Advent Video Calendar

For a free automatic Advent Video Calendar Go to www.damaris.org/advent to get Philip Yancey, Krish Kandiah, Anna Robbins, Andrew White and many others on your website through Advent.

Reasons to be cheerful; sharing faith in everyday life

Saturday 14th November, Samworth Enterprise Academy, Trenant Road, Leicester, LE2 6TF - 9.15am - 3.30pm

This is an opportunity for laity to spend a day with the Bishop of Leicester reflecting on how it is that we can both enjoy and share our faith more fully in everyday life with guest speaker the Rt. Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Reading.

Bishop Stephen has worked in parishes in London, Chichester, as Pastor of Peterborough Cathedral, as Missioner in the Wakefield Diocese and as part of Springboard, the Archbishop's evangelism team. He has written widely about evangelism, spirituality and discipleship. Among his recent books are 'From the Abundance of the Heart: Catholic Evangelism for all Christians (DLT 2006), Do Nothing to Change your Life; discovering what happens when you stop (CHP 2007), Hit the Ground Kneeling; seeing leadership differently (CHP 2008) and a book of Lent and Holy Week meditations The Things He Carried (SPCK 2008). He is married to Rebecca and they have three boys.

The Programme

9.15 - Arrival and Registration

9.14 - Introductions

10.15 - Bishop Stephen Cottrell

11.00 - Coffee

11.30 - Bishop Stephen Cottrell

12.00 - Group discussions

12.45 - Lunch (please bring your own)

1.45 - Questions & Answers with Bishop Stephen

2.15 - Questions & Answers with Bishop Tim

2.45 - Worship

3.30 - Close

NO COST - ALL WELCOME

Refreshments provided

Visit the diocesan website and download the booking form

YFRIDAY - GREAT & GLORIOUS

YFRIDAY - GREAT & GLORIOUS with special guest Noel Richards in support
An all age, all family, all church, all denomination, all inclusive, One God Worship Event!
Sunday 11th October 2009, 7pm at Athena in Leicester (the old Odeon cinema)

We have just 1000 tickets available for this fantastic event - unprecedented in Leicester - so please hurry.

This event is open the the whole church family, any age, with special discounts for ages 8 & under.

Churches are being encouraged to use this event in place of their normal Sunday evening service - or as one if you don't already run one. So please get behind this & give your support - let's show just how great our God is!

1000 voices, of all ages, joining together in common worship for 2 hours - make sure you remember where YOU were on the evening of October 11th 2009!

See you there!

www.greatandgloriousweekend.info

PS - let us know if you want any posters or leaflets to promote this in your churches / youth clubs / schools / colleges...

Next Event:

Away Day - 'Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done'

Saturday 19th September 2009

10.00am – 4.00pm

Gartree House, Illston on the Hill

Led by Revd. Ludger Fremmer, of St Wilfrid's, Kibworth.

A time to get together and get to know each other as well as some input and a time for reflection. Organised by the Mission Partnership Convenor, The Rev'd Helen Bence.

For further information please contact Liz Smith on 0116 241 4270 or email admin@thurnbychurch.com

Churches and Faith Buildings: Realising the Potential

The paper has been produced by a working group comprising officials from Her Majesty’s Treasury, Communities and Local Government, Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Defra in conjunction with representatives of the Church of England. The paper should help dioceses and similar structures in other denominations and faiths to have a better understanding of how to access resources that will enable them to engage directly at a strategic level with the local and regional structures within which funding priorities and decisions are made. In turn, these structures and funders will be better equipped to understand the important role of the C of E and faith groups in delivering public services.

A hard copy can be obtained from rebecca.payne@c-of-e.org.uk
or read the full report on:
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/cathandchurchbuild/realising.doc

£180,000 programme to strengthen rural churches

Mapping the existing provision of training for mission and ministry across England

"The Arthur Rank Centre (ARC) is to launch a £180,000 training project to strengthen churches in the countryside. ‘Rural Life and Faith’ could benefit 13,000 rural churches of all denominations, and will equip them for a modern role in villages and the countryside. ARC will spend £180,000 over 3 years to fill those major gaps in training provision which threaten the life and work of the rural church.

Four grant making trusts - Allchurches Trust; the Maurice and Hilda Laing Charitable Trust; the Henry Smith Charity and St Peters Saltley Trust are providing £180,000 of funding for the project. Research to map the existing provision of training for mission and ministry across England will begin immediately, and the first training modules will become available to churches in 2010.

http://www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk/
rurallifeandfaithlaunch_280409.pdf

Rural Ministry Courses

The next Rural Ministry Course run by the Arthur Rank Centre is 3 - 5 November 2009.
More information on weblink:
www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk/training/rural_ministry_training_courses/index.html

Contact email: admin@arthurrankcentre.org.uk or tel: 024 7685 3060 for more information.

