Churches that Change Communities 2022
A few months before the pandemic, Jubilee+ published a booklet called A Deepening Crisis? Though we had a strong prophetic sense that life was about to become even harder for those in poverty, we couldn’t foresee what would cause this to happen.
In the three years since then, the landscape of poverty in our nation has changed dramatically. Our social justice activities have had to adapt, sometimes repeatedly, in light of the pandemic, and now many in our communities are facing the devastating impact of the cost of living crisis.
It sounds bleak, but we are not without hope. We’re expectant for a fresh move of God’s power at work across the UK, bringing mercy and justice into the very DNA of our churches, raising leaders from all backgrounds, and sparking seeds of revival.
We believe our time together at our 12th Churches that Change Communities conference will be really significant, as we gather leaders and activists to be renewed afresh for the challenges ahead. The day will include worship, teaching and ministry, and our prayer is that you will leave envisioned, equipped and encouraged.
In-person and Online
Following the success of last year our conference will once again be a ‘hybrid’ event (in-person and online) with a focus on, ‘Responding to a Deepening Crisis’. Keynote messages will be delivered to in-person and online delegates by our very own Natalie Williams (CEO), and guest speaker, the Rt. Revd Lynne Cullens, Bishop of Barking. There will be a range of seminar options – some will be delivered live, and two of these will be live-streamed; others will be pre-recorded for our online delegates.
All delegates (in-person and online) will have exclusive access to all streamed and recorded content for a month following the event, before they are more widely released.
The event runs from 10am-5.15pm at The Ridgeway Centre, Milton Keynes with doors opening at 9.15am. The main sessions will be live-streamed to online delegates, with a dedicated ‘Dashboard’ giving access to the live-streamed sessions plus a further nine pre-recorded seminars.
CtCC22 programme
9.15am Doors open10am
Session 1 (live-streamed): worship and keynote talk by Natalie Williams
Break
11.30am
Session 2 (live-streamed): worship, Jubilee+ update, video stories, offering
12.30pm
Session 3: morning seminar programme (1 live-streamed)
1.30pm Lunch break
2.15pm
Session 4 (live-streamed): worship and keynote talk by Rt. Revd. Lynne Cullens Bishop of Barking
Break
3.45pm
Session 5: afternoon seminar programme (1 live-streamed)
4:45pm
Session 6 (live streamed)
5.15pm Finish
Keynote Speakers
Jubilee+ CEO Natalie Williams and guest speaker, the Rt. Revd Lynne Cullens, Bishop of Barking will deliver the keynote messages, which will take place in-person and be live-streamed to online delegates.
Natalie Williams
CEO Jubilee+
Natalie Williams grew up in relative poverty in the deprived seaside town of Hastings. She became a Christian at 15, which changed her life completely. Natalie has been involved with Jubilee+ since its first year, and took over from founder Martin Charlesworth as Jubilee+ chief executive in April 2021. Natalie is the co-author of four books, including A Call to Act (2020) and Invisible Divides (2022). She is passionate about the church being a place of overflowing mercy, especially for those trapped in poverty.
The Rt. Revd Lynne Cullens
Bishop of Barking
The Rt. Revd Lynne Cullens, was consecrated bishop in January 2022 and started her ministry as Bishop of Barking, in the Diocese of Chelmsford in March. Lynne is a member of the Church of England’s Estates Evangelism Task Group which focuses on growing Christian communities on social housing estates and she Chairs the National Estate Churches Network. She also serves on the Advisory Group to the Archbishops’ Housing Initiative. A passionate advocate for reform to enable our churches and our leadership to better reflect the communities we serve, she blogs on issues on culture and the church at lynnecullens.com.
