calledtoorganise.co.uk
Welcome To Called To Organise!
This blog has been created as a way of sharing our learning and reflections throughout a two -year pilot project in the Birmingham and Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury Methodist Districts.
The aim of the pilot is to explore how faith rooted community organising practices can help local churches to move from vision into action; strengthening their relationships both within congregation and community; developing leaders; using our power to act for change. pilot aims to work with and alongside local churches to explore how organising practices might enable a shift from vision into action.
This pilot is support funded by both Districts, and through the Methodism Evangelism and Growth ‘Church at the Margins’ work strand.
Those of us who have organising experience know how these practices strengthen and transform not just those around us, but also ourselves, and how we understand community, relationships, and action. We also know that whilst faith-rooted community organising practices are not new- we think early Methodism flourished because of them/they are unfamiliar to many people. This blog will enable us to share stories, reflections and learning with those familiar with organising and those new to it as we journey together over the two years of the pilot.
Who is involved?
Organising is always relational and collaborative, so we will hear from a range of voices, but the core pilot team are:
Eddy Aigbe – Regional Organiser, Faith-Rooted Organising Pilot
Eddy has over ten years of experience in community organising in a local church and community centre setting. Eddy is passionate about using his skills and experience to promote change in congregations and communities. He believes faith and community organising can work together to achieve common goals. The main focus of Eddy’s role is to offer bespoke support to those Methodist congregations who have signed up as key partners in the pilot project. As an accomplished artist, Eddy also brings his creativity to the pilot by producing infographics, videos and other media so that we can offer a range of learning and development materials as the project develops
Kerry Scarlett – Learning & Development lead
Kerry is an ordained Methodist Deacon whose current role is as a Learning & Development officer for the Methodist Church. Kerry has, over the past 20 years, used organising practice in both church and community settings and has seen how they bring about transformation, justice, and lasting change . Kerry’s role is to lead on developing a range of bespoke learning and development resources, which will draw on the stories, experiences and issues raised by partners in the pilot.
Guest Posts
Throughout the pilot project, we will be including the insights and experience of other organisers and leaders, sometimes through guest posts, sometimes through interviews or re-sharing (with permission) helpful articles which we’ve read elsewhere.
We hope you find our blog helpful and informative. Please feel free to share our posts, thoughts, and feedback. Together, we can create positive change through faith-rooted organising.