SpiritLevel
24th June – Issue 49
CRC Events
Wakefield Faith Trail Saturday’s 26th June and 3rd July 2010
Treasures Revealed in West Yorkshire welcomes visitors to 22 places of worship throughout the district who will be opening their doors to visitors during a nine day festival and faith trail. Visitor guides showing participants and events will be available from Wakefield Tourist Information Centre or by contacting Tracy or David on 0113 2443413. Information can also be viewed online at www.treasuresrevealed.co.uk We hope to see you there!
Huddersfield Faith Trail. Have you ever wondered what's inside a Mosque, Church or Gurdwara? Maybe you're curious about peoples different beliefs and how that links into the local community? Well, now is your chance to find out! Treasures Revealed have introduced the development of a faith trail in Huddersfield town centre. The Faith Trail is just 1.5 miles around Huddersfield town centre and five fascinating places of worship will be opening their doors to welcome visitors. This is continuing to run so for details contact Tracy or David on 0113 2443413 or emailing tracy.needham@crc-online.org.uk You can also download a guide on our website www.treasuresrevealed.co.uk/Events/kirklees-events/.
Should you wish to see the route in more detail go to google maps here.
Bradford Trail – As part of the highly successful Treasures Revealed in Bradford Project, five places of worship on Leeds Road in Bradford, are offering guided tours on the first Saturday of each money from July- Dec 2010. St Peter’s RC Church, Abu Bakar Mosque, the Shri Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple, the Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara and Bradford Cathedral have agreed to welcome visitors form the local community and from further afield. The Faith Trail will run form 10:30 – 3:45 and is free of charge (although you will need to make a reservation). To book your place please call Tracy 0n 0133 2443413 or tracy@treasuresrevealed.co.uk
Here I am Lord: responding to God's call to meet neighbours of other faiths. At the Methodist Mission, Huddersfield; Saturday October 2nd, 10.30-4.00 costing just £5, which includes lunch. This conference arranged by CRC's Inter-faith task group is in partnership with Churches Together in England, Bradford Churches for Dialogue and Diversity, Livability and Kirklees Faith Forum, featuring Celia Blackden (CTE) on "friendship and exchange", Helen Reid (BCDD) on "can a good neighbour be an evangelist", and will include a visit and lunch in a local gurdwara, temple or mosque. This is to resource churches in their interfaith work, aimed at lay people and clergy. We especially invite people who don't yet have inter faith experience. Those who do have such experience are also welcome! To book contact Janet.Bryer@crc-online.org.uk, 0113 244 3413
CRC News
Partners’Events
‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ A day of teaching and reflection for busy people involved in community work and urban mission on Tuesday 6 July 2010 from 9.45am – 3.30pm for: £20 per person, including lunch at Mirfield Centre, Stocks Bank Road, Mirfield, WF14 0BW
To Book: Contact Ruth Smith on 0113 8070 or email rsmith@livability.org.uk. This day will help you rediscover why Jesus spent quality time with his friends and the impact it had on what they believed and how they lived.
A Conspiracy of Hope: Creating the future one mustard seed at a time. A residential event led by Tom and Christine Sine. “If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you.” Matthew 17:20, CEV. Many in our urban communities have been hit by the impact of the global recession. Tom and Christine Sine will present new challenges that are likely to face the urban poor, those that work with them and our churches as we race into an increasingly volatile new decade For the last seven years, Livability’s Community Mission team has hosted an annual residential event for busy Christians involved in their communities. Our aim is to help you find refreshment and renewed passion for your life, work and ministry in this new decade. Date: Wednesday 27th-Friday 29th October 2010. Time: Start 4pm Wednesday- end 3pm Friday. Venue: Hothorpe Hall, Theddingworth, Leicestershire, LE17 6QX .To book: Contact Jill Clark or phone her on 020 7452 2018 for more information.
