What’s On Offer
Alpha
Bereavement
Connect
Forget Thee Not / No Man Walks Alone
Helping Hands
Illness
Listening Service
Next Steps
OpenGate
Pastoral Visits
Relationship Support
Requests for Pastoral Appointments
Tiny Time
Visiting and Chaplaincy Team
Alpha
What is Alpha?
Alpha is an internationally recognised course which allows people to explore the Christian faith in a friendly, open and informal environment.
Who is Alpha for?
Alpha aims to support non-Christians and those very early on in their Christian walk. It is ideal for those who are new to church or people who have made a first commitment to follow Jesus.
Renewal Alpha
Alpha is a fundamental outreach ministry that will help Renewal fulfil its vision. One of the main aims is to disciple new Christians and support them in their journey of faith (Luke 8:5-8).
We ensure that everyone that comes to Alpha is treated as guests. We love and serve them as if they were guests in our own home. We avoid using jargon and want to make sure people feel comfortable in the environment we create.
Where and When
We run two to three courses each year – across all our locations. See www.renewalcc.com/alpha for the latest information.
What does the course include?
The course runs over 12 weeks, doors open at 7:15 and we will aim to finish no later than 9:30. Each week includes a hot meal, testimony time, a talk on that session’s topic, refreshments and small group discussions.
The purpose of each talk is to facilitate group discussion. Topics include ‘Who is Jesus?’ ‘How can I have faith?’ and ‘Does God heal today?’
Each course will also have an away day, usually around week 7 or 8 where we will take out guests to an off-site venue where we can focus on the Holy Spirit. There are three talks on the day and in the afternoon session guests are invited to pray and also to experience the Holy Spirit. Prayer becomes increasingly important as the course progresses. Small group leaders are encouraged to include this in weekly discussions as soon as they believe guests are ready.
All of this is offered on a free of charge basis.
What happens after Alpha?
Whilst Alpha is a no pressure course for our guests, we would like to see them become part of Renewal. Partnership, Connect and Baptism are all promoted during the course. We will also signpost individuals to other ministries or departments within the church where they have a specific need that cannot be met by the Alpha family.
How can I find out more?
For further information please contact the alpha team – alpha@renewalcc.com
Bereavement
Care for those who have experienced a bereavement
Principles of any pastoral contact or visit
- It can be overwhelming to have lots of people making contact and so the support and contact should be coordinated through one member of the pastoral team.
- Phone ahead to ensure suitability of day/time of any visits.
- Consider duration of visit. Some people may only want a short visit, others may want you want to spend significant amount of time with them.
- Make gentle enquiries re; family, friends, neighbours availability/support. Consider the persons own resilience and resources.
- Most people just want some company. They want to feel loved and thought about. Be cautious of being over spiritual or offering lots of scriptures, your presence is enough.
- Any prayer offered should be given with consent and direction from the person receiving care, ask “would you like me to pray/how would you like me to pray?”
- Do not force conversation, but let it come naturally. Fight the need to fill up every bit of silence, do not be afraid of periods of quiet.
- Do not be afraid to talk about the person who has died or the manner in which they died. It can be very helpful to simply talk about the person who has died in a natural and calm way.
- Be aware of your own emotions and feelings when supporting someone who has experienced a bereavement. After any visit contact your team leader or head of pastoral care for a debrief.
- In general the person visiting should be the same sex as the person they are caring for, or should take along a person of the same sex.
Procedures for bereavement
If a partner or attendee of Renewal experiences a bereavement then please notify the PA to Pastoral Care – pastoralcare@renewalcc.com. The details will be entered into the anniversary calendar.
An initial card will be sent from Pastor David and all at Renewal.
A member of the pastoral team will make contact with the family and offer a visit if the family feel it would be helpful. The Visiting Team leader, Team Pastors and Chaplaincy lead will appoint a member of either the chaplaincy team or team pastors to undertake the first visit.
