Living the Common Good
In this time of great instability and uncertainty, how should we understand what is going on? What might the seismic changes we are seeing mean for our local life and for our churches? How is God calling Christians to respond in this time of unravelling?
These are among the questions Jenny Sinclair addressed at a special Mission Day organised by the Diocese of Clifton at Pentecost. Drawing on the tradition of Catholic Social Teaching, Jenny led participants through two sessions, each of which was followed by a Conversation in the Spirit. The day was held in Bristol on 18 May 2024.
Texts, slides and recordings are available to download for free below. Videos are available here.
Feel free to use these resources.
Session One: The Challenge We Face: Reading the Signs of the Times
In the first session, Jenny examines the challenges we face, reading the signs of the times, exploring what’s going on in social, cultural, economic and spiritual terms. She examines the cultural malaise characterising much of the West, and identifies the flaws in the underlying operating system. Along the way, she invites participants to think about the meaning of God’s mission, the tradition of justice they are following, the capacity of the Church to respond, and the importance of building common good in the local at this time of seismic change.
Download text HERE and slides HERE | Listen to recording HERE
Session Two: Hearing the Call: Discerning Our Unique Vocation to Build the Common Good
In the second session, Jenny considers how God is calling us to respond to this moment of unravelling in a way that is true to our faith tradition. She invites participants to consider their posture in relation to leadership, gifts and skills, and their relationship with poor communities. And, exploring what it might take to become “common good communities”, she invites them to consider some practices, both internal in terms of church life, and outward-facing, in relation to the neighbourhood. She calls for a shift in the Christian imagination, where people across the churches begin to discern their unique vocations for the common good, to become a relational people in the places where they live and work.
Download text HERE and slides HERE | Listen to recording HERE
Jenny Sinclair
Founder and director, Together for the Common Good
This was featured in the T4CG Newsletter for Pentecost 2024. Subscribe to the T4CG newsletter here
If your organisation would value a similar session tailored for your needs please email louise@togetherforthecommongood.co.uk
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