Bridge Builders

Disagreement and conflict in the church are inevitable. However, it is our response to conflict that is critical. Most Christians want to find better ways to engage with one other in the midst of conflict, and to learn how to handle conflict constructively. Bridge Builders offers a variety of services, including:

Bridge Builders Services

• Training and Teaching
• Consultancy and Coaching
• Group Facilitation and Process Design
• Mediation

More Information

• Bridge Builders' Network
• Wider Resources
• Mission Statement
• The Costs
• Staff
• Contact Details
• Annual Reports

Training and Teaching

Bridge Builders runs practical workshops and courses, ranging from one-off sessions to week-long courses and extended programmes. Our training concentrates on equipping Christians to understand conflict better and to function more effectively in the midst of it. We also train Christians to mediate and to offer consultancy in a church setting. For details of specific events, see our list of upcoming courses.

In addition, Bridge Builders staff and associates are available to teach and train in different settings including worship services, conferences and retreats.

Mediation

We offer the services of trained mediators when disputes arise between fellow Christians, of whatever denomination. Our mediators work in a range of situations: with individuals, with leadership teams, with whole congregations or other large groups. In our experience, mediation often opens a way forward for Christians who are struggling to work co-operatively together. The key is to help people address their grievances, build their own agreements for the future, and find an opening for God’s work of reconciliation.

Consultancy and Coaching

Bridge Builders offers church leaders a consultancy service, which ranges from a brief telephone conversation to more intensive coaching – for example, giving support in planning strategies and managing oneself in situations of conflict. We advise denominational leaders and officials on handling specific cases, and on wider issues, such as dialogue processes. We also offer regular ongoing work consultancy and coaching for those seeking a longer term mentoring relationship.

Group Facilitation and Process Design

Bridge Builders' staff facilitate potentially difficult meetings,and design effective processes for making decisions or processing the past. We specialise in facilitating dialogue in congregational and other large-group settings.

Bridge Builders' Network

Bridge Builders co-ordinates an ecumenical network of people who have completed a week-long foundation course, some of whom take further training, for example in mediation skills and process. The network has regular meetings around the country for further training and mutual support. Members of the network may co-train or co-mediate with Bridge Builders staff, or take on cases working with one another; and some, who have received suitable training, offer training workshops using Bridge Builders’ materials.

Wider Resources

Bridge Builders is able to draw on the wider resources of LMC, which include Metanoia Book Service, a 6,000-book specialist library, a prayer hut and hospitality to guests.

In addition, Bridge Builders has produced a number of articles which can be accessed online, and can be found here: Bridge Builders' Resources & Articles

Vision and Mission

Bridge Builders believes that God is in the business of saving and recreating the sinful world and its inhabitants, supremely through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and through the ongoing work of his Holy Spirit. Bridge Builders believes that God has created and called the Church into being to be a distinctive people who embody a way of life that expresses the reconciling, community-creating love of God, and thereby to be an authentic sign of the Kingdom of God.

Bridge Builders therefore has a vision of local churches and their leaders, throughout Great Britain and beyond, functioning in healthy ways with a Biblically-grounded culture of peacemaking, and reaching out to offer this life to the world. A service of the London Mennonite Centre, Bridge Builders provides training, mediation, consultancy, and related services for all Christian churches and denominations in Britain.

Bridge Builders aims to ground its work in the life and teaching of Jesus and believes that peacemaking and seeking reconciliation are intrinsic aspects of following Jesus faithfully. The vision for Bridge Builders grows out of the historical Mennonite commitment to the way of peace and non-retaliation against enemies as central elements of the Christian gospel.

The Costs

Details of the current rates for all Bridge Builders’ services are available on request.

The Staff

Bridge Builders is headed by a Director, Alastair McKay, who co-founded Bridge Builders in January 1996. Alastair has an MA in Conflict Transformation and is studying for a Doctorate of Ministry. Additional staffing comes from a full-time Assistant Director, Colin Patterson, an Anglican priest and experienced adult educator who is based in Durham, and from an Assistant, Sam Moyer, who has a BA in Psychology and Conflict Studies from Goshen College.

