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August 2023

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Priorities 2020/2021

The Christian faith is full of brilliant women and men who have thought hard about what it means to be a Christian in the world. These theologians are the ‘voices’ of our tradition. Why don’t you join our Book Club to hear and engage with those voices (past and present) that have helped to form the vibrant, meaning-packed faith we have today.


Click Here to read more 

Theological Reflection in Practice

This is an opportunity to think about how we do theology in order that we can help others to ‘think theologically’. Each session will be packed with ideas, tips and theories for facilitating theological enquiry with people in our churches. If you lead worship, bible study groups or fellowship groups - this might be for you …

Click Here to read more and to download the flyer

What we do

The North West & Mann Learning Network serves the learning and development needs of the Methodist Church in the seven Districts of the Isle of Man, Cumbria, Lancashire, Bolton & Rochdale, Liverpool, Manchester & Stockport and Chester & Stoke-on-Trent.  

We are a network of volunteers including District Local Preachers' tutors and secretaries, Local Preachers' portfolio moderators, District officers, Pioneer ministries' mentors, safeguarding trainers and many more skilled teachers, facilitators and enablers.  Linking all this and more together are the paid Connexional staff team in the NWM Learning Network (LN). Together we all make up the NWM Learning and Development Network.  

The NWM Learning and Development Forum is made up of the seven Chairs of the Districts and the Learning Network staff in the North West & Mann.  The Forum has six areas of work which it has decided are the focus of the learning & development work in this region, alongside local Circuits asking us to work alongside them, and work directed by Methodist Conference, and this is how our work plan is put together:

The following is not an exhaustive list so please contact a member of the regional team if you have a piece of work or project you would like to develop.

• Spirituality Menu - click here for the menu.
             
• Candidates' Support Programme - click here for information.  

• Healthy Communities 
  Growing through Conflict Foundation Day - check the calendar for dates.
  Domestic Abuse - click here for information.

• Biblical Literacy
  Transforming Bible studies - click here for information.
  Bible Month 2019 - click here for information.
  For other resources which might support you please click here.

• Youth and Children's Ministry and Participation - there is much going on in this area including the ONE programme, the District Youth & Children's Work Enablers and click here for a resource to use with young people to shape the content of the 3Generate weekend 2018.   

• Connecting Disciples - learning and development for lay employees - Connexional conferences and local one day conferences and a retreat.  As well as developing work in Districts to have a coherent support for lay employees.

• Local Lay Ministries - for those lay people who either paid or unpaid are contracted to work for a local church as its pastor.

• Vocational Exploration - there are a series of days for anyone wanting to explore what God may have for you.  Click here for information.  Also, we are working with some Districts to raise the confidence in discernment of vocation.  Plus there is a whole system of support for those exploring Candidating for ordained ministry.
     
• Worship: Leading and Preaching - ongoing support for tutors as students get nearer to being ready to hand in portfolios.  FAQs and also some very helpful Top Tips here.  Here is the latest flyer for Training Days for potential Tutors to learn more about the course and the role of a Tutor.  Here is a guide for Tutors and Mentors.

• Safeguarding - lots of the usual training this year, including Advanced Module and Foundation Module, plus Update training for existing FM trainers and a new day we are putting on for those in local churches who want to get a handle on what the nuts and bolts of the safeguarding policy means in practice.

• Pioneering Pathways in this region is now underway - click here for more information; contact Alison Hulse.

• Church Reviews and Visioning - this year we are looking for people to work with us and to act as a team of volunteers to come alongside churches, to act as the external consultant.

• Circuit Stewards (Hearing God; Leading God's People) - two sessions for Circuit Stewards - click here for information.