Welcome to the October 2013 newsletter from Inclusive Church. Cost: Priceless!

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1 Welcome to the October 2013 newsletter from Inclusive Church. Cost: Priceless! Editorial Over the years I have become increasingly convinced that Jesus whole ministry is about including the outcast. It's a theme throughout Jesus' life and work: Jesus speaks to woman as equals, he accepts Zachaeus and Matthew the collaborating tax collectors, he accepts Simon the revolutionary zealot, he invites the rough, uneducated fisherman to follow, he accepts and befriends prostitutes, he ministers to a Roman Centurion, he ministers to slaves and servants, he embraces lepers, he helps the demon possessed So why do we need Inclusive Church? Why do we have to argue for what many of us see as the bleedin' obvious? Because the Church, the institution that hands these stories down, has so often got it wrong. The church s mission is to bring people closer to God. But all too often we see ourselves as 'gatekeepers' and 'guardians' who keep certain individuals out, rather than the prophets and priests that bring Christ out to everyone. When I was training at Ripon College Cuddesdon we were told that he motto of the college used to be "guard he deposit" - but the motto had fallen from use, and the only place the archivist could find it inscribed was on an old college bed pan. (Don't think about that too much!). But our job is not to guard, but to proclaim. This mentality of 'circling the wagons' and refusing to engage with the best of secular thinking, is what allows outdated prejudices to flourish, and could kill the church... Inclusion is the Gospel. The Good news is that every one of us is invited to live in God s kingdom. Jesus said: Come onto me who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus did not say Come onto me you heterosexual people (and men only if you are interested in the episcopate ) Come onto me all who are heavy laden all Jesus all goes beyond the superficial boundaries of gender, sexuality, ethnicity & social class... Yet so often the Church of England has become a straight, white gentleman s club. There is one Bible story I return to time and again to help me deal with this: The Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13) Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner s servants came to him and said, Sir, didn t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from? An enemy did this, he replied. The servants asked him, Do you want us to go and pull them up? No, he answered, because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn. In the early days of Inclusive Church I used this passage to argue that we should not try and remove gay and lesbian clergy from ministry or hinder their progression to high office in the Church. But no, this parable is the one I tell myself to check my rage against the sexism, homophobia and prejudice I see in the Church, from the House of Laity and many others I can't understand how some prejudiced attitudes could be described as 'Christian' or how exclusive practices could have anything to do with following Christ. But we let 1

2 God be the judge. Those who we cannot understand are who reject us are our brothers and sisters and Jesus commands us to love them. To follow Christ we must also challenge them, but we must also love. Our message to the institution is in the words of Isaiah 54 Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. God s Kingdom already stretches out beyond the boundaries of the Church, we must now run to catch up. Trevor Donnelly. Editor and Inclusive Church Trustee General Synod 2015 Elections Inclusive Church, together with a number of partner organisations (Affirming Catholicism, Modern Church, Changing Attitude, WATCH, GRAS,) are working towards the General Synod 2015 elections. We are keen to help create a much more inclusive General Synod that will deal positively with the women bishops legislation and some of the other issues that the church is currently dealing with. Key to the process of electing a more inclusive General Synod will be the elections to Deanery Synod in It will be those people who are elected to Deanery Synod who will have the task of electing the new General Synod members. We are encouraging churches to be prepared for this now! Make sure you are on your church s electoral roll and consider standing for Deanery Synod next year so that you have the opportunity to elect the next General Synod in Consider standing yourself for General Synod in Inclusive Church is committing itself to work on this with our partners. Together we have agreed to employ someone to oversee and coordinate the campaign. This means that for each organisation there will be a financial cost. If this is important to you, help support Inclusive Church s contribution to this work by contributing through our Thousand Hundred s campaign. There will be more about this in the next newsletter. Inclusive Church Sunday Reports of what churches got up to mark Inclusive Church Sunday in September continue to trickle in. Here s a reflection on a day of activities in Liverpool. At St Bride s we have three core values at the heart of everything we do. We say that we are Progressive, Creative and Inclusive. These values drive the kind of community we seek to build. Perhaps to some these three words may sound rather woolly or indeed lofty and unachievable ideals. I m under no illusions that we do it perfectly! However, by constantly reminding ourselves of what we consider to be important, we may grow towards achieving these ideals. One of the values that resonate with me in particular is inclusion. Having experienced what it is like to be excluded from the faith community of my childhood because of my sexuality, inclusion - particularly as it pertains to faith - is something I am passionate about. However, what does it really mean to say that we are inclusive? Is this just a throw away word that is culturally popular at the moment or, as I believe it is, the beating heart of the gospel? Click here to read more 2

