Mission Network News

Nicola James Communications

After the tragedy of Jayne's departure to work for - of all things - a couple of Archdeacons, we have the really good news that Nicola James Communications (NJC - that's Nicola herself and her colleagues Laura and Sarah) have taken on the task of supporting the national mission and evangelism desk. The learning curve for the first few weeks will be steep, but Nicola and her colleagues are fabulously bright and learning fast. Rachel and I are delighted that they've joined the team. NJC works from Sheffield where Nicola is a member of St Thomas', Crookes.

The contact email for mission & evangelism support remains the same: [email protected]

Provisional attendance figures for 2007 released

Here you go. Lynda Barley and her team have crunched the numbers and tell the story. For the full release go to http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr2009.html

The Revd Lynda Barley, Head of Research and Statistics for the Archbishops’ Council, said: “Taken as a whole, these figures show that over the past few years the Church has maintained stable numbers of regular worshippers while we are also continuing to explore creative ways of responding to the spiritual needs and lifestyles of those they serve – such as the 37,000 who returned to church on Back to Church Sunday 2008.

“There are some encouraging signs in the ways the Church helps people mark important occasions in their life. We also know that there is significant expansion going on ‘under the radar’ in less traditional activities in which churches are engaged, such as the thousands of ‘fresh expressions’ initiatives, where the Church is seeking new ways of responding to the nation’s spiritual thirst.

“More than half of the dioceses from the north west to the east and south east are showing signs of growth in church attendance in one or more measures. The figures for 2007 reinforce the pattern of attendance at church services outside Sundays adding significant numbers to local congregations.”

Take the Fear Out of Talking to Strangers

The very popular internet blog LifeHacker has this article on talking to strangers about things that matter to you. Interesting to see a secular take on the core of personal evangelism.

Being randomly friendly and striking up a talk with someone you don't know is, as wikiHow puts it, the "social equivalent of skydiving." And probably not as hard as you might think. For more see http://www.wikihow.com/Talk-to-Strangers

The group-editing advice site offers mostly motivational, thought-provoking ideas on how to train at getting comfortable starting a conversation with no pretext or third-party introduction. Some might make you roll your eyes with thoughts of past incidents, but others are worth considering, especially if your career could benefit from a bit of networking savvy:

Keep your conversations fairly organic. Don't come in with “canned material”, “nuclear attraction” routines, or other social robotics ... What you say isn’t nearly as important as how you say it. Socializing is about exchanging energy, not being a wordsmith. When in doubt, just say “Hi”. If you’ve never done this before, you may get brushed off several, even dozens of times until you get really comfortable being yourself in front of other people.

As someone who used to try and get different strangers to start talking for my every-day job, I found that experience, practice, and, yeah, a bit of a cynical shell against the typical brush-off were the best predictors of how things would go. But pre-supposing that someone was going to clam up or walk off never helped at all—and it's worth remembering that, even in hard times or tough situations, some people are secretly eager to tell a story or just share a moment.

Leading Your Church into Growth - days for church groups.

Tracie Smith sends this from LYCiG.

LEADING YOUR CHURCH INTO GROWTH – A DAY FOR CHURCH GROUPS

 

Hundreds of clergy and laity have now attended the popluar four day residential course for clergy, which Robin Gamble and his team have run for many years. We also offer a follow up DAY course for clergy to attend with some of their church people to share the course and begin to apply them in their own situation.

 

            These will include:     Becoming a Mission Church

                                                Basic Mission Strategies

                                                Going Out, Drawing In

                                                Making Sunday Count

                                               

Charge for the day is £6 per person ( payable in advance). Tea/coffee will be provided but please bring a PACKED LUNCH    

 

Days planned are:

            21^st February 2009 , St Paul ’s, Kersall Moor, Manchester , M7 3QH

            21^st March 2009 , Holy Trinity Church , Church Hill Street , Smethwick , B67 7AH

            23^rd May 2009 , CMS Conferencing, Watlington Road , Oxford , OX4 6BZ

Download the flyer here: Download LEADING YOUR CHURCH INTO GROWTH

Encounters on the Edge, no. 40

The latest in Sheffield Centre's unmissable resource series for the emerging church. Buy, buy, buy - or rather subscribe, subscribe, subscribe.

Happy 10^th birthday to Encounters on the Edge

The popular Encounters on the Edge booklets - George Lings’ series of quarterly investigations looking at emerging and fresh expressions of church – reaches an important milestone with the latest issue, number 40. Published by Church Army, Encounters on the Edge celebrates ten years of publication.

