Community of St Chad Newsletter
July 2017
Please find detailed below some of the main activities of our Community during the next year. As events approach more information will be provided but please make a note of all the dates in your diary. We do hope that as many of the community as possible will be able to attend.
Some statistics
We currently have 105 members. This includes 12 new members who have joined this year. 24 previous members have not renewed their membership.
All members are asked to share details aboutthe Community with their church fellowship and encourage others to join if they are seeking new ways to develop and refresh their own spiritual journey.
Teaching Event
Monday 18th September 2017 at 7.30pm,
St Andrew and St Thomas Church, Doxey (ST16 1EQ)
‘DISCIPLESHIP IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ST CHAD’
Exploring discipleship today following the example of Chad and others who have sought to serve Christ in their own time and place.
Led by the Ven Matthew Parker, Archdeacon of Stoke and Dr Lindsey Hall, Director of Vocation
Free admission and open to all. Please use this opportunity to invite non-members and to bring them with you.
Advent Quiet Day
Thursday December 7th 2017 at Shallowford House (ST15 0NZ)
The cost will be at a reduced rate of £15 and will include a light lunch and refreshments throughout the day.
The day is open to both members and non-members.
The leader of the day will be Mark Berry.
Mark is a lay pioneer minister who after a number of years exploring community with and for young people on the fringes of church found himself birthing a new community called 'Safespace' in Telford. 'Safespace' seeks to be a community of followers who are committed to mission and holistic Christian spirituality. Mark is an accomplished public speaker and lectures widely on mission, evangelism, new monasticism and youth culture. …/ He has made videos for television, published a book of liturgy and has regularly appeared in the local and national media.
The Community's Annual Commitment Service
Details are still in preparation for this but it will take place onSaturday March 3rd 2018in theCathedral.
It will be a St Chad celebration through which we hope to enthuse the whole of the Diocese.
More information will be sent out later in the year.
Annual Pilgrimage
This will take a different format next year and much of what is proposed is in the discussion stage.Initial thought is that it will take place during Holy Week, commencing on Palm Sunday and concluding on Maundy Thursday.
On each day a small section of the Two Saints Way will be walked concluding with a service in a local church. For those not wishing to or unable to take part in the walk it is hoped that you will be able to attend the service.
On Maundy Thursday the last section will be walked, leading in to Lichfield, and it is hoped that all pilgrims will be able to attend the Chrism Eucharist in the Cathedral.
Spiritual Companion Groups
As you know these groups form a very important part in the life of the Community.
The Steering Group appreciates that some members who are not part of such a group would very much like to be. We do try and find ways to link people together if this is possible but with such a huge diocese this is often geographically impossible.
We would like to point out to members, and this is already happening, that Spiritual Companion Groups do not have to be made up purely from community members.
If you can find two or three people from your church or other local churches who would be interested in forming a group based on the 'Five Rhythmsof Grace' then please give it a go.
As a Community we are always interested in local developments/initiatives in relation to community membership that are taking place across the Diocese. If you have an interesting story please email it to me so that it can be shared in the next Newsletter. It is helpful to learn from and inspire each other so please send those stories in.