SPEAK’s annual training event Vocal Training is a chilled and inspiring weekend in September to spend quality time with others in the Network, and get empowered with the skills you need to effectively campaign, share your faith and pray with SPEAK where you are. A long weekend exploring life-giving patterns of rest and activity, seasons, Sabbaths and SPEAK; time out from the busyness of life and activism to stop and listen to God’s heartbeat.

Last year we had a beautiful four days in the Cotswold countryside, looking at how we 'Walk the Talk', putting our ideals into action.

This year we will be thinking about our patterns of activity, rest, stillness and celebration, as we move into a new season, a new academic year, with a new government.

It will be a great chance to get empowered in your campaigning, get inspiration for how to give prayer a more central place in our lives as activists, and take away skills and energy to pass on to others through…

• Practical workshops and resources to give you the seeds to sow the justice and ‘shalom’ wholeness of God into your SPEAK group, CU, cell group, church, university, workplace or local community

• Skills-based training, from communicating our faith and campaigns with different groups of people to the theology behind SPEAK, developing a prayerful lifestyle to political lobbying

• Gaining a deeper understanding of SPEAK’s values and campaigns

• Finding thinking space to gain perspective, inspiration, and to re-engage with justice issues and prayerful campaigning

• Getting to know people with a similar heart and passion, sharing vision, having fun and being encouraged

• Relaxing and chilling out together!

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. - Ecclesiastes 3:1

We will be exploring our values in more depth, gathering wisdom about our campaigns, and finding the space to just ‘be’. Vocal Training is a not-to-be missed oasis for everyone trying to balance patterns of work, rest and play in their activism.

Come and be encouraged, equipped and re-fuelled for the journey.

Venue: Bidwell Guide and Scout Centre, Two Mile Bottom Camp Site, off Mundford Road, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 1LZ

Nearest station at Thetford (a major station on the Norwich-Manchester line via Birmingham). Transport will be available to and from the station.

Take a look at the programme for the weekend here!

For more on the theme 'Rhythms of Life', see the theme page here.

To find out how to get your friends along, take a look at our tips.