Movement Magazine: Issue 160

NEWS
LGBTQ+
STUDENTS
GATHER IN
MANCHESTER
GROUP NEWS
In August SCM held it’s first
event exclusively for members
who identify as LGBTQ+. The day
involved a workshop led by Sam
Cresswell from the Proud Trust,
as well as space for members to
share their experiences and create
community together.
One of the attendees, Debbie
White, reported:
“In August I attended the first SCM
event for LGBTQ+ people. I’ve been
involved in SCM for over eight
years now, and it was as friendly
and welcoming as I’ve come to
expect, as well as being a great
chance to meet other LGBTQ+
members of SCM. I’m very grateful
to everyone for sharing often very
personal stories and reflections.
The theme of the event was
bodies – a topic I’m increasingly
interested in, particularly as a
disabled queer person. We kicked
off with a workshop looking at
ideas of healing and finished with a
short prayer service written and led
by one of the attendees. It was a
brilliant event and one which I hope
SCM is able to repeat!”
If you would like to be added to the
secret Facebook group for LGBTQ+
members, please send a message
to LGBTQ@movement.org.uk
All requests will be kept strictly
confidential.
THE TIME IS NOW
TO TAKE ACTION
ON CLIMATE
CHANGE
Staff and students joined 12,000
campaigners in June at the Climate
Coalition’s #TheTimeIsNow lobby. In
the same week that Teresa May set
the new deadline to reach net zero
carbon emissions by 2050, 343
members of Parliament met with
constituents to hear concerns that
this deadline is too late, and that
we need urgent and drastic cuts to
carbon emissions now to prevent
climate breakdown.
On the morning of the lobby, people
of faith gathered around St. Martin
in the Fields for workshops and
talks on climate justice from a faith
perspective. Emma, SCM’s Faith in
Action Project Worker, attended a
workshop by Hope for the Future
on lobbying, where she learned
about balancing the severity of
the issue with positive steps which
can be taken together, and how
to change an MPs opinion without
attacking their values.
Revd Dr Rowan Williams also
addressed the crowds, inviting
them to campaign from a place of
gratitude and love for the Earth,
while calling out the irrational
culture of growth and greed which
has led to this crisis.
If you missed out on the day,
see whether your MP was there
at www.theclimatecoalition.org/
thetimeisnow - why not write to
them to share your views?
DURHAM JOINT ANGLICAN
AND METHODIST SOCIETY
The past year has seen JAM grow, with new faces, ideas
and events to get involved with! We have continued to meet
weekly to eat together and discuss a wide range of topics
including Evangelism, Disability Theology, Centring Prayer
and the Church and the Environment. Our Link Churches,
Elvet Methodist and St Oswald’s have supported us
enormously, with space to meet, advice and guidance and
always lots of food! On Student Sunday we led worship at
Elvet and have also contributed to several services at both
churches, with prayers, homilies and readings.
For me, the most exciting initiative JAM has been involved
with this year is the founding of Durham Interfaith Student
Network, set up to help continue the dialogue after we
collaborated with the Jewish and Islamic Societies to host
events for National Interfaith Week. Since then, we have
held a very well attended faith café event and organised a
panel on Women’s roles in religion. For the coming year we
are already planning more interfaith events and preparing
for Freshers’ week. We were incredibly inspired by Amanda
Mukwashi who spoke at Wondering and Wandering and
would love to take part in more activism and campaigning.
During the last year we have experienced really exciting
growth and I can’t wait to see that continue!
MAYA CONWAY
WARWICK CHRISTIAN FOCUS
At Christian Focus we work alongside our wonderful
Chaplaincy to provide a welcoming and loving community
amid an often overwhelming university life. We are a
community made up of Christians from all denominations
who come together to cherish the unity and love Jesus
gives. We have talks and events throughout the year,
and we take advantage of the fantastic diversity in
denominations within the society to openly and actively
talk about our Christian calling. We encourage our
members to develop their own opinions on moral and
theological issues and aim to create a space where
opinions can be expressed freely in a friendly and tolerant
environment.
What is fantastic about the society is the real sense of
community that develops as the weeks go by. Many of us
happen to work at the Chaplaincy (you could say some of
us live there… it’s probably because of the beanbags!) so
we help and motivate each other, organising Pomodorostyle
study sessions and taking breaks together. The close
links with the Chaplains gives us an opportunity to meet up
for Bible studies following themes like mental health and
Ignatian spirituality and going on the wonderful Chaplaincy
retreats. We definitely are a blessed bunch and are looking
forward to the exciting year ahead!
MARIANNA BELTRAMI
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MOVEMENT Issue 160 MOVEMENT Issue 160
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