November 2007

Dear Colleagues
Please find below a compilation of information & resources

Vision days
These are one day introduction/explorations of mission shaped activity and fresh expressions – led by members of the Fresh Expressions team and practitioners. Details for these are on the website – see http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk

Online Fresh Expressions Guide
SHARE has been launched http://www.sharetheguide.org as a cyber resource for shared learning. Great to have comments and stimulate debate among more catholic networks and to connect learning networks of practitioners.

Mission Shaped Training
Fresh Expressions have instigated a ‘Mission Shaped Ministry’ (MSM) course with 7 centres with 350 students. FE hope to have 20 centres by September 2008. Most areas of the country are now covered. First edit of the material is almost complete and a second edit begins in December – if you are interested in seeing or reviewing this material get in touch with Steven Croft at Fresh Expressions.

Mission shaped Intro
This is a free downloadable introduction to parishes, available from the Fresh Expressions Website from January 2008. This material again has been extensively piloted and is in final edit and design now.

Speakers for local SCP gatherings
As some know we are working in partnership with the Society of Catholic Priests, to explore the possibility of regional groups inviting a FE practitioners to go and speak with them about FE from the contemplative and catholic constituency. If you are willing to do some speaking – or are an SCP group and want someone to talk – do contact Ian Mobsby.

Training Opportunities created by contemplative & catholic FE practitioners

1. Contemplative Fire in london Sun 2nd Dec | Evening Gathering | St Ethelburga’s Bishopgate, London 6pm
This event seeks to explore the theme of God’s wild wisdom, Spirit’s gentle grace. See http://www.contemplativefire.org for more details.

2. Contemplative Fire in London Sat 24th November 2007 | Workshop | London Centre for Spirituality, London 10-4pm
This is a workshop exploring the theme of The Christ Mystery: Revealing Wisdom, Healing Life. See http://www.contemplativefire.org for more details.

3. Blah Oxford – The place of the emerging church with Jonny Baker
Oxford is the home of ‘Home’ and ‘Maybe’ which like Moot in London are Fresh Expressions of church that draw on new monasticism in what they are doing. Matt and Ian who are Ordained Priests to these communities have started up Oxford’s own blah. Blahs are regional gatherings for learning and support. For more information on this – see http://blahonline.wetpaint.com/page/blah...+oxford?t=anon

Blah Learning Day London | Exploring Emerging & Fresh Expressions of Church of the contemplative & catholic traditions
This day went extremely well, with Simon Rundell exploring the concept of Fresh Expressions of the sacramental tradition for youth in the context of the parish. Michael Volland explored Fresh Expressions in the context of Gloucester Cathedral, Ian Mobsby explored the use of rhythm of life in new monasticism for bringing centredness to fluid forms of emerging church as used by Moot, Tessa Holland and Philip Roderick explored the concept of contemplative and catholic FEs in the context of unchurched spiritual searchers.

The recordings and handouts of this learning day are available for £8 for the lot - by download from http://www.mootique.net under the blah learning days section. Those who attend Blah Learning Days will get copies for free.

Fresh Expressions Roundtable 5 – promoting fresh expressions of the contemplative & catholic traditions
The Roundtable formally met on All Saints Day for its second formal meeting, from it a number of practical needs were identified – please see the wiki site for a downloadable version of the minutes.

Speaking at SCP Chapters
A number of practitioners of the C&C traditions are now available to explore the place of such forms of church with regional SCP chapters – if you are in a chapter and would like a FE C&C practitioner to come and speak with your chapter – then please let Jonathan Clark know or contact Ian Mobsby to request this. If you are a C&C practitioner and how not yet made a connection with us, please do contact Ian Mobsby on ian.mobsby@moot.uk.net so that we can add you to our increasing network.

Looking to develop partnerships
As with all Fresh Expressions activities, we are seeking to work with and include any Anglican & Methodist contemplative & catholic society or interest group to develop FE of the catholic and contemplative tradition. If you are wanting to increase links as has been established between the Round table and SCP – then please do contact Steven Croft or Ian Mobsby.