It is appropriate, then, that as Encounters on the Edge acknowledges its long life, the latest issue – called People Try to Put Us Down – investigates fresh expressions of church among older people. This is to counter a common criticism of fresh expressions: that it is in danger of becoming shorthand for young and trendy.

In the introduction, Ggeorge Lings, director of Church Army’s Research Unit, confesses: 'I write this booklet approaching the threshold of becoming 60. What a mix of feelings it is. It has to be partly a confession of ageism to admit that while there have been 39 previous Encounters on the Edge stories, only now does one get written about a whole third of the UK population, the over 50s.'

The issue focuses on the story of St Giles, orthampton, remarkable in their recruitment of a full-time staff member for older people. Two vital questions are asked: 'How do you know whether a ministry is also church?' and 'What does fresh really mean?' It is also pointed out that there is a significant diversity between those aged 50 and 105 – is this fully appreciated? George helpfully concludes that fresh expressions are about 'seriously asking who we are trying to be church for and what their culture is'.

To celebrate ten years of Encounters on the Edge, an annual subscription will include the offer of free copies of all issues up to and including number 32. Up to 10 copies of each issue can be requested of each, but postage will need to be charged.

Encounters on the Edge 40, People Try to Put Us Down: Fresh expressions with older people, is now available and is priced £4.00.

To order, contact the Sheffield Centre on 0114 272 7451, email [email protected], or click the 'Order Encounters' link at www.encountersontheedge.org.uk

ReSource Lent course

Alison Morgan sends this from the ReSource office.

Dear friends,

We are reprinting our Lent course this due to popular demand, as they say!    

Resources for Lent

 

An excellent Lent course is published by ReSource.

 

Season of Renewal offers a gentle but challenging approach to Lent. Combining traditional elements with a fresh approach, it is ideal for groups and churches who want something a little different which will act as a stimulus for future growth. Written by Alison Morgan (author of The Wild Gospel, co-author of the ReSource healing course In His Name, and editor of the Rooted in Jesus discipleship course for Africa), and Bill Goodman (experienced both in parish ministry and as a theological college lecturer), Season of Renewal includes notes on the history and meaning of Lent as well as suggestions for how to link the course to the liturgical pattern of the church. Those who have used it have found that participation in the course brings about significant spiritual growth for course members and, in some cases, lasting change for the church.

 

Our Lent Fellowship Groups have all responded enthusiastically to 'Season of Renewal'. The music and ‘arty bits’ were movingly effective. It is wonderful to have a course which is “Into God” rather than “About God” ‐ Revd Matthew Grayshon

 

It was unanimously agreed that it had been the most inspiring and helpful Lent course we had ever shared in. We particularly appreciated the various practical items included in it ‐ Canon John Gunstone

 

It went really well. There was something for everyone because of the different teaching styles. It was easy for me to use as well ‐ Helen Green, Pastorate Leader, Holy Trinity Leicester

 

Season of Renewal is available from the ReSource office at 13, Sadler St, Wells, or from

www.resource-arm.net.

Urban Mission and older people

Mike Collyer writes from Sheffield Centre:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,  
Further to my recent Information Bulletin please find attached my latest document in the Discovering Faith in Later Life series. 

Download Discovering Faith in Later Life No. 8 Urban Mission & Older People 

Please feel free to forward it to those with an interest in this particular topic.
Past copies of DFLL series can be downloaded free of charge from the Church Army web site.
Follow this link:

http://www.churcharmy.org.uk/ms/sc/sfc_DFiLL.asp

MA/PG Diploma in Consultancy for Mission and Ministry

Check this out if you're looking to do some ministerial development work:

MissionMA/PG Diploma in Consultancy for Mission and Ministry at York St John University

This is a 2 year part-time, part distance-learning, course in which the focus is the work context of each student.  A substantial proportion of the three annual 4 day residentials is given over to co-consultancies, examining issues chosen by the students.  The main learning modules of missiology, organisational studies and consultancy theory are then integrated into the student's own experience as a means of formulating a consultancy model consistent with personal theological convictions.  The course will be particularly helpful to those who:

                   Work with others formulating and implementing strategy

                  Have oversight of others including work consultancy

                  Help and support church and community (including project) development.

