website: www.outcomeonline.org.uk
Twitter:
@Outcome_Online (also Facebook)
E-mail: [email protected]
Outcome Strategy: 2020 Vision
The Co-ordinating Group has been working to develop
a strategy that will help to bring about our collective
vision for a fully inclusive Methodist Church. The
strategy has taken a few months to develop and we
have been helped by many of our friends and
supporters along the way, including a consultation
exercise held during our
annual residential at Luther
King House, Manchester at the
end of January. Through the
implementation
of
the
strategy we want LGBTQI
people to feel fully welcomed and affirmed in every
Methodist Church in Great Britain. We also want same
sex marriage to be accepted, celebrated and
implemented in the Methodist Church. We want all of
this to happen by 2020. Some of our supporters may
think that’s too long to wait; others may feel that our
goals are unrealistically ambitious. However, we feel
that this is the right approach and a reasonable timeframe in which to see our desired change achieved.
Our strategy will be formally launched at the
Outcome Public Meeting on 30th May. We have
created a short summary of the strategy in leaflet
format which will be available on our website and we
are also producing 10,000 print copies. The strategy
covers five key areas: changing Outcome as an
organisation; facilitating debate in the Church;
reviewing the core of Outcome’s annual activities; and
developing theology, liturgy and publications.
Amongst the key actions in the strategy are
recruiting an Outcome ‘link person’ in each District
who can facilitate dialogue and discussions on issues
of sexuality and gender identity and support
congregations wishing to become more inclusive.
Facilitating and supporting dialogue and debate within
Circuits and Districts, especially following on from last
year’s report to Conference on marriage, is key. We
will also be implementing a more targeted
communication strategy, both to engage with the
Conference Task Group that is taking forward the
marriage consultation proposals, but also to influence
opinion in the Church more generally and to promote
‘good news’ from around the Connexion.
We hope you will be able to join us on 30th May
when we launch our strategy. However, if you can’t
make it, please download a copy of the strategy
leaflet from our website after this date. Details on
how to become an Outcome District ‘link person’ can
be found elsewhere in this newsletter. If you have
other views or ideas relevant to the strategy or if you
are able to support this work in other ways, please do
get in touch.
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District ‘Link Person’
ROLE DESCRIPTION
Introduction
As indicated above we are seeking to recruit
volunteers who can act as ‘link people’ within
Methodist Districts. The main role of the ‘link person’
will be to enable a LGBTQI-affirming perspective to be
shared in discussions at District, Circuit or local church
level involving issues about sexuality, gender and/ or
marriage; and to support churches who wish to take
action to become more fully inclusive. ‘Link people’
will be supported by the national Co-ordinating Group
of Outcome through the provision of a ‘tool kit’ of
practical resources (Powerpoint presentations;
discussion questions; information sheets; leaflets, etc)
and through the offer of informal training and/ or
mentoring support, as required. The role could be
undertaken by one person within a District. However,
where more than one person is willing to help, sharing
the role would be an ideal approach.
Person Specification
1. A member of the Methodist Church or regular
worshipper in one of its churches
2. A person who identifies as LGBTQI or as
heterosexual (straight) but supportive.
3. Someone who is fully supportive of the aims,
objectives and goals of Outcome and
committed to equality and diversity for all
4. Someone with experience of public speaking
and/ or facilitating small groups/discussions
(e.g. through being a local preacher, worship
leader or fellowship group facilitator)
5. A person who feels comfortable speaking and
listening to different people in different
contexts
6. A person with a calm, open and empathetic
approach to dialogue, rather than an
antagonistic or oppositional disposition
Specific Tasks
1. To respond to requests from either the Coordinating Group or to District, Circuit or local
church for assistance in facilitating debate on
issues of sexuality, gender or marriage
2. To use the resources provided by Outcome
and those locally developed, to help facilitate
dialogue and debate
3. To act as a conduit for information from
Outcome to the District and its officers
4. To keep the Co-ordinating Group informed of
District, Circuit or Church initiatives to explore
sexuality, gender or equal marriage and of
local examples of good practice (e.g. LGBTQIfriendly worship or support groups; churches
providing services of recognition for gay
couples who have married or entered a civil
partnership) or bad practice (e.g. instances of
discrimination)
5. To act as a general ‘link person’ – connecting
enquirers with LGBTQI-friendly churches;
signposting people to resources etc
6. To be willing to commit a limited but realistic
amount of time to fulfilling the role. (As a
rough guide, you might facilitate a maximum
of four discussions/ consultations per year.
The role of being a general ‘communication
link’ is not anticipated to take more than 2
hours per month).
If you feel this is a role you would wish to explore
further or take on please e-mail us at
[email protected]
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FUTURE EVENTS:
May 30th: Outcome Day at Wilbraham St Ninian’s
URC, Chorlton, Manchester. Theme:
“An Inclusive Church: This Year? Next
Year? Sometime? Never?” The VicePresident of Conference, Gill
Dascombe, will be with us.
(It is not too late to book – booking form attached)
June 25th – July 1st: Outcome Stall at Conference
which meets in Southport
June 29th:
Outcome Conference Meeting at
Lord Street West Church,
Southport (8pm) - Programme
still to be finalised
Advance Date for 2016:
May 28th : Outcome Public Meeting in Bristol with the
President of Conference, Rev Steve Wild
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Can you help staff the Outcome Stall at the
Methodist Conference in Southport on any of these
days: June 25th, 26th, 27th, 29th, 30th . If yes, please
e-mail us with the particular date(s) you can offer.
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A monthly LGBT fellowship is held at Berry Lane
Methodist Church, Rickmansworth, Herts. and provides a
programme of discussions, speakers, and worship over tea,
coffee and cake.
A helpful format was
devised at Totnes Methodist
Church, Devon to look
seriously at how to take
forward issues around same-sex relationships. The evening
began at 5pm over tea to provide a relaxed atmosphere and
the session was led skilfully and sensitively by the Chair of
District. The end result was that those there felt ready to be
counted as an inclusive, open church and wish to be seen by
others as a place where all are equally welcome.
Do keep the Good News stories coming!
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OUTCOME ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
Outcome’s AGM this year will be held during the May
30th meeting in Manchester. The present members of
the Co-ordinating Group have indicated they are happy
to stand for re-election but feel that it would be helpful
to elect TWO more people to share the work. Please
do contact us if you wish to stand for election. There
are usually three Co-ordinating Group meetings per
year, normally held in Manchester, but we have
sometimes used Skype when geography has been a
problem!
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Contributions around theology, sexuality and
spirituality are sought by the end of June for our
next publication, NO CONDEMNATION. Please
send them to [email protected]
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