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Gaining Perspective:

I have been wearing my Inclusive Church badge for a few months now (details on how to buy yours in this issue). At various times and in various places people have asked me “What’s that all about?” I dutifully explained what Inclusive Church stands for, and found I got a very different response depending on whether I was talking to Church-goers or not. Usually Church-goers would say (when I reached the bit about LGBT) something like “You’re fighting a loosing battle there!” (to be fair my diocese is Rochester, not one renowned for inclusive practice). By contrast, if I was speaking to a nonChurch-goer they would almost invariably say “surely that’s just a matter of time now?”

It is easy for those of us who are deeply immersed in the life of the Church of England to forget just how far out of step the Church has become with progress made in secular society. Those who would condemn people because of their sexuality are the extremists, those who would deny the ’top jobs’ to women are the extremists. We are not just campaigning for justice in the C. of E. – we are campaigning for the very existence of the Anglican Church, because if we fail then the Church will be so far behind secular morality that it will be viewed as something between the “Flat Earth Society” and the B.N.P.

Join the campaign for a more just church, a more inclusive church, for the very future of the Church!

Trevor Donnelly

At the January meeting of the IC Executive we met to agree a new long-term objective for Inclusive Church:

“To work alongside our partners for an authorised liturgy to be used following civil partnership ceremonies.”

It is a vital part of our work to create a liturgical expression of the love and commitment of lesbian and gay partnerships, and have it officially authorised for use in the Church of England.

You can read more about this on our website:

You can read a paper here by Revd Brian Lewis, a member of General Synod and of Inclusive Church's Executive Committee, on where we stand at the moment

There is also a sample order of service to help begin discussions on our website

 

Last month Giles Goddard explained our financial situation, and appealed for your help. A HUGE thank you to all those who have responded with inspiring and humbling generosity!

This month we just want to remind all those who set last month’s newsletter to one side, planning to donate later. If you would like to help us, please do it now. Inclusive Church could not exist without the generosity of our supporters. 

Our vital work towards a church of wholeness where all are welcomed and all are included is entirely dependent on donations. Clare's article after this gives some idea of how we use the income we receive.

Even with the increased giving last month, our regular monthly donations do not cover the projected expenditure for the next three years. 

Please can you consider whether you could set up a standing order of £5/£10/£20 month? Or increase the standing order you set up last year? Or send us a one-off donation? It’s very easy. You can set up a standing order on-line:

Our bank account details are

CAF Bank, 25 King’s Hill Avenue, West Malling, Kent ME19 4TA.

Sort code 40-52-40. A/C name The Inclusive Church Network. A/c no 00013299

If you’d prefer not to do that on line, standing order forms are here.  So are Gift Aid forms, in case we don’t already have one from you.

Could you also ask your PCC if it can make a regular or one-off donation as part of its charitable giving? That might offer an opportunity for your PCC to adopt the Statement and ask to go on the directory of Inclusive Churches on the website  We’re hoping larger churches could give as much as £1,000; smaller ones, anything up to £500. We can provide leaflets and further information if you need it.

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

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

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

3) Building up and supporting the voice of black and minority ethnic 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

7) Encouraging a robust theology to support an inclusive church.

8) Working alongside our partners for an authorised liturgy to be used following civil partnership ceremonies

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 Giles Goddard at gileswgoddard@googlemail.com or Clare Herbert at herbert.clare@googlemail.com or ring 07504 577 210.

If you think the work we’re doing is important and worthwhile, PLEASE SUPPORT IT FINANCIALLY. We think we’re doing a great deal on very little, especially when compared with some of the more conservative groups in the church.

If you don’t, please let us know!

Thank you very much indeed.

 

Clare writes: From our first Road Show onwards , in Gloucester on December 4th, my working life has changed from preparation to the busy outworking of our vision for the IC programme in 2009. Here is a taste from the diary….

