3FF launches workshops in primary schools

3FF launches workshops in primary schools

3FF are delighted to announce the launch of our flagship ‘Encountering Faiths and Beliefs’ workshop for years 4-6.  The sessions follow a similar format to our award-winning workshops for secondary schools: an expert 3FF facilitator invites three trained volunteer speakers from different backgrounds to share their personal stories on how their beliefs impact their daily life around a set of themes such as festivals or key practices.  As the recent RE APPG report made clear, encountering others from different backgrounds is an essential aspect of good RE.  Further details are available on the 3FF website.

Common Ground between Islam and Buddhism

'Common Ground between Islam and Buddhism'

In the context of the World Interfaith Harmony Week, The Matheson Trust will host the premiere of a documentary directed by Mustafa Gouverneur, as part of the Common Ground initiative. The screening will take place at the Friends House on Euston Road, 4^th April at 7pm, followed by a question and answer session with Reverend Prof. Kemmyo Taira Sato and Dr Reza Shah-Kazemi. Tickets cost £10 and further information is available on The Matheson Trust website. This event may be of interest to teachers of RE.

Sea of Faith Network Conference July 2014 & new resources

Sea of Faith Network conference

Sea of Faith Network will be holding its annual conference, “Making Connections” at Leicester University, 18-20 July 2014. Speakers include Derek McAuley, Unitarian and Free Christian Churches; Keith Porteous Wood, National Secular Society; and Pippa Evans, Sunday Assemblies. More information about the conference is available on the Sea of Faith Network website.

Religion & Philosophy club resources from Sea of Faith Network

The Sea of Faith Network will be providing resources for Secondary School Religion and Philosophy Clubs. Material for 40 standalone sessions will be available for download free of charge from July-August 2014. Keep an eye on the Sea of Faith Network website for more information.

Sea of Faith Network sponsored sixth-form conference

Sea of Faith Network is sponsoring a conference for sixth-formers, entitled ‘Is religion only for those who can switch off their brains?’. The conference will be held at Bath Spa University, 8-9 July 2014 for students invited from schools in Bath & North-East Somerset.

New TEACHRE website

New Teach RE website

Culham St Gabriel's are delighted to have launched the new Teach RE website, www.teachre.co.uk. This provides a portal for all those who want to teach RE, are already teaching RE and those who have to teach RE. It provides information on routes into RE teaching, case studies about teaching RE, continuing professional development and the Teach RE course.

NASACRE AGM 2014

AGM 2014 Location: London Venue: Methodist Central Hall, Westminster Date: May 22nd 2014 Time: 10:00-3:30 Cost: £90 Theme: RISING TO THE CHALLENGE Keynote speaker: Mr Stephen Lloyd, MP. Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on RE Outline of the day: 10.00 am: Arrival, registration and coffee; 10.30 am: Welcome and introductions 10.40 am: Keynote Address: Stephen Lloyd, MP 11.10 am: Question time 11.45 am: Business Meeting 12.30 pm: Lunch   1.15pm:  Rising to the Challenge: SACRE presentations/working groups showcasing effective practice   2.45pm:  ‘Re SACREs’ – reflections from John Keast   3.00 pm: Westhill/NASACRE Awards: Report and announcement of 2014/15 awards;   3.10 pm: Feedback and final thoughts:                  ‘How we make a difference’ Chair Lesley Prior   3.25 pm: Evaluations and close of meeting Many were impressed and stirred by Mark Chater’s erudite challenges to SACREs at last year’s AGM. This year’s AGM will be looking at the state of play in RE and education more generally from the perspective of Stephen Lloyd, Chair of the APPG and John Keast, who will then be the retired Chair of the REC and will provide his frank and perceptive overview to end proceedings. Sandwiched between these two keynotes, we want to showcase the work of SACREs in rising to some of the challenges raised. We would like to have about 4-6 brief presentations by SACREs on work they are doing in any of the following areas, that show innovation, engagement and challenge: Work to support teachers to provide meaningful and challenging RE Involving wider representation (faith/belief/universities/academies) Pupil/student involvement Meeting the challenges of the new curriculum settlement We know there is really good work going on and this needs to be shared, so please volunteer to do so at the AGM by emailing Bill Moore: bmoore@learningtrust.net by March 31st 2014. Simply send in your SACRE name, a contact, which of the above areas you are addressing and a brief outline of what you are doing.

BOOKING FOR THE AGM   To book for the AGM, click here for details and to use our simple online booking form. It is not possible to accept bookings in any other formats. All bookings MUST be received by Wednesday 23rd April.      NOMINATIONS FOR NASACRE OFFICER POSTS The posts of SECRETARY and TREASURER will become vacant at the next AGM. A document with information about these important roles together with a nomination form can be found here. Nominations should be received by must be received by Friday 9th May 2014.

Westhill/NASACRE Awards: Panel member needed

Westhill/NASACRE Awards

New panel members needed

• Do you have the time, experience, skills and motivation to help us with the Westhill/NASACRE AWARDS to SACREs?  
• Could you become a Panel Member for the Awards?

This work (which usually has an inter faith dimension) will involve you with schools, young people and local communities, as well as with professional colleagues, in a most interesting and rewarding exercise. Where appropriate, panel members may be invited to become co-opted members of NASACRE’s Executive Committee.

