Celebrate Together: the first Local Ecumenical Partnership Gathering

‘Celebrate Together’ is the theme of the first Local Ecumenical Partnership Gathering which will be held on Saturday 26 November 2005 at The Lanthorn centre, Livingston.

It will be an opportunity for people involved in the 25 formally recognised Local Ecumenical Partnerships plus those in informal partnerships and people interested in the life and work of LEPs to gather for a day of worship, theme input, workshops, story sharing and socialising.

Keynote speaker for the day will be Rev Dr Mary Cotes, the Ecumenical Moderator of Milton Keynes Christian Council. Mary is a minister in the Baptist tradition and Moderator in Milton Keynes where the whole town is organised with ecumenical councils and forums.

She will be sharing with us what it means to ‘Celebrate Together’. Mary will be with us for the whole day and so there will also be opportunity to have discussion groups based upon her presentation and to hear some feedback from those groups.

There will be the opportunity to share in two workshops during the day. People will be able to choose from:

Being Churches Together – the work of ACTS, its current initiatives and challenges facing the churches as they work together.

Learning Together – the experience and outcomes of the Local Ecumenical Audit which is being carried out in Paisley, St. Andrews and Inverness to look at current trends and opportunities in local ecumenical life.

Worshipping Together – sharing the richness of our diversity in worship and the opportunities and challenges that may also present.

Starting Out Together - many churches begin their ecumenical journey by starting off meeting a particular needs in their community. Come and hear stories of how that has happened around Scotland and discover tips for working together in your community.

We also hope to display material which tells the stories of may LEPs in Scotland as well as share in worship together and dance the night away at a ceilidh. For those who wish to stay in Livingston overnight, and share in worship in the ecumenical parish the next morning, home hospitality will be provided by members of the Livingston Ecumenical Parish.

How to book

The cost of the day event will be £20. This includes all meals and the ceilidh. If you wish to come to the ceilidh only then tickets are available at £5. To book complete this form (pdf, 45kb) and return it to Lindsey Sanderson, ACTS. Scottish Churches House, Dunblane FK15 0AJ.

Programme

9-10: Registration
10.30: Welcome
10.40: Worship

11.10: Keynote address: Revd Dr Mary Cotes, Ecumenical Moderator, Milton Keynes
12.05: Discussion Groups linked to the keynote address

13.00: Lunch

14.00: Workshops - Choose two from:
• Being Churches Together— the work of ACTS
• Learning Together—the ACTS Local Ecumenical Audit
• Worshipping together—the richness of our diversity
• Starting Out Together— using community engagement as a starting place for
ecumenism

15.30: Coffee break

16.00: Feedback from the Keynote address
16.15: The work of the Scottish Churches National Sponsoring Body for Local Ecumenical Partnerships
17.05: Worship

18.00: Evening Meal
19.30: Ceilidh