ReSource News & Events:
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Welcome to ReSource News and Events: this frequently updated section holds information on upcoming happenings nationwide that ReSource has a hand in. We also cover recent items of news, so do check back for updates on what we're up to! ReSource News ReSource Events ReSource Photos |
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ReSource News: |
Spring 2008
It’s been a busy few months, with a good variety of
work local, regional and national, and some exciting things in the
pipeline. Here’s a selection of what we’ve been up
to.
Men’s breakfasts
The formula of gathering men together, usually on a Saturday morning,
for a good breakfast and a stimulating talk and discussion, is a very
powerful one. These last couple of months have seen us working with
churches in Stanford in the Vale, Warwick and Poole, and the response
has been very animated. Intriguingly these recent ones have all asked
us to concentrate on the debate between reason and faith, science and
theology, with titles like “Is Richard Dawkins
right?”.
That seems to be a major question for men – and one man in
Poole certainly nailed his colours to the mast by saying,
“I’m really grateful to Richard Dawkins and what he
says. I find it comforting, because it means I don’t have to
go to church any more”. I must say I find that odd. Dawkins
may have important questions which need to be addressed, but most of
his argument is unscientific, illogical and ranting – and
hardly “comforting”. One US Professor has said
“Dawkins makes me ashamed to be an atheist”, and I
have had similar comments from others. The balance in Poole was struck
for me by another man who said, “The more I follow Jesus
Christ, the more I am overwhelmed by the sheer awesome beauty of him
and of the Christian faith. My life is constantly being changed by the
size of it all, emotionally and intellectually, and my soul is
fed”. The Vicar, Andy Perry, wrote afterwards, “I
was struck by your encouragement, in the face of Dawkins and Co, to
hold firmly to our confidence in the Gospel. It was healthy to be
reminded about the seductiveness of the “I did it my
way” soteriology of Frank Sinatra, and the challenge to
rediscover and release joy in our churches”.
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Deanery Retreats
“Your prayerful love, affirmation and wisdom for which I
offer my profound thanks” and “Reminder of the big
story” were typical of the comments received in answer to
“What was most helpful?” in the 30 hour Deanery
retreats with clergy which have been happening on a regular basis
across the country in the last few months, often bolted together with
an evening for PCCs.
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Looking ahead – to Missions?
ReSource has been building its work with care, determined to get the
foundations right without quenching the Spirit in his work. We have
sought to follow the Spirit’s leading at every turn while
making sure that the theological basis is clear. If “renewal
for mission in the power of the Holy Spirit” is our
strapline then we have wanted to “have a reason for
the vision that is in us”, to paraphrase 1 Peter
3:15. We have concentrated on what it means to be renewed in Christ as
a Church and as people.
But what about the mission bit? We have always been clear that mission
is not just something the Church does but the heart of what the Church
is. It is in the nature of the Church to be missionary. For the last
few years it has been popular to see part of that mission expressed in
process evangelism, with work such as “Alpha”,
Emmaus”, the “Y
Course”, “Start!” and “Essence”.
That has been hugely effective, and we thank God for it all constantly.
But now we are receiving requests which have a new edge – “We’ve
been using “Alpha” (or whatever), and
it’s been very powerful, but now we would like to have a
mission to the area – will ReSource please help us?”
The answer is “Yes, with pleasure”;
and that’s one of the reasons we are delighted that the Revd
Roger Morgan is joining the team, with effect from August.
Roger has wide-ranging experience as a mission leader, both in many
years of parish ministry and before that with Dan Cozens and Through
Faith Missions; and is also himself called to be an
evangelist. He is already working on a ReSource mission to Milford on
Sea for the autumn – and we expect other invitations as we
get into our stride, afresh.
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Mike Carson Associates
One interesting element of the shifts that are taking place in the
world is a reappraisal of the sacred and the secular and how they sit
together – indeed, if there is any separation between them.
Despite all the alarums and excursions of Richard Dawkins, Christopher
Hitchens and others, we find that there is a quieter seeking after
spiritual answers to the questions of life. Some of that surfaces
through the work of MCA, with which Martin has become associated, which
acts to bring Christian principles into the world of business. It helps
business leaders to look at such questions as risk-averseness,
forgiveness, the principles which sit behind the company or firm, and
at matters like spiritual intelligence and personal meaning. It is
wonderful to be involved with such a work, not least because it appeals
to me as an evangelist! I love the sense of nurturing proper human
flourishing and constant renewal, and the knowledge that God is at work
everywhere and always. MCA and ReSource are vitally connected. Please
pray for Mike Carson and everyone concerned in this fine and Godly
offering.
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Words, Works and Wonders at the Baptist Mainstream Conference
Alison Morgan has been fascinated by words for as long as she can
remember, and this January she was delighted to be invited to pursue
these thoughts by speaking at the Baptist Mainstream Conference at
Swanwick, the theme of which was Grasping the Gospel - Words,
works, wonders. Her brief was to speak on Words
(yes, that’s words in the plural) alongside Malcolm Duncan of
Faithworks on Works and Ian Andrews of the
International Association of Healing Ministries on Wonders.
Alison was asked to stimulate discussion by reflecting on questions
such as
How is the truth of the word revealed in our culture?
In a church culture shifting towards community involvement, what is the
role of proclamation?
How can our words be heard and understood among the cultural clamour?
How do our words reflect the Word of God - is a holy book now a major
obstacle to mission, or can the Living Word still be found in and
through scripture?
What does it mean to base our understanding of gospel on the Word of
God?
Each input from the main speakers was followed by a time of reflection
and discussion, with people posting questions and comments on
flipcharts around the auditorium. It was a great privilege to be
invited to be part of such a dynamic gathering, to be able to spend
time thinking through an exciting and important topic, and last but not
least to benefit from the challenging ministry of Malcolm and Ian.
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Working with ARM Wales in Wrexham
Thanks to the hard work of Mary Newsom, Martin and Alison had a good
day in Wrexham in April with great worship (thank you, Garry and Jan
Harney; and, later, the River Dee Community Church), thinking and
praying together about what it means to be Made New in the Countryside.
