Growing a connected church that demonstrates the love of Jesus for the benefit of the City
What does Coventry as the City of Culture 2021 mean to you? Perhaps, as Chris (our Chief Operations Officer)'s photo above shows, it's about combining the secular and the sacred; the new and the old; the developing and the fully-established. At HOPE Coventry's church leaders' lunch on 8th March, we will be discussing this, amongst other questions for how we can show the love of Jesus to our beautiful and growing city. Please do make sure that your church is represented at the free lunch by your church leader booking on via clm.churchsuite.co.uk/events/90q6cavx.
Lent is also fast approaching (14th February!), and as this combines with St Valentine's Day, it seems particularly apt to consider how we can make our celebration of Lent full of love and generosity. 40acts is a daily generosity challenge that runs throughout the period of Lent, whereby you receive an email each day during Lent. Inside each email will be an act of generosity, three different ways you might complete it, and a Bible-based blog created by a Christian writer. To sign up to the free challenge, and for more information, see 40acts.org.uk. Let's love our city deeply during this Lenten time (and beyond!).
When Good Neighbours Coventry met Charles a few months ago, we found that he lives alone, has very high levels of anxiety and no friends, and his only visitor each week is his sister, who comes once a week to bring him food. Charles did not ever leave the house, even though he lives within a 3 minute walk of a community centre and a church (which runs Good Neighbours friendship groups).
Since being introduced to a befriender, Charles’ confidence levels have gone up rapidly. Charles proudly phoned his befriender recently to tell him that he had gone to the shop by himself for the first time in 2 years. Charles has also started going to social groups and the weekly church prayer group with his befriender, as well as having a chat to him in Charles’s home. Charles’ life has been transformed by the confidence simply having a friend has given him. Charles’ volunteer has also become more confident, and is in the process of moving from being unemployed to applying for jobs.
Would you like to join the HOPE Coventry team, working in partnership with Together for Change and Age UK Coventry? We are looking for two Good Neighbours Coventry local area coordinators (15hrs/week, £10.30/hour), with a likely focus on older people in the north of the city. Good Neighbours Coventry is a successful initiative which supports older people in Coventry. Developed by local churches, in partnership with Age UK Coventry, we work collaboratively to improve the wellbeing of isolated and lonely older people. This is achieved through befriending, and by developing existing social networks, including the use of existing community resources. This job is suitable for someone who works with initiative, is a good communicator, and can support and encourage an older person to build friendship and independence within their community.
The job advert can be downloaded here; for a full job description and personal specification, please contact Jess Day-Pollard, Good Neighbours Project Manager (telephone 07563 902 904; email goodneighbourscoventry@gmail.com). Applications by email only to goodneighbourscoventry@gmail.com, providing CV, referees, and covering letter. Closing date for applications: Monday 26th February 2018, 9am. Anticipated interview date: Tuesday 13th March 2018, morning.
HOPE Together are thrilled to hear how churches have used the Christmas HOPE magazines - 90% said between one and ten new people attended Christmas services as a result. You will be able to build on that contact with your community this Easter by giving away the HOPE at Easter magazine door to door. In it, you can read about Prince Harry’s life-changing realisation on a flight back from Afghanistan; Meghan Markle’s extra-special marriage preparation – Christian confirmation and what it means; Gemma Hunt, the children’s TV pirate and Alpha course presenter; three sports stars who put faith before football, golf or sprinting; the Easter story; and as Easter Sunday is on 1st April in 2018, there’s a page of crazy April Fools pranks.
HOPE at Easter is available to pre-order from the HOPE shop. Copies will be ready by 19th February and are free - donations of 10p a copy are welcome to cover print costs. There is a handling and delivery charge based on the quantity ordered. Donations towards publishing the HOPE magazines can be made via the HOPE Together giving page.
Police chaplains are people of faith who pray regularly for the force in general and for the situations and members of staff they are involved with. They are an ongoing presence in the workplace, aware of the stresses and strains of life in the police force and able to be a critical friend to individuals and the organisation. As well as this, they provide care for the bereaved and lead formal religious services. If this volunteer role interests you, please read the chaplaincy leaflet and the volunteer role description, and get in touch with Rev John Butcher with any questions: j.butcher@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk.
For recently-arrived refugees and asylum seekers, often one of the most pressing needs is to improve their English. ESOL provision is fairly extensive across the city, but what many individuals say is that - away from the formal classrooms - they have very few opportunities to practice, especially their speaking.
