What is the responsibility of the international community when a state is unable or unwilling to protect its own people?

Concert in the Garden [click for flier]

Featuring:
Jonathan Crissman on Classical Guitar

and

Soprano Rehanna Kheshgi, performing Hindustani classical music with Amardeep Seyan on tabla

£10 donation*, proceeds to benefit the London Mennonite Centre

Bring a blanket or small chair, as the concert will take place outdoors, weather permitting.

*includes refreshments

Conflict is normal and inevitable – but Christians often feel ill-prepared to handle conflict in the church. The Skills Training Course for Mediation and Facilitation in the Church is designed to equip Christians with practical skills for responding constructively to conflict. This five-day course explores conflict within us, between individuals and within the congregation. The course aims to raise self-awareness, to develop understanding of conflict and to teach methods to facilitate resolution and transformation of conflicts, particularly through mediation.

Sixty years after the creation of the state of Israel, tensions in the Holy Land continue to capture the attention of the world, and continue to divide people of all faiths across the globe.

Come and spend a day with representatives from three organizations working to reduce violence in the region: Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine Israel (EAPPI), and the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).

Urban Expression and the Incarnate Network invite you to join them for a day conference with Michael Frost to explore the implications of incarnational mission.

The London Mennonite Centre has had a long, close relationship with Workshop, a programme which has changed the lives of many people associated with the Centre. It is our very special privilege this year to offer those of you who have not yet experienced Workshop a day of discovery you will not want to miss (and for those of you who have already experienced Workshop, this is an opportunity to rediscover what you loved the first time around).

Conflict is normal and inevitable – but Christians often feel ill-prepared to handle conflict in the church. Transforming Church Conflict: A Foundation Course for Leaders is a new training course intended for those in leadership positions in the church, and also for other Christians who want to deal better with conflict.

Attend this training course if you want to:
• Develop new skills for handling conflict
• Give time to personal growth as part of a worshipping community
• Be part of a movement that is changing the culture of the church

During the past decade, we have heard much about the ecological crisis facing our planet and how we, as Christians, need to take action. But what kinds of actions should we and our churches be taking? How do we get going on environmental issues?

Do you want to be able to share with others some of the new insights about conflict that you have encountered through your training with Bridge Builders? If so, then this is the course you have been waiting for!

Under the influence of civic religion, concerns such as peacemaking have usually been considered ‘optional extras’ for Christians - matters best sidelined into a special arena labelled ‘ethics’, where pacifists clash and those who think violence is necessary continue to disagree.

We warmly invite you to our leaf raking and open house at the LMC.

A special treat for us will be a few songs being sung by West End star Jonny Amobi!

Peacemaking is an inherent part of the Christian life. Gene Stoltzfus was involved in the founding of Christian Peacemaker Teams and was the director for 16 years until his retirement. Peacemaking as worked out by CPT includes serious training in the arts of nonviolence, negotiations, human rights work, media, and the integration of Christian spirituality on a day to day basis. CPT also works hard at developing team work and appreciates the importance of diversity within team life including gender equality.

Conflict is normal and inevitable – but Christians often feel ill-prepared to handle conflict in the church. Transforming Church Conflict: A Foundation Course for Leaders is a new training course intended for those in leadership positions in the church, and also for other Christians who want to deal better with conflict. Attend this training course if you want to:

• Develop new skills for handling conflict
• Give time to personal growth as part of a worshipping community
• Be part of a movement that is changing the culture of the church

Christians in Britain (and across western culture) are facing profound challenges and fresh opportunities. The long era of Christendom is coming to an end. We now live in a plural society, with multiple religious options alongside secular assumptions, in which Christianity has largely lost its position of dominance and privilege. Although we seem to be declining in numbers and influence, this new environment offers many new possibilities - if we have the courage and imagination to grasp them.

Crucible is a training programme for Christians with courage and imagination. It assumes:

The SPEAK Network hosts a warehouse gathering, creating a space to draw out the passion, vision and prophetic voice of our generation. A weekend of exploration of how our Jesus-centred spirituality leads us into radical prayer, creativity and action for justice.

Jesus taught us to be peace-makers, who pray for our enemies. But what does that mean when “the enemy” is someone you constantly rub shoulders with? Hostility from your family, your workmates, or your neighbours, can leave you feeling blocked at every turn - even under siege. Some people can appear totally unreasonable, wearing you down with a persistently negative attitude. It’s hard then not to be sucked into a downward spiral of despair, blame, recrimination or counter-attack.

