Went to a book launch-cum-service to celebrate John Newton’s life recently. Mervyn Davies of Wesley College and now Sarum had brought together many different authors to celebrate the methodist minister and preacher John Newton. John taught in theological colleges, was president of the Methodist Conference and worked closely with David Shepherd and Derek Warlock in Liverpool. I am one of the authors, contributing a chapter on the School of Formation. Other authors, (16 in all) include Melvyn Matthews, Frances Young and Neil Richardson. It was a lovely evening in Wesley College Bristol and many friends came. The book’s full title is A Thankful heart and a Discerning Mind – Essays in honour of John Newton ISBN 978-1-905179-05-3. All royalties go to Christian Aid.
Over the last few months I have run seven seminars on church development planning for teams of three people from parishes/benefices with the aim enabling them to lead a local planning process. Over 100 people from some 75 parishes came. The event have been well received and plans are starting to be developed.
The church development planning processes involves looking at the journey of faith in the parish so far, looking at the communities served by the Church, looking at how God has gifted the Church, creating a vision of the journey ahead and deciding the immediate steps on that journey.
Feedback from one parish has been
‘We held a successful on Saturday, but found that we needed a few hours more to complete the full agenda. We’ve produced a wonderful village map and decades frieze (soon to go up in the Church), and also did some community profiling. However we ran out of time at that stage, prior to compiling of the tasks and their assignments. But we fully intend to have the second session soon.’
Besides producing a plan the process also grows relationships amongst the Church and its understanding of those around it.
We have decided in the School of Formation to use the term learning networks rather than communities of practice though our endeavours will be informed by the theory and emergent evaluated practices of communities of practice. We are aiming to develop a learning network for Church Treasurers over the next few months and also one for Church Wardens. These are clear church roles, the real challenge will be develop learning networks for emerging lay ministries and perhaps for people who say I am a Christian, rather than I am a Treasurer etc
I wonder what new lay ministries God is calling people into and what they are called?
Electronic contact is a key feature of a network, though this does not preclude face to face meetings once in a while, indeed gathering to found a learning network will surely help with giving one life. I’d be really pleased to hear about experiences of being in Christian learning networks/communities of practice and tips of what gives them life would be gratefully received
We are thinking through what it means to be the learning communities team in the School of Formation and what part communities of practice may play in our support to parishes and benefices.
There is much on the web about communities of practice in industry and the public sector but nothing about their contribution to Church development. Any examples of Christian communities of practice would be gratefully received.
When Russell Bowman-Eadie announced his retirement from the post of Director of CMD we were advised to look at his job description to see if anything could be incorporated into another post. In the case of training for curates, this most logically fell into Catherine Wright’s job description. With a little more thought about my future and my perceived need to settle in a community of prayer, the Treasurer of the Cathedral aspect of Russell’s ministry become something I was interested in pursuing. Clearly this was something that needed far wider discussion but Bishop’s Council, Bishop’s Staff and, in particular, the Cathedral Chapter welcomed it. I am delighted it has come about and look forward to serving the Cathedral and also encouraging that vital link with the Diocese.
Move has gone well and we’re getting established in the new Stable block. Strange how many small things need doing to make it feel like home again. And very odd to pop the head round the door of the old department – which is being painted at the moment. After how many years? But the new place looks very nice and is working out just fine.
Well we finally did it and moved to the Stable Block across the Old Deanery yard. Datamine had moved out to new offices and we were given the opportunity to move to the block which is a lovely old stable. (horses for courses – you know who started out in a stable! etc etc) Still – the move went well with a local firm and we have just begun to sort ourselves out. More news in due course no doubt
PS still the same phone numbers, address, emails etc.
Over the last few months I have started preparing a course for rural parishes and benefices called ‘Rural Churches and Life Today’
I am hoping it will help rural churches to grow in discipleship and ministry amidst the changing pattern of rural life.
The course studies the Book of Daniel, and draws on the post-exilic prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the third Isaiah and Malachi. It also uses information drawn from contemporary publications such as ‘Church going today’ by Lynda Barley, and ‘Mission-shaped rural’ by Sally Gaze. Both were published in 2006 by Church House.
The format of the course is bible study, discussion, and some reading from a course booklet between the five sessions, each of which lasts an hour and three quarters.
We went out last week to visit some parishes, three in all. Initially we went to see what people were doing, but as the day went on I realised that we were not only hearing the stories but also being shaped by them. We were standing in relationship, in terms of what we are trying to achieve in the School and what their aspirations were. It was not just a visit, it was being moulded by what was seen and heard and shared. Bishops Peter visited a deanery as part of their planned tour and their stories have fed into the larger picture of how the diocese is. If the School, or for that matter any organisation wants to decide its direction, it first needs to be shaped and moulded by a relationship with those whom it wishes to serve.
When David Gent came and asked us if we could help with a project he was involved with in Yeovil College we were delighted to think it through with him. A group of students had lost their funding for numeracy and literacy entry skills and David wanted to know if they could be enrolled as School of Formation students. After some negotiations and checking of arrangements and insurances and recruiting local volunteers and finding premises it became possible to help. It’s interesting to note that our first ‘official’ students enrolled with the School are not from inside the church at all, but those in the community who indicated a need.
Jennifer
Graham
Steve
Yvonne
Dawn