In addition, Bridge Builders works with several associates from around the country and from different denominations.

Contact Details

For further information, contact:

Alastair McKay
Director of Bridge Builders
London Mennonite Centre
14 Shepherds Hill
London N6 5AQ
T 0845 4500 214 / 020 8340 8775
F 020 8341 6807
alastair.mckay(at)menno.org.uk

Colin Patterson
Assistant Director of Bridge Builders
Bridge Builders’ Northern Office
24 Monks’ Crescent
Durham DH1 1HD
T 0845 2410 393 / 0191 383 1031
F 0191 383 1031
colin.patterson(at)menno.org.uk

If you have a problem with the above links, then you can also use our online contact form to send us a message.

Annual Reports

Bridge Builders releases an occasional report reviewing activities from the previous year or two. You can download these reports in Adobe .pdf format here:

2005 -2006 Building a Contrast-Society

2001 Making Peace with Conflict in the Church

BB Team 10th Anniversary

• 10th Anniversary celebrations

• Mennonite Mission Network article on 10th Anniversary, 2006
  

  Bridge Builders' Articles & Resources

  • New! Toward a Theology for Conflict Transformation
  • New! Leading a Church in Conflict
  • Church Conflict Bibliography
  • Transforming Conflict: Some Keys for Church Leaders
  • Church Mediation: Three Challenges
  • What if ...our church hit a crisis?
  • Conflict Resolution for Churches?
  • What is distinctive about church conflict?
  • Bridge Builders Celebrates Ten Years of Ministry

    Church Conflict: A Selected Bibliography

    A selected bibliography on titles related to church conflict. Titles are briefly annotated and grouped according to subject:
    
    

    Conflict-Related Titles
    
    Group Facilitation and Process
    
    Family Systems Theory and Leadership
    
    Leadership
    
    Mediation
    
    Cross-Cultural Conflict
    
    Theology for Conflict Transformation
    

    
    
    To see the bibliography, click here

    Transforming Conflict: Some Keys for Church Leaders

    

    Do you tend to avoid conflict, and view conflict in the church as something negative or destructive? In this article, Alastair McKay, Director of Bridge Builders, offers some keys that can help unlock a different understanding of conflict and an approach which can enable leaders to engage with conflict as a source of creativity and transformation in the life of the church. The article provides an introduction to some of the ground covered in Bridge Builders’ Transforming Church Conflict course. The course focuses on developing some of the qualities, self-awareness and skills covered by the article, and which are needed by leaders to enable them to work better with conflict. The article was first published in a slightly different form as a chapter entitled “Resolving Conflict” in the book How to Become a Creative Church Leader: A Modem Handbook, edited by John Nelson (Norwich: Canterbury Press, 2008) pp. 194-210.
    
    
    
    To read the full article, click here

    Church Mediation: Three Challenges

    
    Speaking at a national conference on church mediation Alastair McKay, Director of Bridge Builders, offered three challenges to the church in England and beyond. He says that the first challenge is to change the culture of how our churches think about and engage with conflict, and instead to build a culture of active peace-making in the Church. Second, is the challenge to promote and resource mediation as one way of dealing with conflict, because mediation offers a route through the tangled thickets that we can get caught up in. Third, is the challenge to be realistic about mediation, to recognise its limits, and to take a more systemic view of the conflicts that arise.

    
    
    
    To read the full presentation, click here

    
    

    What if ...our church hit a crisis?

    
    Just suppose our church were to hit a crisis. Imagine that some storm blows up over an important issue and we have a significant conflict on our hands. Perhaps it threatens to split the fellowship.
    

    What would you do?
    
    

    Here are 6 options:
    
    A. Pray that God will sort things out
    
    B. Tell the leader(s) to get a grip on things
    
    C. Leave before things get even more painful
    
    D. Call for others to resign or leave
    
    E. Do what you can to calm things down
    
    F. Suggest getting help from an impartial outsider
    
    

    Answers A-D are all common responses to church conflict. But each of them has its problems.
    