If after the initial visit the family require further ongoing support
The Visiting team leader, Team Pastors and Chaplaincy lead will appoint an allocated person to keep in regular contact with the family. This will be through phone or visits depending on the families need. Contact should be made shortly before and shortly after the funeral, giving time for the family to talk through the experience and emotions that they may be feeling – the main purpose of any pastoral contact should be to provide a caring and listening ear.
The allocated person should contact:
- The local Connect group leader to rally the connect group to provide initial practical support – meals, gardening, support around the house etc.
- The FaithBuilders (children) and/or YOUTH teams if there are children or young people in the family. A member of the FaithBuilders team will be available to go through ‘Small Creature’ with the child or supply the parents with the book – ‘Someone very important has just died.’ A member of the YOUTH team will be available to listen to the young person and direct them to the listening service if needed.
- Forget Thee Not teams once the funeral has taken place. The Forget Thee Not team will then make contact to offer an invite to attend the groups.
If the family require ongoing support, the allocated person should encourage the family to access the Forget Thee Not groups or The Listening service – although the allocated person should stay in contact with the family until they are settled in ongoing support.
If ongoing support has been necessary then the allocated person will be reminded by the PA to pastoral care to make further contact on the first anniversary of the bereavement to offer a follow up visit.
Traumatic bereavement
Special attention should be given when the death has come suddenly and unexpectedly, been violent, been self caused or has happened overseas (especially if children are involved). In these cases the ongoing care may need to be discussed with Renewal’s Listening service supervisor to ensure appropriateness of care offered.
Connect
Because relationships matter.
It’s not about the event, it’s about the relationships. Growing closer to Jesus. And each other.
What is it
Connect is a small group fo up to around 12 people that meet regularly. There is usually something in common that brings the group together such as purpose (e.g. prayer), location or generation (e.g. young adults).
For more information visit our connect hub section
Forget Thee Not / No Man Walks Alone
What is it?
Forget Thee Not/No Man Walks Alone is a support group at Renewal for ladies and gentlemen who have experienced any type of loss in their lives. The aim of the group is to care, help, support, and encourage through a time of loss and grief.
Who is it for?
Forget Thee Not/No Man Walks Alone is for anyone who has experienced loss in their lives. The loss can include any of the following; death of a husband, wife, sibling, parent, loss of a child, job, health, expectation, pet, home, retirement etc.
The meetings take place in a safe and secure environment where the atmosphere is loving, informal, and peaceful. There are plenty of opportunities for people to chat over refreshments and those who prefer privacy can request one on one meetings. We encourage new visitors to bring someone along for support, and everyone who comes will have a personal welcome from a member of the team, shown to a seat and offered refreshments to include our trademark homemade cake!
When is it?
- The Forget Thee Not Group for Ladies at Renewal Central meets at 11am on 3rd Saturday in the month [not December] in the Renewal Family Centre.
- No Man Walks Alone Group meets at Renewal on Friday evenings. Please pastoralcare@renewalcc.com for further information.
Please note – men and ladies groups meet separately and no exception will be made to this rule without prior joint agreement between Justyn Towler and the team.
How do I find out more information?
Please email pastoralcare@renewalcc.com or call church reception on 0121 711 7300.
Helping Hands
What is it?
Helping Hands provide emergency assistance to people by providing food, toiletries and baby items that have been donated by Church members, local schools and other friends in the community.
Who is it for?
Helping Hands works with Social Workers, Probation and Police Officers, Family Support Workers and other professionals to deliver the food parcels to families and individuals who would otherwise go without.
When is it?
Helping hands will aim to deliver a food parcel within 24 hours of the requested being received.
How do I find more information?
Call 0121 711 7300 for more information or to ask for a food parcel.
Illness
Periods of illness or injury requiring support from Pastoral Care Team
For any illness that falls into the two categories below, verbal consent must be gained for information to be shared with the pastoral team. If consent is given, please let the person know the detail that will be shared with staff and leadership, for example:
“Are you happy for me to let the church office know so that one of the pastoral team can contact you to arrange a visit?”
Once verbal consent has been given please email the PA to Pastoral Care pastoralcare@renewalcc.com with the person’s name, nature of their illness and any contact details.
