Annual District Weekend Conference – 2-3rd February 2013
Apologetics? – It’s Alpha Plus, Exploring what we believe and why!
This was the programme presented to the 30 interested Local Preachers & Worship Leaders earlier this year as for the second year running the Annual District LP/WL Weekend Conference was held at Tulliallan Police College, Kincardine. Our facilitator and speaker was the Rev Gerald Bostock, a retired Methodist minister, who together with John Sawkins, a local preacher in Edinburgh & Forth Circuit, produced the weekend programme. Sadly, John was unable to join us at the weekend owing to a family bereavement.
During the four sessions, Gerald challenged us to think about what our faith means to us and how we vocalise that to others. We looked at various issues which effectively block our ability to express our faith such as the failure to recognise there is a problem; the danger of inadequate, bad or poor theology; and the problem of social and organisational discord. We encountered real life conversations in a drama which helped us to understand some of the difficulties people often experience when asked about their view on religion. Further role play involving a Spiritualist, a Humanist and a Christian gave differing perspectives on basis of belief and views of life after death. Needless to say there followed a great deal of discussion.
We wish to express our sincere thanks to Gerald and John for providing us with a valuable tool in our ministry – the realisation of the importance of having the freedom to question, discuss and debate our various views and opinions. It is surely only in this way that we can formalise and clarify our own thoughts as we forge a way through the veritable minefield of information out there.
We were also grateful for the husband and wife team of Ian and Valerie Paget who provided such an enjoyable Saturday evening session of praise and prayer (with special thanks to Valerie for the creative dance routine).
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