Morning seminars
(in-person delegates)
RESPONDING TO EMOTIONAL DISTRESS
SYLVIA AMPAW
(will be live-streamed)
How can we better help the increasing number of people coming to our churches and projects who are distressed or have experienced trauma? We can often feel out of our depth – this seminar aims to provide a biblical perspective on a therapeutic approach, outlining a 3 step guide to responding to signs of emotional distress, and providing tools helpful to your ongoing journey alongside those who are struggling.
LIMITED LEADER, LIMITLESS GOD
RACHEL WILSON
What happens when the circumstances of life seem to set limits on how we’re able to lead and serve? There are any number of things that can make us feel like our leadership is limited, or even stifled. We are raring to press into all that God has put on our hearts, but our calling seems curbed and our capacity thwarted by factors we can’t control.
Author and Jubilee+ team member Rachel Wilson draws on her own experience and will share how she’s found encouragement in the life of the apostle Paul, who was a limited leader serving a limitless God.
RESPONDING QUICKLY TO CRISIS
PAUL MOGFORD
Crisis comes in many different forms, always unexpected and always urgent! Over the past few years, nationally we have had pandemic, war and refugees and now a cost of living rise, and locally flooding, power failures and other one off emergency situations. How can we respond quickly and helpfully, working with other organisations and agencies to deliver best outcomes for our local and national communities? This seminar will give you lots of practical things to do to prepare for the unexpected, work with disparate organisations, and get volunteers on the ground as quick as possible.
HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS, CARL KNIGHTLY
Whether during the covid pandemic or further back in history, the church has often stepped into the gap in times of crisis, providing vital community support and social action. But there often seems to be a disconnect between social action and evangelism. There are periods of time when they are held together but churches of all kinds seem to soon drift away from one or the other. How do we keep both together, ensuring we’re not just meeting people’s immediate needs (as vital as that is) but also offering them hope for their deepest need – to know Jesus?
Afternoon seminars
(in-person delegates)
HELPING OTHERS WITHOUT HURTING YOURSELF
SIMON ELLIOTT
(will be live-streamed)
The needs around us increased significantly during the pandemic, and are rising further with the cost of living crisis. Many of us have served flat-out to support the most vulnerable in our communities, and wonder how we’ll keep ourselves and our volunteers going if the number of people in poverty continues to go up. In this seminar, Simon will help us with some practical tools for looking after our own wellbeing, so we can continue to support those around us.
IT'S BREAKTHROUGH TIME
ANGELA KEMM
This is the time for us to be all God has made us to be, for the sake of the Church and of society in general. With the cost of living rising, more poverty on our doorstep, the sick not always able to get the help they need and fear hanging in the air, it is time for the Church to step into the gaps all the bad news has created and bring life, hope and action wherever God sends us. This means stepping up a gear (or two) and doing things we never thought possible – by faith. It’s breakthrough time!
EQUIPPING KIDS TO CAPTURE GOD'S HEART
CHARLIE MACDONALD
What has toilet roll running out got to do with the mercy of God? And how can a dodgy professor and a plate of broken biscuits teach our kids about the people closest to God’s heart? At CTCC 2022 we’ll be launching our kids’ curriculum, Overflow, and in this seminar we will be exploring how we can help the next generation to capture God’s heart for those trapped in poverty, and how we can equip churches and families to reach out to children who are experiencing poverty themselves.
JOURNEYING FROM SOCIAL ACTION TO BELONGING
KAT OSBORN
Many of the relationships we form through our church-based ministries are focused on tackling the needs of others, schemes that address debt, food poverty or homelessness for example. While of course such activities are essential Kat suggests that, in her 20+ years of experience in this sector, what people really want is to feel connected; to feel seen, heard and understood. In this session Kat will be exploring how churches might move beyond projects that ‘do to’ people, and instead serve their community in ways which address need while also affording opportunities to build friendships that offer genuine connection and belonging.