It sounds so exciting and gritty, moving to the city and exploring how to be church. Working with people from all over the world, with experiences so far removed from our own life experiences. Finding God at work amongst the tower blocks, seeing people discover freedom and life. But what are the realities of Church planting in the inner city, what issues are to be faced if we engage fully in Urban Mission?

Conflict is normal and inevitable – but Christians often feel ill-prepared to handle conflict in the church. Transforming Church Conflict: A Foundation Course for Senior Church Leaders is a new training course for those in positions of oversight in the church. Attend this training course if you want to:

• Develop new skills for handling conflict
• Give time to personal growth as part of a worshipping community
• Be part of a movement that is changing the culture of the church
• Help put the church’s energy to more creative use

The SPEAK Network hosts a warehouse gathering, creating a space to draw out the passion, vision and prophetic voice of our generation. A weekend of exploration of how our Jesus-centred spirituality leads us into radical prayer, creativity and action for justice.

Gareth Higgins writes: “Going to the cinema can be a spiritual experience akin to worship, which can inspire and convict as well as any sermon.” Discussing films, and the relation between films and theology, is all very good, but there is something magical, and potentially spiritual, about dimming the lights and watching films together before we move into discussion.

In recent years, the Church of England, along with other denominations, has been formulating strategies for handling church conflict more constructively. In this complex field, mediation is becoming more widely used as an option. At present, a number of dioceses are working on setting up some sort of system for using mediators. There is no agreed template, but there are common issues that need to be faced: finding the right people, deciding when and how it is appropriate to use them, and so on.

Conflict is normal and inevitable – but Christians often feel ill-prepared to handle conflict in the church. Transforming Church Conflict: A Foundation Course for Leaders is a new training course intended for those in leadership positions in the church, and also for other Christians who want to deal better with conflict.

Attend this training course if you want to:
• Develop new skills for handling conflict
• Give time to personal growth as part of a worshipping community
• Be part of a movement that is changing the culture of the church

This course in Church Leadership and Family Systems at the London Mennonite Centre is designed to enhance the ability of participants to function as mature leaders within their churches. It will provide a safe forum for processing challenging situations in ministry, while also facilitating reflection on a way of thinking about the human condition which has implications for all aspects of life. Following successful courses since 2005, Bridge Builders is pleased to continue to offer the course in 2009.

What can you do when a relationship between fellow Christians is strained? While you can pray for them, you may also be in a position to bring them together to try to overcome the tensions. If your training with Bridge Builders has given you an appetite for practical peace-making, and you want to be equipped to mediate between individuals, then the Mediating Interpersonal Conflicts course is for you.

Christians in Britain (and across western culture) are facing profound challenges and fresh opportunities. The long era of Christendom is coming to an end. We now live in a plural society, with multiple religious options alongside secular assumptions, in which Christianity has largely lost its position of dominance and privilege. Although we seem to be declining in numbers and influence, this new environment offers many new possibilities - if we have the courage and imagination to grasp them.

Crucible is a training programme for Christians with courage and imagination. It assumes:

“The Anabaptist vision of the Kingdom is a vision whose time has come.” (Gregory Boyd, mega-church pastor, 2008)

“We need a form of Christian faith that is holistic, integral and balanced…We so desperately need, as we move into this emerging culture, to learn to live a life of Christ instead of just going to church. Anabaptists know more about this than the rest of us.” (Brian McLaren, emerging church leader, 2007)

Western culture often seems awash in vengeance. And many Christians lead the way. Numerous surveys in the United States indicate that the more people go to church, the more likely they are to support the death penalty and torture. Does it have to be this way? Since the addiction to vengeance seems in part to be theologically grounded, perhaps a fresh reading of the Bible will provide an antidote.

This week of advanced training is for those wanting to extend their foundation training with Bridge Builders. The course provides follow-on training to equip people to work with church groups facing conflict.

CPT provides training for Peacemaker Corps applicants to give skilled, courageous support to peacemakers working locally in situations of violent conflict. An intensive, integrated, 4 week training course involves participants in action, reflection, and practice of a variety of peacemaking skills:

• Biblical Basis for Nonviolence
• Spirituality and Faith for Peacemaking
• Public Witness and Nonviolent Direct Action
• Negotiation & Conflict Transformation Skills
• Ministry of Presence -- Listening, Observation, Documentation

Conflict is normal and inevitable – but Christians often feel ill-prepared to handle conflict in the church. Transforming Church Conflict: A Foundation Course for Leaders is a new training course intended for those in leadership positions in the church, and also for other Christians who want to deal better with conflict.

