November is a month thick with memory. I’ve been thinking about remembrance, powder kegs, and how quickly things can ignite. As a teenager I worked in a fireworks factory. I handled explosives every day. I never liked bangs, but I loved the science, the fleeting beauty, the choreography of light, the smoke that lingers long after the spark is spent. The moment passes; the memory stays.

Every year we remember Guy Fawkes, though he wasn’t acting alone. The whole plot was bigger, messier, born of people who felt cornered. Trying to blow up Parliament was hardly a noble response, but desperate people do desperate things. And with the rise of the far right, that truth feels uncomfortably close.

As a teenager I found the risk thrilling to work in a tiny blast-proof box designed to blow outward if something went wrong, protecting everyone else. I cut fuses with scissors that could make sparks. Then, danger felt containable. Now I’m wiser, and far more aware of the cost when it isn’t.

This month of remembrance invites us to pause for all who have gone before us paving the way: saints and heroes, matriarchs, mentors, family, and friends. We honour their lives, lament the bloodshed, and pray again for peace. We look back not to stay there, but to learn, to repair what we can, build on what is good, and choose a better way. To let love be our path. To value difference as strength. To keep moving forward, together, while keeping alert to the sparks we make and the powder kegs we pass.

Inclusive Church are coordinating a collective response to the recent House of Bishops announcement that, in effect, signals a stalling of further progression to full equality in the Church of England for LGBTQ+ folk. This is taking the form of an Open Letter that we would like to encourage you to read, sign and share.

This is an opportunity to amplify the too often quiet, inclusive voices that care deeply about genuine inclusion and justice for all. I'd like to have as many names as possible please by November 23rd.

There are a number of inclusive, interesting and encouraging events planned around the country, some organised by IC members and regional ambassadors and some by partner groups. 

Sarah Jones is on a UK Tour right now called Everyday Normal, a show that 'is designed to give an insight into what it is like to be a human being who happens to be trans. Sarah will outline the realities, the joys and the difficulties. We'll also look at the myths surrounding trans people in the UK today.' The tour included Sheffield, Birmingham and Liverpool. If you weren't able to make it this time, do keep an eye on her website for future events.

For CofE members, you are encouraged to keep an eye on the Together website for news and notifications of regional gatherings in your area. The list of their regional contacts is here if you'd like to be directly connected.

One of our regional ambassadors Gwilym Stone has been working with the leadership teams of Pilgrim Cross, ecumenical cross-carrying, Holy Week pilgrimage, to look at how they can increase their inclusivity further and ensure a positive space is created for all.

We hold the URC in our prayers as they gather this month in Milton Keynes for an Extraordinary General Assembly considering and discerning the way ahead for their denomination following the extensive Church Life Review process they've undergone.  

Bristol IC member Kat Campion-Spall says "A group of 10 inclusive churches from central Bristol and the cathedral worked together to run a stall at the University of Bristol Welcome Fair. We shared the cost of the stall, and made some joint publicity to help students find a church that suits their needs, as well as having publicity for each church and other inclusive Christian groups in the city. Volunteers came from across all the churches. We had some brilliant conversations with students about what it means for a church to be inclusive and why IC as an organisation is necessary. We also made great connections with other stall holders - for example we were opposite Brook sexual health who were really pleased to meet us as they said clients sometimes ask about safe faith spaces. It was great to get to know other local churches better and have a joint project and we're really keen to do it again next year."

We want members of IC to have the opportunity to share joyful stories and encouraging signs of progress with each other. There is always more to celebrate than we realise!

Here's a round-up of some recent events and happenings.

We'd love to celebrate with you, so do send us your stories.

The two-day event, held on 23–24 October 2025 in the North East of England, brought together an extraordinary gathering of activists, scholars, policymakers, and faith leaders from around the world. The theme, “Power, Populism, and Politics,” resonated strongly with me as it explored how global movements are challenging LGBTQ+ rights—and how we, as advocates and faith leaders, must respond with courage and compassion.

From the opening keynote by Drew Dalton to Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah’s moving address on intersectional liberation, every session reflected the urgency of protecting human dignity. The panels covered vital topics—from resisting the global anti-LGBTQ+ movement to addressing funding gaps and the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. Each discussion reminded me that our struggles are interconnected; that faith, justice, and love must guide our responses in turbulent times.

I was honoured to be part of Panel 6, “What Strategies Do We Need to Take Forward to Fight Back Against the Global Rollback of Rights?” Sharing space with Professor Sue Sanders and Jean Paul Bienvenu Enama was profoundly inspiring. It affirmed my conviction that inclusive faith-based advocacy remains a critical tool for transformation—especially across Africa and the wider diaspora.

Beyond the panels, the workshops offered practical insights on activism, safety, and well-being for human rights defenders. What touched me most was the sense of unity—a reminder that even in the face of oppression, our shared humanity prevails. Safer To Be Me left me renewed in purpose: to continue building bridges between faith and freedom, and to ensure that it truly becomes safer for everyone to be their authentic selves.

The October event was attended by a broad range of people from Newcastle and Durham dioceses and beyond. The event was organised by members and supporters of WATCH in the North East to raise awareness about the ongoing inequality faced by women in the Church of England, and the work WATCH is doing to challenge that inequality and bring the arrangements which enshrine it in the church’s structures to an end.

WATCH Chair of Trustees Martine Oborne presented an overview of the current situation, how we got to this point, and what we can do about it. Jenni Beaumont (vice chair of NADAWM) gave a fascinating and engaging presentation of her doctoral research, looking at the Five Guiding Principles and how they function as a mechanism of ‘containment’ which disempowers women. Sue Hammersley gave a deeply moving account of her own experiences of injustice in the church, and urged us all to reflect on how we experience injustice, and especially how we feel it in our bodies.

Group discussions in response to this wide-ranging and inspiring input led to some deep and productive conversations, and several of those present left saying that they were fired up to take action about the injustice women continue to experience in the Church of England, and in some cases with some specific next steps in mind. The morning concluded with a powerful and hope-filled act of worship led by Elizabeth Baxter of Hilda House Community, using inclusive and creative liturgy and hymns.

It was encouraging and empowering to meet together in this way, and we are already thinking about how we can continue to support one another locally. If you are interested in hosting a Not Equal Yet Roadshow event, do get in touch with WATCH. Trustees are very happy to travel to participate in events, and also to offer support with logistics and publicity. It only takes a few people to start something which could have a significant impact.

Is a faith shaped peace only powerful for the 1930s not the 2030s? John Cooper Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation delivers this year's Annual lecture on 20th November, 6-8.30pm at The British Library of Political and Economic Science, London. In an era of continued conflict in the Middle East, increasing pressures on multiculturalism, decreasing trust in global institutions and rising Christian Nationalism, is it healthy to mix faith and politics? Book via Eventbrite

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