These were the faithful in renewal, looking to see what the Lord was
doing now in renewing his people for mission, and there was a fine
response from the day, with one person glad about the “prayer
ministry, and that the Welsh language was included and
respected” and another about “the sense of
encouragement, and reassurance that things are still happening, and
that renewal has a future”.
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Fresh expressions in Newcastle Upon Tyne
I had never come across the like – a large Anglican church in
a run-down part of a big city, closed by the Bishop because its
congregation had dwindled almost to nothing ; and then, a year later,
handed over to an energetic Priest in charge with instructions to set
up from scratch a network church, a fresh expression. Here we were with
Robert Ward in Newcastle St Luke in a vibrant Anglican church with fine
worship, deep prayer and a real sense of community – and,
after just four years of life, some 70 mostly young people worshipping
God and hearing the Gospel with delight. It was brilliant to spend the
weekend with Robert and Alice and to see what the Lord is doing in and
through them by his Spirit, and then to go on to a Church
leaders’ meeting in Jesmond. It’s worth remembering
that “the fire fell and the dead were raised” in
Monkwearmouth under the ministry of Smith Wigglesworth, and
it’s wonderful to see the Spirit at work again in all his
power and grace in that part of the country.
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Lent Course
The ReSource Lent course Season of Renewal has been
widely used again this year, and we have received some very positive
feedback. Pat White wrote from Sheffield as follows:
“I am writing to thank you for the Lent Course for
Season of renewal. It has been a Spirit-led change in my group of
Mothers’ Union ladies. Last year my vicar suggested it for
our Lent study when I asked for suggestions. Because there was so much
in it, we repeated it again this year with some changes, etc. Because I
felt it was so good for the ladies, I found other groups in the church
asking me what I thought about it. We ended up with four groups in the
Church doing the course over Lent this year. I think most people from
teenagers to the elderly felt there was something in it for them. Today
we had a Renewal of Baptism vows in the morning Service and had 18
people rededicating their lives to the Lord. So I felt (never done
before) that you must know about it and it will encourage you as well
as us here at St Saviours Church, High Green, Sheffield.”
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A weekend at home
Occasionally churches decide to have a weekend “at
home” before setting out on something residential
and away. There are all sorts of reasons for this, among them the fact
that it can be a very good way of introducing the concept of a church
weekend to an uncertain congregation. A couple of years ago it was St
Germain’s in Edgbaston, and there have been others since. St
Mary’s Shirehampton, Bristol, decided to do it this way in
February (as a taster for their residential weekend at Lee Abbey this
September) – and a good time was apparently had by all! One
man wrote afterwards, “It’s no
exaggeration to say something very important and powerful happened to
our congregation this weekend and I can testify personally to the
effect of the prayers you inspired. I am sitting next to a wife who is
positively buzzing to do God’s work. Thank you for such an
exciting message of renewal and refreshment – may God give us
all the grace to make it real. Lee Abbey, here we come!”.
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Supporting the healing ministry in Middleton, Manchester
Roger Vaughan had visited this Parish in Spring 2007 and had worked
with them in a day on the Healing Ministry, using his brilliant
ReSource workbooks on “Saints Alive – Healing in
the Church”. Roger’s offering had been beautifully
timed for Middleton, and well received. Martin was then asked to follow
this up with a Quiet Day on a Saturday, followed by some work with the
Healing Ministry team and a Praise evening in the church; and then
preaching on the Sunday at the two, very different, morning services.
It was a fine experience, and a great insight into how a church like
Middleton, under Canon Nick Feist’s leadership over many
years, lives and works in this strong community which has seen so much
change.
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SPECIAL OFFERS!
We are currently the sole stockists of the well-regarded ARM
publications Life in the Spirit (by John Finney and
Felicity Lawson) and Healing in the Church (by
Roger Vaughan). Both these courses have sold thousands of copies over
the last few years. We often get surprised looks from people who have
been told they are out of print - so the good news is that we have good
stocks of both courses!
Both courses are updated editions. ‘Life in the
Spirit’ is a course written with the aim of helping
to bring renewal into the life of the Church. It has proved useful for
people enquiring about the Christian faith, seeking deeper commitment,
exploring the work of the Holy Spirit and for baptism and confirmation
preparation. It would make a good next step for new groups who have
benefited from the ReSource Lent course Season of Renewal. ‘Healing
in the Church’ makes a practical and informative
course for groups of Christians wanting basic introductory training in
the healing ministry. It is suitable for churches of all traditions,
and has 9 sessions covering all the main issues in the healing
ministry. Both courses consist of a leader's manual and a link workbook
for each participant. Leader's manuals now available at only
£5; Link workbooks £4. To order click here.
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The ReSource website
Our website is maintained by Ed Morgan, and its use continues to grow steadily. Over the last year we have had about 50,000 visits from nearly 17,000 different people, at a rate of 133 people or 1,325 hits each day. Most of these are from the UK and US - although we are delighted to be visited by small but steady numbers of people from Islamic countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Iran. Over 3,000 people have visited our Lent prayer and poetry pages, which have been the most popular over the last month. And do visit the newly updated Vision page!
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Stop Press: New publications
We continue to produce written resources in response to the needs
expressed to us as we travel. ReSource is now a registered publisher,
and in January 2008 we are producing two brand new booklets. The first,
by Alison Morgan, is entitled ‘The Word of God
– what does it mean?’ Alison takes a
careful look what we mean by words and how we use them, and then asks
whether our human understanding of words limits the way in which we
think about the Word and words of God. Alison has long been fascinated
by both words and Word, and she is speaking at the Baptist Mainstream
Conference in January on this topic.
The second new booklet is by Keith Powell, a ReSource Associate and Renewal Adviser for the diocese of Bath and Wells. Keith writes with passion and experience about the neglected discipline of Fasting. He says: 'As a minister I have found fasting to be an essential part of the Christian's toolbox. For me it is a natural part of my Christian journey, part of the way we are called to walk in, to find rest for our souls. May this book encourage you on the ancient path of prayer and fasting, one that will bless you and bring you closer to your Father in Heaven.'
Both booklets may be ordered from our office or via our publications page.
