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CTE Digest
The latest quarterly edition of CTE Digest was sent out on 27 November and is now available on the CTE Digest page of the website. (December 2008)
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Your stories for the website
John Bradley, editor of CTE-news and Field Officer(South) always welcomes your stories to add either to the CTE website or CTE-News. Please email your stories to John. (December 2008)
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Year of the Child 2009
2009 is the 30th Anniversary of the UNESCO Year of the Child. Various church leaders have suggested that next year highlights children in our church and society and how they matter to God. A major initiative has been undertaken by a coalition of denominational and evangelistic organizations to ‘encourage the church in children’s ministry’ and ‘reach the next generation’. 50k copies of a DVD are being distributed and resources placed on the website ‘Will You Make a Difference?’ at: http://www.wymad.org.uk/. See also: http://www.yearofthechild2009.co.uk/
(December 2008)
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Hope 08
As the year of Hope 08 comes to an end the fifth and final main film, 'Gift of Hope', is now available on the website at www.hopeinfo.co.uk. 'Gift of Hope' features profound insights into the impact of senseless violence. Jimmy Mizen was killed in May this year just one day after his 16th birthday in an unprovoked attack. In the film his parents talk openly about trying to come to terms with their loss.
Examining the link between hope and faith, 'Gift of Hope' asks whether hope can prevail when such desperate tragedy strikes. It was commissioned by the Christian Enquiry Agency and Church Army as part of their commitment to making 2008 a year of hope.
The Hope08 website will remain as a resource for local groups throughout 2009. (December 2008)
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CTE Inter Faith Officer moves to north
Celia Blackeden, CTE Inter Faith Officer has recently moved to Leeds. See article for further details of her work. (December 2008)
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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 18-25 January 2009 - Reconcile Your People
Each year the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is developed by one country which produces outline material that is adapted for use in other parts of the world. Korea is the selected country for 2009 and they have chosen Ezekiel 37.15-28 which draws on insights from the Korean experience of a divided nation. As in previous years this has been adapted by a writers group from the four nations. This ecumenical service for use during the Week can be downloaded from the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland website www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer. You will also find on the webpage an order form for printed materials (English service booklet, English/Welsh service booklet, prayer cards and posters). The printed materials are now being distributed by Norwich Books and Music (telephone number 01603 612914, email orders@norwichbooksandmusic.co.uk). Norwich Books and Music will also be happy to send further copies of the order form. (December 2008)
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one light: one world - Unity and the Scriptures
This free booklet, published earlier this year, highlights some scripture passages encouraging our unity. It is a useful resource for use during the Week of Prayer of Christian Unity. It is available as a free download here. Orders for free copies (pay only postage & packing) for personal use or wider distribution may be placed here. There is also Introduction to the selection and some comments on the scripture verses as an additional resource. To add to this, e-mail John Bradley. (December 2008)
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Faith in Action - A Derbyshire Churches Guide to Community Mission
A practical ecumenical manual for those who believe in holistic, Kingdom-focussed mission of the church. See flier for further details and how to obtain a copy.
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Who is my neighbour? - a churches response to social disorder linked to gangs, drugs, guns and knives
You will be aware that this important report was launched in the summer at the House of Commons. There are now a series of regional events taking place to publicise the report and further information about the events may be found on the MECA page of this website. Some events have already taken place and you may be interested to see the feature on the BBC website about the Birmingham event in September. You can a link to this on the 'Who is my Neighbour' article on the CTE website or by going directly to the BBC website. (November 2008)
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Special Sundays
There is now a list of special Sundays for the rest of 2008 and 2009 on the CTE website to be found at News, Events, Jobs/Events and Calendar/Special Sundays. This list is not exhaustive so please let Edith Steele know if you have information about any other special Sundays. (November 2009)
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Churches for All
Following the demise of CHAD (Church Action on Disability), CTE has established a working relationship with Churches for All as a pan-disability organisation. CfA is a partnership between a number of Christian disability charities (Torch Trust for the Blind, Causeway-Prospects, GoSign, OpenEars, Through the Roof and Livability, which used to be Shaftesbury-Grooms) and offers their combined experience to the churches.
