Contents of the June newsletter |
Contents: Click to go straight there (see colour coding at the bottom of the box!)That is where interesting things start to happen News Flash June Events Creating church and Community amongst families with additional needs Asian Theologians International Conference Theology Book Club Advocating for Chaplaincy Where are all the Volunteers? Journeying with God: Past, Present and Future
Lay Employee Coffee online
July and beyond
Lay Pastor Community of Practice Contact details for the team CYF Faith Development Lay workers Wellbeing Pioneering/Faith sharing Contextual Ministry |
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 Inspiration and challenge often come from unexpected places. Listening to Radio 4's Desert Island Discs with the actor, Simon Pegg I heard him say this when asked if there was room to make a 4th film to add to his most successful comedy trilogy....
'The difficult thing is people just want more of the same. I get asked all the time - we need Shaun of the Dead 2, we need Hot Fuzz 2. No! You don't need it at all. You just want comfort, you want familiarity. What you really need is to be challenged. You need something new, because that is where interesting things start happening. We have that dilemma - do we give people what they want or do we give them something they don't know they want.'
This resonated with me as we had noticed that some of our programme was not attracting enough bookings to be viable. Yet these were the areas of learning we have explicitly said as a region are priorities. There is dissonance at times between what we say we need and what people are willing to commit time to, book, attend, participate, learn and extend themselves. Yet other areas which have been around for a while continue to attract numbers. So my question is, what do we do with the learning dilemma - give you, the Methodist people what you want and are comfortable with or give you something you don't know you want yet. Or perhaps more to the point give you something that will really challenge. I think we know that the areas we say we need to learn about as a church are the areas that challenge us the most and yet we vote with our feet and stick with the comfortable. Our work is to consider what we can do to enable learners to feel safe and confident enough to engage with more challenging work.
If I asked you what areas you believe you or the church need to be challenged in, I wonder what you would say? You may be able to spot these same areas within the Learning Network or wider Methodist programme of learning and my encouragement would be to step out of the comfort zone and be willing to be stretched. That is where interesting things start happening.
Alison Ball Coordinator, Learning Network NWM |
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30th June 2023 is the last day for the Coordinator, Alison Ballwho is retiring. The role of Coordinator is ending 31st August 2023 and there will be more to follow on what will be there in the next phase of the Learning Network in the July newsletter. Mid-late July 2023, the arrival of Melody Clarke's second child is anticipated and she will begin her Maternity leave. Melody is the aligned officer for Liverpool District. May God bless you, Ben and Micah as you nurture this new life. |
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Public God Talk: Asian Perspectives - still spaces available |
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The Asian Theologians International Conference Saturday 3rd June 2023 At the Mayflower Methodist Church, Leicester
The keynote speaker is Professor Sarojini Nadar. Prof Sarojini Nadar is an internationally acclaimed scholar and holds the Desmond Tutu Chair of Religion and Social Justice at the University of Western Cape, South Africa.
Open to all, lay or ordained, interested in looking at the bible and theology from Asian perspectives. Organised by the Learning Network, supported by MWiB
Book here Further information is available from Revd Dr Jasmine Devadason |
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Catherine Keller's 'On the Mystery: Discerning Divinity in Process |
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 The next book we are going to read for our Theology Book Club is Catherine Keller’s On the Mystery: Discerning Divinity in Process (Fortress Press, 2007).
We will meet to discuss the book on Tuesday 6th June, 19:00 - 20:30 and again on Thursday 6th July, 19:00 - 20:30 online.
Book here on eventbrite Further information from Simon
"With immediate impact and deep creativity, Catherine Keller offers this brief and unconventional introduction to theological thinking, especially as recast by process thought. Keller takes up theology itself as a quest for religious authenticity. Through a marvelous combination of brilliant writing, story, reflection, and unabashed questioning of old shibboleths, Keller redeems theology from its dry and predictable categories to reveal what has always been at the heart of the theological enterprise:a personal search for intellectually honest and credible ways of making sense of the loving mystery that encompasses even our confounding times." |
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 Save The Date: Thursday 8th June 2-3pm OR 7-8pm
Calling all chaplains who are passionate about their calling to chaplaincy! Come and be a part of the conversation to explore how we might better advocate for chaplaincy in the church. There will be opportunity to meet others chaplains and hear about the plans we have for supporting chaplaincy in the region. We'll be discussing support needs, building community amongst chaplains and spaces to allow for theological reflections and wonderings... and much more. Further information from Mel Sign up for 2-3 pm slot here Sign up for 7-8 pm slot here |
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Date: Saturday 24th June, 10.00-13.00 hrs Location:St John's United Reformed Church, Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington WA4 6QE
This day is a wonderful opportunity for all of those working with volunteers in churches to come along and find out some great principles to aid in recruiting and managing volunteers brilliantly. We will be thinking about how to recruit volunteers in a safe way, how to value volunteers, and how to ensure you manage them in a way that means they want to stay.
This is an ecumenical day run in partnership with the Methodist Church, Church of England and United Reformed Church.
The day will be led by youth and children’s advisers from across the denominations, so will naturally have these areas as a focus. However, it will be helpful for anyone who works with volunteers in churches.
Please bring a packed lunch as we will close the day by eating together.
To sign up or for more info see here Further information from Mel |
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Lay Employee Coffee online Wednesday, 28th June, 11.00 hrs online.
Zoom link from Kristie |
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Lay Pastors Community of PracticeTuesday, July 4th, 13-15.30 hrs, online. More details to follow Further information from Kristie |
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Learning and Development from other providers: Reflect |
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 Reflect is offering an online Quiet Morning,
'Journeying with God, past, present and future'
led by Rev Sam Funnell on June 3rd or 12th (it is repeated)
All are welcome to join. Further details here |
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The contact details of the team can be found here on our Learning Network web page (you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the page!) |
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