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.)

Once in a Lifetime Experience

The Forum for Discussion of Israel and Palestine

Interfaith Study Tour to Israel and Palestine

27th December 2012 – 6th January 2013

• Encounter the Holy Land – the geography, the people and, crucially, their hopes, fears and daily life;
• Consider the issues;
• Explore the spiritual possibilities which the Land has to offer;
• Understand a little better the traditions of those with whom we travel.

FODIP is experienced in delivering top quality tours for Jews, Christians and Muslims together

“We shared times of shock, tears, amazement, spirituality and lots of laughter.”

“A wonderful 10 days that has had a profound impact on our lives!”

Tour leaders will be Pasha Shah and Rabbi Warren Elf, both FODIP Trustees and veterans of previous tours. The itinerary will include opportunities to experience worship in our holy places, visits to places of special interest, meeting the people and hearing the narratives. They will be working with MEJDI, an experienced company whose ethos perfectly matches our own: http://mejdi.net

Cost: £1550

For further information visit http://www.fodip.org/studytour.html

FODIP promotes positive and open dialogue among Jews, Christians and Muslims on the Israeli/Palestinian situation.



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