7 Spirituality courses in Stevenage

Following on from previous residential weekends, we are planning a follow up day on 27th September to embed the learnings from the weekend and support you in planning next steps. The day will give you the space and time to look back at the key LYCiG principles, celebrate what God is doing, review any changes or plans you have made and plan your next steps. There will be plenty of opportunity to work with your church group, facilitated by our leaders. We have run this session for a number of years now and it has always been a seen as a valuable opportunity. I very much hope that you will be able to join us for this. The session will begin at 10am with drinks and pastries and will end with a sandwich lunch at 1pm. Please note the last date for booking is Thursday 11th September at noon, so we can confirm numbers with our caterer.

Open to clergy in active ministry, this workshop is funded by the Clergy Support Trust. Please note this workshop runs over two days, and you must attend BOTH days. Accredited by Mental Health First Aid England, training in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) will equip participants with a practical framework for supporting those experiencing mental health concerns. MHFA Programme Learning Outcomes: Recognise the signs of declining and poor mental health Know how to provide initial help, on a first-aid basis Guide others towards appropriate professional help Be mindful of your own mental health and well-being Understand how to use the MHFA framework within your theological frame of reference and pastoral contexts.

When our churches are welcoming and hospitable places for people of all backgrounds, we become more truly the Body of Christ. When we draw on everyone’s gifts, we become more effective in shared mission and ministry. However, we all have biases which come from our experiences, culture and the media. These influence how we make judgements and assessments of people. This course seeks to encourage everyone who has a leadership role in our churches — whether lay or ordained — to think about how we might become more diverse and inclusive, and how we might release everyone's gifts. Registration and refreshments from 9.30am, for a prompt 10am start.

Open to clergy in active ministry, this workshop is funded by the Clergy Support Trust. In the company of an expert faith-informed facilitator, this training will explore the specific ministry context, and develop the skills participants need to deal with conflict in the best way. Participants will: Discover how conflict often arises and how it can be resolved Understand the principles of building a healthy team Recognise how past life experiences can impact working relationships Develop listening skills to support team relations Gain confidence in having difficult conversations. Participants will also learn that a healthy team is not absent of conflict, but rather one that is able to address conflict when it arises, and find creative, constructive ways to move forward together.

Join us for our Diocesan Leading your Church into Growth Conference from 6pm on Friday 27th September until 2pm on Sunday 29th September 2024, at High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon. The conference offers a unique opportunity to attend with key members of your church or ministry team, alongside others with a similar mindset to focus on mission and spiritual and numerical growth in your context. Leading your Church into Growth (LyCIG) takes the form of open seminars with interactive talks, practical exercises, workshops and time for personal reflection to enable the learning to be applied to your context.  "I came away with such inspiration and writing on the booklet ‘it’s all about the people’. I reported back to the PCC that it is down to all of us, don’t leave it the vicar. Since then we have built such a community with us all mucking in making such a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere." Rosemary Campbell. (A previous attendee of the conference.) As a mission and ministry team, we strongly believe that this conference can play a key part in the development of healthy, growing, mission focused churches and that is why we choose to heavily subsidise the places. The price we are charging is £120 per delegate for the weekend, instead of the actual cost of £248. We encourage you to bring a group of between 3 and 8 people, to best share the learning and be able to implement it in your context more effectively afterwards. If you would like to talk it through further or require any more information please contact Kate Lomaxfor parishes in Hertfordshire and Paul Davies for parishes in Bedfordshire.

Please note: This course is ONLY open to clergy and those in formal lay ministry roles e.g. Reader, Enabler. About Transforming Conversations We have probably all experienced conversations that have shifted our thinking in a short time. The Transforming Conversations course will enable you to have such conversations in your ministry and leadership. This course can help you to have better conversations in your work help others to have lightbulb moments have clearer outcomes from conversations equip others to be clear what their next steps are. Purpose The Diocese of St Albans is working hard to equip lay and ordained leaders with training in essential coaching skills to enable you to engage in transformational conversations within your church and new worshipping communities. The Transforming Conversations Coaching Course will equip you with the skills to develop those you lead and support in mission and ministry. The Training The Transforming Conversations Coaching Course is delivered by 3D Coaching - a small, professional community of experienced coaches and trainers who model a learning culture of regular supervision and team development. They have worked with individuals and groups in all sectors including local, central and international government, the NHS, corporates, churches and charities. 3D was established in 1999 and is structured as a public benefit company. Dates Please note: This course is ONLY open to clergy and those in formal lay ministry roles e.g. Reader, Enabler. This course will run over 8 days (each day runs 9.45am - 2.15pm in Luton) - please note that all participants must attend all sessions of the course: Wednesday 8 October Thursday 9 October Wednesday 22 October Thursday 23 October Wednesday 12 November Thursday 13 November Wednesday 26 November Thursday 27 November. What 3D say about Transforming Conversations… The course is run in a group setting over two sets of consecutive days with a gap in-between to allow you to process and practice what you are learning. We are developing and refining skills. This is experiential learning. There is no PowerPoint and no back row. Everyone will give and receive coaching at least twice every day so you will need to come ready to learn, think things through and contribute to the learning of others. There are no assignments or essays. You will be given a comprehensive booklist and suggestions on how you can develop your practice. You will receive a 30 minute coaching session by 3D Coaching over Skype or Phone. This course can count as the first stage towards ICF Portfolio Accreditation. For any questions or further information, please email Julie Cirillo, the Diocesan Ministry Development Administrator MDTadmin@stalbans.anglican.org

Cursillo is a movement in the Christian church aimed at committed Christians that is built on three principles of prayer, study and action. It started in Spain and the name comes from the Spanish word for a ‘short course’. It helps us to grow into a deeper relationship with God, become more effective witnesses to Christ, and to encourage and support fellow Christians. Cursillo is active in many dioceses around the country and was first commissioned in our diocese by the Bishop of Hertford on behalf of the Bishop of St Albans in October 2011. We are offering an ‘Explore Cursillo’ afternoon on Saturday 22nd November as part of the Year of Spiritual Renewal and Wellbeing. The afternoon is aimed at both clergy and lay people who want to understand more about the movement. There will be short talks explaining how Cursillo works as well as the opportunity to join with existing Cursillo members to find out how it benefits them. Please register to attend the Explore Cursillo afternoon and you can also find out more at www.stalbansdiocese.org/life-and-faith/cursillo/ or www.stalbanscursillo.com. Agenda for the afternoon 14:00 Opening prayer, welcome and introductions 14:10 Talk 1 – What is Cursillo? 14:25 Talk 2 – The Cursillo weekend 14:35 Talk 3 – After the weekend 14:45 Group reunions – a core part of the Cursillo movement, small group discussions sharing day-to-day experiences of Christian discipleship 15:10 Q&A and reflections from Cursillo members about what it means to them 15:40 Worship 15:50 Notices including details of the next weekend for those who may want to consider it 15:55 Closing prayer 16:00 Refreshments 16:30 Close