The Awards, which have come to be greatly valued by SACREs, NASACRE and Westhill alike, have been an annual feature since 2005. Currently the Westhill Trustees graciously make £20,000 available each year.  Panel members read submissions from SACREs (perhaps a dozen, perhaps as many as twenty each year), and meet at Westhill, Birmingham for a few hours on a day in Spring to decide the winners. Each panel member then serves as the NASACRE link person to one or more award-winning projects. The link-person’s role is to encourage and affirm the progress and achievements of the project, and to help monitor its operation for the Westhill Trustees and for NASACRE – with special attention to its reporting, publicity and evaluation. Most link-persons have visited the project on location (with reasonable expenses reimbursed).  The arrival of NASACRE’s “human face” has been greatly appreciated by the project-workers.
If you would like to know more, or to express an interest in joining the Panel, please email Michael Metcalf, Panel Convenor, at prebmetcalf@hotmail.com 

 

NASACRE coordinator of the Awards process

Before long, someone will be required to fill this vital role, at present carried out by Michael Metcalf.    

The co-ordinator:

• is the chief negotiator and correspondent with the Westhill Trustees
• prepares the documentation each year which goes out to the SACREs inviting their bids
• collates applications for an Award, and convenes and chairs the Panel
• informs Award-winners and NASACRE’s AGM of the results
• corresponds with unsuccessful applicants when required
• coordinates the link-persons
• works with the Treasurer to supervise the payment of grants under Westhill’s terms
• reports to NASACRE’s Executive at intervals, and is a member of that Committee, co-opted as necessary.

Without this leadership, these Awards would, quite simply, be impossible to administer and sustain.

If you think you might be able and willing to take on this role, or would like to discuss it or find out more, please contact Michael Metcalf via:
prebmetcalf@hotmail.com
Phone 01785 600260

 

Dharma Teachers Climate Statement

From: Bob Doppelt <bob@trig-cli.org>
Date: 25 March 2014 18:17:47 GMT
To: Bob Doppelt <bob@trig-cli.org>
Subject: Request to distribute Dharma teachers climate statement to your sanghas

To: Dharma Teachers From Around the World

March 25, 2014

Thank you for signing The Earth as Witness: International Dharma Teachers Statement on Climate Change (http://www.oneearthsangha.org/articles/dharma-teachers-statement-on-climate-change/). 

As of today, 426 Dharma teachers from around the world have signed the statement. The 30 plus members of the International Dharma Teachers Collaborative on Climate Change that wrote the statement together offer a deep bow to each of your for adding your signature.

By explaining how the Dharma offers a pathway to reducing the climate crisis to manageable levels, the members of the Collaborative on Climate Change hope that sangha members worldwide would sign the statement as well as teachers.  Through this we hope that the Buddhist community can become a powerful voice in the inter-faith movement to address the climate crisis.

However, as of today, only 985 sangha members have signed the statement. With 426 teachers signing the statement, it seems there could be 10,000 or more signatures from sangha members.

The members of the Teachers Collaborative therefore ask you to consider letting your sangha members and network know about the statement and encouraging them to sign it.

In addition, the members of the Teachers Collaborative ask that you and your sangha members and network consider engaging in solutions to the climate crisis.

Action is needed in these areas and more:

1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in:

· Transportation

· Energy production (extraction, pipelines, power plants)

· Residential energy use

· Commercial and industrial energy use

· Product energy use

· Waste generation and management

· Agriculture

· Material and resource consumption in general

2. Increase ecological sequester of carbon in: 

· Forests

· Wetlands

· Agriculture

3. Increase preparedness for and resilience to acute and chronic climate impacts in: 

· Built systems-- infrastructure, buildings, roads, water systems etc.

· Ecological systems--forests, waterways, wetlands, marine environments

· Economic systems--including agricultural systems and others

· Human systems--prepare for acute traumas (extreme weather events)

· Secondary trauma (including moral distress, compassion fatigue)

Numerous websites have information on how to implement changes in the areas listed above. 

4. Assert political pressure on elected officials and government agencies at all levels in all countries.

Dharma teachers and their sanghas and networks can also play these key roles in climate solutions:

a. Provide spiritual leadership by continually voicing the principles of the Dharma in discussions and issues related to climate change (using the statement as basis)

b. Walk the talk of support for change through your physical presence at social and political events urging solutions to climate change.

c. Inspire change through written statements, letters, media pieces, talks etc with the media, other groups, your sangha etc. describing how the Dharma offers a pathway to solutions to the climate crisis.

d. Join with other spiritual organizations to promote change at all levels.

e. Work in your neighborhoods and communities. 

f. Awaken and inspire your sanghas, students and colleagues.

For more information about the Dharma Teachers International Collaborative on Climate Change go to: dharmateachersclimatecollaborative.org   

Please let us know if you would be interested in becoming involved.

Sincerely,

Bob Doppelt

For the Dharma Teachers International Collaborative on Climate Change

 

--
Bob Doppelt
Executive Director

The Resource Innovation Group


PO Box 51182
Eugene, Oregon 97405
P: 541-744-7072541-744-7072
F: 541-484-7395
Email: bob@trig-cli.org
Website: www.theresourceinnovationgroup.org