Christian Organisations Unite to help Britons with "Building Relationships"

The Association of Christian Counsellors (ACC), the Centre for Relational Care (CRC) and Premier Lifeline are launching a new fourteen-venue tour entitled “Building Relationships”.

The tour will bring all of the latest techniques, thinking, training and relational skills to church leaders, Christian counsellors and the public, and will take place in March.

The tour will include: presentations and lunches aimed at church leaders from all denominations; workshops and presentations for people with an interest or background in Christian counselling or pastoral care; and presentations for members of the public with an interest in exploring the dynamics of relationships from a spiritual perspective.

The chief executive of the ACC, David Depledge said that: “Healthy relationships are vital to our well being...Our aim with this tour is to give an introduction to how we can all build such relationships and care for our families and our wider circle of friends and acquaintances”.

While Dr Bruce Walker, the director of the Austin, Texas-based CRC, a division of ILM said: “We find ourselves in a world that produces unbelievable advances in technology, using products that were the stuff of science fiction only a decade or two before. Though technologically advanced, we are relationally challenged.”

“We can communicate electronically anywhere on the globe, but struggle to connect emotionally with someone in the same room. In touch with the world, we remain disconnected in our closest relationships,”

He continued. “The Centre for Relational Care has a heart to equip and resource churches and individuals to lead their congregations and communities in keeping and strengthening our key relationships—relationships with God and others close to us”.

The CRC advances resources and training for those in counselling and care-giving ministries. CRC also provides intense retreats for those in crisis, be they couples, families or singles.

Dr Walker is the co-author of “Discovering Intimacy” and “Relational First Aid”. He is also a licensed professional counsellor and marriage and family therapist. Last year Dr Walker spoke at the ACC annual conference in January, held at Swanwick, Derbyshire.

He spoke on the subjects of Intimacy Therapy, Freedom from Fear and Relational First Aid and received much acclaim.

The tour will make a number of new resources available to church leaders, including the ACC’s new training course for newcomers to pastoral skills.

The course is 22 hours long, comprises of tutor and student manuals and can be taught by anyone with a basic grounding in pastoral care. The course is designed to equip people undertaking pastoral care work in their congregations.

For more information on the organisations involved visit:

www.acc-uk.org

www.GreatCommandment.net

www.relationaltraining.co.uk

www.premier.org.uk/lifeline


“Building Relationships” tour dates and venues:

Tuesday 7 March: Nottingham: (Beeston): Evangelical Free Church: 1130-1400: Church leaders’ presentation and lunch. Price: Free to Church Leaders 1900-2130: Presentation for Christian counsellors, pastoral carers and general public. Price: £10

Wednesday 8 March: Manchester (Stockport/Didsbury): St James and Emmanuel Church: 1130-1400: Church leaders’ presentation and lunch. Price: Free to Church Leaders 1900-2130: Presentation for Christian counsellors, pastoral carers and general public. Price: £10

Thursday 9 March: York (Heworth): Heworth Christ Church: 1230-1500: Church leaders’ presentation and lunch. Price: Free to Church Leaders

Friday 10 March: Huddersfield: United Churches Healing Ministries: 1000-1600: Presentation and workshop for Christian counsellors and pastoral carers. Price: £30

Saturday 11 March: Brentwood, Essex: The Daresh Training Centre: 1000-1600: Presentation and workshop for Christian counsellors and pastoral carers. Price: £35

Monday 13 March: Birmingham: Kings Community Church, Oldbury: 1000-1600: Presentation and workshop for Christian counsellors and pastoral carers. Price: £30

Tuesday 14 March: Glasgow: Mount Carmel Priory: 1130-1400: Church leaders’ presentation and lunch. Price: Free to Church Leaders

Tuesday 14 March: Edinburgh: St Georges West Church (Shandwick Place): 1900-2130: Presentation for Christian counsellors, pastoral carers and general public. Price: £10

Wednesday 15 March: Cardiff area: Glenwood Church, Cardiff: 1130-1400: Church leaders’ presentation and lunch. Price: Free to Church Leaders. Then Bethel Baptist Church, Pontyclun: 1900-2130: Presentation for Christian counsellors, pastoral carers and general public. Price: £10

Thursday 16 March: Swansea: Parklands Church: 1130-1400: Church leaders’ presentation and lunch. Price: Free to Church Leaders

Friday 17 March: Exeter: Belmont Chapel: 1000-1600: Presentation and workshop for Christian counsellors and pastoral carers. Price: £30

Saturday 18 March: South East London (Croydon): Follys End Church: 1000-1600: Presentation and workshop for Christian counsellors and pastoral carers. Price: £35

Monday 20 March: Ipswich: St Andrews Church, Britannia Road: 1000-1600: Presentation and workshop for Christian counsellors and pastoral carers. Price: £30