Faithful cities in a time of economic crisis - September event

Faithful cities in a time of economic crisis-September Event


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Published: 04 August 2009

Faithful cities in a time of economic crisis
Greater Manchester roundtable-Manchester Cathedral Centre
11am – 4pm Monday 21 September 2009

This event will explore the impact of the crisis on the future of urban life, including re-visiting the work of the Churches’ report Faithful Cities (2006), and implications for urban mission and ministry. The event partners are Church Action on Poverty, Greater Manchester Churches Together, Evangelical Alliance and the Church Urban Fund.

The event includes input from groups and people directly affected by the crisis; economic and theological input, and dialogue with faith and economic leaders within the region.

Keynote speakers

• Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive, Manchester City Council
• Tom Bloxham, founder Urban Splash, and chair Centre for Cities (tbc)
• Dr Shirley Jenner, MMU Business School and a trustee of Network
• Professor Hilary Russell, Liverpool John Moores University

“There is no doubt that Britain’s cities are now managing their way through a recession. The only question now is how long and deep the recession will be. The immediate challenge is to support vulnerable households and businesses against the negative effects of the downturn. But we must also make sure that everything possible is done to help our communities and businesses take advantage of the upturn when it comes.”
Centre for Cities Outlook 2009

The current recession is having a real impact on people’s lives, with rising unemployment, repossessions, debt and other causes of poverty. Church leaders and congregations are concerned about how they can respond. In many instances, faith communities are the first or only agencies providing support for vulnerable people affected by the crisis.

When a big bank or car company goes bankrupt, it gets bailed out, but no one seems to be bailing out the ordinary people who are losing their jobs
and seeing their savings diminished. The Bishop of Durham

The faith communities have rich resources to draw on – not least the succession of church commissions and reports on society and economy, from Faith in the City and Unemployment and the Future of Work through to The Common Good and Faithful Cities. What insights can we gain from revisiting this work – and how much does the new situation require new thinking?
As well as having contributed to many of the churches’ reports over the past two decades, Church Action on Poverty has a long track record of organising ‘hearings’, which create space for genuine dialogue between faith leaders, politicians and other decision-makers, and those directly affected by poverty and other forms of social and financial exclusion.


We are seeking to organise a series of regional events during 2009 and 2010, to explore the impact of the crisis in relation to a specific issue and/or region. Each event will be co-sponsored by partners to bring specific local knowledge, expertise, or resources to help shape the event.


St Deny’s theological bookshop will also be providing a bookstall on the day.

Outline programme
10.30am Registration and refreshments
11.00am Welcome: Nick Clifford, Greater Manchester Churches Together
11.15am Voices from the edge: Stories of exclusion
11.45am The impact of the recession on cities: Tom Bloxham MBE (tbc)
12.30pm Lunch
1.20pm Voices from the edge: Local faith community responses
2.20pm City responses to the recession: Sir Howard Bernstein
3.00pm Faithful cities panel discussion
Niall Cooper, Church Action on Poverty (chair)
Hilary Russell
Kevin Flanagan, St Antony’s Centre
Husna Ahmad, Faith Regen Foundation
Shirley Jenner
3.50pm Closing remarks and devotions: Bishop Doye Agama

To Book

The cost of attending the event (including lunch) is £20 (£5 unwaged). Cheques payable to Church Action on Poverty. 
Click to download the information sheets and booking form or call
Tel: 0161 236 9321, Fax: 0161 237 5359 Email: info@church-poverty.org.uk


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