Transforming Conflict 1: Leadership, Discipleship and Community for Senior Christian Leaders

Conflict is a normal and inevitable part of life, yet leaders often feel ill-prepared to face conflict, and disturbed that it is present in a Christian community. Transforming Conflict 1: Leadership, Discipleship and Community for Senior Leaders is designed specifically for those in senior Christian leadership roles who are looking for encouragement to face conflict constructively.

This five-day residential course is focussed on conflict in church and other Christian settings, and through the themes of leadership, discipleship and community will help you to be a more resilient leader, and to understand more of the work of reconciliation in practice for a community of faithful disciples. Drawing on the Bridge Builders’ theological roots in the Mennonite tradition, the course explores the call of all Christians to be entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, that begins with facing and blessing enemies, and calls us to live faithfully in a spirit of power, of love and of self-control.

Attend this course if you want to:

• Develop new skills for handling and transforming conflict
• Give time to personal growth in a learning, worshipping community
• Develop ideas and practices for changing the culture around conflict
• Build a commitment to living well with difference as an act of witness

The course includes teaching, group work and guided practice. Active and practical in focus, the sessions provide hands-on skills training and use role-plays based on the kinds of conflicts encountered in the church and other settings. Each day includes times of prayer and worship. It is designed specifically for senior Christian leaders such as Bishops, Archdeacons and others in the senior staff team (Anglican and Roman Catholic), Regional Ministers (Baptist), District Chairs (Methodist), Divisional Commanders (Salvation Army), Moderators (URC), or equivalents in other denominations and other Christian settings. If in doubt, then please contact Liz Griffiths liz@bbministries.org.uk to enquire.

Transforming Conflict 1: Leadership, Discipleship and Community for Senior Christian Leaders (formerly called Transforming Church Conflict for Senior Church Leaders) serves as the foundation for further Bridge Builders courses. It builds on our experience of leading similar training since 1996, and our commitment to peace-making.

The course is intensive and includes some evening sessions; we strongly recommend avoiding any other commitments during the week.

Presenters

The course will be led by Liz Griffiths, Sandra Cobbin and Rupert Ward

Liz Griffiths is Director of Training for Bridge Builders. She is an Anglican Priest and has a broad experience of both parish ministry and adult education. Liz has worked in city centre and urban estate parishes, and as Vice-Principal of the Eastern Region Ministry Course, helping to train ordained and lay ministers.

Sandra Cobbin is an independent trainer and consultant. She works with business and church leaders on management and leadership skills.

Rupert Ward leads a church in the centre of Edinburgh and has experience of training leadership groups in other churches & charities. He is a member of the International Association of Facilitators and has also trained in Counselling and Theology.

Course Timings

Sunday 27 March: arrival from 5:00pm; dinner 6:30pm; session at 7:30pm
Monday 28 March and Thursday 31 March: 9:00am-6:00pm
Tuesday 29 March and Wednesday 30 March: 9:00am-1:00pm, 3:30-6:00pm, 7:30-9:00pm
Friday 1 April: 9:00am-2:00pm

Meals and Accommodation

The course is residential, with single room accommodation provided from Sunday evening to Friday morning, and with meals provided each day from Sunday evening until Friday lunch time, of breakfast, lunch and evening meal at Felden Lodge Conference Centre, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. The conference centre is in a peaceful location, set in 32 acres of grounds, and is close to road and rail links.

Cost and Application

The fee is £920, with a training manual, accommodation, meals and refreshments all included in the fee.

Bursaries: if you are on a low income, a bursary may be available to help cover the cost of attending. Please see the bursary information page.

Spaces are limited, so do apply early.

Booking and Cancellation

To apply, add a ticket to your cart below below. Applications remain provisional until Bridge Builders has received a deposit of £100. The balance of the fee is due eight weeks before the start of the course (i.e. by 28 Jan 2022). Once accepted, the £100 deposit is non-refundable. The full fee is owed if a place is cancelled within eight weeks of the course start date (i.e. from 28 Jan 2022 onwards). Please see our terms and conditions and data protection policy.

If no more places are available and you would like to be added to a waiting list, please contact us on 020 3968 4999 or email liz@bbministries.org.uk.

Please note: If a third party (eg. Diocese) is paying for your ticket, please book using your own name and contact details. Select direct bank transfer as the payment option and you will receive an order confirmation containing bank details. You can either pay directly, or forward the order confirmation to the third party for payment.

If you experience any difficulty logging into our website, please contact us on 020 3968 4999.