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