Newsletters

The Ecumenical Officer sends regular newsletters to churches together groups, local ecumenical partnerships and other ecumenical organisations in South London. Contact us if you'd like to receive it.

Here is the latest, sent in January 2012

Dear all

Greetings from Churches Together in South London (CTSL) at the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. I trust that whatever you have done over the Week has been a good experience for you and that you have been challenged by the theme given to us by the churches of Poland - We shall all be changed. I would be very interested to hear about what worked and what didn't, indeed to have any comments on how the Week is, or isn't, observed in your area.

Below are a couple of items relating to CTSL itself and then some wider ecumenical matters for your information and interest:

1. CTSL Council
I have just about completed my report on our November meeting when we considered the theme What do we pray for when we pray for Christian unity? and I will be sending this to those of you who asked for it in response to my last newsletter. If you don't think you are in this group and would like the report, just let me know.

The next Council is on the evening of Monday 21 May in the Newcomen Room, Chapel Court off Borough High Street, and we are taking the theme Local churches together groups - where are we going? I am aware in South London that some local groups are doing well while others struggle, and my aim in this meeting is to share experiences and reflect on ways forward. I hope that a large number of local churches together groups - or equivalents by whatever name they are known - can be represented. As an incentive, there will be food from 6.00 pm and the meeting itself will be from 7.00 to 9.00. We shall also fit in the CTSL Annual General Meeting which, on past experience, takes about five minutes! I shall be sending out an invitation shortly but please book the date now and arrange for someone from your group to be there - or contact me if you are interested or would like to know more.

2. CTSL representatives to the Churches Together in England Forum
Churches Together in England holds a Forum every three years and it can be regarded as one of the most representative ecumenical gatherings in the calendar. The next takes place from 23 to 25 October this year at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire. Its theme is What does love require of us? based on 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 and there will be a good mix of presentations, groups, Bible study, prayer and networking opportunities. CTSL has six places at the Forum and I am writing now to ask for expressions of interest either on behalf of yourself or others. i aim to have a group that represents the rich life of the church across South London and it would be good to have a range of people to choose from. I can't guarantee a place but do please let me know if you are interested in attending. .

3. Church of England/United Reformed Church service in Westminster Abbey
A Service of reconciliation, healing of memories and mutual commitment is to be held by the Church of England and United Reformed Church in Westminster Abbey on Tuesday
7 February at 6.15 pm. It will mark the 350th anniversary of the Act of Uniformity, which resulted in over 2000 Congregationalist and Baptist ministers leaving the Church of England - The Great Ejection - and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the United Reformed Church. Admission to the service is by ticket but these are freely available from the United Reformed Church ecumenical office at ecumenical@urc.org.uk or via the Westminster Abbey website. For more details about what lies behind the service, go to http://www.urc.org.uk/what_we_do/ecumenical/docs/healing_the_past__building_the_future

4. Lent
There are many resources for ecumenical Lent groups but once again York Courses seem to have come up with something worth considering. Its theme, chosen with the Olympics in mind, is Handing on the torch - sacred words for a secular world and it tackles the question of how Christianity can survive and grow in Western culture where alternative beliefs are increasingly on offer. Information from www.yorkcourses.co.uk, tel 01904 466516 or PO Box 343 York, YO19 5YB.

5. Jubilee beacons
Premier Christian Radio is backing a programme to encourage churches and Christian groups to light a beacon on Monday 4 June to mark the Queen's Jubilee. Great idea, especially for ecumenical groups, but it needs some advance planning, so now is the time to go to www.churchbeacons.org.uk to see how this can be done.

6. Olympics
Advance planning is also needed for making the most of the opportunities provided by the Olympics. www.morethangold.org.uk is the best place to go but two things worth mentioning here are that a More than Gold training day is planned for 17 March in Greenwich and the Olympic torch relay is visiting our area (Greenwich, Lewisham, Croydon, Sutton, Merton, Wandsworth, Kingston, Richmond, Souithwark and Lambeth) between 21 and 26 July. I have some information about both these but you may be able to find out more locally

7. The Society for Ecumenical Studies
I feel it is worth drawing attention to this society, especially as its new Secretary, the Rev Dr Jim Blackstone, is one of us - an Anglican curate in Eltham to be precise. The Society does what it says on the tin - it promotes the study of ecumenical issues - and it does so in a thoughtful, creative way. If you are interested in knowing more, go to www.ecumenicalstudies.org.uk or contact Jim on secretary.sfes@gmail.com tel 020 3342 1302.

8. CTE News
i have mentioned before that the Churches Together in England website is a fount of information about ecumenical things. Its CTE News is particularly helpful as a way of seeing what is going on to promote Christian unity in this country and more widely. Take a look at it on www.cte.org.uk and simply click on CTE News.
And mention of CTE prompts me to say that its Presidents - the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Westminster, The Moderator of the Free Church Group and the Bishop of the Lutheran Council of Great Britain - recently renewed the personal covenant originally signed by their predecessors. I attach a copy and hope that it provides material for reflection and encouragement.

Enough for now. Do get in touch with me if you would like any further information or if you want me to come to a meeting or service.

God bless

Churches Together in South London

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