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Winter 07
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Variety
The work in the last few months has been massively varied, with a whole Diocese (Wakefield) crammed into one week; another Diocese (Leicester) following a more piecemeal approach; a wild bunch of Parish evangelists in Rochester and a more sober group of Local Ministry leaders at a consultation in Swanwick; meetings and discussions in parishes and Deaneries all over the country, lots of renewal weekends led by different ReSource Missioners and Associates, a fine trip for a week of teaching in France; people coming to faith in Jesus Christ, being healed and in some cases delivered and always set free; Quiet Days and retreats, meetings with Bishops and Archdeacons, preachments and all the rest – and that’s not to mention a house-move for the Cavenders somewhere in the midst of it all! It’s been a terrific time, when ReSource seems to have moved into a new gear, and the invitations and responses have been coming thick and fast. We do praise God for what we have been witnessing.
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Wakefield Diocese
One of the great surprises of the last couple of years has
been the eagerness with which Dioceses have grasped the vision of
ReSource, and invited us to involve ourselves with helping support and
encourage their work. Surprising? Well, we make no bones about the fact
that we are about renewal for mission in the power of the Holy Spirit
and I suppose we expected the less “culturally
charismatic” parts of the Church to be a bit wary. Leicester
was first out of the blocks, though, with an invitation from Bishop Tim
for ReSource to help deliver the “Shaped by God”
initiative over the next two years, and a number of other Dioceses are
in the offing – and then, thanks to the hard work of
Archdeacon Robert Freeman and his wife Chris, came Wakefield.
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Martin spent some time in March working with the Rural Deans to shape the work, part of the Diocesan “Transforming Lives” initiative – and then filled a week there in mid-October with a team (pictured right) comprising Alison, Fr David Picken of Anglo-Catholic Renewal and Stephen Dinsmore, the new National Director of SOMA. We worked around the whole Diocese, spending the days with a total of 160 clergy and the evenings with some 800 PCC members, and always offering the concepts of transformation, confidence and renewal for mission. |
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Again, fitting the offering to the expectations of everyone
proved a
Herculean task, but the responses and evaluations were massively
positive, especially from the PCC evenings which were a buzz of noise
and engagement. The opportunity to reflect with others was felt to be
vitally helpful, and lots gave great thanks for the serious theological
input from Alison, as well as for the practical outworkings offered by
David and Stephen. For many of the PCC members it was a brand-new
experience, and in many cases here was high excitement and real
enthusiasm – and a strong possibility that some of the
practical decisions made will be put into action. We had shaped the PCC
material in particular to allow for a personal response to Jesus Christ
at the end of the evening – and I shall remember for a long
time the long queues waiting to be anointed in the name of Jesus,
perhaps especially in the Quire of Wakefield Cathedral on the Tuesday.
It was a good time. One clergyman said this was “Great
content – to the heart of our life as followers of
Christ”. A number wanted more time to “ponder
and discuss”, and we have noted that –
but many agreed with the one who wrote that most helpful was “the
time to reflect and focus on my calling as a minister of the Gospel of
truth”.
We followed up the week with a happy day at Lepton in late November,
where Bishop Gordon Mursell of Stafford, a ReSource supporter,and
missioner for the day, brought a wonderful Biblical exposition on the
books of Genesis and Exodus to some 55 clergy, and reflection/feedback
on the
nature of the Church and her ministry at this moment in her life. “Brilliant”,
said one participant; and so it was.
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Chelmsford Curates
Alison and Martin had a good time in November with 50 plus Curates in Chelmsford Diocese as part of their CME course, and the responses were excellent – though demonstrating how complex it can be to get things right for everyone. One person said, “Completely focussed, with a very positive and clear programme. Should be in every Diocesan CME and at regular intervals. Sessions could have been a little shorter”. Others said that most helpful were, “Reminder of personal renewal and prayer”, and, “Time for personal Bible study and reflection”. This continuing ministerial education series in which ReSource has been involved in a number of Dioceses over the last 3 years is clearly one of its most effective offerings, right at the heart of ministry and new leadership. One curate said, “One of the most useful CME sessions we’ve had”, while one wrote, “The silent meditation time was BRILLIANT – I need that space!”. Another was more pithy – “It scratched where I itched”. That’s the role of ReSource, to scratch where the Church itches, and bring the challenge to renewal for mission.
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Peterborough Praise 11 November
A hundred people gathered on a cold evening to praise God and open themselves to his work in their lives, through the Holy Spirit. It’s always good in this itinerant ministry to walk into a group who really want to worship and pray together, and among whom there is no need for complicated explanations about the third person of the Trinity – it just felt like a family coming together in mutual affirmation and encouragement. The response was terrific – “excellent, encouraging, inspiring” said one - and the prayer ministry time went happily on and on. I think my favourite evaluation, though, was one which said, “The teaching was theologically almost correct”. I wonder what it was that I got wrong?
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Rochester Evangelists
“Encountering Jesus, the wild Gospel bringer” was
the title of the weekend, and 52 licensed Parish evangelists from at a
Retreat House in West Wickham to worship, pray, talk together and learn
from God, all under the redoubtable leadership of Canon Jean Kerr and
with input from ReSource. We had a great time looking together at the
unexpected Jesus and what it meant to be in relationship with him and
with one another - and the Prophecy workshop just refused to finish,
even reconvening after the weekend had cl
“Encountering Jesus, the wild Gospel bringer” was
the title of the weekend, and 52 licensed Parish evangelists from at a
Retreat House in West Wickham to worship, pray, talk together and learn
from God, all under the redoubtable leadership of Canon Jean Kerr and
with input from ReSource. We had a great time looking together at the
unexpected Jesus and what it meant to be in relationship with him and
with one another - and the Prophecy workshop just refused to finish,
even reconvening after the weekend had closed!
It was a great time, and the Holy Spirit was at work among his people, from all traditions and shapes and sizes of church, in all his power and grace. One person wrote afterwards that most helpful in the weekend was, “The time to step outside ministry – to draw away to look at the Word and see the new things that God is revealing to me about himself, his character, his mission, his Kingdom and the part he wants me to play in his story”.
