What you can experience on the Estates course

“Doing the course gave me confidence I never had before and I liked being able to put what I learned into practice. When I was asked to lead Thought of the Week for the first time I was nervous but the leaders encouraged me to keep it simple – that’s the best way – and everyone was so positive. We all came from different backgrounds and churches; everyone was really encouraging. Now I want to continue to invest in my community. I often meet people in cafes or in the market – it’s a way of listening and reaching out to others with the love of Christ which has been shown to me.”  

These are the words of one Estates course graduate who picked up their certificate at a celebration ceremony at the end of September along with others who had completed the course.

Helen Shannon, who leads the course says: 

Hearing from our Estates graduates is so inspiring and it was so great to celebrate their huge achievements at our autumn graduation ceremony. We had started in 2020 before lockdown so much of the course went online, but these leaders persevered despite the challenges and I’m immensely thankful and proud that they made it through to the end of the course with such enthusiasm and passion for this work. It’s been a joy and an encouragement to travel with them on their journeys so far and we know that God will use each one as they continue to serve him as leaders in their communities. 

In the last year, we’ve worked on making the course even more relevant and accessible to anyone who is considering whether God may be calling them to ministry on estates. Our recent graduates have really inspired us and we’ve now developed the course which is ready to launch in the new year.

Become

The Estates course has now been updated and renamed Become and is recruiting now for a new cohort to begin in early 2022. 

Become is about the Bible and leadership, and is designed for anyone who lives on social housing estates or comes from a similar background. You don’t need to have any qualifications or have done any training. You just need to love Jesus, love your community and be ready to grow. We’re committed to helping you discover the gifts that God has given you and make them shine, so that you can become the best leader you can be. For more information go to ccx.org.uk/estates or email us.

In order to run, Become, we urgently need leaders to host a local hub. Watch to find out more.