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While we wait for Jesus to return, the people of God experience both sorrow and rejoicing. We know we live in a world which itself groans, where evil seems to have the upper hand, and where suffering in mind and body afflicts both the righteous and unrighteous alike. Yet we also know the joy of Jesus’ presence with us by his Spirit now and the promise that sorrow will turn to unending joy when disciples see Jesus again at his return. So it is no surprise that our gathering as the people of God wherever he has placed us across the UK is marked by joy and mourning, praise and lament.

The Covid pandemic, church leadership abuses, and the doctrinal drift in denominations all remind us that God alone can help us. So while seeking to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, we fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our hope. As we lament we are not just expressing our emotion but pouring out our worries, frustrations, and sorrows to our heavenly Father who alone is sovereign and good, faithful to and sufficient to deliver on our hope in his promises. Avoiding the temptations to get angry, to grumble, or to flee we mourn the brokenness of this world and hope for the day when all weeping will cease.

As we gather in Leeds in September we can join our voices together in lament, expressing our union with the suffering Christ and thereby also anticipating the sure and certain hoped for glory we will one day enjoy with him. We will spend time focusing on corporate psalms from Book III of the Psalter which smell of the exile but also call to mind the sovereignty of God and the sufficiency of God’s grace. Time has been set aside on both days to give thanks to God and to pray. We will also look back and look forward together. Coaching sessions are being provided to encourage us to stay hopeful in ministry as clergy and lay leaders, and also to help us all practically in contending whatever our circumstances.

Monday


Comperes: Rich Alldritt (St Thomas Oakwood, London) and Leonie Poole (St John’s Church, Lindow)

10:00 – Coffee & Welcome
11:00 – Bible Reading 1: Psalm 74
Matt Fuller (Christ Church Mayfair, London)
11:45 – ReNew Agenda Update
Brian O’Donoghue (ReNew Pioneering and Operations Director) plus guests
12:30 – A Time of Thanksgiving
Jonny Wei Sing Lee (All Hallows Church Bispham, Blackpool)
13:00 – Lunch
14:00 – The Sovereignty of God
Ben Cooper (Cornhill Training Course & Grace Church Sydenham, ANiE)
15:00 – Staying hopeful coaching sessions (see below)
16:15 – Contending coaching sessions (see below)
17:15 – Break
17:45 – Lay Leaders Drinks
18:30 – Drinks
19:00 – Dinner
Plus Andrew Atherstone (Latimer Trust) & Clare Heath-Whyte (St Lawrence church, Morden) in conversation.

Tuesday


09:00 – Bible Reading 2: Psalm 80
Chris Hobbs (St Stephen’s and St Wulstan’s Church, Birmingham)
09:45 – Persevering in hope
Kieran Bush (St John’s Walthamstow, Chelmsford) and Charlie Skrine (All Souls Langham Place, London)
10:30 – A Time of Prayer
Jane Patterson (Christ Church Fulwood, Sheffield & CEEC)
11:00 – Coffee
11:45 – The Sufficiency of God’s Grace
Tom Watts (St John’s Downshire Hill, London & Visiting Lecturer in Anglican Ministry at Oak Hill College)
12:30 – Lunch
13:30 – Q&A
14:30 – Bible Reading 3: Psalm 84
Martin Ayers (St Silas Church, Glasgow, ANiE)
15:30 – Close





Staying hopeful coaching sessions

Staying hopeful in evangelism

Rico Tice (Evangelist, Christianity Explored Ministries), Paul Jump (St Clement’s Church, Manchester) and Piyush Jani (St Andrew the Great, Cambridge)

What most discourages you in evangelism and what keeps you going? We’ll be asking those questions and seeing how passages like the Sower keep us realistic and persevering. There’ll be lots of time for Q&A and above all we’ll be wanting to send people away with real confidence in the gospel and in the God who calls people to his Son.

Staying hopeful in church leadership

Angus MacLeay (St Nicholas Sevenoaks), Mark Glew (St Mary’s Haughton Green) and Jo Richards (All Souls Langham Place, London).

How can you remain hopeful in the face of significant forces of opposition either within the culture or the denomination which discourage us? An opportunity to reflect on the means God provides from the Book of Ezra to encourage us in our work for the Lord.

Staying hopeful with the global church

John McLernon (Mission Director, Crosslinks)

Life in churches in England is challenging for many at present, but in a sense that is all relative. Let us look beyond the British Isles to see what grieves churches around the world and hear their responses to the difficulties that they face. What does it mean for our brothers and sisters to “give thanks in all circumstances”? What does hope look like and how do they pray in those circumstances? Partnership has more than often meant our global partners being on the receiving end of our resources, but what can we humbly learn from them that may be equally, if not more, valuable?

Staying hopeful while contending

Paul Darlington (Oswestry Holy Trinity)

There are all sorts of potential discouragements in contending (talking to brick walls, support from an expected ally disappearing, mixed views in our congregation, the step by step progress of revisionists). Using the Scriptures and the experience of others we will find why we should remain hopeful.

