Tackling youth Unemployment - a CUF event

Wednesday 16th May 10.30am - 3.30pm at Hinde Street Methodist Church, 19 Thayer Street, London W1U 2QJ.
An opportunity for faith-based groups to upskill and swap ideas on tackling youth unemployment.

Run by the Church Urban Fund and Frontier Youth Trust  (both Christian-based, but the workshop and CUF grants are open to all faith-based organisations).

This is a workshop to inspire and equip churches and faith-based groups to support young people struggling with unemployment. There will be a chance to listen and ask questions with a group of experienced practitioners who are involved a wide range of projects tackling youth unemployment, including personal development programmes, job clubs and social enterprises.

The workshop is aimed at people who want to do something practical to respond to youth unemployment in their local area, either starting up a new project or building on existing work.

Workshops will include

• Mentoring young unemployed people

• Setting up a Job Club

• Personal development and life skills

• Running a vocational course

• Social enterprises for young people

• Working with young ex-offenders

Register here or contact Tom Sefton at CUF or tel 7898 1647 for further info.

April Update

Dodging the showers (more like deluge) here is the round up of news, events, resources and advance notices for April........

News
Faith Matters latest newsletter includes information about their Sikh and Muslim Media monitoring research. They are also begining to gather views on the experience of interfaith marriage.The Awareness Foundation's Director, The Revd Nadim Nassar, has launched a new blog. Follow it here


The Christian Muslim Forum's Director, Julian Bond, is becoming a Pedalling Pilgrim from Leighton Buzzard to Cheltenham (and back) partly in celelbration of the Forum's sixth birthday but also to raise funds for future work sponsor him here


The Department of Business, Innovation & Skills and Cooperatives UKare running the Buy Better Together Challenge to inspire new models of community buying in a way that secures better deals on goods, equipment and services. The Challenge is open for applications until the 15th May and there is a £60,000 pot going towards training and mentoring for  projects that grab the judges attention, £15k will go to the overall winner.


Theos is posting the Westminster Faith Debates as podcasts 


Events
Monday 23rd April 10.30am - 4.00pm St George's Day Celebration and exploration of English identity 
Tuesday 24th April 6.15pm The Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey, Christian Faith and Public Policy  lecture Faith, Gender and Equality (also in the same series Faith and the Constitution Tuesday 1st May)
Wednesday 25th April 6.05pm St Mary-le-Bow Cheapside, The JustShare Debate 'Business vs NGOs who Does Development best?'
Conflict and Change have just published their summer course dates 1) Conflict and Me: an introduction to conflict resolution(2-day) May 15th & 23rd 9.30am-4.00pm
2) Communicating through conflict (1-day) May 29th 9.30am-4.00pm
3) Dealing with difference: prejudice and how to overcome it (1- day) June 12th 9.30am-4.00pm
4) Introduction to Volunteering at C&C and Taster Session
(1-day) June 19th 10.00 am – 3.00pm (no charge)
5) Training for Trainers (3-days) 6th, 7th and 14th July 9.30am-4.00pm
For more information or to book contact Tanya, Sonia or Zakir on 020 8552 2050 or email



Resources


The North Kent Council for Inter Faith Relations has slightly revised and reprinted its Guidelines for Spiritual and Pastoral Care of Patients and Relatives, which does what it says on the tin. They have also made an electronic version available to hospitals and similar organisations for restricted intranet use within the purchasing organisation. Contact the secretary Mrs Farida Usman 01474 363052 for further information.


Advance Notice and Reminders
There are still places left at the The Friends of Biblelands lecture Wednesday 2nd May 2012 at St St Jmes Piccadilly. See earlier blog HRH Princess Badiya Bint El-Hassan is the speaker and Professore David Ford will repsond. The Rt Revd Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Woolwich chairs the evening.


Also on Wednesday 2nd May at 6.05pm St Mary-le-Bow the JustShare lecture by the Revd Rachel Carnegie, the Archbishop of Canterbury's International Development Secretary 'Keeping Faith in Development.' What is the role of faith-based development agencies today in a largely secular world? What are their strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats? With time for your own comments and questions. Anthony McKernan of Anglican microfinance charity Five Talents will be in the chair. Please register to attend. 


Wednesday 23rd May  6pm for 6.30pm - 8pm another JustShare event hosted by St Paul's Cathedral in collaboration with the London School of Economics and Political Science, JustShare and Penguin UK. Is there something wrong with a world in which everything is for sale? Do market values dominate too many spheres of life? What are the moral limits of markets? Noted public philosopher and Harvard Professor Michael J. Sandel will explore some of these pressing questions and Bishop Peter Selby will respond. Copies of Michael Sandel's new book What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets will be available on and there will be plenty of time for questions from the audience.This event is free but a ticket will be required. Reserve your ticket by emailing your name, postal address and phone number (please note: this information will be sent to the LSE events team so that they can mail out tickets on the 10th May). Tickets will also be available on the door.


Tuesday 19th June 10.00am - 3.30pm at Christ Church Vision Hall Radlett A day of Dialogue for Christian Clergy, Rabbis and Lay Leaders 

IKETH - (Interreligiöse Konferenz Europäischer Theologinnen) Annual Conference 5th - 8th  July 2012 in Cologne Violence against Women - the Lesser Sin? On Religious Legitimation of Violence against Women  more details on the blog soon or contact Susanne in the meantime.