Fresh Start therefore established two "English Conversation Cafes," offering the chance for those who speak English as a Second Language to practice speaking with a fluent speaker. The groups meet every Tuesday and Friday afternoon at the Belgrade Theatre, and break down into small groups based on ability. Matt Robinson, the project leader, prepares a short topic - food and jobs are always popular ones! - and some discussion questions, and the brilliant volunteers then lead the conversations on their tables.
Since starting in July, there have been over 75 different attendees from 19 different countries, with around a dozen people attending each session on average. If you're interested in getting involved, please drop Matt Robinson a line on Matt.Robinson@CovCofE.org or 07443 870617.
Site Services Facilitator - Nexus ICA: 2-3 days/week, £15,670 – £16,961 FTE, closing date 28th February. Responsibilities will include general maintenance, upkeep and repair of the building, managing security, and working with staff to ensure the physical environment is adequate. A full job description can be found at dioceseofcoventry.org//images/articles/attach_2454.pdf.
Student Youth Worker - Walsgrave Baptist Church: 20 hours/week, £20,475 - £23,400 FTE, closing date 9th April. If you are passionate about young people knowing Jesus and want to train as a Christian Youth Worker while getting paid to do so, then email info@wbchurch.co.uk for an application pack to see how you can work at WBC and study for a BA (hons) Applied Theology with Youth and Community JNC at the Moorlands Midlands centre, starting in September 2018.
Church Development Worker - Earlsdon and Radford Methodist Churches: full time or part time, £21,000-£27,500 FTE, closing date 26th February. This post is for someone who will help churches to engage with their local community and develop sustainable mission strategies. For more, see earlsdonmethodist.org.uk/job_ad.htm.
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The Big Sing (new community choir) Date: Wednesday 7th February Time: 7-9pm Place: Hope Centre, Hillfields, CV1 5LB Details: Come and sing songs which are positive and uplifting pop, gospel and soul genres, in a new unauditioned choir which meets every Wednesday. £7 per session.
Coventry student worker/church leader free lunch Date: Thursday 8th February Time: 11am-1pm Place: Hope Centre, Hillfields, CV1 5LB Details: Join student workers, church leaders and volunteers from across the city to plan for future activities together, learn new skills and be resourced for your student ministry, to reflect on what has worked well and the challenges of student work. For more information and to book, visit www.movement.org.uk/events/coventry-student-work-meet.
Universal Day of Prayer for Students (Student Sunday) Date: Sunday 18th February Place: worldwide Details: The Universal Day of Prayer for Students has been celebrated on the third Sunday of February every year since 1898, making it one of the oldest ecumenical days of prayer. To join in, download the free resource toolkit, with prayer points, stories of faith, sermon notes, ideas for small groups, worship and liturgy ideas: www.movement.org.uk/sites/default/files/Student%20Sunday%202018%20Toolkit.pdf.
Inclusive Church Conversation Cafe - Father, Forgive Date: Sunday 18th February Time: 11.30am Place: St Mary Magdalen, Chapelfields Details: A session on the theme of 'Father, forgive' and the reconciliation ministry that occurs at the Cathedral, led by Canon Sarah Hills. All welcome.
How to have difficult conversations Date: Thursday 22nd February Time: 9am-5pm Place: St Michael's House, CV1 5EX Details: This workshop will develop skills and understanding about how to have difficult conversations that strengthen relationships. Cost: £50 Standard, £35 Student and Concessions (Lunch, and tea & coffee provided). To book or to find out more, email smh@coventrycathedral.org.uk or call 0247 6521 288.
Healing training course Date: Thursday 8th March Time: 7.15pm Place: Laurence Saunders Road Baptist Church, CV6 1HH Details: The course is for anyone who has a heart to see God’s healing power at work in people’s lives. There will be a mixture of teaching, Bible input, the theory and principles of prayer, practical demonstrations and plenty of hands-on experience. For costs, contacts and more, see wellhealing.org/healing-training-initial-course-day-1.html.
Big Church Day Out Date: Saturday 26th-Sunday 27th May; Friday 1st June-Saturday 2nd June Time: all day Place: Wiston House, West Sussex; Capesthorne Hall, Cheshire Details: Big Church Day Out (BCDO) is the UK’s largest annual gathering for all denominations and ages to gather each year for 2 exciting days of worship and celebration; in 2018, around 40,000 people are expected to worship with Graham Kendrick, Matt Redman, and more. For more, see bigchurchdayout.com/north/need-to-know/about.
Thank you for signing up to the Hope Coventry fortnightly E-Newsletter. We hope you find the resources and links helpful and enjoy hearing about the latest news and events happening across the city.
