HeartEdge Churches & Commerce event

 

 

HeartEdge's Churches & Commerce event was a day to explore the benefits of commercial activities for churches (including social enterprise).

Many churches struggle to cover the costs of their buildings and the ministry needed in their area. Finding other sources of income in addition to congregational giving can help significantly and can also extend the church’s engagement in God’s mission. ‘Churches & Commerce’ was for anyone interested in making churches sustainable in their mission.

This event at St Martin in the Bull Ring enabled participants to hear from people for whom commercial activities, including social enterprises, are making a real difference, not only to their church finances but also to their wider mission.

Allyson Hargreaves told the story of St Martin-in-the-Fields in regard to commerce. Within her telling of our story, Allyson highlighted support structures at different stages of development and issues regarding the balancing of commerce and mission. Richard Frazer, Minister at Greyfriars Kirk, shared his thoughts on approaches to a theology for entrepreneurs and Richard Higginson, Director of Faith in Business, shared results of research with 50 UK Christian entrepreneurs from a variety of business sectors.

Representatives of Anthony Collins Solicitors, Cinnamon Network, Grassmarket Community Project (recently named Social Enterprise of the Year in Scotland), Jericho Foundation, Mindful Business Services, NexGen Marketing Ltd, Salt Business Network, and The Bridge at Waterloo shared insights and expertise in relation to: Digital Futures, Legal Structures, Marketing, Outsourcing, Partnership projects, Scaling up, Values and Wood recycling. 

Delegates had travelled from as far afield as Aberdeen and Chatham for what proved to be a day full of ideas, inspiration and information. Find out more about HeartEdge at https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/life-st-martins/mission/heartedge/.

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Eric Bibb - Don't Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down.

HeartEdge: Churches & Commerce event

HeartEdge is a growing ecumenical network which supports churches in blending their mission around four key areas:

• Congregation – inclusive approaches to liturgy, worship and day-to-day communal life
• Community – models of outreach serving local need and addressing social justice
• Culture – art, music and ideas to re-imagine the Christian narrative for the present moment
• Commerce – commercial activities that generate finance, creatively extending and enhancing mission and ministry through social enterprise

HeartEdge has organised a day on Churches & Commerce at St Martin in the Bull Ring (Edgbaston St, Birmingham B5 5BB)  on Wednesday 7 March to explore the benefits of commercial activities for churches (including social enterprise).

Contributors include:

• Allyson Hargreaves (Executive Director, St Martin-in-the-Fields), Revd Dr Richard Frazer (Minister, Greyfriars Kirk) and Dr Richard Higginson (Director, Faith in Business)
• Anthony Collins Solicitors, Grassmarket Community Project and others

Refreshments 10am. Programme 10.30am. Finish 3.30pm

The programme includes sessions on: Christian Entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurial Theology; and Structuring Missional Commerce. Additionally, there will be a panel discussion with entrepreneurs and small group input sessions led by specialists (on specific aspects of commercial activity e.g. structures, marketing etc or particular commercial opportunities e.g. social enterprise, training programmes etc).

The programme also includes time for networking and connecting, plus lunch and refreshments.

Cost: £10 for HeartEdge members, £20 for all others.

To book: contact Jonathan Evens – 02077661127 or jonathan.evens@smitf.org

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Gungor - Dry Bones.

plus+ presentations: adding value to the City of London

As part of further developing the relationships St Stephen Walbrook has with the business community in the City of London, we plan to begin a new series of events in the autumn to explore the place of faith in the world of business.

This new ongoing series of events is entitled ‘plus+ presentations’, as the series is one part of the way in which St Stephen seeks to add value to the City.

The inaugural plus+ presentation will be given by Douglas Board, founder of Maslow’s Attic, on 21 September (6.30pm). Douglas is a senior visiting fellow at Cass and also writes on management, faith, society and humour, as well as careers. Previously, he was consultant, director and then deputy chairman of Saxton Bampfylde, a top 10 UK search firm.

Douglas will share practical, intellectual and spiritual reflections on flourishing at work in a presentation entitled ‘In an open plan office, can anyone hear you scream?’

The format for ‘plus+ presentations’ is:

• 6.15pm: Evening Prayer (optional) 
• 6.30pm: plus+ presentation 
• 7.00pm: Drinks reception & networking 
• 7.30pm: Close 

Going forward, we plan to run the plus+ presentations on the third Thursday of each month, although the remaining 2017 dates will be 19th October; 9th November.

On 19th October Revd Sally Muggeridge, Curate at St Stephen Walbrook, will speak from personal experience about campaigns to increase the numbers of women on Boards.

On 9th November Barbara Ridpath, Director of St Paul's Institute, will speak on Transitions: how to make life-changing career changes by choice or necessity.

On 18 January 2018, our presenter will be Professor Richard Higginson (Director of Faith in Business, Ridley Hall Cambridge) speaking about Christian entrepreneurs living out their faith.

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Deacon Blue - Wages Day.