Manchester: At the heart. On the edge.

At the heart. On the edge. - Manchester

The latest HeartEdge Introductory Day was held at St Peter's House in Manchester on 31 October. The day had been assembled by an ecumenical group locally - with a wide range of contributors. It was an encouraging, useful, really inspiring day!

The HeartEdge movement is about making connections and, with others, giving and sharing practical resources and experience across four areas - congregation, culture, commerce and compassion. Therefore, HeartEdge Days are about ideas, connections, theology and mission. Everyone taking part is a practitioner, so people learn by doing and are experts by experience. There is lots to take away to encourage, inspire and equip as well as opportunities to share insights, learning, experience and ideas, building further useful links with colleagues – as this is what HeartEdge is all about!

The Archdeacon of Manchester Karen Lund and Baptist Minister Graham Sparkes led discussion of: growing a congregation in Prestwich with Chris Wedge; becoming a venue and running gigs in Salford with Andy Salmon; sharing food and hospitality in Reddish with Angie Stanton; and business, commerce and youthwork in Macclesfield with Rob Wardle. We also heard about Levenshulme Inspire Community Enterprises and cabarets organised at St John the Evangelist Old Trafford. Sam Wells and the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields led a Great Sacred Music on HeartEdge and the 4C's. Sam also began the day by talking about ways to move beyond reliance on benefactors and stewardship in funding mission and ministry.

Feedback from those who came included:

• interesting and challenging day, thinking about doing and being church in innovative and contextual ways; 
• at HeartEdge discussing ecumenical model of partnership, sharing ideas, making connections, doing theology and developing mission. This is our future and what we are - connected in our faith; 
• brilliant and inspiring day today at the @HeartEdge_ Manchester conference. Thank you to all involved! 
• thanks to the team @HeartEdge_ and @salfordrev for showing us that thoughtful input, sensory engagement and risk-taking are possible without PowerPoint!

Our next HeartEdge Introductory Day is in Inverness on 13 November - register here!

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