(Media) Bishop of Hereford: 'Where is the energy to come from for mission?'

What does mission mean in a village of 200 and a congregation of 10? Where is the energy and the time to come from when we are facing the day to day issues, including care of people - and of church buildings? What part can, or should, our schools play?

These are some of the questions posed by the Bishop of Hereford, Rt Revd Anthony Priddis, in advance of a one year, part-time mission shaped ministry course, starting in Bromyard on Saturday (24th April).

We all know that we need to strengthen our focus on 'mission' and be more fully 'mission-shaped' in our congregations. We know that it is the God of mission who entrusts his missionary work to us. But what does this mean in practice? What is the vision in our congregations? How can that vision be excited, encouraged and motivate changes and developments?

He says the answers will come from the Fresh Expressions msm course, which is being run by Hereford Diocese, with ecumenical partners and participation from Worcester Diocese.

This course will help provide ideas, theology, and examples,

he says.

It will also give a context for exploring the difficulties as we grapple with the issues of how to develop fresh expressions of church in our rural context, but above all how to be the missionary people that God desires.

Running over seven Thursdays, three Saturdays and one residential weekend away, msm is to be based at the Parish Rooms, Bromyard, with the residential sessions being held at Holland House, Pershore.

The host is Revd Sarah Cawdell, coordinator for Bromyard fresh expressions, with course teachers including Bishop Graham Cray, Archbishops' Missioner and leader of the Fresh Expressions team; Martyn Atkins, General Secretary of the Methodist Church; Roger Morris, Archdeacon of Worcester; Andrew Roberts, Fresh Expressions' Director of Training; Methodist Missioners Michelle Simms and Jeff Reynolds and Messy Church co-ordinator Lucy Moore.

Revd Howard Mayell, of Hereford Diocesan Evangelism Committee, said:

A mission shaped ministry course offers a practical approach to mission in a wide variety of ways involving people from all sorts of backgrounds encouraging them to reach out to their local communities in relevant and exciting ways.

Revd Bill Anderson, Chair of Birmingham Methodist District, added:

mission shaped ministry should be the goal of the whole Church and so this course, growing out of the Church's journey in mission and ministry through fresh expressions, is a real opportunity to develop thinking and patterns of working.

The course dates, times and venues can be found on the msm Bromyard page on the Fresh Expressions website.

The cost of the course is £200 which covers all materials, refreshments and the residential weekend.

For further details, contact Fiona Brooke, MDT Office, Diocese of Hereford, Diocesan Office (Ludlow), Units 8 & 9 The Business Quarter, Ludlow Eco Park, Sheet Road, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 1FD, mdt@hereford.anglican.org, 01584 871085.