EDI
Open Sessions
In
coming months the District, in tandem with the Birmingham
District, will be building capacity to help with the work of
seeking Justice, Dignity and Solidarity within the Church through
the formation of EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) teams.
If being involved with this is something you are interested in
and may enjoy, you’re welcome to an Open Session on Zoom about
the role of an EDI officer, run by Jill Marsh who is
the Inclusive Church Implementation Officer for the
Methodist Church. It comes with no commitment to then
become involved but would be good preparation for any future
recruitment to a role within a Circuit or the District.
The session is on Tuesday 18th January at 7pm
Please contact the District Office for the Meeting ID and passcode.
(admin@wsmethodist.org.uk)
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Holy
Habits Retreat
4-6 March 2022 at Cliff College
The call to Christian discipleship is a call to adventure. Holy
Habits explores this adventure through a rich mix of biblical
material and inspiring stories. This weekend retreat from Cliff
College is led by the author of Holy Habits, Andrew Roberts, and
will include devotions, conversations, creative activities and
space for personal reflection. Read
more and book here.
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Climate
Sunday Webinar
Climate
Sunday: what's next after COP26?
Webinar
– Thursday 20 January 2022, 7-8.30pm
COP26
may be over, but it will continue to be vital for churches to
build on the progress made over the Climate Sunday campaign.
We’re calling on churches to continue to deepen their
understanding of creation care and climate justice, to continue
to take action in their buildings and community for the
environment, and to raise their voices to put pressure on the UK
government to scale up and follow through on climate commitments
made in Glasgow.
Join us to hear about where you can go next in the pursuit of
creation care and climate justice. We’ll be focusing on three
main questions:
- How
can churches continue to incorporate the environment and
climate in their teaching and worship?
- Why
is it helpful for churches to be part of a greening scheme
as they make commitments for the climate?
- What
needs to happen to keep 1.5 degrees alive?
We’ll
have panellists from the Climate Sunday steering group as well as
guests from the greening schemes to tell you about their
campaigns and actions. The panel will be chaired by Andy Atkins
from A Rocha UK.
Register
Please register
to attend.
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District
Pilgrimage: Easter 2022
Celebrate
Easter this year by joining a small Pilgrim Community sharing
life together as we travel through beautiful Shropshire
Countryside (subject to COVID restrictions at the time).
We’ll be using a route tried and tested in 2019, staying
overnight at churches in Church Stretton, Stiperstones, Bishop’s
Castle, Clun, Craven Arms and Ludlow.
Begins Easter Monday 18th April. Arrives Ludlow 23rd April
with invitation to stay and lead worship together on Sunday 24th
April.
Up to around 10 miles walking per day on footpaths with some
stiles. Very steady pace!
Accommodation is on church floors but with support vehicles to
transport luggage and bedding of your choice. Catering will
be done communally. Over 18’s only for overnight stays, but
day walkers will be welcome.
Suggested contribution £110 pp to cover food and transport but
means to pay should not be exclusive.
To show an interest and for more information please contact the
District Office:
admin@wsmethodist.org.uk
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Free
Church Choir Festival
Our
usual Free Church Choirs biennial Festival of Church Music had to
be postponed this year, and has been rescheduled to Saturday 21st
May 2022 in Lichfield Cathedral.
Over the years we have had very good response from
Methodist churches, choirs and individual singers.
Although the festival is organised by the UFC., it is open
to all denominations and we have had very good support from
Methodists in the past.
I’m attaching the flyer which has key information for anyone
wishing to either sing in the choir, or attend and be part of the
congregation.
Entrance is free, - there will be a collection to help defray
costs.
Your help in publishing this is greatly appreciated.
Please contact me if you need more information.
Many thanks,
Email: andrew@adbiscon.com
for more information
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Wesley
House Short Course
I
wanted to bring to your attention a new short-course that is
being run by
The Revd Dr Paul W. Chilcote, Director of Global Wesleyan
Theology at Wesley House, throughout March 2022
Based
on Paul's book Active
Faith - that you receive e-access too - this four
week course helps participants learn how to resist the dangerous
ideologies and toxic forms of faith in our age that sap
energy and create barriers between God and people.
It
introduces four Wesleyan practices that help renew and restore
truth, joy, peace, and love to the soul.
Further details and registration can be found
here: https://bit.ly/3y9mxA3
Please
feel free to forward this email onto anyone you think might be
interested.
If
you have any queries don't hesitate to get in contact.
With
best wishes,
Dan
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Amplify
Youth Event
The
Birmingham and Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury districts are working
together to put on a residential event for our young people
called Amplify. Following the success of 2020's event, we are so
excited to get our young people back together again.
Held over the weekend of the 11th-13th March, young people will
gather, with their leaders, at the Pioneer Centre in Cleobury
Mortimer for outdoor activities, worship, games and Bible study
as well as informal times of fellowship to build friendships
around the Districts.
The cost has been subsidised by the Districts, costing £80 for
young people and £20 for leaders, to include all accommodation,
activities and food for the weekend.
In order to book on to this exciting event, leaders or parents
will need to use this eventbrite link to book. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/amplify-2022-tickets-199680829737?ref=estw
In
using this system, the cost is taken up front, although alternative
arrangements will be put in place if this is not possible, so
please do encourage any young people in your circuits to be
involved.
If you want to be involved with the planning of the weekend, or
have people in your churches who are particularly passionate
about this work with young people, then please don't hesitate to
be in touch with Melody Jones (layworkermelody@hotmail.com)
- the more varied this group, the better!
Thank you so much
Melody
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Telford
'22 Methodist Conference Volunteers Needed
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Discover Church at the Margins
A 90
mins online introductory session
When:
7-8.30pm on 1st February 2022
For: West Midlands
Learning Network region
Over the following ten months we are holding an introduction to
Church at the Margins in each learning network region. Open
to all.
Poverty across the UK is rising with a devastating impact on the
lives of individuals and communities. How should we respond? What
is God’s invitation to us? This webinar offers an
introduction to the vision and values of Church at the
economic margins with stories from local practitioners in urban
and rural contexts.
Hosted:
by Eunice Attwood, Church at the Margins Officer and Sarah Hulme,
Rural Officer.
Click on the link below to register
REGISTER NOW
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Children's
Support Fund
The above fund has been available to access for about 18 months
now and I would encourage more applicants to support the young
and disadvantaged children from our District. As we are now
coming out of the pandemic I am sure Churches are looking at what
new activities they might be able to run and this fund may be
able to help. There is a ceiling of £500 and applications need to
made on the attached form
and emailed to Tim Lorimer @ lorimertim@yahoo.co.uk.
Some examples of activities we have supported are:
Kingswinford. Purchase of Lego sets for their Full of Spirits
Project
St John's Bloxwich. Support for School meals
Fallings Park, Stationary bags to support prayer spaces for
Children
Stafford. Tablets to help in school work
Beckminster. Christingle Bags
Aldridge. Support for their ECO warriors project
Bourne Methodists. Support for newly formed Dads and
Children's Saturday club
Cole Street.. Working with Safer Families Charity providing
activities for Children
Should anyone want more details of these projects please send me
an email.
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