PRAXIS GATHERING 2024
gathering missional people
In Colossians 2, we read that we are to be, “woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery.” As the church, as the people of God, we are invited to be woven into God’s story, God’s mission!
And in Ephesians 1, it says, “the church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.” What does it look like to live as Gods people, living missionally in the world today and be a part of the unseen mission of God?
We believe God calls us to be woven into His tapestry of mission and be a part of the unseen.
Who is it for?
Let’s gather creatives, pioneers, entrepreneurs, church leaders, community leaders, those working with the marginalised, young adults, and more to reimagine mission!
The goal is to GATHER and not just be a content heavy conference to attend but for us to be inspired and challenged together and feel hopeful and excited about the future.
DATE
Friday, November 8th – Saturday, November 9th
Friday afternoon + Friday dinner + Saturday 10am-5pm
LOCATION
Trinity Church, Dublin 1 & other locations on the Friday
COST
€30-60
Pre-sale starts end of July, Super Early Bird prices until Sept. 12, and Early Bird prices until Nov.3
What’s happening
FRIDAY, 8TH NOVEMBER
2pm – 5pm | Various locations in Dublin
During the day on the Friday we invite you to join a stream where you will meet to share, eat, and wrestle with a few missional questions with likeminded people together. These streams will be facilitated by 1-2 people in various locations across the city – some might meet in a relevant place i.e. creatives in an art gallery or marginalised in an inner city location, etc. This time is created to fuel relationships between like minded people, give time to press into missional questions, and come to the wider Saturday gathering with more ideas and thoughts fleshed out.
FRIDAY DINNER, 8TH NOVEMBER
from 5.30pm | St. Catherine’s Church, Thomas Street, Dublin 8
Friday evening is a special time to be with others over food. There is something about sitting beside and eating with fellow Jesus followers around a table. This dinner is an optional part of the gathering but it was a significant time last year so we would encourage you to join for this meal. It will be hosted to create community, share a meal, laugh, and simply be together.
SATURDAY, 9TH NOVEMBER
10am-5pm | Trinity Church, Dublin
All day Saturday will be a mixture of short talks, workshops, round table discussions, networking time, and more. There will be reflective time as well to help us all process, discern, and be mindful of what God is speaking to us.
Join a Stream
We are excited to gather like minded people into groups (aka streams) to share, explore, and wrestle with missional questions. As you register, choose a stream that you are interested in – it could be something you’re already engaged with or something you’d like to get more involved with. Streams will meet Friday afternoon and then at tables for the Saturday sessions.
Do you want to engage more deeply with your local community? Does your church community already take part in neighbourhood projects? Are you wanting to engage more with your urban or rural setting?
Join this stream if you want to rethink what it could look like to love your neighbour. This stream is facilitated by Ann Marie Kerr from Liffey Valley Vineyard & Sam Moore from Innovista Ireland. It will meet in Trinity Church from 2pm.
The world is not short of concerns. Climate change, inequality, violence and conflict, immigration, food and water security. Are you interested exploring how these issues connect with our lives in Ireland today? Are you keen to explore how you can connect your faith with real action that tackle these global issues? Join this stream if you want to share, learn, and reimagine mission with others around these issues.
| Emma Lynch & Sean Copeland from Tearfund Ireland and Michael Briggs from Christian Aid will be facilitating this stream. It will meet online on Nov. 3rd and at the tables on the Saturday of the Gathering. |
| Are you in business or enterprise? Do you want to explore what it could look like to start a new enterprise that is redemptive in nature to reflect the Kingdom? Join this stream to connect with others who desire to see God’s Kingdom come in the workplace, enterprise, business & more.
This stream is facilitated by Ross Hill from Hill Art Supplies and Sean Mullan from Third Space (cafe in Smithfield, Dublin 7). It will meet in Trinity Church from 2pm on Friday. |
| Do you want to innovate, pioneer, & start something new when it comes to mission & the church Or have you started something new recently?
We know that going it alone can be difficult & isolating so, come alongside others who are on the edges of the church reimagining what the Kingdom of God looks like. This stream is facilitated by Gareth MacClean from Orangefield Church in Belfast and Simon Kilpatrick from Praxis and Ignite. It will meet in Trinity Church from 2pm on Friday. |
Our communities need spaces where we can express, explain, and share our views on important life issues with those who hold alternate views. Could “conversation” and “dialogue” with those who see life differently be Kingdom gifts to our cities and towns for the common good? How might that happen?
Where would these take place? What topics might be addressed? How would we establish respectful engagement?
This stream will be facilitated by Roy Angle & Marilyn Nyquist who currently host two forums in Dublin where such conversations take place. Socrates Café and Dublin TED Talks. This stream will be aimed at experiential learning where comments and questions will be welcomed. It will meet at 2.30pm at All Rise Cafe – 5-6 Chancery Pl, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 A2Y7.
This stream is an invitation to reimagining mission through creativity. It is for artists, non artists, dabblers, thinkers, or anyone who would like to play. Join this group to share, create, muse, and more with other creatives.
This stream will be facilitated by Pam Rooney, Lydia Monds, and Penny Dewar. This stream will meet at the National Gallery of Ireland (Merrion Square entrance) from 3pm on Friday.
This stream looks at how we can utilise digital and media for our church communities, and mission in our context.
