Practical resources for church leaders

Create a successful website for your church

The Diocesan communications team is working with Church Edit to offer a free seminar for anyone looking to create or improve a church website.

The seminar will cover topics such as:

The seminar will be held at the Old Deanery in Wells on Tuesday 6 September 2011 from 2pm - 4pm or 7.30pm - 9.30pm. For more details and to register your place please visit www.churchwebsitetips.co.uk/wells.

Just food? environmental resources from A Rocha

This resource pack from A Rocha is like a sachet of seeds; a little packet of huge potential. The main feature of the DVD is a very digestible but tasty series of five films that look at how people are dealing with important issues around food. The sort of thing that would be a very useful starter for small group discussions or indeed could be used in a main Sunday service. Each of the five foody themes is supported and informed by the excellent bible study material and plenty of resources for sermons, prayers and children’s activities.

It may be that you’ve been thinking about environmental issues for a while, in which case you will be pleased to get your hands on the ‘Going Deeper’ theological reflections such as NT Wright’s article ‘Jesus is Coming, Plant a Tree’ in which he employs Romans 8 to remind us that God’s good creation is enslaved by our activities and ‘what slaves need is redemption’.

It’s all nicely produced and the beauty of having it on one DVD is you just print off and adapt the bits that will suit your context. All this means that time-poor clergy or eco-mobilisers have all the food resources handed to them on a plate. Why not buy the pack and use it for Harvest and Creation Time?

Revd Nigel Done and Keith Brindle, Hardington Vale

The pack can be purchased for £10 (+£1.50pp) through A Rocha’s website.

Development Matters

New lectionary-based resources are now available on our website, helping to link sermons to relevant world events.

Researched and prepared by Elizabeth Perry, Development Matters relates Sunday lectionary readings to current justice and development issues. You’ll find stories, facts and quotes to help your congregation connect today's world with the big themes of the Bible.

Visit www.bathandwells.org.uk/go/development_matters to find out more.

Let's talk legacies

At this week’s Diocesan Synod we will distribute over 500 information packs and booklets about legacies. We hope that synod members will not only have picked up a pack for their parish but also for their neighbours as well.

Legacies are an income stream worth well in excess of £2 billion to churches and charities, but one that people find it difficult to talk about. These booklets will help.

Within the packs are details of training events designed to help the subject to be raised in parish settings, and details are also on our website. Please book with Sue Whitehead in the Stewardship team if you want to come. You can email her at sue.whitehead@bathwells.anglican.org or call 01749 685272.

It may sound odd but this is the next stage of ‘Giving for Life’. You will recall that there is an exhortation to conduct an annual giving review but not to repeat the same thing each year. Perhaps legacies could be a theme of your next review? Watch this space – we are already working on the ideas for giving reviews for 2012/2013!

As ever, if you have any queries please phone the Stewardship team. Sue’s number is above and you can reach Andrew Rainsford on 01749 685270.

Treasurers’ workshop

The Accounts team is holding workshop for PCC treasurers, especially those new to the role. Find out more about what we do at the Old Deanery, annual returns, accounting issues, treasurers’ handbook and FAQs. It will also provide an excellent opportunity for networking with fellow treasurers.

The event takes place on Friday 9 September from 10am until 3pm. A buffet lunch and refreshments will be provided.

So that we can have an idea of numbers, if you are interested in attending please email Sally Westlake at: sally.westlake@bathwells.anglican.org and we will come back to confirm details with you.

Awareness Sunday to mark 10th anniversary of 9/11

The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US falls on a Sunday and the Awareness Foundation is inviting churches to mark the day with special services and prayers, as a day of remembrance and reconciliation.

The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu said, “Around my neck I wear a cross bearing the words of Archbishop Oscar Romero. The words read: ‘Peace will flower when love and justice pervade our environment.’ I welcome Awareness Sunday as it seeks to reach out and build better relationships based on mutual respect and understanding.”

A special public service of remembrance and reconciliation for Awareness Sunday will take place at Westminster Abbey at 6.30pm on Sunday 11 September. Other events and services will be held around the country.

For information and resources visit www.awarenesssunday.com.

Make a Difference Day – 29 October 2011

This autumn you are invited to get involved in Make a Difference Day, the UK’s biggest day of volunteering.

Last year more than 70,000 volunteers were involved in over 2,000 activities, from renovating homeless shelters to creating community gardens, teaching IT skills or helping housebound neighbours.

This year’s campaign will focus on activities that combat loneliness and isolation in society. Free resources to help and inspire organisers and participants include a handbook packed with ideas and advice, how-to guides, t-shirts, certificates, free chocolate and more!

