Diocese of Norwich

NCCL: Intimations of the Creator from the science of time
2024-02-24 10:00 - 12:30 (Europe/London)
In the mental landscape of a Christian, the believer must negotiate a range of difficult issues concerning time and timeliness – such as providence, election, and prayer – while also grappling with concepts of an afterlife, and the immutable nature of an eternal God. The curious connection between space and time, revealed by Einstein’s theory of relativity, cannot resolve such issues, but an inference of higher dimensions sheds interesting light on temporal themes in Christian theology.
The session is led by David L. Andrews, Professor of Chemical Physics at the University of East Anglia. It is held in Norwich Cathedral Library.
Cost £15 for the two if both ‘Intimations of the Creator’ sessions are booked together (the first is on 18 November 2023).

Growing Good Workshop
2024-02-12 13:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London)
Attendees are invited from churches of any denomination across the region who are interested in finding out more about how their church and community might benefit from the research and resources. Contributors will include the Bishop of Lynn, the Bishop of Thetford, members of the Church Urban Fund (CUF) team who have developed Growing Good, and leaders of local churches.
The Growing Good workshop will be held on 12 February at St Luke’s Church, starting at 1pm with a free buffet lunch and finishing at 4pm. Booking is essential.
Growing Good is a community of people and churches who are committed to growing fruitful churches and flourishing communities. To support the Growing Good movement, CUF has developed the Growing Good Toolkit. This includes a six-module course to help churches connect the dots between social action, discipleship, and growth. The toolkit combines biblical reflection and practical insight to equip churches to grow in faithfulness and fruitfulness.
The toolkit is based on three years of research by Theos and CUF. The research looked at over 60 churches all across England, to better understand how social action, discipleship, and growth fit together on the ground. In developing the toolkit content, CUF involved church leaders, ministry training coordinators, and community workers.
Booking is essential.

Practical ways to explore Racial Justice in RE
2024-02-08 14:00 - 16:30 (Europe/London)
This session on ZOOM is designed to explore what racial justice means in a theological, philosophical and social context within RE. How we can challenge viewpoints using practical resources within RE and expand pupil’s ideas and concepts. A range of resources and framework of ideas will be provided to schools to take away and try. Wider issues such as local. Regional and global diversity will also be explored along with ways to decolonise your RE curriculum content to make it racially just. It will also showcase the excellent Black History Month resources and Collective Worship resources developed by Sarah Claflin and the racial Justice Network as well as links to other providers in Norfolk.
Audience: Primary School Teachers / support staff who deliver RE in ALL schools (Community, Church of England and Academies)

Grandparenting for Faith webinar
2024-02-08 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | online
Grandparents play a significant role in the lives of their grandchildren. How can Christian grandparents use their position to nurture faith in the next generation? How can church leaders support and empower the grandparents within their communities to help the kids and teens in their life meet and know God?
This event, celebrating the launch of Grandparenting for Faith by Becky Sedgwick, is for all who are grandparents, church leaders or both. During the morning, you will be equipped with research, statistics, inspiration and real-life examples from those who have been working with grandparents in church settings. You’ll come away motivated and excited by all that God is doing through grandparents!
Booking details here Grandparenting for Faith launch and training morning – BRFonline

An introduction to the RE Quality Mark (REQM) - CANCELLED
2024-02-07 15:30 - 17:00 (Europe/London)
REQM is a nationally recognized quality mark for RE. From September 2020 new criteria has been released to assess schools and federations. This briefing session will consider the new criteria, explore examples of best practice in preparing for REQM assessment and action plan next steps in achieving the quality mark for your school. It will also provide a further option of coaching and mentoring for schools to complete the application process from a REQM Assessor as well as the possibility of a school-based workshop to write your application (additional cost)
Audience: RE Leaders, Headteachers in ALL schools (Community, Church of England and Academies)

Eco Church Forum guided reflection and prayer time
2024-02-06 19:00 - 20:00 UTC | online
Join us at our next Eco Church Forum, where we’ll be spending time reflecting on our journeys so far with a guided meditation and prayer space.