Online seminars
(access from 12.30pm)
Head over to the conference dashboard from 12.30pm on the day of the event to access these pre-recorded seminars…
MERCY IN THE DNA, NATALIE WILLIAMS
Over the last decade we’ve seen churches significantly multiply their social action projects. Many of us are running substantial activities such as foodbanks, night shelters, debt centres, and much more. This is brilliant, but in lots of churches across the UK ‘mercy ministries’ have settled into being a department of church life, with some Christians involved but not all. This seminar will explore how we can keep doing what we’ve been doing so well, but move to the next level of seeing mercy, compassion, and a concern for justice built deep into the DNA of our churches. God is calling every single one of us to grow in this vital area of discipleship into Christlikeness.
HANDLING FRUSTRATIONS WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS, NATALIE WILLIAMS & PAUL MANN
When we are so passionate about poverty and justice, it can be hard to respond to other Christians who don’t seem to ‘get it’. Natalie and Paul will share some of the ways in which they handle this, as well as being open about their frustrations with each other as an ‘activist’ and a church leader, and how they’ve learnt to acknowledge these and work well together.
HOW CAN BUSINESS AND THE KINGDOM MEET? OLIVIA AMARTEY
With the rising cost of living crisis, Christian leaders in business, industry, and the public sector are uniquely placed to bring solutions beyond crisis support, and to see people. How can we use our business ownership, leadership skills, and our ability to create wealth, for the good of those who are trapped in poverty? What does it look like to use all that God has given us to empower others to become renewers, rebuilders and restorers of others, as it says in Isaiah 61?
PASTORING BROKEN PEOPLE FOR THE LONG HAUL, GINNY BURGIN
Many people are coming to us for help at their time of crisis, but when they come to faith in Jesus, we can expect to see overnight change. We’re familiar with wonderful testimonies of God’s miraculous intervention in setting people free instantly. But even when that happens, there’s still a journey of becoming more like Jesus for all of us. In our ‘quick fix’, instant society, how can we walk with people for the long-haul?
FUNDRAISING: HOW TO RAISE THE MONEY YOU NEED FOR THE VISION YOU HAVE, ROBIN PEAKE
This session will give you practical tips and confidence in where to spend your limited time to raise money for your church or charity. Leaning on biblical examples of fundraising, you’ll get tips on how to find funding from individuals and trusts, discover how to package your project for funders, and learn how to find secular funding for your Christian cause without compromising your principles.
CAMPAIGNING FOR JUSTICE, GARETH MCNAB
Christians are clearly called to meet the needs of those around us, fuelled by the love of God and with His heart of mercy. We are also just as clearly called to speak up for justice – but this can seem harder to do. It can feel political, or partisan. How do we preserve unity in the church while calling for changes in society? It can feel distant, or difficult – how might we make this more accessible and relatable, and not the exclusive preserve of activists or specialists? In this seminar, Gareth will explore this call and how Christians and churches might respond to it today
FROM REFUGEE TO SAFETY, ALEX NTUNG
Alex Ntung has been described by investigative journalist Linda Melvern as “a brave and resilient survivor” after enduring discrimination, tragedy, poverty, and violence. Featured in a BBC documentary, Alex described his journey from war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to safety in the UK. In this seminar he will share some of his story, as well as encouraging us about how churches in Britain can support refugees in their towns and cities.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, BEKAH LEGG
Some of the horrendous, potentially life-destroying things that happen behind closed doors have escalated during the pandemic, such as domestic abuse. Bekah Legg from Restored will help us to understand the true picture across the UK, and what Christians and churches can do to support those who are victims or survivors.
LAMENT AND HOPE, ROSIE HOPLEY
Rosie Hopley will be sharing stories of lament from Lamentations and Psalms, and how we can apply those today to our lives, our churches, our communities. There will be some practical tips as she explores how hope and lament are part of life, and how we can embrace what God shows us of himself in these seasons.
Location
The Ridgeway Centre is located at Featherstone Road, Milton Keynes MK12 5TH.
There is a large carpark on site, and the building is a 10-minute drive from the nearest train station.
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