Inclusive Church has a network of 950+ churches, and a list of the new ones who have just signed up can be found below.

We also have a network of voluntary Regional Ambassadors around the country. The Ambassadors act as a point of contact between a region (especially the inclusive churches in that region) and Inclusive Church nationally.

Please get in touch if your church would like to join the network, or if you would like to be an ambassador (if your region already has one or more, don't worry - you can work together!) If you need to get in touch with any ambassador on our list, please just find their email address here.

The role description for Regional Ambassadors was updated during the annual ambassador training in 2022, in collaboration with the ambassadors themselves. It can be read here.

More information on becoming an inclusive church can be found here.

New Churches — December 2023

St James's Woolton, Liverpool
St Andrew's Newlands, Cape Town
St Mary's, Shalford, Guildford
St Ann's, Manchester
Holy Trinity Elvington and
St Michael & All Angels Sutton upon Derwent with St Mary's East Cottingwith
St Matthew Naburn
St George's All Saints and Messy Church, Harnham
St Albans URC
St James with Emmanuel New Brighton
Manor Park St John the Baptist and Whitby Road St Michael
Burniston Methodist Church
St Philip's Church, Scholes
St Matthew and St Luke, Chadderton
St Mary's, Coton-in-the-Elms
St John Minskip and
St Mary Dunsforth and
St Andrew Aldborough
Parish of Wyke Regis
St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol
St Francis Bournemouth (Parish of Four Saints, the other three churches are already members!)
St Cuthbert's Firvale
St Simon and St Jude, Milton-Under-Wychwood
St Neot, Cornwall
Ardal Weinidogaeth Cynon Uchaf Ministry Area

Welcome, everyone; croeso, pawb!

Rolling Down Justice

Attached, Naomi Lawson-Jacobs reports from our 12th annual Disability Conference with St Martin-in-the-Fields.

OBOF Christmas Celebration

Join OneBodyOneFaith at the Wesley House, Cambridge on Saturday 16 December for a panel discussion and Big Queer Carols. For further details and to book your free place go to www.tinyurl.com/1b1f-cam23.

The Open Table and St Bride’s Christmas carol extravaganza is back Sunday, 17th December 2023!

Open Table meets twice monthly providing a warm and affirming welcome to Liverpool's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community, friends and family.

The Liverpool Rainbow Chorus will perform, and we’ll sing loads of your favourite carols with inspiring readings both traditional and contemporary. You're also invited to a simple meal of soup, bread, mulled wine and mince pies following the service - everyone really is more than welcome!

Service starts at 6.30pm, St Bride’s, Percy Street Liverpool L8 7LT.

https://stbridesliverpool.org.uk/lgbtqia

Church Action on Poverty theology and worship collective
Online gathering
Monday 22 January, 10am-3pm

Help us share in theological reflection on what's happening in the movement to end UK poverty, and plan out new resources to help churches engage with it.

We'll hear from Nick Waterfield about the work of Parson Cross Initiative in Sheffield. We hope to work with Nick on stories or parables that illustrate the theology driving PXI's work, that can be used both there and in churches more widely.

We'll also discuss wider ideas about Church Action on Poverty's work and the Let's End Poverty campaign - an agenda will be available soon.

We won't be on Zoom the whole time - the plan is to schedule blocks of about an hour for discussion and activity, with plenty of breaks and chances for small group chats in between.

If you haven't done so already, please click the link below to sign up now.

Register to attend on 22 January.

Events at Holy Rood House:

Thursday 14th December - Advent Creative Day - Treasures in the Darkness. 10- 4pm. Suitable for all abilities, Helen Warwick, a creative therapist and chaplain, will be encouraging play and exploration in our large art room, based on reflections from our current art exhibition ‘Small Delights’ by artist Jane Burnley.  This moving and honest exhibition includes reflections on noticing the small, hope and grief.

Saturday 16th December 12pm - Sunday 17th December 2pm - Mini Christmas Retreat Come and join us for our cosy and celebratory mini Christmas retreat. Sharing music, poetry, prayers and discussion alongside good food and warmth. There is an option to stay over on the Sunday night into Monday.

Saturday 30th December 4pm - 3rd January 11.30am 2024. New Year Retreat - With reflections, liturgy, creative arts, poetry, music, good food and relaxation. 

Friday 26th January 4pm - Monday 29th January 2pm -Immortal Diamond, Living our True Self, inspired by Richard Rohr’s work. As always these retreats contain talks, discussions, worship, silence, imagination exercises, free time, along with legendary Holy Rood House hospitality. It will be a wonderful weekend to start the year – do come, and book early to avoid being placed on the waiting list!

Friday 16th February 4pm - Sunday 18th February 2pm - Making Space for Growth: a Lent retreat for women. Are you giving up anything for Lent?  This retreat will use reflection, sharing, creativity and liturgy to explore ways in which we can let go of patterns and ways of thinking that block us, and make space for growth and flourishing.

Grants for clergy children

Applications for the 2023 Rustat Grant, a hardship grant that supports the education of children of Church of England clergy, are open. An advert is attached and more information is available on the website of Jesus College Chapel, Cambridge.

SCM and OBOF launch 'Affirming Christianity' course

While the national denominations and traditions continue to argue over their stance on the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people, the Student Christian Movement (SCM) and OneBodyOneFaith have joined together to publish a resource for churches who want to take a step further along the journey, and who want to grow not only as allies to LGBTQ+ people but also in their own faith too.

How To Be A Good Christian Ally is the first in the Affirming Christianity series, a project led by SCM. Rather than debate Biblical verses that cause disagreement, this short course seeks to offer ways to explore the idea of allyship in the bible, and as a church, as well as to learn from LGBTQ+ stories.

Intentionally simple and accessible, the structure of the course introduces key principles, bible studies and exercises, as well as a video made by students to convey their experiences and identities. It is a dynamic, engaging, and thought-provoking resource that is a timely and necessary addition to the ongoing national dialogue.

Order 'How to be a Good Christian Ally'

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