Like many of the 600 participants preparing to attend the Lambeth Conference this summer I have mixed feelings about the gathering.

It is hard to imagine three weeks in one place, isolated on a university campus, while there is so much in Birmingham Diocese on which I wish to focus.

I am also disappointed that the Ugandan Bishops and Archbishop have decided not to join us for the conference as Uganda, as many of you know, is in lots of ways my spiritual home.

It was in Uganda that I was encouraged by local Christians to explore my faith and it was there I made a commitment to become a follower of Jesus. The reality of the faith expressed by the Ugandans with whom I was working remains a huge inspiration to me so I am sorry that Ugandan Christians will not be directly represented at Lambeth.

However the Congolese Bishops have said they will be attending and the Democratic Republic of Congo is another country that has become very important to me. I have visited several times and have many friends living and working in that very troubled region. I hope to make time in the busy conference schedule to hear from the Bishops what is now happening in DRC and to catch up on news of the church that flourishes amidst warfare and poverty.

In a gathering that brings together such a broad spectrum of Anglican leaders it is inevitable that there are some with whom I disagree. Some Bishops have said they cannot be in communion and fellowship with people with whom they feel they have profound theological differences.

However, I do not feel staying away from Lambeth is an option. No disagreement can be resolved if the parties involved are not prepared to listen to each other and attempt to understand each other’s viewpoints. By being present I can also speak up for what I believe and stand firm for the generous orthodoxy of our Anglican tradition.

Anyone reading the media this month would be led to think that the future of God’s church is decided in conferences and synods at national and international levels. While some organisations look to international headquarters for their motivation and direction we, in the Church of England, draw strength from our grass roots – the parishes, chaplaincies and projects that work faithfully to transform local communities and rebuild broken lives.

For me personally, this means that my strength to engage with sometimes painful conversations at Lambeth and to consider potentially divisive issues comes not only from the saving power of Jesus Christ and his call to holy living, but also from the vibrancy and dynamism of church life within the Diocese of Birmingham.

Here in this city and region we see a church that is focussed on the Mission of God. A church to which God is adding new disciples of Jesus Christ, a church which engages in the life of the community in a way which demonstrates, through the Holy Spirit, God’s amazing generosity and grace and a church where people who differ from one another are brought together by the self-giving love of Jesus in a new commitment to follow him in the exciting and challenging context of the 21st century.

Each of us has a part to play
‘So you’re going into the ministry!’ people said to me 21 years ago when I began training for the ordained ministry. ‘Ministry’ still meant ‘ordained ministry’ – THE ministry. I hope no-one said that to the 22 women and men who were ordained deacons and priests in Birmingham this past week.

One of the great developments of recent years has been the wonderful mushrooming of ministries in the Church of England. So when we talk about ministry we don’t just mean ordination. This is good news not just because the vicar has extra pairs of hands but because we recognise that each of us has particular God-given gifts to be used and celebrated in serving God in a heap of different ways.

If we belong to the Christian family – what we sometimes call the Body of Christ – then each of us has a part to play. We’ve hopefully abandoned the idea of the one man (or even one woman) band and no longer expect the ordained minister to have all the gifts. Some women and men are called to be deacons and priests and are ordained by the Bishop for these particular ministries but baptism is the great commissioning for life as a disciple of Jesus Christ. All are called!

So what do you think your gifts are and how is God using them? Do you expect God to call you to do new things? Sometimes other people can see our gifts more easily than we can ourselves so make sure you have someone you share your story with. And what opportunities do you have to tell people about the good things God has done and is doing in your life?

If all Christians are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ then what is the task of the ordained minister? The ordination service is full of images but one of his or her roles is to help the whole people of God to focus on the call that each of us has as a Christian disciple, and to encourage and equip us in our different ministries. Just as the physical presence of churches might remind us of Jesus Christ who is present everywhere in our communities, so the ordained minister can be a visible reminder of the task of all Christians to witness to the saving love of Jesus Christ wherever we are, in our places of work, learning or leisure.

