Living God's Future Now - August 2020

'Living God’s Future Now’ is our online festival of theology, ideas and practice. We’re developing this in response to the pandemic and our changing world. The church is changing too, and - as we improvise and try-out - we can learn and support each other.

This is 'Living God’s Future Now’ - talks, workshops and discussion, at your place, hosted by HeartEdge members. Created to equip, encourage and energise churches - from leaders to volunteers and enquirers - at the heart and on the edge.

'Thank you for all you are supporting and enabling - I absolutely love everything that comes out of HeartEdge.' The Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester

August:

• Saturday 1 August - 16:00 BST. Book Launch - Ghost Ship: The Church is good at saying all the right things about racial equality. But the reality is the institution has failed to back up these good intentions with demonstrable efforts to reform. It is a long way from being a place of black flourishing. For the online book launch organised with HeartEdge, join Azariah France-Williams for readings, music, discussion and debate. Contributors include Nels Abbey, Robert Beckford, Guli Francis-Dehquani, Joel Edwards, Gus John, Samantha Lindo, Randolph Matthews, David Neita, Sharon & Calvert, Prentis, Winnie Varghese and Darius Weithers. Get a Zoom code at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launch-ghost-ship-tickets-113436305042.
• Sunday 2 August, 14:00 (BST) ‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’: Zoom meeting - Topic: Matthew 26:57-68 / ‘Christ before the High Priest’, Gerrit van Honthorst, about.1617, NG3679. Email jonathan.evens@smitf.org for a zoom invite.
• Drops weekly from 26 July: Windows on Hope: An audio talk posted on the St. Augustine’s College of Theology website, accompanied by suggestions for prayer and reflection. Is hope a way of escaping reality, or a way of facing it creatively? Is hope a feeling, or an activity? How are we invited to cooperate with the God of hope in the remaking of our society and the reshaping of our lives? HeartEdge partner St. Augustine’s College of Theology offers perspectives on hope led by Chris Chapman, Eddie Howells and Gemma Simmonds. To join register at St. Augustine’s go to https://staugustinescollege.ac.uk/register.
• Sunday 9 August, 14:00 (BST), ‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’: Via Zoom. Topic: Luke 23:26-38 / ‘Christ carrying the Cross’, Italian, Venetian, about. 1500. Email jonathan.evens@smitf.org for a Zoom code.
• Monday 10 August, 19:30-21:30 (BST). Have you ever wanted to take your Biblical Studies to the next level? Join Simon Woodman each Monday evening, 7.30-9.00pm for a Biblical Studies class: a lecture followed by discussion, with handouts. We will be looking at the New Testament Epistles; introducing the genre, looking at issues such as dating and authorship, and then working our way through each letter individually addressing key themes and issues. Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrcOmgrTgsHt2ceY7LepLhQYqQxS1G1ix9.
• Thursday 13 August, 18:00 (BST) HeartEdge Dialogue: Via Zoom with Sam Wells in dialogue with Bishop of Gloucester, Rachel Treweek. The focal event in 'Living God's future now' is a monthly conversation in which Sam Wells explores what it means to improvise on God’s kingdom with a leading theologian or practitioner. Get a Zoom code at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/living-gods-future-now-bishop-rachel-treweek-tickets-109150361670.
• Friday 14 August - 3pm EST / 8pm BST. Painful Legacies: Reckoning with Systemic Racism in British and American Churches - Different Contexts and Shared Responses: Is this a moment when, as Rev. William J. Barber II recently claimed, we ought to wake up to the ways systemic racism is choking the life out of democracy? The first in a series of transatlantic conversations organised by the CEEP Network and HeartEdge on key issues for churches in the UK EU / US will enable discussion of the church’s response to systemic racism and the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests. Contributors include: Anthony Reddie, Azariah France-Williams, Farai Mapamula, Debra Bennett, Cornelia Eaton, and Manoj Zacharia. Moderated by Rosalyn Murphy the panel will explore similarity and difference between the US / UK context plus areas for collaboration, action and learning. Get a Zoom invite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/painful-legacies-systemic-racism-in-america-and-britain-tickets-114984959108.
• Mondays 17, 24 & 31 August, 19:30-21:30 (BST). Have you ever wanted to take your Biblical Studies to the next level? Join Simon Woodman each Monday evening, 7.30-9.00pm for a Biblical Studies class: a lecture followed by discussion, with handouts. We will be looking at the New Testament Epistles; introducing the genre, looking at issues such as dating and authorship, and then working our way through each letter individually addressing key themes and issues. Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrcOmgrTgsHt2ceY7LepLhQYqQxS1G1ix9.

September:

• Thursday 3 September, 15:00-16.30 (BST) Fundraising as Community building: Via Zoom - How can talking about mission and income strengthen your church and community? With Jo Beacroft-Mitchell, Stewart Graham and Sarah Rogers. Register for a zoom invite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fundraising-tickets-114413377492.

Are we missing something? Be in touch with your ideas for development.

Want to run an online workshop or series with HeartEdge? Don't keep it too yourself. Be in touch and let's plan.

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Paul Weller - On Sunset.