Inclusive Church Newsletter

July 2024

The Inclusive Church Newsletter is a digital publication produced every month. It aims to provide supporters and members with the latest news and information from the life of Inclusive Church and our partner organisations.

From the Chair

Dear comrades,

It has been a wonderful (if busy) week shortlisting for our next National Coordinator, and we have been absolutely blown away by the quality of candidates drawn from our network. We'll interview next week, the same week as the AGM in which we propose to appoint four brilliant newly-recruited trustees. In the interests of remaining fastidiously non-party political, I will have to say that we are in a season of great 'modification', 'alteration' or 'variation'. (Papers for the AGM are now online at inclusive-church.org/agm) We hope to announce our next National Coordinator in our next newsletter, at the beginning of August.

Looking forward to the end of August, we have booked a stall for this year's Greenbelt festival, collaborating again with our partners Modern Church. Whether you have volunteered before or not, whether you already have a ticket or not, please email any offers of help to office@inclusive-church.org (As usual, we have a few tickets available for stall helpers.)

This weekend, the General Synod of the Church of England meets in York and — as always — further LLF discussions are on the agenda. However long the bishops and curia take to implement synod's decisions, please keep Inclusive synod members in your prayers as their hard work continues... and continues. Not least, we are thankful for our partners, Together for the Church of England, who coordinated this letter: togethercofe.org.uk/together-responds-to-llf/

Meanwhile in the real world: if you have the privilege of a vote in tomorrow's Westminster elections, please don't neglect to use it!

Pob bendith,

Fr Dan Barnes-Davies SCP,
Chair of the board of trustees

Donate to Inclusive Church

Vacancies

SCM Project Worker

Student Christian Movement: Faith in Action Project Worker (Theology and Resources)

Are you a recent graduate ready to spend a year working for an organisation that shares your values and commitment to social justice? Do you want to make a difference to the lives of students and equip them to put their faith into action?

SCM is looking to appoint a Faith in Action Project Worker to join our small and dynamic staff team. For more information: movement.org.uk/vacancies

The application deadline is 10 July 2024.

Vicar of Burnham (Bucks)

Our single church benefice is looking forward to welcoming a new Vicar to our wonderful community.

We seek an experienced, Eucharistically centred priest from a liberal catholic tradition. We are a member of Inclusive Church, and this is reflected in our congregation. Our church family is strong on fellowship, social action, environmental awareness and celebrating God’s love with those around us.

For an informal conversation about the post, please contact the Associate Archdeacon of Buckingham

Closing date 7 July. More information: pathways.churchofengland.org/en/jobs/vicar-st-peter-s-burnham/1124

AGM

Inclusive Church AGM
and Annual Lecture

Our AGM and Annual Lecture will take place on Thursday 11 July at 7pm. This year we are delighted to welcome former trustee Alex Clare-Young who will be giving the 2024 Annual Lecture. Alex's talk is titled "Faith in Transition".

Alex will speak about what some trans folks might have to teach faith communities in the context of societal transformation. Alex will share some stories from their research amongst other trans and non-binary people and show why they – why we – matter. Alex will que(e)ry stagnation and binarism and suggest steps towards local and national ecclesial change.

This year our AGM and Annual Lecture will take place entirely on zoom. Register here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/inclusivechurch/e-bomalj

All of the papers for the AGM are now available online at inclusive-church.org/agm

Ambassadors and
New Churches

Inclusive Church has a network of over 1000 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 then-ambassadors. It can be read here.

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

New Churches — June 2024

St Anne's Western Park, Leicester
St James the Great, Colwall
Holy Trinity Ulley, Sheffield
St Mark’s, South Farnborough
St Mark and St Swithun, Purley
Good Shepherd, Borough Green
Leatherhead Methodist Church
Crowborough United Church
St Ninian's Wilbraham
St Michael’s Lichfield

Welcome, everyone!

Events

Queer & Green day retreat

Saturday 20 July 2024, St John's Waterloo, London

QUEER & GREEN: A day retreat exploring the inter-relationship between our queer lives and our connection with the natural world, organised by IC partners OneBodyOneFaith, Modern Church & the Open Table Network. Join us for contemplation, conversation and creativity: bit.ly/QueerGreen0724

A flyer is attached to this email.

Seeing the World Differently retreat

16–18 August — Franciscan insights for the planetary crisis. Retreat led by Br Sam SSF at Holland House, Worcestershire. £315.00 full price —generous bursaries available. Book at hollandhouse.org

Free to Believe national conference

Coming to our Senses

‘The Word made flesh is here made word again’ (Edwin Muir, The Incarnate One). A focus on embodiment, a continuing challenge for churches, and worldwide

Wednesday 4 – Friday 6 September 2024, the Hayes Conference Centre. Cost £275 (booking form attached). More information: freetobelieve.org.uk/conferences.html

News

A Serious House, Martin Camroux

A Serious House — Why if churches fall completely out of use we may miss them

Founder of Free to Believe, Martin Camroux, writes: My latest (and I think last!) book is now in print. For forty years I have ministered to United Reformed and ecumenical congregations, all of whom were experiencing dramatic social and theological change. The Church is a morally ambiguous body. Robert Frost said he had a lover’s quarrel with the world and I have one with the Church, but I am clear that its loss would be a diminishment of community, faith, and our humanity. We have crossed a cultural divide. Before, if you didn’t hold traditional religious beliefs and belong to a church you felt obliged to explain yourself. Now the pressure is to explain why you do. This is my answer, as honest as I can make it.

The book is available from the publishers: wipfandstock.com/9798385207824/a-serious-house/ or from Martin at a special price of £16 including postage. Contact Martin via freetobelieve.org.uk

office@inclusive-church.org (Admin)

07375 392285 (Chair)

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The content of the newsletter is drawn from a number of sources including individuals and partner organisations. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect a 'formal viewpoint' of the Inclusive Church trustees, individual members of Inclusive Church or registered network churches.

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