e-xpressions September 2009

Welcome

Welcome to the September edition of e-xpressions. If you've visited our website in the last week, you'll have already seen our brand new look. If not, why not get over there for new stories about Church on Tap and Earsfield Friary.

In this month's podcast we learn about one Sheffield church's Focus Service for those with learning difficulties, hear from the pubs, cafés and school frequented by Christ Church Brighton and reflect with Stephen Lindridge on a guy starting a dance party. You can listen to the latest podcast or check out the archive.

Stop press: Karen's fresh challenge

Karen Carter, a former journalist on the BBC's staff magazine, Ariel, has been appointed as our Senior Writer and Media Officer. Also once a staff writer for the Christian Herald, Karen will be leaving her role as Chichester District Council's Public Relations officer at the end of September.

Read the full media release.

The Heineken Factor

Some of us view our churches unfairly. We want them to be more hospitable, more outward looking and to draw more people to Christ. So we should, but the unfairness comes when we assume that anyone should be welcome in our church, and any and everyone be able to fit in.

The first part is right – whoever turns up or is invited should be made welcome. But the second part – anyone could fit – needs more careful attention. Yes local churches should comprise of a wide variety of people - God never intended them to be 'homogeneous units' – collections of the like minded. But we too often assume that people should come to us, and be expected to fit into church as we have established it and like it.

But Christ commissioned his church to go, not to tell people to come. If we limit ourselves to those who might come we probably cut out whole sectors of the population. And these are people for whom Christ died and to whom we owe the gospel. So the challenge is to go where they are and plant different kinds of congregations – fresh expressions of church – which are not as we like church, but which, rather, are appropriate to help them to discover Jesus.

The way to increase diversity in the church is not to try and create single congregations where anyone can come: because many types of people won't come. Rather plant a variety of congregations which act together as one church. That way you can enlarge the range of people whom your church reaches and serves. It has been said before, but fresh expressions are meant to be a Holy Spirit anointed Heineken factor – reaching the parts which church as we like it doesn't reach. In the end, which is the more important – only having church as we like it, or also planting fresh expressions of church, so that far more of our society can believe in Christ?

+Graham Cray

What a journey!

So exclaimed Anglican Margaret Penfold on completing the one year learning experience mission shaped ministry. Margaret, who took part in msm Telford, said that 'the course has been amazing'. A fellow participant encouraged others to join saying 'If you want to see God at work go on a Fresh Expressions (msm) course!'

Over 1200 people in 30 centres across the UK have now participated in msm. For news of forthcoming courses please see the list of msm courses available. To enquire about hosting an msm course in your area please email us.

Action learning and fresh expressions

Are you:

an Ordained Pioneer Minister or a Church Army Evangelist?
enabling a fresh expression of church?
making it up as you go along?
finding yourself in new and challenging situations?

Then an action learning network might be for you. Action learning networks are a space to meet with 4-5 others at least 3 times a year and to bring something from your ministry situation that you'd like some help with. Ask questions and reflect on your practice, hear about what's happening to others and stimulate your thinking with outside input.

There's an introductory residential on 21st-22nd October 2009 in Sheffield to start things off and you can find out more on the Action learning and fresh expressions page.

Are you the sort of person who puts together a bookshelf instinctively without reading the instructions – only consulting the assembly manual when you're stuck - or do you have to read every word of the instructions first and lay the different parts out in order?

Whichever personality type you are, the Guide part of Share is for you! Have you already started a fresh expression? Maybe you could use the Guide to review where you're at. Or if you're thinking of starting one, have a browse through the pages of the Guide. You might find something that helps.

You could start at the first section of the Guide, What are fresh expressions all about?, then move on to: How might we start a fresh expression?, which includes more than a dozen pages of practical suggestions and advice.

If you have advice of your own to share, please leave a comment on any of the pages.

Fresh Expressions where you are

Fresh Expressions will be leading a vision day in Skipton on the 26th of September. If you would like to come along you would be more than welcome. On our training and events pages you'll find details of a host of forthcoming vision days - more on these next month.

We are also launching msm in various parts of the country this coming month. Courses will begin in Sutton in Ashfield, Canterbury, Milton Keynes, Penrith and Preston, Durham, Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge. If you'd like to know more about any of these courses, or other msm centres across the country, do view the list of msm courses available.

And finally

Don't miss the Fresh Expressions workshops at the Mission21 church planting conference in Bath, 17-19th November. Key Fresh Expressions speakers include Bob and Mary Hopkins, Pete and Kath Atkins and a special 'on the sofa' session with Bishop Graham Cray. Book on the Mission21 website.

See you again next month,
The Fresh Expressions team.