Before they are ordained new deacons and priests have to declare the Christian faith in the presence of the Bishop using a particular form of words. But it was just one word that stood out this year – ‘afresh’! Bishop David told these women and men that the Church is called to proclaim the Christian faith ‘afresh in each generation’. And that’s the challenge. How are we going to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in fresh ways that will connect with people outside the Church who long to hear something of God’s transforming love? We can’t leave this to the ordained ministers to do. We’re all called.

This can be an exciting but also intimidating prospect, one which some members of your congregation may well be facing soon. Some of them may be wondering where they will find Christian friends in their place of study. Others may be looking forward to the freedom to explore spirituality, or even just want to know where they will find a listening ear. Whatever the case, chaplains can help.

There are chaplaincies at virtually every university, and many Further Education colleges. Many of them work closely with Christian groups based in their institutions, and all will have details of local churches. Do put a plug in for chaplaincies, please, with anybody you know who is about to start a course.

You can also help by letting the relevant chaplain know details of people from your parish or church who are going to their institution. You should make sure (please don’t assume!) that the person concerned is happy for you to pass on their details, and give the chaplain as much contact information as you can, including term-time address and e-mail once it becomes available. Better still get the new student to contact the chaplain themselves.

Finally, please remember in your prayers students and chaplains, especially in the crucial start-of-year period between September and October. Thank you.

Fr Nicholas lo Polito is the Anglican Chaplain at the University of Birmingham, and has access to contact information for most chaplaincies in the UK. He can be contacted on 0121 414 8151, or by e-mail: n.lopolito@bham.ac.uk

On Saturday 21st June ten women and men were ordained priest by Bishop David, each of them having already worked for a year in a parish in Birmingham. On Sunday 29th another eleven were ordained deacon having just completed training at theological colleges.

What is clear is that God calls a variety of people. Some of these new deacons and priests are in their twenties with decades of ministry ahead of them and others have years of experience of lay ministry in their churches and local communities. Some have several academic awards and others left school with a few O-Levels. The wonderful ethnic mix of Birmingham was celebrated at both ordinations when several Black and Asian women and men were ordained.

Some are working full-time in parishes as stipendiary clergy. Others are continuing their work in education, healthcare, retail, industry and the voluntary sector and are known as self-supporting ministers. All of them have a deep desire to serve God not just within the walls of the Church but by taking the Good News of Jesus Christ out to people where they are.

Ordination of Priests in the Diocese of Birmingham by the Bishop of Birmingham at Birmingham Cathedral on June 21st 2008.

From left to right: Rebecca Pullin; Katharine Stowe; Derek D'Souza; The Ven. Peter Harrison (Preacher); Alan Fraser; Margaret Brighton; Bishop David; Adèle Rees; Faith Claringbull (DDO); Alison Bownass; Ann Simmons; Lucille Arlidge; Angela Bevan

Ordination of Deacons by the Bishop of Birmingham at Birmingham Cathedral on June 29th 2008

From left to right: Patrick Gillon, Tim Meathrel, Len Cox, Andrew Gorham (Bishop's Chaplain and retreat director), Karen Larkin, Steve Taylor, Joycelyn Lewis, Bishop David Urquhart, Bishop of Birmingham, Tony Platts, Emma Sykes, Carole Camp, Jenny Arnold (Preacher), Jane Platt, Faith Claringbull (Director of Ordinands), Jaisher Chaudhary.

General Synod agenda out now
Women bishops, climate change, church tourism …. these are just some of the major debates on the agenda at the General Synod when it meets at York University next month. Full details here

Government ‘moral without a compass’ says report into Church and Welfare
The government is ‘planning blind and failing parts of civil society’ when it comes to faith communities in general and aspects of charity law and social policy in particular, concludes a report by the Von Hügel Institute. Full details here

Lambeth Conference London event to challenge global governments on tackling poverty
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has today announced plans to mount an unprecedented mass walk of bishops and other faith leaders through central London during the forthcoming Lambeth Conference to demonstrate the Anglican Communion's determination to help end extreme poverty across the globe. Read the full story here

Wider wedding welcome for couples as the Church of England names the day
Thousands of couples dreaming of a wedding will find more churches to choose from 1 October 2008 the day when the new Church of England Marriage Measure comes into effect. Full details here

