Mission Shaped Ministry

A year to be equipped in planting and sustaining fresh expressions of church

mission shaped ministry, a national ecumenical course backed by the Church of England, Methodist Church and other denominations and aimed at helping people to establish fresh expressions of church across the country, is ‘gathering momentum and exceeding all expectations.’ The one year part-time course launches in Milton Keynes in September 2009. Already over 1,000 people nationwide are or have been on the course, which focuses on new areas of outreach that engage with those outside the reach of the traditional church. Students include youth leaders, church council members, readers, ministers, home group leaders and anybody wanting to reach out in new ways.

Norman Ivison of Fresh Expressions confirmed that msm was designed to help those starting or thinking about new ways of being church. ‘Even in an area where traditional churchgoing is often seen as being strong, churches are still reaching less than 10% of the population most weeks. msm can give you the tools you need to reach those well off our radar’ he claimed.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has also offered his support: ‘The next big step in taking fresh expressions of church forward is making the right kind of training available in every part of the country. The mission shaped ministry course looks set to make a major contribution here and I’m delighted to commend it.’

Bishop John Pritchard says, ‘We need a variety of shapes of church to connect with people in today's world. mission shaped ministry will help those trying to do imaginative things to create new Christian communities and to make disciples. I heartily support this exciting new initiative.’

Locally the course is being headed up by a team which includes Tim Clapton (Milton Keynes Development Chaplain), Tim Norwood (Anglican Area Dean of Milton Keynes), Peter Ballantine (Milton Keynes Mission Partnership Training Officer), Keith Beech-Gruneberg (Director of Studies for the Oxford Diocese) and Tim Woolley (Methodist District Director of Mission). We have already booked Stuart Murray-Williams, Graham Cray and Jenny Ellis as speakers.

In other regions, clergy and lay people are training together in teams. They then identify opportunities and possibilities in their communities and networks and go home each month ready to try new things.

Dates and Times:

September 16th 2009
7:30pm to 9:30pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Introduction / The Mission of God

September 23rd 2009
7:30pm to 9:30pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Mission Context and the Mixed Economy

September 30th 2009
7:30pm to 9:30pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Vision and Call

October 7th 2009
7:30pm to 9:30pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Missional Values

Residential with Graham Cray
4th to 6th December 2009
At Feldon Lodge, Hemel Hempstead
Team Roles,
Preparation for Mission,
Research and Mission Audit,
Learning Networks and Share,
Leadership, What is church?

Saturday 6^th February 2010
with Stuart Murray-Williams
9.30am-4.00pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Gospel and culture,
Opposition,
setbacks and failure

Saturday 6^th March 2010
with Jenny Ellis
9.30am-4.00pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Spirituality, Discipleship

Wednesday 28th April 2010
7:30pm to 9:30pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Growing a FX to maturity

Wednesday 5th May 2010
7:30pm to 9:30pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Worship

Wednesday 12th May 2010
7:30pm to 9:30pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Evangelism

Wednesday 19th May 2010
7:30pm to 9:30pm at Christ Church, Stantonbury
Reflecting back and sending out

The course also offers participating teams the opportunity to make the most of a mission coach, someone who will come alongside them and help them establish new ways of being church. The course will cost £230 for individual participants, but £200 each for groups of two and £180 each for groups of three or more. The fees include the full cost of the residential. It would be good for local churches to support those who take part, both financially and with prayer.

For further details, please contact:

Revd Tim Norwood (Area Dean of Milton Keynes)

Revd Dr Keith Beech-Gruneberg
(Director of Studies, Diocese of Oxford)

Revd Tim Woolley (Methodist District Director of Mission)

www.freshexpressionsmk.org.uk