Christianity in the Middle East Today

Centre for Eastern Christianity
Heythrop College, University of London
Friday 9 March 2012
The Hopkins Room
11am – 1pm
Heythrop College, University of London, Kensington Square, London W8 5HN.

Given by His Beatitude Gregory III Laham, Patriarch of Antioch and
all the East of Alexandria and Jerusalem

The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Gregory III Laham is based in Damascus.The Patriarch is the leader of the world-wide Melkite Church, which in the Middle East is mainly concentrated in Lebanon and Syria, although large communities live outside of theMiddle East region, particularly in Europe, the United States and Canada, with further significant communities in Argentina and Brazil. Gregory III was elected patriarch on November 29, 2000. The Patriarch may be considered one of the most important Christian leaders in Syria, the Middle East and the Catholic Church globally.

Please note: there is no charge for attendance and registration is not required.
Enquiries: j.flannery@heythrop.ac.uk

Jewish and Christian Understandings of Passover

In Association with CCJ Encounters programme and Near Neighbours

A guided discussion on the Jewish Passover and its relevance to the Christian Easter, as the two festivals coincide this year.

Preseneted by Rabbi David Hulbert & Fr. Robert Hampson, Vicar of Holy Trinity Wanstead

Thursday 29th March 2012 10.30-2.00
A light lunch will be provided, including symbolic foods associated with the Festival. A tour of the synagogue sanctuary will be offered

There is no charge for this event.

Venue Bet Tikvah Synagogue (Functions Hall) 129 Perrymans Farm Road Barkingside Essex IG2 7LX (a short walk from Newbury Park station)

To book your place call Anne on 0208 554 9682 or email: bettikvah@talktalkbusiness.net

Come to the Edge - Christian and Muslim Women critically thinking together

This two day residential conference is hosted by the Christian Muslim Forum

Date: 19th and 20th March 2012 - from 10.45am on day 1 to 4.00pm on day 2
Venue: King's Park, Action Centres UK Ltd, Kings Park Road, Moulton Park,
Northampton, NN3 6LL
Cost: Waged £20, Unwaged £10 - yes it is that low cost AND residential

Booking: http://www.christianmuslimforum.org/

What is women's contribution to community building?
How can women move from the private to the public sphere?
'Culture' versus 'religion': What does this distinction represent?
How might women help devlop leadership skills amongst young people?
What are women looking for in a 'role model'
Are comunity relations beoming harder?

Keynote speakers: Aina Khan, Senior Consultant Solicitor,
Dr Frances Ward, Dean of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich,
Julie Siddiqui, Executive Director of teh Islamic Society of Britain,
Prof Tina Beattie, Director of the Digby Stuart Research Centre for
Catholic Studies at Roehampton University.

Inspiring speakers, a thought provoking theatrical performance, interactive workshops and much more.......

Inter Faith Week 2012 & A Year of Service

In this Diamond Jubilee year, there will be a special extended Inter Faith Week running from 18 - 27 November, reflecting the fact that there are likely to be additional activities taking place. The opening Sunday of the Week will again coincide with Mitzvah Day.

Also in 2012 a special project called ‘A Year of Service’ will be taking place. In each month, for A Year of Service, faith communities will be hosting a day or days of volunteering and inviting people of other faiths and non-religious beliefs to join in. There will also be workplace volunteering opportunities. The Year provides an opportunity for marking in a practical way the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen – of whose reign service has been a key theme.

The days around which the programme is built have been chosen reflect both religious festivals and dedicated faith-based special volunteering ‘Days’. Other faith groups around the country can choose to hold their own volunteering events linked to other days.

See press release from DCLG issued on 13 January by the Government In this, Eric Pickles said: “Faith is a great motivator, and throughout the year people from different faiths regularly give something back, volunteering for projects that benefit individuals in need or their local neighbourhood… We want to help them do what they do best, recognising that just a little support can make a big difference. The Year of Service is a chance to link these great efforts together throughout the year… [projects will be] led by individual faith communities but involving people of all faiths and none.”

