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Tag: kerry scarlett

  • 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,…

  • An Organiser’s Story: Interview with Anna Bland

    Kerry recently met with Anna Bland  (leedssanctuary.org.uk) to hear about her community organising experience.

  • When two or three are gathered: Faith Rooted Community Organising and House Groups (Part 1)

    So, you’ve reflected on your story, and, through careful listening, you’ve learned some more about the story of your church and the community in which it’s based. You’ve shared in one to ones and, hopefully, during those times of sharing, have discovered points of mutual connection…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Faith Rooted Community Organising: Micro Practices  

    We recognise that for many leaders, lay or ordained; it can be difficult to discern how to begin introducing Faith Rooted Community Organising practices within their congregations. For some, this is because any change to a different way of working requires some space for practice and reflection before…

  • Guest blog: Alison Webster on ‘Collectives: our hope for the future’ 

    One of the greatest joys of community organising is how it enables you to make connections with people who share a similar passion for utilising organising practices to transform church and community. Alison Webster, who is Mission Theologian in Residence for Citizens UK and…

  • What is Faith Rooted Community Organising – Part 2

    What is Faith Rooted Community Organising – Part 2

    In part one, we began to explore how Faith rooted organising offers a way to resource and enable people to find out where God is at work in their church and communities, and join in. It brings together the values and practices of faith communities with tools and strategies for institutional and social change. The…

  • What is Faith Rooted Community Organising – Part 1

    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…