Support Just Fairtrade Shop

About Just
Since 2000 the shop has been at 10 Bishop Street, Town Hall Square, Leicester city centre.
It’s open 10.00am to 5pm Monday to Saturday

In 2000 Just became a Workers Cooperative Company limited by shares and member of BAFTS, The British Association for Fair Trade Shops, as a social enterprise.

Just aims

• To get people excited by fair trade and the real difference it makes to poor communities all over the world so that they join us in making a difference.

• To sell the best range of fair trade in the Midlands, making enough profit so we can grow and do exciting things that benefit our producers in the developing world.

• To value the people of the Just community so they feel actively involved, encouraged and supported to play their full part in the work of Just.

What Just Does

• The Just shop offers customers the largest range of fair trade products in the Midlands. Just have a sale or return service for parties and events, a City Centre business delivery service for tea and coffee sales and exclusive Fair trade evenings.

• Working with LaFT, Leicester Advocating Fair Trade Just organise fun and informative events promoting fair trade to varied audiences across Leicestershire. The highlight of the year being Just’s annual fair trade fashion show each spring.

• Just provide fair trade education and training activities in a variety of settings including schools, businesses and voluntary organisations.

Concert at St Mary and All Saints Stoughton

An evening of light music presented by Leicester Grammar School including Dixieland Jazz, Folk Group and Soloists. Wine and light refreshments.

Tickets in advance Tel: 0116 271 4947 or at the door on the night £6

Barn Dance

St Andrew's Church in Foxton are hosting a Barn Dance on Saturday 27th June. Everyone from the Mission Partnership are invited to attend.
There is a Hog Roast and a Bar and it takes place at Turney's Barn, North Lane, Foxton.
Tickets are available from Bernard Rice 01858 545694, Sue Brown 01858 540135, Jackie Phillips 01858 545349 or
Bridget Turney 01858 545273.

Emergency Night Shelter

An invitation to a discussion - to open an emergency night shelter for people rough-sleeping on the streets of our city. In many cities churches are responding to the needs of homeless and vulnerable people. A group of Leicester churches and people involved in action on homelessness have identified a need and we would like your input.
Want to know more?
Want to be involved in shaping the plan? Then come along to ……..

Presentations by: Alastair Murray, Housing Justice; Robert Parkinson, Action Homeless; and Keith Lawson-West, The Bridge – Homelessness to Hope.

Tuesday 23rd June, 09.00am – 12.00 noon
At the Friend’s Meeting House, 16 Queens Road, Leicester, LE2 1WP

Cost: suggested donations of £2.00

Contact - Keith Lawson-West – The Bridge; Places are limited so early booking is advisable
keithlawsonwest@hotmail.co.uk
Tel. 0116 221 8635; or by post to 12 Linden Drive, Evington, Leicester, LE5 6AH

St John the Baptist Church Hungarton

St John the Baptist Church Hungarton St John the Baptist Church Hungarton St John the Baptist Church, Hungarton will be holding its Patronal Festival to celebrate the Feast of St John the Baptist on Sunday 28th June at 3.30 pm. The service will be led by Rev'd Paula Hollingsworth and the choir will be the school choir of Houghton on the Hill Church of England School

Stoughton Hosts Mission Partnership Joint Choral Evensong

Around 100 people representing many of our Mission Partnership Churches gathered together on Sunday 9th May at St Mary and All Saints Church Stoughton for Choral Evensong. The 22 strong choir was led by Janet Arthur from Smeeton Westerby and the organist was Arthur Whitfield from Great Glen. The music was chosen to mark the 250th anniversary of Handel's death and included the Alleluia Chorus, which sounded magnificent in the superb accoustic of the church.

After the service, the north aisle provided a spacious place to serve refreshments and for the congregation to enjoy each other's company.

Over the summer, there will be two joint evensong services, at Hungarton on 21st June and at Carlton Curlieu on 19th July.Then, in November we will be holding a joint Songs of Praise service, celebrating the mission activity taking place in churches within the partnership at St Luke's Thurnby at 6.30 pm on Sunday 15th November.