While there is still work to be done within the churches on accessibility issues, Churches for All are also keen to promote and support the involvement and participation of people with disabilities in church life. Also, they wish to bring together and further work that has been done in a number of places on the theology of disability. Do take a look at the CfA website which is the key to their resource ( www.churchesforall.org.uk). CfA’s leaflet (available from the office) asks the question “Is your church complete? Who is missing?” and there is a clear ecumenical task for CTE to engage with – hence our growing relationship.
CTE sees its part in helping to network the churches at every level and enabling support for the likes of disability advisors. In the near future we will be contacting denominational ‘area’ offices seeking to identify appropriate contacts. A ‘what is CfA all about?’ style meeting is being planned for later in the year, to which people will be invited (including yourselves). We would be grateful if you could pass on information about folk on your patch who have to do with issues around disability, whether in the church structures or outside them.
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"Inter Faith Resources" leaflet
I am pleased to draw to your attention the updated and revised "Inter Faith Resources" leaflet which can now be downloaded from the website, or if you wish ordered from Lorraine Shannon at £3.00 for 10 copies. As the content is likely to be updated every few months we will run off orders here at CTE.
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Local Ecumenical Partnerships and the Charity Commission
The registration of LEPs with the Charity Commission is proceeding more slowly than anticipated and it is going to be a while longer before standard governing documents are available. Churches which currently operate as charities under the Exception Order (which means that they do not need to register individually with the Charity Commission because it is recognised that their own Church authorities oversee their compliance with charity law) will now have to register if their annual income is more than £100,000. The next key date is October 1st 2008 but this is when the process of registration must begin, not when it has to be completed. The majority of churches registering under this head will be of a single denomination; LEPs will come later and the Charity Commission is still working on the means by which this will be done. Meanwhile, any church which operates under the Exception Order should quote the order number 2007/2655 in places such as grant applications, CAF vouchers and charity appeals where a registered charity number is asked for. This is the new Order, issued in October 2007, and should be used instead of the old one.
John Bradley (Sept 2008)
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Friends and Heros
We have received information about a new resource which presents Bible stories for children. This animated adventure series was broadcast on BBC2 last year and is now available on video. Flyers are available for you to distribute through your mailings.
Main website: http://www.friendsandheroes.com
Children's Website: www.friendsandheroes.tv
Downloads available:
Sunday School Lessons leaflet
Specimen Sunday School Lesson
Organisation Presenters' Packs (September 2008)
Ecumenical Notes
We are making a change in the way Ecumenical Notes is presented. Instead of the CDROM and updates (which admittedly have been far fewer than intended), the latest version will now always be on the website at http://www.churches-together.net/Group/Group.aspx?id=43932.
Click here for a list of the main changes (4 July 2008)
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Please take time to contribute to our 'Migration Enquiry' in one of three ways:- on line by following this link, by email, or by writing to Migration Enquiry, Churches Together in England, 27 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HH. Thank you. Please publicise this enquiry as widely as possible by cascading this letter of invitation. (February 2008)
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Honours for local people
For a paper encouraging you to help the Government find unsung local heros click here and here for the offical 'how to' document. (February 2008)
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| First impressions of a County Officer |
Click here for an extremely readable and helpful article by Clive Barrett, appointed to West Yorkshire last September. He reflects on his priorities and way of working, in the process offering inspiration and ideas and showing how a CEO is well placed to facilitate the closer collaboration of the Churches. The article will be relevant to both County and Denominational Ecumenical Officers. (February 2008)
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Government Inter-Faith Strategy
The Department for Communities and Local Government have published a consultation on the Government's Inter-Faith Strategy. You may care to offer a response or pass it on to others in your region who may also be interested.
Follow the link for documentation (February 2008)
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