Welcome letter from Ruth - Peacemakers Network Newsletter Autumn 2017

Ruth Harvey   07 Nov 2017

We have had a busy few months in Place for Hope, with requests for support from congregations and faith communities in the early autumn meaning we are currently working at close to full capacity. We are pleased that our skilled Practitioners are being well used, and hope that their gifts and wisdom can continue to move the culture in our churches and places of worship to one of forgiveness, transformation and reconciliation. In addition to accompanying congregations and churches through times of difficult change, our Practitioners also help deliver our increasingly popular training programmes. Indeed they are currently attending a training session themselves,  to deliver our new workshop on Bullying and Harassment. Do encourage those you know to sign up for this excellent day.

To support the increasing demand for our services, I am delighted to report that we have successfully recruited a Business Development Manager. Helen Boothroyd will join the Place for Hope community in this post from early January 2018 taking a lead on financial and partnership developments. Helen brings a wealth of skill from her past work in Churches Together in Cumbria, and we are honoured to include her in our midst.

The Board of Trustees hosted our second Annual General Meeting in September, at which our accounts and Annual Report were approved. In addition, we have produced a narrative Annual Review which tells the story of our year of ‘creating possibilities’ with colleagues, clients and partners. If you would like a paper copy of this Review, please contact us. 
 
In the report from our ‘Reconciling Relationships’ seminar you will see that we were supported by a wide range of friends and partners as we launched our plans for a programme of events that will take us up to, and beyond our 10th anniversary in 2019. We hope that you will join us in some of these events, not least the international conference which is being planned for the autumn of 2019 – more details as soon as we have them!
 
As we approach advent, may this time of waiting be a time of hopeful, active waiting for new life in unexpected forms that can transform our world.

Ruth Harvey
November 2017