21st Centurry Evangelicals ..research report "Good news for the poor?"

Our latest research report Good news for the poor?

You can read the report in full on the Good news for the poor? report page, available from today

http://www.eauk.org/church/resources/snapshot/good-news-for-the-poor.cfm

Our latest research contains fascinating details on what evangelicals think are the causes and potential solutions for poverty, and how they and their churches are personally responding to the realities of poverty both at home and abroad.

Our survey of more than 1,600 evangelicals found that many are directly involved in tackling poverty;donating to food banks, volunteering with poverty projects or supporting people they know who are struggling financially.

Our Lives: challenging attitudes to poverty in 2015

http://www.centreforwelfarereform.org/library/type/pdfs/our-lives-poverty-in-2015.html

 

This is important testimony from the frontline of Austerity and the reversal of the welfare state. The report offers moving testimony and analysis of the many different ways modern poverty harms people and society. While the obvious material deprivation of the 1930s is now rarely seen real poverty is a growing problem. 

Impact of Queens Speech on Poverty and Economy in general

Ed Saville has produced this helpful summary

Full Employment and Welfare Benefits Bill 

 

The aim is for two million more jobs and three million new apprenticeships to be created.  

Reduction in the welfare cap - from £26,000 to £23,000, Actual cut in income for some of the poorest households. 

Freeze working-age benefits, tax credit and child benefit for two years. Actual cut in real terms – by inflation value. 

As part of the government's welfare reforms, young people will be required to "earn or learn",  

Automatic entitlement to housing benefit for 18-21-year-olds scrapped. More people on the streets, more 'sofa surfers'; more families breaking up? What happens to those leaving care? 

National Insurance Contributions and Finance Bill 

No rise in income tax rates, VAT or national insurance before 2020 Then the next Chancellor will have a huge catch-up to do. 

No one working 30 hours on the minimum wage pays any income tax at all.  

Raise the threshold before which people pay income tax to £12,500 - a move ministers say will benefit 30 million people. Those paying the highest rate of tax will benefit most; they will drop a tax band for some of their income (and may be drop out of the higher rate altogether. Those not earning enough to pay tax will not benefit at all!) 

Childcare Bill 

Parents in England would be entitled to 30 hours a week of free childcare for their three- and four-year-olds, for 38 weeks of the year.  

Housing Bill 

Housing association tenants will be able to buy the homes they rent at a discount. Housing Associations may have borrowed on the open market to build – how do they service the debt? By providing a poorer service or higher rents to those left? 

There will also be help for first-time buyers, with 200,000 starter homes made available to under-40s at a 20% discount. Where is the discount coming from – with deficit reduction not mentioned is this the answer? 

Immigration Bill 

New offence of illegal working - with police given the power to seize the wages paid to illegal workers as the "proceeds of crime". Why not seize the income of the people and companies employing them instead? 

 

The Burnley Pioneer Project

 

There is a new story and reflection on our Together Lancashire blog  written by youth worker Jemma Harrower at

 

 

http://tlstoriesandreflections.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/the-burnley-pioneer-project.html

 

The Burnley Pioneer Project is a Christian charity working in the heart of the community in Burnley. The project began four years ago when the Burnley Methodist Circuit employed a Youth Worker....

 

The Stoops Estate in Burnley has high unemployment, anti social behavior and many people suffering with addictions to drugs and alcohol. It is a privilege to tell people Jesus has a plan for their lives; He is for them and not against them. We are excited for the future as we work together to reach people with the Gospel.

Save the date! CUF National Conference on Financial Inclusion

 

 

People might be interested in this..This is all I have so far.

Save the date! CUF National Conference on Financial Inclusion

The CUF National Conference is coming to Manchester on Thursday 5th November and is focused around building financial inclusion. Details will be launched in the next two weeks, keep an eye out for it and we will be asking you to share this through your networks. 

Do you use interns, student placements or gap year workers in your church or project?

Could you help us please by sharing your experience with us.. (apologies if you get multiple copies of this email.. you may be on a number of our circulation lists)..

 

Click this link to start the questionnaire  http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TLinterns It will only take a few minutes

 

Together Lancashire is considering developing an internship or apprenticeship programme that will enable a small number of young people to spend some time developing their skills and knowledge in the area of faith based social action.

Before we proceed we need to gather information about what is already happening, and good practice in this area of work.

So if your church or project has any experience over the last five years or so of involving young people, including students on placement, in church or community work we would appreciate your answers to this brief survey.

