Growing Conversations

So far, to help talk through the issues involved in creating this new course, there have been conversations with people in Market Harborough Congregational Church, trainers within the Baptist Union, members of the CF Training Board, people in the South West Midlands Area and Scotland, and conversations are beginning with those responsible for similar courses in the URC ... so it is exciting to see possibilities opening up ... But could you too be part of the conversation? How might a local church resource be helpful to you, in your situation? What issues of discipleship are you facing? Do you have some insights to offer - or perhaps simply some questions to raise? Please contribute to the conversation. Thank you. (Graham Adams, Training Development.)

Growing Disciples - a new initiative

Welcome to the Congregational Federation's Growing Disciples initiative. This programme, funded by the Council for World Mission's 'mission support programme', will involve the creation of a brand new 'discipleship course', which will be available to and promoted within local churches of the Congregational Federation. The aim is to launch this new course in May 2010, so we are only in the early stages of consultation and research - to explore what will be the most helpful kind of resource for churches. I am in post for two years to help make this happen - so I'm currently talking to people from other denominations who have launched other local courses, and to people in the Federation, to get a sense of people's dreams and visions, and how we might respond ... So please pray for this new venture. And soon I'll be inviting your comments and asking for your thoughts in relation to specific issues - so thank you for your interest, and hopefully we can create a worthwhile course, which will aid our churches in their discipleship and mission, and which will enable some people to go on further in their training, to Level 1 and/or 2 of the CF's Integrated Training Course. So watch this space for more information - and for some questions. And let's grow together ...!