Four Christian peace organisations will come together from 27 to 29 September 2024 at Yarnfield Park, Staffordshire to explore the theme “Building Peace in a World at War.” Through a mixture of workshops, worship and keynote addresses a range of topics will be explored. This includes a keynote and session on the church, Christianity and the Far Right led by Rev Dr Helen Paynter and Dr Marie Power. This session had been planned before the recent outbreak of violence in the UK.
The four organisations organising the conference are: The Fellowship of Reconciliation, Pax Christi England and Wales, the Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, and CHIPS, (Christian International Peace Service) who work on the front line of community conflict in the UK and Ghana. Attendees are coming from around the UK.
John Cooper, Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, which is a Charity and Network in Association with CTE said the urgency and timely contents show the importance of creating space to build peace.
“Global and local communities seem to be in a state of conflict. As a people of peace we need to engage with the world as it is to help create the new world of peace that is possible. The growing relevance of many of the sessions, including the focus on the church and the far right, highlight how urgent the topics are. By meeting for a weekend we get a chance to learn from each other and gain energy from being in community”
The conference features a number of leading experts as confirmed speakers including:
- Bill Marsh, acclaimed international mediator, currently working with families affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
- Dr Maria Power, Senior Research Fellow in Human Dignity at the Las Casas Institute for Social Justice, Oxford
- Rev Dr Helen Paynter, writer and Director of Theological Education.
- Cass Moyo, Compassionate Listening Workshop Facilitator
The conference will also feature a live (in person) prayers for peace, which has met weekly since the war in Ukraine began.
There are options to attend the Conference for the whole weekend or as a day delegate. Key sessions will also be livestreamed.
Find out more about the Fellowship of Reconciliation.