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St Jacut
Mid-September saw Martin and Cesca in France, at this beautiful Abbey
near
Dinard/Dinan in Brittany with some 50 members of the
Stewards’ Trust – and the Holy Spirit was there,
too. We praise God for the work he was doing among his people during
this
lovely week, when the sun shone and we walked the lanes and the
beaches, among the mussels and the oyster-beds with views forever.
Well, someone’s got to do it...
The responses to the ministry were humbling and wonderful. The leader
said “Your presence and message was a blessing in
so many ways. In your faithfulness to the Lord in word and deed you
conveyed the freshness and reality of the Gospel to us all, and I
believe none was untouched by the Spirit in some way and at some
level". One man wrote, “We
have both been challenged and renewed, relished in fellowship and fired
up to go out”. Another person said, “Excellent,
some new insights, practical, refreshing, fed my spiritual hunger; and
emphasis on Jesus as the Word v helpful – deep desire to be
reckless” (this a response to Eugene
Peterson’s description of faith as “a
reckless, adventurous life commitment”).
The Lord was wonderfully at work – bringing some to
conversion, others to renewal and freedoms in healing and deliverance
from oppressions and more. The worship during the week was led by David
Hunt with grace and a sure touch, taking the gathering into wonder,
love and praise. It was a good week – summed up neatly by one
person who just said that the high point for him had been,
“Meeting God afresh, and meeting such lovely
people”. Another spoke of, “So many memories
– so much laughter”. Thank you, Lord of grace and
mercy, and laughter.
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Parish Renewal Weekends
These have rolled happily onwards through the autumn, with the ReSource missioners like Richard Zair, Fred & Ellen Brodie, Alison Morgan and Martin and Cesca Cavender working with diverse churches such as Stanford le Hope St Margaret, Didcot churchplant, Islington St Mary, Flackwell Heath, Dartford St Edmund, Congresbury near Bristol, Walderslade near Chatham and Middleton in Manchester to encourage and support renewal for mission. We have seen the Holy Spirit working in wonderful ways, and unexpectedly.
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Rooted in Jesus: a discipleship course for Africa
In the first week of November Alison Morgan led a SOMA team to Tanzania
to meet with the 156 group leaders who have now led their groups
through the complete Rooted in Jesus course. It was deeply encouraging
to listen to their experiences and observe how they have grown in faith
and confidence. An evangelist named Japhet told how a Muslim had come
into the church during the group meeting saying that his feet had begun
to burn as he walked past, and he didn’t know what they were
doing but he wanted to do it too. In one Masai village the elders now
pray together over their decisions. Most leaders said people were now
reading their Bibles, have stopped worshipping the wrong god, and have
developed strong personal prayer lives. Drinking, wife beating, the use
of ‘medicines’ on crops, visits to witchdoctors
have all stopped – one woman bitten by a snake came to the
group for prayer instead (and was healed). Group members pray for the
sick (and see healings), and witness to others (who become Christians).
One leader said his whole village had changed dramatically; many said
that their church is now full. A new generation of leaders has been
appointed – including, for the first time, women from both
the Gogo and Masai peoples – and the number of groups will
now double.
Rooted in Jesus is printed by ReSource – for more details order a sample pack from the Publications page, or visit www.alisonmorgan.co.uk. Written especially for Africa, Rooted in Jesus is introduced at the invitation of the host bishop by a team from SOMA. It’s now in use in 7 countries and has been translated into 13 languages. If your diocesan link is looking for a programme to train ordinary Christians in discipleship, please get in touch!
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Summer 07
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Stop Press!
ReSource Booklet no. 7, 'Who do you say that I am?', is now available. How well do you know Jesus? Is your Jesus a familiar, settled figure, or is he the unpredictable, unexpected Jesus of the Gospels? In this booklet Alison Morgan offers some challenges to our preconceptions, using image, poetry and testimony as well as the gospel stories to get behind some of the assumptions which so often tone down our picture of Jesus. Written to accompany her recent seminar at New Wine, the booklet invites you to renew your relationship with the unexpected Jesus. Buy one for an enquiring friend!
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Thank you!
The response to my Pentecost letter has been magnificent, and the sense of encouragement and affirmation from all around the country has been wonderful. Thank you so much for your part in that. The pile of encouraging letters and donations has been extraordinary, with the total of financial giving so far exceeding £30,000 – way beyond what we had hoped for or dreamed. The Lord truly provides. Thank you.
The prayer and personal support for ReSource is a solid foundation which is growing and deepening, and the financial and other practical gifts and offerings build on that and allow the ministry to flourish and develop.
I would love to be able to move on from financial questions, and instead apply all our energies to the work of the Kingdom to which we believe ReSource is called. All the signs are that we are doing that, bit by bit. With your help we have come a very long way in the four years since ReSource was brought to life, and have seen a remarkable engagement with the vision to which we are called. People and churches are coming afresh to faith and life. Alison Morgan and I will be saying a lot more about all this in the Partners’ and Friends’ Days and Evenings which we shall be leading around the country in the next 12 months, which began in Warwick at St Paul’s Parish Church on Saturday 7th July.
It feels, in fact, as if we have come a long way in just the last three months. The original ReSource picture of the Viking ship with its different crew members remains a good one. The water has been very choppy in the recent bits of the voyage, as if God has been causing or allowing that, so that we get ourselves straight with Him and with one another in a fresh way. The Trustees have done a fine job in keeping their nerve. The team has been wonderful, and most have now chosen to take huge cuts in the way they are paid for their work, often down to nothing. They are giving their time and energy as a gift. All are willing to do this because of our commitment to the vision of ReSource. The ship feels lean and taut for the next stage in its journeying, and is moving eagerly to the wind of the Spirit.
I don’t go in much for corporate plans, preferring
to look to the Spirit for his direction and vision – working
then “not with wise and eloquent words, but with a
demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1 Cor 2:4). I
do, though, have a dream over the next three years or so of seeing
ReSource becoming self-sufficient, and of much more than that
– I want to see ReSource working in renewal with every
Diocese and Church in the UK, and beyond ; I look forward to a growing
network of Beacon churches carrying the principles of renewal for
mission in the power of the Spirit ; I can see a bigger team answering
the increasing demand with efficiency and grace; ReSource publishing
its own resources with proper ISBN numbers; and I can envisage an
increased input into national thinking, where we have already had an
impact way beyond our tiny size. These are amazing days, and this is a
fine adventure – thank you for all your help in making it
happen, and thank you for coming so sacrificially and faithfully with
us. May God bless and keep you in all your life and ministry.
