Kres Jesu Krist

Formerly Cornwall Church Health, we are Christian and ecumenical, and to quote John Zizioulas,  'The Creed is not there for theologians to study, but for communities to sing.'       Our brief  mission vision passion statement  is that we envision, and feel called to work alongside others to facilitate, a vibrant, healthy Christian presence in Cornwall.

The Fresh Expressions Network met on 24th March, with Roz Peskett and Evelyn Aldous leading on the theme of Spirituality, it was good to welcome new people to the network. Eleanor writes: I found this evening brought me a new awareness of how I've so integrated 'spiritual' experience into my framework of my particular faith I can find it difficult to understand how others see spiritual experience through different lenses. Listening to the group exploring their own experiences, and having an opportunity to reflect on how I describe what is 'spiritual' I think has helped me develop more empathy and better listening skills for others. I was also reminded through looking back on my own journey how unhelpful it was when others tried to foist their interpretations onto my experience.  I came away with a deeper awareness of the importance of listening to others looking at not just their experience, but the meaning it has for them, the emotions around that and the deepest beliefs that underlie how they interpret spiritual experience.   More reflections are welcome.

9 February: Alison Richardson led on the theme of Fresh Expressions of church and Sacraments. It was a really useful gathering and we welcomed new people, three more people in the area have just joined the group, all of them either in or going into fresh expressions and new forms of ministry. This meeting brought some key questions for the group to consider in ongoing ministry.

Simple Church networking and help with planting for Penzance and West Cornwall is now possible through us.  Eleanor is linked now as a contact person with various sites and organisations for simple church, organic church, house church etc. and is in touch with Alexander Campbell at Simple Church This nets well with Rural Expression, and those working in Fresh Expressions. It makes sense to gather up learnings and work together to see how we can help one another renew, plant and grow healthy churches in the UK, regardless of shape or kind of structure.  Contact us if you are interested in being in touch with developments and meeting others who are interested.

Eleanor attended the Bridgebuilders' Network Training Day at the London Mennonite Centre in January on the theme of changing church conflict culture.  She found this really useful, and will bring material for reflection and discussion in future gatherings.  Eleanor is now in discernment process with Rural Expression and looking at simple church and fresh expressions planting, and appreciates prayer for this.

Fresh Expressions Network met on 8 December for mince pies and time together to catch up and plan events for next year.

We are happy to continue to network anyone involved in working with teens and pre-teens to help organise transport for them to worship events outside Penzance. Needless to say we need to create good worship events here suitable for teens. If you can contribute in any way please be in touch, as we need to do this ecumenically. Kres Jesu Krist is happy to coordinate if this is helpful.

Exploring Prayer - course is available to begin again in September. Please contact Eleanor to let her know you would like to book.

The course is participatory, and we aim you should find each evening a quiet and refreshing experience, with about a third of the time free for personal prayer in the pleasant surroundings of Trinity Centre.

There will be suggestions for reading and resources during the course, but one book which you might find useful through the first term is Richard Foster's 'Prayer' available from Amazon or direct from Renovare, http://www.renovare.org/. 

In view of the current economic climate we are offering the training free for now, but will need to have sufficient donations to cover the cost of the rooms and handouts.

Discipleship/formation- We have a network forming for this now and are working on developing it. It is designed to be integrated mission, prayer, study, reflection with mentoring, spiritual director and an ethos of working within a framework of warm ecumenical cooperation, while encouraging each participant to be nourished and grow in the church charism they find life-giving and feel is right for them.