This conference gives an opportunity to hear from senior representatives of some of the main denominations in England on their vision for the use of mediation in the church, what progress has been made over the last 10 years, and on future steps being planned. Participants are welcome from all the churches in England and beyond, with a broad range and rich mix anticipated.

Mediation within the church in England (and Britain more generally), is still relatively new. The Church has generally lagged behind the rest of society in using mediation as a way to handle conflicts within its midst. Yet as anxiety increases in society, and people become quicker to resort to litigation, the Church is increasingly in need of more collaborative approaches that offer the chance to address hurts within a relationship and rebuild a bridge, as well as seeking a mutual way to address specific issues. Mediation offers a positive way both to build agreements for the future, and to provide an opening for God’s work of reconciliation.

Bridge Builders was established over 10 years ago, as a service of the London Mennonite Centre, in order to help the Church in Britain transform the way it sees and handles conflict, and has advocated for the use of mediation, and trained hundreds of church leaders in mediation skills.

The conference will be set in a context of worship, with a goal of promoting relationship building among participants. The conference will include meetings in an ongoing ecumenical small group, in a denominational small group, and through large group plenary sessions, facilitated by the Bridge Builders’ team. There will be some Biblically-inspired reflections, and information on Bridge Builders’ approach to mediation and church consultancy.

The Bridge Builders Team
The conference will be led by the Bridge Builders team comprising the director Alastair McKay, the assistant director Colin Patterson, and assistant Sharon Kniss.

Meals and Accommodation
The conference will include refreshments, morning and afternoon, along with lunch. There is the option of an evening meal. The venue is the lovely Royal Foundation of St Katharine, 2 Butcher Row, Limehouse, London E14 8DS. For details of the venue see www.stkatharine.org.uk . If you would like accommodation the evening before or after the conference, then please contact Sally Burton, tel: 020 7791 9784, sburton@stkatharine.org.uk .

Cost, Application and Cancellation
The cost for the conference is £60, unless you are a current member of Bridge Builders’ Network, in which case there is a reduced fee of £50. If you would like to join us for an evening meal, there is an additional cost of £10. If you are on a very low income, then please contact us to see whether a small bursary may be available. Spaces are limited to a maximum of 50, so do apply early, as we expect the conference to be over-subscribed.

To apply, download the brochure and application form, print out the application and mail it, with a cheque payable to "Bridge Builders" covering your full fees, to:

Bridge Builders
London Mennonite Centre
14 Shepherds Hill
London N6 5AQ

Once accepted, 50% of the fee is refundable up to four weeks before the conference start date. Thereafter there can be no refunds.

Programme Highlights

* Worship
* Presentations by denominational leaders
* Small Group Discussions
* Fellowship and Networking Opportunities
* Optional Dinner to follow conference

Download the brochure and application form for this conference (in pdf format)