Christians and Jews: Our Common Witness

A Day of Dialogue for Rabbis, Christian Clergy, and Lay Leaders

Tuesday 19th June 2012  10am - 3.30pm

Christ Church Vision Hall, Watling Street, Radlett WD7 7JJ

The Revd Dr Anders Bergquist, Vicar of St John’s Wood: How Christians approach scripture and why it matters for inter faith relations with a response from Rabbi Rafi Kaiserblueth, St Albans Masorti Synagogue

Rabbi Natan Levy, Shenley United Synagogue The concept of Tikkun Olam (Repair of the World) in Judaism and its application to contemporary issues with a response from The Revd Colin A Smith Superintendent Minister of the Methodist Churches in the London Borough of Barnet and in Queensbury

The day includes plenty of opportunity for dialogue in regional groups.

The cost of the day is £10 and includes lunch (kosher available)

Please book a place via PEN through Susanne Mitchell telephone 0207 780 1600 option 3

St George's Day Celebration: An Exploration of English Identity

King's Cross Baptist Church, Vernon Square, London WC1X 9EW
Monday 23rd April 2012 10.30am - 4.00pm

Malcolm Johnston (Moderator of the London Baptist Association)
- When are the English?
Richard Reddie (writer researcher and cultural commentator)
- Diaspora Views of the English
Ann Morisy (freelance community theologian, author and lecturer )
- An English Effort at Being Christian
Pete Leveson (Minister of South Norwood Baptist Church)
- Leading Worship

Day costs £20 to include hot English meal and other refreshments

To book contact the London Baptist Association Administrator norman.kincaid@londonbaptist.org.uk Tel: 0207 692 5592

Contextual Theology Centre events on Mission

Mission is the main focus of the Contextual Theology Centre's Eastertide programme.  Details of these events, and the regular pattern of prayer at the Centre are online.

On Saturday 28th April, Centre Director Angus Ritchie is speaking on Mission: Mercy, Justice and Evangelism at a study morning in Tower Hamlets, to which all are welcome.  A breakfast workshop on this theme will be held in Shoreditch later in the spring, so watch this space...

On Tuesday 22nd May, Angus will be joined by Church Urban Fund CEO Tim Bissett at an event on Growing Church through Social Action, reflecting on new research from the Fund on this issue.  This is part of a wider residential event for members of PEN's team - but this particular session is open to all.  Please book places with Susanne Mitchell.

Bridging the Great Divide: the Jewish-Muslim Encounter

No two religions are closer together than Judaism and Islam, yet today, ironically, no two religions are further apart.
This 15 week e-learning course is taught in partnership with the School of International Service at the American University in Washington. It will explore the history, culture and theology of Muslims and Jews, reflecting both on similarities and differences as well as the major challenges.
Assisted by leading scholars in the US and Europe with a wealth of experience in this field, the course will also offer strategies for building bridges between the communities.

Applications are now being accepted for the course starting
week commencing 27 August 2012. The closing date for
applications is 6 August 2012.

Course Structure
Bridging the Great Divide is a 100% e-learning programme, delivered at Honours Level. Students who successfully complete the course as part of their degree programme through the
American University will receive three credits from the American University.
Those who enrol through the Woolf Institute will be awarded a certificate of completion from the two institutions.
The e-learning approach allows you to study wherever and whenever you choose via the internet. You will work with American University and Woolf Institute scholars, who will support you through the course and alongside fellow students with whom you will be able to discuss ideas on their online forum.

Fees and Bursaries
The normal course fee for the American University is £2500 but 10 bursaries will be available to Woolf Institute students who will pay only £450 each. Bursaries
are available depending on academic merit and financial circumstances.

For further details and application
form: http://www.woolf.cam.ac.uk/courses/mj.asp.

Mayor of London Election 2012

Time for a Christian Contribution 18th April 6-8pm St James's Piccadilly

What will be the big issues be in this election? How can we work together for a better London?

Come and hear from the candidates for Mayor of London and ask your questions. Bring your friends and neighbours from your parish encourgae theme to register, ask questions, and vote.

With Boris Johnson, Ken Livingstone, Brian Paddick , and Jenny Jones, chaired by journalist and priest Geroge Pitcher.

The Rt Rev Peter Wheatley, Bishop of Edmonton said: “This is a great opportunity for churches to engage with the mayoral candidates and hear them respond to our questions and concerns. It will help us make an informed and effective choice for Mayor when we vote on 3 May.”

Dr Dave Landrum, director of advocacy for the Evangelical Alliance said: “The Church in London is growing and it’s bringing huge benefits and hope to the capital’s communities. As London votes for a leader this is a chance to see the candidates engage with Christians and encourage them to carry on that relationship when the winner takes office.”

Rev Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James’s Piccadilly said: “We are delighted to be hosting this live debate on the issues of the day, affirming the vital contribution people of faith make to public life.”

Find out more and submit your question in advance at http://www.votelondon.org.uk/

London Citizens has also launched a What Londoners Want Campaign - part of its ongoing work with religious and civic groups to hold the Mayoral candidates to account on issues such as the Living Wage, street safety and affordable housing - which is building up to a 2500-person Mayoral Accountability Assembly at Westminster Central Hall on 25 April.