Report on the CTHH Forum
Lively Forum Looks Ahead |
| The November Forum of Churches Together saw forty representatives of local churches planning enthusiastically for the future. Other Christian projects with an ecumenical dimension were also represented. The meeting, in the hands of the new CTHH Chair Peter Cotton, Anglican Team Rector of Hemel Hempstead, sought to build on the achievements of the seven years since Churches Together in Hemel Hempstead came into existence.
Peter Cotton reminded the meeting of some of the landmarks during that time. The establishment of Local Ecumenical Groups, the annual Good Friday Procession of Witness, involvement in the Dacorum Emergency Night Shelter, Pentecost Praise 2000 and the setting up of The Mustard Seed bookshop were all significant steps in the churches' partnership with one another across the town. What the Forum presented, said Peter Cotton in his opening remarks, was the chance to take stock and consider new opportunities for the churches to work together. Some of these new opportunities would be found at local level, others town-wide.
Peter drew attention also to the address by Roger Nunn, Field Officer of Churches Together in England, to the CTHH Annual General Meeting earlier in the year. Roger had called for churches to move on from co-operation to commitment. That would mean not so much doing ecumenical things (on occasion, according to a predictable calendar) as doing things ecumenically with a deeper measure of commitment to share in God's mission.
In the course of the meeting members broke into groups: the four existing Local Ecumenical Groups with a fifth for those with a concern for town-wide mission and ministry.
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| Christians and the environment |
| Is there anyone among the churches who feels a special call to ensure that Christians are taking issues concerned with the environment seriously? More specifically, is there anyone who would be interested in representing Churches Together in Hemel Hempstead on the Dacorum Environmental Forum? This forum, which meets about four times a year, brings together a range of groups, statutory and voluntary, with a concern for the local environment. A recent meeting of the Forum had on its agenda such matters as GM foods, Agenda 21, contaminated land, foot-and-mouth disease and its local effects.
If there is anyone who would like to take up this opportunity please contact the CTHH Secretary, Lesley Pratt on 256136.
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The groups were asked to consider three questions.
Where on a continuum of competition/ co-existence /co-operation /commitment /communion would you place yourselves?
What opportunities and problems are you encountering in meeting the objectives of CTHH?
What concerns, locally and town-wide, do you have which should be brought to the attention of the Enabling Group of CTHH?
Among local priorities were
- improving communications (taking full advantage of electronic facilities);
- correcting the clergy/laity balance in the planning of activities and events
- making the most of public occasions to witness to the growing unity of the churches
And town-wide priorities included:
- improving communication through the printed newsletter, an emailing service and making the most of the Hemel Churches web-site
- developing genuine relationships between the people of the local churches
- working towards a common external signing policy using the nationally recognised sign for Christian churches
- establishing a more evident Christian presence in the Marlowes.
The Enabling Group was charged with working on the ideas that had been shared at the meeting and using the next Forum to move forward. The next Forum is on Friday 21st February 2002.
It would be good to see all member churches represented. The Enabling Group would like to see all churches and fellowships in the town coming on board.
Peter Cotton
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| What is Xtol ? |
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Formed in July 2000 under the leadership of Gordon Kegg, Xtol is a group of local Christians involved in youth work, who together seek to encourage the young people of Hemel Hempstead.
We aim to support the work of the local church in Hemel by providing culturally relevant worship and training events. The age-range we are primarily concerned with is 14-21.
We currently hold monthly teaching events, known as "xtol praise" at "the Works"(Haven House) on the first Sunday of every month, starting at 8.00pm. We are also supporting Maranatha in the running of "j:xtol" for the 11-14s. We are sponsoring weekly Vocal Training Workshops and monthly Musicians Workshops for those involved in worship. Plans are also underway to run dance workshops and a course on developing young people's prayer life.
contacts:
Mark Wade (Chairman) 01442 395584
Jane Bradnock (Treasurer) 01442 832014
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Churches Together in Hemel Hempstead
Taking churches from co-operation to commitment
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Chairperson: The Revd Peter Cotton
Vice Chairperson: Graham Warner
Secretary: Mrs Lesley Pratt
Treasurer: Mr Christopher Jones
Press and Information Officer: Barbara Newton
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