New this week:
Vacancy for Secretary for RMC
Congratulations
Warm Places Grant
Christmas Grant Scheme
Amplify boking open
Administrator required
In case you missed it:
Cafe assistant required
Children's Support Fund
Lay employee training
WEA training courses
Learning and Development Events


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Vacancy: Secretary to the Resourcing Mission Committee

Now that Rev’d Alan Combes has been appointed as Deputy Chair, the District would like to release him from the post of Secretary to the RMC and is looking for a successor.  This voluntary position is open to lay or ordained people.  In summary, it involves drawing together an agenda for the meeting (in consultation with the District Grants Officer and Chair), being actively involved in decision-making about use of the District Advance Fund and related matters, and producing Minutes.  You will also become a member of the District Policy Committee.  Both the RMC and DPC meet three times a year.  
This post will suit someone who is organised, not averse to administration and passionate about how the District can use our resources to support Our Calling.
Please contact the District Office to register your interest and receive more information.  Safer Recruiting Procedures will be followed in making this appointment.
 

Congratulations!

Many congratulations to Deacon Sarah Bruce who has been awarded the Diploma in Pastoral Supervision by Wesley House, Cambridge. Sarah offers supervision within this District and received financial assistance to undertake this course of studies.  
If trained supervisors would like to further their skills, this may be an option open to them.  Please talk to the District Chair if interested.
 

Warm Places Grant

Tomorrow evening the District Policy Committee will consider how we might support Circuits and Churches wanting to respond to the energy crisis through offering a Warm Space, either individually or in partnership with others.  More details available soon, but in the meantime, learn about how you might do this here:
https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/evangelism-growth/respond-to-the-energy-crisis-this-winter/
 

Christmas Grant Scheme

Christmas Grant Scheme
Yesterday the Resourcing Mission Committee decided to once again offer small grants to churches and Circuits to help you share Good News with the communities in which you’re set.  Details are still being worked out, but it’s likely the scheme will relate to the Connexional Christmas resources entitled “There is Room”.  Watch out for more information coming soon.
You can find lots of resources here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-faith/there-is-room-advent-and-christmas-2022-resources/
 

Amplify booking now open

Hello everyone,
 
I have some very exciting news: ticket sales for Amplify are now open!
Amplify is a weekend away for children, young people and leaders from the Birmingham and Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury Districts, to be held between 24th and 26th March 2023. The weekend aims to gather young people together to build relationships and to grow in faith together with others their own age. As part of the weekend there will be times of worship and learning together in different ways, and access to outdoor activities at the site.
Please read the following information carefully so that you know what to expect when using the new booking system and how to build your group.
 
This year, the booking process is in 2 parts - a deposit stage and a final payment stage. The deposit holds the place and gives access to making the final payment later. This allows us both to maintain a first come first serve basis and to ensure that we give the Pioneer Centre the correct numbers at the time required.
 
Once again, it is up to you how you decide to do your booking within your group. You could decide to book everyone in your group on at once, ask parents to book their own children on, or a mixture of both - whatever works best for you. If you choose to input the information yourself as a leader, I have attached a form in order for you to gather exactly the information you will need in the order that you will need it. There is some overlap in the questions asked at each stage due to limitations in the system to ask conditional questions (i.e. has any information changed), but I am sure you will appreciate the importance of the information asked to ensure that Amplify runs smoothly.
 
Thanks to the subsidy being provided by both Districts, the cost of tickets has been able to stay the same as last year at £80 for young people and £20 for leaders. The deposit for each of these will be £20 and £10 respectively. Tickets will be sold on a first come first served basis, with the deadline for purchasing deposit tickets being 22^nd January 2023. The final payment can be made anytime after the deposit stage, with 19^th February 2023 being the deadline. 
 
We have got approximately 120 places available at Amplify this year for young people (aged 8-18) and leaders. This year, all young people will need to have a group leader responsible for them who will be named at the final payment. This includes being responsible for medication, bedtimes, and generally keeping tabs on them, making sure they are safe and happy. Obviously young people will be able to approach all leaders at the event, but having a known leader to a young person has proved to be a good model. In order to maximise the spaces that we have for young people to attend, we are asking that groups think about how many leaders they need to have a safe ratio of leaders to their group, bearing in mind that the whole event will be well within the required ratio with volunteers and other leaders at the event. This will be 1:8 for under 13s and 1:10 for 13+. It would be really helpful if you were able to consider gender within your leadership to match your groups. If needed, groups booked with a high ratio of leaders to children may be asked to reduce their leaders in order to make space for other groups to attend. 
 