Records of time and dates of visits, short description of illness and any further support offered must be recorded in a confidential note on Church Suite.
Routine/expected/minor hospital stays, or those who are temporarily housebound and unable to attend church
Cared for by: Connect leaders and Visiting Team
- The visiting team leader will work with the area leader to appoint an allocated person to coordinate the care and visits.
- The visiting team leader will organise a card or flowers to be sent from the Pastors’ office with a suitable message.
- The allocated person should liaise with the Connect Groups in the area to provide any practical support needed.
Critical/life threatening illness, children in hospital, vulnerable adults, sudden unexpected hospital stays, long term housebound
Cared for by: Visiting Team / Chaplaincy / Senior Pastors’ Office
- The Visiting Team leader, Team Pastors and Chaplaincy lead will agree and appoint an allocated person to provide pastoral care. The person providing care will be allocated to the person and their family for the entire period of illness. It is envisaged that no team member will be allocated to more than 3 people in this category at any one time.
- The visiting team leader will organise for a card or flowers to be sent from the Pastors’ office with a suitable message.
- The allocated person coordinating pastoral care should liaise with the Connect Groups in the area to provide practical support needed and the wider Renewal teams to provide support to family members, particularly children and teenagers.
Consideration should be given to any of the following:
- Practical needs, such as transport, meals, or assistance with household tasks
- Any impact on other members of the family
- Whether the person requires further support from external agencies e.g. Social Services
- Whether the person is classed as a vulnerable adult
- Any impact on children or teenagers within the family
- Provision of regular communion
- Whether the person is able to access podcasts, if not Renewal may be able to loan an iPod for the length of the person’s illness
- Any negative financial impact on the person or family due to the illness
Short term non-critical illness
Cared for by: Connect Group Leaders and members / Ministry Team Leaders / Friends within Renewal
Any person experiencing short term illness should be able to receive all the support needed from peer relationships within Renewal. If needed, the Pastoral Care team will endeavour to introduce the person to local connect groups or appropriate people in their area to offer this support.
Listening Service
What do we do?
Renewal Listening Service provides a friendly, caring and professional service for Renewal partners who need someone to talk to.
The listening service is run on a professional basis as however, it is important to note that the volunteer listeners are not professional counsellors and the service does not provide psychological therapy. All volunteers have successfully completed a minimum of a Level 3 qualification in Counselling Skills and will be subject to regular supervision by a member of the Renewal Therapy Service and hold an advanced DBS records check.
The service will provide a listening ear, someone to talk to, in a totally confidential and respectful environment. Examples of topics for discussion might include a bereavement, change at work, family stress or a time of uncertainty. The service does not provide advice, but may signpost other services such as Citizens Advice.
How do you book an appointment?
There is a simple registration process. Simply contact Renewal reception on 0121 711 7300. Requests will be processed on a first come-first served basis.
How much does it cost?
The service is provided free of charge, but a donation would be helpful to cover costs such as room hire, tea/coffee etc. We ask that donations are made anonymously, in an envelope marked ‘Listening Service’ and placed in the normal Sunday collection or handed in at the Info Point.
The service is just for Renewal partners and isn’t advertised outside Renewal.The service is just for Renewal partners and isn’t advertised outside Renewal.
Next Steps
What is it?
There are two parts to next steps – both using a mix of emails and video and a one off group meeting.
Next steps 1 (NS1) is designed for those who have recently made a decision to follow Jesus.
Next steps 2 (NS2) is for those who have been baptised and want to partner with Renewal and get more involved in the life of the church.
Who is it for?
NS1 is for new christians, NS2 is for anyone who has been baptised and wants to become a partner at Renewal.
When is it?
You can sign up for the emails and video anytime at www.renewalcc.com/nextsteps, the events run monthly at all locations, and you can sign up to attend an event via the emails.
How do I find more information?
Visit www.renewalcc.com/nextsteps
OpenGate
What is it?