 

Click this link to start the questionnaire http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TLinterns

 

Many thanks

 

Shalom

Greg Smith

Development Co-ordinator Together Lancashire / Preston Christian Action Network

Phone - Mobile 07726177044

 

Registered Charity no 1147848 Registered company no 07966145

Together Lancashire Website http://www.cuf.org.uk/together-lancashire

 

New funding available for local groups in Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen

Local groups and organisations with great ideas to make their communities an even better place to live are now invited to apply for funding to turn their ideas into reality.

People's Health Trust has just launched Active Communities in Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen – a funding programme for local people wanting to create fairer places to grow, live, work and age.

 

http://www.cvsbwf.org/6909-new-funding-available-for-local-groups-in-lancashire-blackpool-and-blackburn-with-darwen/

This battle will define us. We must protect our children from austerity

Guardian article today

 

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/25/children-austerity-david-cameron-cuts-young-people?

Friday, 22 May 2015

Adrian Plass and the Church Weekend Thursday 18th June

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Ian Clarkson

To: Together Lancashire - Greg Smith

Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2015 5:33 PM

Subject: RE: Events to Publicise Please

Hi Greg,

Just wondering if we can promote this event again through the  network? There's an online discount for tickets included:

Adrian Plass and the Church Weekend Thursday 18^th June 7:30pm Fulwood free Methodist Church, Lightfoot Lane, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 3LT

 

Some of Adrian's much loved characters come together under one retreat centre's roof  for 48 hours - and there is no escape. The results are predictably hilarious, touching and heart warming, with the lighter and deeper sides of the people attending coming to the surface. With material from the new book 'Adrian Plass and the Church Weekend' as well as 'The Sacred Diary', 'A Year at St Yorricks', 'An Alien at St Wilfreds' and 'Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation' join Searchlight Theatre Company, World Vision and Adrian & Bridget Plass for a good chuckle and a great night out! Tickets £12 available from Fulwood Free Methodist Church £12 call 01772 861597 email general@fulwoodfmc.net

Searchlight have created a 25% online discount for anyone wishing to purchase tickets online at http://searchlighttheatre.org/box-office/4589142682/preston-thu-18th-jun/9384660 for  11 days a full price ticket would be £9.33 and a concession would be £7.83 (including booking fee) - but only until the 1st of June.

The code to enter is: PLASS25

 

 

Ian Clarkson

Associate Pastor

Fulwood Free Methodist Church

Office: 01772861597

Mobile: 07979962882

Wednesday, 20 May 2015

Refurb, July 7, in Manchester with Laurie Green

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Paul Keeble

To: Paul Keeble

Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 11:37 AM

Subject: Refurb, July 7, with Laurie Green

Hi all

A reminder of our RefUrb event on Tuesday, July 7,  11:45am to 3pm, with Bishop Laurie Green of the National Estate Churches Network. Laurie will be sharing from his new book Blessed are the Poor? Urban Poverty and the Church. Venue is Longsight Church of the Nazarene.

The book is an investigation into what Jesus meant when he said those words – Blessed are the Poor – and what it might now mean for the Church if it should take his words seriously. Given the recent election and the UK's status as the most unequal nation in Europe, maybe it is about time we did just that!

If you're involved in ministry or mission on a housing estate as a resident, incomer and/or member of a church, or would like to discover more about it, this event is for you.

Here are some comments from reviewers:

"You have in your hands a rare and special document. Here unearthed for you are deep stories of hope and possibility as well as stories of hardship and dismay. These stories belong to the often forgotten residents of Britain's housing estates. Laurie Green bears witness to how God is very present and how theology and church can become alive because of the mysterious part that those who are marginalised often play in the purposes of God."
Ann Morisy (Ann is a freelance community theologian, lecturer and author. Her best-selling books include Beyond the Good Samaritan and Journeying Out.)

"Bishop Laurie Green gives us a power pack of experience, with fresh insights into Jesus' declaration "Blessed are you who are poor" by breaking open space for the poor to speak for themselves from within their communities. Based on a life-long immersion in the lives of the poor, it is a Gospel-centric account saturated with fresh Gospel insights from the perspectives of the world of the poor, to enable us authentically to challenge the present ordering of society and Church. A reflection-action "work book" challenging us all as Christians and Church to really be with the poor, who are full of inspiring stories from the underside of our society."
John Battle (John has been a Minister of State for the UK Government and has been honoured by the Vatican for his life-long community activism and his political achievements)