3 It has been helpful to receive reflections about making this an annual event. In one church, someone said to the Vicar after the sermon that next year we call it 'bleedin' obvious Sunday'.! Take part in our short (3 question) survey to help us plan.inclusive Church Sunday was part of our 10th anniversary events. We are considering making Inclusive Church an annual event. To help us think about that please go to our short survey only 3 questions! Disability Conference: Places of Belonging Spaces are going fast for the Day Conference about Disability, Mental Health, God and Inclusion on Saturday 19th October. This is a partnership event between St Martin in the Fileds and Inclusive Church. The conference will be at St Martins, Trafalgar Square, London, from am to 4.30 p.m. Speakers: Professor John Swinton. Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies University of Aberdeen. Rachel Wilson and Mims Hodson The conference will provide people with lived experience of different forms of disability and mental health issues an opportunity to meet and share together. The day will include accounts from lived experience of disability and mental health, worship, as well as input from John Swinton and other key speakers. We are seeking to make Places of Belonging accessible to everyone. there is step-free access, wheelchair-accessible toilets and an induction loop. A quiet room will be available. Spaces will be limited to provide a positive experience as possible on the day for those attending. We would be glad to know how we can enable your participation. Both the on-line form and flyer allow you to specify requirements. Cost: 10 (payable on the day) Please complete the on line form or download and return this flyer. WATCH Updates This is a rather detailed update to everyone but there has been a long gap because of the holidays and it is important that you do know what is happening and can be a full part of the action! We are going to need as much help and support as possible over the coming months. They are going to be vital for WATCH, for as well as concentrating on making sure women become bishops. We have to ensure as many people as possible in favour stand for Deanery and Diocesan Synods and for the new General Synod in You will be hearing quite a lot from us from now on. Your Church needs you!!! (a) WATCH Annual General Meeting Saturday 23 November 2013 St John's Church, Waterloo 10.30am (coffee) AGM 11.00am-3.30pm We do hope many of you are able to come to this important AGM. We are at a crucial time in WATCH. Our Chair, Rachel Weir, is standing down after representing us so 3

4 well throughout a particularly tough time. We owe a great deal of gratitude to her for her skills and abilities in steering us through all this as well as making a strong impact on the debate for women bishops. We will be saying good bye and thank you to Rachel at the AGM. We are now looking for a new Chair to take Rachel's place. A job description in being drawn up and will be circulated to all members soon. Please think about anyone you know who might have all the qualities to take on this role and let us know. We will be voting for the position of Chair at the AGM so it is really important that you are there. Please do come. It is always a good event with time to meet up together and exchange our news. (b) Women Bishops: Update on progress so far Click here for a paper from the Revd Rosalind Rutherford, a member of General Synod for Winchester, on the Steering group to develop proposals for Women Bishops and a very active member of WATCH. Rosalind has provided a detailed update on the progress of the Women Bishop's debate plus the names of the members of the Steering Committee Group that has been set up to develop the new legislative proposals (those in italics are opposed to Women in the Episcopate). They will be meeting for discussions up until the end of October when they will have proposals to bring to the November General Synod. Many of us have sent our good wishes and prayers to this group and pray especially for a positive outcome. We will keep you updated on progress. Sally Barnes: Inclusive Church trustee Poverty update and resources Diocesan and parish poverty profiles The Church Urban Fund has produced briefings on levels of poverty in each diocese: see It also offers profiles for parishes: see It is undertaking joint ventures with several dioceses to assist people in need. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who recently urged the Church Commissioners to invest in housing associations and other organisations assisting deprived communities ( is due to speak at CUF's Tackling Poverty Together Conference on 13 November 2013 in Stratford, London (details on Food, housing and social security Church Action on Poverty has been campaigning on food poverty ( and, in its blog, reported on a United Nations representative's criticism of UK housing policy from a human rights perpective ( while the Children's Society and other organisations are trying to change the debate on benefits ( The Dean of St Paul's Cathedral joined in calls for an end to work capability assessments which 'distress and demean' disabled people ( Savi Hensman: Inclusive Church Trustee 4

