Author: Wesley

“I would like the Church to fully grasp the sea change in the way agriculture is currently
viewed and how we support (or otherwise) those involved with food production.” Sarah
Hulme, Rural Mission and Ministry Officer, reflects on the recent Autumn Budget and its
impact on rural communities.

In March, Action for Children published the findings of the Jay Review of Criminally Exploited Children, an extensive UK-wide review of exploitation, led by Alexis Jay CBE. Here is our first follow-up report to the Review, ‘I don’t want to go down that road’.

This report examines the shocking extent of the harms caused to exploited children across the country and the response of local agencies. 

We make three recommendations for immediate change at a government level to ensure criminally exploited young people are effectively safeguarded and supported: 

1. Investment in targeted exploitation prevention and support services for exploited young people. 
2. Exploitation recognised as a distinct form of child abuse. 
3. A welfare-first approach in the management of offences committed by exploited children. 

The report was featured in Channel 4 news on Thursday, 31 October. You can watch the feature here.

A collection of resources for Remembrance.

Ready to offer support to congregations and circuits during times of tension and conflict, this service is now available in the Methodist Church in Scotland at no cost. Support includes:

• Two party mediation
• Large group facilitated conversations
• Conflict coaching for leaders

Find out more here: www.placeforhope.org.uk/support/methodist-church-way-of-peace

To access the service or find out more about becoming a mediator, please contact Katie Bradley (Programme Manager, Methodist Way of Peace): katie.bradley@placeforhope.org.uk

AtaLoss is a national charity dedicated to helping bereaved people find the support and wellbeing

they need.

With support from a Benefact Trust Community Impact Grant, AtaLoss is developing the Loss and HOPE project – a project that equips churches across the UK to provide essential bereavement support to their communities. 

This project will provide churches with training and resources, as well as equipping them to run The Bereavement Journey®, a 7-week course to support those who have been bereaved. 

Want to be involved in bereavement support at your church? In this short video, we sit down with Katy Tutt from AtaLoss to discuss what we need to know about grief and the role of the church in providing bereavement support.

Click here to watch the whole video

All We Can have produced this resource to help churches explore and embody the ‘Practices of Justice’ from the Methodist Church’s Justice-Seeking Church strategy.

This is not to encourage churches to start lots of new initiatives, but to help congregations ‘move the dial’ towards better ways of doing justice in what they are already doing. The sessions feature games, prayer activities, videos, and practical suggestions around the areas of Being With Not For, Humility in Community, Self-Awareness and the Use of Power, Transformation, and Prayer.

https://jpitpeace.carrd.co

These are now available at Scottish Methodist Gathering on You Tube.