Messy
Church Goes Cyber launch
|
|
|
Leprosy
Sunday Resources
Here is a 5 minute video clip by Dame Darcey Bussell (of Strictly
fame!)
https://youtu.be/uej5VeqxxWA
Alternatively here is a full virtual service including virtual
hymns, Bible reading, prayers, short sermon etc such at the one
below – which Lyndon Methodist church in the West Midlands have
VERY cleverly personalized for their own use for their virtual
Sunday worship on Sunday 7th March 2021:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ALzQmczVtVxKtHcoEHoOzVN7H7i1L8-K/view?ts=601ffad9
The Cannock Chase circuit of 20 churches showed it across all 20
churches in their circuit recently:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcfDa71Q55w&t=317s
Resources such as sermon notes, children’s materials, envelopes
and leaflets to accompany the above service can be ordered via
this link: www.leprosysunday.org.uk
Please support the work of The Leprosy Mission amongst your
churches. For further materials – virtual or whatever, please
email me at: allisterdup@TLMEW.org.uk
Thank you for your support and wishing you every blessing:
Allister
du Plessis
PS: You can download my full 27 minute virtual service via this
link – if any churches want the hymns they can obtain these
separately from me:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yao4UCQjnoR-hyOwqvZGpb_4U06fs2JS/view?usp=sharing
|
Allister du Plessis
|
|
Regional Manager ‑ Central England, the Midlands & North Wales
|
|
24 Heygate Way
|
|
Aldridge
|
|
WS9 8SD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DONATE BEFORE THE 24 APRIL AND THE UK GOVERNMENT WILL DOUBLE YOUR GIFT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Free
Webinar - Bringing People Together to tackle isolation during
Lockdown 3
Lockdown prevents groups meeting, which affects us all, causing
more people to be isolated affecting their mental health.
Bringing People Together is a network of groups that welcome
everyone by telephone, mobile or computer all from the comfort of
their own home. There are now over 14 groups meeting weekly or
fortnightly in the Black Country, Staffordshire and Shropshire.
Each group is run by two hosts and a partner organisation who
provide the safeguarding and GDPR.
On 12th February at 10am we are holding a free webinar
called ‘Bringing People Together to tackle isolation during
lockdown 3’. When we started in July 2020 Bringing People
Together had questions that we needed to answer
- How do we get
people together when our venues are closed?
- How do we use the
new technology when not everyone has the right device or the
knowledge to connect?
- How do we grow in
confidence that we can keep people safe online?
The
National Lottery Community Fund enabled us to answer these. We
will share our learning in this webinar, where there will be an
opportunity to have your questions answered. Some of our groups
are now very well established, having been running for many months,
and we are learning the advantages of meeting online which we
hope will continue after the restrictions have lifted.
To book your free tickets bpt-webinar.eventbrite.co.uk
We still have funding to support more groups and to find out more
about joining please look at our website http://www.BringingPeopleTogether.org.uk
or contact Su Parker 07791044311
I have attached a poster if you that is useful.
All the best
Su Parker
|
|
|
Lent
Retreat from Jesuits in Scotland - District Prayer Group
This
year the Jesuits in Scotland have organised an online retreat for
Lent called “Knowing Jesus". The Sunday Service on BBC
Radio 4 will be linked to this material. Each day
participants are provided with an image, a piece of music, scripture
verses, and an imaginative prayer exercise. These are
already available to see here: https://www.onlineprayer.net
The Chair is leading a weekly sharing group for up to ten people
who have committed to this daily retreat. No previous
experience of imaginative prayer is necessary to join the group.
Meetings will be on Zoom every Tuesday evening at 7pm
beginning with an introductory evening on 16th February.
The purpose will be to share reflections on the week’s
experience of prayer and to learn from one another. If you
are interested in joining, please contact the District Office as
soon as possible saying, briefly, who you are and why you would
welcome being a part of the group. Priority will be given
to people within the District and anyone is welcome to apply, lay
or ordained.
Otherwise, it’s possible to ask to join a group through the main
retreat page, or to offer to be a group leader.
Thanks
Rachel
|
|
|
District
Resources for Racial Justice Sunday
“Who is
my neighbour? What is my Calling?”
The District is producing resources to mark Racial Justice Sunday
thanks to the work of Equality, Diversion and Inclusion (EDI)
advisers Rev’d Molly Chitokwindo and Liz Dean. A full
service of worship will be available on Youtube for churches and
Circuits to adopt in its entirety. Separate elements of the
service will also be made available for those who would like to
incorporate these into their own planned act of worship.
Please contact Richard at admin@wsmethodist.org.uk to find
out what will be on offer and to register to receive various
elements as they become available.
Many people from across the District will be taking part.
The address will be delivered by the Rev’d Dr Paul Nzacahayo and
a reflection on the way forward for the Church will be offered by
Dr Rachel Starr, a member of the Wolverhampton Circuit and Tutor
in Biblical Studies at the Queen’s Foundation.
Materials will be available by the end of the month. Separate
resources from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI)
should also be available from the end of January on their website
https://ctbi.org.uk
Racial Justice Sunday is normally observed on the second Sunday
in February. With this being Valentine’s Day this year, we
recognised that some churches may wish to move this to Feb
7th. However what matters more than the specific date is
that churches recognise and reflect upon God’s call to racial
justice within the context of worship.
|
|
|
New
round of "God is with us" grants
Every
Circuit responded to the District invitation to bless their
communities at Christmas through the availability of small grants
and 27 different projects were enabled. In this short video
https://youtu.be/KDYwJ3Diu7I
a sample of these are celebrated and a new round of grants is
launched to coincide with Valentines Day, Thinking Day and
Mothering Sunday. Anyone with a creative, missional idea
which will bless people on the fringes of, or beyond the usual
congregation* can apply for a grant of up to £150 with the
agreement of the Superintendent Minister. Grants are
limited to 3 per Circuit. It’s essential that activity does
not breach lockdown restrictions nor increase chances of
Coronavirus transmission but, with careful planning, much may
still be achieved.
Click here
for a grant form.
*We recognise the huge importance of offering support and
pastoral care to Church members and recognise the value of the
work that is being done across the District . However these
grants invite churches and Circuits to go beyond that.
|
|
|
District
Children's Support Fund
The funding allocated
specifically to the support of children and families in the
District - particularly those experiencing some form of
deprivation - is still open to accept applications at the moment.
Are there projects you might consider which could offer
support even during the lockdown?
The
maximum amount of any claim is £500 and a Church can apply at any
time using the attached form
and send it electronically to Tim Lorimer who will process your
application and give a decision within six weeks of receipt. The
application will need the support of the hosting Church and
circuit superintendent. Church’s cannot apply for retrospective
funding.
We would hope that individuals and groups that have contributed
in the past to the Holiday Fund will still wish to do so knowing
that there money will still be used for Children’s Projects.
For more information please contact Tim Lorimer
on lorimertim@yahoo.co.uk
07971899084.
|
|
|
|
|
