^th May 2013

at the Wilson Carlile Centre,

Cavendish Street, Sheffield S3 7RZ

 

10 am onwards                     Gather for tea, coffee and catch up 

11 am                                         Study Session with Robin Gamble: Copying Jesus!

Robin says:  “Evangelists, like all other ministers, need heroes, models and good people to copy.  In recent years I have discovered that the ultimate evangelist is Jesus himself; we can learn from him, be encouraged and affirmed by him and model ourselves on him.”

12.30 pm                              Lunch and Members’ Meeting

2 pm                                       Commissioning Service and Eucharist. Preacher:  Mark Bailey 

3.30  pm                                Tea and depart 

Lunch will be provided for you – but to make sure you don’t miss out, please let Jenny Lowery know that you will be there:  jennyl@blueyonder.co.uk or telephone 01226 891213.

Vitalise Pioneer Minister/Team Leaders Job

Vitalise is a vibrant discipleship movement with a history of growth based in the centre of Wolverhampton seeking to worship fully, love all and serve the city. Working in a variety of
contexts, including schools, colleges, homes, and neighbourhoods, we are keen to use our
collective creativity to see God's kingdom come.

We are looking for a visionary leader who is passionate about discipleship and mission with a heart
for enabling youth and young adults to reach their potential.

The initial appointment of this full-time post will be for 18 months and may be extended subject to
securing funding. Vitalise is a partnership between the Anglican and Methodist Churches and
Wolverhampton Youth for Christ.

Salary: £22,000

The closing date for applicants is 3rd May 2013. Interviews will be held at the end of May. The
successful candidate will start on ideally on 1st July 2013 or as soon as possible.
For application details email tim.judson@hotmail.co.uk or call Tim on 07817 848780 for more info.

African Studies Lectures and Seminars

Held at The Oxford Centre for Mission Studies in St Philip’s and St James Church, by Church Walk, just north of St. Antony’s College on the Woodstock Road

TUESDAY LECTURE at 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
(There is usually a half-hour discussion after delivery of the paper)

30.4.13 Dr Edward Mogire
'From Government to Governance: The evolving security architecture in the Horn of Africa'

WEDNESDAY SEMINARS at 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
(The research student’s paper is available in order to be read before the seminar)

12.6.13 Klaus Derungs
‘Batemi (Tz.) Religion in the Interface between Mythology and Ritual’

AFRICA RESEARCH INTEREST GROUP at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
(Discussion over lunch on the first Wednesday of the month)

1.5.13 Bawa Leo
‘Nigeria: tba’

Please refer to the OCMS website for updating, and for context in Eastern Europe, Asia, or Latin America www.ocms.ac.uk. Contact: Dr Ben Knighton, FRAI, Co-ordinator of the African Studies Research Group, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, St Philip’s and St James Church, Oxford, OX2 6HR Tel. +44 01865 517 743 Fax +44 01865 517 722 BKnighton@ocms.ac.uk

The Word's Out

The new book from Dave Male and Paul Weston.

The Rt Revd Dr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester and Chair of the College of Evangelists, says:

'This book is a treasure store for church leaders who yearn to see the gospel reach our land anew, giving rich biblically rooted guidance on what sort of evangelism is appropriate for our age.'

For further information on the book or to purchase a copy visit:  http://www.brfonline.org.uk/9780857461698/

 

Easter Message

We hope that you have time to stop and reflect over Easter; on the love of God, shown for us in the death of Jesus, and the power of our God, demonstrated for us in Jesus’ resurrection.

May many new people experience the Love and Power of God themselves as we go on in mission together.

Easter Blessings,

Rachel and Suzie

HOPE 2014

HOPE is a catalyst bringing local churches together to do more together in mission in words and action in 2014. HOPE’s new brochure highlights a rhythm of mission around the church calendar. As churches display the brochure – which folds out to become an attractive poster – everyone in the congregation can catch the vision to spread hope in their community in 2014.

You can download an electronic copy of the brochure here:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5030744/hope%20brochure%20FINAL.pdf

If you require paper copies please contact Suzie on suzie@nicolajamescommunications.com stating the number you require and where you would like them sent too.

There is also a new video on the HOPE website promoting HOPE 2014 and a new brochure.  To watch the video follow this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PES1oc32n4o

HOPE New Resource Book

The Fantastic New HOPE resource book is out and ready to go! It looks great and is full of practical ways to help local churches engage in Mission and Evangelism in 2014.

 

For further information visit HOPE's website:  www.hopetogether.org.uk/Groups/133405/HOPE/Resources/Books/Books.aspx

 or download the briefing notes: Download HOPE Heartbeat briefing notes

Training Event with Peter Farmer

Please find below a message from Annie Kirke:

I am hosting a training event with Peter Farmer from New Forms from Friday 5th – Sunday 7th April at St Andrews Church in Waterloo. 

About Peter

Peter is author of 'Pioneer Mission' a mix of practical teaching, discussion and hands-on experience, offering a potent pioneer process that Jesus himself taught and modelled. Peter and his team have pursued making disciples who make disciples and simple church planting methods across cultures and communities in the UK, in Europe and other parts of the world. 

New Forms Level 1 Training provides people with the practical tools and skills needed to begin making disciples that make disciples and to form simple/organic/missional communities that can multiply.

