Social Action, Social Justice, Community Organising…
Short read (4-5 mins)
In our guest post from The Centre for Theology and Community, Charnelle Barclay writes about social action, Pentecostalism, social justice and community organising…
Do you have a passion to see Christians “get outside the four walls” of the church building? Maybe you are considering your career in the charity sector, politics, ministry, or community. Perhaps you're navigating a wilderness season but believe God may be calling you to something new? If you are 18-30 years old and passionate about Social action and Justice… Then we have an exciting opportunity for you!
The William Seymour Justice discernment programme will take you on a journey, using the tools of community organising and spiritual discernment, to guide you as a young leader in your community, especially suited to those from a Pentecostal background.
God moulded Moses, taking his raw anger and shaping this young disciple into a liberator and leader of social justice for Israel. He came through the discernment of the desert in his relationship with God to grow eventually into a leader of his community. We believe this course can help you navigate that dusty, often narrow road. With our years of experience in the methodology of community organising, we want to walk with you effectively, theologically and powerfully into the world of social justice. Learning about Jesus, justice, anger, power and so much more, with tangible forms of entry across this space that you can apply for. For more information and to register, please email charnelleb@theology-centre.org
This discernment programme is close to my heart because it helped me get to where I am today. I have always been community minded and wanted the church to get outside the four walls. When I went to the first justice discernment programme, I really got to think about my journey of moving from just social action to seeing the importance of social justice. This programme challenged me and opened my eyes to new possibilities, as well as helping me explore how social justice was so connected to our faith. I applied for and was able to get onto the Buxton Leadership Programme run by the Centre of Theology and Community. I worked for St Mary's Walthamstow as a community organiser and I worked for the Bishop of London, Bishop Sarah in the House of Lords. I now work for the William Seymour project as their Strategy manager and have continued to work with St Mary’s. The methodology of community organising has provided me with vital tools that I have used on a local and national level to see change fuelled by my faith.
Le me tell you a little about Community Organising. This tool can be used to empower those who are often marginalised, to be able to take action effectively on the issues they care about, working in partnership with others. What community Organising taps into is the importance and prevalence of relational power, as well as getting to know someone beyond the surface level. It is not doing for others what they can do for themselves, finding out what people are passionate about and their self-interest to spark change in their communities through relational power. I have been involved in helping set up a tenant’s association for a local estate which came out of the resident’s concern for their living environment, as well as being a part of a racial justice campaign where over 15 institutions came together from all different backgrounds to take action on racial injustice in their local area.
William Seymour, our namesake, was the founder of Black Pentecostalism and the man who initiated the Azusa street revivals. He defined life in the Spirit as not simply a life made alive to God but also a life made alive in the world.
“To be made alive is to at once share all things in common and to take upon oneself another’s history, conflict, and struggles, and seek to cultivate community, hope, and change at all levels of the human experience.” [1]
This Discernment Programme is run by The William Seymour Project, The Pentecostal Arm of the Centre of Theology and Community. We aim to engage and equip Black and Pentecostal churches and Leaders to challenge injustice in their communities through Community Organising invoking "A Public Practical Pentecostalism".