The Spirituality of Dialogue

Friday 26th October - Sunday 28th October 2012

A weekend retreat following in the footsteps of Bede Griffiths, Thomas Merton, and other Christians as they cross culturally traditional thresholds. We will explore themes of Christian hospitality, deep friendship, expressions of prayer and worship over the weekend.

Led by the Rev. Bonnie Evans-Hills, Anglican Priest & Inter Faith Adviser to the Bishop of Leicester, and Mary-Jane Burkett, a practicing Catholic who is Co-Director of St. Cuthman’s Retreat Centre and Inter Faith Advisor for the Diocese of Chichester.

The cost for the retreat is £170 full board. To book please call 01403 741220 or email: stcuthmans@dabnet.org.  For more information about St. Cuthman’s visit

St Martin in the Fields Autumn Education Series

All lectures take place at St-Martin-in-the-Fields Church from 7.00pm to 8.30pm. They are free and no booking is required. There will be a retiring collection to cover some of the costs of the programme. For more information go to www.smitf.org


Image is copyright The Estate of Stanley Spencer 2012 . All rights reserved DACS.

May Update

First up to get us in the mood for May and things celebratory Faith Through a Lens National photographic competition is a chance to win £1,000 worth of audio visual or photographic equipment for your faith group, charity or comunity group. In association with A Year of Service

News
The best material from the last 5 years of the Archbishop's inter religious speeches and dialogues have now been collected in to two special pages on the national Presence and Engagement Website The page Archbishop of Canterbury's Dialogues has the long transcripts of his meetings with the Buddhist and Hindu community recently and a shorter transcript of his speech to the Sikhs.The page Archbishop's Inter Religious Lectures The Archbishop's Inter religious Lectures links to the Archbishop's major speeches on his website.


Resources
See our earlier blog for some London 2012 Games related resources - Golden Rule; Prayer Vigil and bunting!
The Awareness Foundation has a new workshop helping Chrisitans to articulate their faith and understand the value of doing so Speak Out! is Free and easy to use.
Keele University  and the Dialogue Society are launching a new masters degree in Dialogue Studies. For details visit www.dialoguesociety.org/MA
A new online resource for those interested in Scriptural Reasoning is available from Cambridge Inter Faith Programme contact SRonline@interfaith.cam.ac.uk or visit the website.
The Maimonides Foundation is launching a new project for young people called ‘Interfaith Explorers’.  The project includes: a six week programme of cross-curricular activities; faith and cultural resources for pupils to explore online; a national competition providing opportunities for pupils to showcase their learning; prizes for winning schools; free teaching resources for primary schools; and support for pupils to develop skills, attitudes and values that build respect and understanding.  For further information, visit www.interfaithexplorers.com
Just a reminder to check the St Ethelburga's website - they have a new conflict coaching service available.


Events
St Mary Le Bow City Talks Tuesday 22nd May at 6.30pm  the Revd Gill College - ‘Voices from the margins – a report on Faith, Hope and Love amongst people who are homeless’. All welcome.


Wednesday 23rd May JustShare, the LSE, Penguin UK and St Paul’s Cathedral jointly present a free public debate at the Cathedral starting at 6.30pm (doors open at 6.00pm) with Harvard Professor and author Michael J. Sandel and Bishop Peter Selby. Tickets available on the door, but you should arrive early.

Friday 1st June  To mark its fifteenth anniversary, The Three Faiths Forum will run a variety of events for schools across London on 1 June. 3FF’s award-winning workshops (being offered for free and discounted rates for the day) will give students opportunities to learn about faiths and beliefs and improve intercultural communication skills. Schools on 3FF’s Faith School Linking programme will also celebrate the new relationships their students have forged.To find out more or to get involved, visit 3FF’s website: http://www.3ff.org.uk/3ffday.The next PEN event Tuesday 19th June Our Common Witness - day of dialogue in Radlett for Christians a Jews. Still places available book via pen@theology-centre.org


The International Council of Christians and Jews hold their annual conference in Manchester from Sunday 1st July to Wednesday 4th July this year. The last time they came to this country was 1991. This is a unique chance to meet on our doorstep the key players in Jewish-Christian Relations throughout the world. The thene is New Neighbours, New Opportunities:The Challenges of Multiculturalism and Social Responsibility. Visit their website for details.  Registration closes on 1st June.


