ReSource - what do people say about us?
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ReSource is an initiative with an Anglican distinctive.
We offer spiritual resources, retreats and practical training sessions
for churches of all types, traditions and denominations. We believe
that every church is different, and work with each according to its own
needs and context. We work primarily through a scattered and travelling
team of people with complementary giftings and experience. |
"Renewal is when the temperature in the church is raised until it reaches apostolic point - at which point the church begins to evangelise naturally"
(Bishop Michael Marshall)
Comments on our work:
""Thank you Alison – just loved your no-nonsense direct sharing of a) truth b) vision c) practical reality, cutting through so much soft woolly niceness, which can be so paralysing"; "inspirational"; "definitely the best diocesan healing day I’ve attended" - comments after a day on healing for the diocese of Chichester, February 2010
"Thank you for a very good day yesterday. It was lovely to have your enthusiasm and also precision in description" - Revd Simon Cawdell, after a day on Wholeness and Healing for the diocese of Hereford, November 09
"Just a quick note to say thank you so much for coming and preaching, and sharing with us on Saturday night. There was a great sense of you connecting what God is saying to you at the moment with us and the journey we are on as a church, and your word encouraged and challenged and produced a response in many people. Be assured of our ongoing prayers and support for you and Resource" - Revd John McGinley, Holy Trinity Leicester, November 2009
"After you prayed for me, I felt restored, a new person, and hoped this would stay with me. So often I’ve found after House Parties that after a few days the burdens are back. But not this time!" - Caroline, after a Stewards Trust House party, September 2009
"A brilliant, thought provoking and enjoyable session." " We have been enabled to focus on the Lord and his will for us as a PCC and shown ways in which we can grow spiritually in order to fulfil our vision" - comments from a PCC evening at Blandford Forum, October 2009
"Time flew – I had no desire to look at my watch!" "Mixture of talk and discusssion, variety of speakers, good slides; prayerful and gentle atmosphere created; real challenge" - comments from an evening on 'Made new for mission' at Sherborne St Paul's, Dorset, October 2009
"Thank you so much for coming to give the first of this term's Insight Lectures. Our newly forged link with ReSource is proving a major source of inspiration, and vision" - Revd Canon Eric Woods, Sherborne Abbey, October 2009
"A brilliant, thought provoking and enjoyable session." " We have been enabled to focus on the Lord and his will for us as a PCC and shown ways in which we can grow spiritually in order to fulfil our vision". "Time flew – I had no desire to look at my watch!" "Mixture of talk and discusssion, variety of speakers, good slides; prayerful and gentle atmosphere created; real challenge" - comments from PCC gatherings on mission and ministry at Sherborne Abbey and Sherborne St Paul's, Dorset, October 2009
"Very easy to listen to, meaningful, thought provoking, in accessible language. It gave us an alternative to door knocking, which some people have been frightened about." - Juliet Taylor, after a weekend on mission for St George's Lupsett, July 2009
"Thank you very much. Your faith and witness shine out and are so encouraging" - comment after a deanery PCCs evening in Deddington, Oxfordshire, July 2009
"Relaxed atmosphere and simple, workable activities and ideas" - comment from a workshop on evangelism, Glastonbury July 2009
"I was very pleased with the way the conference was received: your talks played no little part in this success! I was personally delighted at the emphasis you placed upon Renewal for Mission, this was both as I'd intended and asked and I am grateful to you for it." - Stephen Dinsmore, after the SOMA Prayer Conference, May 2009
"Simple and accessible" - comment after a deanery PCCs evening in Eccleshall, Stoke archdeaconry, July 2009
"I found the teaching extremely inspiring and it clarified to me what I am passionate about" - comment from a day for Lay Leaders in Coalville, May 2009
“I realise that the thing I’ve lacked has been the
Holy
Spirit – and here I’ve found him, and he has found me”; “I have never
before experienced the fullness of the Holy
Spirit but last evening I got down on my knees and heard the Lord say
to me, “I should be the centre of your life – I am going to
fill you with my Spirit to live in you”. And he did”.
