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This month I’ve been discussing the life of Martin Luther King Jr with the young offenders I work with.

The story of his courage and passion for justice is still inspiring new generations; several commentators have described the election of Barack Obama in the U.S. as a (at least partial) fulfilment of Martin Luther King’s Dream. While I was reading up on Martin Luther King I came across two quotations that spoke to me about our work to build a Church that is fully Inclusive:

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom.”

It is tempting to think that the victory of an Inclusive way of thinking and of being church is inevitable. But change will only come about through the efforts of people like you and me.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

When we are hated, when we meet with prejudice and attitudes that are unworthy of the name ‘Christian’ it is tempting to return hate for hate. But it is our duty and our Christian Calling not only to build a better Church, but to show our opponents how followers of Christ should behave –with love and dignity and respect for all people.

This issue we are looking at lots of Christian ways that you can help:

You can raise the profile of inclusion – write to your Bishops and to Rowan, wear the badge and tell people what it is; you can financially help us by donating to Inclusive Church. You can make a difference!

www.youtube.com/user/inclusivechurch

Subscribe to our videos, rate them, and forward them to your friends!

It sounds unimportant, but wearing a badge can be a powerful tool in proclaiming the inclusive nature of the Gospel. When Bishops attend gatherings of Christians the reactionary conservatives are not afraid to make their presence known, we must also make sure that Inclusive Christians are visible.

Its more than jewellery, it is standing up and being counted for the cause of inclusion.

Badges:

£1 + £2 p&p (regardless of number ordered)

Please send your orders to:

The Treasurer, Inclusive Church, St Peter's Church, Liverpool Grove, Walworth, London, SE17 2HH

 

If you live near Gloucester or Manchester please come and support our next two roadshows:

“All of us” A Roadshow about Inclusive Church

Thursday 4th December

St Paul’s Church, Gloucester 6:30 – 9:00p.m.

6.30pm - Giles Goddard and Clare Herbert will present their understanding of the origins of Inclusive Church and its importance within the Anglican Tradition.

7.30pm - Celebrate over an Indian meal!

8.15pm - Clare and Giles present the ongoing work of Inclusive Church and answer questions.

9.00pm – prayers and home.

To book a place e-mail Adrian Slade on glossr@star.co.uk

or phone 01242 253162. This event is free, and a retiring collection will be taken to cover costs.

Wednesday 14th January

7.30pm St Agnes Church Manchester

Inclusive Church Seminar and Supper

“How may Inclusive Church be responsive to the needs and aspirations of black people in the Church”

A discussion led by the Very Revd Rogers Govender – Dean of Manchester Cathedral

with an introduction to Inclusive Church from Giles Goddard and Clare Herbert

All are very welcome to the supper at 7.30pm and the discussion afterwards, whether subscribers to Inclusive Church already, enquirers or simply interested!

7.30pm – Supper

8.00pm – An introduction to Inclusive Church

8.30pm – The Very Revd Rogers Govender

And while our next event after that is in London its scope is far-reaching

Saturday 7th February 2009

Inclusive Church Day Conference

“Inspire” at St Peter’s Church , Liverpool Grove , Walworth, London SE17 2HH

(St Peter’s is 15 mins walk or 5 mins bus from Elephant and Castle Tube)

11.00am – 4.00pm

“The Importance and Use of Inclusive language in the Liturgy”

The emphasis of this day conference will be hands – on. Why is it important to consider inclusive language in the liturgy (Speaker The Revd Canon Lucy Winkett) and how do we apply our thinking in the context of parish life and the use of Common Worship?

Please contact Clare Herbert if you would like to come – cost of day £15, (including lunch) email IC or herbert.clare@googlemail.com or 07504 577210

 

(There is still work to be done!)

We have heard that Archbishop Rowan is receiving huge amounts of mail from those opposed to women as bishops and to having a Code of Practice. The opponents of inclusion are still fighting and believe that they can still change or influence Synod’s decision.

Please write to the Legislative Drafting Group (who are creating the legislation to include women as Bishops in the Church of England). We should also write to Rowan as Chair of the House of Bishops making similar and related points.

We need to act quickly because the Legislative Drafting Group meets next on 14th November and the House of Bishops meets next on 12th December.