The Ammerdown Centre near Bath is running a Three Faiths Summer School on the subject of ‘Pilgrimage’ from 3 to 9 July. The course, led by Rabbi Dr Michael Hilton, the Revd Dr Liz Carmichael and Sheikh Bashir Ahmad Dultz, is described as offering an opportunity to mix and relax with people of other faiths, to share and discuss, to learn and grow, to laugh and cry and to worship together.  The full residential cost is £485, but there are bursaries available for people on low income which reduce the cost to £323, and a limited number of free places are available for young people and students (maximum age 25). Visit the website or email centre@ammerdown.org. 


CHRISM (Christians in Secular Ministry) Sumer Conference July 13th-15th Ministry outside the Walls.The Kingdom is among us – at work, rest and play.Sharing experiences of Ministry and the Kingdom, wherever you have found it.Woodbrooke Quaker Adult Study Centre, Bournville, Birmingham



Advance notice and Call for Papers Monday 10 - Wendesday 12th September  Women, Authority and Leadership in Christianity and Islam  - Southlands College, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4EE
Abstracts of 250 words by 31st May to Caroline Matthews  c.matthews@roehampton.ac.uk or Lucy Parsons l.parsons@roehampton.ac.uk Conference fee, Non-residential £150/Residential £250 (10% reduction for thow who register by 31 May) Bursaries are available, details on request - bookings via http://estore.roehampton.ac.uk

The Games are Coming

Now that the Olympic torch is wending its way about the country it seems like a good time to mention a couple of resources and related events.

Churches Together in England have pulled together a number of resources around The Golden Rule 2012;
all of which can be downloaded from here The Golden Rule is the expression of the basic tennet 'Do unto others as you would have them do to you' as found in many if not all faiths.

The original Greek Olympics were preceded by a Sacred Truce, which enabled competitors to reach Olympia without being attacked and return safely afterwards. The 'Olympic Truce' is now enshrined in the United Nations expectations for the Games. From  11pm Friday 8th June to midday on Saturday 9th 2012 there will be a Vigil of Prayer in St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square. The vigil is divided in to  twelve hour sessions, led by different individiduals and groups and will include music, drama, silent reflecton and vocal prayer. For details of the programme and how to take part visit  http://www.peacelegacy.org.uk/ All are welcome, so do join in and encourage others to do so.

If you are organising a games related event in your area you might like to invest in a London 2012 Games Community Celebration pack (see picture above). For £99 (inlcuding vat) plus delivery you get 50 hand flags (10 each of five different colours, polyester) Two x 15 metre bunting strings (30 pennants per string, polyester) Flag and flagpole with fixtures (76.2cm x 1.5m flag, polyester) One horizontal banner (50cm x 2.5m, polyester) or you can buy the hand flags separately. Order 9 packs and get a 10th free! but hurry, orders will only be taken until June 15th. Go to www.gameslookbook.com/community to order. (You will be asked to register your details, including the group or organisation you are purchasing the Community Celebration Pack products for.)

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.

London Boroughs' Inter Faith Walks

Now is a good time to put the weekend of 14th - 15th July in your diary. It is hoped that over that weekend each of the London Boroughs will see an Inter Faith walk wend its way between places of worship. Walkers will carry banners with messages of peace and goodwill as we prepare to welcome thousands of overseas visitors for the Olympics. Please go and encourage members of your congreagation (if appropraite) to join in your nearest inter faith walk. It's something they shouldn't miss out on! The walks are being coordinated by the South London Inter Faith Group. They have been organising an annual walk along differnt routes around London for a number of years but this is the first time so many will take place at one time. For more details of Borough Coordinators and the individual routes keep checking the SLFG website

Call to Change - Responding to the Economic Crisis

The Contextual Theology Centre, PEN's parent organisation, in association with The Church Urban Fund and Premier Christian Radio has launched a new website Call to Change
The site gives a call to pray, listen and act re economic issues, principally the widening gap between rich and poor in society. The site includes material that can be used in Lent, or at any time to enable parishes to engage with the wider community and discern how the current crisis is impacting locally. There is also a link to CUF's own Lent course 'Are We Washing Our Hands of England's Poor?'

