RI Newsletter #14 – October 2025

Becky Gaskin

4 hours ago

Participating in the conversation

A big encouragement for RI earlier this year was the Being Missional Today conference in June hosted at Coventry Cathedral. We received feedback from a third of those attending – a high response rate from such a large group. This feedback was hugely affirming and encouraging. There were a few things to improve. But the responses were overwhelmingly positive.

What did participants appreciate? Two recurring threads were particularly striking to me. People valued the time and space for discussion; and the opportunity to participate and be part of the conversation.

My favourite gospel story comes at the end of Luke, when Jesus meets and walks with two disciples taking the road to Emmaus. “What are you discussing?” Jesus asks them. (They don’t realise who he is.) When they ask if he’s oblivious to what’s gone on in Jersulem, he asks “What things?” Jesus opens up what turns into a deep and profound conversation between the three of them.

This shows us God’s way with us. Not to provide us with all the answers. Even though God could do that. But instead to engage us in conversation. And to give us the chance to participate in seeing more of God’s kingdom be realised among us, here on earth.

I wonder how the conversation is going for you. And what you’re excited about contributing to, in your context.

Alastair McKay, Executive Director

RI in Kenya: Practical Peacemaking

RI’s partnership with the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) is making good progress. At the end of October, the inaugural Practical Peacemaking conference is being held at a venue north of Nairobi with a group of 26 ACK Bishops and spouses, including the Archbishop and Provincial Secretary.

This five-day learning journey will bring together senior leaders from a range of dioceses that include: Mt Kenya Central, Mt Kenya South, Mt Kenya West, and Thika; Embu, Kirinyaga, Marsabit, Mbeere, and Meru; All Saints Cathedral, Kajiado, and Nairobi. Most of the dioceses involved are drawn from three of the ACK’s regions.

Revd Fedis Nyagah, RI’s Kenya Project Manager, tells us: “Bishops and their wives are enthusiastic about participating in this training programme. They recognise the need to grow in skills and understanding for handling tensions and conflict. Both inside the church, and out in the wider community.”

Please do join us in praying for the team of facilitators – William Kiptoo, Barnabe Anzuruni and Daisy Cherono – as they finalise the progamme; and for all the participants, that this will prove a valuable time of learning and growth for them.

Launch of the Reconciling Mission podcast

RI has now launched the Reconciling Mission podcast. The first episode was released on 10 September. This new podcast mini-series is hosted by Mina Munns, RI’s Network & Development Lead. It shares insights into the Reconciling Mission programme, and invites churches to explore ways of engaging with their local neighbourhoods, and ways of supporting leaders on the journey. Hear from ABCD practitioners, group coaching facilitators, and Reconciling Mission programme participants, with a fresh focal topic each week.

You can listen to the podcast each week on our website in the News section, or catch it on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram each Wednesday from 10am, up until mid-October. Something to accompany your outdoor exercise, or while ironing, cooking or struggling to sleep 🙂

Watch the first four episodes by clicking above.

Update on Reconciling Mission programme

As cohort 4 enters the final few months’ of their journey on the Reconciling Mission programme, the 5th cohort are building on their strong start, with their third round of online Action Learning Groups (ALGs) coming up in October. Cohort 4 have three ALGs remaining before beginning their preparations for next year’s annual Reconciling Mission conference, which will conclude their programme.

Past and present participants of the Reconciling Mission programme continue to connect with each other:

sharing inspiration for practical ways of exploring missional engagement with local neighbourhoods in partnership with others.
partaking in group coaching,
reflecting on course content,
evolving and developing existing and new outreach projects, and
sharing inspiration for practical ways of exploring missional engagement with local neighbourhoods in partnership with others.

Recruitment for cohort 6 is underway
Bursaries are available

We are now recruiting a 6th cohort of the Reconciling Mission programme to begin in May 2026. If you are or know a senior staff person such as the Director of Mission and Ministry, our director, Alastair McKay, would welcome a conversation about your diocese sponsoring a group. Download the brochure below.

Click here to read a short article with reflections from some past participants who gathered at reunions over the summer.

Bursary Fund for the Reconciling Mission programme

Following a generous bequest, we’re glad to report that our trustees have established a bursary fund of up to £550 per participant for dioceses that would struggle to cover the full requested financial contribution for their participants.

Please contact Alastair if you’d like further detail.

Reconciling Mission 2026 brochure

Reconciliation in a time of conflict

Coventry Cathedral are hosting a conference entiled Reconciliation in a Time of Conflict on Saturday 18th October.

Drawing upon experiences from the Holy Land and Ukraine, what does the Christian ministry of reconciliation look like in a time of conflict? What are the challenges faced by those in the context of war, and what might we learn about being reconcilers in a society increasingly characterised by cultural division and conflict?

Tickets are £25 (£15 concessions). Please visit the Cathedral’s website for details and to book a place.

Prayer Requests

We welcome your prayers for Reconciliation Initiatives. In particular for:

– Fedis Nyagah and the facilitation team of William Kiptoo, Barnabe Anzuruni and Daisy Cherono, as they prepare and lead the inaugural Practical Peacemaking programme with ACK Bishops and spouses at the end of October;
– The successful recruitment of a 6th cohort for the Reconciling Mission programme, before Christmas;
– Our new Reconciling Mission podcast series to find suitable listeners; and
– The 4th and 5th cohorts of Reconciling Mission programme as they continue their churches’ journeys of engaging more deeply with their local communities.

Thank you for remembering us in your prayers. May you be blessed as you join us in God’s reconciling work.

Grace and peace to you,

Revd Dr Alastair McKay, Executive Director

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