Kibworth & Fleckney Praise

Pentecost marks a significant step in the development of the Christian faith. As everybody met together, the Spirit came and rested upon them.
Prophecies were fulfilled on that day, and many people came to follow Jesus.
Peter encouraged people to repent and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This was the promise made to all.
On Sunday 31 May we will be celebrating Pentecost as we all meet together to relive the promise.
This is an event for everybody - the promise is for you, your children and those still far off.
4pm, Sunday 31 May at St Wilfrid's Church, Kibworth. There will be a family picnic afterwards.
Organised jointly by St Wilfrid's Church, Kibworth; Kibworth Methodist Church and New Life Church – Fleckney.

Leicestershire Rural Partnership Rural Conference – 19th June

On Friday 19th June 2009 at Hothorpe Hall, nr Theddingworth, Leicestershire, LE17 6QX
The event will run from 9.30 a.m. until 3:00pm with lunch provided.

This year the keynote speaker will be Dr. Stuart Burgess, Rural Advocate and Chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC).

Taking the CRC’s lead this year’s Conference will be framed around Planning for Sustainable Communities.

More details are available on the RCC Newsletter online at here

Conference on Rural Evangelism

Conference on Rural Evangelism – Wednesday 3^rd June, Selly Oak

at the International Mission Centre
.

Evangelism in rural areas is not an easy task, though both history and contemporary experience prove that, with a little careful understanding, appropriate and effective ways of sharing the gospel can be found. A day conference on June 3^rd at Selly Oak, Birmingham will be exploring what works and why. It has been organised by the Rural Evangelism Network. This is an open event but it is important to book in advance.

The Network is a national and ecumenical forum of practitioners, teachers and others drawn from the Churches and specialist mission organisations. In addition to exploring general principles there will be focus groups on various segments of the rural population such as farmers, men, and children. Other focus groups will explore fresh expressions of church in rural areas and even church planting. The programme runs from 10.00 to 4.00 and costs £25 (including lunch). There is a limited amount of overnight accommodation available on the 2^nd June for an extra £20. The venue is the International Mission Centre in Weoley Park Road, Selly Oak. Further enquiries can be made to the Rev’d Barry Osborne at 4, Clarence Street, Market Harborough, on 01858-414 930 or email ren@ruralmissions.org.uk

Or visit website: http://www.ruralmissions.org.uk

Leicestershire Funding Toolkit – funding for local Community / Village Groups

Are you a local community group still in need of funding?
Why not re-visit, or have a look on the Leicestershire Funding Toolkit website where you can find advice and information on funding for voluntary and community groups in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Advice includes preparing for funding applications, developing your budget, defining your project outcomes, writing an application and what to do next. You can also search the database for over 4,000 potentially available funds, to find links to local documents and evidence to build up your grant application and find contact details of funding advisors who can help.
For all this and more please visit: http://www.fundingtoolkit.org/

From: Suzanne Kinder; Leicestershire County Council
Email: skinder@leics.gov.uk
(The toolkit is a one-stop website which provides FREE funding information and advice to Leicestershire’s voluntary and community organisations. It has been developed to help improve the ability of voluntary and community sector organisations to successfully bid for funding).

Multimedia Operators Course

Opportunity to attend a Multimedia Operators Course for churches

Saturday 25^th April
.

This is just to let you know that The Family Friendly Churches Trust is running a Multimedia Operators Course in your area on April 25th starting at 10:30. The day is at St Pauls, Bordesley Green in Birmingham. This is a day designed for those who will be operating projection equipment in churches week by week. The cost for the day is just £30.

The day will take the following form:

10:30am Introduction to PowerPoint covering Text, Images, Backgrounds and Transitions – also loading words of hymns quickly and use of video and music. A guide to effective preparation and “on the day” operation.
12:45 p.m. Lunch
1:30pm How to use PowerPoint in twin-screen format with Presentation Manager and loading hymns “on demand”; followed by an exploration of hymn projection software.

4:45/5:00 p.m. Finish

We can provide laptops (sometimes one per 2 people) or you can bring your own (please check the spec. first).

You can find out more about the day and book a place at www.familyfriendlychurches.org.uk/Operspec.htm

Please feel free to forward this onto others who might find this course helpful.

From: Rev’d Dr Mike Bossingham - General Manager, The Family Friendly Churches Trust,

Mike@Bossingham.com

Bishop's Lay Congress 2009

At Samworth Enterprise Academy
09.15am - 3.30pm

“Reasons to be cheerful”: Sharing faith in everyday life

Spend a day with the Bishop of Leicester reflecting on how it is that we can both enjoy and share our faith more fully in everyday life.

