Back To Church Sunday Training Opportunities

A session providing further resources for Back to Church Sunday including top tips for welcoming newcomers, engagement with newcomers on the day and what sort of follow-up to offer.
Training Courses would be held on Tuesday, 8 July 2008, 10am – 12noon at Church House and Tuesday, 9 September 2008, 7.30pm – 9.30pm at Christ the King, Beaumont Leys.

Prince Caspian

Some weeks ago Walt Disney Studios asked Damaris to create for them a set of school and church resources related to their forthcoming film, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, and linked to downloadable clips from the film. These are featured on the official film website and available free to download from www.damaris.org/narnia There is even a FREE CD-ROM full of their resources that they can send to you as well.

Resources for schools include:
· Assemblies for primary and secondary schools - using downloadable clips from the film.
· RE Lessons for primary and secondary schools - using downloadable clips from the film
· A short, downloadable, video exploring issues raised by the film - and including integrated clips. Plus the script and clips so you can recreate something like this in live events
Resources for churches include:
· 25 spiritual and moral themes plus six detailed illustrations - using downloadable clips from the film
· Outlines for childrens and youth meetings, all-age services and church/community events - using downloadable clips.
· A short, downloadable, video exploring issues raised by the film - and including integrated clips. Plus the script and clips so you can recreate something like this in live events
· Two short, downloadable, videos exploring issues raised by the film - and including integrated clips. Plus the script and clips so you can recreate something like this in live events
See more at http://www.damaris.org/narnia

Resources from our Quiet Day

Details of our first Quiet Day including information from Alison Morgan about what was focussed on, quotes and questions is available as a pdf here.

A summary of "Unlocking the Door – Evangelism in the Real World" by Ruth Adams and Jan Harney is available here.

For further information about Alison and resources available please visit Resource.

An Evening for PCC / DCC Members with ReSource

Advance notice so that you can get the date in your church and personal diaries.

As a partnership, we want to be enablers of the work PCCs and DCCs are doing to further mission in their parishes. To this end we have arranged an evening of essential training for mission for all PCC and DCC members in the 16 partnership churches from 7.30-9.30 on Thursday 2nd October at St Peter's Centre Oadby. The evening will be led by Alison Morgan and Martin Cavender of ReSource. It is hoped that every PCC and DCC in the Mission Partnership will arrange to come together to begin the work of putting mission at the forefront of our agendas. Those of you who have already benefitted from Alison's input will know the evening will be "good value." I can tell you from personal experience that Martin's input will be equally helpful.

Want to gain a professional qualification in Youth Work?

Looking for a change of career and interested in working with young people? Want to combine practical experience with study?
Midlands Centre for Youth Ministry based at St John's Nottingham offers a variety of courses in Youth and Community Work and Applied Theology. It is possible to get a relevant professional qualification at any level. Study full time or part time.
Enquiries: 0115 968 3222 Email: g.benson@stjohns-nottm.ac.uk 

Visit www.stjohns-nottm.ac.uk 

Midlands Centre for Youth Ministry St John's Bramcote Nottingham NG9 3DS

School Assembly Training

Ratby Church is hosting a training morning by Serving our Schools Ministries
On Saturday 28th June, 9.30 –12.30
In the Church Rooms, Church Lane, Ratby.
What is it? - This is to help with a wide range of possible work in School Assemblies. This is in addition to the Open the Book training currently on offer by the Diocese.
Who’s it for? - Anyone who currently takes part in School assemblies either on their own or part of a small group and think you could do better. Or people are just interested in finding out how you could help.
How much? - The event is free with contributions to the costs.
How to book? - Email Anne Stratton at Anne.Stratton@ntlworld.com Tel: 07773 076 555
Or Joan Hawkins jvajhawkins@btinternet.com Tel 239 3130

Effective Chairing

Tuesday 24th June, Christ the King, Beaumont Leys - 10am-3.30pm
Course leader; Russell Bowman-Eadie

An intensive one-day course that aims to help you make more of your meetings. Here is what you'll learn:
How to turn members from being individuals who just turn up for a meeting to being a highly motivated team.
The role of the chairperson
How to set agendas that are productive and stimulating
Details about key elements in securing commitment to planning
Methods for solving problems and getting ideas out and shared
Examples of hands on wisdom that was learned the hard way (so you don't have to!)
Maximising your meeting time
These and other elements will be introduced that will help you understand how the task of the chairperson is to facilitate meetings that are productive, lively and participative and lead to better decision making.

Russell Bowman-Eadie is the Director of Ministry and Development in the diocese of Bath and Wells and Canon Treasurer of Wells Cathedral. He is a seasoned facilitator of skills workshops, a retreat conductor and, as a fellow of the College of Preachers, has led many conferences on Preaching. His is co-author of Communities of Hope (DLT 1998).

Booking necessary, contact Claire Stapleton at Church House on 0116 748 7417 or E-mail: claire.stapleton@leccofe.org

PURPOSE DRIVEN UK: inculturated for small & rural UK churches

The “Purpose driven” movement are rightly seeing the need to inculturate their material for the UK. Here’s the latest from PDUK’s Peter Simpson.