Dads feel more responsible for the spiritual care of their child
Nine out of every 10 fathers feel responsible for the souls of their children, research commissioned by the Church of England has revealed. Full details here

42 Day Detention Briefing
MPs were briefed on the position taken by the Church of England in advance of debate in the House of Commons on proposals to extend detention without charge to 42 days within the Counter Terrorism Bill. Full details here

Church publishes prayers to ease exam stress
The Church of England has published a selection of prayers offering reassurance to students and teachers in coping with the current examination period. Read the full story here

High level charity jump
The Archbishop of York completed his charity sky-dive in a puff of orange smoke. Read (and watch) the full story here

‘Nice sermon, vicar but …’
Congregations should offer their preacher a healthy dose of constructive feedback, argues a new book from the Church of England’s official publishers. Read the full story here

Bishops’ office and working costs published
The 2007 office and working costs of bishops in the Church of England are published today. Full details here

Church secures new funding options to help meet challenge of training future clergy
The vital role of Christian ministers in building social capital and community cohesion within England and Wales has been recognised in provisional arrangements to secure the future of funding for clergy training. Full details here

Make ‘Time for God’s creation’
The Archbishop of Canterbury and other Church leaders have called upon Christians throughout England to use the period from 1 September until October 4 as an opportunity to put the environment at the heart of their worship. Full details here

New Bishop for Truro Diocese
The Rt Revd Tim Thornton, at present Bishop of Sherborne in Salisbury Diocese, has been appointed the new Bishop of Truro, Downing Street announced this week. Read the full story here

Zimbabwe: Archbishops call on UN for mediation and protection The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of Cape Town yesterday spoke to Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations, to express their grave concern about the increasing violence of what appears to be a sustained campaign against the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe. Full details here

Christian-Muslim engagement ‘for the sake of peace in our common home’
The Archbishop of Canterbury has convened an ecumenical gathering to discuss ways in which Christian-Muslim engagement might be strengthened and deepened. Read the full story here

Archbishop of Canterbury and Religious Leaders call for Cooperation to Combat Poverty
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, today hosted religious leaders of different faiths to discuss the power of multi-religious cooperation to combat poverty and achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Full story here

Archbishop attends opening of Goldsmiths’ Exhibition
Dr Rowan Williams attended, as patron, the opening of the Goldsmiths' Summer Exhibition: Treasures of the English Church: Sacred Gold and Silver 800-2000. Read the full story here

Dalai Lama welcomed at Lambeth Palace
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, welcomed His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Lambeth Palace as part of his visit to Britain. Read the full story here

Archbishop of York ‘s speech on the role of religion in politics Dr Sentamu launched a scathing attack on the consumerist values of society in a speech to the Institute of Jewish Policy Research. Read the full story here

Cluster bombs: Archbishop of York commends Britain’s high moral tone
Dr John Sentamu has commended "the necessarily tough decision" to join the international ban on the use of cluster bombs. Read the full story here

On Saturday 28th June local Councillor Martin Mullaney opened the newly created Moseley Peace Garden situated at the rear of St Anne’s Church, Park Hill.

The garden is the result of a community effort with residents and congregation members, in conjunction with Moseley in Bloom, working together to create a tranquil setting dedicated to promoting peace in our world, our community and our hearts.

At the centre of the garden is situated a Peace Pole, a white pole bearing the inscription “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in English, Hebrew, Arabic and Japanese. There are more than 200,000 Peace Poles around the world. They are found in simple places, such as churches or gardens, and extraordinary ones, such as at the Pyramids of El Giza in Egypt or the Magnetic North Pole in Canada. They are used as symbols to promote the healing of conflict in places like Sarajevo and the Allenby Bridge between Israel and Jordan.

The inspiration to build such a garden in Moseley, and to site a Peace Pole within it came from a visit to Holland House, near Evesham where Revd Rosemary Donovan (Associate Vicar of Moseley United Benefice) first came across a Peace Pole and then she discovered another on Iona whilst on retreat. Revd Rosemary says; “I felt that with so much conflict in the world, and even within our own communities, I wanted to create a space where people of any or indeed no faith could go to pray or meditate on the need for peace in our lives.