Martin Cavender
Rooted in Jesus in Mozambique and Malawi
Alison Morgan led a SOMA team to Mozambique and Malawi in May,
to provide further training in the use of ReSource's Rooted in Jesus
evangelism and discipleship course. It was our first trip to Malawi; in
Mozambique Rooted in Jesus is already used for confirmation preparation
and church planting. We were encouraged to hear that in one Yao village
an evangelist has helped 22 Muslims to find faith in Christ through
Rooted in Jesus (highly unusual in a tribe which converted to Islam en
masse when Livingstone began to oppose the slave trade, on which their
economy depended).
Rooted in Jesus is now in use in dioceses in 8 countries, and with
increasing demand it has been decided that it will become part of the
core ministry of SOMA UK, which will enable us to make it available
more widely. Please do pray for those using the course, and especially
for the diocese of Nord-Kivu in D R Congo, where Simon Brignall will
taking a team to introduce it in November.
Continuing Ministerial Development in Salisbury diocese
Martin and Alison had a good time with the clergy of Salisbury diocese, leading a day on renewal for mission as part of the diocesan CMD programme by Revd Jane Charman. Seventy people came, and we spent a happy day thinking and praying together. Feedback was very positive: one person wrote afterwards that it was ‘the best CMD day I have ever attended’, another ‘it has opened my eyes and heart’, another ‘so uplifting, inspiring and encouraging!’. We were uplifted, inspired and encouraged too, by a group of people who are so clearly determined to make a difference; and we look forward to engaging with them again in the future.
Working within the structures
One of the things which differentiates ReSource from most renewal organisations in this country is that we are committed to working within the structures of the Church. We were therefore delighted that in May Alison Morgan was invited both to become a member of the Archbishops’ College of Evangelists, and to take part in the ‘Hard Questions’ series of lectures organised by Fresh Expressions at venues all over the country. Alison spoke on ‘The gift of the Spirit and the shape of the church’. The series will be published as a collection of essays by CHP in time for Lambeth 2008. We are excited by the constant flow of news of fresh expressions of church springing up all over the country, and Steven Croft and his team are much in our prayers.
Season of Renewal – the ReSource Lent course : ‘a gentle way into the whole concept of renewal’
Although the ReSource Lent course was finally printed rather
later than we would have liked, take-up was very good, with orders
coming in up to the last minute. Comments included:
Our five Lent Fellowship Groups have all responded
enthusiastically to “Season of Renewal”. The music
and ‘arty bits’ were movingly effective. It is
wonderful to have a course which is “Into God”
rather than “About God”.
It went really well. There was something for everyone because of the
different teaching styles. It was easy for me to use as well. We are
all going to do the spiritual exercises as our ‘doing
something for Lent’.
Your Lent course is underway here: four groups meeting. We’re
praying that not only will it renew people, but that we’ll
see more small groups starting up at the end of it.
The course will be available again through ReSource for next year, and
Lion Hudson are hoping to publish it and advertise it more widely for
2009. The course is deliberately designed not only for spiritual depth
for renewed churches but also as a thought-provoking work for churches
who would not see themselves as “culturally
charismatic”. It is also intended to make the crucial linkage
between Easter resurrection and Pentecost mission.
Guildford Prayer Day
“What a blessed day we had at Guildford Cathedral. Your insight/openness to the Holy Spirit was indeed profound ; Keith, John and I had never met but we clicked immediately when we met to prepare and I believe we offered a day of blessing to those who came. The written responses are extremely positive, and anecdotal evidence agrees with those. Personally I was enriched beyond measure by knowing these two ministers of the Gospel ; their ministry on the day was such an encouragement”, wrote Richard King, Diocesan Spirituality Adviser, after this great day which was led for ReSource by the Revd Keith Powell from Exford on Exmoor and Canon John Holbrook from Wimborne Minster. It was a day of plenary input and workshops, prayer and worship, and combination of Keith’s prophetic gift and John’s contemplative pastoralia was wonderfully anointed by the Holy Spirit. More than two hundred were there, and the response was terrific. The Lord was much at work among his people.
___________________________________________________________________________Swiss Cheese
Well, in the words of a friend, “someone’s
got to do it”. In June Martin & Cesca travelled to
Langenbruck in Switzerland to lead a renewal weekend for the Anglican
Church in Basel, led by their Chaplain, Geoff Read. It was intriguing
to see the way in which the Lord is working in a congregation which
looks across the Dreilander of Switzerland, Germany and France, with
people living in scattered communities in all three countries
– and themselves drawn both from local roots and from a wide
spread of English-speaking others. The title for the weekend was
“Food for the Journey”, and we had a fine time!
In the evaluations, we asked about what was best about the weekend. One
person said, “It restored relationships, to God, to myself
and to the church; and helped to put things into the right
priorities”. Another said, “The balance between the
Bible and life”, while another suggested it was,
“That God moved, and binds us together in love through the
Holy Spirit”. One of the marks of our time together was a
series of optional gatherings over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine,
called ”Going Deeper” – and we did. Loads
of people came. There was real vulnerability, and a sense of covenant
relationship, sharing at a profound level – and on Saturday
evening we moved to an invitation to the Holy Spirit to come and
minister to us all corporately. In the words of one evaluation
afterwards, “Everything was AWESOME!” - as it
should be when people are open to the working of the living God.
Swiss cheese? Well, it seemed to come in a zillion different
varieties and with every meal, along with ham – very tasty,
and real food for the journey!
Regional days
We have had a season of Regional Days on Saturdays scattered
through the last few months – in Newcastle in March, Taunton,
Bootle and St Matthew’s Walsall in May, Lincoln in June and
then Warwick in July. We do wonder whether it might be better
occasionally to move from a Saturday to a weekday evening, or a Sunday
afternoon. What do you think? Please do let us know, and perhaps
suggest venues which you believe might be good, and popular.