The next two JustShare events also address economic questions. Wednesday 22nd February, 6.05pm JustShare Debate: 'Commodity Trading: Helping or Harming Developing Economies?' Speakers: Deborah Doane, Director of the World Development Movement, and Anthony Belchambers, CEO of the Futures and Options Association. Chair: Lydia Prieg, new economics foundation. Wednesday 29th February, 6.05pm JustShare Christian Social and Political Thought Lecture for Fairtrade Fortnight 'Fairtrade and Christian Attitudes to the Market' Paul Chandler, CEO of Traidcraft
Both events are at St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside EC2V 6AU

Grove books have just circulated a list of their titles (mainly in their ethics series) which are also pertinent:-
Young People and Money;
The Entrepreneur and the Church;
Globalization:Unravelling the New Capitalism;
Corporate Ethical Accounting:(How) Can Companies Tell the Truth?;
Usury Friendly? The Ethics of Moneylending - A Biblical Interpretation;
The Ethics of Businesss Competition:The Law of the Jungle;
Consumerism;
Rebuiliding Trust in Business - Enron and Beyond;
Transforming Capitalism - Entrepreneurship and the Renewal of Thrift;
The Ethics of Executive Pay:A Christian Viewpoint;
Fairtrade as Christian Mission
order online http://www.grovebooks.co.uk/ or by email sales@grovebooks.co.uk from Susanne. Titles, normally 28 pages, cost £3.95 post-free in the UK.

January Update - News, Issues, Links and Events

Welcome to 2012 with an esoteric pic - the clue is in the heading......

News
Once again there has been violence and retaliation between Christians and Musims in North East Nigeria. The Christian Muslim Forum issued a statement on 9th January. The Anglican Communion Network for Inter Faith Concerns (NIFCON) also covered this, and unrest in Egypt, in its latest Digest.
The Inter Faith Network for the UK has published its latest e-bulletin which includes a round up of events in Inter Faith Week

IssuesPoverty and homelessness are issues of national concern and a campaign and awareness raising week has been identified, 28th January - 5th February. Locally the Newham contribution to the campaign, Towards a Whole Society, will take place from 6-8pm on Thursday 2nd Feburary - venue tbc. Contact Revd James Ramsay to express interest or for more details.
We reported on follow up to the riots last summer and now give addvance notice of Reclaiming London Together, a day conference (9am - 5pm) on Monday 5th March organised by FaithForum4London and Fayre Share Foundation. Contact info@fayresharefoundation.org for more.

LinksThe Tony Blair Faith Foundation and Tzedek have teamed up to launch INFACT, an 8 week training programme for 16-25 year olds to help them devise campaigns that will achieve the Millenium Development Goals. The launch date is Sunday 5th February and details are available from charlotte@tzedek.org.uk
Not a new organisation but new to PEN is The Wyndham Place Charlemagne Trust whose first 2012 'Trusting Conversations' will be held in the Tent at St Ethelburga's on Thursday 19th January 5.30 - 7.00pm. The conveseration will explore the seeming contradictions and the emotional language which surround the Euro and the Eurozone for example surrounding financial regulation. You need to book via wpctrust@gmail.com or telephone 01993 881 366

Events not mentioned above so in date order.......
A few places left for Multiculturalism: a Christian Retrieval Friday 20th January, 10 - 12 noon at the Hurtado Jesuit Centre 2 Chandler Street, Wapping E1W 2QT see earlier PEN blogTuesday 31st January the annual Boyle lecture at St-Mary-le-Bow
Saturday 4th February 9.15 to 5pm Belief and Being in School II at Methodist International Centre, Creating a Faith-Friendly Learning Environment. Organised by the Christian Muslim Forum
Wednesday 8th February 6.30 - 8.00pm at The Education Centre, Southwark Cathedral, next to London Bridge a meeting re 2012 London Inter Faith Walks July 14th and 15th. Hosted by South London Inter Faith Group but we would like to hear about any such walks being planned. Contact thorleysarah@yahoo.co.uk if you are interested.

Looking ahead...

This is the final post on the PEN blog for 2011, and we hope readers have/had a happy and blessed Christmas!

2012 will begin with two exciting events on issues which are very much in the headlines...