It is vital to mobilise ALL those in the Church who want to have women as bishops, and who think a Code is an acceptable way forward.

Once again, reactionary conservatives / fundamentalists have pulled out all the stops to try to shake Rowan’s confidence that going ahead is the right thing at this time and that a Code will suffice.

We need to be able to show that we speak for the vast majority of Anglicans in this country.

Some points that could be made in a letter include:

• We know that the Church is ready for and wishes to have women as bishops

• General Synod is competent to decide on having women as bishops

• General Synod in July showed some of what Synod did not want. This must not be put into the Code.

• A Code of Practice CAN work (Forward in Faith is saying it cannot work).

• There must be no separately consecrated bishops. In other words, no more ‘flying’ bishops, and those men who are currently flying bishops should be invited to become ‘proper’ assistant bishops, ministering to all in their area, not just to those who oppose women’s ordained ministries.

• Most of all, we must act in faith based on what we believe about what baptism in Christ means for all people, our mission imperative (over the past 2000 years women have been excluded from different types of ministry because of how it would affect the mission of the Church in the context of the surrounding culture. We need to be asking, what will help our mission now?), and trusting in where God has led us so far.

If you write nothing else, please reassure Rowan that there are many thousands of people in the Church who long to have women as bishops and who see this as God’s guidance and direction for the Church. He needs to be supported in his position as Archbishop of Canterbury and encouraged that the vast majority of the Church are behind him and the bishops in moving forward with consecrating women.

Letters to the Legislative Drafting Group should be sent to: The Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch, Bishopscourt, Bury New Road, Manchester, M7 4LE

Letters to the House of Bishops should be sent to: Jonathan Neil-Smith, Secretary to the House of Bishops, Church House, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3NZ

With thanks to Christina Rees (Chair of WATCH)

 

Doctor Jenny Te Paa is Principal of Te Rau Kahikatea, College of St. John the Evangelist in New Zealand, and has recently become a Patron of Inclusive Church.

We interviewed Jenny to find out about her life and faith, and why Inclusion is so important to her.

Would you please tell us a little about your Journey of Faith?

I am a ‘cradle Anglican’! Baptised as an infant and lovingly nurtured in my faith as a young person, I have remained actively involved with the Anglican Church throughout my adult life.

As an indigenous woman my faith journey has been heavily influenced by my profoundly humanitarian, social justice leaning, evangelical CMS forebears. My childhood formative liturgical influence was the 1662 Prayer Book but most frequently in the vernacular of my people – indigenous Maori. My ecclesiological formation was greatly influenced by my regular childhood experience of witnessing normative ecumenical cooperation.

As an adult I have been involved at the leadership level of parish and national church life for the past thirty years. My movement into leadership within theological education was not a conscious career planning choice! It occurred as a direct result of my secular and ecclesial activism in support of indigenous struggle for self-determination and redemptive justice. It was the elders of my tribal community who initially ‘anointed’ me into the trusted position of leadership in theological education that I have now held for the past 16 years.

To read the rest of the interview click here

Following the evening “Women Included?” at Southwark cathedral a couple of interesting questions emerged which are important not to lose.

Considerable work goes into how marginalised groups within the life of the Church of England may become mainstream and their “opponents” appropriately cared for and honoured. But little concentration is given to the study of the effects of oppressing marginalised groups on all of us. What is the effect of oppression on all of us? What is the effect on all of us that are part of a Church which marginalises certain minorities within its life? And what is the direct affect of oppression upon those who are being marginalised? These questions seem to receive little attention from the Church – answers to the Newsletter for further inclusion in our work.

A Book Group for Inclusive Church - I am very keen to start a Book Group to run for a year at St Martin-in-the-Fields in the newly restored Dick Sheppard Chapel probably monthly on a Thursday evening. But I want to do this in such a way that it is owned by the subscribers to IC and created in such a format that it can be used by subscribers all over the UK if they in their turn wish to form a local group. This simple format of meeting for theological discussion around an inclusive theme seems to me to be one way to resource ourselves and others in a well researched inclusive theology while having fun and meeting others! Would anyone like to help? I would like volunteers to help with Book Titles, Admin, Room preparation on the night, Creating a format to be sent elsewhere, taking small subscriptions, hosting and leading on the odd occasions I cannot be there, and if need be buying books!

