Category: Stories
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Community Organising in Action: The Birmingham Mayoral Accountability Assembly.
On the 25th of April 2024, I had the profound opportunity to witness community organising at its finest during the Mayoral and Police & Crime Commissioner Accountability Assembly, orchestrated by Citizens UK Birmingham. Months of meticulous planning, rooted in listening…
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A Community Organiser’s story: Interview with the Reverend Ian Rutherford.
The Reverend Ian Rutherford is part of the ministry team at Methodist Central Hall, Manchester. Ian has leadership roles in a wide range of social action and social justice initiatives, including being part of the leadership team for Greater Manchester Citizens, the Faith Sector Lead on Homelessness and Housing for Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham,…
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An Organiser’s Story: Interview with Anna Bland
Kerry recently met with Anna Bland (leedssanctuary.org.uk) to hear about her community organising experience.
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Finding ourselves: through reflection and discernment – Part Two
Back in September, Kerry visited Kerala, India, to represent the Methodist church at the Christian Conference of Asia General Assembly. During that gathering I had the opportunity to meet Daya Bai, (born Mercy Mathew), a renowned community organiser and social justice activist who has spent her adult life working alongside people from some of the…
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Finding ourselves: through reflection and discernment – Part One
All organising is deeply rooted in our ‘story of self’ or ‘self-interest.’ For Christians, these phrases can sometimes unsettle us. We may feel cautious about seemingly being asked to engage in self-centred ways of thinking and concerned that this means organising is potentially about being ego centric…
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Out of the Ordinary?
As we approach the holiday season, the Methodist Church’s short film “Out of the Ordinary” offers a poignant reflection on the challenges and opportunities of community organizing in faith-based contexts. The film’s central character, a young woman struggling with financial difficulties, finds herself drawn into an empty church, seeking solace and connection. This encounter prompts…
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From Personal Journeys to Collective Actions: The Power of Lived Experience in Driving Change
All community organising begins by inviting people to reflect on their own stories; the things which have shaped us and are important to us. As we share our stories, and listen to the stories of others, we find areas of common ground and shared desire for change. In community organising, this lived experience- the personal knowledge…
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What is Faith Rooted Community Organising – Part 1
What is faith rooted organising, anyway? Two of the most common questions Eddy and I are asked are – ‘What is faith rooted organising/ why not just call it community organising?’ and ‘What’s the point of the pilot?’ These are great questions, and core to the whole purpose of the pilot project. We’ll be unpacking…
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My Community Organising Story: Eddy Aigbe
I first learnt about community organising in 2013 through what I can only call divine fortune. Because the Birmingham Methodist Circuit had newly become a member of Citizens UK (Birmingham Chapter), a broad-based community organisation, my Methodist Minister and line manager, Rev. Helen Jobling), asked me to attend a meeting they organised. I was curious…
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My Community Organising Story: Kerry Scarlett
Kerry’s journey into community organizing began in the vibrant streets of Belfast, where she witnessed diverse approaches to fostering change. Guided by the spirit of genuine connection, she worked with survivors of modern slavery, supporting and empowering them to shape their development. Through a transformative relationship with Citizens UK, Kerry realized the power of organizing…