The day takes place on Saturday 29 October, with activities between 22 October and 6 November. To register your interest in taking part call Freephone 0800 284 533, email difference@csv.org.uk or visit www.csv.org.uk/difference.

In brief

Celebrating their time in church schools

Over six days in June the Diocesan Education team welcomed more than 2,200 year six children and 300 adults from 97 Church of England primary and junior schools to Wells Cathedral for the annual Spirit of Wells Leavers’ Days.

The event brings children from across the Diocese together in their cathedral to celebrate their years in their church schools, think about their move to secondary school and show them the care of the Diocese of which they are part.

Each child participated in three workshops linked to the themes of community and moving on and the days ended with a lively but reflective act of worship in the cathedral led on different days by Revd Nigel Done and Revd Philip Hawthorn.

Nigel and Philip told the story of Zacchaeus the tax collector with mime artist Ken Wylie enhancing the telling and starring as the tree! The children were sent away with the message that whatever they look like on the outside or feel like on the inside they are all valued and special to God.

Diocesan Synod

The agenda and notes from July’s Diocesan Synod session can be found on our website.

Diocesan Chaplains’ Day 2011

The next Diocesan Chaplains’ Day is on Monday 21 November 2011 in Wells. The day is for all those, ordained or lay, involved in any type of chaplaincy and is an opportunity to reflect on our ministry and to learn from and share with others in a wide range of chaplaincy situations.

The cost of the day is £15 which includes buffet lunch and refreshments.

This year we welcome Ian Adams as our speaker. Ian is an Anglican priest who describes himself as ‘a writer, poet, teacher and artist working with themes of community, culture, and dedicated to bringing about in some way peace and well-being in our local and global world.’

For more information or to book a place, please contact Sarah McConnaughie on 01225 314029 or at sarah@mcconnaughie.eclipse.co.uk.

The next generation: youth & children’s leaders’ conference 2011

Working with the Diocese of Bristol, our Education Department is organising an event for all those who work with children and young people in both churches and schools.

Taking place at the Blue School in Wells on Saturday 15 October, the Next Generation conference will resource, support, train and better equip youth and children’s leaders working in Somerset, Bath and Bristol. The event is open to all Christian denominations and organisations. Jim Davis of the Children’s Society will deliver the keynote address.

More information on the conference is available on our website.

Community awards

The Chairman of Bath & North East Somerset Council, Councillor Peter Edwards, is inviting nominations for the Chairman’s Community Awards for 2011/12.

The awards are an opportunity to highlight all the good work carried out in the community by volunteers - some of the unsung heroes of local organisations, residents and good neighbours.

The deadline for nominations is Friday 21 October 2011. For full details, including the various award categories, visit the council website or contact Sara Dixon, Community Projects Officer on 01225 396594 or email sara_dixon@bathnes.gov.uk.

Competition: faith through a lens

A national photography competition showcasing the positive impact of faith in the community has been launched. Amateur photographers are encouraged to share their own personal experiences through images they have captured.

‘Faith through a lens’ enables photographers to convey the importance of faith, be it within their local communities or globally. Last year’s winner portrayed a Haitian grandmother with child following the country’s earthquake.

The winning photographers will not only receive a prize for themselves, but prizes also for their chosen faith, charity or community group.

The closing date for entries is 23 October 2011. For more information visit www.faiththroughalens.co.uk.

Ride and stride for Somerset’s churches and chapels

This year’s Ride and Stride takes place on Saturday 10 September. This is the Friends of Somerset Churches and Chapels’ main fundraising event and an enjoyable day out when participants raise sponsorship by cycling or walking between as many churches as they can.

Over the last ten years £400,000 has been given in grants to more than 200 Somerset churches. Recent grants helped churches in Barton St David, Pylle, Charlcombe, Claverham, Withiel Florey, Bishops Lydeard, Compton Pauncefot and Weston-super-Mare Emmanuel.

Your church may already take part. If not, now is the time to think about joining in!

To get started contact Chris Hawkings, the County Coordinator on 01749 672327 or email chrishawkings@hotmail.co.uk. More information can be found at www.fscandc.org.uk.

Diocese of Bristol Retreat: the rose in the cross of the present

  • An exploration of the art of loving, both human and divine
  • A retreat for priests and licensed lay ministers – friends from Bath & Wells welcome to join us!
  • Conductor: Very Revd Ian Corbett
  • Ivy House, Warminster
  • 14-18 November 2011
  • For more information contact Simon Tatton-Brown on 01249 656834 or email simon@tattonbrown.myzen.co.uk