Throughout the Wessex Synod

SHARING THE VISION throughout the Wessex Synod Issue 77a : May 2014

AREA GATHERINGS The will be a series of gatherings again this Autumn in each Pastoral Area of the Synod. The main topic will be feed back from this year’s General Assembly. Dates have been set as follows (with venues to be arranged). North West – Tuesday 23rd September North East – Monday 29th September South West – Tuesday 30th September South East – Wednesday 1st October

LOCAL CHURCH NEWS From Woking United Reformed Church What will you be doing in Christian Aid Week? Christian Aid is expecting 30,000 Churches to get involved (11th to 17th May). Is yours one of them? Will you be one of the 150,000 collectors taking to the streets (and helping to collect the hoped for £13m from 8 million households) or perhaps you will be standing on your local railway station catching commuters? May be there will be cake stall to buy from or a coffee morning or plant sale to attend. Possibly you will be cooking one of the estimated 500,000 cakes to be baked! There are two daredevils from Woking United Reformed Church who thought all of the above was a bit too easy and decided that they would join a small group to abseil down Guildford Cathedral – and get sponsored for doing it. On Saturday 17th May Justin Brierley and Fergus Crosbie will be doing just that with a few equally brave local clergy. Justin is a presenter on Premier Christian Radio and they will be there to see the action. You can tune in* from 8.30 am to hear Justin before he abseils and then after he has done the deed at about 9.30 am. Spectators are welcome at the Cathedral but even more importantly you can sponsor Justin and Fergus online: https://www.justgiving.com/Justin-and-Fergus-abseil/ *1305, 1332 & 1413 MW or via DAB, Freeview 725 and online at www.premier.org.uk

MISSION DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: growing the church in the power of the holy spirit conference Mon 29 September - Fri 3 October 2014 At the Barnes Close Conference Centre, Rubery, Birmingham further details at www.gear.org.uk

THE 2014 ENGLISH HERITAGE ANGEL AWARDS are now open for applications and this year’s awards ceremony will be even more special than ever – an evening red carpet event at The Palace Theatre on Monday 3rd November. So, do please nominate people you know who deserve recognition for rescuing our heritage. Or, if you or your organisation has been directly involved, don’t hold back – apply on your own behalf. Applicants will be in with the chance of having a short film specially made about their project and getting lots of other publicity not to mention being centre-stage with Andrew Lloyd Webber and his team of celebrity judges at the awards ceremony and attending a special reception after the show. The Angel Awards are for: - the best rescue or repair of a historic place of worship - the best rescue of an industrial building or site - the best craftsmanship by a trainee or apprentice employed on a heritage rescue

1 - the best rescue of a listed building, scheduled monument, registered garden, landscape or battlefield, protected wreck or conservation area. Apprentices, Trainees and Young People Involved in Heritage Rescues This year, we’re particularly looking for exceptional trainees or apprentices for the Best Craftsmanship Angel. And across all the categories, we’re asking people to let us know if there was anyone, aged 15-24 involved in their project who deserves recognition. It won’t always be the case, but if there was a young person involved who showed particular passion and dedication, there’s a special section on the application form where you can tell us about him or her. How to Apply To be eligible for the Awards, the heritage site must be designated as nationally significant, and be, or have been, at risk from neglect or decay. Your rescue project must have been completed since 2008 or currently be well underway. More information and the all-important application form can be found here, or if you have any questions on how to apply, please contact us at: angels@english- heritage.org.uk The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 1st June 2014.

EVENTS

Burning Questions, the ON FIRE Revue, script and score by Paul Field and Stephen Deal is to be presented by the Choir and Church Members at 7.30pm Saturday 24th May 2014 at Fareham United Reformed Church, Osborn Road South Admission is free with a retiring collection in aid of the Rainbow Centre, a local charity supported by the Church. The Rainbow Centre seeks to inspire and support children with Cerebral Palsy and adults with a stroke, MS and Parkinson’s disease, adult Cerebral Palsy, and Head Injuries and their families through a system of learning called Conductive Education .

