Dear Council members,

We are very pleased to announce that two of the initiatives discussed at the Council Residential Meeting in January are now going live. Please see below an email that is going to DEF chairs and secretaries today. Please do pass on the email below starting ‘Dear friends’ to anyone you may know, who may find these initiatives of interest.

With many thanks,

Keith Sinclair, National Director

John Dunnett, Director of Strategy and Operations

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Dear DEF chairs and secretaries,

We are thrilled to inform you of two significant initiatives, which we hope will help/encourage evangelicals across the Church of England.

1.       It has become apparent during the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process both from those evangelical churches that have engaged with LLF and those who have not felt able to do so that many would welcome more help and support. As a result, CEEC is launching a collection of short films (5-7 mins each) to help churches engage with issues around human sexuality and think about how to respond if the Church of England changes its practice(s) (either doctrinally, liturgically or by the use of ‘provisions/permission’). The first two of these films are now freely available on the CEEC website here – along with accompanying notes for leaders. 

2.      With potentially significant changes ahead for the Church of England, we believe it is important that evangelicals across the country keep up to date about these matters via a regular (short!) e-bulletin every four to six weeks. We would love to see 50,000 people receiving these updates – and we need your help in getting the invitation to sign up widely known. It is also the case that a contact list of 50,000 would provide ‘leverage’ in political discussions about future provision for orthodox faith and practice in the Church of England as we head into a post-LLF landscape. 

So, please do look at the email below – and we invite you to send it to:

  • All DEF members 
  • People in your/their churches 
  • Any evangelicals you are in contact with in churches the length and breadth of your diocese 

Please don’t forget to sign up yourself to receive the e-bulletin here.

With many thanks,

Keith Sinclair, National Director

John Dunnett, Director of Strategy and Operations

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Dear friends, 

More than 50 years ago, John Stott and others launched the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), with a vision to serve evangelicals in local churches across the Church of England (C of E). CEEC continues to do this by uniting evangelicals from the various networks and organisations to which we belong and by equipping us to face the opportunities and challenges of the moment.

We are therefore writing to let you know of two exciting new initiatives:

1.       We are launching a collection of short (5-7 minutes) films to help local churches engage with issues around human sexuality and how to respond to any changes in the practice(s) of the Church of England. The first two of these films are now available (along with accompanying notes to help nurture good discussion) free of charge from the CEEC website here

Please do ask your vicar/church leader to view them and use them in your local church. These films build on the success of ‘The Beautiful Story’ and are designed to enable discussion and study in small groups, PCCs, leadership teams and other contexts.

2.      CEEC is keen to keep all people in local churches (i.e. this is NOT just for vicars) up to speed on significant issues and will be sending an e-bulletin every four to six weeks with short updates on national C of E matters. As we move beyond Living in Love and Faith, we believe this will be an important channel of communication, and we encourage evangelicals in every church to sign up to receive this free e-bulletin. 

You can sign up to receive it here.

Please could you forward this email to people you know who might wish to receive the e-bulletin.

Please be assured that CEEC’s primary concern remains the evangelisation of England – and we pray for any/all of the initiatives we see in local churches to that end.

With many thanks,

Rt Rev Keith Sinclair, CEEC National Director

Rev Canon John Dunnett, CEEC Director of Strategy and Operations