Hitting the Right Note: music, mission and ministry

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A day for clergy, lay ministers, music leaders and all interested in enhancing worship

Saturday 4th February 2017, 10am-4pm
St Luke’s Church, Victoria Road, Cambridge, CB4 3DX

Speakers

Helen Bent is both a priest and a musician and has worked in a wide variety of parish settings rural and urban. She has been Head of Ministerial Training for RSCM and Praxis since 2015 and is a Self Supporting Minister in Rotherham.

Richard Hubbard is Director of the InHarmony Music Project at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Its first phase, due to be completed in early 2017, is to research and report on the state of music in parish churches across the diocese. He also lectures at London School of Theology.

Our workshops will include

  • Touching heaven: using music creatively in prayers.
  • Being a cantor: how to lead by singing, even without an instrument.
  • What is there? Identifying the right resources.
  • Using the building and the liturgy to help you sing.

We hope that when participants leave they will:

  • be honest about the challenges.
  • have more confidence.
  • know how to identify supportive resources.
  • be empowered to develop sustainable solutions.

The greatest benefit from this day will be when clergy, worship leaders and musicians attend together as a team, though we recognise that this is not always possible.

The cost of the day, which includes coffee / tea but does not include lunch (please bring your own) £15.00 per person £10.00 for affiliate members. No charge for ordinands, or Readers-in-training.

To book a place, please hitting-the-right-note

A Hymn for the Queen’s Birthday

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Recently one of the Praxis East committee was part of a group who collaborated on writing a new hymn to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. The tune is Praise my soul, the king of heaven. You are welcome to use this hymn, attributing it as follows:
“Edited by Ally Barrett, with contributions from Julie Bacon, Gill Robertson, Leah Vasey-Saunders, Sheridan James and Cate Williams. Used by permission.” 

Praise the Lord for faithful service,
offered through each passing year,
Steadfast prayer, ‘May God preserve us’
Through the times of joy and fear.
Bless our Queen and bless her people,
Give us strength to persevere.

Praise the Lord for faithful vision,
keep life’s journey fixed in sight,
seek God’s will in each decision
Pray to choose the good and right.
Bless our Queen and bless her people,
In God’s way our shared delight.

Praise the Lord for faithful duty,
God has called: to this we cling,
live it out with grace and beauty,
in the tasks each day may bring.
Bless our Queen and bless her people,
As we seek to serve the King.

Praise the Lord for faithful living:
Seeking peace and just accord,
Trusting, hoping, still believing,
sharing faith in deed and word.
Bless our Queen and bless her people,
Fellow servants of One Lord.

Empowering Children as Ministers

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A rich and thought provoking day enabled a diverse group of ministers and church representatives to reflect together on how we might empower our churches’ children as ministers, and the impact that this may have on the children themselves (both now and into adulthood) and on the church itself. At a time when the Church of England is actively promoting the nurturing of young vocations, why not start in childhood?  Click here to read a full report on the day, including the full text of the speech given by 11 year old Joanna about her own experiences as a minister.

On behalf of Praxis (East), thank you to those who attended, contributed on the day, or who shared stories as part of the prior research.

Empowering Children as Ministers

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You can read all about what happened at this event here.

Thursday 12th May 2016, 10am – 3pm
Bar Hill Church Centre, Cambridge
Facilitators: Ally Barrett and Gill Ambrose.

From 1 October it has been possible to include children among those authorized to administer the chalice at Holy Communion. But children have had a place as ministers in worship for centuries, as musicians for example. This day provides an opportunity to reflect on the value of the ministry of children for congregations and for the children themselves, and to think about to build on good practice to empower children in a variety of ministries.

The day will include input from children who are involved in ministry, as well as a presentation of new research on the impact of undertaking ministry roles on children and on the churches where they minister.

Bring and share:  This is a day for sharing so please come ready to tell people about the really good things you do already. The opening exercise will invite you to think creatively about this and we will build on it during the morning. There will be a table for you to display things that you think will help others during the sessions to tell each other about what has worked well, in addition to identifying and addressing the challenges. If you have things to share in the longer term, please come prepared to offer your contact details.

Ally Barrett is now a tutor at Westcott House theological college and a part time PhD student, having spent 11 years in parish ministry and one year as a children’s minister in the Episcopal Church in the USA. Among other things, she is the author of Making the Most of Your Child’s Baptism (SPCK, 2011, 2016), and co-author of Get a life (a course on calling for young people, CHP, 2008). She blogs at reverendally.wordpress.com

Gill Ambrose edits Praxis News of Worship and was formerly editor of ROOTS Adult & All Age. She is the editor of the Together for a Season worship resource series published by Church House Publishing.

The cost for the day is £10 for Praxis affiliates, or £15 for non-affiliates.You can download the programme and booking form for the day here:
Empowering Children as Ministers – booking form.
Send the completed form with payment to:
The Revd Dr Tom Ambrose
229 Arbury Road, Cambridge CB4 2JJ
e-mail: tom.ambrose@happyserver.co.uk
Tel: 01223 858994

Reader Ministry: 150 years of worship, theology, and mission

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Saturday 5 March 2016 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Bar Hill Church Centre, Cambridge

2016 marks 150 years of Reader ministry in the Church of England. To celebrate this anniversary, this day will offer an opportunity for Readers, and those who work with them, to consider and develop responses to the ever-changing needs of the contemporary Church in its worship and mission.

The cost for the day is £10 for Praxis affiliates, or £15 for non-affiliates.
Contact gill.ambrose@happyserver.co.uk, 07855513506 to book a place.

Welcoming Weddings – Wednesday 15th October 2014

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Welcoming Weddings
Wednesday 15th October 2014
10.00am – 3.30pm at Bar Hill Church Centre, CB23 8EH

Speaker: Sandra Millar, Head of Projects and Development for the Archbishops’ Council

A follow-up to the Weddings Project, this day will look at the opportunities of the wedding service and suggest examples of good practice, and ideas that can help make the service special, serious and personal. In good time for the 2015 wedding season!