comments from participants at a renewal weekend for Emmanuel
church in
Loughborough, May 2009
“Thanks for your ministry with us on both of the
prayer
schools. Informal feedback from the second was as encouraging as from
the first. Your manner of delivery was commented on again and again –
people find you very approachable and real and respond to you as though
you are speaking to them one to one. Your honesty and humanness really
communicate, especially on this subject in which we are all on a
journey of discovery” - Revd Brian Robertson, N W Leicester,
March 2009
“I am writing to say a very big thank you for leading our Quiet/Study day last month. Lots of people have let me know how much they appreciated your input, and just what a privilege it was to have you in our midst. I would also like to add my own appreciation – for your time with us, for what you shared and what you got us thinking about” - Canon Jane Curtis, Leicester, June 2009
"I just wanted you to know that since your visit God
has
pulled me
through some of those downs that I have mentioned, and this has been a
direct result of what you had to say to us all that particular day. I
know beyond all doubt that God loves me now! I know that should be
something that is obvious, but it was truly revoloutionary for me on
that day; so much so that I was given a vision of Jesus reinstating me
and asking me to tell those people on the street about His love for
them. Since then there have been two possible job opportunities both
with an aim to reach the marginalised in our society." - comment
after a quiet day for the Church Army, November 2008
"It was a real pleasure to meet you both at the Pioneer Centre last
weekend and Nas and I both thoroughly enjoyed your sermons, company and
wonderful sense of humour. You are both clearly very close to God and
are blessed with the amazing ability to convey God's messages in such a
meaningful and powerful way, yet your approach is so gentle and
light-hearted." - comment after a weekend for a church in
Solihull, December 08
"I am particularly grateful to ReSource for helping to bring a
sense
of cohesion to the clergy in this huge and disparate deanery.
Colleagues of all traditions shared in a day which gained universal
acclaim. I also know that the work done with PCC's will bear fruit in
churches in the future. It has achieved the desired aim of putting
transformation and renewal on the agenda for several parishes where it
was not before. It has also encouraged those of us who were committed
prior to the visit to be bold in mission." - Fr David Picken,
High Wycombe Deanery, November 2008
"Thank you for the time you shared with us at Morley. Without exception
and without reservation it was seen by us all as a very sepcial time -
of deepened friendship with each other, of spiritual refreshment and of
renewed and clarifying vision as to what we are called to as
individuals, parishes and clusters and as a deanery. Thank you for your
selfless giving of yourselves in so many ways - a real inspiration!" -
Revd
Brian Roberston, after a retreat for the North West Leicester Mission
Partnership, November 2008
"Thank you so much for coming to Wymeswold. Everyone who spent the day
with you on Saturday was well blessed, and Mary was greatly encouraged
and joyful when she rang me, today, to tell me that three people had
given their lives to Christ." - Lesley Blount, after an Alpha
day, November 2008
"Having been involved in about twenty missions myself I can honestly
say that I have never come across such a grounded, mature and spiritual
team as the ones who came to us from ReSource. They became not simply a
Mission Team but our brothers and sisters in Christ and our
friends.” - Dominic Furness, Vicar, All
Saints’ Milford on Sea, after a 10 day mission led by
ReSource, October 2008
"Such a well-focussed and well-timed programme.. We were given much to
ponder about and many of the ideas presented are practical and could
easily be implemented" - participants at an evening for the
PCCs of High Wycombe deanery, October 2008
"It has made me think about what we are offering to others and how we
do it now and whether we need to change how we do things" - comment
from a lay leader after an evening on Transformation in the gospel for
High Wycombe deanery, October 2008
"Thank you so much for all you did to make the PCC Evening
such an
inspirational occasion. It's just what so many of the PCCs needed to
hear and I am sure that you have planted seeds and given pointers which
will lead to much more God-centred PCC meetings and that this will
spill out into the renewal of the Church" - Helen Bence,
after an evening for Gartree Mission Partnership, Diocese of Leicester,
October 2008
"Many people have spoken to me this week of how
valuable a
time it
was for them. Some have been excited, others refreshed, yet others
disturbed....all the ways in which the Spirit works in our
lives"
- Revd Christine Froude, after a renewal weekend for St
Mary's, Shirehampton, September 2008
"I go to a lot of seminars, but I just wanted to say
that this
one has changed my life, just like that!"
- Justin Stone, after a seminar at New Wine on the Word of
God, August 2008
"Please allow me to thank you again for the powerful
ministry
and
teaching you gave us two weekends ago. On Sunday there were more
testimonies to what the Lord is doing and has done; and words of
encouragement and regret too from those not able to be with us because
they had heard what God is/had been doing in people's lives."