Other news and links
The Robin Hood tax: this new initiative is supported by Church Action on Poverty and many churches, to the leaders of the UK’s political parties to support a global tax on the banks to help repair the human damage caused by the global economic crisis, protect public services at home, fight poverty at home and abroad, and help foot the bill for climate change. Taxing the rich to help those in poverty: one of the most direct and effective ways of closing the gap! Visit the Robin Hood Tax website
Engaging with Parliament. Two free workshops are being held in June for organisations around Yorkshire and the Humber, to help them engage with Parliament at the start of the Parliamentary year. The workshops will be held on:28th June 2010 10.00am to 2.00pm (Registration from 9.30am) Doncaster Trades 19 South Mall Frenchgate Centre Doncaster and 30th June 2010 10.00am to 2.00pm (registration from 9.30) York St John University
Lord Mayors Walk York. These events will look at the Queens Speech and opportunities to get involved with legislation, new Select Committees, how to identify and contact MPs and members of the House of Lords, and a number of other areas related to the new Parliament. Attendance is free and open to any group or organisation around Yorkshire and the Humber.
A similar event is being held for groups in North East Lincolnshire on the 1st July in Grimsby. Please get in contact for further information. To book a place and for further information, please e-mail yh-outreach@parliament.uk<mailto:yh-outreach@parliament.uk> or call 079 174 88839
Regional Rural Network Conference Let's Celebrate Rural. Thursday 8th July York St John University 10am-4pm. This free conference will explore, showcase and celebrate the rural VCS in Yorkshire and the Humber and look at innovative ways of working together to
ensure that all rural communities have a vibrant and energetic future in which their agenda is heard. Key Note Speakers: Sylvia Brown, Chief Executive, Action with Communities in Rural England Helen Wright, Executive Manager, Rural Affairs Forum Graham Bulmer, Churches
Regional Commission and Kate Dale, Yorkshire Rural Support Network Dave Routledge, Parmenides Solutions Limited Andrew Bibi, Hebden Bridge Community Association. Workshops to include: Finance and Sustainability, Housing, Social Enterprise, Transport and Young People For further information or to book a place at this conference please contact Ian Gardener: t: 0113 394 2310 f:0113 394 2301 email: ian.gardner@regionalforum.org.uk
Upland Report.THE government’s rural watchdog has called for a new strategy to revitalise England’s upland communities. The Commission for Rural Communities said the English uplands underpinned a wealth of natural and cultural assets. But they were failing to realise their potential – despite their ability to support a low carbon future and green economy. Commission chairman The Revd. Dr. Stuart Burgess said: “Our inquiry has focused on the uplands’ potential as well as the challenges needing to be tackled.” Problems included a lack of affordable housing, poor mobile phone coverage and slow broadband connections. A new approach should balance economic potential with environmental needs, said the commission report published on Tuesday (15 June). Hill farmers and land managers should be rewarded for managing national assets in harmony with developing businesses, it recommends. The report says the government should appoint a single individual responsible for overseeing a new uplands strategy. Supporting farmers alone is insufficient, warns the document. Upland sustainability also depends on a thriving business sector, it adds. New initiatives are needed to bring together the public and private sectors to create markets for natural resources, such as carbon and water. This would benefit local communities, the report says. The full document can be downloaded here (pdf).
Refugee Integration 2010 Event on Friday 16th July, 2010. The aim of this event is to review refugee integration in the Yorkshire and Humber region including the successes, challenges and key developments. We will also monitor progress of the Integration Strategy and present the Refugee of the Year Awards. The booking form is attached and also available on our website: http://www.migrationyorkshire.org.uk/?page=NewsView&itemid=58
“Faith & the Future of the Countryside” is a major three-day ecumenical symposium helping mark 20 years since the publication of the landmark "Faith in the Countryside" report, at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire. 3-5 November 2010. All details are also available on the symposium website at: www.rural20.org
People of Power Conference. This conference on the practice and theology of community organising will be addressed by Dennis Jacobson on 29th June 2010.10am to 4.30pm at St John’s Church Wakefield Road Bradford BD4 8QW. Dennis Jacobsen is a Lutheran minister in an inner urban church in Milwaukee, USA. He is director of the 1,000 strong national clergy caucus of the Gamaliel Foundation – the organisation which trained Barack Obama as a community organiser in South Chicago. For many years Dennis has used the principles and practices of community organising in the day-to-day struggles and hopes of urban ministry. In his book Doing Justice he weaves the theological and biblical warrants for this model into concrete strategies for achieving justice in the public arena. Using these insights, the day conference will look critically at community organising as a change strategy and model for ministry; how it is developing in this country; and its potential in the UK for building disciplined coalitions of citizens to shape the common good. For further information contact Sam Randall, 07967 120070, sam.randall@bradford.anglican.org, to book contact Shawna, 07852 137287, shawna.splawn@bradford.anglican.org
Medieval Fayre, Ripon Cathedral, rain or shine, lots of activities for people of all ages, Saturday July 10th 10 am – 3 pm, entry free.
Publicity for events. Would you like to include your events in the UK's family & community what's on diary www.WhereCanWeGo.com. It is a way public events can be promoted at no charge - getting your details out to a wider and new audience thanks to being displayed on the Daily Telegraph's website and our own. WhereCanWeGo.com is a national service focussed on family and community events. It has exceeded all expectations - over 210,000 events posted across the country in the first two and a half years - but I guess we are still only covering the tip of the iceberg. We launched the service because we found it time-consuming to trawl endless websites to find out things to do with my own family, and because attendance at some really worthwhile events seemed disappointing. Judging by feedback we get from users and organisers, http://www.wherecanwego.com is helping solve both problems! It is getting enthusiastic response from people who can search for events by category, by date, by region, and find it a useful one-stop shop for such information. Please take a look for yourself. You can find out more under the Help/FAQs tab at www.WhereCanWeGo.com or simply enter your events under the Add Events tab off the home page.
Journey to Mecca - In the footsteps of Ibn Battuta. In 1325, famed 14th century Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta set out from his native Tangier on an epic journey to Mecca. By the time he returned 29 years later he had travelled the world from West Africa to Spain, India, China and the Maldives, covering some 75,000 miles. Told through the magic of IMAX, Journey to Mecca depicts his perilous and adventurous journey and presents an unforgettable picture of Islamic civilization, culminating with Ibn Battuta's first Hajj. If you are a youth and community leader, you are invited to a FREE IMAX screening of Journey to Mecca on Monday 28th June at 4.00pm (until 6.00pm) at the National Media Museum in Bradford. Before the screening there will be a short presentation about the exciting activities we run here, and how you can get your groups more involved in the museum's activities and events. To book your FREE place, please contact Mandy Tennant by email or on 01274 203359. Please leave your name, organisation, email address and telephone number on my voicemail if I am not available to take your call.
Faith and the City Clash of civilisations or chance to cooperate? The University of Bradford’s School of Lifelong Education and Development in partnership with the Bradford District Faiths Forum has established the ‘Faith and the City’ programme. The programme is a series of thought provoking and challenging discussions, dialogues and discourses that will be led by speakers who are authorities and critiques in the broad field of religion and politics.
The purpose of this programme is to raise the level of debate amongst all communities and to encourage us to collectively think about difficult issues around cohesion, faith, politics and values. The title of this event is Clash of civilisations or chance to cooperate? Speakers:Canon Chris Chivers, Canon Chancellor of Blackburn Cathedral and Anjum Anwar MBE, Dialogue Development Officer at Blackburn Cathedral on Monday 28th June 2010. It starts with registration and Networking from 5:30pm for a prompt start at 6:00pm (finishing at 7:30pm) at JSB Lecture Theatre, D Floor, Richmond Building, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford, BD7 1DP.Places are free but must be booked. To be part of this event, please send an email to nasar.fiaz@bradforddistrictfaithsforum.org.uk. For further speakers will include William Dalrymple, historian and travel writer, distinguished broadcaster, foreign correspondent Monday 12th July 2010; Indarjit Singh, journalist and broadcaster Wednesday 22nd September 2010 Fatima Bhutto, author and journalist, niece of late Benazir Bhutto, former PM of Pakistan Wednesday 13th October 2010; Peter Oborne, journalist and political commentator Wednesday 24th November 2010
Volunteer Film Making scheme. The sixth series of the Media Trust's Volunteer Film-making scheme is open for applications, up to 26th July. It matches professional film-makers with small charities (up to £2 million turnover) to create short promotional films at a fraction of the normal cost. See http://www.mediatrust.org/volunteerfilmmaking, or get an application form via 020 7217 3628 or volunteerfilmmaking@mediatrust.org.
Faith Matters. The Community Development foundation have just published Faith Matters, a review of the work done through the Government Faiths in Action fund, administered by CDF. Faith matters is a collection of 19 in-depth case studies of projects funded by the Faiths in Action grant programme. Looking specifically at projects dealing with the environment, dialogue, young people and social action, the book demonstrates the dramatic impact this work has on the cohesion agenda. Faith matters offers faith practitioners evidence to inform their projects and to prove the importance of faith work to policy-makers. See http://cdf.msgfocus.com/q/12gnUkWDVrTZH/wv
Refugee of the Year Awards - Nominate your ‘Refugee of the Year’! This is an annual award which recognises the contribution of refugees to the Yorkshire and Humber region, focusing on the extraordinary individuals who embody this in their daily lives. This year we have two awards: Refugee of the Year 2010 and the new award category of Young Refugee of the Year 2010 (for under 18s). The closing date for nominations is 30th June. The nomination form with further details is attached and also available on our website: http://www.migrationyorkshire.org.uk/?page=refugeeoftheyear
17th Annual Multi-Faith Walk for Friendship on Saturday 26 June 2010. It starts at 9.30 am – Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Usher Street, Wakefield Road, Bradford BD4 7DP
Civic Send-off by the Lord Mayor of Bradford finishing at 3.00 pm. It includes Visits to different Religious Places of Worship Visit places of worship unfamiliar to you, experience hospitality of faith communities, make new friends of different faiths, encourage good community relations and pray for peace world wide. For further details contact: Mohinder Singh Chana Tel: 07740 245841 email: mohinder@cyberstyle.it Sister Roisin Hannaway email: r.hannaway@btinternet.com
Jesus and People with Disabilities:A Study in St Mark’s Gospel led by Revd Canon Peter Hutchinson at All Saints Church, Highfield Lane, Keighley BD21 2DW on Saturday 26 June 10.00am-12.00noon. Coffee will be served from 9.30-9.50am.Booking should be made by contacting Kadugli House, 01535 650550.Please inform us of any additional needs and we will contact you before the event to discuss your requirements. Organised by Bradford Diocese Disability Task Group
Growing Organically: Using Church Land as a Model for Environmental Change. A Conference on Saturday 18 September 10.00am-4.00pm, Carrs Lane Church Centre, Birmingham (close to New Street station). Speakers: Prof Sir Ghillean Prance and Bishop James Jones + workshops. Booking essential - details from A Rocha UK, 13 Avenue Road, Southall, Middlesex UB1 3BL.tel 0208 574 5935; email: uk@arocha.org or Google A Rocha UK
Regional Shake Up. FEARS are growing that regional development agencies (RDAs) will fall victim to government spending cuts. The government is reviewing the future of England's RDAs after ordering them to reduce their spending. The agencies have been asked to find £270m of savings - about 20% of their overall budget - for the current year. There have been suggestions that Yorkshire Forward - our RDA - might be saved, but the picture is not clear. Read more... The government is also going to review whether they should keep government offices for the regions. At the same time, they have decided to abolish the Leaders’ Boards in the regions- the local authority leaders’ group which, with members of the Yorkshire Forward Board, had oversight of some of the powers at regional level held previously by the Regional Assemblies, before they were abolished last year.