New campaign reflects ‘British’ culture
Many churches have expressed concern that so many resources now come from the States and using those resources may cause some resistance from members of their congregations.
The Purpose Driven UK new campaign called ‘Building Relationships’ with God’s Love has been revised and adapted for UK churches and can be easily used in a wide range of church sizes and denominations. The six weeks DVD teaching will be taught by Rev David Beer and the Sunday school and youth resources have been compiled by a group of UK youth leaders.
The campaign pack has a wide range of resources for weekend services, small groups and all ages.
This material is suitable for rural and small churches as both a small group or campaign resource.
For more information check www.purposedrivenuk.com or telephone Purpose Driven on 01255 435577

LightLive

LightLive is a new website which puts a multitude of Bible-based activities and ideas at your fingertips – and it’s free of charge! It is designed by Scripture Union to help you tailor material to the specific needs of your children and young people’s group(s) or congregation. You can access the bank of activities and ideas, enrich your programme with multimedia resources and search, save and print – all from one website. Go to www.lightlive.org – and remember, it’s absolutely free!

Church Website Design Tool

Your church website has enormous potential as part of your outreach strategy to reach into your community. It can be like an enticing ‘shop window’ and virtual doorway to draw people into faith and fellowship. However, many churches do not understand how to design a site that will do this effectively. This self-assessment questionnaire helps you evaluate your site, and creates a detailed free evaluation report with advice to help you consider new ideas or aspects of the site that could perhaps be modified. It will also help you in planning a new website. Have a go at http://ied.gospelcom.net/church-site-design.php 

Play Your Part

Sally Beyer and her colleagues at Liverpool University have developed a beautifully produced and helpful booklet on discipleship.

They write: ‘Play your Part’ encourages Christians to take a fresh perspective and some time out to look at their life and consider: Why am I here? What has God created me for? What does this mean for me as a Christian today? How can I become more Christ-like in all that I do?  It can help people in your Parish, Church, and Faith Community to play  their part by finding and fulfilling the unique role and potential that they have in life as a Christian. The booklet is very flexible. It can be used individually or as part  of a small group study or course within your Church.  All it needs are willing participants, an open mind and a skilled facilitator with a good knowledge of the bible.

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of ‘Play your part’ they are available at a reduced rate of £5 (+VAT and Postage).  Please contact Sally Beyer, Windmills, The University of Liverpool, email: s.beyer@liv.ac.uk Tel: 0151 794 8186

Open Garden in Aid of St Peter's Church Oadby

Summer Concert at St Peter's Oadby

The Patronal Festival Weekend, is the date of the Summer Concert at St Peter's Oadby this year featuring the: CO-OP MALE VOICE CHOIR. Guest Artists Terri Eynon (Folk Harp) & Alison Copper (Tenor Recorder)Saturday June 28th at 7.30pm in the Church. Tickets £5 from the Parish Office or on the door.

PS: The sponsorship and involvement of the Coop with this choir is absolutely minimal. It is a group of men who enjoy singing and are happy to entertain us to help raise some money for our Appeal Fund. Please support this event!

Patronal Festival St John the Baptist Hungarton

Choral Evensong with friends of Leicester Church Music to celebrate the Patronal festival of St John the Baptist Church Hungarton will take place on Sunday 22nd June at 3.30 pm. The service will be led by the Priest-in-Charge, The Rev'd Paula Hollingsworth and the preacher will be the Gartree Mission Partnership Convener, The Rev'd Helen Bence.

Pennbury eco-town consultations

Find out more about the proposals from:Co-operative Group exhibitions: Wednesday 11 June, Parklands Leisure Centre, Wigston Road, Oadby from 11.00am to 8.00pm.Leicestershire County Council and local MPs: Monday 9 June at 8pm, Gartree School, OadbyHarborough District Council: Leicester Airfield, The Marquee, Gartree Road, Little Stretton, near Stoughton, LE2 2FG, on Monday, June 16, at between 10.30am-12noon or 7pm and 8.30pm.Oadby & Wigston Borough Council: The Oadby Community Forum at Parklands Leisure Centre, Wigston Road on Wednesday 18 June will be dedicated to eco-towns. Sessions at: 3.00, 5.30 and 8.00pm.

Plant Fair at St Helen's Saddington

There will be a Plant Fair at St Helen's Church Saddington on Saturday 14th June from 2-4 pm
Come and enjoy a delicious afternoon tea served in the churchyard and browse among the stalls: plants, books and delicious home-made cakes and jams

Worship Leaders' Course at St Wilfrid's Kibworth

A Worship Leaders' Course, focusing on modern worship songs and leading worship rather than musicianship will take place at St Wifrid's Church Kibworth from Friday 3rd to Sudany 5th October. Rev'd Ludger Fremmer, Priest-in-Charge of St Wilfrid's Kibworth is happy to extend an invitation to attend to musicians from partnership churches (both singers and instrumentalists) with the recommendation of their incumbents. Please let Ludger know numbers in good time and put the date in your diary now.

Meeting of "Open Churches" Group

There will be a preliminary meeting of an "Open Churches" group on Wednesday 23rd July from 7-9 at St Wilfrid's Kibworth. The meeting will be led by Canon Philip Norwood with invited representatives form each church which is kept open during the week. The purpose of the meeting will be to celebrate the good things which are already happening within the partnership in this area of witness and to draw up a code of good practice, both to enhance what is already being done and to commend the idea of open churches to other parishes. A display will be put together which can be used around the partnership after being used at the Diocesan assembly "Living Faith" at the Samworth Academy on 20th September.

Concert at Great Glen

Saturday 14th June - at St. Cuthbert's Church in Great Glen; a concert by the Wigston Male Voice Choir, commencing at 7.30 pm. Tickets now on sale at £7.50 each, available from Carol Neal 0116 259 2988 or Margaret Wood 0116 259 2100.
Proceeds in aid of new church facilities. (From: Mary Ireland; email: mary_ireland@btinternet.com )