Further information about the project can be found at http://www.ayearofservice.org.uk/. The site, which is owned and managed by Mitzvah Day for A Year of Service, will include ideas for activities, case studies of existing projects and background information on why volunteering is important to each featured faith community.

February Update

A less esoteric picture this month (January had a picture of the NILE in honour of the News, Issues, Links and Events in the update!)

News

The Department for Communities and Local Government have declared 2012 to be A Year of Service which highlights the volunteering undertaken by peoples of faith. Types of activity have been linked to festivals from each of nine faiths with an invitation to join together in united service. Follow the link for more details.

Issues

With economics still to the fore The Contextual Theology Centre has launched a new website - Call to Change; JustShare has topical debates for Fairtrade Fortnight and Grove books are reminding us of relevant titles in their ethics series. All the links and details are in our earlier blog

Resources The Awareness Foundation is suggesting its module 'Living in a Global Village' would make a good Lent course. To encourage you the Teaching DVD, Leaders notes and twenty study packs normally £49.99 are now free Follow the links for details and ordering.
See also the latest dates for courses with Conflict and Change in our earlier blog

Events

The last in the St Martin in the Fields series 'Radical Compassion and Social Justice' is on Monday 20th February 7 - 8.30pm. Dr Robert Beckford speaks on Compassion and Freedom.

Saturday 25th February Jewels in His Crown & The South Asian Forum present an Asian Mission Partnership Day 9.30am to 4pm at Woodgrange Baptist Church, 345 Romford Road, Forest Gate, London, E7 8AA visit either website for details and booking which is essential and should be made by 16th February.

Sunday 26th February at the London Inter Faith Centre the next in the series of Texts to Live by - on the theme of animal rights. Details or Enquiries to info@londoninterfaith.org.uk or telephone 020 7604 3053
Monday 5th March 7pm, Kings Place, 90 York Way, N1 9AG The Royal Society of Literature hosts Karen Armstrong speaking on 'What is Religion?' to book ring 020 7520 1490 or visit the website through the link.

Until 15th April at the British Museum, Haj - Journey to the Heart of Islam exhibition but on Saturday 18 February, 13.15 exhibition curators Venetia Porter and Qaisra Khan give a 45-minute illustrated introduction to the exhibition.

In It Together: Friends of Biblelands lecture 2012

Muslim/Christian Relations:Co-operation not conflict
The Friends of BibleLands present a lecture by HRH Princess Badiya bint El-Hassan

Wednesday 2 May 2012 6.30pm St James’s, Piccadilly W1J 9LL

Princess Badiya, of the Jordanian Royal Family, supports practical work to promote interfaith and cross cultural understanding.

Professor David Ford, Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge, will give a response and the event will be chaired by Baroness Julia Neuberger.

Tickets are free of charge but should be booked in advance
To reserve your place, please contact BibleLands on 01494 897933
or email info@biblelands.org.uk

Upcoming Courses 2012 from Conflict and Change

1. Conflict and Me: an introduction to conflict resolution
A 2-day course which focuses on exploring your personal experience of and own relationship with conflict - the key starting place of conflict resolution. February 20th & 2st
2. Communicating through conflict
A 1-day course designed to develop your communication skills using several core conflict resolution tools that can help you manage relationships, interactions and conflict with others. February 7th or February 28th (repeat)
3. Dealing with difference:prejudice and how to overcome it
A 1-day course which introduces some powerful tools for understanding and dealing with prejudice. February 8th or February 29th (repeat)
4. Advanced Interpersonal and Mediation Skills
Please note, you need to commit to volunteering with Conflict and Change and complete Days 1-4 to take part in this course A 4-day course that builds on previous learning. April 17th, 18th, 24th and 25th

Worshops are only free for people who live or work for a Voluntary organisation in Newham. People working in the private or statutory sector or from outside the Borough will be charged a fee. For more information contact Tanya, Sonia or Zakir on 020 8552 2050 email training@conflictandchange.co.uk or visit www.conflictandchange.co.uk