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Editorial:
"Know Thyself"
Alwyn Thomson
Comment:
Illiberal Democracy
Alwyn Thomson
From
the Director: Good News People?
David W Porter
Balancing
on the Edge
Tony Davidson
Grateful
to God
David McMillan
Space
& Freedom
David Hewitt
Imaginative
Engagement
Keith Getty
No
longer at ease with this dispensation?
Mike Wardlow
Living
with our deepest differences
Os Guinness
Deep
Questions
Johnston
McMaster
Steady
presence
Cecelia Clegg
No
longer lonely
Joseph Liechty
Something
to give
Ingri Sakaria
Bible
study series: Faith in the future
David
W Porter
Review:
The Elusive Quest, Reconciliation in N I by Norman Porter
Bill
Brown
Review:
Journeying Towards Reconciliation, A Song for Ireland by Ruth Patterson
Lynda
Gould
Review:
Islam in Conflict:Past Present and Future by Peter G Riddell &
Peter Cotterell
Alwyn
Thomson
Review:
The R Option - Building Relationships as a Better Way of Life by
Michael Schluter & David John Lee
Anna
Rankin
Review:
Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman
Glenn
Jordan
Summer
School Poetry
Various
For
God and His Glory Alone:
Study 6: Truth
NEWS
"Dreams &
Visions"
Fifteen years on from the first publication of For God and His Glory
Alone, those ten biblical principles for living for God's glory in
a divided society are being revisited in a new ECONI resource to be launched
this autumn. Dreams & Visions takes a fresh look at the ten
themes: love, forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, citizenship, truth,
servanthood, justice & righteousness, hope and repentance. Each theme
is explored through reflection and Bible study, with additional material
for leaders in the form of prayers and talk outlines.
This new resource is suitable for use with a wide variety of groups, large and small, and will not only challenge communities in their thinking, but also in putting their faith into action.
Dreams & Visions
will be available in October 2003.
ECONI Sunday
"Living for God's Glory in a Divided World" is the theme of
ECONI Sunday for 2003, which this year falls on Sunday 2nd November. ECONI
Sunday is an opportunity for churches to devote time in prayer and reflection
on issues of peace and reconciliation supported by materials produced
by ECONI. These resources can of course be used on other occasions and
contexts other than the Sunday service. This year's theme will draw from
the biblical material in Dreams and Visions, ECONI's latest resource
publication which covers a range of 10 biblical themes and includes Bible
study questions, talk outlines, prayers and suggestions for worship. The
resource will be provided to all those registering for ECONI Sunday along
with prayer cards for the congregation. The cost of registration is £15.
Several ECONI staff team and members are availble to speak at ECONI Sunday services. Please contact Claire Martin on 028 9032 5258 or email claire@econi.orgfor further details.
ECONI Conference
2003
Reconciliation, Illusion or Elusive?
Saturday 25th October, Stranmillis College, Belfast.
The theme for the tenth annual ECONI Conference is Reconciliation. Despite
its common currency in international relations, local politics and church
initiatives, reconciliation remains the elusive and frequently illusory
dream of human relationships. Rooted in biblical reflection, the conference
will explore the challenges, opportunities and resources that reconciliation
brings to a church seeking to be faithful in a world of change and conflict.
Reconciliation is an essential part of the church's vocation, as the Apostle Paul proclaims, God was in Christ reconciling the world and has in turn given us the ministry of reconciliation.
Keynote speakers are Richard Bauckham, Professor of New Testament at St. Andrew's University and Paul Arthur, Professor of Politics at the University of Ulster and Course Director of the Master's Programme in Peace and Conflict Studies.
Seminars will be led by David Stevens, Cecelia Clegg, Alwyn Thomson, David Porter, Derek Poole & Lynda Gould, Maria Garvey.
The cost of the conference is £28. This includes conference fees, materials, lunch and coffee. Recordings of the keynote addresses will be made available.
Christian Peace
Building
ECONI's Programme for Christian Peace Building headed up by Derek Poole
offers a comprehensive series of events designed to help local churches,
community groups and both lay and ordained leaders engage with the issues
of peace, justice and reconciliation.
Based on a biblical analysis of human conflict our work is primarily concerned with the task of Christian peacebuilding. This involves helping churches and local groups understand the nature of sectarianism, the historical causes of conflict and the cultural and political hostility that keeps us a divided society. It also means building a new vision for the future: our workshops and training days offer a range of life-affirming studies, skills and interactive experiences to help congregations creatively work for a just and peaceful society.
Recent examples of our practical engagement with local situations include: Journey in Understanding series with Lurgan Inter-church Group; a comprehensive programme exploring the nature of Christian vocation and peacebuilding in the Restoration Inter-church series (Dunmurry); a Protestant/Catholic Encounter series with Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church (Bangor) and St. Agnes. Roman Catholic Church (Andersonstown); and a fulfilling Lenten series on the gospel imperative of peace and reconciliation with three South Belfast Churches: St. Nicholas' Church of Ireland, Windsor Presbyterian Church and Lisburn Road Methodist Church.
The team has been involved in over 70 similar events this year including: church services, community groups, church-based peace and reconciliation groups, universities, colleges and schools, women's groups, youth events, church conferences and weekends, facilitation and consultation work.
Clergy and Lay
Events
We continue to be actively involved with local clergy and lay leaders.
In the past few months we have facilitated a variety of training programmes
in Kilkeel, Carrickfergus, North Belfast, Comber, Londonderry, Ballymena,
Ballymoney and Omagh. In addition to practical workshops and training
we provide leadership with relevant, high quality resources including
Bible study material, sermon notes, action packs and Lion & Lamb
magazine.
We aim to cover a wide range of issues pertinent to Northern Ireland. Recent courses have included:
A Christian Vision
for Social Transformation: a one day training event.
Christian Ministry in a Divided Society: a series of three all-day
clergy seminars.
Pastoring People Through Times of Change: a workshop for leaders.
Embodying Forgiveness: workshop based on ECONI's Forgiveness Papers.
Loyalism: The Shadow Side of Protestantism? interactive workshop.
Understanding the Dynamics of Change: a series of three training
days.
Managing Conflict for Creative Outcomes: a module of three workshops.
If you would like to know more about the Programme for Christian Peace Building and how the team might work with you, please contact Derek Poole on 028 9032 5258 or via email: derek@econi.org
Transforming Communities
Transforming Communities, the programme of ECONI's Learning Team, is committed
to helping Christians provide places of reconciliation, healing and vision
through biblical reflection and learning. The range of courses currently
on offer, include: Difficult Paths; Women in Church and Community; Long
Night's Journey Into Day; Journey in Understanding; and Bridge Builders.
All Transforming Communities programmes, events and modules can be tailored for your group, congregation or organisation.
Further information
is available from Lynda Gouldor
Helen Smith on 028 9032 5258.
Catherwood Lecture
The annual Catherwood Lecture is moving from its autumn slot. The lecture
will take place on 8th March 2004 and will be given by Dr Os Guinness.
Full details will be available closer to the time.
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