"I am immensely proud of what’s been achieved and hugely indebted to the many volunteers who’ve worked and provided to make this project a reality. MASS (Moseley After School Service) have created a wonderful mosaic, YG (St Anne’s and St Mary’s Youth Group) have cleared and planted the beds, members of the congregation have planted the pots and volunteers from Moseley in Bloom have provided plenty of help and advise, it’s been a real community effort! I hope that everyone in Moseley finds the opportunity to spend time in the garden and can appreciate the spirit in which it’s been created.”

The Bishop of Birmingham will be writing to more than 400 pupils and staff at an Alum Rock Primary School after the school was rated outstanding by Ofsted inspectors and inspectors from the Church of England

St Saviours CofE Primary was graded outstanding for its overall effectiveness and praised for its warm and supportive ethos. The standards of teaching, pupils’ development and well-being and the leadership and management of the school were all classed as outstanding in the inspection in April 2008.

Ofsted inspectors also praised the school for the contribution it made to pupils’ spiritual development. The report said: “Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. A strength of the school is the way pupils respect all religions, and give each other space to express their faith.”

The leadership of the Headteacher, Mrs Christine Evans, was cited as a strength of the school in both reports. The Ofsted report said: “The greatest strength of this outstanding school is the very high quality of leadership and management. Led by a highly skilled and innovative headteacher, leaders share passionately her vision for continual improvement with sustained high achievement and standards.”

In the report for the Church of England, the inspector said that; “The quality of the thoughtful direction of the headteacher and her leadership team that creates a distinctive Anglican school within a Muslim social context” was one of the ‘established strengths’ of the school.

He went on to say: “The manner in which the school addresses being an Anglican school in a Muslim community has much to offer to the wider church community.”

In his letter to pupils the Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Revd David Urquhart, says he is writing to say ‘Very well done’. He said he was pleased to read that the church had good links with the local vicar and faith was important to the pupils who were keen to learn about, and respect, the faith of others.

The Bishop commented that he was very interested to hear about an after school club where the children worked on improving the writing of J.K. Rowling!

Bishop David said: “I recently visited this school and was struck by the quality and depth of its spiritual life and it was a great pleasure to lead two assemblies at the school.

“Meeting pupils and staff made it clear that this school is a happy, thriving and effective place of learning which is both distinctive and inclusive - a real role model for church schools in the 21st century.”

Some 98% of the pupils at the school are from Muslim backgrounds and all the children are from minority ethnic families.

For this year's competition Ecclesiastical Insurance Group are inviting people to make a one-minute film about the true meaning of Christmas.

Entrants have the chance to win £3,000 for their church, along with other great prizes, at an exclusive finalists event. This will take place at Old Trafford, Manchester, on 21 November 2008.

Films can be shot on a camcorder, laptop or mobile phone and uploaded to the specially created website - www.truemeaning.co.uk However, this is not yet in the public domain. Ecclesiastical will be officially launching the competition on the 7 July 2008 when visitors to www.truemeaning.co.uk can leave their email to receive advice, hints and tips on how to impress the judges. Videos can be uploaded from 1 August 2008.

Tudor buildings in Kings Norton which captured the heart of the nation have been formally opened after a £3.5 million renovation programme.

Mark Thompson, the Director General of the BBC, and Carole Souter, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, opened the Saracen’s Head and the neighbouring Old Grammar School at the ceremony on the 13th June 2008.

In 2004 the crumbling Grade 11* buildings won the BBC’s Restoration show enabling a £3.5 million renovation programme.

As well as the formal opening the completion of the renovations was marked with a Medieval Extravaganza was held on 14th June 2008, when hundreds of people visited the restored buildings and various activities with a medieval theme were held.

Canon Rob Morris said of the restoration: “We have no words to fully express the gratitude we owe to all who have faithfully laboured on this for so many years. We have the fresh challenge of ensuring that our wonderful buildings really are open for all and that uses new and old will provide sustainable income and a growing exciting future.”

The buildings are now open for the public from 10am – 4pm, Monday – Saturday. Tours take place on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 11am and 2pm

The Revd Freda Evans was welcomed warmly to the parish of St Barnabas Erdington with a special service held both outside the church and in the hall of the primary school.