- Revd Jonathan Rendall, after a Healing Day for Hereford
deanery, July 2008
"Thank you for the care in listening to help us get the fit right.
Keith is a very good speaker, able to sit down alongside strangers,
engage in conversation and be good fun... all in addition to having
good things to say. Together he and Matthew created an environment of
trust, laughter, openness and depth. The ministry empowered our
people." -
Rev. Geoff Read, Chaplain, Anglican church in Basel, after a
ReSource weekend, May 2008
"I felt it was a really good day on Saturday and I've had lots of
positive feedback. People found it very helpful, and felt that there
was a very good balance between excellent input and opportunities to
engage with the issues, as well as appreciating the space and
opportunity to take in for themselves." - Revd Helen Bence,
after a Quiet Day for Gartree Mission Partnership, Leicester diocese,
May 2008
"We have had a wonderful Parish Weekend with Fred and Ellen Brodie over
Pentecost. They are so gentle and everybody warmed to them. Karen and I
were particularly impressed with the amount of preparation they put in.
Certainly this is a Pentecost we shall not forget in a hurry. Their
personal ministry to me was just inspirational. We cannot thank you
enough for recommending them to us. I don't know whether this link can
continue, but there are certainly those in this fellowship who would
like it to do so!" -
Timothy Buckley - Rector Belton Group of Parishes, Diocese of
Lincoln, May 2008
A group of about ten of us finished Season of Renewal
last
night. It was unanimously agreed that it had been the most inspiring
and helpful Lent course we had ever shared in. We particularly
appreciated the various practical items included in it, especially the
"hot seat" during the fourth week... This did much to help us believe
that we might be of some use to the Lord in his mission after all! -
Canon
John Gunstone
"I am writing to thank you both for a wonderful weekend. I was
conscious of the pressure you were under. Yet no one in the
congregation would have realised it. You gave so much time to everyone,
even at the cost of your lunch! People used to say of these renewal
weekends that after the leaders had gone away you had to pick up the
pieces. ReSource is different - you picked up the pieces while you were
with us! I have heard not a single negative comment, and nothing but
universal support" - Revd Raymond Adams, Haydon Wick,
February 2008
"A big THANK YOU for a great weekend of teaching and receiving. I have
written so much down that I can't wait to make time to sit down and go
through them all, with God. I think the work that ReSource is doing to
support transformation from within the church of England is amazing,
and your gentle, humorous approach is perfect" - Shuna
George, after a weekend for the Ironstone villages in Leicester
diocese,
February 2008
"That was the best thing I’ve heard all year. It was
profoundly
simple!"; "What life-giving pleasure to hear someone speaking who knows
where her speech is taking her, and not a word wasted. Alison
demonstrates ministry of the Word!" -
comments from participants at the Baptist Mainstream
conference, January 2008
"Thanks again so much – your content was thought-provoking,
spot-on and delivered with such clarity and grace" - Stephen
Rand, Mainstream, January 2008
"Thank you so much for a really great day yesterday – it was
fantastic to have you with us and we achieved so much thanks to your
gentle guidance and clear thinking. Thanks too for all the material you
brought for us – we have some reading and thinking to do in
the
next weeks – it was a bit like an early January feast, that
we
will be able to live off for a few weeks, talk about together, think
and pray over" - Alison Coulter, from a day facilitating
vision for a Christian management consultancy, January 2008
"This is a much belated note, to express my heartfelt gratitude to you
for our service on the 6th January 2008. The service was extremely
moving and cathartic. I found your sermon inspirational. The message to
us was eloquent, moving and sensitive to our recent difficulties.Your
message of reconciliation was so clear, that I hope that we will all
open our hearts and mind to it. Your sermon was a powerful reminder of
what we as Christians should be to each other. I thank you for your
efforts on all our behalf." - Joy Okoye, after a weekend in
Finchley, January 2008
"Completely focussed, very positive and clear programme, should be in
every diocesan CME and at regular intervals!"; "The silent meditation
was brilliant - I need that space"; "It scratched where I itched"
- comments from a CME day for the diocese of Chelmsford,
November 2007
"We are enormously grateful to you for what you have enabled among us,
and for doing it with a style and process that has sought to be
acccessible, connecting and practically enlivening. Thank you for your
care, vision, enthusiasm and sheer hard work."
