Commerce, Compassion, Culture, Congregation … It’s All Church!

 

 

Commerce, Compassion, Culture, Congregation … It’s All Church! was the first HeartEdge national conference held over two days at St Martin-in-the-Fields and Lambeth Palace.

In our view commerce, compassion, culture and congregation are essential and are all church! +Paul Bayes, David Ellis, Paul Goodliff, Rosemarie Mallett, Ann Morisy, Ben Quash, Anthony Reddie, Miranda Thelfall-Holmes, Maeve Sherlock, ++Justin Welby, Sam Wells and Lucy Winkett were just some of those who helped us explore these themes.

The HeartEdge two day intensive provided theology, ideas, resources, plus time to make connections, find encouragements and enjoy jazz.

Contributions to the programme from St Martin’s included a Great Sacred Music with St Martin’s Voices featuring the hymns and poetry of Robert Bridges, a wonderfully reflective Bread for the World Eucharist led by the Nazareth Community, and Jazz in the Café with The Fabulations.

There was lots of comment on social media about the conference which gives a flavour of the content and people’s reactions. This included:

• The first HeartEdge Conference coming to an end at Lambeth Palace - a fantastic two days. Thank you to the St Martin’s team for organising it! It has been energising!
• What an absolutely jam-packed, inspiring, wonderful couple of days at the HeartEdge conference!
• Day 2 of the HeartEdge conference was fantastic. Thank you to Lambeth Palace for your hospitality. Great to hear from, among others, Lucy Winkett, Sam Wells, Rosemarie Mallet, Anthony Reddie, Paul Bayes, Miranda Threllfall-Holmes. Oh, and Justin Welby!
• Spent two good days at the HeartEdge conference - came away thinking about sacred music, Jesus’ body parts and this Table, and what it might mean to see the church as guest not host.
• Hospitality; host vs guest; margins vs centre; engaging with communities.
• Great to be at the HeartEdge annual conference today at Lambeth Palace. Inspiring mix of denominations coming together, with wise words on celebrating success from Justin Welby.
• This afternoon Paul Bayes & co are talking real life for many, not just in North West.
• Really amazing speech and presentation by Paul Bayes and the Liverpool team at the HeartEdge conference! Really challenging and engaging stuff.
• The Bishop of Liverpool Paul Bayes (a Bradford lad) gave a brilliant talk this afternoon at the HeartEdge conference. He may have single-handedly persuaded me to the merits of Episcopacy lol. Ok, not quite, but he was brilliant.
• It's going to take a few days to process all the information! Then there's the small task of sharing all we experienced with our church! Thanks to St Martin’s and Lambeth Palace for the amazing welcome!

Our thanks to everyone at St Martin’s, in HeartEdge and among our contributors who made the conference such a special experience with great organisation, wonderful content, many new connections made and a significant development in our aim to create a new movement for renewal in the broad church.

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All My Hope On God Is Founded.