Attend this training course if you want to:
• Develop new skills for handling conflict
• Give time to personal growth as part of a worshipping community
• Be part of a movement that is changing the culture of the church

See Peace School website for further details:
www.peaceschool.org.uk

Christians across western culture are facing profound challenges and fresh opportunities. The long era of ‘Christendom’ is coming to an end. We now live in a plural society, with multiple religious options alongside the prevailing secular assumptions, in which Christianity has lost its position of dominance and privilege and churches are on the margins of society. Although we seem to be declining in numbers and influence, this context offers many new possibilities – if we have the courage and imagination to grasp them..

Questions about life-style and ‘green’ issues abound in our media. The Bible encourages sustainable living as we are called to be stewards of creation. The Mennonite Church has encouraged congregations and individuals towards living this out as well as funding exemplar projects and ministries to demonstrate this practically. How do we make this more fully our story – and then share it with others.

Do you want to be able to share with others some of the new insights about conflict that you have encountered through your training with Bridge Builders? If so, then this is the course you have been waiting for!

We warmly invite you to our leaf raking and open house at the LMC.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Where did that come from?” in meetings, then don’t miss this chance to explore the power of feelings in a group. This event is run as part of the regular programme of the Bridge Builders Network, but is open to anyone interested in transforming the way churches respond to conflict. (Download flier here)

!!!Event postponed due to publication delays. Please check this site for a new date!!!
To celebrate the arrival of the fifth book in the After Christendom series, Worship and Mission after Christendom by Alan and Eleanor Kreider, the Anabaptist Network has organised two seminars – one in the north of England, one in the south.

Conflict is normal and inevitable – but Christians often feel ill-prepared to handle conflict in the church. Transforming Church Conflict: A Foundation Course for Leaders is a new training course intended for those in leadership positions in the church, and also for other Christians who want to deal better with conflict.

Attend this training course if you want to:

•Develop new skills for handling conflict
•Give time to personal growth as part of a worshipping community
•Be part of a movement that is changing the culture of the church

Conflict is normal and inevitable – but Christian leaders often feel ill-prepared to handle conflict in the church. Transforming Church Conflict: A Foundation Course for Senior Church Leaders is a training course for those in positions of oversight in the church. The five-day course is focussed on conflict in church settings, and is run by the Bridge Builders team whose training work has been acclaimed by many church leaders. As a senior leader, you will want to attend this training course if you are looking to:

• Develop new skills for handling and transforming conflict

This Body & Soul weekend explores and develops key themes:

Spirit and Freedom
- life in the Spirit as the source of ethical living
Truth and Life
- case studies, biblical interpretation and choices
Discovering Values
- values-based Christian ethics
Living Towards Believing
- seeking life choices that point towards truth
Sex, gender and difference
- the diversity of human gender identity
Sex, orientation and debate
- questions, experience and homosexuality
Sex, marriage and divorce
- exploring human sexual relationships

Following the success of several Cross-Currents film and spirituality weekends, several participants have got together to continue in 2010!

Films: we will watch about 5 films together and have a quiz on the Saturday afternoon. There will also be some time for relaxation! There is also the possibility of going to see a sixth firm after lunch on the Sunday at a local cinema (either the Odeon at Muswell Hill or the Phoenix Cinema at east Finchley). This will depend on what's showing at the time.

Rooms available (including all meals and drinks):

Conflict is normal and inevitable – but Christians often feel ill-prepared to handle conflict in the church. Transforming Church Conflict: A Foundation Course for Leaders is a new training course intended for those in leadership positions in the church, and also for other Christians who want to deal better with conflict. Attend this training course if you want to:

• Develop new skills for handling conflict
• Give time to personal growth as part of a worshipping community
• Be part of a movement that is changing the culture of the church

This course in Church Leadership and Family Systems at the London Mennonite Centre is designed to enhance the ability of participants to function as mature leaders within their churches. It provides a safe forum for processing challenging situations in ministry, while also facilitating reflection on a way of thinking about the human condition which has implications for all aspects of life. Following successful courses since 2005, Bridge Builders is pleased to continue to offer the course in 2010.

What can you do when a relationship between fellow Christians is strained? While you can pray for them, you may also be in a position to bring them together to try to overcome the tensions. If your training with Bridge Builders has given you an appetite for practical peace-making, and you want to be equipped to mediate between individuals, then the Mediating Interpersonal Conflicts course is for you.