With guest-speaker, Stephen Cotterell, Bishop of Reading. Bishop Stephen has worked in parishes in London and Chichester, as Pastor of Peterborough Cathedral, as Missioner in the Wakefield diocese and as part of “Springboard”, the Archbishop’s evangelism team. He has written widely about evangelism, spirituality and discipleship.

Among Bishop Stephen’s recent books are: From the Abundance of the Heart: catholic evangelism for all Christians (DLT 2006); Do Nothing to Change your Life; discovering what happens when you stop (CHP 2007); Hit the Ground Kneeling; seeing leadership differently (CHP 2008) and a book of Lent and Holy Week meditations The Things He Carried (SPCK 2008). He is married to Rebecca and they have three boys.

Please put the date in your diary - further information will be available in the summer.

Mike Harrison - Director of Mission and Ministry; Leicester Diocese

email: Mike.Harrison@LecCofE.org Email: Claire.Stapleton@LecCofE.org

Tel 0116 248-7428 / 0116 248-7417

Back To Church Sunday

BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY - 27th September 2009
The time of year has come again to start thinking and planning for 'Back to Church Sunday' 2009. Back to Church Sunday is about each member of your congregation inviting someone to come to church. To get this process rolling there are two things I need you to do:
· First of all send an email now registering your church: carol.gibbons@LeCCofE.org
· Then you will need to complete an order form for your resources. The order form will be sent to you presently but if you want to take a look at the resources available visit: www.backtochurch.co.uk
There is also a 'top tips' section on the Back to Church Sunday website that may prove useful.

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.

For further details visit: www.leadingyourchurchintogrowth.org.uk

QUIET SPACES

A day of reflection, refreshment and renewal for those working with children

Saturday 21st March, 10am - 4pm at Launde Abbey (for directions visit: www.launde.org.uk)

This day at Launde Abbey will provide times of guided reflection for children's leaders, based on bible stories, with space for quiet prayer as well as group and individual responses. It is an opportunity to sit back and reflect on the bigger issues related to working with children, to hear God's voice afresh and to benefit from regaining a sense of perspective and vision for the work in relaxing surroundings. Lunch is provided and there will also be resources to browse.

The day will be led by Martyn Payne from Barnabas - the children's ministry wing of BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship). For further information about Barnabas and Martyn go to www.barnabasinchurches.org.uk

Cost £10 to cover the speaker and lunch.

Contact Maggie Clarke, Tel: 0116 248 7438 or E-mail: maggie.clarke@leccofe.org

CALLED? Vocations Day 2009

A day exploring callings to ministry

Saturday 14th March, 10am - 3.30pm at St Paul's Church, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 4NX

With guest speaker Stuart Buchanan, Author of 'On Call' and other vocations resources

The day includes:

• Time to prayer and reflection
• talks from guest speaker Stuart Buchanan
• workshops with people already exercising licenced ministries
• a chance to chat with people over lunch
• and much more

The day is free but any contributions towards the cost of lunch would be appreciated.

Booking necessary, contact Claire Stapleton at Church House, Tel: 0116 248 7417 or E-mail:claire.stapleton@leccofe.org by Monday 2nd March.

BBC LAUNCHES 'FAITH DIARY' WITH A POLL

The BBC launched its online Faith Diary on February 24th with a poll suggesting that "people don't want a secularist wipeout of religion in Britain." An extract from the findings reads: 'Almost two-thirds of those questioned said the law "should respect and be influenced by UK religious values", and a similar proportion agreed that "religion has an important role to play in public life". A significantly greater proportion of the Muslims and Hindus polled (albeit in relatively small numbers) supported a strong role in public life for the UK's essentially Christian traditional religious values. The findings illustrate the growing alliance between people of different faith groups against the rolling back of religion in general in the public arena.'

See the poll at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7783563.stm

Kibworth & Fleckney Praise

The next Kibworth and Fleckney Praise event promises to be as moving and exciting as the last one.

With great worship and praise, and wonderful fellowship, we hope and pray that you will come to New Life Church, School Street, Fleckney on March 8th, 7.30pm.

The following Kibworth and Fleckney Praise will be a Pentecost Praise held at Kibworth on 31 May, at the special time of 4pm. We will have a family tea afterwards, so put the date in your diary.