Join us at our next Eco Church Forum, where we’ll be taking a break from our usual content of information and signposting to resources.
Instead we’ll be spending time reflecting on our journeys so far with a guided meditation and prayer space, led by Canon Susanna Gunner.
Come to reconnect with the underpinning of God’s call to care for creation, wherever you are at in our Eco Church journey. Please invite along any and all who may be interested.
Please use the following Zoom link to join the forum:
https://dioceseofnorwich-org.zoom.us/j/83023916299?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 830 2391 6299
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Church Administrators Local Group Gathering
2024-02-06 13:00 - 14:30 UTC | Oak Grove Community Church, Oak Grove Community Church, NR3 3NT
Supported by UCAN (UK Church Administrators Network)
An opportunity for church and parachurch administrators/office workers to meet together to encourage and support one another and share resources. This session is focusing on the role of volunteers.
Sign up here https://ucan.churchsuite.com/events/uw5sglhe
Any questions or for more information, contact Becca: becca@oakgrovecommunitychurch.co.uk

Unlock Unearth – a new production from Bergh Apton Arts
2024-02-04 19:30 - 21:00, 2024-02-03 19:30 - 21:00, 2024-01-28 19:30 - 21:00, 2024-01-27 19:30 - 21:00 UTC | St Peter and St Paul’s, Bergh Apton, St Peter and St Paul’s, Bergh Apton, Norfolk, NR15 1BX, United Kingdom
An evening of stories, music, magic and light, with stories told by Hugh Lupton and others. Choir led by Clare Pastorius.

Centuries slip by in the wink of an eye when Hugh Lupton with his friends, the Onlie Begetters, Wordsmiths, Readers, Singers, Rude Mechanicals, Gate Keepers, Lantern Painters, Makers of Masks, Dragon Dreamers, Grass Dolly Weavers and Portrait Painters lift you out of the everyday and into some magic.
The past is fragile as bones grown brittle with age, as faint as a glimpsed ghost. We live in islands of secret and sacred ways, islands where giants raised their barrows and standing stones. The earth and the rivers embrace thumbed shards of pottery, a sword its jewelled hilt clasped closely by roots, a bunch of keys, a velvet cap, a clay pipe, a handful of coins. Scratch your name on the land’s face but below and below is a lost alphabet and lost words. A land with tales to tell and songs to sing, a land of mysteries and riddles.
In writing workshops with Hugh Lupton we unlocked our word hoards then rifled through, juggled with words and phrases to bring you stories. Hugh foraged through our writings and has produced six stories of Bergh Apton from the invasion of the Romans, to Saxon celebration of harvest, to Non, Neb and Luck who keep watch over the door of the church, to those sailing away to the New World, to a blacksmith setting off to his new world and Hannah who wins £1,000 on the Lottery! Connecting them all are woodpecker feathers and a flint tool curved like a young moon.
Listen and watch my people for who knows what dreams and tales will come.
Warm clothing and outdoor footwear recommended
For late bookings, call the number given at the bottom of the page

Ways of Assessing RE – Substantive Knowledge and Ways of Knowing
2024-02-01 14:00 - 16:30 (Europe/London)
This session on ZOOM is designed to introduce staff to how we can assess in RE in a multi-disciplinary way. It will consider the pillars of knowledge Ofsted considers builds an RE Curriculum. It will focus on how we can assess Substantive Knowledge in RE in a meaningful way. The session will explore assessing the multi-disciplines in RE by building on the Ways of Knowing that forms the current Age-Related Expectations. It will also consider how we manage, challenge and begin to assess a child’s personal knowledge in RE. It will offer practical resources to explore how your school might assess substantive knowledge through the three disciplines as well as the ways to collect evidence to make firm judgements of pupil’s achievement and progress in RE. In undertaking this course, you will then be sent exclusive access to the moderation and exemplification resources to assess pupil’s Ways of Knowing and a NEW assessment suite that tests Disciplinary and Substantive Knowledge in RE.
Audience: Primary School Teachers / support staff who deliver RE in ALL schools (Community, Church of England and Academies)