January 6th – Feast of the Epiphany , the “Consuming Passions Conference Group” meets to plan the sexual ethics day conference of early 2010. We remain firm in our vision to hear the voice of God in all our sexual relationships and journeys while becoming clearer that for some of us huge anger is stirred up by our sexual identity being termed “unholy” and this anger needs to be heard and accepted at such a conference.

January 8th – Inclusive Theology Book Group meets for its first preparation evening in the Dick Sheppard Chapel in the newly refurbished crypt of St Martin-in-the-Fields. A decent sized group from both St Martin’s and IC turn up to plan 6 evenings from May to November – watch this space for details of this group starting after Easter – titles of books and form of each evening will be published with the March Newsletter.

January 12th – Horrendously challenging meeting re Living Christianity! Have to cut a session if its going to work for the 5 weeks of Advent or Lent! Hoped for publication date – WOTS CONFERENCE (Word on the Street – IC national residential conference at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick October 5th – 7th)

January 14th – If it’s Wednesday it must be Manchester…… Huge thanks to the people of St Agnes Church Manchester for hosting our second Road Show at which the Very Revd Rogers Govender spoke to us movingly about his upbringing in South Africa and his call to work in the UK , impressing upon us the need

• To boost the confidence of all black and minority ethnic members of our local Churches, instilling in each other with patience and kindness a “can do” attitude towards all our Church belonging, all our Church roles and positions.

• To find out more. No black or minority ethnic people in church? How about twinning with another church or parish to enable development of understanding and relationships to take place?

• To face facts. We live in a racist society – Church communities offer local bases from which to challenge ignorance, bullying and lack of opportunity to lead

• Support April 23rd , St George’s Day , an afternoon conference hosted by the Association of Black Clergy and supported by Inclusive Church

at St Martin-in-the-Fields Parish Hall , 2.00pm – 5.30pm

“Being Black in Britain – What does it take to Succeed?”

January 17th – 31st – Coordinator’s (self-funded!) Trip to Sri Lanka

Armed with the recently written books and good wishes of Jonathan Clarke, Giles Goddard and Nick Holtam (this inter- group collegiality leads to groaning suitcases!) Philippa and I made our way from Heathrow to Colombo.

In addition to a wonderful holiday taking in the Buddha images so beloved by Thomas Merton at Polonnaruwa, the tea plantations of the Hill Country, and wildlife from elephant to water buffalo , land monitor ( a pet sized reptile) to mongoose, I took the opportunity of being in Sri Lanka to link up with the Anglican Church there. I was privileged to speak with Bishop Duleep de Chickera and his diocesan staff in Colombo , to speak to the Affirming Catholicism group there chaired by Lanka Nesiah my host , and to visit Bishop’s College, Ladies’ College where I took assembly and St Thomas College Mt Lavinia where a young woman priest from the UK is the first female chaplain!

Pictures and more detail to follow post jet-lag but my first impressions are these:

Bishop Duleep had time to take seriously the work of IC even in time of conflict. Even as I sat with him archdeacons were visiting to consult on work in the possible refugee camps to result from the war in the North of the island.

He himself and all his staff courageously stand up to the government, particularly in defence of the media, at every opportunity, work for which he asks our prayers.

He leads a visionary team – new offices are being set up on inter faith dialogue , vital if all people of good faith are to resist continuing oppression of all minorities in Sri Lanka, and conflict resolution education, in addition to emergency relief work. I was impressed and intrigued to find one of Sri Lanka’s first women priests using fully inclusive language in all her publications for family education. She had asked for such language to be used at Bishop Duleep’s service of consecration and it was so!