Social Media training in Bristol on Saturday 7 June 2014 10am – 4.30pm Cost for the day – £10 per person A day of social media training for United Reformed churches in South Western, West Midlands, Wessex and Wales If you know social media is an important part of the communications mix for your church, but you don’t know where to start, or, having started, you’d like help to develop your new skill – this one-day course is for you. Dr Bex Lewis, research fellow in social media and online learning at St John’s College, University of Durham, will guide you through the main social media platforms and show you how and why it can become an effective communication tool. Bex will be joined by Gill Nichol, the URC’s Interim Director of Communications, and some of her Church House colleagues, who will be offering hands-on practical help in taking the first steps on twitter and facebook; as well as talking about the denomination’s social media policy (which is currently being developed). The workshop is being held at: Abbeywood Community School, Stoke Gifford, Bristol The school is a short walk from Bristol Parkway railway station and easily accessible from Motor- ways (M5/M32) Postcode Bristol BS34 8SF Tea and Coffee will be provided but please bring a packed lunch To book a place please contact Dinah Firmin on 01823 275470

REMINDERS

A full days training for all individuals working with children and young people, and important for Ministers and Elders of the Church. Saturday 7 June 2014 at London Street United Reformed Church, Basingstoke. 10am – 4pm The course covers: The Basics of Safeguarding;

2 Good Practice Procedures; Duty of Care and Pastoral Awareness; Reporting Structures; Exploring Case Studies; Planning The Way Forward. Certificates will be presented to those completing the course. For more information and to book a place on the course, please contact: Ruth Heine, email: [email protected] tel: 023 8067 4513

Wessex Summer Camp – RE: IGNITE, 18 – 20 July 2014, Ferny Crofts Activity Centre, The New Forest

A great weekend event for all young people aged 11-25 connected to the United Reformed Church. Come, explore and be inspired by God into action. Ages 11-25. Cost: £40 per person. Further copies of the camp brochure and booking forms are available from Ruth Heine email: [email protected] tel: 023 8067 4513. Closing date for applications is 27th June.

Wessex Synod Elders’ Development Days These provide training for new Elders, ongoing support for existing Elders and are suitable for anyone interested in becoming an Elder. The “Calendar of Elders & Lay Preacher Training Events 2014, revised” is available to download from the website (Lay Preaching Download section ), www.urcwessex.org.uk Dates of the next Elders’ Development Days are; Prayer, Spirituality & Worship – Saturday 7th June (Southampton), Saturday 14th June (Basingstoke) and Saturday 12th July (Oxford).

Lay Preachers’ Gathering on Saturday 24 May 2014 at London Street, Basingstoke for Lay Preachers and anybody interested. Please email [email protected]

Lay Presidency at Communion on Saturday 14 June 2014 at Fleet United Reformed Church for anybody interested. Please email [email protected]

Safeguarding Training Saturday 7 June 2014 at London Street URC, Basingstoke. 10am – 4pm A full days training for all individuals working with children and young people, and important for Ministers and Elders of the Church. The course covers: The Basics of Safeguarding; Good Practice Procedures; Duty of Care and Pastoral Awareness; Reporting Structures; Exploring Case Studies; Planning The Way Forward . Certificates will be presented to those completing the course. For more information and to book a place on the course, please contact: Ruth Heine, email: [email protected] tel: 023 8067 4513

Lay Preacher Training at Westminster College, Cambridge Theme: Springs eternal: Christian hope and the Church Choice of Dates: Monday 8th – Wednesday 10th September 2014 or Wednesday 10th – Friday 12th September 2014 or Friday 12th – Sunday 14th September 2014. Further information and a booking form is available from Ruth Heine, email: [email protected], tel: 023 8067 4513.

Mission Development News: 11 October 2014 Germinate! National Conference on Rural Mission, Coventry. Growing the church in a rural setting? This could be for you! Be inspired, encouraged and equipped by people who understand the challenges and opportunities of rural church mission and ministry at this major national day conference. It is for lay people, clergy and regional church leaders, and is supported by the main churches and organisations that resource rural churches.

3 Included in the programme are keynote addresses, workshops, case studies, sharing of resources and creative ideas by delegates, the launch of a new learning & training initiative, opportunities for net- working, and a marketplace for exhibitors & contributors. The Early Booking price of £48 (£40+VAT) is available until 30th June - thereafter it is £72 per person. You can book online atwww.arthurrankcentre.org.uk/events

PRAYER CALENDAR Please pray for the following churches during June Week beginning: June 1 Faringdon; Sherborne; 8 Swanage; Bracknell 15 Grange, Reading; Bitterne, Southampton; 22 St Mary’s Banbury; St Andrews, Reading; 29 Richmond Hill/St Andrews, Bournemouth; Twyford (Berks);

PLEASE SEND ITEMS FOR THE NEXT EDITION TO THE EDITOR, CAROL ROGERS ([email protected]) by 23rd MAY 2014.