"This carefully researched but highly readable book combines detailed reflection on biblical resources with historical and sociological perspectives on housing estates and issues of urban poverty and, most significantly, the experience and stories of poor people themselves. Rejecting platitudes and romanticism, it is a powerful demonstration of the practice of contextual theology and offers a persuasive and provocative interpretation of what Jesus meant when he pronounced the poor 'blessed'. 
Stuart Murray Williams (Stuart is a theologian and author, the founder of Urban Expression, and an experienced urban minister. He currently teaches mission and is Director of the Centre for Anabaptist studies.)

yours

Paul & Derek

_______________________________

URBAN PRESENCE

resourcing good news in the city

UK Registered Charity 1069404

Web: www.urbanpresence.org.uk

 

Link Visiting

 

We've had an email from Link Visiting about their work, which might be of interest. The person to contact is Rosalind Davies - ros@rosalinddavies.co.uk: 

 I represent a national scheme called Link Visiting (www.linkvisiting.org) which is a national scheme that mobilises churches to reach out to isolated elderly people in their community. 

 Link Visiting provides practical support at all stages to help a church set up a local scheme, including all the necessary documents, policies and procedures; full training in setting up and running a befriending scheme; ongoing support and advice and up-to-date information and guidance about latest developments.

Wake up your church: A one-day workshop at St Thomas' Church, Lancaster; Saturday June 13th

https://www.facebook.com/events/712461185532807/

 

About the Event
The Wake up your church! workshop enables Christians to make powerful connections between faith, everyday life and challenges of justice and environmental sustainability. The event offers: an invitation to hear God's call afresh; a new look at our local and global situation; personal challenge, transformation and growth; renewed energy & growth in a church congregation.
The workshop draws on a rich mix of practical and theo-logical material presented in a lively and varied way. There is engagement with the bible, reflection and group activities. There are short film segments on environment and social justice issues with video input from leading Christian speakers including Tom Wright, Elaine Storkey and John Bell.

Facilitators: Mike Arundale and Rev'd Ali Oxborrow.
Mike worships at St James & Emmanuel church, Didsbury. He is a Lecturer in Strategy at Manchester Business School and Chair of the Boaz Trust, a Christian charity serving destitute asylum-seekers.
Ali is an ordained Anglian minister who previously worked as a solicitor in matrimonial law. She holds a Masters in Theology and is a trained counsellor. She served her curacy in Didsbury and has recently trained as a Restorative Justice Volunteer Facilitator with Greater Manchester Police.

Booking Details
Cost: £5 payable on the day
Tea & coffee provided, but please bring your own lunch.
Book a place on Eventbrite via this page:

http://wake-up-your-church.eventbrite.co.uk/

Alternatively, or for further information, contact: Hugh Kidd on 01524 39018 or e-mail: hkadmin@phonecoop.coop

Monday, 18 May 2015

Feeding Lancashire Together - How you and your church or community can help

Together Lancashire has produced a series of leaflets aimed at people in church congregations ad local communities who are wanting to support their local food bank or food poverty project, but don't know how to contact them or how best to help.

Got to

https://www.cuf.org.uk/together-lancashire/feeding-lancashire-together/feeding-lancashire-together-how-you-can-help

Scroll down and click on the links to download the relevant  leaflets for your area.

The leaflets are designed as two pages, and can be printed out as a pair of A4 posters for a church noticeboard or as  two pages for a handout.

The first page is generic information about food poverty in Lancashire and how you can help. We think it best if the second page is filled with local contact information for food banks and other projects in each of the towns in the area. We have gathered and edited information for Preston and  Morecambe / Lancaster so these leaflets are provided as pdf files ready to print.

We are working with the Blackpool Food Partnership to compile the information for Blackpool and the Fylde Coast

For other Lancashire districts we suggest you download the version with a blank Side 2... and overprint this with your own local information. Both and MS Publisher Format version and a pdf version are available.

 

Active Communities Grants

 

Subject: Active Communities Grants

 

