This research, done in partnership with the Church Urban Fund, draws on three years of extensive qualitative and quantitative research, including 350 interviews in over 60 parish communities across England and new analysis of existing parish data. It explores the relationship between social action, church growth and discipleship in the Church of England. It finds that social action can be a route to church growth in both numerical and spiritual terms. Further, social action is one of the key ways in which congregations can build wider networks of relationships resulting in people initiating a faith journey and joining the church.
News
Methodist/URC Coalition Seeks Regional Operations Manager
Operations Manager
Methodist Circuit 36/13
United Reformed Church Area 11
Required from Summer 2021
for a three year fixed term contract.
Salary £30,000.
The post holder will work in partnership with the lay and ordained staff team and 24 church communities, to help coordinate and facilitate the smooth working of the Ecumenical Area and aid us in our future planning.
This will include assisting with our financial, legal and strategic responsibilities.
For details and information pack, please contact:
Closing date for applications: 30th April 2021
The role is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Eastbourne Christian Bookshop opens again April 14th
The trustees of Eastbourne Christian Resources CIO today issue
the following statement.
Following the easing of Government restrictions on 12th April
the trustees of Eastbourne Christian Resources CIO (ECR) are
pleased to confirm that the Christian Resource Centre in
Seaside Road will be reopening on 14th April at 10.00am.
For the immediate future the Centre will be operating on
reduced opening hours: Wednesday-Saturday from 10.00am to
4.00pm and will be operated by staff and volunteers.
Longer-term the trustees and volunteers are working toward a
fresh vision for the operation of the charity which will entail
changes to the current operation. This will be further
communicated over the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, we are keen to hear from individuals who would be
interested in joining the volunteer team and we are keen to
expand the trustee team further. If you would like to find out
more about volunteering or becoming a trustee please contact
the charity at eastbournecrc@btconnect.com.
How the church can respond to racism in the UK church
How the church can respond to racism in the UK? What does it mean to be a voice of hope to divided communities?
Gavin Calver, CEO of the Evangelical Alliance and Pastor Agu Irukwu, Senior Pastor of Jesus House talk about recent events, and how we can answer these important questions.
Bible By the Beach – 1st May
In a difficult year…BBTB are excited to announce the plans ahead….
Bible by the Beach 2021 will be an online event only but with the opportunity to interact with others during the day. There will be many elements you will be familiar with – excellent Bible Readings, inspiring music from EMU and, of course, our children and youth will also be wonderfully catered for! So book the date in your diary and join us at Bible by the Beach 2021 on Saturday 1st May!
Boris praises Church Covid responses
There will be diverse opinions about Boris Johnson among Eastbourne churchgoers. Notwithstanding that, most will welcome his Easter message and his fulsome praise for the role of churches in responding to the lockdown situation and helping with the vaccination drive. See exactly what he said below.
Covid Catharsis – What could help you
Local youth worker and trainer Jenni Osborn is one of the architects of Covid Catharsis – a creative new project that seeks to help people process the emotions of the last 12 months.
From Easter Saturday for 6 weeks there will be a new project running which aims to encourage people from age 4 to 84 to express some of the tension and emotion of the last 12 months. Join in for one week or from week 3 or however it fits with your plans. It is called Covid Catharsis, here’s further details:
The Need for Catharsis
We believe it is important to create a space for people to be deeply saddened and unrelentingly happy; a space where things need not (perhaps cannot) make sense, where we acknowledge the presence of mess and confusion, but also note where hope is filtering through. We are confident that in the expressing of these emotions, people will begin to make sense of their experiences of the past year.
The Invitation
We want to invite you: young people, youth workers, teachers, church leaders and anyone else who sees this manifesto to express this mixture of sad and happy, discomfort, confusion, chaos and loss in whatever form comes most naturally to you. In doing so, we hope and pray that you will find some catharsis for yourself, and potentially also for others.
How will this work?
There are many ways you can do this. Using photography, written words, music, poetry, or design. You can do this just for yourself, but if you’re happy to share your creation(s) on social media, we’d like to encourage you to use the hashtag #CovidCatharsis and we will share these on various platforms. If you would like to share but remain anonymous, then email your contribution to one of us and we will publish on your behalf.
Each week of the project, using the hashtag #CovidCatharsis we will suggest a theme to inspire your thinking. We will post these themes on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, always using the hashtag and we invite you to join us by creating and posting.
The real beauty of this is that, just as lament, grief and yearning are messy, so this will be too. We’re not looking for beautifully constructed, polished and finished works of art, but your raw, real, emotional expression of these deeply human emotions.
So, if this strikes a chord with you and you think those in your care will appreciate the opportunity: join us.
Who is behind this project?
Andy and Jenni are long term youth workers who are deeply invested in encouraging good mental health practices which contribute to mental wellbeing and fitness. We are both freelancers, believing that there is space in the world of youth work for big organisations and small outfits.
Andy Campbell: coach, trainer, poet and occasional square peg. Andy helps people work out who they are and what their next step might be. Find out more at www.qawah.co.uk Contact Andy on andy@qawah.co.uk
Jenni Osborn: mentor, trainer, author and host of the Jenni Talks podcast. Jenni’s passion is supporting those who support young people in a variety of ways. Find out more at www.jenniosborn.org Contact Jenni on hello@jenniosborn.org
Jenni is a member of Gather Collective, an Eastbourne based community church.
Local Author Shares on Mental Health and Being ‘Mindful of Christ’
Hi, I’m Lauren,
I’m a mum of two beautiful children and just completed an BA Honors degree in Health and Social care. I’m currently studying a diploma in ‘Psychology and CBT.’ I became a born again Christian 15 years ago. I have had ups and downs with my mental health and have experienced, depression, anxiety and self- harm. But God helped me with these and I have learnt to change my focus from the negatives and towards God and the practice being mindful of Him too. The focus of my work is to help others in improving their mental health and well-being.
Discover more at Laurens website
Lauren has also written a book on the place of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in Christian Counseling – find out more here
New Short Courses – Glyndley Manor – Ellel Grange
Have you ever wondered if there was a way to connect more easily to the Heart of God?
On this course we will look at the theme “God in my day” through guided creative activities using paints, crayons, glue and so much more (don’t worry you don’t have to be even remotely artistic to join in!).
https://ellel.org/uk/events/2021/03/connect
We live at a time of much injustice, a time when the concept of claiming one’s human rights has become part of the mindset of most people throughout the world. In this course we will explore this pervasive ideology, a belief that every human being has certain innate and inalienable rights, irrespective of their righteousness.
https://ellel.org/uk/events/2021/03/free-teaching-day-whats-the-matter-with-human-rights