RE Local Leaders Forum
2024-01-29 14:00 - 16:30 (Europe/London) | Norwich Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, 3 Earlham Road, Norwich, NR2 3RA
A termly meeting with RE Leaders from across Norfolk, including church, community, academy, primary and secondary school contexts. We meet to share good practice, have regular updates on RE resources and curriculum matters as well as hear from a range of guest speakers in the world of RE and worldviews. It is also a forum where we develop action research projects that have a direct impact on the delivery of RE in Norfolk classrooms.
Audience: RE Leaders of ALL schools (Community, Church of England and Academies)

The Free Big Churchyard Bird watch
2024-01-28 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | All Saints Church, Hemblington, All Saints Church, Church Lane, Hemblington, NR13 4EF
All invited to come along and help us look out for and record birds seen in the churchyard – a part of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch weekend. Bird identification help available plus warming refreshments. A great “citizen science” project for all ages.

RE Local Leaders Forum
2024-01-27 14:00 - 16:30 UTC
A termly meeting at Diocese House with RE Leaders from across Norfolk, including church, community, academy, primary and secondary school contexts. We meet to share good practice, have regular updates on RE resources and curriculum matters as well as hear from a range of guest speakers in the world of RE and worldviews. It is also a forum where we develop action research projects that have a direct impact on the delivery of RE in Norfolk classrooms.
Audience: RE Leaders of ALL schools (Community, Church of England and Academies)

dofn.org/LLF-Jan

NCCL: Texts that didn't make it into the Bible
2024-01-27 10:00 - 12:30 (Europe/London)
In one of the great Bible manuscripts, the 4th-century Codex Sinaiticus, there are two further texts after the book of Revelation: the epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas. No New Testament would include these today, and most people have never heard of them. Why did texts like these drop out of favour? Was this a conspiracy by the church hierarchy against free-thinkers?
In this session we will consider what we mean by ‘canon’, and look at the process by which the New Testament came together; then we will look at some extracts from texts that are no longer part of mainstream Christian reading, and consider why this might be. How was it that some texts ended ‘in’ and others ‘out’?
Led by Dr Jane McLarty for Norwich Centre for Christian Learning (NCCL)

The Norwich & Norfolk Godly Play Network Gathering
2024-01-27 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London)
We will be presenting the Circle of the Church Year (how the church tells the time!) and will have our usual coffee and social networking time.
All are welcome and we especially welcome teachers and church-based story tellers.
There is plenty of parking.
There is no charge to attend the network, but if you can, please let Fiona Prentice know in advance if you are coming for catering numbers.

Racial Justice Working group
2024-01-25 15:45 - 17:00 (Europe/London)
The Racial Justice Working Group is a committed community of people who work together to promote equality and racial justice within education. As a collective, we work together to raise awareness, improve representation, develop understanding of issues and advocate for policies that promote equity and inclusion. Joining the racial justice working group can be a meaningful way to make a difference and help create a fairer society for all children and all people. The termly meetings are a space for discussion, and we welcome all who have an interest in this area of equality and social justice to join.
Audience: Open to all Diocese of Norwich school staff and governors.

