| START THE WEEK | 31st Mar 2008 | Download | Email to a Friend |
On September 28th 2008 thousands of people will be inviting someone special back to church with them. (Make a note of the date now).
If you would are planning to register your church for Back to Church Sunday then CLICK HERE. Churches need to register before the beginning of May so that they can order resource packs (you will only be able to order resources through Roger Morris and not directly from the website).
See http://backtochurch.co.uk/ for more details.
Download a copy of the resources order form at www.coventrydiocese.org/upload/file/BTCS Order form08.doc. Please note that completed order forms need to be sent to Ruth Wagstaffe at Coventry Cathedral and Diocesan Offices, 1 Hill Top, Coventry, CV1 5AB or by email at ruth.wagstaffe@covcofe.org.
GOOD NEWS FROM THE BUDGET – IMPORTANT AMENDMENT
Phil Carver writes:
It was notified just after the budget that the Chancellor had announced that for the next 3 years from this coming 6th April charities, which includes PCCs, could continue to claim Gift Aid as if the basic rate of tax were 22%, despite the basic rate being dropped to 20%. We thought that this meant that PCCs could claim tax back on Gift Aided donations at 22/78 of the gift.
However it has now come to our attention that this is incorrect. The procedure will be: (a) For all donations received after 5th April 2008 tax may only be claimed back at the 20% rate – 20/80ths of the amount donated and (b) The Inland Revenue will then make up the amount claimed to the equivalent of the existing rate by adding a supplement to the amount of tax repaid.
One result of this is that all PCCs will have to make claims for donations received up to 5th April at the 22/78 rate and then for donations after that date at the 20/80 rate.
More information can be found at http://www.parishresources.org.uk/giftaid.htm
If you have any query please contact the Diocesan Finance Office.
THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE
Next year’s Day Conference for clergy and lay-leaders in multi-parish benefices will take place at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester on Thursday 8 January 2009. The theme will focus on work among youth and children – hence the title ‘The art of the possible’. Please put the date in your diary now.
RUGBY NIGHT AT THE SAINTS
Some of the men's groups in Northampton are planning an outreach event. They write:
We are planning a night at The Saints Rugby ground (Franklin Gardens) on either Monday 21st or 28th April. This will be the final of the Guinness A League featuring the Saints reserve team (The Wanderers). The event will include the following: the hire of a bar in the Stutridge Pavilion, tickets for the match, a charity auction and an after match debrief from some players etc and a talk by one of the players about their faith. The cost has yet to be determined. We also decided that it is important to spread this by word of mouth (and email) as the exact date will not be confirmed until the beginning of April. In other words we want people to know about and be ready to buy tickets as soon as details are sorted. We felt that the event would be open to women as some like rugby and also would be a good event for a Christian woman to bring her non-Christian husband.
MISSION TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE CATHEDRAL
Coventry Cathedral will be hosting a number of seminars from Sunday 4 May to Tuesday 6 May. Speakers include Professor John Drane, Mrs Olive Drane, Rev Dr Steven Croft, Phil Staddon and Yvonne Richmond.
Cathedral Praise involves Bible teaching in an informal service of praise each Sunday from 6.30 pm - 7.45 pm. Guest speakers this Spring Term include Sharon Stone (Leader, Christian International Europe) on Sunday 20 April and Rev Dr Steven Croft (National Leader of Fresh Expressions) on Sunday 4 May.
Tim Dakin of Church Mission Society will be the preacher at the Cathedral Eucharist on Sunday 4 May at 10.30 am.
Telephone 024 7652 1223 for further details and seminar booking.
JIM BAILEY AT FINHAM
On Saturday April 26th Jim Bailey, a widely respected children’s worship leader, entertainer and evangelist will be coming to St Martin’s Church, Finham, to run a Training session in the morning and the Jim Bailey Family Show in the afternoon.
Jim Bailey is a professional musician and performer. He is one of the UK’s finest family and children’s worship leaders. Jim performs his own unique blend of music and mayhem, worship and wonder as he brings people to a closer look at God in the middle of their lives. He also offers professional seminars to train children’s leaders.
