Now that the LLF resources are published, what happens next?
The Bishops of the Church of England invite worshipping communities across the country to use the LLF resources to learn together during 2021 and early 2022. They hope that congregations will consider learning together with people who have different perspectives and lived experiences, perhaps by joining with another church nearby. They hope that deeper relationships between people who differ in their lived experiences and perspectives will be forged as a result of learning together using the LLF resources.
Importantly, the Bishops are themselves committed to learning using the resources and to listening to what is emerging as worshipping communities across their dioceses feedback and reflect on their learning. This will enable the whole people of God to feed into the Bishops’ discernment for the Church in 2022.
Why should church communities engage with the resources?
Learning together using the LLF resources is part of a new process of discernment involving Church of England churches. It is a unique opportunity to play your part in the life and direction of the Church of England. It is about being open together to hearing what God is saying to the Church of England today.
How and when will church communities engage with the resources?
Congregations are diverse, so there is no single model for using the resources. It will be important for churches to work out what is best in their particular circumstances. Church communities might choose to use the LLF resources in midweek small groups, for example, or as part of a Lent series, or on special away days. The resources could also be used by PCCs, deanery gatherings or clergy conferences and diocesan synod meetings. They might be used in lay leadership training contexts as well as in the context of ministerial or discipleship programmes.
Churches will also need to decide when is the best time for this engagement, in the light of their yearly pattern of activities and, especially, in the light of the uncertainties raised by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Engagement will need to be before the 30th of April 2022 so that processes of discernment and decision-making can take place in 2022 and the beginning of 2023.
How can I share my learning, insights and experience with the wider Church?
As people engage in learning together using the Living in Love and Faith resources, we invite you to share your learning, insights and experience as part of the Church’s discernment about a way forward.
When you have engaged with the Living in Love and Faith course together with others, please share your experiences and learning with the wider Church, by completing the online survey. The survey is also available to download as a word or pdf document.
You can also respond creatively as an individual or as a group! Do consider offering a creative response by registering on the LLF Learning Hub.
What support will there be?
A Living in Love and Faith Next Steps Group has been formed, led by the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally. The task of this group is to:
- Encourage participation in using the LLF learning resources as widely as possible
- Listen attentively to what is emerging from the learning across the diocese
- Explore possibilities for our life together as a Church
- Plan into the future as discernment leads to decision-making in 2022.
The Next Steps Group will support dioceses:
- with facilitation resources and training to help churches create safe spaces for learning
- in promoting the creative sharing of feedback and reflections from churches’ learning together
- by coordinating initiatives and sharing good practice
- by helping bishops and their senior staff to capture and listen to the emerging learning across their diocese.
The Next Steps Group will encourage each diocese to appoint one or more ‘LLF Advocates’ who will be supported by the Next Steps Group and whose responsibility will be to encourage as much participation as possible in their diocese.
Finally, the Next Steps Group will rely on a Reference group of diverse people across dioceses to assist them with their work.
Who are the members of the Next Steps Group?
- The Bishop of London, the Rt Rev and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally (Chair)
- The Bishop of Fulham, the Rt Rev Jonathan Baker
- The Bishop of Grantham, the Rt Rev Nick Chamberlain
- The Bishop of Sherborne, the Rt Rev Karen Gorham
- The Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley
- The Bishop of Warrington, the Rt Rev Bev Mason
- The Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen
- The Bishop of Bradwell, the Rt Rev Dr John Perumbalath
- The Bishop of Maidstone, the Rt Rev Rod Thomas
The terms of reference for this group are available online.
The Next Steps Group will rely on a Reference group of diverse people across dioceses to assist them with their work.