Contending coaching sessions

Contending in a mixed church

Steve Rees (All Saints Church, Crowborough) and Matt Graham (St Stephen’s Prenton, Chester)

It was so exciting to get my first Vicar post in a mixed congregation. The reality was both exhilarating, as we saw new people saved and the church growing, mixed with opposition, huge stress, distress and blunders by me. Maybe right now you are facing the heartache and challenge of leading a mixed congregation. Come and share, learn and pray for the challenges and opportunities that the Lord is giving us.

Contending in a united church

Jon Tuckwell (Christ Church Cockfosters) and Matt Lanstone (Christ Church Cockfosters)

Contending can be contentious – even when there is agreement that a response must be made. As part of the lay and clergy leadership in a local church we will seek to share some of the principles we’ve formed, lessons we’ve learnt, and how we’ve sought to lead a contending church whilst protecting precious unity within church family.

Contending when it’s just you

Tudor Boddam-Whetham (St John the Evangelist, Carlisle)

We expect to be a lone voice at times in the world, but to experience it in the visible church is harder, even more so when it is most/all of the time.  Come and connect with others in a similar ‘boat’, and hear & share (we pray) some godly wisdom to help us all honour Jesus.

Contending with a view to leaving the CofE

James Leggett (St James’ Church, Ryde), Charlie Newcombe (Christ Church Huntingdon) and Nicola Harrison (Christ Church Huntingdon)

In this coaching session we will be looking at the process, timeline and pastoral care involved in the journey to leaving the Church of England. While every situation will be different, finding the position of a settled conscience, clear conviction and securing a gospel future are of supreme importance. We will have testimonies from those who have gone through this process.

Dinner Conversation

Biographers Clare Heath-Whyte (St Lawrence church, Morden) and Andrew Atherstone (Latimer Trust) engage in conversation about some of the characters in Clare’s books, and how evangelicals in previous generations learnt to lament with hope.