Full information can be found on the web-site of The York Institute for Community Theology: www.theologyinthecommunity.org.uk

For a conversation contact:

Dr Helen Cameron, [email protected], Tel 01865 721422

or

Revd Ian Johnson, [email protected].  Tel 01609 770853

Jayne Tarry

Jayne has kept the Mission and Evangelism desk on the straight and narrow for four years. She's organised the Missioners Conference, administered the Youth Evangelism Fund, worked with the College of Evangelists and generally kept us all sane.

So it's with a really heavy heart that we have to tell you that she will be moving on at the end of February to take a job with the Diocese of Winchester. Our love and prayers go with her; if you'd like to send her a message it's the familiar address - [email protected].

The email address will stay the same after Jayne leaves, as we put systems in place to continue the present arrangement for Paul's and Rachel's support. Please pray for us in that; full details will come on STW as soon as we have them.

Missioners Conference 2009: June30-July 3: Aliens in a Foreign Land

Jayne is sending booking information this week. If you don't receive yours by Friday, please contact her at [email protected]

TEARFUND latest research on churchgoing

TEARFUND's extensive research programme is a great gift to all the churches. Their latest findings are here: http://www.tearfund.org/NR/exeres/84382263-4C75-4DA0-97AA-F05B3ACD7A0C,frameless.htm?NRMODE=Published

CHURCH IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Churchgoing is not in decline, according to figures released by Tearfund today (30 January 2009) which show that one in four adults in the UK attend church at least once a year.

According to research carried out by Tearfund, 12.8 million adults in the UK attend church at least once a year, of whom 7.3 million attend at least once a month. 

Christian relief and development agency Tearfund regularly interview 7,000 members of the public about their churchgoing habits, as part of wider research about perceptions of society and world issues, and have identified an upward trend in church attendance.

‘We have noticed that in the last year, there has been a significant increase in monthly attendance, bringing the figure for autumn 2008 to 15 per cent after a number of years of reported decline,’ says Matthew Frost, Chief Executive of Tearfund.  ‘Similarly, the proportion of UK adults attending church at least once a year has increased from 21 per cent in 2007 to 26 per cent in 2008, which is an increase from around one in five adults to around one in four.

‘Our understanding is that more people are attending now than before, even if that is only a couple of times a year rather than every week.  This might mean going to church at one of the high points in their family’s year, such as Christmas or Easter, or attending Sunday services or midweek events.

‘This is of course immensely encouraging, because it shows that people are associating church and a belief in God with hope and joy, and a positive way to spend their time.’

The research questions were framed deliberately to exclude attendance for weddings, baptisms, funerals and other invitation-only events so as to concentrate on voluntary attendance.

Groups showing a larger increase in attendance than the average between September 2007 and September 2008 included 25-34 year olds (up 7% from 15% to 22%), 65-74 year olds (up 6% from 27% to 33%), and over 75 year olds (up 10% from 29% to 39%).  Geographically, the highest increases were found in Wales (up 12% from 12% to 24%), South East England (up 8% from 19% to 27%), Scotland (up 8% from 19% to 27%) and Northwest England (up 7% from 21% to 28%).

Tearfund’s work around the world is delivered primarily through local churches and community organisations working on the ground in 64 countries, to tackle spiritual and material poverty.  The research, compiled of 7,000 interviews with adults around the UK, takes place twice a year and identifies trends in awareness of faith and world issues in order to influence the organisation’s development and communication.

Back To Church Sunday latest, and Experience Easter

The latest information on Back To Church Sunday, including the new BTCS online forum for sharing ideas and experience, is now online at www.backtochurch.co.uk.
For an exploration of how Back To Church can help people stick as disciples, see this week's Church Times (http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=70049)

Also from Gloucester diocese, Andrew Braddock sends this. Experience Easter complements Back To Church, and is well worth a look. For more contact Andrew at ABraddock@glosdioc.org.uk

The publicity and materials for 2009 have now been agreed and are ready to run. They build on what we've done in previous years and include a new 'how to' section - ideas to underpin and follow-up the EE initiative. The branding is crisper than the last two years and includes a new crosses poster. As before, CPO have been very helpful in pulling this altogether. We are delighted that this year there is also a dedicated EE website with all the information on it and downloads of some of the material available - www.experienceeaster.org . It's great that Manchester Diocese are also running with EE this year - I see that they've already done a trailer event at the cathedral. We would be very pleased to share what we are doing with other dioceses so if you were able to publicise via starttheweek etc that would be great. If you need further info. do get back to me or to the EE team via the website.

