Newsletter 16th June 2007
Dear InclusiveChurch Supporter,
In this Newsletter – news on a new Patron. More on Drenched in Grace and a Thousand Hundreds. A WATCH early day Parliamentary motion – request for action. Reading recommendations and requests for prayer and liturgy.
1 “GLOBAL CENTRE” COMES TO ENGLAND
InclusiveChurch is delighted to announce that the Most Revd Dr Idris Jones, Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway, has agreed to join the Archbishop of Mexico as a Patron of InclusiveChurch. Bishop Idris is Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and a Primate of the Anglican Communion. He said:"It is a privilege to be associated with Inclusive Church. The Anglican Communion is seeking how it may develop and deepen its life today - what better way could there be than working to keep our church as welcoming and encouraging to everyone who wants to follow Jesus so that everyone of us can be challenged by God's love."
We also announce that the Archbishop of Mexico, Bishop Carlos Touché-Porter, will be in England in September 2007. Bishop Carlos was a co-signatory of the Declaration by the Global Centre released in May 2007 which reaffirmed the call of Latin American bishops to preserve the “participative, diverse, ample and inclusive” nature of the Communion.
For the Statement by the Global Centre visit
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_86450_ENG_HTM.htm
During his visit the Archbishop will take part in two major conferences.
“Renewing our Vision – Anglicans and the Global Centre” on Saturday 22nd September, at St Matthew’s Westminster.
Bishop Idris and Bishop Carlos will both speak at “Celebrating Anglican Diversity” on Sat 29th September, at Manchester Cathedral.
Further information will follow. The cost of the London event will be £10, and the Manchester event £5. For advance registration please “Contact us” by going to www.inclusivechurch.net
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2 Drenched in Grace: The keynote speakers are developing the contents of their talks.
Lucy Winkett will focus on bringing Richard Hooker into the present day and the future.
Louis Weil will develop the idea of the Baptismal Covenant and the inclusive imperative – a key foundation of the life of the Episcopal Church.
Sharon Moughtin-Mumby will speak on “Out of the Silence – unheard voices and transforming truth in the Scriptures.”
Mark Russell will inspire us with a reaffirmation of the inclusive Gospel from a Church Army viewpoint.
Jenny Te Paa will develop – from a Maori and global point of view - the whole idea of Anglicanism being by its nature diverse, inclusive, dynamic and exciting news for all people.
There will be a great range of workshops from discussions on penal policy and how we might tackle the Millennium Development Goals through inclusive Islam and onto inclusive drama and spirituality.
Oh, and just in case you thought we’d forgotten, there will also be workshops on the voices of black and minority ethnic Anglicans, as well as including women, including lesbian and gay people and one on including transsexual/transgendered people
We hope you can see how much it will be a celebration and restatement of broad and inclusive Anglicanism. DON’T FORGET YOU’VE GOT JUST TWO MORE WEEKS TO CLAIM YOUR EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT OF £20 for bookings received before the end of June. For further information visit http://inclusive.sqnsolutions.com/index.php?id=4288
The cost of the conference is £190/£170 for sharing (encouraging more people to come!) or £130 concessions. We also have a few bursaries. If you wish to apply for one please write to us with your reasons and a C.V (to office@inclusivechurch.net) by 30 June 2007. We can confirm that clergy in Southwark and London dioceses are eligible to use their CME grants to attend. In other dioceses, please check with your Diocesan Office.
To download a booking form and brochure click on
http://inclusive.sqnsolutions.com/index.php?
Or contact us using the form attached. Or ring 020 7740 6886
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3 And don’t forget to be one of a Thousand Hundreds!
Thank you to everyone who’s supported so far. We’ve already raised nearly £30k, enough to advertise for the post of Coordinator, which is tremendous news and we hope to be able to advise you of an appointment soon!
But we now need enough to ensure that we can fulfil our hopes for the Lambeth Conference, and create a real theological and practical resource for parishes and individuals for whom Christ’s welcoming inclusion is at the heart of the Gospel . So please do so, everyone else! http://inclusivechurch.net/news.html?id=294
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4 WATCH Early Day Motion: Request for action
Our partners at WATCH have asked us to support an Early Day Motion (EDM) 1664, Consecration of Women to the Episcopate, which Robert Key MP tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday 12 June. In the EDM he is asking that the Church moves on from any compromise that has previously existed regarding ordained women and to permit the consecration of women as bishops.
For details of the EDM go to www.watchwomen.com
Please write to your constituency MP and ask her/him to sign Robert Key’s EDM as soon as possible. Please also remind your MP that the Church of England is now preparing for draft legislation for women as bishops and that questions will be asked about progress at the General Synod meeting this July. It is therefore important that MPs get to know about this issue quickly and sign the EDM before the Synod meets so it can be seen that there is widespread support.
It would also be helpful to WATCH if you would email us at "contact us" or post the response you receive to the Revd Pam Pennell, 33 Birch Lane, Stock, Essex, CM4 9NA who keeps our data base. . The address for your Member of Parliament is, The House of Commons, Westminster, SW1A 0AA.
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5 Covenant:
With the pressure to split the Communion growing every day, particularly through the most recent proposed consecration of bishops by the Global South, InclusiveChurch is becoming increasingly concerned that the internal arguments are jeopardising our ability to be witnesses to the love of Christ for the world. On behalf of IC, Tim Bartel and Savitri Hensman have written responses to the Draft report of the Covenant Design Group which can be found by following the "Anglican Communion" link from this page
http://inclusive.sqnsolutions.com/index.php?id=4349
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6 Good reading…
The Revd. Dr. Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski, Team Vicar in Richmond, Surrey is Editor-in-Chief of a new international online journal called OPEN THEOLOGY. Open Theology hopes to bring together people interested in discussion about theology, philosophy and religion across boundaries of nationality, faith and culture. It also hopes to engage the interest of audience, by enabling dialogue across different religious traditions about the value of religion and faith in our postmodern culture, and by promoting the role of women in various traditions and some events which
focus on tolerance, openness and critical reflection on religion. Check it out on www.opentheology.org .
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7 And finally…
This new website is in development; we are planning a space for prayer and liturgy. We would be grateful for any submissions for this space – examples of good, inclusive prayer and/or liturgy. Thank you!
With best wishes and prayers,
Erica
Erica Wooff Newsletter editor
