Note that, in addition to CMD's own events, the below includes a number of external events that may be of interest.
Worried you're too late to book? We typically close Eventbrite bookings a week ahead of an event, but please email us about registering late; we'd love to make space if we can.
To sign up for termly email updates about CMD events, click here and select CMD News in the list of mailing lists.
Click here for a library of resources, including recordings from previous CMD events.
Reading Psalms with the Scribes (External)
Wednesday 18th February, 5.30-6.30pm, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford: John Screnock in conversation with Jonathan Teram about his newest publications; Reading Psalms with the Scribes and Psalms 90–100: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text. "There are many different manuscripts of Bible that contain variant readings. Whereas past scholars have seen this as a problem to be solved, we will suggest instead that it is an opportunity to engage the texts in a richer way." Details and booking here. (Free)
21st Century Archaeological Research and Early Christianity (External)
Tuesday 24th February 2026, 1.00pm-2.00pm, Westminster College Cambrige and online. Faraday Institute Seminar with Prof. Ken Dark. Details and booking here (free)
God's Homecoming (External)
Monday 2nd March, 6.00pm, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford: Tom Wright book launch. "For generations, many Christians have imagined the Bible’s story as one in which we leave earth behind and “go to heaven” when we die. But that is simply not the scriptural narrative." Details and booking here (Tickets from £6.50)
Environmental Theology (Interest Day)
Tuesday 3rd March 2026
10am - 3.45pm
Church House Oxford
A study day exploring theological responses to the environment & especially climate crisis, the significance of key scriptural themes and Christian doctrines as a lens for understanding, and the importance of a resilient Christian hope, key aspects of relevant science around planetary boundaries and multiple areas of environmental crisis, possible ways of engaging congregations & incorporating themes into parish mission & life, and the Diocesan Environment Action Programme. Contributors include Revd Margot Hodson (Associate Vicar, Shill Valley and Broadshire Benefice, Director of John Ray Initiative), Dr Martin Hodson (Principal Tutor for Christian Rural and Environmental Studies (CRES), Visiting Researcher in Environmental Biology, Oxford Brookes University), Hannah Mann (Environment Action Programme Manager, Diocese of Oxford), Alison Riggs (Environment Action Delivery Coordinator, Diocese of Oxford) and Revd Dr David Pickering (IME 2 Tutor, Diocese of Oxford).
Preparation: Spend about 30mins looking through global news stories and noting some of the environmental crisis and climate change impact around the world, particularly exploring themes and areas that aren’t making headlines in the UK. Then look through the Environment pages and the EcoHub on the diocesan website – how do you respond? Would this relate well to your ministry context and church congregations?
BYO lunch; tea and coffee provided.
Stress & Resilience: Starting Well for Curates and Incumbents
Wednesday 4th March 2026
10am - 3.30pm
Church House Oxford
Amid the pressures of parish ministry, how do we deal healthily with stress and build resilience for the long term?
Facilitator: Alison Coulter, Adviser & Organisation Health Specialist, from Thrive Worldwide.
NOTE: You don't have to be just starting out as in your curacy or incumbency to attend!
Lunch is included.
The Human Stakes of Artificial Intelligence (External)
Tuesday 10th March 2026, 1.00pm-2.00pm, Westminster College Cambrige and online. Faraday Institute Seminar with Dr Nathan Mladin. Details and booking here (free)
Science and Religion in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis (External)
Thursday 12th March, 6.00pm, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford: Alister McGrath will be speaking on a cross-section of some of his most well known areas, Science and Religion, and C.S Lewis. Details and booking here (Tickets: £6.50)
Encouraged and Equipped to Share Jesus
Tuesday 24th March 2026
10am - 3.30pm
Location to be confirmed
An interactive, shared learning day on church planting and sharing Jesus with those around us, with Rev Ben Woodfield.
Ben and his family have been living and serving as church planters on council estates in the North of England for nearly 30 years. He carries a deep passion to see people who may feel far from God encounter Jesus, be discipled, and released into everything God has for them.
Ben will tell his story of planting Antioch, a network of ten churches in and around Manchester, and reflect on how God has been at work in and through his life and community. He will listen to your stories and lead the group gathered to think through how and where God might be at work in our lives and communities. The day will include real-life stories, practical principles, action planning, and plenty of time for discussion and Q&A.
Lunch is included.
Leadership Training for Emerging Leaders
Wednesday 22nd April 2026
10am - 3.30pm
Church House Oxford
This day workshop, run by GiANT and sponsored by the Clergy Support Trust, will establish solid leadership foundations for the future, for those taking their first steps in leadership. If you are a more experienced leader, explore GiANT's second course.
Participants will:
- Increase their self-awareness of personality wiring in order to understand behavioural tendencies: strengths, challenges, blind spots and stress behaviours that leaders will need to watch out for
- Develop collaborative leadership skills that draw out the strengths of others and enable a healthy culture in ministry and mission, and in united and effective teams (from staff teams to PCCs)
- Learn about intentional multiplication, learning from the example of Jesus to help leaders prioritise who they give their time to in the parish
- Discover skills to build healthy rhythms for work and rest for long-term flourishing in ministry, identifying both the season the church, and the leader, are in and how to lead through the potential variance
Lunch is included.