The Anglican Church in Sri Lanka punches above its size because of its investment in high quality education and its dedicated parish priests working often in the most difficult circumstances of poverty and conflict

Bishop Duleep remains a humorous and optimistic man of faith even in the difficult circumstances he faces in Sri Lanka and which involve him in personal danger – he leads a team committed to basic respect of the other , even in disagreement, to repentance over the superior attitudes which incite resentment and violence among us, to compassion as the well spring of our action in the world, and to an emphasis on the exposure of reality in the present situation and to the making of joint statements with others about that reality rather than their “conversion”

I came away with the sense of having met a diocesan team united in their response to human need seen in the light of Christ’s compassion and with some practical tips about organising for change. In my other meetings I realised how lonely women priests may be when working in isolated and poor circumstances and wondered if WATCH might set up an international email service with free membership for those existing on tight budgets! And I took in how difficult it would be to be gay and lesbian in Sri Lanka – while so much oppression reigns with regard to most minorities, particularly of course the Tamil population, there seems to be no energy or space left over , perhaps understandably but also surely sadly, for the recognition of or outreach to the LGBT community. I also engaged with the work of a Charity connected to King’s College London, “Samutthana” “Reconciliation” working to offer trauma counselling to communities in grief as a result of the ongoing war and the remaining effects of the tsunami. I hope that IC may be able to work with them as a small step in the achievement in Sri Lanka of the Millennium development goals – watch this space in the March Newsletter.

Travels over…….

February 7th – Just back in time for the Inclusive Language Conference Day , now to be held upstairs in church at St Peter’s Walworth so that we can welcome all comers in to a large space, with food and bookstall only downstairs in InSpire at lunch and tea-time. Booking details attached in case you still want to come.

March 4th – I enclose the poster too for the Road Show in Jesmond, Newcastle, created by our new in house graphic designer, discovered at the Gloucester event. Many thanks, Tati Howell! Clare

Road_show_Jesmond_4th_March.pdf

Stand up and being counted for the cause of inclusion!

The badge is the multicoloured windmill logo developed for the Lambeth Conference and visible below -

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

You can also pay by a direct transfer into our bank account: CAF bank sort code 40-52-40 a/c no 00013299 then send us an email at herbert.clare@googlemail.com with the address for postage and number of badges required.

 

Saturday 7th February , 11.00am – 4.00pm

St Peter’s Church Liverpool Grove, London SE17 2HH

Day Conference on Inclusive Language,

“WHAT SHALL WE SAY?”

This day conference will tackle the importance of inclusive language while asking

the practical question – how to integrate its use in parish life?

With Lucy Winkett, Steven Shakespeare, June Boyce-Tillman, Elizabeth Baxter

Email herbert.clare@googlemail.com for booking details

 

Saturday 14th February

Centre for the Study of Christianity and Sexuality AGM

Revd Clare Herbert – keynote address

“GATHER US IN – INCLUSIVE SEXUAL ETHICS AND PASTORAL CARE”

 

Sunday March 1st at 6.00pm

Dorchester Abbey, Oxfordshire

“HOW DO WE READ THE BIBLE?”

with David Winter and Giles Goddard

 

Weds March 4th at 6.30pm

St George’s, Jesmond, Newcastle

INCLUSIVE CHURCH ROAD SHOW

 

March 20th and 21st

Old St Paul’s Church, Edinburgh

“INCLUSIVE CHURCH RECEPTION AND ROAD SHOW”

 

Thursday 2nd April, at 1.00pm

Liverpool Parish Church

LENTEN LECTURE BY THE REVD CANON GILES GODDARD

 

Thursday April 23rd 2.00pm – 5.30pm

St Martin- in - the Fields on St George’s Day

“BEING BLACK IN BRITAIN - WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SUCCEED?”