- on 20th January, Jonathan Chaplin will be in East London (10am to 12 noon, venue tbc) to discuss his recent Theos report, arguing for a 'Christian retrieval of multiculturalism'.  David Ford (Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge has hailed the report as "a superbly perceptive and constructive contribution to the debate about multiculturalism in Britain" and says it "should be read by all who want civil society to flourish."  More details from Angus Ritchie (director [AT] theology-centre.org)

- on 30th January, the Contextual Theology Centre and St Paul's Institute are co-hosting a study day for clergy and the representatives of Christian social justice organisations.  Entitled Where do we go from here? Engaging congregations in effective action for economic justice, it will build on the ongoing work of both Centre and Institute - and the increased energy and focus created by the Occupy Camps.  Speakers include Peter Selby (former Bishop of Worcester), David McNair (Christian Aid) and Angus Ritchie and Sabina Alkire (Contextual Theology Centre).  The event will be at St Paul's; more details from Robert Gordon (institute [AT] stpaulscathedral.org.uk)

Finally, you may be interested in the Christmas letter to Prof Richard Dawkins, penned by our Director in response to his open letter in the latest New Statesman...

November Update

It is inter faith week! (and Prison's week) so first up a reminder of events at the London Inter Faith Centre; youth dialogue on Friday 25th November with the Al Khoei Mosque in conjunction with the Christian Muslim Forum (full details) and an inter faith pilgrimage walk on Sunday 27th. See LIF's events page

The walk links nicely with a recent page on The London Boroughs' Faiths Network all about the Olympics - one of the events is the South London Inter Faith Group's focus on faith trails across the city. Read more and see a very useful time line for next July.

Also for inter faith week but running until 4th December is the Three Faith Forum's exhibition Faith in the City at RED Gallery, 3 Rivington Street EC2A 3DT times vary and there are special events on particular days.

Which links nicely with a more personal exhibition by Nicholas Nash at St Mary-le-Bow this week from 7.30 each morning until 6.00 in the evening except 4.00pm on Friday.

Also at St Mary-le-Bow Friday 25th November at 6.00pm the Cheapside Debate in Prisons Week – speakers will be Professor Andrew Coyle (Director, International Centre for Prison Studies) and Helen Kersley (head of nef’s Valuing What Matters programme); Joshua Rozenberg (journalist and broadcaster) chairs. All welcome, refreshments afterwards.

Monday 28th November St Peter’s Church, Liverpool Grove, LONDON SE17 2HH a seminar with Michael Mata, 'Learning from a Social Earthquake - What can we learn from the Los Angeles experience?' How churches and faith groups work together to build community in LA. This event is hosted jointly by the Diocese of Southwark and the Mission and Public Affairs Division of the Church of England.

Then on Wednesday 30th November The next JustShare lecture, also at St Mary-le-Bow is intreagingly titled 'The Spirituality of Economics' given by Kathy Galloway (Christian Aid Scotland).
Alternatively on Wednesday 30th November this time at Heythrop College is the last in the present series of lectures from the Centre for Eastern Christianity. 'The Syrian Orthodox Church and its Diaspora:modern history and contemporary challenges' from 4-6pm given by Sebastian Brock, Reader Emeritus in Syriac Studies, Oriental Institute, University of Oxford.

One Voice Europe was recently in town and have offered to set up sessions for Church youth groups about the current situtation in the Holy Land (with Israeli and Palestinian contributors via Skype) contact sharon@onevoicemovement.org.uk if you are interested.

From Churches Together in England comes an invitaion to view some videos on Christian Muslim Engagement - a resource for inter faith week and beyond.

Our friends at St Ethelburga's have some volunteer opportunities.... see the link on their 'Get Involved' page.

STOP PRESS for those who have arrived by an emailed link please see the new parish resource to enable them to engae with the wider community about faith and the financial crisis available from the Contextual Theology Centre news page

PEN Lecture 2011

What do we bring to the party?
The Mission of the Church in a Multi Faith Neighbourhood

Given by
The Revd Dr Toby Howarth
Secretary for Inter Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury and National Inter Religious Affairs Adviser for the Church of England

The Revd Patrick Morrow, The Revd Dr John Perumbalath,
The Revd Mina Smallman & The Revd Ruth Worsley
will respond followed by questions from the floor

Monday 31st October 7.00pm
Light refreshment served from 6.30pm
St Marylebone Parish Church
17 Marylebone Road London NW1 5LT
Admission £5 Booking via pen@theology-centre.org