This stream will be facilitated by Chloe Hanan (Lead of Digital for Jesus Film Project in Europe and Russia), Liam McGrath (Managing Director of Scratch Films) and Joe Kelly (media producer). This stream will be together at a table on the Saturday but will not meet on the Friday.
We know that God’s mission is reaching out to those on the margins, but what does that really mean? Who is at the centre and who is at the margins and how did our present circumstances come to be? We will be getting out on the streets to explore various sites on and around Gardiner Street (Dublin 1) as we look at housing, racism, abuse, poverty and much more.
Join Chipo, Dave, and Richard for a stream that will equip you for your place and role. They will meet at 2pm sharp at Trinity Church then head out for the walking tour.
Are you in a caring profession or want to explore how pastoral care can be missional? Join this stream to reimagine what it could look like to care, be pastoral, and seek the wellbeing of everyone to take God’s love into our communities.
We will meet for a time of learning together with space to reflect on topics & opportunities for mission. This stream will be facilitated by Andrew Irvine (minister & leader of Belfast City Centre Chaplaincy). This stream will meet at St. George’s and St. Thomas Church, Cathal Brugha St., Dublin 1 from 3pm on Friday.
Stream Locations
| Stream | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Community | 2pm | Trinity Church |
| Pioneering | 2-5pm | Trinity Church |
| Missional Enterprise | 2-5pm | Trinity Church |
| Digital / Media | not meeting on Friday | Trinity Church |
| Cultivating Social Dialogue | 2.30-4.30pm. | All Rise Cafe, Dublin 7 |
| Creatives | 3-5.30pm | National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin 2 (meet at Merrion Square Entrance) |
| Pastoral Care | 3pm (start at 3.15pm) | St. George’s & St. Thomas’s Church, Dublin 1 |
| Marginalised | 2pm sharp | Meet at Trinity Church for a Dublin City walking tour |
| Global Issues | Evening | Sunday 3rd November on Zoom |
Join a Workshop
Workshops will be an opportunity to cross pollinate outside of our streams as we explore these four important topics for the future of the church. These will take place on Saturday afternoon.
Is leadership important? What should it look like?
Donna Jennings and Mark Murray will co-facilitate this workshop as we explore the importance of leadership and understand how it might look moving forward.
We know we are formed but what does it mean to be formed by Jesus as a missional people. Sometimes we can end up being doers and maybe neglect the need to reflect and pause.
Ana and Sean Mullan will lead this discussion around spiritual formation and its foundational nature in what it means to follow a Missional God.
Jesus talks about and prays for unity in the church but is it really possible? How important is it for us to pursue this?
Facilitators are still to be confirmed.
Imagination and Creativity are an important part of how we think about the future. Are you a dreamer or a future thinker who would appreciate a conversation around the future of the church.
Join Chloe Hanan and Brian Sanders as we think about this area.
Contributors
We look forward to having a variety of speakers, facilitators, workshop facilitators, and hearing most importantly from YOU and other attendees as we explore mission together. Take a look at some of our contributors – more to come!
Schedule
Time |
Schedule Item |
Contributor |
Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Friday |
|||
| 2-5pm | Streams Meet | Various Locations | |
| 5.30-8.30pm | Dinner | St. Catherine’s Church, Thomas St., Dublin 8 | |
Saturday |
|||
| 9am | Doors Open | Trinity Church, Dublin 1 | |
| 10am | Session 1: Connection | Team & Hosts (Anne & Simon) | Main Hall |
| 10.50am | Pause | Ana Mullan | Main Hall |
| 10.55am | Coffee Break | Cafe on Ground Floor | |
| 11.20am | Session 2: Focus | Brian Sanders, Hannah Agnew | Main Hall |
| 12.20pm | Young Adults & Faith Survey Report | Ruth Garvey-Williams | Main Hall |
| 12.30pm | Lunch | Cafe on Ground Floor | |
| 1.30pm | Session 3: Workshops (choose from 4) | Donna Jennings & Mark Murray
Ruth Garvey-Williams & Fraser Hosford Ana & Sean Mullan Chloe Hanan & Brian Sanders |
Various Rooms in Trinity Church |
| 2.40pm | Coffee Break | Cafe on Ground Floor | |
| 3pm | Feedback from Workshops | Main Hall | |
| 3.15pm | Session 4: Power | Lucy Hill, Chipo Harper | Main Hall |
| 4.20pm | Session 5: Beyond | Hosts and Prayer Team | Main Hall |
| 5pm | End | Main Hall |
Tickets
For group discount, please email info@praxismovement.ie
WHAT IS PRAXIS?
Praxis is a network of individuals and churches with a heart for mission and a hope and commitment to see Gods kingdom come. Our desire is to reimagine mission for ordinary people. Our gathering once a year is a crucial time to be together and to be inspired by the God of mission. The Conference is one way we desire to reimagine mission as well as Prayer Gatherings, Learning Communities, the SEOL Course, a podcast and a press.
Praxis Gathering 2024 Planning Team
Claire Douglas– Praxis | Anne Baenziger – Praxis | Simon Kilpatrick – Praxis, Ignite Network and Methodist Home Mission Department | Sam Moore – Innovista Ireland | Gladys Nutley – Dublin West Community Church | Roy Angle – Eden Collective