Developing Regional Learning Networks
The Roundtable is seeking to develop regional learning networks to include FE of the contemplative & Catholic. Tim Sledge is taking a lead in this, the Peterborough Diocesan Missioner – so please do get in contact with him if you are interested in being in one of these are assisting in starting one.

Organising a national pilgrimage for FE of the contemplative & catholic tradition
The Roundtable are seeking to organise a national pilgrimage in the autumn 2008 to promote networking and development of the C&C side of Fresh Expressions. If interested please let Ian Mobsby know.

Resources developed from the work of C&C Fresh Expressions

Forms of experimental & contemplative prayer for a postmodern generation
Contemplative Fire have developed a number of resources including a DVD to develop new/old ways of contemplative prayer – for more info see http://www.contemplativefire.org

Mootique
Moot have put together an online shop of resources at http://www.mootique.net with a number of resources with over 40 mp3 downloadable talks exploring aspects of the emerging church including catholic & contemplative traditions, new monasticism, leadership etc.

Firmly I Believe CD, RRP £8.99
John Twisleton, Diocesan Missioner with the Diocese of Chichester has compiled a double CD sponsored by his Diocese, the Christian Evidence Society and Premier Radio as a resource to refresh your understanding of the basic building blocks of the Christian faith and provide a rewarding and grounding experience for both established Christians and those who are just looking. For more information or to order a copy, see: http://www.premier.org.uk/shop

Emerging & Fresh Expressions of Church Book
Ian Mobsby’s book drawing on extensive research remains an important resource for those interested in Fresh Expressions. Orders can be made via http://www.mootique.net under the research section.

Other news

Team Vicar Post for practitioner of catholic fresh expressions for the Bridport Team Ministry (within Bridport & Valleys Group Ministry)
The Diocese of Salisbury are seeking a Team Vicar to encourage, inform and inspire fresh expressions of church and worship with young people, families and schools drawing on Anglo-Catholic spirituality and worship Resolutions A, B & C. If interested contact the Sherborne Area Office, Little Baillie, Sturminster Marshall, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 4AD, 01258 859110, email: sherborne.office@salisbury.anglican.org

Lambeth gathering
Over 40 candidates for ordained pioneer ministry gathered at Lambeth two weeks ago for a one day consultation with Archbishop Rowan and each other. There was a whiff of history in the air as the first group of candidates compared notes on their experience of call and training and their hopes for the future. Listen to the Archbishop’s address to them as an audio file or podcast: http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/lambeth

October conference addresses
All the addresses from the National Church Planting conference are available on the Anglican Church Planting Initiatives and Sheffield Centre websites. There are addresses from Sue Hope, George Lings, Bob Hopkins and others. (www.acpi.org.uk, http://www.churcharmy.org.uk/ca/sc/SheffieldCentreHome.asp)

24/7 Prayer publication out
I really enjoyed meeting Andy Freeman and Pete Greig of the 24/7 Prayer Movement a few weeks ago. Their new book, Punk Monk, explores the creation of 24/7 communities – Boiler Rooms – following a contemporary monastic pattern. It’s very thought provoking and highly recommended.

Policy documents to go
Over 1,000 documents were downloaded from our main website in October. The top ten downloads included the three major Church of England policy documents on; ordained pioneer ministry, lay pioneer ministry and the new dioceses, pastoral and mission measure. If you don’t have them yet, here are the links: www.freshexpressions.org.uk/training/opm, www.freshexpressions.org.uk/training/lpm, www.freshexpressions.org.uk/dpmm.

Searching for key pioneers
And finally, we’re beginning to compile a national database of key pioneers:people who are working in fresh expressions of church who may be lay or ordained, paid or self-supporting and who have the resources and expertise to help others. If you are in this category or know someone who is, please let us know through the website. (www.freshexpressions.org.uk/contact)

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Associated Blog Wiki Site
As you know – we have set up a wiki site to promote networking with many resources and minutes from meetings - see http://contemplative-catholic-fe-network.wetpaint.com/

We will be integrating a simple briefing blog page into this for the more techno phobic – but we do encourage people to engage with the wiki – it really is very straight forward – no more complicated than using MS Word – which I hope most people can use.

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