An introductory course to its core practices
Who is it for? People who want to develop, or are already nurturing a new Christian community within their circuit or district. Ideally, we would like people to come as a team (at least two people from each team with a maximum of four).
What’s it about? Faith rooted organising offers a way to resource and enable people to find out where God is at work in their communities, and join in.
What is distinctive about (Christian) faith rooted organising is that it is grounded in who we are as a people of Christian faith; rooted and centered in God, in our practices of prayer and worship, and in the way we live out and share our faith.
The course (multiple dates) is held at Cliff College, beginning at 1pm with lunch on the Friday afternoon and ending after lunch on the Sunday.
20th -22nd October 2023 (bookings close 1 October)
February 23rd – 25th, 2024
April 5-7th, 2024
November 8th -10th, 2024
Travel costs to be paid by attendees (if this is prohibitive, please contact us).
Trainers: Carmel Murphy, Urban Life, supported by Kerry Scarlett, Learning Network, and Eunice Attwood, Church at the Margins Officer.
Faith Rooted Community Organising is a way of working together to enable positive change. It follows a clear methodology, similar to a practical theology ‘action/reflection’ cycle. It encourages building relationships, engaging in collaborative action and the development of local, contextual leadership. Through organising, participants can seek the transformation of unjust structures alongside the growth and flourishing of church and community. Faith Rooted Community Organising practices offer a way for churches to engage in mission rooted in missio dei, bringing together social justice, social action, and contextual evangelism. This reflects the understanding of mission articulated in the Connexional God for All and therefore New Places for New People alongside the Methodist Church strategy for Justice, Dignity and Solidarity.
This course is a starting point for anybody who is interested in community organising. It will help develop an understanding of what community organising involves and what it looks like in the real world. Participants will be introduced to the foundations of community organising: listening, power, and action. Community organisers reach out and listen to people, then connect and motivate them to build their collective power. In this course, participants will start to explore how people come together so that they can understand and take action on their concerns to build community and overcome social injustice.
Participants will learn about:
- the importance of listening to build relationships and explore issues.
- power in communities and why it matters.
- what motivates people to act.
- how to take the next steps in community organising
