(Media) Autumn start for more mission shaped ministry courses across the UK - and Canada

A new season of Fresh Expressions mission shaped ministry courses, which help Christians to reach those not involved in traditional churches, gets underway in September and October.

From Scotland to Gloucester and York to Plymouth, the autumn series also includes the first international course in Toronto.

The one-year, part-time msm course looks at how to start, and sustain, fresh expressions of church. Since its launch in 2007, 1,580 participants have flocked to 45 courses. By this time next year, it is estimated that approximately 2,500 people will have been involved in msm in the UK making the course a major contributor to lay and ordained ministry training.

The autumn UK courses will take place in Edinburgh, Kent and South East, North East, Sussex/Surrey, York, Gloucester, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, South Wales, Plymouth and Stoke.

The 24-unit course is usually presented over three Saturdays; a residential weekend; and six or seven weekday evenings. For those developing fresh expressions of church, mentoring is offered in between meetings. Individuals are very welcome to sign up for the course but organisers have found that learning is enhanced when people come as part of small groups.

The Bishop of Chichester, Rt Revd John Hind, said,

Fresh expressions of church are an increasing feature of the Christian landscape. The msm course is a valuable tool to encourage theological reflection and good practice in ministry. I do commend it both to those already involved in fresh expressions and those in the process of discerning whether this is the right step for them.

Among other topics, the course looks at:

• the mission of God;
• vision and values;
• gospel and culture;
• evangelism and discipleship;
• what is Church?
• leadership and team roles;
• missional spirituality;
• worship and the sacraments;
• how to keep going when things get tough.

Overseeing the course content is the mission shaped ministry Board. Its members include Howard Mellor (Chair), Joanna Cox, Bishop Graham Cray, Jonny Baker, Ian Mobsby, Bob and Mary Hopkins, Pete and Kath Atkins, John Drane and Zoe Hart.

For further details about msm and the 2010 courses, visit the mission shaped ministry website.