5 Conferences and Events Archbishop Blanch Memorial Lecture - Wednesday 16th October 2013 Hope University - 7pm The Archbishop Blanch Memorial Lecture Charity was founded as a tribute to Stuart Blanch, beloved former Bishop of Liverpool and Archbishop of York. Stuart became Bishop of Liverpool in 1966 and quickly captured the hearts and minds of clergy and laity in the diocese and is still fondly remembered. Nine years later he left us, on his appointment as Archbishop of York. He retired in 1983 and died in There were well-attended Memorial Services in both York and Liverpool. After some months, thought was being given to a suitable more lasting memorial. Thus was born the annual lecture which bears his name. This year s Lecture, What s Wrong with Poverty? will be delivered by the Revd Dr Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London. There is no cost for this event but booking is essential. Tickets are available through Eventbrite at Refreshments will be served from 6.30pm and the Cathedral Bookshop will be available with a selection of Sam s books and some Christmas merchandise. Please feel free to pass this on to friends or colleagues who may find this of interest. A GENDER STUDY DAY Saturday 19 October a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Building on the success of previous WATCH/Queen s study days, this day will provide another opportunity for theological reflection and sharing on a topic of vital importance. The day will include: a key-note lecture by Nicola Slee, opportunities for discussion and sharing and workshops in which we will create a closing act of worship. Cost: 25 waged, 10 unwaged (includes lunch) BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL and places are limited. Please complete the booking form and return to r.scattergood@queens.ac.uk Further information from sleen@queens.ac.uk Nicola Slee is Research Fellow at the Queen s Foundation, a poet and feminist liturgist. She is the author of numerous books and articles, including Praying Like a Woman (SPCK, 2004), The Book of Mary (SPCK, 2009) and Seeking the Risen Christa (SPCK, 2011). Her most recent publication is The Faith Lives of Women and Girls, co-edited with Anne Phillips and Fran Porter (Ashgate, 2013). Evangelical Fellowship Autumn Conference Friday 25th to Sunday 27th October 2013 Holland House, Cropthorne, Worcestershire You Should Write A Book Storytelling as part of the Christian Life Led by: Rev. Brian Smith Brian Smith has been a member of EF for many years.he is a retired Anglican priest in the reformed Catholic tradition who worked in three London parishes before retiring six years ago. His main interests are liturgy and biblical studies, both of which he approaches from a pragmatic angle.his concern is to acknowledge the heritage of the Scriptures while recognising their limitations as a rule for living. 5