These tools are particularly helpful at re-establishing the missional DNA of the early church and every disciples commission to go into their surrounding culture and communities and find the people who were open and receptive (people of peace) to the gospel and share it with them and see them share it with their communities and spheres of influence (oikos).

Here is the link to more information and the booking page: http://www.newformsresources.com/events/level-1-training-london

Here is a link to Peter's book - Pioneer Mission http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pioneer-Mission-Peter-J-Farmer/dp/144756149X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363858310&sr=8-1

If the cost of the training is prohibitive for you or any of your team, please do be in touch as we would love as many people as possible to benefit from Peter's experiences and training in this area.

I hope those of you who are interested will be able to join us. Please spread the word too as all are welcome.

Kindest,

Annie

 

The Gospel Message Today

Laurence  Singlehurst has produced a new resource, published by Grove Books Limited, called ‘The Gospel Message Today – Language that Connects in Communicating the Gospel’

The book explores the landscape of evangelism in the 20th and 21st centuries, making the case for the adoption of new set of contextually appropriate metaphors and terms in order to communicate the truths at the heart of the gospel. In a postmodern, unchurched, multi-faith and multi-racial society, it is more important than ever to articulate the enduring message of the gospel in language that can be understood by the culture around us.

It is available from the CellUK bookshop for £3.95.

New Resource on ARC Website

The latest resource for rural churches has recently gone live on the Arthur Rank Centre website at www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk/publications-and-resources/rural-discipleship

Nurture & Discipleship in Rural Churches is an online library of good practice and potential resources for both ordained & lay rural church practitioners, and training or resource providers more generally. It contains:

• rural case studies
• examples of dedicated rural provision
• evaluation of current resources
• unique downloadable course materials for rural lay people & church leaders
• guidance on adapting more generic material for the rural church constituency

This is a free tool to enhance the mission & ministry of rural churches, and will continue to be added to as further material is developed or provided.

It will be complemented in the next month or two with a further online resource, looking at how training and enabling of lay people in rural churches can be best achieved. Again this will be presented as a library of good practice.

Faith in Health and Healing Conference

24th - 25th April 2013

Birmingham

The conference programme will examine three themes.

• Health, dying and human flourishing
• The healing ministries of the church amongst individuals and communities
• The church in the governance and delivery of health services

For more information visit

www.anglicanhealth.org/CONFERENCEHOME.ASPX

or download the conference flyer

Download Conference_tri-fold

Book Review- Church Growth in Britain 1980 to the Present

A major new set of studies edited by David Goodhew and published under the encouraging title ‘Church Growth in Britain 1980 to the Present’ has just been published by Ashgate. In summary: It is a truth almost universally acknowledged that Christianity in Britain is in decline. However, not all universally acknowledged truths are actually true. Some churches in some regions are declining, but this volume shows that substantial and sustained church growth has also taken place across Britain over the last 30 years. This growth is large-scale; it is occurring across a wide geographical range; it is highly multi-cultural in its social reach; and it shows no sign of slowing down. The current consensus, by focusing almost exclusively on decline, is seriously mistaken. A full synopsis of the book can be found on Alison Morgan’s website at http://www.alisonmorgan.co.uk/Goodhew%202012.pdf

News from ReSource

ReSource (ARM) has been going for 9 years now, and we have now put together a new portfolio of Day Programmes based on the work we’ve been asked to do around the country, both for local churches and for dioceses and area or denominational groupings. We have just made a new webpage which profiles these days, and invite you to take a look. Our day programmes include the following topics: 

• ‘Follow me’ - Living and growing as disciples of Jesus
• Doing What Jesus Did – embracing the resources made available to us by the Holy Spirit
• I am the God who Heals – getting to grips with the healing ministry
• Confidence in the Gospel
• Made new for mission
• Living beautiful lives – sharing the good news with friends and neighbours
• The Language of Transformation 
• Preaching and renewal
• The Word of God – what does it mean?
• Renewed by the Spirit 
• Spirituality for mission
• Who do you say that I am? The unexpected Jesus
• Renewed in God’s love
• Going deeper – harnessing the power of poetry
• Growing Healthy Churches

All of these topics are supported by our published resources, developed with and for them. All have been used in many places and contexts, and all are adaptable to a variety of shapes and occasions. Do look at our website to find out more:

http://www.resource-arm.net/dayprogrammes.html , or download the pdf. 

Martin Cavender, Alison Morgan and the ReSource team in Wells.

 office@resource-arm.net, tel 01749 672860, www.resource-arm.net

A Great New Resource from YFC for Young Adults

A Great new resource from YFC for young adults…Spread the word

The videos will be available for free via @ethosuk on Twitter, www.yfc.co.uk/ethos and a designated Youtube channel and are part of something much bigger they are trying to do in this area.

The first one is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMQHWIGQNUs&list=UUJskmtC8sYCCSsS7gtSBbog&index=1

Next is a series of 6 on church which start here… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2jI6DZSGnU&playnext=1&list=PLemhe_tsSuE0KlV2gauz7zihQkeU4HsHi&feature=results_main

They've also made an intro film to try and explain what they are doing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOVnxMcJqPk&list=UUJskmtC8sYCCSsS7gtSBbog&index=2