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New Leadership Course
Neil Hughes tells us about a new leadership course for those in the UK
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We decided to run the course over eight weekends (one weekend a month for eight months), with two of the weekends forming optional retreats for prayer and community building. Working to a tight schedule over the summer we managed to gather 12 people keen for more formation and to journey together during the year. At the beginning we were unsure of the exact direction the course would take but somehow God blessed us at every weekend. Over the year it was a fantastic experience to grow as a community, and we were lucky to have several excellent speakers and teachers to join us and share their wisdom on a number of topics, all intended to improve our abilities as leaders and our knowledge and understanding of the Holy Spirit. We looked at ourselves and our gifts, and how and why those gifts are given by the Spirit. We looked at the history of the Church, and how the Church has been renewed continously through the ages, with particular reference to the current works of the Spirit in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. We looked at the revelation and growing understanding of the Holy Spirit from the beginning of the Bible right through to today, and we also explored more practical topics for leadership: how do we actually lead a group, or a project, or a community? How do we develop our vision for the works we are involved in? What does it mean to be a leader? And so on! Another crucial part of the course is to build relationships and community amongst those on the course, and to pray for one another throughout the year. By the end of the year the participants were unanimous in describing the course as a positive experience for them, and so we have decided to run the course again next year, beginning in October, So, who is this course for? It is open to anyone who wishes to join, but those who are in leadership or feel they may be called to leadership (in whatever capacity!) may get the most out of it. It's also for anyone who wishes to explore their gifts, to find out how to use them more fully, to meet other charismatic leaders and journey together over the time of the course. The course begins in October, and will be mainly held at the Sion Community base (in Sawyer Hall Lane, Brentwood, Essex CM15 9BY Tel: 01277 - 215011) for one weekend a month. Further details c/o Goodnews Office
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Last
summer, along with Alice Hall of the Sion Community, I was offered the
opportunity to study at the inaugural International Catholic Charismatic
Leaders' Formation Institute in Rome: three weeks of intense teaching,
formation, prayer and exploration of charismatic spirituality, and the
history and direction of the Renewal. After the Institute we both returned
home to England with the desire to share the graces and teaching we
had received. Obviously it would be impossible to replicate the Institute
itself and so the idea of running a part-time course over an entire
year was born.