Following on from booking, closer to the event, all leaders and parents will receive the relevant consent forms and a link to the portal for uploading information. There will also be an online form for young people to select their activities for the weekend. More information will be sent about this closer to the event itself.
 
We will be meeting on Monday 21^st November at 7.30pm for a leaders' briefing about Amplify. https://zoom.us/j/95720015246?pwd=T1FHREFvb0FyM04rK0lkQ1BCYVptZz09 
In order to honour the places funded by each District, there are two separate deposit links.
 
If you are in Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury you can book your tickets here: 
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/birminghammethodistdistrict/780344#
Here is a step by step guide to making bookings.
I hope that this covers everything but please do contact me if you have any questions.
 
Thanks,
Charlotte 🙂
 
Charlotte Hambly | District Youth Coordinator
07742737437
www.birminghammethodist.org.uk | Registered Charity no. 1134167 
36 Amesbury Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8LE 
  
 

Administrator required

Springdale and Wombourne have had approval from the Circuit to employ a Sectional Administrator for 6 hours per week with at least some of the hours on a Friday. The position will be available from the end of November.. Please contact the District Office for more information (admin@wsmethodist.org.uk)

Cafe assistant required

16 hours per week
 
An opportunity has arisen to help support the development of Revive Community Café situated in the heart of Bloxwich at St John’s Methodist Church and Centre. This initiative is an ethical and inclusive community project with a view to developing areas such as: a dementia café, schemes to help people back into work, inclusive employment, training, and work experience opportunities.
 
This position will be working with the existing Café Manager, involving preparation and serving of food along with other duties, with assistance from a small group of volunteers.
 
The successful candidate will be experienced at working within a catering environment with good customer service skills, willing to undertake relevant training and will be required to deputise for the Manager as the need arises.
 
The café is currently open 4-days a week with the intention to expand hours. Flexibility in working hours is required.
 
Salary is currently £9.90 per hour.
 
For more information, and an application form, please contact Jem Hawkins on:
Email: Revivecafe@stjohnsbloxwich.co.uk               Telephone: 01922 475083
 
The closing date for applications is Midnight on 22nd October 2022, with interviews being carried out within 14 days of this date.
 
This post is partly funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.
 
St John’s Methodist Church is a Disability Aware employer
Registered Charity Number 1128201
 
St John’s Methodist Church, Victoria Avenue, Bloxwich WS3 3HS
           
 

Children's Support Fund

Are you passionate about seeking justice?

Then come and Walk with Micah
 
 On Thursday 3rd November,  the President of Conference will be holding a consultation event on emerging themes and proposals from the Walking with Micah project, which aims to help Methodism in its aim to be a justice-seeking church, before the project reports to the Conference in 2023.  

The consultation will take place in central Birmingham from 10am till 3.45pm.  The event is free and the District will cover travel costs.  Rev’ds Teddy Siwila and Jimione Kaci are already booked in.  We are now seeking people who can bring a lay perspective.  There will be a couple of hours preparation and reflection to do in advance of the event.
 
Please apply directly for a place but let the District know you’ve done so (admin@wsmethodist.org.uk)  More details and the booking form can be found here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-with-micah-next-steps-for-justice-tickets-411964636317 or please contact Rachel Lampard if you have any questions.
 

Lay Orientation Training in the Methodist Church

Free Training Courses

Learning and Development Events

As I’m sure you’re aware, all of Reflective Supervision CPD Courses are now available online.
These courses are delivered by colleagues across the Network, the wider Connexional Team, ministers in Circuit and external trainers. Some are even written (and will be delivered) by your good selves.
 
The courses are listed at:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/methodist-church-supervision-cpd-courses-39676866413.
 
These short courses will be repeated and added to over the coming year.
 
 
The LN Calendar will be updated with new learning opportunities regularly, so make sure you make a habit of checking back using the link: (the posterboard or tile view may be the most useful to get a sense of what’s available)
 
Learning and Development Events (methodist.org.uk)

and

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