BuildingBridges

[40.1] POPPING IN FOR HELP

Donald Elliott, who played a pioneering role in the formation of BBH back in the early 90s, and guided it through until his retirement in 2000, writes:

"Trinity United Reformed Church in Camden, London, is wanting some help with understanding and interpreting the local scene as manifested in, for example, Camden Lock Market (gear, gothic, Tarot, etc.) We think there must be a sociologist/theologian who could help us. Any advice?"

Drop us a line at the email link below if you can offer something on this. We suggested Bishop Graham Cray and the PostMission people as a starting point...

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[39.1] NEW REPORT ON MISSION-SHAPED CHURCHES

In February the Church of England will publish its new report on church planting and other new church initiatives. Mission Shaped Church (CHP, 2004) has been edited by Dr Anne Richards, mission theology adviser to the Archbishops' Council.

“Society in Britain has changed dramatically in the last 30 years, especially in terms of our understanding of community and how we relate to one another. One of the responses of the Church has been to plant new churches and create 'fresh expressions' of church; churches that relate to our changing context. This detailed, practical and well-researched book:

* gives an overview of recent developments in church planting
* describes varied and exciting 'fresh expressions' of church
* offers practical help and advice
* looks candidly at where lessons can be learned
* proposes a framework and methodology for good, effective church planting
* includes recommendations to make possible the visions of a vibrant future Church

“Each chapter has a set of questions and challenges to help local parish churches engage with the issues. With a foreward by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, Mission-Shaped Church is a crucial tool for all who care about God's mission today. It is a follow-up to the earlier report, Breaking New Ground.”

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[38.1] CONNECTED COMMUNITY LEARNING

A new addition to this log is Connected Community Learning, an exciting e-learning and e-reflection initiative pioneered by Peter Nicholls. It is concerned with promoting the discipleship of the whole people of God, rather than just a clericalised minority; and it takes as its agenda the radically changing climate of post-modern Britain: a place where old assumptions about what people know of Christianity and how they will respond are increasingly being confounded.

"The vision for this venture is something akin to an upside-down church. Much of the thinking behind this site and its sister eLearning site www.e-quip.org.uk comes out of debate in the church in recent decades, trying to affirm every-member ministry, the priesthood of all believers, the ministry of the whole people of God and other expressions of the same concept. It has also been stimulated by reading and study about cell church.

"There are legitimate questions about whether or not a North American or South Korean cell church model can work without adaptation in other cultures. But the concept of a church where all the central life of the church - people, plant, activity - exists to resource the people of God to live Christianly in the world has very much to commend it. This is somewhat different to models of church in which the laity are involved in the central life of the church by being licensed to preach, or to assist with the pastoral work.

"This does not mean that no activity should happen in the centre, or that the church should not gather. A balanced church will have the right mix of up - in - out activity (‘up’ in worship, ‘in’ in nurture and building a caring community, ‘out’ in social responsibility and evangelism). But all is targeted on seeing God's kingdom come, day by day, both in the church and in the world. As the priest said to dismiss the congregation at the end of the service we attended in France recently, 'Bonne semaine' (have a good week)."

CCL draws inspiration from a range of sources, including the writings of pioneer Catholic missionary Vincent Donovan in his classic text 'Christianity Rediscovered: The Gospel From The Maasai'.


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[37.1] URC SEEKS FRESH MISSION VISION

The United Reformed Church (URC) in the UK is considering selling off some of its churches, writes Rebecca Beard of CWM News. It is also looking at cutting back its administrative structures to release funds for mission.

The URC is declining in size by three per cent each year and its rising costs are being met by fewer and older people, a study has shown. In an article in the January edition of the URC Reform magazine, the Catch the Vision steering group which is drawing up the church's draft mission statement said the situation cannot continue.

"We cannot go on doing all that we do now because unless giving increases considerably, we cannot afford it," they said. "Some things which we hold precious and dear will have to be sacrificed."

"Hard choices" over shutting buildings, communities and programmes will have to be made, they said, emphasising that the whole church will be involved in decision-making.
Church members are agreed that the URC is top-heavy with councils and administration but are undecided how to change it to release funds "to where mission is done". "In many cases those places will be local churches. In other instances, the mission of the church is best advanced by regional or national focuses."

URC people involved in Building Bridges of Hope, an ecumenical venture looking at how to transition inherited church structures to meet the challenges of a changing environment, include Lou Ashworth (a local mission enabler) and General Secretary David Cornick.

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[36.1] SHARING GOOD NEWS, RESOLVING CONFLICT

The Metanoia Book Service in North London (attached to the Mennonite Centre) has a book sale running in December and January 2004. Well worth checking out. The latest Spring catalogue selection is here (you need PDF to read it).

Particularly noteworthy for those involved with Building Bridges of Hope are Ron Sider's new title 'Doing Evangelism Jesus' Way: How Christians Demonstrate The Good News' (Evangel 2003) and John Paul Lederach's 'The Little Book of Conflict Transformation' (Good Books, 2003). Lederach is internally known for his breakthrough thinking on conflict at all levels, from the personal to the communal and corporate. In this title he summarises why 'conflict transformation' is a better way of thinking and acting than 'conflict resolution' or 'management'.

On 24 January Vic Theissen of LMC is running a day course on anger management, incidentally. It is worth booking as soon as possible if you are interested.

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[35.1] NEW WAY OF BEING CHURCH

Among those BBH seeks to collaborate with is the New Way team (Jeanne Hinton, Bishop Peter Price et al). New Way of Being Church is a network of people dedicated to four vital principles:

1. Building community in an age of individualism -- small communities in which people can nurture each other towards personal growth and new life.

2. That church is a community of people committed to the well-being of society -- small communities of people who can bring transformation to the life of their neighbourhood and workplace.

3. Bringing God's new order of justice, love and peace for all which values those undervalued by society and builds trust among people; which empowers those disabled by the power structures of society; which enriches those impoverished by the Market.

4. Using the Bible as a toll for understanding the reality of daily life; the Bible as a source of 3000 years wisdom from the past; the Bible which, when the context in which it has been written is laid alongside the issues of today, offers vital insights.

There's much more on their website, and in Jeanne and Peter's ground-breaking book Changing Communities: Church From The Grassroots (CTBI, 2003). See New Way Publications.

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