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Speakers

Rich Alldritt (St Thomas Oakwood, London). Rich is the Vicar of St Thomas Oakwood, and regional leader of the Edmonton group in north London.
Andrew Atherstone (Latimer Trust). Andrew is research fellow of the Latimer Trust, and especially enjoys reading and writing Christian biography.
Martin Ayers (St Silas, Glasgow). Martin is the Rector of St Silas Church, Glasgow, which since 2019 has been part of the Anglican Network in Europe. He is married to Cathy and they have three Daughters.
Tudor Boddam-Whetham (St John the Evangelist, Carlisle). Tudor is husband to Jo and father to four children. He recently started as Minister of St John the Evangelist in Carlisle after twelve years ministering in six non-evangelical rural parishes. An armchair Arsenal fan, he loves playing & designing modern board & card games.
Kieran Bush (St John’s Walthamstow, Chelmsford). Kieran has been vicar of St John’s Walthamstow since 2015 and chairs the ReNew Chelmsford steering committee. He has two boys, Isaac and Caleb and married Lydia earlier this year. He is a keen hockey player and sports fan.
Ben Cooper (Deputy Director at the Cornhill Training Course). Ben is Deputy Director at the Cornhill Training Course in London. Prior to this, he was in Sheffield for ten years at Christ Church Fulwood teaching on the Fulwood Bible Training and Bible Training Yorkshire courses. He is married to Catherine and they have three grown-up children.
Paul Darlington (Oswestry Holy Trinity). Paul has been incumbent of Oswestry Holy Trinity since 2005. He has a particular interest in revitalisation ministry and knows that general optimism is not enough to stay hopeful while contending. Paul is married to Gill and they have four daughters.
Matt Fuller (Christ Church Mayfair, London). Matt is the Vicar of Christ Church Mayfair where he has had the pleasure of seeing many people trust and grow in Christ. Matt became a Christian during his time at university through the faithful lifestyle and witness of friends. He is married to Ceri and they have a teenage son.
Mark Glew (St Mary’s Haughton Green). Mark leads St Mary’s in Haughton Green, a village on the east of Manchester where ‘the city meets the Peaks’. He has been the minister there for seven years and is striving and praying to be more like Christ himself, whilst seeking to lead the church family in doing the same.
Matt Graham (St Stephen’s Prenton, Chester). Matt is vicar at St Stephen’s Church in Prenton, on the edge of Birkenhead on the Wirral, where his wife Anna is from. They have three teenagers, Henry, Toby and Olivia. Before training and serving at St Stephen’s Matt was involved in student ministry in London and Durham.
Nicola Harrison (Christ Church Huntingdon). Nicola is a member of the church council of Christ Church Huntingdon and was involved together with the the church leadership in the decision not to renew the church’s BMO and to join AMiE. She is a chartered accountant and currently works for Tyndale House in Cambridge as their Director of Finance and IT.
Clare Heath-Whyte, (St Lawrence Church, Morden). Clare serves in children’s and women’s work at church in South London alongside her husband David who is Team Rector. She enjoys speaking at women’s events and writes Christian biographies, with a particular interest in the lives of Christian women from the past.
Chris Hobbs (St Stephen’s and St Wulstan’s Church, Birmingham). Chris is married to Helen and they have four grown-up children. Senior Minister at church in Birmingham since 2000, he previously served in Hull and London. A long time ago he worked as a design engineer. He enjoys sports, walking, reading, films and DIY – when it works.
Piyush Jani (St Andrew’s the Great, Cambridge). Piyush works part-time as an ENT and Head and Neck Surgeon as well as teaching medical students at Cambridge University. He was born into a Hindu family and became a follower of Jesus Christ in his late twenties. He is married to Fiona and they have two children.
Paul Jump (St Clement’s Church, Manchester). Paul has been the minister of St Clement’s since 2012. He was born and raised in Blackburn and became a Christian at 18. After four years as a teacher, he was ordained in 2007 and served his curacy in South Manchester. Paul is married to Gill and they have four boys and one girl.
Matt Lanstone (Chris Church Cockfosters). Matt is married to Jacs and they have three sons. After a 30-year career in finance, Matt is now studying as an Ordinand at Oak Hill Theological College. Matt became a Christian in his mid-30s, has since enjoyed a number of serving roles and is currently a Church Warden.
Jonny Wei Sing Lee (All Hallows Bispham, Blackpool). Jonny is rector of All Hallows Bispham. Brought up in Newcastle, he began to follow Jesus during his first year of uni. He’s married to Katrina and they have three children at primary school. Jonny is a self-confessed nerd, enjoys climbing hills and playing niche board games.
James Leggett (St James’ Church Ryde). James has been in ordained ministry for twenty years. Following his curacy in Whitehaven, James became the Minister at St. James’s Church in Ryde on the Isle of Wight.The church joined AMiE in February 2020. James serves AMiE by leading the Membership Team.
Angus MacLeay (St Nicholas Sevenoaks). Angus is married to Sue and they have two children. He started following Jesus in 1978 and before ordination qualified as a solicitor. He has served parishes in Manchester, Carlisle and, now, Sevenoaks, as Rector at St Nicholas. For 22 years he also served on the General Synod.
John McLernon (Mission Director, Crosslinks). John McLernon is Mission Director at Crosslinks and oversees its ministries in around thirty countries across the world. John is married to Maggie and they have two teenage daughters. They are members of St John’s Tunbridge Wells.
Charlie Newcombe (Christ Church Huntingdon). Charlie has been pastor of Christ Church since it began as a “Bishop’s Mission Order” in 2018 and through its move to join the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) when they chose not to renew their BMO in 2023. He is married to Emma and they have three daughters.
Brian O’Donoghue (Pioneering and Operations Director, ReNew). Brian started to love and follow Jesus in 1990 at Durham University. He is married to Claire and father to Ella, Tom, Freddie and Will with whom he shares responsibility for Tilly, an Irish Terrier. They enjoy life and church in London but value excuses to get out into the countryside and to the coast.
Jane Patterson (Christ Church Fulwood, Sheffield). Jane is a member of Christ Church Fulwood. She serves on General Synod, where she is secretary of The Evangelical Group on General Synod (EGGS) and is a member of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC).
Leonie Poole (St John’s Church Lindow). Leonie comes from Dundee and has worked in churches across Scotland and England. Currently in Wilmslow, Cheshire, she teaches the Bible to children, young people and women. Leonie is married to Andrew who is a definitive mapping officer and they have a toy poodle called Rupert.
Steve Rees (All Saints Church, Crowborough). Steve has been the Vicar of All Saints Church in Crowborough for eight years, having previously led a Church family in Hertfordshire for ten. He is married to Jenny and they have five children.
Jo Richards (All Souls, Langham Place, London). Jo is currently a churchwarden of All Souls, Langham Place, whilst also running a creative Bible club in her children’s primary school. She previously worked in Corporate Affairs and served as a trustee for a charity for survivors of sexual abuse. Jo is married to Stephen and they have three children.
Charlie Skrine (All Souls Langham Place). Charlie is the Rector of All Souls, Langham Place in London. He’s been on General Synod for the last nine years and involved with CEEC as an elected representative from the Evangelical Group on General Synod. Charlie is married to Claire; they have two teenage boys.
Rico Tice (Christianity Explored Ministries). Rico is a passionate evangelist, and former Senior Minister of Evangelism at All Souls, Langham Place in London. Co-Founder of Christianity Explored Ministries, he is a regular speaker at evangelistic events around the world. He’s married to Lucy and they have three young children.
Jon Tuckwell (Christ Church Cockfosters). Jon is Vicar of Christ Church Cockfosters in North London. He spent almost 20 of his life living in Cambridge where he met his wife Ruth, worked as an engineer, and then served as curate and subsequently Associate Vicar at Christ Church Cambridge.
Tom Watts (St John’s Downshire Hill, London). Tom Watts is senior minister of St John’s Downshire Hill in Hampstead, London NW3 and teaches the “Anglican Ministry” module at Oak Hill College as a visiting lecturer. He is married to Sue and they have two teenage children.
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