London riots

In the midst of the violence and destruction of the past few nights, London's churches have been places of comfort, prayer and hope.  It is at moments like these that the church's local presence and engagement is most severely tested.  It has borne striking fruit.  Here are just a few of the stories from parishes on the front line:

• In Tottenham, St Mary the Virgin on Lansdowne Road has been helping those whose homes and businesses have been affected by the rioting - including distributing meals and providing hot water and mobile phone charging for those left without electricity, to ensure they can remain in touch with loved ones. Churches in Tottenham united with representatives of other faiths at a 300-strong prayer vigil for peace addressed by the Bishop of Edmonton 
• The role of social media in the riots and the responses has been much discussed. On Twitter, as the riots were at their worst, #prayforlondon overtook #londonriots as the most common 'tag' for comments. Churches such as St Peter's Walworth (http://twitter.com/stpeterwalworth) were tweeting prayer requests and using social media to advertise the times at which the church would be open for prayer.  Like many other churches in riot-hit areas, they also played a key role in the #riotclearup
• In Hackney, Fr Rob Wickham and the new Bishop of Stepney were on the streets helping those they could as panic and disorder spread. Yesterday, Bishop Adrian preached at a solidarity service at St John-at-Hackney.  Hundreds of people gathered - many of them young people who are involved in London Citizens' CitySafe initiative (see this feature on the main PEN website).  A similar gathering in Watney Market was chaired by St Paul's Shadwell ordinand Jude Padfield, and drew together over 200 people from local churches and Dar Ul Ummah and East London Mosques.  In both cases, the central role of churches in the community response grow out of their ongoing commitment to building relationships and trust across faiths, cultures and age-groups (see, for example, these Jellicoe blogs from Shadwell and Hackney)
• This ongoing work is vital as extreme groups such as the English Defence League (EDL) seek to foment division at a time when there has been a striking unity across faiths and communities in cleaning up and working and praying for peace.  The Bishop of Stepney and Area Dean Alan Green have played a key role in the campaign to stop the EDL marching in Tower Hamlets - another area where prayer is urgently needed.
• There is up-to-date news of vigils for peace, practical support and advice for churches, and messages from the Bishops in a special section of the Diocese of London Website, with a message from the Bishop of Southwark (the CofE's Bishop for Urban Life & Faith) and news of prayer vigils on the Southwark website. Today's speech by Archbishop Rowan in the House of Lords is also online.

Do keep on contacting us - whether with stories to share, or requests for advice and for prayer. We will be blogging and Tweeting on the longer-term issues and how Christians can best respond and bear witness to the Gospel of hope and of peace.

Almighty God and Lord of life,
we pray for the peace and flourishing of our city.
Protect the weak and vulnerable,
comfort all who have lost homes and businesses,
protect and guide the emergency services;
and all for your name’s sake. Amen

Beyond Disability: Creating a more inclusive and enriched Church

Wednesday 8th June 9:45am - 3.30pm

At Salvation Army HQ, 101 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4EH

The aim of the day is to help Christian groups and churches better understand physical and learning disabilities and develop positive and appropriate responses to disabled people. We will explore the need to value inter-dependence and to work hard to ensure churches are truly inclusive communities. The day will include teaching from experienced practitioners,

Cost £30 per person, including hot lunch

Book and pay online, this is essential

For more info contact Jill Clark on 020 7452 2018

This training event is being jointly hosted by Livability and Through the Roof.

Seek the Welfare talks online

"Inspirational"..."great"..."brain and soul food"... these were some of the responses to the Seek the Welfare of the City conference organised by PEN, King's College London and St Mellitus last week.  Many of the talks - including keynote addresses by Bishop Doug Miles and Bishop Richard Chartres, and sessions with Lucy Winkett, Giles Goddard and Russ Rook are online here.  Over 250 people attended the event, held at Holy Trinity Brompton and St Paul's Hammersmith, with presentations on the theology and practice of urban ministry.

You can follow the conference Twitter feed here.  Luke Bretherton's comments summed up the mood of the conference well: Something rather special emerged as people began to connect outside of stereotypes & listen afresh - together.

Advance notice of major conference

As part of the Contextual Theology Centre, PEN is organising a major conference in November.  Seek the Welfare of the City: Hopeful imagination & prophetic practice for urban mission and ministry will be held on 25th and 26th November.  The first day will be at Holy Trinity Brompton, and the second day will include a keynote address by the Rt Revd John Inge (Bishop of Worcester) and a roundtable discussion on Luke Bretherton's new book on Christianity and Contemporary Politics involving David Ford and Nigel Biggar.

Full details of speakers, venues and how to book will be posted in the summer.

UPDATE: The venues have been confirmed as Holy Trinity Brompton for 25th and St Paul's, Hammersmith for 26th.  Bookings will open later in the summer.

Pilgrimage for Peace

The 25th Annual London Multi-faith Pilgrimage for Peace will be held this Saturday (5th June) - beginning at Westminster Cathedral at 9am.  You can download a leaflet with the full range of venues and events and a booking form (it is possible simply to turn up on the day, but booking in advance will help those organising - particularly if you wish to come to the lunch and/or afternoon tea).  The pilgrimage is sponsored by Westminster Interfaith, an agency of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster.

Urban Church Buildings as Liturgical and Community Space

Saturday 12th June 10.30am - 12.30 and lunch

What theological assumptions lie behind the different ways Anglican parishes order and maintain their buildings? How does the Holy - sacred, the numinous - relate to mission and community engagement? How do theology and the pastoral, liturgical, management and financial realities of parish experience bear on each other?

Four brief presentations from East London parishes:-

• St Luke's Great Ilford (early 20th century building, community centre of site)


• All Saints, West Ham (large Norman church, construction of community facilities in progress)


• St Barnabas Manor Park (large church designed by Sir Ninian Comper)


• St Michael & All Angels, Manor Park (1980s purpose-built church and community centre, replacing a large Victorian church)

will be followed by an overview of how church buildings have been adapted for community use in the Borough of Newham.

Common theological threads will be drawn from the ensuing discussion and may form the basis of future related events. Although the presenters are clergy it is hoped that lay people will also attend and contribute.

St Barnabas Church, Browning Road, London E12 6PB
( Tube - East Ham on the District line or Manor Park or Woodgrange Park mainline stations or 147 Ilford to Canning town bus.)

The event is free as part of St Barnabas' patronal celebrations.
Please contact James Ramsay ramsay.jas@gmail.com for further details or to express interest in attending (this will ensure adequate catering)

Jewels in His Crown the National Event

Following the Day Conference in London in January there will be a Jewels in His Crown Weekend Conference: Which Way the UK Asian Church? at The Hayes, Swanwick 25-27 June 2010 This is an all-age conference for everyone engaged in ministry amongst British Asians and Asian Churches and it will look as different ways for worship, such as - Multicultural Church, Asian Fellowships, Youth Culture, Christ Followers, House Church, Satsang, Traditional Church, Yesubhaktas and Followers of Isa Al-Masih. Speakers Pastor G I Ebenezer, Kumar Rajagopalan, Clive Thorn. Details and postal booking http://www.jewelsinhiscrown.co.uk/ Online booking: www.globalconnections.co.uk/jihc

Eventful week

This Saturday (14th) sees the last of this term's PEN Seminars - and our theme is 'Praying and Worshipping'.  We will be meeting at the London Inter Faith Centre with coffee from 9.30am and a packed programme of practical stories and theological reflection from ten until one.  Speakers include Fergus Capie (director of the Centre and incumbent of St Anne's, Brondesbury), Anders Bergquist (Vicar of St John's Wood and formerly Vice-Principal of Westcott House), Michael Camp (Area Dean of Bromley) and Helen Sanderson (of the Recovering the Calm Project at St Ethelburga's).  Please email Susanne Mitchell if you plan to attend.

The seminar is on the eve of Inter Faith Week.  As you can see, it will be an eventful time in Greater London!

Sharing good practice

PEN's autumn seminar programme provide a unique opportunity to share good practice and discuss concerns with Christians ministering in multi faith contexts across Greater London.  The programme (details are here) has covered five key areas of ministry. The final two seminars - on Sharing the Faith and on Praying and Worshipping - will begin with a theological reflection (by Mark Poulson and Anders Bergquist respectively) and continue with local stories, information from training providers and an 'advice surgery'.