You can keep in touch with Kibworth and Fleckney Praise on the blog at http://kibworthandfleckneypraise.blogspot.com/ and on Facebook at http://en-gb.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46592947849

The next Kibworth and Fleckney Praise will be held on Sunday 8 February at the Methodist Church, School Road, Kibworth (7.30pm)We are very lucky to have a special speaker, Lori Lawlor, from the Haven Renewal Church in Birmingham. Lori will be talking about Taste and See (that the Lord is good), and how the Lord has brought her to England. This, together with great worship, fellowship (and refreshments afterwards).

The Revd Mark Battison

The Bishop announces that The Revd Mark Battison will be leaving the Diocese to take up the job of Assistant Priest (House for Duty) in the Guilsborough Group in the Peterborough Diocese and will be licensed as such on Monday 23rd February 2009 at 7.30 pm.

MONEY MATTERS WITH JOHN PRESTON

Tuesday 3rd February 2009, Church House, Leicester

Leading on from the clergy study day John Preston will return to Leicester for two CME giving an opportunity for both clergy and laity to explore and discuss money issues within the Church further.

 

1pm - 4pm ‘Talking about Money’

There are over 2300 verses in the bible on money, wealth and possessions, and over a third of Jesus' parables relate to these topics. Yet preaching on money can be a daunting task, and all too often we only talk about money when the church needs some more!   This session will equip you to teach on some of the broader money issues that people face week in, week out; as well as providing some guidance on how to talk about issues of money and giving as a part of our Christian discipleship.  Issues of debt, ethical spending, giving, savings and pensions are ones which touch most people in some way, and as the Church we have a unique viewpoint to convey.  Resourcing our mission as well as paying the bills is a daunting task, and the session will outline the four key tasks that parishes need to cover to achieve this.

 

7.30pm - 9pm ‘Making Sense of Money’

Whether we're comfortably off; broke, or somewhere in between, we all face money questions.  As Christians, we come some unique viewpoints on money issues. This is a fun, and light-hearted session, that nevertheless tackles some serious questions - issues such as debt, ethical spending, insurance and generosity. As well as considering personal money matters, the session will also look at how Churches can be more effective in handling issues around money; from reaching out to their communities in the area of debt, to being better stewards of the money entrusted to them.

 

John Preston has been the C of E’s National Stewardship and Resources Officer since 2005.  Prior to that John spent 15 years marketing everything from soap powder to sandwiches, having achieved the unique distinction of a PhD in retail marketing which involved more time stacking supermarket shelves than was spent in the library!  He is involved in his local church as a Reader and member of the Leadership Team. John is married to Jane, and they have two children aged 14 and 10.

 

Booking is essential for both of the above session and spaces are limited so please book early, contact Claire Stapleton at Church House.  Tel: 0116 248 7417 or E-mail claire.stapleton@leccofe.org

CHILDREN AND ANNUAL MEETINGS - from National Children's Adviser, Mary Hawes;

"At this time of year congregations are usually busy writing and gathering reports from activities of the past year and planning for the annual meeting. How are children involved in this important reflection and planning in your congregation? In our congregation we stay for a soup and sandwich lunch after worship and then move into the meeting. The children go into another room with their leaders, and bring their report back near the end of the meeting. One year we provided a sheet of mural paper and asked the kids to draw the things that they really liked about our church. Then we asked them to add any new things that they would like to see added, or hoped we might do and put a cloud shape around it. When we returned to the meeting and the children were telling what they had drawn, Matthew said he drew a man sitting on the toilet (which actually surprised me as I had not noticed it earlier). "And why did you draw that?" I asked hesitantly. "Because the men's bathroom smells and I don't like going in there," he replied. The women's washroom had been renovated two years earlier, but not the men's one. The men had not thought it a priority, but now they had a different perspective on it. It was done that year! Sometimes the children have made up a song to sing. There are many possibilities. Be creative and inclusive".

'THE SHACK' - BOOK REVIEW

Ben Witherington has a good review of ‘The Shack'

DAMARIS: LENT & EASTER RESOURCES

A full Lent Course based on our DVD Talking About... Jesus.

Videos for each day through Holy Week - FREE for you to republish on your church website and also available for free download for any subscriber to www.toolsfortalks.com - videos will include contributions from Rob Parsons (Care for the Family), Norman Kember (Iraq hostage), Robin Oake (author of Father Forgive), Jennifer Rees Larcombe (author and speaker), Greg Haslam (Westminster Chapel), Rachel Gardner (Romance Academy).   An Easter Special edition of www.deovox.com to help guide your devotional Bible Study at Easter.

For more details on all of these see www.sourcetalk.tv/lent