News – Page 6 – National Estate Churches Network

newsletter here from our Leeds Group:

https://mailchi.mp/df468e245a81/estates-network-531235

Welcome to the Leeds Diocesan Estates Network news letter. Apologies for the tardiness of some of the information it contains but we want to send out a few really useful updates during the year rather than fill your inbox every week.

In the Growing Churches email from Robin, he says that “here in Leeds Diocese we are now making big moves to re-vitalise and equip our estate churches”. It is good to see the diocese putting our estates front and centre.

Synod Motion

There has been a lot of movement nationally in support of estates ministry. The Estates Evangelism Task Group took a motion to General Synod that was supported widely. There is now a clear mandate for the church to look at growing and supporting estates ministry at a national and local level. You can check out the motion here.

NECN Conference

This year we are fortunate that our diocese is hosting the National Estates Church Network northern conference. It takes place at Bradford Cathedral on 18^th of June. As NECN is happening on our doorstep we have decided to plug this as the main event for 2019. We can then look at having a local event in spring 2020.

‘Always room for one more.’ Children, Young People and Estates; stories of participation and partnering.

The keynote for the event is Emily McDonald who spoke so eloquently at the Synod Debate.

Emily McDonald speaking to General Synod.

Booking is done through Eventbrite here. Please do support this event.

Networking

Forming a network of support is so important. We had a good gathering in Lupset at the beginning of the year and we intend to keep meeting throughout the year. If you would like to come along to Holy Nativity Church in Mixenden on the 14^th of May, we will begin with a short act of worship at noon. Please bring lunch with you.

Holy Nativity Church
Sunnybank Road
Mixenden
Halifax
HX2 8RX

Social Media

Momentum is building with the estates church movement. There are lots of ways to join in the conversation. Our own network in Leeds is on Facebookand Twitter.

Our own Robb Sutherland has been running a social media project to share good news stories at Estates Church on Twitter and Facebook and I nstagram. He hopes to record some video logs of good news from estates parishes in the coming months. If you would like to be involved, send him a message.

NECN have reinvigorated their social media presence and redone their website.

Estates LYCIG

If this isn’t enough for you there is also this year’s estates LYCIG. Martine and Robb both took church groups to this in 2018 and were very impressed with it. At a recent meeting Robb said:

“I’ve been to LYCIG twice now and the Estates version is really good. Sitting with people in similar situations was so much more useful. No one was suggesting growth strategies that cost thousands of pounds, just simple honest estates practitioners sharing together. Bringing two people from the church really made it work in our parish!”

Find out more about this year’s conference here. There are also details for a local meetup of people who went in 2018.

Thanks for persevering with all of this information and getting this far!

There is so much going on in our estates! We have real momentum to build a church that comprises of people on the margins.

Every blessing as you prepare for Easter!

The Leeds Estates Group

manchester estate ministry network day

sowing in concrete

I had an excellent day with colleagues from estate churches in Southwark last week with the brilliant title Sowing in Concrete.

We shared stories, resources that work in our churches and communities, pain and passion.

I am really pleased that this has formed into an ongoing Group that will serve and equip churches in South London. See the Local Groups Page for details of local estate groups. If you know of a Group that is not listed or would like to help form a Group in your area, please get in touch.

I was inspired to write a parable on the journey there:

The kingdom of God

is like the gardener

who sowed in concrete

what looks to be

the least promising

of all the soils

yet when the seed grows

it is the strongest

off all the plants

and becomes a tree

where all the people shelter.

Estates LYCIG

Leading Your Church into Growth is an excellent course helping churches to be intentional in their mission and growth. We are holding one especially for estate churches at Swanwick from 5th – 7th June, 2019.

This is a great event. Join with people from estate churches from across the country. The Course is led by a team of women and men who are experienced estate church leaders.

Please book in here.

“Last year was fantastic, would highly recommend going” Nick Walsh

“Highly recommend this! Did it last year so good to be with people who get it.” Paul Savage

“Magic!” Jonathan Macy

Website training day

A day of revelation for me! We learned how to post blogs on our website. I pressed buttons on my phone that I’d never pressed before.

Look out everyone, here we come.

Our trainer was Anna Morris

A global wave of prayer

From 30 May to 9 June 2019, Christians from all denominations are called to join a global wave of prayer for evangelism. Thy Kingdom Come invites Christians around the world to pray between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus Christ.

The movement started in 2016 as an invitation from the Archbishops’ of Canterbury and York to the Church of England. It has grown into an international and ecumenical call to prayer.

Individuals and churches are invited to:

Commit to pray
Host events such as 24-7 prayer, prayer stations and prayer walks
Find new confidence to be witnesses for Jesus Christ.

Ideas for individuals, churches and families to take part can be found on the Thy Kingdom Come website.

NECN 2019 Conferences

Do join us at the 2019 NECN national conferences, a great opportunity to meet with others who are passionate about Christian ministry and mission to social housing estates.

Book your tickets for the 18th June Bradford Conference and the 20th June Birmingham Conference

Titled “‘Always room for one more.’ Children, Young People and Estates; stories of participation and partnering”, we will be focusing on participation and partnering in our mission on social housing estates with Children and Young People. What’s working? What resources are available? Who is there to support our ministry? It will be a day of sharing wisdom and stories from Estate Churches and projects around the country.

We are delighted that Jasmine Yeboah, the Methodist Youth President, will be with us and will give an address.

Lynne Norman, NECN Trustee and Children, Youth and Families Development Officer with the Methodist Church writes “Jasmine took up the post of Methodist Youth President in September 2018. She has spent the last six months encouraging Methodists to be ‘courageous’, her theme for the year. In her enthusiastic and encouraging style, she will share her experiences of growing up on a Tottenham estate and her hopes for children and young people in the Church”.

Emily McDonald from the Church of England Youth Council, who gave a passionate speech on local leadership in estates at General Synod (view the speech here) will also be with us.

The fee for the day, including a light lunch, will be £25, but if this gets in your way, please contact us.