Line Up for Pioneer Conversations Day 2016 and Spoken Word and Music Evening Added

On November 8 we have our Pioneer Conversations Day 2016: Future Present. This is always a really brilliant day and we are excited about this year’s programme. Here’s what you need to know:

The booking page is here – www.futurepresent.eventbrite.co.uk

The Facebook page here – https://www.facebook.com/events/367898990266739/

Then secondly we are delighted that Harry and Chris will be hosting an evening of Spoken Word and Music. If you are able to stay on for that it should be a really good evening. It will finish by 8:45 giving time for those travelling. There will be an open mic slot so we are really hoping and expecting that those of you who are musicians and poets will be up for performing. There are two options for tickets – with curry and just the performance. You will need to book tickets through the event page.

The booking page is here – www.harryandchris.eventbrite.co.uk

The Facebook page is here – https://www.facebook.com/events/609971635849816/

We are expecting both the day and evening to be popular. So book soon. And please do spread the word.

Here is the line up for the day!

Future Present Planet – Michael Northcott

Our beautiful planet is being pushed to its limits right now as we can’t seem to wean ourselves of an oil based economy. The future of the planet is the big question of our time. Michael Northcott writes, teaches and researches in the area of environmental theology and ethics.

Reimaging God – Nicola Slee 

Nicola Slee will explore a variety of perspectives on the imaging and naming of God from feminist perspectives, in an endeavour to expand our thinking of and approach towards the divine. Poetry and images will be used to focus the issues and spark imagination

Future Present Church – John Drane 

Will the future have a church, and why would anybody care anyway? What would a church look like if it was freed of all the challenges and baggage that weighs us and her down, and what would it take to get from here to there? Excited and freed up by this thought, John will be wearing his blue sky thinking hat – expect some radical ideas and hope fuelled dreams.

Engaging A New Urban World – Ash Barker 

Drawing on over 25 years of urban mission experience lived in deprived neighbourhoods of Melbourne, Bangkok and now Birmingham, Ash will explore what an incarnational approach to engaging our new urban world can look like. What are the limits and possibilities of incarnational engagement? Are the fruits worth the cost? What will Jesus invite us into as an old world passes away? Areas of urban deprivation and poverty are especially complex places to make a long-term impact, but they are some of the most critical frontline contexts for Christian workers today. A resilient and thoughtful theology and spirituality as well as innovative skills and frameworks are needed if faithful, effective and sustainable responses are to be found.

Parabolic Relationships: how change happens in mission – Anna Ruddick

Research among incarnational urban mission team members and the people who have encountered them in their communities has uncovered an emerging mode of mission. Subversive relating collapses the categories of ‘missioner’ and ‘recipients’ of mission, involving the transformation of all involved in the course of the mission of God. Great to have Anna back again to present the findings of her research.

Open House – Steve Collins

If a church building is the homebase of a community, how can we live in it? What arrangements would enable our theology and community? Can we give these spaces back to the city around us? Can they be sources of resources? If the present is often closed doors, can the future be open house? Steve brings his wonderful creativity, experience in alternatve worship and architect’s way of seeing things together to remake community and spirituality.

Disabled Dreams: Coping With The Present – Emma Major

In the last two years Emma’s future has collided with her present as disabilities have increased. Her ability to minister has changed, her understanding of calling has been challenged and at times she has wondered if God still wants me her one of His pioneers.  She will share some of her story and how God has helped me evolve; and we will explore how we must all adapt when our dreams are disabled and how we can cope with change outside our control.

An Innovation Framework – How to make the future present – Mike Moynagh

A look at six processes commonly involved in innovation, illustrating these from innovative forms of church, suggesting pointers to a theology of innovation.

Physical Graffiti – Rachel Griffiths

Rachel is a participatory theatre practitioner, delivering workshops and theatre projects in various contexts. She uses physical theatre and movement to bring about change and reimagine the future in cultures of oppression The participatory part means anyone can join in. She has run workshops for example in the Calais refugee camp and with girls rescued from sex trafficking and women living in a pavement-dwelling community. Expect to participate!

Stillness In A Turning World: Future Present Contemplative – Ian Adams

A better world –  a more peaceful, just and hopeful world – has to take shape first within us. This will require our deep attention. The contemplative path as always been a quiet, often neglected but vital presence at the heart of Christian life and mission – deepening awareness of self, other, earth and God – and opening up the possibility of living with stillness in a fast turning world. This workshop will be an opportunity to explore ideas and practices for nurturing a contemplative life, reshaping us and our world for good.

Folly, Film and Future Faith – Colin Heber Percy

Taking Tarkovsky’s 1979 masterpiece, Stalker, as a starting point, Colin probes a notion of faith that has been largely forgotten. In Stalker, Tarkovsky depicts faith as folly, as destinationless quest, as weakness, as curse, and as blessing. This idea, deeply rooted in the European mystical and literary imaginary, may also speak potently and persuasively to us now in the present. It may even point us towards future faith expressions in a Western, predominantly post-Christian context.

Dream Dare Do – An Installation Space

There will be an interactive installation space ‘dream dare do’, which will run all day as a quieter place to drop in, reflect, dream, explore and pray.

FuturePresent Eucharist 

The day will conclude with a celebration of Jesus’ FuturePresent meal with a liturgy especially commissioned and written for the day.

Spoken Word and Music Evening – Hosted by Harry and Chris

We’re excited that off the back of their Edinburgh Festival show Harry and Chris are coming to host a Spoken Word and Music Evening – a curry will be served as part of the evening. There will be an open mic slot so we are looking for lots of contributions on the night. That is a separately ticketed event – book here harryandchris.eventbrite.co.uk