St Barnabas Church in Erdington was hit by a fire last October but the tower remains intact and the bells were rung as the new vicar was instituted by Bishop David and inducted by the Venerable Brian Russell, Archdeacon of Aston.

Balloons were also launched outside the church to welcome Freda to the parish and after a short open air service the congregation processed to St Barnabas Primary School where the worship continued.

Freda was welcomed there with a series of presentations from people associated with the church, the community and the school.

The Gospel reading was taken from John chapter 10 and the Bishop preached on the theme of Jesus, the good shepherd, keeping us safe with God.

Speaking to the BBC earlier in the day outside the church, Freda said: “I hope this church can be a place of hope, because out of the ashes will come this wonderful phoenix."

The Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Revd David Urquhart said: “The Christian movement is flourishing in Erdington. St Barnabas, with other churches, is enabling people to get to know God better and to grow together as renewed communities.”

Freda comes to St Barnabas Erdington from St Barnabas Kingshurst. She trained to be a priest in the Diocese of London, moving to Birmingham five and a half years ago.

Relationships between faith leaders from Alum Rock and Saltley have been strengthened by the challenge presented by recent events in the area, says Area Dean, the Revd Peter Smith.

Following the story that two preachers had been asked to leave the area by a Police Community Support Officer, Christian Voice organized a ‘mass outreach’ this Saturday, June 14th.

Faith leaders, who responded to the initial story by inviting the media to come and see how well they worked together, once again united to give out a leaflet of their own and free fruit juices.

The leaflet, produced by the local Methodist minister, the Revd Christopher Shannahan said: “One but not the same. Local communities of faith: serving our community, sharing our stories sensitively, loving our neighbour and welcoming the stranger."

On the night before the 'outreach' some 600 school children took home a letter to their parents which affirmed the right of all in the community to ‘peacefully and respectfully follow and propagate their own beliefs’.

The letter went on to urge all members of the community to 'act with the respect and courtesy that our neighbourhood is justly proud of’ during the mass outreach.

The Revd Peter Smith, Area Dean of the local Yardley and Bordesley Deanery said: “Overall these incidents have bought us together and strengthened our trust and respect for one another as faith communities who work, learn and live in this neighbourhood together.

“We hope those people from Christian Voice went away from here reassured that this area is not close to being a no-go area for the Good News of Jesus Christ but equally aware that faith communities can work together while remaining distinctive.”

The Revd Peter Smith said he thought about 15 to 20 people joined the Christian Voice outreach in Alum Rock last Saturday. About the same number of people from local churches, mosques and Birmingham Citizens met at Saltley Methodist Church.

The Children's Society needs regular donations of all kinds of stock to help in their Handsworth Wood shop to raise money for disadvantaged children and young people.

They would also love new volunteer team members to join them. If you can spare 3-4 hours per week please call Lorraine, the Voluntary Shop Manager on 0121 5513391.

Caring for Body, Mind and Spirit – Bishop of Birmingham opens Kings Heath healthy living centre.
20 May 2008

Phase One of a project to create a healthy heart – and a green lung - for Kings Heath was opened by the Bishop of Birmingham the Rt Revd David Urquhart on Saturday May 17th.

The first phase of the £6.3 million All Saints Community Development Project includes a Medical Centre with a GP surgery, pharmacy and other health-related services as well as new facilities to support and expand work with children, young people and families supported by the Big Lottery Fund

New rooms built at the back of the church will accommodate a Parent Project and also help the church run activities for children during the Sunday morning services.

The next stage of the project will be the provision of an Older People’s Resource Centre, which will include day care. Also in the plans are better youth premises, a community hall, a café, meeting rooms and a village green.

During the celebrations a new fundraising campaign for All Saints Hundreds and All Saints Thousands was launched. The aim of the campaign is to finish paying for the rooms at the back of church and to complete funding need for the next phase of the project.

The celebrations includesd talks, songs performed by All Saints Singers and All Saints Youth Project, a concert and an art exhibition featuring local textile artists.

The Vicar of All Saints Kings Heath, the Revd John Wilkinson said: “The theme of the celebrations was generosity of spirit. This project has been led by members of the congregation and Christians from All Saints have provided £300,000 of the funding.

“While we have faced many hurdles during our 10 years of developing this project we have been supported by good friends from inside and outside of the church community and exciting partnerships have been built to sustain the life of the project.

”We want to offer the space we have to the people of Kings Heath as a place of well-being for body, mind and spirit.”

The new buildings were open for people to look around after the Opening Ceremony

The Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Revd David Urquhart has told churches they must be prepared to transform their patterns of life and take higher levels of risk in order to change and develop.

Bishop David, who oversees 180 churches across the Birmingham region, gave the Presidential Address to representatives at the Diocesan Synod – the governing body for the Church of England in Birmingham.

He said: “I have looked, listened, prayed, hinted and am now declaring! We are now preparing for an even greater challenge, ‘Transforming Church’, for growth and development.

“More important than central direction is the willingness of local Christians in their parishes to participate in what God is doing. This will mean transformation of our deeply held patterns of familiar life, which may involve a higher level of risk than we are used to.”

“I believe that everyone in Birmingham and Region, some one and a half million people, should have the opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ and make their minds up about him. This ambition will mean a mighty movement of prayer and action in collaboration with all Christians,” added the Bishop.

Bishop David spoke about the many visits he had made in Lent where he had seen businesses, schools, hospitals, lunch clubs, politicians, community projects, prayer initiatives and churches that were all conveying the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The Diocesan Synod on Saturday also discussed Presence and Engagement – the churches strategy for Christian witness in an inter-faith context - and the Diocesan links with its companion dioceses in Malawi.

Synod was held on Saturday March 15th at All Saints Church, Small Heath. It has representatives from both the clergy and the laity drawn from the 13 deaneries of the diocese. A deanery is a group of parishes in a geographical area.

Date: 02 July 2008
Venue: St Alban & St Patrick Highgate Stanhope Street/Conybere St B12 0YF

Start: 7.30pm (refreshments from 7pm) John Henry Newnman: Apologist & Interpreter of the Spiritual Life The Right Reverend Geoffrey Rowell, Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe

Start: 7.00 pm. This course aims to address specific issues related to child protection in a church setting. For anyone who co-ordinates, supervises, leads or assists work with children and young people.

Start: 9.30 am - 3.30 pm. Finding a home in Birmingham: the experience of different communities. PROGRAMME: 9.30 Registration and coffee. 10.00 Rabbi Yossi Jacobs. Welcome. 10.15 Elkan Levy. From middle Europe to middle England: The Birmingham Jewish Experience. 11.15 Coffee 11.45 Dr Malcolm Dick. Local Communities and Local Experiences: from past to present. 12.45 Lunch and optional tour of the Synagogue. 2.00 Our stories. Speakers from the Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities. Followed by a chance to talk in small groups – sharing your story with people from different backgrounds. 3.20 Sir Bernard Zissman. Concluding remarks. 3.30 Final Prayer. Simple kosher lunch provided. Please book before 30 June.

The event opens on Friday at 2.00pm to 5.30pm, Saturday 10.30am till 5.30pm, and Sunday 12.30pm till 5.30pm, preceded by an Open Air Service in the Hose Garden. There will be a Flower Festival in Church, an Arts and Crafts Exhibition in the Institute and refreshments served at all times in St. Swithin's House. There will be the opportunity to climb the Church Tower(inside!!) and guided tours round the Churchyard. Folk from churches within the Diocese will be able to see the full facilities of St. Swithin's House - a diocesan self catering conference centre.

For more information, contact:
Name: Bryan Chare
Telephone: 0121 704 3661
E-mail:

Child Protection Training Sessions - Working Safely with children and young people
14/07/2008

Start: 7.00 pm. How to provide a safe physical environment when working with children and young people in church settings. For those who work directly with children and young people.

Date: 17 July 2008
Venue: St Martin in the Bull Ring and the Nishkam Civic Association Centre

Objectives 1. To gain an understanding of the significant contribution of faith communities to public life. 2. To appreciate the implications for service providers of faith diversity in both the workplace and the wider community. First Venue: St Martins in the Bull Ring 9.00 Registration, welcome and introductions 9.30 Faiths in Birmingham: an overview. 10.15 Two faith based organisations involved in public life: (1) St Martin’s in the Bull Ring/Health and Healing Centre. Speaker: Ms Elizabeth Harris, Faith Guide for St Martins, Reader Travel to Handsworth by minibus 11.30 (2) Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, Soho Rd. 1.00 Lunch: vegetarian, at the Gurdwara Second Venue: Nishkam Civic Association Centre, Soho Road 2.00 Faiths and the law: issues of difference and diversity. 2.45 Break for conversation 3.00 Implications for the workplace: issues, group discussion and ways forward. 3.45 Conclusions 4.15 Depart Course fee includes transport, resource pack, lunch and refreshments. Book before 11th July. Fees payable by cash or cheque made out to ‘Faith Encounter Project’

Cost: £100 per person, 20 % discount for block bookings of 3 or more people.
Organised by: Faith Encounter Programme

For more information, contact:
Name: Ruth Tetlow
Telephone: 0121 456 5839
E-mail: ruthtetlow@btinternet.com

Date: 18 July 2008
Venue: Cliff Conferences, Cliff College, Calver, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 3XG

Do join us at ‘Inspire’ – which is the title of this year’s Jewels in His Crown weekend for British Asians and all engaged in ministry amongst British Asians. With guest speakers Ram Gidoomal and Krish Kandiah and a variety of workshops, praise times, teaching and fellowship, we are sure that there will be something there for everyone. For those bringing children, we have work led by Sarah Bingham of Scripture Union www.scriptureunion.org.uk/YourCommunity/LocalTeams/Evangelists/SarahBingham/5718.id and for the little ones there is Daniel’s Den, danielsden.org.uk/. Young people will be able to join with Naujavan, a youth organisation from Southampton www.9javan.co.uk/aboutus.html. The brochure may be found at www.jewelsinhiscrown.co.uk, along with a printer-friendly version of the booking form, to fill in and return as soon as possible.

For more information, contact:
Name: Conference hotline
Telephone: 0121 633 8860
E-mail:

Six days, individually-guided in the Ignatian tradition 11th – 18th August or 3rd - 10th November with some places available for a shorter retreat (Mon – Fri or Fri – Mon)

For more information, contact:
Name: Revd Rob Hingley
Telephone: 0121 357 4534
E-mail: Rob.hingley@btinternet.com

The diocese in Europe: Anglican principles in a foreign land. Ecclesiastical Law Society London Lectures
10/09/2008

Date: 10 September 2008
Venue: Serle Court, 6 New Square, Lincoln's Inn, London WC2A 3QS

Time: 5.30 - 6.30 pm. Speaker: Aiden Hargreaves-Smith, member of General Synod and partner in Winckworth Sherwood.

For more information, contact:
Name: James Behrens
Telephone: 020 7242 6105
E-mail: jbehrens@serlecourt.co.uk

Child Protection Training Sessions - Child Protection Awareness Raising
16/09/2008

Retreat with a rhythm of worship and fellowship, silence and prayer. Optional walks and camel rides, and a visit to St Catherine's Monastery and its unique art collection. Led by The Revd Paul and Mrs Diana Hunt.

For more information, contact:
Name: Paul or Diana
Telephone: 01684 578803
E-mail: cpchunt@onetel.com

Child Protection Training Sessions - Working Safely with children and young people
22/09/2008

Start: 7.00 pm. How to provide a safe physical environment when working with children and young people in church settings. For those who work directly with children and young people.

Rev. Michael Counsell is organising a visit to the Oberammergau Passion Play in 2010
04/08/2010

Deadline for booking is end of May 2008. Brochures will be available soon for all who enquire. The cost, including flights, half board in the hotels, all coach transfers, and the play ticket, is: Basic £1095 Birmingham airport flight supplement £25 Insurance £34 Total £1154 ===== Supplements may be added depending on accommodation

For more information, contact:
Name: Rev. Michael Counsell
Telephone: 0121 628 2028
E-mail: mjrcounsell@hotmail.com