“We don’t do God…” Keeping faith in your community project (Sandown)
Why do some Christian community projects sometimes lose their faith?
Does receiving secular funding always dilute spiritual purposes?
Are there community projects that have kept the flame burning?
Following Livability’s training survey results showing that Christian distinctiveness is the number one issue you would like help with, Livability is hosting this practically helpful morning at the Christian Resources Exhibition (CRE) in SANDOWN. This interactive and fun workshop will help you reconnect your work to your deepest convictions and integrate a down-to-earth theology into your frontline work. Livability have worked with CRE to keep the cost very low in order to help you during this time of financial uncertainty.
Book and pay online http://www.creonline.co.uk/page.asp?pageid=93 – book early since this event will be popular, booking closes 9 May. Any queries about the booking system should be directed to Jill Clark, Community Mission Coordinator,Livability
50 Scrutton Street, London, EC2A 4XQ Tel: 020 7452 2018
10:00am-1pm (tea & coffee from 10am, prompt start at 10:30am)
The workshop will include:
Practical ideas to help you and your team think theologically about your community work
How to integrate faith in your day to day work, using helpful tools you can implement easily
Seeing success through Christ’s eyes, rather than funders’ monitoring forms
The chance to be stimulated by new ideas and learn from others
Facilitators:
Adam Bonner, Hayley Teague and Jill Clark from Livability’s Community Mission team. The team work with a wide range of churches and Christian projects wrestling with these issues and bring experience and reflection sharpened by engagement and lively debate.
Why this workshop is called ‘We don’t do God’:
Many of you will be familiar with this famous phrase said by Alastair Campbell, former communications manager to Tony Blair. When an American journalist from Vanity Fair asked Tony Blair about his faith, Alastair Campbell interrupted and said; “I’m sorry, we don’t do God” and this came to represent the government’s view of engaging with faith. Livability feel this phrase represents the commonly held view that faith must be kept out of our daily work lives. There have been changes in government thinking since this phrase was said (ie the 2010 Myth Busting document stated that the government would work together with and offer funding to faith groups) but many of you come across views very similar to this when working with the council, private businesses and the general public.