The idea has been to worship and pray together, share some of what we
are finding on the road, and do some thinking and theology in a group
– led variously by Fr Peter Denton, John Woolmer, Alison
Morgan and Martin Cavender. The numbers attending have varied between
12 and 50 and the days have each had a different emphasis –
from Spiritual warfare and the Healing ministry to the reformation in
the Church and Confidence in the Gospel. One evaluation suggested we
need to offer some more work on and ministry in the Gifts of the
Spirit, and we shall be doing that – but all have been
overwhelmingly positive – from Warwick, for example, most
helpful was found to be “The sense of worship from the very
outset of the day. The small group feel. The space to
reflect”; and “ excellent input, clear and
inspiring”. We always try to use the local church for these
days, and we are very grateful to the local clergy and congregation for
that chance.
Church renewal weekends
The last few months has seen a number of these in various
parts of the country – on the Isle of Wight with Sheet St
Mary, in Scarborough with Filey, near Sizewell Power Station in Suffolk
with Wickham Market, in Trowbridge as a follow-up to some earlier work
with Trowbridge St James, and involving various ReSource leaders
including Keith Powell, Mark Brown and Martin & Cesca Cavender.
It is always a great privilege to be asked to engage with the local
church because every local church is always different from every other,
and some are more different than others!
What we are finding are constant marks of openness to the Holy Spirit,
gracious and humble leadership, great desire to worship God and lift up
the name of Jesus and to explore the Bible as God’s Word,
real willingness to be vulnerable to one another and to learn together
as a family. We always try to include an opportunity to invite the Holy
Spirit to come and move upon his people corporately as well as
individually, and are always surprised by joy at what he does and what
he brings – in one case a moving outbreak of reconciliation
among estranged members of the congregation, with tears and laughter.
The invitations for these weekends are regular in our calendar, and we
always welcome more. Ask us! We have a particular heart for
“the little, the local and the ordinary”, and we
believe that that is where God is very obviously at work in building
disciples and growing his Church both numerically and spiritually.
Looking Ahead
ReSource will be joining with New Wine in Shepton Mallet this August, with Martin giving a seminar on ‘The Holy Spirit and mission’ and Alison speaking on ‘A Wild Gospel – encountering Jesus today’. Alison’s new booklet ‘Who do you say that I am? The Unexpected Jesus’ is at the printers, and Martin is working on a Grove booklet on “Growing Healthy Churches”, in the Renewal series. We are looking forward to working with the dioceses of Wakefield and Leicester in the autumn, in each case supporting their core diocesan programme, and we have a number of regional days and parish renewal weekends in the diary, led by our expanding team of Associates and Missioners (for details please see our website). If you think we can help you with your mission and ministry, or just encourage you with stories and concepts we’ve acquired on our travels, please do get in touch!
Spring 2007
Thinking the Future
One of the things we are trying to do in ReSource is to serve church leaders in their task of discerning how to offer the gospel in a way which is both creative and faithful in the context of a rapidly changing culture. Recently we have had the opportunity to do this in a number of ways. Alison Morgan was invited by Christian Research to speak at their annual Strategic Thinkers Forum on ‘Confidence in the gospel as public truth – contending for faith today’. Her presentation, alongside that of Baptist pastor Steven Hembery, led to a lively and challenging discussion with key leaders from Tear Fund, the Evangelical Alliance, Global Connections, the Bible Society and the new thinktank Theos (if you haven’t yet come across this exciting new initiative, do visit www.theosthinktank.co.uk). This issue of confidence in the gospel is one which we will be looking to develop more in response to the conversations we are having both with local churches and with dioceses.
Psychic Piglets and Speaking Trees
The new year saw Martin and Alison in Glastonbury, where we had been asked to lead a retreat for the clergy of the Bristol West Deanery. As so often, we came away deeply encouraged by the commitment and determination of this diverse bunch of people working in different ways in different – and not easy - situations. We find in each place that in addition to anything we are able to offer to those we are working with, we ourselves come away refreshed and challenged by the sharing of experience - things which in turn we are able to pass on to others. Comments included ‘a sympathetic challenge, and teaching content which 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!'
But perhaps the thing that most struck me, on this my first visit to Glastonbury, was the visible illustration of G K Chesterton’s comment that ‘when people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing, they believe in anything’. The high street is full of shops with names like ‘The Pyschic Piglet’ and ‘The Speaking Tree’. A faded sign points to the ‘Miracles Room’ hidden at the back of an alley full of buddhas and crystals. Everyone seems to be wearing the same vaguely gothic-cum-rustic clothing - and yet they all look unwell. Middle aged witches coughed and limped their way up the street, travellers sold spiritual-looking bunches of dusty herbs on the pavement, and a solitary busker spluttered down a recorder. A few yards away stood the majestic ruins of one of England’s foremost abbeys. I wonder what God makes of it all?
___________________________________________________________________________Healing in Bideford
Last November John Woolmer, Alison Morgan and Heather Carver set off to Devon, where we had been invited by the Ven Mike Edson to lead a weekend of teaching on the healing ministry for the Bideford group of churches. The weekend was carefully planned by our hosts to include a variety of different events. John spoke at an evangelistic breakfast in a local hotel (with glittering Christmas trees and magnificent food…). We shared our experience of both praying for physical healing and working through prayer ministry for inner healing, and were able to pray with a significant number of people individually as well as offer training for future teams of prayer ministers. One woman testified on the Sunday to immediate healing of a shoulder problem – which as she is a professional flower arranger she was grateful to the Lord for! Others have written to us since. For ourselves, Frances Edson treated us to a most magnificent blow on the beach on the Saturday afternoon, and we left with the pounding of surf echoing in our heads and hearts.
Always we come away from such weekends feeling there was more we didn’t do than stuff we did – but aware also that we are just a small and momentary part of the ongoing ministry of those we serve. We are very grateful to those of you who join with us in continuing to uphold in prayer those with whom we have had the privilege to work, however briefly.
