Childrens' Work Vacancies in the Diocese of Chelmsford

Children and Family Worker - Southend
	Children and Family Worker required at Saint Stephen’s Church, Prittlewell to become part of the team to make a difference in the local community: We are: growing, enthusiastic, mission focused emerging Anglican church serving a specific community near the airport retail park, in the northern part of Southend. We work: closely with the local primary School and Children’s Centre, and others, developing a multi-agency approach within the community. We have: a big vision - this task initially includes taking lead responsibility for Totz (Carer and Toddler programme) and Kids Café (after-school club) together with a leading role in Sunday morning children’s worship. With additional funding there will be a much larger role. We offer: a contract for three year duration, starting in October 2011, initially for 10 hours per week with-a-view to additional hours, possibly full-time, when funding becomes available (application is underway now for spring 2012). Salary will be £2800 pa together with a team of enthusiastic volunteers and helpers and a nurturing, uplifting environment in which you can develop your gifts.     The successful candidate should: have a passion to work with children and families; have some experience with working with children; have good communication skills; have a great sense of fun enjoy taking initiative and think out-of-the-box! There is a genuine occupational requirement that the post holder is a follower of Jesus, and is willing to develop their discipleship and take an active part in the life of Saint Stephen’s. An enhanced CRB check will be carried out. References will be carried out. For further information call or text Colin on 07789511910/01702 305953 or email office@saintstephens.org.uk Please send cv to Saint Stephen’s, 90 Alton Gardens Prittlewell, Southend-on-sea SS2 6QZ or by email to the above address. Closing date: Friday 7th October 2011 Interviews planned for 13/14th October 2011 See us at www.saintstephens.org.uk
Christian Youth Worker, Tiptree, Essex
	TYPO, the Tiptree Youth Project Outreach, has recently been formed by the four Christian churches in Tiptree.  We are looking to develop Christian youth work in the village, the local schools and surrounding areas, providing the young people in the community with interesting, absorbing and entertaining activities to learn about life, citizenship and explore the Christian faith. We are looking for an experienced worker to build and develop TYPO from scratch into a successful and worthwhile organisation.  (NYA points 12+) with a salary in the region of £22,000 - £24,000.  For a complete job specification see www.chelmsford.anglican.org/vacancies-and-appointmentsor apply to the Chairman, Nick Crick, at ncrick@integrated-skills.com . Closing date for applications October 1st.  Interviews in October.
The Bethany Children’s Trust
	Job opportunity - Training and Project Development Coordinator Location:Teddington, Middlesex, UK If you have a passion to see the lives of children at risk restored and transformed, then this role could be for you. The Bethany Children’s Trust (BCT) is a small, visionary charity that strengthens the capacity of churches locally and globally to lead their communities in caring for vulnerable children.  We achieve this through the provision of relevant support, such as training, resourcing and finance.  BCT networks with other organisations to bring about protection, improved quality of life and a hopeful future for children through collaborative action and advocacy. The role: BCT’s Training and Project Development Coordinator (TPDC)provides training, guidance and ongoing support to BCT’s overseas project partners, to help them to achieve their vision, develop according to good practice, and to grow in effectiveness, coverage and impact. The TPDC creates and facilitates training workshops and seminars to mobilise and equip overseas and UK churches and Christian projects to respond to the needs of children at risk locally and globally, through relevant, holistic action. This post requires proven experience in:working cross-culturally and with children at risk; project management and development; facilitating training workshops and seminars using participatory approaches to learning; resource mobilisation and networking. BCT currently works in several Francophone nations. Therefore an ability to write & speak good French is a requirement of this post. Applicants must be committed to BCT’s Christian beliefs. The post involves contact with children. Therefore, the recruitment process will include checks related to child protection issues. The successful applicant will be required to undertake regular overseas visits. Status: Fulltime To commence: As soon as possible Closing Date: 7th October 2011 To find out more or to receive an application form, please contact Brenda Hunt, Office Manager: T: +44 (0)208 977 7571 E: brendah@bethanychildrenstrust.org.uk   www.bethanychildrenstrust.org.uk

UK Muslims Cheer for Global Peace

[...] Dr Qadri’s speech was the keynote address at the peace for humanity conference organised by MQI.
The conference heard a series of lengthy and impassioned speeches, some in Arabic, from Islamic scholars denouncing terrorism and extremism.
There were also prayers for peace from a range of representatives from different religions including the Bishop of Barking, the Rt Rev David Hawkins, Jewish rabbis and representatives from the Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh faiths.
The declaration of peace includes a call for democracy and good governance in the Muslim world, respect for human rights, and alleviation of poverty throughout the world.