6 The Venue:Holland House is a Retreat, Conference and Laity Centre that has been used many times by EF. The main building is a beautiful old Tudor building, with well kept gardens on the banks of the River Severn, in the picturesque village of Cropthorne, Worcestershire. Click here for details Taking a Chance on God Workshop. 2nd November This event is a day-long workshop for LGBTQ Christians and their friends. It offers fellowship, input, and space for those who feel called to deeper reflection, and for those who feel inspired to spirit-led action. Speakers include Revd. Sharon Ferguson, MCC minister and Chief Executive of LGCM (The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement); Nicola Slee, a nationally renowned theologian and poet; Revd. Bernárd Lynch, psychotherapist and Catholic gay activist; James Alison, acclaimed theologian; Brendan Fay, film producer and Christian grass-roots organizer; and a representative from Lesbians Exploring Faith Together (LEFT). Our leaders will be Revd. Clare Herbert and John Falcone. Activities include presentations, small and large group discussion, professionally facilitated process, and a UK premier screening of the documentary Taking a Chance on God. Join us! All are welcome. It will take place at St-Martin-in-the-Fields - Trafalgar Square, London, Saturday, 2 November 2013, 10:30 17:00. While tickets are sold for participating in the workshop, scholarships are also available. Click here for the flyer and more details Being Honest to God Friday 8 November 2013 Sunday 10 November 2013 A conference celebrating 50 years of Honest to God. The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, DE55 1AU The speakers at this conference will be: Prof Elaine Graham of Chester University is the Conference Chair and will begin the conference with a talk entitled Being Honest. Richard Holloway, formerly Bishop of Edinburgh and well known for his writing and broadcasting as well as his work in the arts will give an after dinner talk on the theme Being Honest about God. Canon Dr Martyn Percy, Principal of Ripon Theological College, Cuddesdon will invite the conference to be Honest about the Church. Prof James Crossley, from the Biblical Studies Department of Sheffield University will speak to the title: Being Honest about Jesus. Simon Barrow, Co-Director of Ekklesia, will encourage discussion on topical ethical themes, with an invitation to be Honest about Ourselves. Rev Dr Jan Berry, is principal of Open College at Luther King House, Manchester, a writer and liturgist who will lead us in creative thinking about worship. Click here for full details 6

7 Reading Suggestion One of our Diocesan Ambassadors (Sheffield), Imogen Clout has written a book with Prof John Rogerson: 'More Places on the Table: legal and biblical perspectives on modern family life', The legal position of parents and families in this country has changed dramatically in the last twenty years. This book aims to assist ministers and congregations who in the next few years, will need to explore their pastoral care of families and consider their approaches to some of the modern structures of family life. The book contains a clear and accessible account of the modern legal structures of family life, together with the history of marriage and families, showing that these do not conform to a tidy stereotype, and that the attitude of the Church has changed over time. It examines Bible teaching on family life and structures, and consider how theological writers have subsequently interpreted these teachings. The authors then look at liturgies used for the significant moments of family life, and how far these meet the spiritual and pastoral needs of today s families to strengthen and support loving, stable relationships. The authors are a distinguished biblical scholar and an experienced family lawyer, who is also an Anglican Reader. They have combined their knowledge of law and biblical study in an informative and thought-provoking book, for both clergy and laity aspx Church of England research project From a PhD research student with Liverpool John Moore University. The title of the research is The relationship between spiritual and sexual experiences for Church of England Clergy: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis The aim of his doctorate is to explore the relationship between the spirituality and sexuality of C of E priests across the heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (HLGBT) spectrum. To date the researcher has 2 heterosexual male clergy, 1 bisexual male cleric, 1 lesbian cleric and 7 gay clerics. He is looking for any clergy contacts across the HLGBT spectrum who you feel may be interested in contributing to this very important issue from the grass roots upwards, Click here for the Participant Information Sheet which explains what the research is trying to achieve, who the researcher would like to interview and what would be involved in taking part. Contact details are available on the information sheet Free film offer for Civil Partnership! E.D.E.N Film Productions is a production company based in Sheffield concentrating on the filming of civil partnership ceremonies and future same sex marriages alongside producing campaigns promoting LGBT equality and rights. Their unique selling point is that revenue from the civil partnerships and future same sex marriages they film is put back into the organisation to finance their LGBT campaigns, workshops and films. E.D.E.N have a competition to win a free video for a civil partnership. Are you having a civil partnership this year? Do you want it filmed and edited into a beautifully composed video for free? Would you want to be part of our marketing material? If so please enter our competition with the chance to win this amazing deal! Click here for details 7

8 Newsletter Content The content of the newsletter is drawn from a number of sources including individuals and partner organisations. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect a 'formal viewpoint' of the Inclusive Church trustees, individual members of Inclusive Church or registered Inclusive Churches. 8