Overcoming barriers in society and church to success for black and minority ethnic people

An afternoon conference hosted by the Association of Black Clergy

Supported by Inclusive Church

 

Saturday May 16thb>

ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH NOTTINGHAM

“ALL OF US - INCLUSIVE CHURCH ROAD SHOW”

 

Saturday 13th June

Church of the Resurrection, Churchway, MACCLESFIELD

“ALL OF US - INCLUSIVE CHURCH ROAD SHOW”

 

Saturday July 4th Day Conference

LIVERPOOL (venue t.b.a)

“ALL OF US - INCLUSIVE CHURCH ROAD SHOW”

Special theme – the LGBT agenda

 

Saturday August 1st

BATH

INCLUSIVE CHURCH ROAD SHOW

 

August 29th – 31st

Inclusive Church at Greenbelt

 

September 12th

INCLUSIVE CHURCH “IC THE FUTURE” ANNIVERSARY WALK, LONDON

 

Monday October 5th – Wednesday October 7th

SWANWICK, THE HAYES CENTRE

Second National Residential Conference

“WORD ON THE STREET” – THE BIBLE IN OUR FAITH AND LIFE (booking from February 11th)

 

Friday 20th November

Sheldon, Devon

Revd Clare Herbert presents the

INCLUSIVE CHURCH ROAD SHOW

at the “Friday Fringe”

The Society of Martha and Mary, Sheldon

 

January / February 2010

Birmingham

“Consuming Passions”

Reflecting Responsibly on the Sexual Journey

An Inclusive Church Day Conference

Supported by The Centre for the Study of Christianity and Sexuality

 

If you would like to attend any of these events or know more about them,

please contact us on office@inclusivechurch.net

or telephone Revd Clare Herbert, National Coordinator for Inclusive Church 07504 577210

 

 

“WHAT SHALL WE SAY?”

“WHAT SHALL WE SAY?” – conference joining information

Saturday 7th February 2009

(from 10.30 registration and coffee) 11.00am – 4.00pm

At “InSpire” St Peter’s Church, Liverpool Grove, London SE17 2HH (near Elephant and Castle)

Travel

Train, bus or tube to Elephant and Castle Station (on Northern (Bank) Line and Bakerloo Line.) Take Station Exits marked “Shopping Centre”. Take any bus towards Camberwell (get off at Westmoreland Road bus stop, 5 mins), or turn left from Elephant Roundabout and walk down left hand side of Walworth Road (15mins). Liverpool Grove is the second street on the left after East Street and M & S. St Peter’s Church is in front of you. “InSpire” is a community centre down a ramp to the left of the Church. Welcome!

Booking:

Please send cheques made payable to Inclusive Church for £15 (or £5 if unwaged) with a note of your full contact details (inc email) to Rev Clare Herbert , National Coordinator of Inclusive Church , St Peter’s Church, Liverpool Grove, London SE17 2HH, or pay on the door with an email booking to herbert.clare@googlemail.com

MAP www.in-spire.org.uk/location.shtml

 

Contact us

AN INVITATION TO PRAYER AND FASTING

WEDNESDAY, 11th FEBRUARY 2009

You are invited to join in a day of prayer, meditation and fasting as General Synod debates the draft legislation and code of practice for women bishops.

On the morning of Wednesday 11th February, the General Synod will be giving first consideration to the draft proposals which will open the episcopate to women and which will also include arrangements for those who remain opposed to women’s priestly and Episcopal ministry in the Church of England.

The General Synod will have to decide whether or not to commend the draft proposals to the revision stage, where further work will need to be done. There are difficult decisions to make on the proposals for women bishops, and we wish to support members of General Synod and one another as we join with the wider church community to pray for God’s wisdom and guidance during this continuing process.

Whilst many of us look forward with eager longing and expectation to the day when women and men together will share in the Episcopal ministry in the Church of England, we acknowledge that some do not share in our confidence and joy. We do not seek to disregard or dismiss our differences and we trust that, through ongoing prayer, we may all receive healing of our hurt and pain and a renewed vision of God’s will for our Church, as together we seek new ways to express the unity to which Christ calls us.

We believe differences on women’s ordination and on other issues must not be allowed to obscure the faith we share: our utter dependence on and acceptance of God’s unconditional love, our interdependence as members of Christ’s body, and our calling to care for one another and the world in which we live. We remain committed to working with our sisters and brothers in Christ, regardless of our differences, to the glory of God and to the furtherance of the Kingdom.

The National WATCH Executive Committee

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