'I Am Because You Are' is a BU training course for ministers and church leaders. It was created in the wake of the George Floyd murder in 2021, and is designed to help us think about equality and diversity in our churches and ministries. To find out more about the training and some of the background behind it, visit the Baptist Union website here.
The BU are asking all ministers to have completed the course by the end of 2023. Whilst it is possible to watch the videos on your own, the strong recommendation is that everyone engages with the training as part of a small group. For this reason, the Association will be hosting a series of three sessions in the new year exploring the material together. The dates for these are:
- Fri 27th Jan
- Fri 3rd Feb
- Fri 10th Feb
Each session will begin at 10.30am and last for 1.5-2hrs. Each week we’ll watch one or two of the videos together, and have space at various points throughout and afterwards for discussion, reflection and sharing. The sessions will be led by Rev Dr Tim Judson, who is the minister at Honiton Family Church, a member of the national Racial Justice Hub and part of the team who produced the training course.
You are welcome to join us either on-site at the SWBA offices in Wonford, or online via Zoom (details will be sent out nearer the time). The training is free of charge, but if you'd like to come please let us know by reserving a place via our booking site here.
Although this training is free, if you have been given a CMD budget by your church and feel able to make a donation towards the cost of the course, it would be very much appreciated. You can do so online via Easydonate here (suggested donation £15).
If you have any questions about the course, please email our Learning Community Co-Ordinator, James Henley, at james@swbaptists.org.uk.