October 18th 10am – 4pm
AGM 4pm – 5pm
St George’s Centre, Leeds

Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5.5)

Hope-full, hope-filled God,
you sustain us through the darkness
and bring us to the light;
enable us through your Spirit
to be your co-workers
in bringing hope to the world
as you companion us
on your kingdom journey.

Amen
(prayer by Andrew Nunn)

Join us for a day of worship and theological reflection as we take stock of our current geopolitical situation – its deep challenges and injustices – and consider how we can ‘name the beast/s’, lament, and organise for change.

We will be led in worship by Andrew Nunn, and in theological thinking and reflection by Susie Snyder, Al Barrett, Charlotte Naylor Davis, and Jide Macaulay. We shall hear stories of ‘hope in action’ from a diverse group of leaders working for change locally through West Yorkshire Citizens.

Ticket Info

In order to make the conference as accessible as possible, we have decided to offer three price-points on this year’s tickets. We hope that this will enable more people to come. Please pick the ticket price that works for your circumstances – if you can afford to pay the supporter price, please do so. If you would like to make an additional donation to further help to subsidise others, please contact the office.

SUPPORTER – Pay it forward so others can come: £45
STANDARD – The standard ticket price: £30
SUPPORTED – a subsidised price for anyone who needs it: £15

Contributors

Andrew Nunn

Andrew is Dean Emeritus of Southwark and has written a number of devotional books including one for Passiontide and Holy Week called ‘The Hour Is Come’ and another for Advent called ‘Bethlehem Bound’ both of which are published by Canterbury Press.

‘Every time we come together to worship we do so in hope, for we always meet in ‘faith, hope and love’ and begin that process of enactment.’

Susanna Snyder

Susie will soon start as Departmental Lecturer in Applied Theology at the University of Oxford. She’s worked in theological education in the UK and US – including recently as Academic Dean at Ripon College Cuddesdon and Director of Research at Sarum College, Salisbury – and her research has focused on faith-based responses to people seeking asylum, as well as theologies of social justice, spirituality and the arts. She is currently working with others on a community-based research project exploring hope. Her publications include ‘Asylum-Seeking, Migration and Church’ (Ashgate, 2012) and ‘Parenting for a Better World: Social Justice Practices for your Family and the Planet’ (Chalice, 2022). She is mother to two primary-school-aged children, and has experience of parish ministry and chaplaincy.

‘Hoping involves being present to what is, honing our imaginations, connecting with others and acting for change.’

Al Barrett

Al Barrett has been Rector of Hodge Hill Church (a CofE-URC local ecumenical partnership) in east Birmingham since 2010. He has been involved in long-term journeys of intergenerational community-building with neighbours and pursuing racial and ecological justice within and beyond the local church community. Al is engaged in ongoing theological explorations (in writing and elsewhere) in the intersecting fields of gender, class, race and ecology, including (with Ruth Harley) ‘Being Interrupted: Re-imagining the Church’s Mission from the Outside, In’ (SCM, 2020) and (co-edited with Anthony Reddie and Jill Marsh) ‘Towards a Critical White Theology’ (Routledge, 2025).

‘Enacting hope in a ruined world means starting with a vulnerable honesty about what’s falling apart (around us and within us), and opening ourselves to be disrupted, decomposed and transformed by our (human and more-than-human) creature-kin who are nurturing webs of connection and aliveness.’

Charlotte Naylor Davis

Charlotte Naylor Davis is an independent academic, biblical scholar and lay minister based in Leeds at Revive Baptist Church, with 25 years’ experience in a variety of community ministry areas. Her PhD is in Bible translation and text linguistic/metaphor theory, and her research specialises in the history of interpretation of the Bible.

Jide Macaulay

Jide Macaulay is the visionary behind House Of Rainbow CIC, where he serves as Founder & CEO. He is a prominent figure, openly embracing his identity as a gay British-Nigerian, born in London. With a profound commitment to Christianity, he has been a minister since 1998, serving as a Priest, Pastor, and Preacher. Beyond his spiritual pursuits, he is a multifaceted individual, showcasing his talents as an inspirational speaker, author, poet, and HIV Positive Activist. Reverend Macaulay’s educational accomplishments are impressive, with a degree in Law, a master’s degree in Theology, and a post-graduate certificate in Pastoral Theology. His dedication to the cause extends to various organisations, where he actively contributes his expertise and leadership.

‘Hope should never fade into a forgotten dream or feel beyond our grasp’