“No one listened to us”.
Those words have been repeated many times during the last few months, following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, in media interviews and in the Public Inquiry. During our three sessions of “God at Work in the World” we shall consider some groups of people who are unable, for various reasons, to raise a corporate voice.
How can we help bring about changes in society that enable the Voiceless, the Displaced and the Broken to be genuinely listened to?
What does it mean for us in our place of work or voluntary service to really listen to those we work with and work for?
Wednesday 3rd October
Connecting with the Voiceless
Considering those unable to raise a corporate voice
Leader: Rev Dr Mike Long
Minister of Notting Hill Methodist Church
(a church local to Grenfell Tower)
Wednesday 17th October
Connecting with the Displaced
Considering Asylum Seekers and the Stateless
Leader: Ms Rachel Lampard MBE
(Team Leader: Joint Public Issues Team)
Wednesday 31st October
Connecting with the Broken
Considering the Homeless and Rough Sleepers
Leader: Deacon Kina Saunders
(Coordinator of Methodist Central Hall’s involvement in the Winter Night Shelter)
FORMAT OF EACH EVENING
6.45 pm Gather
7.00 pm Two course Meal
Followed by talk/questions/discussion
8.50 pm Closing prayers
9.00 pm Home
Booking fee: £10 includes meal – contact church@mchw.org.uk or call Rev Gordon Newton 020 7654 3809 / 07982 466549
Rev Dr Michael Long
Mike Long has been a Methodist minister for 28 years and has served in London (four circuits), Surrey and North Wales.In January last year he was appointed to Notting Hill, only a few months before the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower claimed over 70 lives and traumatised the local community. His own ministry and that of local churches and faith groups has been heavily affected by events since the fire. He is also serving as chair of a multi-party Commission on Social Housing organised by the charity Shelter, and which intends to present its report in the autumn
Ms Rachel Lampard MBE
Rachel Lampard has worked for the Methodist Church since 2000, with responsibility for the Church’s engagement with political issues. She is Team Leader of the Joint Public Issues Team for the Methodist Church, Baptist Union, United Reformed Church and Church of Scotland, and a member of the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board. Rachel was Vice-President of the Methodist Conference in 2016-2017.
Deacon Kina Saunders
Deacon Kina Saunders worked as a civil servant for 24 years before beginning her ministerial training for the Methodist Diaconal Order in Plymouth and Exeter. She moved to her first appointment in Gateshead as a probationer minister. Ordained at the Methodist Conference in Southport in 2011 she continued in her appointment until moving to Methodist Central Hall Westminster in 2014. She is married to Paul who has been a presbyter in the Methodist Church since 1998. Over the last 20 years she has lived in Bristol, Cheshire, Torbay, Gateshead and now London, but has never lost her Black Country accent!
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