St Luke's Church, Eccleshill - The Link magazine

The Link is published monthly at 40p (Senior Citizens 35p), and we deliver free within the parish and post copies (at the reader's expense) to those who request it. Please contact us if you would like a free copy for a trial period.

July 2005, Page 2.
 

Foundations of Faith

Bradford Diocese is launching a new initiative to help ordinary Christians take a greater part in the ministry of their churches to their communities. "Foundations of Faith" will begin in September.

The course is the starting point for the church's integrated training programme for ministry, and it will run in the autumn in eight locations. Our nearest local course will be on Wednesday evenings at St James' Woodhall.

The course has been specially adapted for Bradford Diocese from material originally developed by York Diocese and the Church Army. It aims to help us deepen our faith and find how we can best serve God - not just in the church but also in our daily lives.

"If there is one thing I've been asked more than any other over the last two years it's been, 'When will there be a new foundations course?'" says Rev'd Steve Allen, who was appointed in 2002 to coordinate training for ordinary people in the churches (before then he was vicar of St John's Great Horton). "People tell me the last foundations course was really useful in getting people to think about their faith and to open them up to the idea of ministry. So the new course is here now, and I hope churchgoers will make use of it."

Foundations of Faith is an entry-level course and is open to all. The emphasis is on participation and discussion and there are no essays or exams involved. For those who wish to go further there will be follow-up modules.

Here at St Luke's we recommend the course for those who have been on the Alpha course (or been coming for a while and didn't need to do Alpha) and who want to find out where God might be leading them in their ministry. The course serves as the starting point for reader training and ordination to non-stipendiary ministry, and also to a number of modules. It covers using the bible, Christian belief, the church and something of its history, worship, spirituality and vocation. As well as at Woodhall, there's a course starting in Yeadon. Enrolment forms can be obtained from local clergy or the diocesan office.

We hope there will be a group from St Luke's doing the course, so sign up and join us.

John Hartley

 

This web page was last updated on 19th July 2005.