GfE Annual Consultation - May 7

This from Jim Currin at GfE. The Annual Consultation is a real opportunity to engage with big issues and to network with colleagues from across the country and across the Churches. This topic in particular should make for a worthwhle day.

Jim writes:

The Churches Coordinating Group for Evangelisation, as part of Churches Together in England.

Invites you to join J John and other evangelists and evangelism enablers in conversation at the

GfE Annual Consultation

 

Thursday 7^th May 2009 in London

‘For God’s sake, say something!’

Ø      How is proclamation possible in the twenty-first century?

Ø      What are the issues? Preaching? Children? Media? Secular? Multi-faith?

Ø      Can we talk about Jesus? Have we lost our voice? How is ‘sin’ perceived?  

Ø      Are we denying the Gospel if we don’t use words as well as action?

Ø      What can we say, and how, so that people will hear and want to respond to Christ?

The national evangelism officers of our churches in England invite you to the GfE Annual Consultation on Thursday May 7^th  to consider these critical questions with them.

If you are a church leader serving a region, and especially if you are a national or regional evangelist or evangelism enabler or trainer, we would like you to join us in this day. It is a focal point of a process to produce resource material for the wider church. The consultation day will feature:

-  J John, one of the few evangelists who can fill a Cathedral to explain the Gospel, in conversation withPaul Bayes, Mission and Evangelism Advisor for the Archbishop’s Council of the Church of England.

-  Celia Apeagyei-Collins, a gifted speaker and a mentor of women, in conversation with Ian Bunce, Head of the Mission Department for the Baptist Union of Great Britain.

Contributors include: Howard Mellor, Clare Ward, Mike Simmonds, Andrew Graystone, Jonny Baker, Colin Draper, Steve Hollinghurst and many others.

If you are in the evangelism network please come and add your contribution to the day. Join in the conversation and feed in to Resource Papers we plan to produce on these topics for the wider church.

The day will cost £20 including lunch and we are meeting at Methodist Church House, Marylebone, London.

More information is on the GfE website: http://www.gfe.org.uk/proclamation.htm

Link to Information Sheet, Details and the Booking Online form: http://www.cte.org.uk/Articles/139947/Churches_Together_in/Our_work/Evangelisation/GfE_Annual_Consultation.aspx

Please join us on the day, bring colleagues, add your contributions to Resource Papers, and generally pray that people may hear the good news of Jesus with greater clarity.

We look forward to seeing you on May 7th.

Thank you

 Jim  

Sheffield Centre conference "Reaching out in Mind, Body & Spirit"

Here's Laurence Keith at Sheffield Centre with news of this conference with John & Olive Drane and others - April 24-26.

Details are here http://www.churcharmy.org.uk/ms/sc/PostChristianCulture/sfc_reachingoutconference.asp

And the flyer & booking form here: Download ROMBS flyer Download New Spiritualities Booking Form

They say:
Over the past few years many Christians from a wide range of denominations and styles of spirituality have been developing ways to relate their faith to the growing numbers exploring the New Spiritualities. This has lead to regular ministries at rock festivals, health & fitness centres and MBS fairs; life coaching, card reading and spiritual art; meditation, creation liturgy and healing prayer; and much more. This conference is a place for those engaged in the whole range of these to come together, learn from each other and most of all explore how we can move further towards the establishing of Christian communities that can sustain the faith journeys of today's spiritual travellers.

CPAS ‘Crossing Frontiers - Evangelism with Integrity’

From Laurence Gamlen at CPAS. He writes:

I am attaching a copy of a flier for an event called, ‘Crossing Frontiers - Evangelism with Integrity’ this is being held at St James’ Church, Alperton on 18th February, and we have Rt Revd Michael Nazir-Ali as our keynote speaker, as well as a whole host of very experienced and skilled practitioners leading seminars.

The flyer is here: Download CrossingFrontiersfinalversion 09

Focus on Older People Info Bulletin

Sheffield Centre's Mike Collyer sends the latest of his excellent bulletins on evangelism among older people:
Download IBULL26

Handling Change: RUN Spring conferences

Chris Stoddard over at RUN sends news of their spring conference programme. Download details from this pdf,
Download Handling Change Flier
or visit their webpage here: http://www.run.org.uk/R/envision/FutureC/handling_change_spring09.aspx