___________________________________________________________________________Mary, "Little Voice" and the coming of the New Year
A good time was had by all at the New Year Celebrations in the Harnhill Christian Healing Centre near Cirencester, where a full house of some 20 people enjoyed a mixed programme of teaching, worship, prayer and space to think and breathe in beautiful surroundings and supported by great hospitality from the in-house team, led by Paul and Bryony Springate. We even had a (very cold) trip to the Cotswold Wildlife Park on New Year’s Day where we enjoyed the penguins blasting around their pool chasing fish (from a bucket), admired the albino rattlesnake and the rhinos, and got shouted at by a hungry bunch of otters. It all happens on a ReSource weekend.
The spoken input was provided by Martin and Cesca Cavender,
and based
around Mary and the annunciation. New Year is an odd celebration for
Christian believers, coming as it does between Christmas and Epiphany
in the calendar; but there was food for thought in Mary’s
dealings with the messenger-angel which helped us prepare ourselves for
the arrival of 2007. “Do not be afraid”, said the
angel; and then, “Nothing is impossible with God”.
Mary’s wonderful response, “May it be unto me
according to your word” is one for each of us as we step into
whatever the new year unfolds for us ; and may we say, with her,
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my
Saviour”.
It was a great time, with lots of laughter and a real coming
together
of the group, forming ourselves into a little cell of ministry to one
another. One person was healed of a long-standing bondage, and others
set free in other ways. One man found it helpful to have
“time to be still and think without distraction –
to learn again how to concentrate and think conclusively”.
Another spoke of “meeting people from different backgrounds,
circumstances and life experiences – and learning more about
what the Lord is doing among his Church” ; and a clergyman
said, “The teaching was excellent, very interesting and
helpful. I learned a lot. I thought you were very kind to us in many
ways – and am so pleased you gave us a paper resume of your
teaching”. One lady said, “I really enjoyed the
fellowship, and all the input – even the terrible jokes and
the leg-pulling!”
“Little Voice”? Well, one of the most profound parts of the whole time together was the period we spent sharing, with great vulnerability, some of the things which were important to us – perhaps from a painting, or a piece of poetry, or a photograph. One brought a clip from a video of the film “Little Voice”, that extraordinary picture of a reclusive girl who has wonderful talent and learns how to use it for the delight of others, through her own pain and loss. The language is sometimes choice and the redemption hard reached, but it spoke to a number of people about the reality of the world and its needs. Of the whole weekend and the work of the Holy Spirit, one person said, “It has for me been a mystery opening up”. That will do nicely. Thank you, Harnhill.
___________________________________________________________________________Interesting Quote
In one single day in 2005, there was as much trade as during the whole of the year of 1949, as much scientific research as during the whole of 1960, as many telephone calls as during the whole of 1983 and as many emails as during the whole of 1990 (Family Care Charity).___________________________________________________________________________
“A different reality – mission in Word and Spirit”
“Inspiring stories and scriptural insights” were the things one person found most helpful on this day away at Offa House near Leamington Spa for the Greater Chapter of clergy and lay leaders from Buckingham Deanery, led by their Rural Dean, Kevin Ashby, with Martin Cavender of ReSource. Others thought it was “The chance to meet and share ideas and thoughts in an open and non-judgmental way”, which made the sessions “fun and stimulating”. This was a day for exploring the theme of what it means to be involved in mission in Word and Spirit, built around the prayer, “Lord, transform your world; renew your Church; and start with me”. We engaged with the different reality of working in the power of the Holy Spirit, and what that meant to Jesus, beginning with his baptism in the River Jordan. One person found most important the fact that the day “made us focus on ourselves, our own motivations and adequacies”, and especially in the ReSource renewal exercise which is designed to do just that, as we grasp what it means to be members of a missionary church in a needy world. In the end it was a day of “hope, vision, encouragement”, as one person put it, “with good, clear Biblical teaching”. It was also a day filled with lots of laughter, sharp questions and good humour, and a marker for the way in which a Deanery can engage with Gospel mission and the relationship between the individual, the local church and the community.___________________________________________________________________________
ReSource gets a patron!
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Summer 2006
From A Spark To A Flame (Heinz Beans...)
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The last few months may not have had fully 57 varieties, but it has felt like it! "From a Spark to a Flame" was the On Fire Anglo-Catholic Renewal Conference at High Leigh, led by ReSource, with input leading us from blowing on the embers of our faith to the all-consuming fire of mission. It was a great Conference, with lots of Eucharists and Solemn Benedictions, incense and blessings, signs and wonders, and a huge sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit in all his healing power. |
It was a shock to move from that to the Proclamation Trust's
Men's Conference on the Holy Spirit, with 5000 men worshipping together
in the Albert Hall and Dick Lucas one of the speakers - a fascinating
shift, and again with a strong and proper emphasis on the authority of
scripture.
In June we were working with the Methodist Church in Andover, teaching
on renewal for mission. Pentecost saw us up in Fortrose, Scotland,
preaching on that great Sunday in both the Episcopal Church and the
Church of Scotland, and seeing the Holy Spirit come in power upon his
people. Then came a retreat at Launde Abbey with Repton Deanery
Chapter, led by Alison Morgan and MC. Again, the Spirit made his
presence known, this time in unifying a group of clergy and in healing.
A work later in the month with Repton Parish showed once more how
important in door-opening is the mission audit material, "Growing
Healthy Churches", which ReSource has recently reprinted. We do find
that it makes the way for longer and deeper work on renewal, and
mission in the power of the Spirit.
The Ruth Fazal Conference shared by SOMA and ReSource at Swanwick in
June was reported in the last ReSource Magazine. Reverberations from
that continue to be felt - only last Sunday I was in a church where the
preacher began her sermon on the Book of Jonah by referring to that
amazing Prayer Gathering with Ruth. We then went on to the Diocesan
Missioners' Conference, which is reported in the next Magazine: and
shortly afterwards to run a Lunch for General Synod members at York
University, which brought some incisive questioning both about the
theology of renewal and about ReSource's work. Interestingly, one of
the questions was about confidence in the Gospel and confidence in
ministry, which we have also picked up from other parts of the Church.
We came away from that lunch with a real sense of encouragement and
support from General Synod members.