OpenGate is a specialist ministry within Renewal that works with ex-offenders and substance misusers. The experienced team at OpenGate offer ex-offenders and drug users the opportunity to receive mentorship and ongoing accountability and guidance in a safe, supportive environment. The group meet regularly to look at different aspects of addiction and recovery with input from the OpenGate team as well as speakers from other agencies. The OpenGate team work with other agencies to signpost members to support for accommodation, education and rehabilitation
Who is it for?
OpenGate is for any individual who has a current drug and alcohol misuse problem, someone who has a previous history of drug or alcohol misuse and ex-offenders.
When is it?
OpenGate meets once a week on a Tuesday evening at 6.00pm – 7:30pm. Hot drinks and sandwiches provided for all attendees.
How do I find out more?
Call the church reception on 0121 711 7300 for more information.
Pastoral Visits
Who needs a pastoral visit?
People may need home visits for a variety of reasons, but the underlying aim is to provide them with company, care, and prayer during challenging times in their life. We want to reassure individuals that they matter and that they are cared for.
How do I know who should be visiting?
This guide explains the different types of situations where someone may need a visit and includes guidance on who is most suitable to support them from the Pastoral Care team.
What should I do when visiting?
When planning a home or hospital visit ensure you follow the following principles:
- Phone ahead to ensure suitability of day/time of visit.
- Consider duration of visit. If someone is quite poorly it takes a lot of energy to receive a visitor. Also be considerate to any family members who may be visiting and allow them time alone with their family member. As a rough guide 20 minutes is appropriate.
- Make gentle enquiries regarding the availability of family, friends or neighbours to provide ongoing care/support. Consider the persons own resilience and resources.
- Most people just want some company. They want to feel loved and thought about. Be cautious of being over spiritual or offering lots of scriptures, a simple encouragement and your presence is enough.
- Any prayer offered should be given with consent and direction from the person receiving care, ask “would you like me to pray/how would you like me to pray?”
- Do not force conversation, but let it come naturally. Fight the need to fill up every bit of silence, do not be afraid of periods of quiet.
- Do not forget about them the second they get better. Being sick gives you many different types of attention, it can be very lonely when it all goes away. Support and visits may need to be offered until the person has been able to reintegrate into church life.
- In general the person visiting should be the same sex as the person they are caring for, or should take along a person of the same sex.
Relationship Support
What is it?
As a church we are committed to supporting families. We believe investing in family relationships is one of the most valuable things we can do.
Our Relationship Support team are here to support and strengthen relationships within the church and community and can offer mentoring at every stage of your relationship.
If you are married, considering marriage, or have had to face divorce we have a number of great courses and events available for you to attend each with something to help equip you on your journey.
Marriage Preparation
We believe marriage preparation is a vital investment in the ‘forever-after’. Couples need skills and tools to make a marriage work and attending this five session course that generally runs on two Friday evenings and a Saturday will best equip you as a couple to help develop strong foundations for a lasting marriage.
We have no courses running at the moment. Please register your interest and we will get back to you when our next course is starting.
A Day Together
In partnership with FamilyLife UK we are hosting a one day seminar for couples to invest in their relationship. Spending time together is one of the most significant things you can do for your relationship. You will be equipped with practical relationship tools based on biblical principles. By the end of the day couples will feel inspired and equipped to strengthen and grow their relationship with a renewed sense of purpose and hope.
Separation & Divorce
And sometimes things just go wrong. So here too we want to journey, support and equip you the best we can to find a way forward in life. This course is for men and woman and the course content will be guided by the needs of those attending but might include topics like:
◦ Handling a range of emotions
◦ Effectively communicating
◦ Resolving conflict and forgiveness
◦ Managing other relationships
◦ Moving forward
Love Actually
We have partnered with FamilyLife UK and together we will host this will be fun and informal evening for couples to look at the subject of love and includes clips from the film. A brilliant outreach event to invite friends and family without a faith. This event is open to anyone and is the perfect taster session for getting couples interested in the value of investing in your relationship.
Couple Support
We also offer couple to couple mentoring for those couples who would like some individual support within their relationship. Our mentor couples have been trained to Level 3 in offering couple support and are supervised by an experienced relationship therapist.