    
    
    To read the full article, click here

    
    

    Conflict Resolution for Churches?

    
    Not a side issue
    Why should churches be interested in the practice of conflict resolution? Well, put at its most basic, any body of people would be better off not being damaged by internal disputes, wouldn’t they? Even simple self-interest suggests that it’s worth trying to resolve conflict. But churches can go further than that.
    
    
    
    To read the full article, click here

    Bridge Builders Celebrates Ten Years of Ministry

    
    

    Tenth Anniversary Press Release
    
    

    6 July 2006: Day’s Events (with related links)
    
    

    Messages of Support (audio recordings)
    
    

    Words of Appreciation
    
    

    A History of Bridge Builders
    
    

    Photos (in Shockwave format, 6Mb)
    Background music Stand up for Jesus by Andrew Kreider, used with permission.

  Bridge Builders' Network

  •Membership Information • Network Days •
  •Non-Network Member Network Day Application •
  • Archived Network Newsletters •
  
  
  

  Membership

  Bridge Builders’ Network is open to all those who have attended one of our five-day foundation courses. The purpose of the Network is to provide an opportunity to refresh and enhance members’ skills, to offer encouragement through meeting others with a shared commitment, and to develop people around the country who can provide a local resource to their churches and communities. Everyone who has been through one of Bridge Builders’ five-day foundation courses can attend Network Days, but there are benefits for membership subscribers. Occasionally we run "open" Network Days which anyone interested can attend.

  Membership Benefits

  • The current fee to attend Network Days is £20. The fee for non-members is £50. Among other things, Network Days offer training in developing your leadership and facilitation skills further. If you have not completed a mediation skills training course, you are welcome to attend mediation review days as a role-play disputant or observer, as numbers allow.

  • Being part of an encouraging community of diverse people with shared interests.
  • Regular e-mail updates and newsletters with information on events and matters of interest.
  • Membership of a Google Group for discussion of issues relating to conflict transformation.
  • A semi-regular published report on Bridge Builders.

  Membership Opportunities

  Members are encouraged to offer the following:
  • Articles for the e-mail newsletter, perhaps covering case studies, personal experience of applying learning from BB training, issues around conflict transformation in the church, theological perspectives etc.
  • Book reviews, either for the e-mail newsletter, or for presentation at Network Days.
  • Training input for Network Days.

  Membership Scheme & Cost

  • Membership is for one year, renewable each year.

  • The cost of membership is currently £40 per year.
  • If applying during a foundation course, your first membership fee is only £30.
  • To become a member, please contact us at bb@menno.org.uk

  
  

  Bridge Builders' Network Days

  The series of Bridge Builders’ Network Days in 2010 is set out below. Please book with us now and note the dates in your diary. More detailed information on each day will be circulated by email only, nearer the event. Please ensure that we have your current e-mail address if you want to receive updates (and our new quarterly-ish e-newsletter). If you are not on email, please contact us for further information closer to the day.

  WINTER 2010

  21 January at the London Mennonite Centre, 9:45-4:15,
  Mediation Process Review (Healing Strategies)

  28 January at St Nic’s Church in Durham, 9:30-4:15,
  The Power of Feelings*

  28 January at Earlsdon Methodist Church in Coventry, 9:30-4:15,
  Use of Gilmore-Fraleigh Style Profile

  SPRING 2010

  22 April at the London Mennonite Centre, 9:45-4:15,
  Dealing with Difficult Behaviour

  6 May at Church House in Manchester, 9:30-4:15,
  The Power of Feelings*

  6 May at South Parade Baptist Church in Leeds, 9:30-4:15,
  Skills for Personal Confrontation*

  20 May at Inverkeithing Baptist Church in Inverkeithing, 9:30-4:15,
  Pre-mediation and Mediation Review

  AUTUMN 2010

  22 September in Durham, 9:30-4:15,
  Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Practice

  30 September at the London Mennonite Centre, 9:45-4:15,
  Email Communication & Conflict in the Church

  7 October in Coventry, 9:30-4:15,
  Email Communication & Conflict in the Church

  *Open days, i.e. open to people who’ve
  not done Bridge Builders foundation
  course – please invite your friends!

