Peace is not a fairy-tale – we have to work to make it happen.* ‘Let us do what leads to peace and builds our common life’ (Romans 14:19)
Date: Saturday 23rd February 2019, 10.30 – 16.30 (Refreshments will be available from 10.00 for a prompt 10.30 start)
Venue: Quaker Meeting House, 40 Bull St, Birmingham B4 6AFThe event is free of charge. A vegetarian soup and sandwich lunch can be booked at a cost of £8.00.
During this day of reflection and discussion, which Church and Peace is organising in collaboration with Fellowship of Reconciliation UK, we will think about some of the deep divisions in our society and hear from people who are working towards healing these divisions and bringing people together.
Keynote speaker will be Rev Al Barrett, an Anglican vicar who has been involved in an exciting journey of community building on a Birmingham estate over the last eight years.
Panel and discussion:
- Rev Inderjit Bhogal (Methodist), co-founder of the City of Sanctuary movement over twelve years ago and still committed to this vision; he is now working on building a network of Churches of Sanctuary which will provide welcome, support and advocacy for asylum-seekers and refugees.
- Charmian Kenner from Lambeth More In Common will describe how community groups from Lambeth, including South London Interfaith Group, met their counterparts in Boston (Lincs) following extremely different voting patterns in the EU referendum, in order to understand each other’s experiences and points of view.
- Ruth Tetlow has many years’ experience in interfaith activities in Birmingham and will be discussing with us one of her latest projects, which involves bringing different faith groups together around the issue of climate change.
Workshop/ discussion groups will take place in the afternoon.
Registration and further information:
Contact Barbara Forbes – forbesbarbarae@yahoo.co.uk
To register, please send us your name, contact details and the name of your church/meeting/organisation, if applicable.
Let us know if you’d like to book the lunch, and if you’re vegan or have a special diet.
Please register by 12th February 2019.
* Quotation from the late Dekha Ibrahim Abdi, global peace-maker from Kenya, recipient of international peace prizes, trainer and associate of Responding to Conflict at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Birmingham.