21 March 2017
Conversation Welcome
In readiness for the impending trigger of Article 50, four of the UK's largest Christian Churches, representing three quarters of a million members, are inviting their congregations to take part in discussions across the UK to explore what kind of society we should be seeking to create.
At a time when the UK is moving towards exiting the EU, there is
naturally uncertainty about what our future as a country will look
like, whichever way people voted in the referendum. Churches are
being invited to take part in constructive conversations about the
sort of society we would wish to live in, and hope to leave to
future generations. Talking about things where people disagree can
be difficult, so a pack - "Conversation Welcome" - has been provided
to help.
The conversations will be held by local Baptist, Methodist, United
Reformed and Church of Scotland churches. They are being promoted
by the Joint Public Issues Team, through which the four Churches
work together on issues of justice and inequality.
The resource pack is available here
http://www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/issues/eu-referendum/conversationwelcome/
Baptist Minister, Revd Phil Jump, who is coordinating the
initiative and an adviser to the Joint Public Issues Team,
commented: "Conversations are important at any time but the
extraordinary recent political events have made the need more
pressing. The EU Referendum campaign has left some mourning the
loss of an important identity, while others are delighted by the
opportunities that lie ahead.
"The process of leaving the European Union means making many
important decisions that will shape the UK for years to come. By
taking part in these conversations, people will discuss a vital
underlying question - What kind of society should we be seeking to
create?"
The Conversation Welcome discussion will suggest four questions
to explore:
What sort of society do we want to leave for future
generations?
How should we treat others?
How should we use our resources?
How should we make decisions?
The conversations can be held in any group size and the
resources include prayers, reflections and videos.
Notes:
[1] The Joint Public Issues Team combines the
expertise of the Baptist Union, the Church of Scotland, the
Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church in the area of
public issues, representing more than 800,000 people in the
UK.
[2] To arrange an interview with Revd Phil Jump, please
contact Michael Ivatt on
0207 467 5191 or email
ivattm@methodistchurch.org.uk