Minehead hosts landmark to help Churches re-engage with the lapsed
A national conference being held next week is being tipped as a
landmark event offering ideas and resources to help Churches re-engage
and reach out to the lapsed. It is taking place in the Clifton Diocese
in Minehead, Somerset.
The event is called Building a Prodigal Friendly Church and will run from 27 February 27 to 1 March at Butlins in Minehead. The aims of the event are to provide support, ideas and resources to help Christians reach those who have already left Church, to help people return to church and to retain the people currently attending church. There will also be an emphasis on exploring ways to encourage younger churchgoers to continue practising their faith.
Team members from the Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation (CASE) will be represented and speak at the conference. CASE Director, Monsignor Keith Barltrop said: “One of the most pressing concerns in parish life is how to engage with those who no longer practise their faith. The ‘Prodigals Conference’ will provide a unique opportunity to pool ideas and resources so as to help Christians find appropriate ways of inviting and welcoming people back into the fullness of parish life.”
The conference is ecumenical and a wide variety of denominations will be represented. Rob Parsons, who is the author of Bringing Home the Prodigals, and one of the conference’s keynote speakers, said: “People often tell me they don’t feel the need to attend church any more – and I can understand why they may feel that way. But I believe that at this conference we will see church leaders across the denominations begin to address some of the ways in which churches have made it easier for people to become prodigals, and harder for them to return to church.”
Organisers say that they hope the conference programme will encourage those in church leadership not only create churches that prodigals will want to return to – but also, more easily spot those who could potentially become prodigals. Alan Johnson, Chief Executive of Spring Harvest, passionately believes in the future of the local church. He said: “We believe that the Church is the means by which God engages with society. It is the vehicle for taking good news into a world in need. The big issue is how we build communities of believers who are focussed on issues that matter to God. That’s why this conference is happening.”
Speakers at Building a Prodigal-friendly Church include Nicky Gumbel from Alpha. For bookings please call 0870 060 3324 or online at http://www.springharvest.org.uk/prodigals.
Useful URL : http://www.caseresources.org.uk
The event is called Building a Prodigal Friendly Church and will run from 27 February 27 to 1 March at Butlins in Minehead. The aims of the event are to provide support, ideas and resources to help Christians reach those who have already left Church, to help people return to church and to retain the people currently attending church. There will also be an emphasis on exploring ways to encourage younger churchgoers to continue practising their faith.
Team members from the Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation (CASE) will be represented and speak at the conference. CASE Director, Monsignor Keith Barltrop said: “One of the most pressing concerns in parish life is how to engage with those who no longer practise their faith. The ‘Prodigals Conference’ will provide a unique opportunity to pool ideas and resources so as to help Christians find appropriate ways of inviting and welcoming people back into the fullness of parish life.”
The conference is ecumenical and a wide variety of denominations will be represented. Rob Parsons, who is the author of Bringing Home the Prodigals, and one of the conference’s keynote speakers, said: “People often tell me they don’t feel the need to attend church any more – and I can understand why they may feel that way. But I believe that at this conference we will see church leaders across the denominations begin to address some of the ways in which churches have made it easier for people to become prodigals, and harder for them to return to church.”
Organisers say that they hope the conference programme will encourage those in church leadership not only create churches that prodigals will want to return to – but also, more easily spot those who could potentially become prodigals. Alan Johnson, Chief Executive of Spring Harvest, passionately believes in the future of the local church. He said: “We believe that the Church is the means by which God engages with society. It is the vehicle for taking good news into a world in need. The big issue is how we build communities of believers who are focussed on issues that matter to God. That’s why this conference is happening.”
Speakers at Building a Prodigal-friendly Church include Nicky Gumbel from Alpha. For bookings please call 0870 060 3324 or online at http://www.springharvest.org.uk/prodigals.
Useful URL : http://www.caseresources.org.uk
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