- Ven Robert Freeman, after a week on 'Transformation', for
the clergy and PCCs of the diocese of Wakefield, October 2007
"Thank You for your teaching and sharing last Saturday.There was a real
move of God. Many people were greatly blessed and many said they met
with God. Many felt refreshed and went back to the Parishes excited at
seeing God at work. Thank you for your time and allowing God to use you
to bless others"
- Revd Ralph Goldenberg, after a diocesan renewal conference
in Lichfield Cathedral, October 2007
"Words cannot express our gratitude to you both for a tremendous
weekend. God not only did a powerful work in the life of our church
family, He did a powerful work in our personal lives too. We feel
closer than ever and more united in ministry together. Thank you so
much!"
- Kim and John Guest, after a weekend for Stanford-le-Hope
church, October 2007
"Many thanks for leading a fantastic weekend! I have returned renewed
in my commitment to Christ and more supported in that commitment than
ever before by family and friends. You both have a wonderful way of
bringing it home, keeping it real and reminding us of the magic of
being a Christian - loved unconditionally. I cannot thank you enough."
- Kristin Breuss, after a weekend for St Mary Islington.
"The talks were brilliant. BIG THANK YOU for a wonderful weekend - got
to go home now and think and feel it through again!"
- comments from a parish weekend for St Andrew's,
Congresbury,
September 2007
"I particularly wanted to write and thank you for your wonderful and
enormous input to our lives in Calne two weeks ago. There was such a
sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the people are still
talking to me about how they could have gone on listening for more
hours. It was the sweetness of His presence, and the faith-building
words you gave us, the like of which some have never heard. I think
people were also given an increased hunger for the things of God that
evening, so thank you for pouring yourself out like a drink offering
for us. We really hope you might visit and encourage us again - it was
like a visit from Paul, truly encouraging and edifying!"
- from a Deanery evening in Calne, Salisbury Diocese,
September 2007
"Many thanks for yesterday. Your superb sermon set the day going in
such an inspirational way"
- Derek Chambers, St Paul's, Hook, September 07
"It was good to be led on the road of discovery towards God. Joy and
laughter underpinned the week, which has been more about being with
God, renewal in his Spirit, basking in his love and fellowship, rather
than doing - although it has led to many thoughts about the future"
- comment from a Stewards Trust house party, September 2007
"Excellent input, clear and inspiring"
- ReSource Partners' day in Warwick, July 2007
"Everything was awesome"
- Renewal Weekend" at Langenbruck, Switzerland, June 2007
"Today has been a refreshment, encouragement, exciting to hear of how
God works in unexpected ways - a great boost to my faith"
- Lincoln Regional Day on Renewal for Mission, June 2007
"It has refreshed my relationship with God"; "everything has been
helpful beyond belief!"
- Wickham Market Parish Weekend, April 2007
"The best CMD day I have ever attended – thank you!"
- comment from a CMD day for Salisbury diocese, May 2007
"It has opened my eyes and heart "
- Revd Michael Anderson - Salisbury CMD day, May 2007
"The inclusion of historical contexts, modern day situations and
biblical content was altogether very effective. Thank you very much for
your presence and input, it was excellent and really appreciated"
- Emma Lovett, after a parish weekend on renewal for mission
for St Paul’s, Holgate, Feb 07
"Thank you again so much for your excellent and superb
contribution to the Strategic Thinkers Forum, and for the enormous
number of hours that you spent in preparation. We really are very
grateful to you for presenting
what was a hallmark paper"
- Peter Brierley, Christian Research, Jan 07
“Thank you so much for the last couple of days. All
that you gave us was just right and greatly appreciated. I have already
heard from three of the Rural Deans saying how much they valued the
time, and I know the others did, too. I personally also greatly
benefited from all your encouragement and nourishment”
- Bishop Richard Frith of Hull, after a retreat for bishop,
archdeacons and rural deans at Wydale Hall, Jan 07
"I want to pay tribute to Martin Cavender
and ReSource – they are
on the money at the moment. Their combination of emphasis on holiness
and renewal on the one hand and evangelism and mission on the other is
exactly where the Church needs to be nationally"
- Paul Bayes, National Officer for Evangelism, speaking in
Lichfield
"I do want to thank you for all your
ministry here with us last
weekend. Everyone I have spoken to has talked of what a significant
time it was"
- Revd Hugh Scriven, St Germain’s Edgbaston
"ReSource’s involvement has transformed
the church’s approach and life. I don’t know where
we would be now without them"
- Revd Nicholas Pye, St Paul’s Finchley
I am leaving feeling refreshed,
hopeful and motivated"
- from the BARD Residential for the rural deans of the East
Riding, January 2007
" A sympathetic challenge; the teaching content gives us much to work
on in the future. Pointing us in the direction of good resources was
extremely helpful. The sharing of stories was inspiring!"