Active Communities Grants   Active Communities Grants People's Health Trust is looking to invest in projects that support people living in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. There is a two stage application process over a six week period that begins with a short online form. If you wish to apply, or find out more, go to http://www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk/ . You can apply directly on this website, or search for more information on the Peoples Health Trust. There are short case studies on what's been funded before. There's step by step guidance to help you along the way. If you need any support, please call 020 7697 4021 or email apply@peopleshealthtrust.org.uk. We will be holding an informal workshop on bidding to the Peoples Health Trust tomorrow (Thursday 7th May) between 2 & 3.30pm in the Conference Room here at CVS. You can simply turn up on the day - you will be most welcome. We've posted some info on the CVS website here: http://s.coop/1wksj. Projects could be almost anything that encourages strong connections between people, and that help people to make their communities or neighbourhoods even better places to grow, live, work and age. They're looking for small and local projects, genuinely designed and run by local people, even just a small group of people on an estate, in a few streets or villages. Active Communities is a funding programme for not-for-profit groups with an income of less than £350,000 a year, or an average of £350,000 over two years. Grant can be requested for between £5,000 and £50,000 for projects lasting up to two years. HealthHeal is a funding programme using money raised through the Health Lottery. It's for local people wanting to create fairer places to grow, live, work and age. Local groups and organisations with great ideas to make their communities an even better place to live are now invited to apply for funding to turn their ideas into reality. Get down to tomorrow's workshop! The deadline for applications is 1pm on Wednesday 3rd June. ​ Rob Walsh, BwD CVS Boulevard Centre, 45 Railway Road, Blackburn BB1 1EZ Please add gra***@***uk to your address book or safe sender list so our emails get to your inbox. You are receiving this email because you have an existing relationship with Graham Aspin,. | SHARE THIS EMAIL     Sign up for your account

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National Estate Churches Network

Latest issue of the NECN newsletter is here

 

http://www.nationalestatechurches.org/Netlink%20Spring%202015%20internet%20copy.pdf

New debt awareness and signposting resource

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Archbishop's Task Group on Responsible Credit and Saving

To: pcaninfo@gmail.com

Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015 9:28 AM

Subject: New debt awareness and signposting resource

Archbishop's Task Group on Responsible Credit and Savings View this email in your browser MAY 2015 News from the Archbishop of Canterbury's Task Group on Responsible Credit and Savings In this latest update we introduce a new workshop resource for church staff and volunteers to raise awareness of free debt advice and to signpost people to local and national services. As well as new stories and content from TOYOURCREDIT. New resource! Many people struggling with problem debt do not know about the free advice and support available to them: from face-to-face advice through to online self-help. By signposting to advice services, church staff and volunteers can be a vital link between someone in debt and the help they need. 'Guiding people to free debt advice: a debt awareness and signposting workshop' is a 2 hour video-based workshop developed in partnership with the Money Advice Trust. This resource is designed for staff and volunteers from churches and church-linked groups, including clergy, pastoral assistants, children and family workers, food bank volunteers, and others involved in community projects. The workshop looks at: ● The causes of debt problems ● Identifying when someone needs debt advice ● Responding appropriately when someone tells you they're in debt ● The types of advice available and how these can be accessed ● How to help someone prepare for debt advice   For more information and to order/download 'Guiding people to free debt advice: a debt awareness and signposting workshop': www.toyourcredit.org.uk/debt-aware 'Debt is a national disease: the Church can stand up and be counted' read Bruce Connell's blog on the impact of debt advice. Church Credit Champions Network First Anniversary The Church Credit Champions Network has just celebrated its first birthday, making it a good time to assess the progress it has made so far in London and Merseyside.  In terms of headline figures, the Network is well on track to meet its main targets after a year. Over 200 churches have been engaged, with 119 clergy and lay leaders trained as 'Credit Champions' and over 600 people joining their local credit union as a result of the Network's activity. It's likely that all of these numbers will continue to rise as the Network progresses, particularly in Merseyside where the local Co-ordinator has only been in place for a few months. Read more about the stories behind the statistics   The Bishop of Liverpool, Rt Revd Paul Bayes joined his local credit union at the launch of the Church Credit Champions Network in Liverpool and Merseyside: Bishop Paul spoke at the event: "We need churches to champion a fresh moral vision in the practice of credit. Liverpool is leading the way in being an alternative, supporting credit unions and most importantly helping those in need."   There's more new content on the TOYOURCREDIT website including: A blog post from Christian's Against Poverty about their unique debt advice service partnering with local churches and making a difference in people's lives: "Debt problems seem huge but experience tells us they can be overcome through Christians Against Poverty's financial expertise partnered with the care of the local church."  The story of how the oldest church in the City of London is promoting the work and benefits of credit unions in the nation's financial centre.   Facebook Twitter Website Copyright © 2015 Archbishop's Task Group on Responsible Credit and Savings, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in TOYOURCREDIT and related initiatives. Our mailing address is: Archbishop's Task Group on Responsible Credit and Savings Archbishops' Council, Church House Great Smith Street London, London SW1P 3AZ United Kingdom Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences