Discipleship Encounters for Wrockwardine Deanery on Wednesday 18th April
1 21st Century Discipleship – Mick Ellor
This session examines what “discipleship” means in today’s society, culture and church, and the tools we have available to help us, both personal and corporate.
2 The Community of St Chad: Going Deeper in Mission, Prayer and Discipleship – Barry Wilson
This session will introduce ‘The Community of St Chad’ as a means of helping us to ‘Discover the Heart of God’; to go deeper in mission, prayer and discipleship; to provide a model of missional spirituality which connects at an individual and small group level.
3 Every Member Ministry – Lindsey Hall
This session will aim to encourage the involvement of the whole congregation (and beyond) in the work of the Church; to think about Ministry as the work of the whole people of God, rather than the occupation of the clergy. The encounter will explore some practical strategies to involve a wide range of people in building the kingdom, and challenge the way we think about ‘jobs that need to be done’ in the Church.
4 Difficulties in Prayer — Mark Rylands
This session will try to be an honest encounter with issues of dryness, a feeling of pointlessness, no-go areas, self-indulgence and other difficulties that are familiar to many at some stage in their journey of prayer.
5 Looking after God’s fragile, beautiful creation – Paul Cawthorne
This session will explore practical easy steps to show we care in church and at home, and aim to encourage actions we can easily take to show our commitment to care for creation through: through:
- a basic environmental audit of our church activities and domestic setting
- discussion of imperative of redemptive action, through personal example and wider engagement
- discussion of the depth of existing problems and a theological exploration of that
- encouragement of hope as a spur to action
This will link naturally with the Diocesan Climate Justice campaign.
Discipleship Encounters for Shrewsbury Deanery Event on Tuesday 22nd May
Christ Church, Bayston Hill 7.15-9.3pm
1 21st Century Discipleship – Mick Ellor
This session examines what “discipleship” means in today’s society, culture and church, and the tools we have available to help us, both personal and corporate.
2 Every Member Ministry – Lindsey Hall
This session will aim to encourage the involvement of the whole congregation (and beyond) in the work of the Church; to think about Ministry as the work of the whole people of God, rather than the occupation of the clergy.
3 The Community of St Chad: Going Deeper in Mission, Prayer and Discipleship – Barry Wilson
This session will introduce ‘The Community of St Chad’ as a means of helping us to ‘Discover the Heart of God’; to go deeper in mission, prayer and discipleship; to provide a model of missional spirituality which connects at an individual and small group level.
4 World Mission: The Christ We Share – Philip Swan
This ‘encounter’ aims to celebrate and share different understandings and experiences of following Christ; to show how these differences are positive; to deepen our mission, prayer and discipleship as we learn from the world church; to provide creative engaging ways of praying for the world church.
5 Jesus in the Countryside – Christopher Penn
We live in a countryside that may have been created by God, but has been manipulated by us. During the session people will be invited to reflect on our place in the order of all things and our responsibility in that order, given that God has made us a little lower than the Angels.
6 Praying with the Gospels – Mark Rylands
Our imagination is a gift from God. It can be used for make-believe, or the real thing! This session will include an introduction to Ignatius of Loyola and his form of prayer; some help in preparation; a guided opportunity to try it out and then an opportunity for silent personal reflection and then reflection in groups.
7 Difficulties in Prayer – Christine Polhill
This session will try to be an honest encounter with issues of dryness, a feeling of pointlessness, no-go areas, self-indulgence and other difficulties that are familiar to many at some stage in their journey of prayer.
8 Spiritual and pastoral Care at the End of Life – Mark Thomas
This session will offer teaching and discussion as to how we can provide appropriate spiritual and pastoral care for those in the last year of life, from the basis of our own humanity, mortality and Christian faith.
9 New Monasticism – a re-founding of Christian Community life or just monasticism-lite? – Mark Berry
This session is an exploration of the phenomena which is being called New Monasticism: what does it actually look like for these small communities, what are the values and practices which inform their living, how do they relate to the traditions and spirituality of traditional monasticism and the church, what is the place and understanding of mission and the sacraments for them? What might it mean for the Church as we know it?
10 Faith for Work: Living Every Day with Purpose – Bill Mash
The Bible has a very positive view of the material world and our place as workers in it, but the church has not always shared that. We will look at our motives for work and the opportunities the workplace offers for authentic Christian discipleship. This “Encounter” is both for people in employment, and for anyone who is interested in supporting people in their work.
11 Looking after God’s fragile, beautiful creation – Paul Cawthorne
This session will explore practical easy steps to show we care in church and at home, and aim to encourage actions we can easily take to show our commitment to care for creation.
12 Developing Faith at Home – Cerys Hughes
This session will explore developing faith and spirituality at home and praying together as a family. The session will provide practical activities to do as a family to develop faith and spirituality.
Discipleship Encounters For Telford Deanery Event on Saturday 28th April.
All Saints, Wellington
10 – 12.30
1 21st Century Discipleship – George Fisher
This session examines what “discipleship” means in today’s society, culture and church, and the tools we have available to help us, both personal and corporate.
2 Praying For Our Communities – Pauline Mack
The session will ask: How would you pray for your community? And look at different and creative ways of praying. The overall aim is to encounter God’s heart for our communities – so that we can reach out to those in need by praying with a cross–section of Christians.
3 The Community of St Chad: Going Deeper in Mission, Prayer and Discipleship – Barry Wilson
This session will introduce ‘The Community of St Chad’ as a means of helping us to ‘Discover the Heart of God’; to go deeper in mission, prayer and discipleship; to provide a model of missional spirituality which connects at an individual and small group level.
4 World Mission: The Christ We Share – Philip Swan
This ‘encounter’ aims to celebrate and share different understandings and experiences of following Christ; to show how these differences are positive; to deepen our mission, prayer and discipleship as we learn from the world church; to provide creative engaging ways of praying for the world church.
5 Praying with the Gospels – Mark Rylands
Our imagination is a gift from God. It can be used for make-believe, or the real thing! This session will include an introduction to Ignatius of Loyola and his form of prayer; some help in preparation; a guided opportunity to try it out and then an opportunity for silent personal reflection and then reflection in groups.
6 Difficulties in Prayer – Charles Ruxton
This session will try to be an honest encounter with issues of dryness, a feeling of pointlessness, no-go areas, self-indulgence and other difficulties that are familiar to many at some stage in their journey of prayer.
7 Developing Faith at Home – Cerys Hughes
This session will explore developing faith and spirituality at home and praying together as a family. The session will provide practical activities to do as a family to develop faith and spirituality.
8 Prayer for Healing – Christine Polhill
In this session we will look together at the issues surrounding prayer for healing that are relevant for the group and explore ways of introducing the ministry in church in ordinary church services. The style of this encounter is one of discussion together. At some point we will pray for healing in pairs as a practice.
9 Children’s Spirituality: Working with Space: Judith Clarkson
This encounter will look at how we use the physical space we work in and how we give time and space to develop exploration and imagination. To look at how we can develop and retain the sense of awe and wonder in our children and how we as adults can learn from this and apply to our own busy lives. Activities will include a floor picture story and rediscovering your inner child.
10 Saving the Prodigals: Church Leaving and Returning – Andy Smith
Our churches continue to lose people; for every person in the pews there are four who have left! It is increasingly important that we understand the reasons why people leave to see how we might make changes in how we do church to make that less likely to happen; we can also learn about ways in which some of this huge pool of Church leavers might be helped back to our church communities. In this session, Andy will offer practical strategies to help avoid the leaving and facilitate the returning.