Livability Events
We aim to provide high-quality training and reflection days to churches and Christian organisations at affordable prices.
NB. If cost is a hindrance for you, please call our coordinator, Jill Clark, on 020 7452 2018.
Why do some Christian organisations lose their edge? Does receiving secular funding always dilute spiritual purposes? Are there churches that have kept the flame burning?
This interactive and fun day will help you reconnect your work to your deepest convictions and begin to integrate a down-to-earth theology into your frontline work.
Date: Wednesday 3rd February 2010
Time: 9.45am – 3.30pm – starting promptly at 10am
Cost: £20 per person, including lunch to be paid on the day
Venue: St George’s Centre, Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3BR
The day will include:
- Practical Ideas to help you and your team think theologically about your community work
- Examples of projects that have not lost an active Christian faith
- Seeing success through Christ’s eyes, rather than funders’ monitoring forms
- The chance to be stimulated by new ideas and learn from your peers
Facilitators:
The Community Mission Team work with churches and Christian Projects wrestling with these issues. They bring experience and reflection sharpened by engagement and lively debate.
Booking essential: Please contact Ruth Smith on 0113 350 8070 or email rsmith@livability.org.uk
Directions:
St George’s is in the city centre next to the Leeds General Infirmary. We suggest that if possible you come by public transport - the railway and bus stations are about 8 minutes walk away. All day parking is limited to city centre multi-storeys.
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How can we serve the community faithfully, distinctively and confidently?
Date: Wednesday 10 March 2010
Time: 9.45am – 3.30pm
Location: Salvation Army International HQ, 101 Queen Victoria St, London, EC4V 4EH
Cost: £20/person, including lunch, to be paid on the day
Booking essential: Contact Jill Clark on 020 7452 2018 or email jclark@livability.org.uk
What is the context?
All urban communities in the UK are now diverse with people of different faiths and race contributing to the life of the community. In this context, how can the Church engage in the community in a way that is inclusive but also distinctively Christian?
“I wonder sometimes whether churches committed to community projects forget who they are. So often the Christian motivation and fuel gets lost, with the danger that the project or community involvement becomes just another well-meaning intervention.”
Richard Sudworth, Distinctly Welcoming
Who is this day for?
This training day is aimed at anyone involved in community mission who wants to keep the Christian faith confidently integrated into the work they are doing.
What will this day focus on?
- A distinctive approach to Christian mission
- Evangelism in a multi-faith context
- Community action and other faiths
- Spirituality for working in a multi-faith context
Who is facilitating?
Our facilitator is Richard Sudworth, a CMS mission partner and consultant with the organisation Faith to Faith. He is also chair of the Springfield Community Project in Birmingham and the author of acclaimed book Distinctly Welcoming: Christian presence in a multi-faith society.
For more details and discussion, see his blog: www.distinctlywelcoming.com
How can I book?
Contact Jill Clark on 020 7452 2018 or email her: jclark@livability.org.uk
Directions to Salvation Army International HQ, 101 Queen Victoria St, London, EC4V 4EH
Please note that Blackfriars tube station is CLOSED (but Blackfriars rail station remains open) so your other tube station options are Mansion House and Cannon Street, both within a 10 minute walk. Bank station and St Paul's are also close, about a 15 minute walk.
When you arrive, look for a large glass building on Queen Victoria Street. It is at the start of the walkway to the Millennium Bridge (the Tate Modern is on the other side of the river).
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Statistics, anecdotes and transformation
Date: Wednesday 14 April 2010
Time: 9.45am - 3:30pm (We will start promptly at 10am)
Venue: St George’s Centre, Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3BR
Cost: £20 per person, including lunch, to be paid on the day
Booking essential: Contact Ruth Smith on 0113 350 8070 or rsmith@livability.org.uk
- Are you required to complete lengthy forms for funding or monitoring?
- Are you concerned about the gap between funder 'outputs' and real transformation?
- Do you want to be clear about the difference your project is making?
- Do you want to communicate better the successes of your work to your funders?
At Livability, we are aware of concern within churches and community projects about how to assess whether a project is successful or not. Funders and statutory agencies often insist churches and projects complete lengthy forms but often these just give a statistical side of the story. Church culture often goes the other way - assessing work through the way it is presented by charismatic individuals who are good at sharing stories and anecdotes. Both of these are important but generally do not give the whole story.
This day will help you…
- Assess and measure whether your community project is being as effective as it could be
- Communicate more effectively and authentically the success of your project to stakeholders and funders
- Grow in confidence about the overall effectiveness of your community work
We will…
- Use a wide range of interactive exercises to help you reflect on your work
- Use practical assessment tools that you can use after the training day with your project staff and volunteers
- Ensure that the day is fun, focused and dynamic and will help your community work be as effective as possible
Why we are hosting this day
In our 2009 training survey more people asked for ‘Measuring success in my community project’ than any other topic. We are hoping this day will help.
To Book: Contact Ruth Smith on 0113 350 8070 or rsmith@livability.org.uk
Directions to St George’s Centre, Leeds:
St George’s is in the city centre next to the Leeds General Infirmary. We suggest ou come by public transport - the railway and bus stations are about 8 minutes walk away. All day parking is limited to city centre multi-storeys.
The team has recently lead volunteer management training days in a number of local churches, as well as a range of other training. If you would like the team to come to your church and lead a training session, please contact Jill Clark at jclark@livability.org.uk. The cost is negotiable.