When is it?
Please visit www.renewalcc.com/relationships for latest course details
How do I find more information?
Please email relationships@renewalcc.com to request information about referring to the Couple Support Team and for any other information.
Requests for Pastoral Appointments
This guide is given to anyone at Renewal that asks for a pastoral appointment. We have included this information so that you can also help guide people to the right support.
As a large Church we offer many avenues of support in order to enable people to fulfil their potential in Christ. We understand that people may not wish to share the reasons for asking for a pastoral appointment before the appointment itself, but this guide will help people to make sure they see the right person first time and receive the best support possible. It will also help us use our pastoral appointment time wisely.
Prayer
We offer the opportunity to receive prayer at all our services throughout the week.
Connect groups are there to encourage and pray for each other. If you are not in a Connect group, we strongly recommend you join one so you can be supported in prayer and pray for other members too.
Connect
If you are looking to get more involved with Renewal and build stronger relationships with others then joining a Connect group is the next step. Your Area Leader can help you find the right group with people in your area or with similar interests, or help you to move groups if needed.
Website: renewalcc.com/connect
Email: connect@renewalcc.com
Addiction
OpenGate provides opportunities for ex-offenders and drug users to receive mentorship and guidance in a supportive environment. The group meets every Tuesday evening to look at different aspects of addiction and recovery with input from the OpenGate team as well as speakers from other agencies. The OpenGate team also works with other agencies to signpost members to support for accommodation, education and rehabilitation.
Email: pastoralcare@renewalcc.com for more information on attending OpenGate.
Bereavement
For those who have suffered bereavement, or are struggling with grief or loss of any kind we have our Forget Thee Not team. There is now both a men’s group and ladies’ group available.
We also work with Little Fingers, a local charity, to support parents who have suffered a miscarriage, still-birth or neo-natal death.
Email: pastoralcare@renewalcc.com if you would like the Forget Thee Not or Little Fingers Team to contact you.
Alpha
Want to know more about the Christian faith? Want to ask ‘those’ questions you have always wanted to ask about the faith but never had the opportunity? Alpha is a nationally run 10 week course for people just like you.
Visit renewalcc.com/alpha or contact us for more information.
Email: pastoralcare@renewalcc.com for more info on attending the next Alpha course.
Pastoral Team
The central pastoral team can offer appointments to discuss issues around family breakdown or family relationship issues, repeated patterns of sin or any other issue not covered by the support above.
Please note you will receive a phone call from one of the team first to have an initial discussion to ensure that when you come for an appointment we have the right member of the team available to see you.
Appointments with the Pastoral Team take place at the Renewal offices and normally last 45 minutes. It is unusual to have more than three appointments with a member of pastoral staff. At the end of appointment the next steps will be agreed and clarified – this may including referring onto an internal or external support mechanism.
Confidentiality
We cannot guarantee confidentiality in our appointments, however if we are to share information outside we will normally seek your consent to do so and explain what information we are sharing with who and why.
Email: pastoralcare@renewalcc.com to request an appointment with the pastoral team.
Tiny Time
What is it?
Tiny Time stay and play sessions are designed for little people and their grown-ups. Groups are for children from birth to 4 year olds and run at Solihull and Chelmsley family centres.
When is it?
The Tiny Time sessions held each week during term time:
Spaces for the sessions are very limited and families need to contact the Family Centre before attending.
How do I find out more information?
If you would like to know more about our Tiny Time sessions please contact Yvonne Glover on 0121 711 7300 or email yglover@renewalcc.com
Visiting and Chaplaincy Team
What do the teams do?
The visiting and Chaplaincy teams are available to visit those who are in hospital, care homes or at home and unable to attend church due to illness or health issues.
The team can offer a one-off visit for periods of short illness, or regular visits for those who require extended support. The team are available to listen, pray and serve communion depending on the wishes of those they visit.
How do I find out more or arrange a visit?
Please email – vwilks@renewalcc.com to follow the illness process to ask for a visit for someone.