College of Preachers Events

Our public events and seminars are open to preachers of all denominations. The list below also includes events run by partner organisations.

We also run private events for churches and dioceses. See Training for more information.

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2021 September

Changing the Climate: Preaching in the Environmental Crisis

Wednesday 1 September, 10.30 | via Zoom

A workshop with Paul Johns, Methodist Local Preacher.

Climate change, floods and droughts, declining biodiversity – is all this just a stock of fresh sermon illustrations? Or does it shift the context of our preaching, and therefore sermon content too? God holds the planet in one hand and offers us the Bible with the other. What hope does the biblical message offer to a planet in pain? This workshop, led by Paul Johns, will provide an opportunity to share your thoughts and preaching experience, and to listen to and discuss two or three recent (and short) ‘environmental’ sermons.

Ticket prices: general, £7; ministry student, £5

To book please visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/preaching-on-the-environmental-crisis-tickets-153777036255. When prompted, please enter the password Preach109

Suffering, Science, and Preaching a Theology of Hope

Wednesday 8 September, 10.30 | via Zoom

With the Revd Jennifer Brown, Director of Training for the College of Preachers and former Science Missioner.

How can science help us understand suffering? Can science offer a way through which we can explore the perennial question of why God allows suffering? And how do we speak of hope in the midst of suffering? This workshop will explore how we can use insights from science in our preaching both to help people engage with questions around suffering and to offer a theology of hope.

The Revd Jennifer Brown is Director of Training for the College of Preachers and a Theological Educator. She has worked as Science Missioner in the Oxford Diocese and is Secretary of the Science and Religion Forum.

Ticket prices: general, £7; ministry student, £5

To book please visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/suffering-science-and-preaching-a-theology-of-hope-a-preaching-workshop-tickets-148770395257. When prompted, please enter the password Preach809

Festival of Preaching 2021

13-14 September 2021 | Online and at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London

Over two days we'll explore preaching and interpretation in-depth, hear sermons from skilled preachers, and join together in worship. The full programme will be streamed online. Delegates can opt to watch day one of the festival live in St Martin-in-the-Fields.

Speakers include: Barbara Brown Taylor, Sam Wells, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Alister McGrath, Lucy Winkett, and many other outstanding preachers.

Tickets are £40, or £30 for The Preacher subscribers. Extra discounts are available for ordinands and Readers-in-training.

More information and tickets: festivalofpreaching.hymnsam.co.uk

2021 October

Preaching in Advent

Thursday 7 October, 09.30 | Holland House, Cropthorne, Worcestershire

Workshop leader: Revd Canon Roger Spiller

How can we make the Advent themes and readings come alive and speak to us today? The themes of Advent can stretch our credulity but can also address those ultimate issues that preoccupy us all. In this workshop, the Revd Canon Roger Spiller will look at how we can imaginatively approach the themes of the season in our preaching.

This day-long workshop will include input, discussion, working with texts, matching themes and sermon structures, drafting outlines and generally stimulating the imagination to excite us in our preaching ministry. Lunch will be provided.

The Revd Canon Roger Spiller is a theological educator and was previously Diocesan Director of Ministry for Coventry Diocese. He is currently the Chair of Trustees of the College of Preachers and has edited several editions of the 'Canterbury Preacher's Companion'.

Ticket prices: general, £35; ministry student, £25

To book please visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/preaching-in-advent-a-preaching-workshop-tickets-148751175771.

2021 November

Out of the Shadows: Preaching the Women of the Bible

20 November 2021, 10.00 | The Showroom Conference Centre, Lincoln

Workshop leader: Revd Dr Kate Bruce, Anglican Priest and author.

From the Israelite women and Pharaoh's daughter saving the life of the infant Moses, the heroic Deborah and Judith of Judges, and Esther in the Hebrew scriptures, to the more than 25 women mentioned by name in the New Testament, women are present and often play key roles in the events recorded in the Bible. So why don't we hear about them very often in sermons? What difference would it make to our understanding of the Church and the relationship between God and his people if the women of the Bible featured more in our preaching?

In this workshop, the Revd Kate Bruce, author of Igniting the Heart and (with Liz Shercliff) Out of the Shadows: preaching the women of the Bible will explore why and how to preach about the women of the Bible and their stories.

Ticket prices (includes lunch): general, £35; ministry student, £30

Book tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/out-of-the-shadows-preaching-the-women-of-the-bible-a-preaching-workshop-tickets-162254821539

BLOG

Preaching in the Context of Biblical illiteracy: Part 3

In our previous two posts we have looked at the crisis of Biblical illiteracy in our churches and begun to think about how we can respond to this as preachers. Last week we explored ‘claiming the Bible back as the church’s book’. In this final instalment we will consider two more steps that we can take.