26 January 2023
Introducing SPECTRUM
If you believe that the Church consists of people of all ages, races, genders, abilities and opinions, in which shared faith and experience demonstrates itself practically in the world, then SPECTRUM could be for you!
The word SPECTRUM is an acronym which helps to remember the emphases of the movement.
Study: The love of God with the mind as well as the heart.
Prayer: Communion with God and search for a meaningful spirituality.
Exploration: The desire to seek for deeper truth from whatever source.
Community: The importance of relating to one another in fellowship and faith.
Theology: The need for reasoned, biblically based scholarship.
Reflection: A willingness to examine practice and improve on it.
Understanding: Openness to new aspects of faith and truth.
Motivation: The will to act in fresh ways of worship, witness and service.
It is a movement with historic roots, being formed as the Fellowship of the Kingdom during the years following the First World War. Groups of Methodist ministers, meeting for fellowship and mutual support, gathered together in order to come to terms with pastoral and faith issues in the aftermath of the conflict.
Over the years since that time it became open to deacons, to lay men and women, and to those of other denominations. With the dawn of the new millennium, the need for a changed image and a re-launch became apparent and this occurred in the summer of 2008. The Conference theme that year ‘Changing Church for a Changing World’ began the task of building on the previous ethos and developing in new ways. The name SPECTRUM was chosen because it was felt that the movement should embrace all shades of theological opinion in a genuine spirit of openness and acceptance.
SPECTRUM holds an annual conference each Spring at the Hayes Conference Centre Derbyshire, with themes that are relevant to today’s Church and featuring top-class speakers. There is a SPECTRUM Group in many of our Methodist Districts. They use a study paper consisting of six sessions which arise out of the Conference theme. The Magazine, ‘Engage’ published three times a year includes articles by members and others which encourage dialogue and mutual stimulation, along with book reviews and news from mission partners serving overseas.
The study material (‘Explore’) produced by SPECTRUM is available at reasonable cost for wider use in fellowship groups, for local preacher and worship leader development, and for lay training and other learning situations. Samples are available on request.
Membership of SPECTRUM costs a modest £10 per annum, which cannot be anything but good value!
If you wish to join a group near you or to start one or need further information please log on to the website: www.spectrumfaith.org.uk
or contact the national co-ordinator:
Joyce Firth, Tel. 0191 2583268 email, joyce@firthfolk.fsnet.co.uk
or the secretary:
Tony Buglass. 01434 609074 email: tonybuglass@tiscali.co.uk
Click here to download the flyer for 2023.