On Saturday 24 July about thirty people gathered in the new Narthex at St. John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral for the annual forum of Norwich Central Churches Together. The theme for the afternoon was ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me’.
Discussion was based around how welcoming are we to other Christians, people of other faiths, the unchurched, people from overseas, people with other lifestyles and those marginalized or at the edge of society.
The workshops were led by Rev John Fenn, Rev Canon Peter Nokes and Rev John Minns on the following topics:
- The marginalized – paedophiles, homosexuals, those who bring the baggage of an unhappy past with them
- Secularisation – the process by which religious beliefs become ossified in church rituals and practices and lose their significance for the general public, and how to overcome it
- Welcoming those from overseas - ‘entertaining angels unawares’ and the enrichment that this can bring.
Rosemary Bousfield said, "Discussion flowed freely, enriched by the experience of about a dozen different congregations. Conclusions were mixed: among them the need to accept the marginalized, recognising where they come from and offering friendship and love, but being open about our Christian beliefs which need to be respected as well. The secularisation workshops concluded that NCCT churches should find ways to engage with society and fulfil needs rather than try to convert.
Those discussing welcoming strangers emphasised the need to accept change and the dangers of separatism."
The next NCCT meeting will address issues about engaging with the city - details about the meeting will be posted on this website.
