MAIN SPEAKER Dr Andrew Smith WORSHIP AND BIBLE REFLECTION Rt Revd Andrew Watson, Bishop of Aston and Revd Rhiannon Jones, Transforming Church Co-ordinator GROWING CHURCHES In Multifaith Areas 9.30am-3.30pm SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER St Barnabas, Erdington
GROWING CHURCHES In Multifaith Areas A Day Conference to help churches think through what growth means in a multifaith area At St Barnabas Church Erdington Cost: 45 per church (allows you to bring up to six people from your church) or 15 per individual Please note, if you bring with you a member of your congregation aged 18-30 you all come free! (Applies to Anglican Churches in Birmingham diocese only) Please bring lunch, there is a café at the church but it has limited capacity so bringing your own will be easier. There will be a bookstall run by KITAB from Interserve. The Programme 09:30 Arrive and registration 10:00 Welcome 10:10 Worship and Reflection by the Bishop of Aston 10:35 Main session: Andrew Smith 11:30 Presentations 12:00 Workshops - Details on following pages 13:00 Lunch 13:45 Workshops - Details on following pages 14:45 Panel Discussion 15:30 Depart
Speakers & Workshop Facilitators Dr Andrew Smith Andrew is the Director of Interfaith Relations for the Bishop of Birmingham. He is also the founder and chair of trustees of the local charity The Feast. He is a regular speaker in the UK and overseas on interfaith issues and has written a number of articles on the topic. Plenary Talk: Can Churches Grow in Multi-Faith Areas? Workshop: Any Questions If you have any questions about other faiths or ministry amongst people of different faiths that you don t think are covered elsewhere then come along and join in with a lively discussion. Sue Fearon Sue has led the Childrens Team at Birmingham City Mission since 2001. As a member of Birmingham SACRE since 2005, she has contributed to their Collective Worship training DVD. She is also an author of material supporting the RE Agreed Syllabus. Workshop: Growing School s Ministry Making links with a local school can be a challenge. This workshop will consider the opportunities available to churches to minister in local schools; and will include a discussion on how to take schools ministry to the next level and protect it from opposition. Tom Walsh A representative of The Navigators UK, Tom and his wife Judi have lived and worked in Sparkhill since 1988. He is presently a PhD researcher looking at the relationship of Muslim Background Believers to the Christian Community in the UK. Workshop: Growing Disciples from Other Faiths We will focus on the findings that Tom has discovered in researching those who are now followers of Jesus from a Muslim background. You will hear their stories and explore what it means to be a relevant and appropriate church for those who are joining the family. Sylvia Fry Sylvia is Chair of Governors at Clifton Primary School in Balsall Heath, and Chair of the Interim Executive Board at Al-Furqan School. She is a founder member of Families Together in Hall Green - a group of Christian and Muslim women who run events for local families to explore their similarities and faith. Rev Martin Stephenson Martin is Vicar of St Peter s Hall Green as well as Warden of Readers for the Church of England - Birmingham. He remains committed to the local parish as a place in which relationships between faith groups have grown and will continue to grow - like our own Families Together in Hall Green. Workshop: Growing Projects with People of Other Faiths We will share our story of how Families Together in Hall Green came about, reflect with the group on themes and opportunities, and hope to gain further wisdom from the workshop members about projects and their development.
Rev John Corrie John taught theology and practice of mission for 20 years before retiring last year from his post as Tutor in Mission at Trinity College Bristol. Since then he has been researching and writing on the theme of intercultural mission. Workshop: Growing Intercultural Mission Intercultural mission is a way of relating to people of other cultures with openness, mutuality and hospitality. Using local case studies we will discuss how intercultural mission might apply in any context of evangelism and highlight the importance of growing cross-cultural relationships. Rev Rhiannon Jones Rhiannon is the Transforming Church Co-ordinator for the Church of England in Birmingham. Transforming Church is a mission initiative from Birmingham diocese. It aims to provide a framework for church development and to start with the local church, but not finish there. Workshop: Growing from mission Principles We will look at mission principles and practice and help us consider how these might apply in a multi-faith context enabling us to develop and enhance mission in our local area. Manoj Raithatha Manoj has been a teacher, a BAFTA award winning TV writer and a successful property entrepreneur. Raised a Hindu, he has been a Christian since 2008, and now runs his business while heading up the South Asian Forum at the UK Evangelical Alliance and Instant Apostle publishing house. Workshop: Growing a Mission Programme How can churches build relationships with Asian people and reach out to them in a culturally appropriate way? The Discovering Jesus Through Asian Eyes course is a powerful tool to open up discussion with seekers, addressing key questions that Asians have about the Christian faith. Bishop Maurice Sinclair Maurice is a Missionary Bishop who served with the Anglican Church in South America. In retirement he has taught missionary studies in a seminary in Egypt and he attends St. Stephen s Church Selly Park. Workshop: Growing Links with a Local Mosque An opportunity to share the experience of the first steps a church can take in relating to a neighbouring mosque. We will reflect on how to build upon early beginnings, and hoped for outcomes. Revd Dr Richard J. Sudworth Richard is Priest in Charge of Christ Church Sparkbrook & Tutor in Anglican Theology at the Queen s Foundation, Sparkbrook. He is author of Distinctly Welcoming: Christian Presence in a Multifaith Society. Jessica Foster Jessica is the Near Neighbours co-ordinator in Birmingham and is part of the Places of Welcome network. She is an Anglican ordinand training for the Permanent Diaconate. Workshop: Growing Places of Welcome Hospitality could be said to be a key feature of The Gospel story. What does it practically mean for a church to be a place that welcomes people of all faiths and none whilst staying true to the distinctive challenge of that Gospel?
Growing Churches in Multifaith Areas - Booking Form Please complete one booking form per person or book online here: cofe.io/gcima Cost: 45 per church (allows you to bring up to six people from your church) or 15 per individual. Please feel free to photocopy this form as many times as you wish or to electronically send the information requested below to Debbie Browning E: DebbieB@birmingham.anglican.org Personal Details: Name:... Title:... Age: (if under 30):... Address......... Postcode:... Email Address:... Phone:... Name of Church attended (if applicable):... Choice of Workshops: You may choose two workshops from the list below (please number 1 & 2 below.) (Please add a third option in case your preferred choices are full.) r Any questions Andrew Smith r Growing schools ministry Sue Fearon r Growing disciples from other faiths Tom Walsh r Growing projects with people of other faiths Sylvia Fry and Martin Stephenson r Growing intercultural mission John Corrie r Growing from mission principles Rhiannon Jones r Growing links with a local mosque Maurice Sinclair r Growing a mission programme Manoj Raithatha r Growing Places of Welcome Jessica Foster and Richard Sudworth Where possible, please return all booking forms in one envelope with cheques payable to The Faithful Neighbourhoods Centre. Thank you. For further details please contact Debbie Browning at The Faithful Neighbourhood Centre, 10 Court Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham B11 4LX E: DebbieB@birmingham.anglican.org T: 0121 426 0442