The Jim Bailey Family Show is suitable for families, adults & children and especially dads, lads and the kids next door! Cringe free. Warning contains camels. Doors open 2.45pm, show starts at 3pm. The cost is £4 per child/adult, one adult comes free. The performance takes place in Martin’s Hall, Green Lane South, Finham. Tickets and more information from Alison Evans on 02476 410327 or email aevans@talktalk.net
A Training Morning for all children’s leaders, and those with a heart for children will take place on the morning of the same day from 10.00 am – 1.00 pm. The cost of the training morning is £10 including full notes. The training will also take place in St Martin’s Hall, Green Lane South, Finham. For more information, contact Alison Court on 02476 417485 or at NEILBUILD1@SUPANET.COM or Alison Evans on 02476 410327 or at aevans@talktalk.net
LIFE IN THE FISHBOWL SEMINAR
WCA UK is holding a day with Gordon and Gail MacDonald entitled ‘Life in the Fishbowl Seminar - Building Vital Marriages & Families in a Ministry-World’. The event takes place on 14 May 2008 at The King's Centre, Norwich.
Gordon and Gail MacDonald dialogue on 47 years of life together and what it takes to keep a marriage fresh & energising. Gordon and Gail will run three 90-minute sessions in dialogue together and a fourth as a men's and women's session. The sessions will allow for dialogue between Gordon and Gail which will then generate questions & response from audience. Couples will also find opportunity to talk with each other and discuss what they've learnt.
The day will run from 9.30am to 5pm. Registration will start at 8.30.
Gordon MacDonald is an author, speaker, and teacher. He was a pastor for more than 35 years, most recently as Senior Minister at Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts. Gail MacDonald is an author, speaker and counselor. Gordon serves as an Editor-at-Large with Leadership Journal. He and Gail live in Canterbury, New Hampshire and have two children and five grandchildren.
For more details go to http://www.willowcreek.org.uk/event.php?r=12
MAKING DISCIPLES
Practices in the Disciple-Forming Community is a new book by Jeffrey D. Jones
He writes:
It takes a community to form a disciple. The congregation exists to be that community. Children, youth, and adults together in the community of faith provide the resources that aid the forming of disciples. The Spirit present in that community provides the transforming power that makes disciples and encourages their continued growth. It is the community that carries the gospel story into the present so that it can be made real in the lives of disciples. It is the community that provides the variety of gifts that is essential to disciple formation. It is the community that offers the experiences of deepening, equipping, and ministering that form disciples.
Read more at http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=5892
DIOCESAN ENVIRONMENT GROUP
The Diocesan Environment Group are looking to recruit new members to the team - this is an open group and anyone can join at any point throughout the year. You don't need to have any particular skills, just enthusiasm for environmental issues. If you would like to talk to someone to find out more about this group please contact Greg Smith on Tel: 024 7642 2856 or email: gregsmith31760@tiscali.co.uk or just go along to their next meeting on 18th June at 7.30pm at St. Andrew's Church, Eastern Green.
SCRAPSTORE SURPRISES
It's not long until the Holiday Club/Fun Day season is upon us! This site will let you know if there's a Scrapstore in your area where, for a small fee, you can help yourself to a whole range of creative materials to use in activities! See http://www.childrensscrapstore.co.uk/index.html for more details
THE CELLO, THE CHURCH AND MR CHOWDHURY
A fascinating Concert, described as a cross-cultural meditation, is taking place at St Peter's Wootton Wawen on Friday 18th April at 7.30pm. International cellist James Barralet together with maestro tabla player Sankar Chowdhury are playing Bhajans by Bhimsen Joshi and folk tunes by Rabindranath Tagore interspersed with pieces by western composers inspired by Indian culture. Further details at www.jamesbarralet.com/indianmusic . Tickets at £7.00 are available in advance on 01564 792659.
SCREEN CLEANER
Fed up with greasy marks on your computer screen? Go to http://www.linein.org/media/screencleaner.swf or - if that fails – go to http://www.linein.org/blog/2008/01/11/free-screen-cleaner/ and click on ‘start cleaning now’ to get it cleaned.
Have a great week!
With best wishes
Roger Morris
Revd. Roger Morris
Director of the Forum for Parish Development and Evangelism
Tel: 024 7652 1326 Mobile: 07798 813178
The Coventry Diocesan Board of Finance is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England No 319482
and Charity Registered No 247828. Registered Office 1 HillTop Coventry CV1 5AB