Preparation works in York, Dringhouses, and in Filey out on the coast
were followed by a day in Ulverston with the Diocesan Renewal Group in
Cumbria, working together on renewal for a mission-shaped church. David
Munby led a Parish Renewal weekend with St Paul's church in Morley,
Leeds, and Mark Tanner and MC a similar weekend with our old friends
from St Germain's, Edgbaston at Hothorpe Hall.
Meanwhile the fine work begun by John Woolmer with the Prayer Team in
Christ the King, Kettering has carried over into fresh invitations for
ReSource, with Alison Morgan leading an evening teaching there on
"Wounds", and Cesca Cavender planning for a November evening on
"Bondages".
The Diocesan Missioners' Conference has given rise to lots of ideas and
invitations, including time with Peter Massey and Howard Male in
Hereford planning the 2007 Lent Course on renewal for mission, and
organising for ReSource to provide support and resources for that.
Recently we have had a four-day Parish Renewal weekend with Newbury St
Nicolas which was very fruitful - and leaves us feeling that all
weekends ought to last for four days!
Looking ahead, the diary is filling with work for all the members of
the ReSource team - in Parishes and Deaneries, across traditions and
denominations, in areas and Dioceses. One new element is the building
of a portfolio of work led by different ReSource Associates and
Missioners in regional meetings on such things as "Healing and
Wholeness", "Leadership in Renewal", "Prayer with Creation",
"Confidence in the Gospel", "Renewal for a mission-shaped church" and
others.
Please do contact the
office for details.
____________________________________________________
Experience of an end-user
We work in many different ways in many different contexts,
always trying to shape our offering to the local need and expectation.
Sometimes, happily, this involves sticking with a church or group for
the long haul. Here is one response to that kind of work:
Client confidentiality is generally regarded as a Good Thing, and
ReSource is very good at Good Things - but that does mean that we don't
often read or hear about the work that ReSource does at parish level,
with the "little, local and ordinary" to use that wonderful phrase.
Yes, there's no questioning the value of what the team does at an
institutional level with dioceses and deaneries, and that must be
encouraged, supported and affirmed. Descriptions of this more local
area of its work tend however to be missing from the news, or are only
included in very general terms. As one of the many "little, local and
ordinary" who have benefited enormously from the work of ReSource over
the last couple of years I'd like to help fill that gap. I write from
the perspective of one who was a lay leader for part of the relevant
period, and a very interested observer for the remainder.
I belong to an evangelical Anglican church in a North London
suburb. The last couple of years is a story of 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. It 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. Our situation is unique to us, but the key
features of ReSource's involvement are fully transferable into other
parish contexts.
It all started when Martin was invited to speak at our Pentecost
celebration service in May 2004. In what I now know to be his
characteristically gracious but no-messing style he used vocabulary,
and threw out challenges based on the Revelation 3 letter to the
Laodicean church that were new to many of us, and touched nerves.
Renewal for mission in the power of the Holy Spirit - yes, a great idea
; but as a congregation we were suffering from relationship problems,
differences in understandings of leadership, and a lack of vision which
were causing paralysis. Survival rather than spiritual renewal felt
like the priority for most of us.
All of those features began to emerge when Martin came again, a
fortnight later, to facilitate the PCC and other leaders in the first
stage of a Healthy Churches audit, and became clearer when, a few weeks
later, he returned to help us go deeper into some of them. That process
continued with his subsequent involvement in a small group meeting of
core leaders, where certain specific problems were discussed further
and a way forward agreed in principle. More recently he's contributed
to a strategy session on spiritual renewal, helping our Vision Group
think through what it means in practice to have identified spiritual
renewal as our top priority. Throughout this period he's been very
generous (and patient!) in making himself available to our Vicar and
lay leaders, being variously a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board, a
go-between with Archdeacon and Area Bishop and a wise and trusted
counsellor.
Two years later it feels as if we have bottomed out. We have still have
our difficulties, but we also have an agreed vision, with spiritual
renewal as its top priority and a commitment by the PCC to an action
plan that will help us in our journey. The Lord has been very good to
us, and one of the ways he's shown his goodness is by introducing us to
ReSource at a time when we were struggling, disorientated, and in need
of a reminder of his love and of the power of the Holy Spirit to
overcome every obstacle we were throwing in his way.
____________________________________________________
Spring 05
The Commissioning of ReSource at Burford Priory by Archbishop Rowan Williams
18th November 2004
"I welcome ReSource as a refreshing addition to the support for the
Church as she moves into growth and renewal. Among other things I am
glad to see the emphasis on Scripture and prayer, on proper theology
and the prophetic - and the breadth of the approach of this initiative.
I believe that the combination of renewal and mission, Word and Spirit
are key to the communication of the Christian Gospel in this
generation. I see ReSource as one of the many streams of development
which are beginning, by God's grace, to flow together at this important
time in the life of the Church."
Archbishop Rowan Williams, October 2004
Felicity Lawson and Martin Cavender with Revd Richard Coombs,
Archbishop Rowan Williams, and Abbot Stuart Burns
Felicity Lawson with Bishop John Finney and Bishop Stephen Cotterill
A Celebration Eucharist to launch the ministry of ReSource, York
Minster. November 30th 2004
____________________________________________________
ReSource Events
In addition to the work we do with churches, deaneries and dioceses, we offer various open events to which everyone is welcome. These are organised regionally, and led by experienced facilitators on key topics to do with renewal for mission in the power of the Holy Spirit (do let us know what topics you would like to see covered). We are also planning to hold Partner days for those who support us financially and spiritually - more details soon!
ReSource events 2008
Most of our work is in response to invitations from particular churches
or groupings, but some are open to all. Do join us at any of the
following (more details from the office). And if you would like to
invite us to work with you we would be delighted to hear from you!
· April 12th, Joint Conference 'New for
Mission in the Countryside' with ReSource and ARM Wales, Wrexham. For
booking form click here;
for flyer click here.
· May 15-16th, "Learning to listen"
women's retreat at Llangsty Retreat House, Powys, led by
Cesca
Cavender. For more information contact the office (01235 553722).
· June 3rd, Day Conference at Cliff
College on Charismatic Mission, led by Alison Morgan. For
booking form click here.
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