Talking with Micah was a series of five evening conversations held during Lent 2022 asking what it means to be a justice-seeking church. Each session focussed on a different aspect of justice and was introduced by a conversation with a Keynote Speaker. Following on from this there was an opportunity to carry on the conversation in smaller groups. All sessions are free but we’ve set up a GoFundMe page for anyone who would like to make a donation to support this work.
The conversations build on a long tradition of Lent Lectures which have been held at our church for many years. Our theme this year has been chosen to align with the Walking with Micah project within British Methodism.
The main talks are now available to view through the video links below.
Programme
Cities of Sanctuary - Tuesday 8th March
Rev Dr Inderjit Bhogal is an ex-President of Methodist Conference and now leads the City of Sanctuary programme. He talked about how we can offer a just welcome to assylum seekers and refugees.
We also heard the stories from Bukola Toba who is currently seeking asylum and Ibrahim Bangura who has recently been granted refugee status.
The session was recorded - watch it again by clicking here
Racial justice - Tuesday 15th March
Rev Dr Raj Patta is an ordained minister of the Andra Evangelical Lutheran church in India and currently minister of Heaton Moor United Church in the Stockport Methodist Circuit. He shared a conversation about racial justice within the church and wider society.
The session was recorded - watch it again by clicking here
Just Scripture - Thursday 24th March
Dr Justin Thacker is Christian Aid’s Just Scripture Advisor and author of Global Poverty – A Theological Guide. He screened a conversation with theological advisors to Christian Aid and Tearfund from Africa and Latin America and gave a brief overview of Christian Aid’s Just Scripture programme of intercultural Bible study before leading a brief session reflecting on a passage from James 5.
The session can be viewed here.
For more information, do look at the Just Scripture website.
And to watch a related service from BMC from Sunday 20th March, click here.
Activism to achieve climate justice - Thursday 31st March
Rev Kate Gray is a minister in the United Reformed Church and Co-ordinator of the Dandelion Community in Wythenshawe. She is currently studying for a PhD on Austerity, Theology and Activism at the University of Coventry.
The session can be viewed here.
Poverty in the UK - Tuesday 5th April
Niall Cooper has been director of Church Action on Poverty since 1997 and hosted a conversation with Stef Benstead, one of the organization’s trustees, who talked about her own experiences of poverty and gave an outline of the statistics of just how many people are living in poverty in the United Kingdom today.
The session can be viewed here.