If you would be willing to join a planning and practice group for the Inclusive Church Book Group and can come to a meeting at 6.30pm in the Dick Sheppard Chapel of St Martin-in-the-Fields on Thursday 3rd January (planning to create post Easter group) please would you let me know – either to the IC email or herbert.clare@googlmail.com or 07504 577210

Inclusion is central to the Gospel, and not an optional extra. IC Tomorrow is our new campaign to build a better church. We believe that for Christianity to flourish, we need to rediscover a passionate commitment to the welcome which Jesus Christ offers to all people.

Inclusive Church exists to help the Church of England become a place of wholeness, where all are welcomed into the transformative and redemptive love of God.

There is a lot of work to be done and Inclusive Church has set out a bold strategy to make a difference for those currently marginalised in the church community.

Our vital work towards a church of wholeness where all are welcomed and included is entirely dependent on donations from supporters such as you.

IC Tomorrow - our strategy for 2009 - 2012 - builds towards a better church by, among other things:

1) Working and campaigning to be sure that women can become bishops without discrimination;

2) Building up and supporting the voice of black and minority ethnic people in the church;

3) Working for the full recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people in the church;

4) Working with our partners to implement the Millennium Development Goals and increase inclusion by reducing poverty;

5) Developing “Living Christianity” – courses for new and established Christians to build up their faith and understanding with an inclusive perspective;

6) Building and equipping the network of parishes and groups committed to the inclusive Gospel

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP ACHIEVE ANY OF THIS.

One-off donations are very welcome, however, the best way to make a difference is to give a regular donation by standing order. Credit card donations can also be made by going to www.inclusivechurch.net and clicking on “Donations”.

Regular donations enable us to plan our work with greater certainty, and mean that you don’t have to worry about writing cheques and enable you to spread what you would like to give over a period. A planned donation of as little as £5 per month can make a big difference to what we are able to achieve, though the more you can give per month the more we can achieve in realising the dream of a church where all are equally welcomed and included.

The anticipated costs of our current strategic programme are around £50,000 per year.

A gift-aided donation of £20 per month could help us do much, including:

Develop new modules of our Living Christianity course and pay towards the development of course materials;

A day conference on hearing the voices of black and minority ethnic people;

Run additional road shows around the country to promote the work of Inclusive Church;

Produce better publicity and campaigning materials for parish distribution;

Equip and train a team of regional Inclusive Church key supporters to widen the reach of our work.

A gift-aided donation increases the contribution to us by 28% so if you are a UK taxpayer please remember to complete the Gift Aid declaration.

For further information contact Clare Herbert at herbert.clare@googlemail.com or ring 07504 577 210.

THANK YOU for your help and support.

Space for Grace

Creating Inclusive Churches

Giles Goddard, with a foreword by Peter Selby

Like so many others, the church of which Giles Goddard is rector

was, fifty years ago, almost exclusively white, middle class and

male-led. As the local community became more diverse, change

was inevitable. Theology has followed rather than led this change

and this book reflects on what inclusive theology is starting to look

like in practice.

Including stories of people who have either been instrumental in

this change or who have stayed faithful through its various stages,

it explores key questions for every local church:

• embracing the evangelical, orthodox and liberal and seeing

beyond labels

• treating everyone as equal before God

• sharing leadership and responsibility

• recognising that freedom needs limits

• drawing people from the margins to the centre

• managing change

978 18511 916 3 paperback 144pp £12.99 October 2008

Prayers for an Inclusive Church

With CD-ROM

Collects for Sundays Years A, B & C, for Festivals and Seasonal Prayers

Steven Shakespeare

This collection, which is designed to be used with Common

Worship, includes:

• a collect for every Sunday in the three year cycle, plus key

festivals

And for each season:

• a form of confession

• an introduction to the peace

• a Eucharistic prayer

• postcommunion prayers

• final blessings

This collection draws on the rich biblical imagery of the lectionary

readings to create prayers with poetic immediacy, depth and

striking beauty.

978 185311 915 6 hardback 224pp £16.99 October 2008

IC receives £1 for every joint order to the publishers.  Here's the order form

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