CENDD National Conference
Saturday 25th April 2026
9.30am - 4.30pm
Royal Foundation of St Katherine, Limehouse East London, and on Zoom.
National conference for the Church of England Network for Distinctive Deacons. Keynote Speaker: Revd Canon Rosalind Brown, author of ‘Being a Deacon Today’; Special Guest: Bishop Pete Wilcox, Champion for Distinctive Deacons in the House of Bishops and CENDD Patron. £25 in person, £10 online. Accommodation available (limited) for £100: email CENDD for more information.
CENDD is pleased to be able to offer subsidized rates for this event, thanks to a generous grant from the Community of St Andrew’s Trust. Delegates are encouraged to apply to their Diocesan training budgets for help with conference costs. CENDD may also be able to offer further financial assistance with accommodation and travel costs. Please apply by email directly to CENDD. Requests will be considered on an individual basis.
Conference booking and details availabile here.
Christian Approaches to Money
Tuesday 28th April 2026
11.00am - 2.30pm
Church House Oxford
A day event particularly aimed at clergy who would like to explore the Biblical picture around financial giving, or would like some guidance on how best to broach the subject of financial giving, both inside and outside the church congregation. Sessions will look at Biblical approaches to giving, how we can motivate people to support our churches financially, and a hands-on session looking at how we would use particular passages of Scripture to talk about giving in our own contexts.
Speakers: Rev Wendy Pawsey (Head of Giving, Evangelical Alliance), Joshua Townson (Generous Giving Adviser, Diocese of Oxford).
Lunch is provided.
Expecting the Unexpected
Thursday 30th April 2026
10am - 1.30pm
Church House Oxford
Ever wondered what you would do if a crisis event happened in your parish? These are thankfully rare but being prepared can make all the difference, not just in how you respond, but in ministering to and caring for a community in shock. This relaxed and informal session (we even promise no Powerpoint) will give practical advice, a workshop session to think through options, shared learning and information about which teams from the Diocese are on hand to help in these situations.
Facilitated by Jane Appleton (Director of Communications) and Jane Haslam (Associate Archdeacon of Dorchester).
Lunch is provided.
Faith in Public: Political Theology for Mission course (External)
7th-9th May 2026, Luther King House and around Manchester: When Christians speak about the big issues and challenges of the day, they are often met with the comment: “churches should keep out of politics.” This CMS three-day residential, with additional online sessions, argues that churches and Christian organisations should be engaging in politics, and have something important to offer these conversations. If you’re a Christian seeking to engage with society or interested in exploring what it means to witness to Christ in public, then this course is for you. Find out more and book your place here. The cost is £500.
Mental Health First Aid
Monday & Tuesday, 18th & 19th May 2026, 9am - 5pm
Church House Oxford
This 2-day course, run by humantalk and sponsored by the Clergy Support Trust, will equip participants with a practical framework for supporting those experiencing mental health concerns.
- Grounded in research, and developed with clinical practitioners, MHFA Is designed to enhance participants knowledge and confidence in how best to help others, whilst also looking after their own well-being
- within a church context, this programme can help participants reflect afresh on their theology of suffering, healing and recovery
- all participants will receive a 100 page printed workbook, and access to digital resources for up to three years post training, including the MHFA app which provides 24/ 7 digital support
- the training has been warmly received by cohorts of curates, parish priests, chaplains, area deans, and archdeacons
Lunch is provided.
Book Here. (Note: Nearly sold out)
A Vocation to the Diaconate: Could God be Calling You?
Monday 1st June 2026 On Zoom: An evening zoom gathering organised by CENDD (Church of England Network for Distinctive Deacons) for those considering, exploring or discerning a vocation as a Distinctive Deacon. An opportunity to share journeys, ask questions and hear from Distinctive Deacons in the Church of England. Further details and zoom link will be available nearer the time, or email CENDD for more information.
Summer Retreat
Thursday 9th June 2026, 10am - 3.30pm
Yarnton Manor, Near Oxford
Led by John and Annie Hughes. Lunch Provided. More details to follow!
Recruiting & Managing Staff
Thursday 11th June 2026, 10am - 3.30pm
Church House Oxford
Details to follow.
Freedom and Liberation in the Bible: Study Days
Monday to Friday, 15th - 19th June 2026
Locations TBC, in or around Oxford.
These standalone study days offer opportunities to dive into biblical studies around the theme of 'Freedom and Liberation in the Bible', with each day looking at a different Bible book. They are for all who would benefit from going deeper into how we read the Bible well in the local church: clergy, LLMs, preachers, small group leaders, and all who are interested. Specific topics and speakers will appear here shortly.
Lunch Provided.
You can attend all week, or just a day or two. Each day needs to be booked separately, using the following links:
Day 1 (15th)
Day 2 (16th)
Day 3 (17th)
Day 4 (18th)
Day 5 (19th)
Click here for a library of resources, including recordings from previous CMD events.