Funding Central website generates £1.5m for civil society groups: Funding Central, NCVO's free website highlighting thousands of funding and finance opportunities for third sector organisations, has generated £1.5 million in grants and contract funding in its first six months. Thousands of voluntary organisations and social enterprises have benefited from the new website, which also provides valuable advice and information on developing skills to draft winning tenders and successfully apply for grants or loan finance. So far, 100 charities have received funds of between £800 and £85,000 with many more applications pending. Read more
Keighley Interfaith Group – Worship Revealed. Opportunity to visit places of worship and witness the community at prayer. Commentary provided, opportunity for questions. Mon 28th June 7.30pm All Saints, Highfield Compline, Tue 29th June 7.30pm Bhuddaland, Bow Street;Wed 30th June 7pm Friends Meeting House, Skipton Road;Thur 1st July 7.30pm St Anne’s,North Street. Mass; Fri 2nd July 7pm Emily St Mosque. Asar; Mon 5th July 7pm Shah Jalal Mosque, Temple Row Asar; Tues 6th July 7.30pm Shared Church. Methodist style worship. Please attend respectfully dressed. Be prepared to remove footwear in some places, you will be guided by the hosts on any particular evening No visitors will be expected to join in worship. You will be expected to treat the worshipping community with respect Further details: Peter Mott 01535 601499, Tim Garthwaite 01535 210212 ext 403, kinterfaith@holyfamily.ngfl.ac.uk
St Wilfred Lectures on Theology and Education: Religion and Politics – The Role of the Church in Contemporary Society. The third in the series of lectures is on Thursday 8th July by Aaqil Ahmed - BBC Commissioning Editor, Religion and Ethics ‘Religion, Politics and Public Broadcasting. Further lectures are on Thursday 30 September and Thursday 18th November. For further information see www.yorksj.ac.uk/stwilfridlectures. Admission is free but by ticket only. To book at ticket judithbustard@riponcathedral.org.uk or St Wilfred Lectures, Cathedral office, Liberty Courthouse, Minster Road, Ripon. HG4 1QS
Everybody’s Welcome – The Ministry of Welcome. A two hour workshop to experience a range of welcoming ideas and family friends resources for church communities. The cost is £5 per person or £50 per group with Brenda Theakston and Linda Pennington. Contact Linda Pennington on 0113 2618043 or Linda.pennington@dioceseofleeds.org.uk for further information.
Making Local Food Work. Sustain are working on a national food co-ops and buying groups project, which is part of the 'Big' Lottery funded Making Local Food Work programme to help support new and existing food co-ops across England. The main principle behind all community run food co-ops is that by pooling their buying power and ordering food in bulk direct from suppliers or producers, a group of people can buy good food (fresh/healthy/local/organic) at a more affordable price. Small food co-ops or buying groups work by collecting together everyone’s orders in advance, whereas other models operate more like other food businesses in that they order the produce from suppliers and then sell it to their customers via stalls, bag or box schemes, mobile stores, shops or other types of outlet. Lizzie Fellows is keen to contact food co-ops and buying groups operate through church based networks or projects. For further details contact Lizzie on 07814 756511 or
lizzie@sustainweb.org.
Food Co-op Toolkits. As part of the project Sustain have produced a food co-ops toolkit (hard copies available) and a food co-ops finder. They are also providing lots of other support for communities and groups that are interested in setting up a new food co-op or to help develop an existing one, including training days, networking events, conferences, exchange visits, 1:1 advice and free marketing materials. To find more about food co-ops you can visit the main website www.foodcoops.org.
Help for Region’s Historic places of worship. English Heritage Brings Faiths and Denominations Together to Help Congregations Looking After Listed Churches, Chapels, Synagogues, Meeting Houses, Gurdwaras, Temples and Mosques. English Heritage is embarking on the most ambitious attempt yet to assess the condition of the region’s historic places of worship. A major sample survey is being undertaken as part of English Heritage’s Heritage at Risk programme to give a unique insight into the condition of the nation’s listed religious heritage and to find out how many buildings are at serious risk of decay. The results will be announced on 30th June. Yorkshire and the Humber has over 1,300 listed places of worship, spanning 1,000 years of history, from the medieval village churches of North Yorkshire and the Humber, to the huge congregational chapels of West Yorkshire built during the Industrial Revolution, together with landmark churches constructed in the 20th century in South Yorkshire. Over 20% of these buildings are designated as Grade 1 – recognised as being of outstanding national significance. To widen its research and to improve its understanding of how it can best help congregations to help themselves, English Heritage invites anyone with an interest in their local historic church or other place of worship to tell them of their challenges and successes and answer a few simple questions on its website www.english-heritage.org.uk/powar .To ensure you receive a practical guide to looking after a listed place of worship, sign up at www.english-heritage.org.uk/powar
Home is a Holy Place. Two hours to sample the new Home is a Holy Place DVD Resources Pack. We will try out a variety of ideas from the pack to help us to see and to celebrate the joys and sorrows of everyday family life in the light of the Gospel. This will appeal to all family people as well as those who work with or care about families. Cost £5 per person or £50 per group. Contact Brenda Theakston 0113 261 8050 pr flm@flm.org.uk to arrange
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