  PDF Open Day Non-Network Member Booking Form

  
  
  Programmes

  The programme for each day will be determined closer to the event. We seek to respon to the feedback from participants on previous Network Days.

  Cost and Cancellation

  The fee is £20 for members of the Network and £50 for non-members – to be paid at the time of booking. The fee covers lunch and refreshments and all materials. Cheques should be made payable to “Bridge Builders”. Cancellations are accepted up to 10 days before the day without penalty. The full fee is owed if cancelling within 10 days of the day.

  Registration

  To register for any of the days, please send a cheque and covering note to Bridge Builders by post: there is no booking form. Your booking will not be processed without payment, so please send payment promptly.

  PLEASE NOTE: There is limited availability at each venue, with places allocated on a first come, first served basis. You can sign up for any of the above dates now.

  Archived Network Newsletters

  Bridge Builders' Network Newsletters older than a year old are now available online in PDF format. Current newsletters are only available to current and former members of the Bridge Builders Network. See the membership page for details about becoming a member. We hope that you enjoy reading the articles that we make available on this page, without charge. If you’ve found an article helpful, challenging or inspiring, then please consider making a donation to support the ministry of Bridge Builders. Remember that reading an article can only take you so far, and is no substitute for the practical skills training that Bridge Builders offers through its courses. So if your interest has been raised, then please consider applying for one of our Transforming Church Conflict foundation courses.

  2008 Newsletters

  October - Reflection: Of Mice, Men and God; Diocesan mediation teams consultation; Referral fee scheme; Peace & conflict organisations in UK June - Reflection: Getting People to the Table; Article: Trust the process, it does work; Story: The joy of teaching; Evaluating BB; New BB course structure February - Reflection: Bearing the enmity; From Alastair on Sabbatical: Receiving Gods Good Gifts; Article: Passing on the Good News; New BB Foundation course

  2007 Newsletters

  November - Advent: Bethlehem speaks in many tongues; Article: Putting Matthew 18 into Practice; Church Mediation Conference; BB Questionnaire on use of Mediation Skills results; Northern Cross Currents Seminar July - Reflection: 11 Years of Training Mediation Skills; Article: Aware of What We Model; Article: What if…our church hit a crisis?; LMC Invitation to visit March - Reflection: Power and Passion: Six Characters in Search of Resurrection; Special Event: Church Mediation: an Ecumenical English Conference; Google Group: Comment & Response

  2006 Newsletters

  December - Reflection: Colin on first year as BB staff member; Events: In the Aftermath: Trauma Healing & Church Mediation: an Ecumenical English Conference; Article: Baptists, Burnley & Bridge-Building July - Reflection: Sharon Kniss joining BB team; Events: Church Mediation: an Ecumenical English Conference & Bridge Builders 10th Anniversary Celebration April - Reflection: Charletta on CPT hostage situation; Programme updates: BB 10th Anniversary Celebration, New Assistant Joining BB Team in July, & Expanding Website; Reflection: Meditation

  2005 Newsletters

  December - Welcome: Colin Patterson to BB staff; BB northern office; Program updates: New website, 10th Anniversary Celebration, & Church Leadership & Family Systems course June - Welcome: Invitation for reflection from network members; Article: Meditation - Only Connect; Opportunities: Join the Church Conciliation Network & Volunteer as a Community Mediator

  2004 Newsletters

  December - Christmas Meditation – O Come Immanuel!; Article: The Myth of Mediator Neutrality; Opportunities: Local Mediation Services seek volunteer mediators July - Staff Update: Charletta Erb to extend service with Bridge Builders; Article: Transformative Mediation: Bush and Folger’s Approach; March - Staff Update: Welcoming Charletta Erb, Bridge Builders Assistant; Conference: Mediation UK - Southern Conference; Article: Christians and Anger