- from a retreat for Bristol West Deanery Chapter, January
2007
"I would like to say THANK YOU for a
wonderful
Renewal Day and your
teaching, encouragement and vision as well as time for each and every
one of us to spend in God's presence"
- Sandy Hughes, after a day on renewal for mission in
Llandudno for the diocese of Bangor
"The story of the last couple of years, following
the induction of a new vicar who brought with him a new vision and
style and new ideas, with the inevitable accompaniment of new tensions
and challenges, is a case study in how ReSource can help a bemused,
defensive and (in parts) hurting congregation move forward towards a
shared vision and ultimately into renewal."
- from a church in north London
"This is a wide, open, generous, hospitable place to
be, with access to the deepest and best spiritual resources of our
church and not caught up in anything narrow or sectarian or merely
ecclesiastical; open to the future, relying on grace rather than law
and with a vital message of the living Christ today, moving in the
power of the Spirit"
- Ron Treasure, after a ReSource retreat in Yorkshire
"Just to thank you again for your
hugely helpful and influential input at the conference last week.
Enormously refreshing and nourishing! "
- Paul Bayes, after the Diocesan Missioners' Conference
"You had some wonderful light moments of humour; you
made use of some extremely visual and memorable imagery and language;
your delivery is refreshingly different and the content was so helpful."
- Bishop John Went, after the Diocesan Missioners Conference
"Today has been superb, just what this group needed.
Thankyou. The balance of input and discussion was excellent. I shall
certainly be recommending ReSource to my colleagues in other Dioceses"
- the Revd Jo Conley, Warden, after a day for Readers/LLMs in
Oxford
"I was given "Wild Gospel" by a colleague who had
heard you give a presentation to the Archbishops' Council. I loved it!
Found it spiritually and intellectually stretching. Thankyou for
writing it - and please pray with us that the breathtaking reality of
the new order will break out in the lives of the people in this
Diocese, through renewed vision and purpose"
- Gillian Oliver, National
Communications Officer, Church House, London
"Your input reflected very sensitively where many of
those present are in their thoughts and understandings of mission. You
gave us a great deal to think about and I am looking forward to the
meeting of Church Leaders later today - we will think about ways of
taking forward what you gave us"
- Canon Tony Dickinson, Churches Together in East Wycombe
"Thankyou so much for this weekend on "Renewal in
the Holy Spirit for a mission-shaped church" - the Lord was powerfully
present and at work in our lives individually and as a church. So, so
many people have spoken so warmly about the Saturday sessions and the
Sunday services - and people who weren't present wishing they had been
as they heard from those who had! So thank you again for taking us to
the Cross and lifting up Jesus, and leading us in praise and worship
and teaching. Please, please will you come again?"
- Methodist Superintendent Minister in Highworth, Wilts
"We must give thanks - for the sense of the presence
of the Lord and his leading - for Martin Cavender and the way he gave
himself to us for two days, and for his sensitive enabling of the
vision-seeking process - for fellowship as a church leadership team,
and the sense of enjoyment and fun - for the ideas and wisdom that were
generated"
- the Revd Richard Coombs, after a Burford Leadership weekend
"I was on retreat last week and managed to read the
whole of "The Wild Gospel". I found it absolutely inspirational and
agree completely that it is a prophetic word for our day"
- James Newcome, Bishop of Penrith
"Thankyou so much for that wonderful Parish renewal
weekend at Compton. The Holy Spirit was present in power and grace, and
I don't think our parishes will ever be the same again!"
- the Revd Keith Powell, the Hatch Beauchamp group, Somerset
"The Lord was moving so clearly during the weekend,
in all his healing mercy. Many people were touched and moved on in
their faith. It was a great time - Thankyou!"
- the Revd Michael Wenham, Stanford in the Vale, after a
Church renewal weekend
"Your website has put the "new" back into "renewal"
- at last, an offering which isn't just pious or religious but
expresses the fun and life of Christ!"
- the Revd Shaun Henson, Woodstock
