What can Northants Forum be/do that will add value to your ministry

[Helen Wordsworth]

Hi friends..Would really like your help on this. I want to know what it is that could be a really useful contribution from all of us doing somyhing together in Northamptonshire. We already have some good things..eg the prayer letter and Northamptonshire notes. And the Annual gathering. (February 12th this year) But what about things that its hard for one church to organise...a large songs of praise event for example, or a concert that you could invite neighbours too. Or a major outreach event. Or a mens/womens breakfast or hosting an international speaker. Or maybe some of the things that are already planned in conjunction with Hope 08 could become more widely supported by offering them as Forum events. Any more ideas...?

[Michael Hogg]

One of the things that I wondered following the Northants Forum AGM last night was that with the "Care for Churches" group regularly meeting - it would be a great idea to make known in some way the minutes or activities of this group to keep the churches in the forum informed. They meet six times a year, and it may be that they could publish what they're up to maybe on this site, or on the CBA site (paper being posted costs and takes more time) perhaps regularly throughout the year or yearly ??

[Helen Wordsworth]

Hi Michael!
Good thought. I'm hearing that there is general agreement that we give the group a wider brief along the lines of a steering group for the forum, looking at those things that can helpfully be done together to add value to local church ministry. This could include the fellowship of prayer and the pulpit exchange Sunday and Northamptonshire notes, with wider advertising and support for events that churches or clusters or ministers are already doing. It might also involve such things as a Summer barbecue and maybe the odd larger mission-focussed event or celebration that it would be hard for a single church or group to put on. Any more thoughts on this from folk would be helpful but we need them before we meet on the 26th Feb to consider all this.