Read more: http://www.shropshirestar.com/uk/uk-news/2011/09/24/uk-muslims-cheer-for-global-peace/#ixzz1YtxNSCld

Government to consult on same-sex civil marriage

CONSERVATIVE Christian groups accused the Government of attempting to “redefine” marriage this week, after it said that it would consult on introducing civil marriage for same-sex couples. Gay-rights campaigners said that the proposals did not go far enough, and should include same-sex religious marriages and civil partnerships between heterosexuals.

The Equalities Minister, Lynne Featherstone, said in a speech to the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Birmingham last Saturday that, in March, the Government would begin “a formal consultation on how to implement equal civil marriage for same-sex couples”. She said that this would allow it “to make any legislative changes necessary by the end of this Parliament”, in 2015. Ms Feather­stone said that civil partnerships, which were first registered in 2005, were “a welcome first step . . . [but] I believe that to deny one group of people the same opportunities offered to an­other is not only discrimination, but is not fair.”

Peter Tatchell, the gay-rights campaigner, said that it was “perplexing” that the “terms of reference” of the consultation “explicitly exclude same-sex religious marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships”. He said that to deny heterosexual couples the option of a civil partnership was “profoundly unjust”, and that it was “an infringement of religious freedom to dictate to faith organisations that they cannot carry out weddings for same-sex partners”. Read more

Bishop invites shoppers at Lakeside for a chat

OFFERING church services throughout the week are just some of the ways the Bishop of Chelmsford wants to reconnect residents with the Christian faith.
The Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell’s vision for adapting the church to fit in with the ongoing changes in society is to address the constant challenge of reconnecting people to the church.
After eight months in his new position Bishop Stephen is determined to raise people’s awareness of what the church does as well as to close the expanding gap between society and the church.
Putting a fresh-face on a 2,000 year old set of principles and beliefs Bishop Stephen, 52, has been inviting residents and shoppers to join him for a chat on a sofa in Lakeside shopping centre.
Bishop Stephen said taking responsibility for the second largest diocese in the country was daunting but highly honourable.
He said: “I love the diversity of Essex, especially the fantastic stretch of coast line and it is good to be back, especially to south Essex because I have family who live here.
“I find people are interested and fascinated by what the church has to say and what we represent but have had little or no contact with the church before.
“The step between the church and people’s lives is getting bigger but we are doing lots of things both large and small to bridge the step.” Read more

New priest will serve four villages

A new priest will be licensed to four parishes which have been without leadership for more than a year.

Margaret Davis will be licensed by the Bishop of Colchester at Clavering Church on Sunday, which will be the first event of its kind in the village for more than 25 years.

Mrs Davis, who moved into the Clavering vicarage last month, will serve the parishes of Clavering, Langley, Arkesden and Wicken Bonhunt. Read more

We must stop this roll-call of murders on our streets

[...] Every time someone dies where I live I feel conflicting emotions. Panic when I hear the news and frantically call my mum to check that all of my brothers are accounted for; relief that all three of them are safe; guilt that I'm relieved; grief when I realise it is someone that I knew; weariness even when I didn't know them personally; concern when I lay flowers and see children doing the same, wondering who will help them adjust to their loss; sombre resolution that this is how things are, have been, and will continue to be, unless it is tackled at the root.

I love my neighbourhood and my family and friends who live here. My bond to where I live, however, doesn't make me blind to its problems. Whether it was travelling to school on buses that were rushed by groups looking to attack rivals, or being chased in instances of race-hate crime, my brothers and I navigated violence in many forms. Read more