Active RE
2024-01-23 14:00 - 16:30 (Europe/London)
This afternoon session takes the Active RE Resource created by Diocese of Norwich Sports Factory and walks attendees through the three key resources of Active RE Lesson Plans, Active RE Games Booklet and Active RE Visual Aids. Schools attending will have electronic access to all three resources as part of the course fee. The resource offers physically active exploration of many Bible stories and key themes, starting with 6 lessons and active sessions on the Old Testament and then 6 lessons and active sessions on the New Testament. The course will be led by Tim Henery, who has created and developed the resource, which he and his team use with a number of schools across Norfolk to teach Christianity. The afternoon will provide an opportunity for you to see a lesson delivered to a class, followed up with a walk through the resources and a chance to ask questions. It is hosted in schools for you to see how the resource can engage and enliven RE teaching with children of all ages. It will also explore how you might use this resource as a way to grow stronger links with the your local church.
Venue: Gayton Primary Academy, King’s Lynn
Audience: PE Subject Leaders, RE Subject Leaders, PE Coaches / Church Youth Workers (Community, Church of England and Academies)

Winter Joy Concert
2024-01-20 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London)
The SuAnLo Trio from San Sebastian in Spain – organ, flute and soprano – will be playing a selection of classical music and also popular music from the theatre and films.
Loreto Aramendi – organ, Loreto is an internationally known organist, principal organist at Santa Maria Basilica in San Sebastian. She is a Professor at the Francisco Eschudero Conservatoire.
Ana Salaberria – soprano – is a member of the famous Orfeon Donostiarra Choir and has performed at the Proms.
Suzanna Guterl – flute -studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire and play with various ensembles and chamber groups.

We believe …
2024-01-15 - 2024-03-24 | online
Most of us say a creed regularly, but do you understand every word and its significance? This online (Moodle) course allows you to explore in depth beliefs we share with others in the learning group.

We are not alone, we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make all things new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church
to celebrate God’s presence,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone,
Thanks be to God.
So goes a creed from the Anglican Church in Canada. There are plenty of others to challenge us: A Worker’s Creed from The Nicaraguan Campesinos Mass; from Iona; from the St Hilda Community; from Zimbabwe; from the Masai people of Tanzania. While in the Church of England we usually say the Nicene Creed or the Apostles’ Creed. In some ways, that Canadian Creed is about the implications of belief; what then for us?
This course is a module from the Diocese of Chelmsford’s Course in Christian Studies, run and honed for more than 30 years. It runs over 10 weeks, two weeks for each of the five elements: 1. God in Trinity : The Lord Jesus Christ; 2. God in Trinity : God the Father, Almighty, Creator; 3. God in Trinity : The Holy Spirit; 4. The Life of the Church; 5. The Future Hope. Each section has a short teaching video with the Dean of Chelmsford, some text and image input and numerous opportunities to share your views and explore those of others. And an optional weekly “video café” with “guide on the side” Peter Nicholls where we chew the fat on any matter from the profound to the trivial!
We use a website learning environment that you log in to at your own convenience: whenever and from wherever. Typically you’ll visit the website 3 or 4 times a week, maybe for 30-45 minutes each time, but the breakdown of this is entirely up to you – just budget 2-3 hours a week. Among other things, we’ll be discussing Jesus’s identity, the meaning of the cross and resurrection, whether or not God suffers, how your church might celebrate God’s good world, what the church is for and how our hope of eternal life affects our life in the here and now!
You’ll learn from the course material, from each other, from the course tutor (hopefully), from yourself as you push your boundaries and clarify what you do actually believe, and from the Holy Spirit as this course is ‘wrapped’ in prayer and worship, week by week.
To enrol or to ask any questions, please get in touch with Peter Nicholls. If you’re an AWA, please enrol via Sue Hemsley Halls (the small fee is waived for AWAs).

Please book in advance

Escapology 2023
2023-04-01 09:30 - 16:30 (Europe/London)
We know it can be hard when you live in a house where the adults are heavily involved in church work. Maybe you are living in a vicarage or can’t go away at weekends because they are working or they run the youth group.
We want to help you escape for a bit, have some fun and give you time to chat with others like you. We have booked some boats for a day on the water – there will be food, activities and time to chill.
Who is it for?
It’s for young people in school years 7 to 13 whose parents or carers are involved in church ministry, such as children and youth workers, chaplains and clergy.
