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New this week:
District Care for Creation Sunday
Joint District Pilgrimage - save the date
Re:planting Church at the Margins
Preaching the Good News into Climate Crisis Course
Children's Support Fund
Thanksgiving Service for Stuart Davis -update
In case you
missed it:
Change of date for Synod
MWiB Job Opportunity
Free Public Lecture from Wesley House
Hosting a Ukrainian
Warm spaces...write to your MP
Membership of the INC
New Candidating Process
Action for Children News
In Harmony Choir Festival
Last Taboo courses
Warm Spaces Grants - updated updated form
Dial-a-prayer
free phone line to hear prayers : 0808 281 2514 Methodist News :
0808 281 2478
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District Care for Creation Sunday
Sunday
29th January
Plans have been previously announced to provide worship resources
to enable congregations to celebrate an Eco / Care for Creation
Sunday on 29th January. Due to unforeseeable circumstances,
progress on making the resources available has been delayed but
the plans are still in place. Apologies to those who have
been awaiting their arrival. More news as soon as we have
it.
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Joint District Pilgrimage - save the date
This Easter week, a small band of pilgrims will be walking the
Golden Valley Pilgrimage route from Hereford to Ewyas Harold,
starting on Easter Monday, April 10th and finishing the following
Saturday. Accommodation will be in Anglican Churches and
facilities will be basic! Costs are yet to be finalised but
will be kept to a minimum. Those who have joined two
previous such pilgrimages have found them to be both enjoyable
and spiritually enriching.
More details coming soon but, for now, please save the date if
you are interested.
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Re:planting Church at the Margins
As
part of the visit of the President and Vice-President of
Conference, the Birmingham District has organised a one day event
at Kenilworth Methodist Church on Saturday 11th March called
Re:Planting
Church at the Margins.
There is an excellent line up, with Deacon Eunice Attwood as
keynote speaker and a really good choice of workshops including
one led by our own Ministry & Missions Co-ordinator, Jo Yair.
Worship will be led by an intergenerational team. The
day will be designed to be accessible to all personality types
and learning styles.
The Birmingham District has extended a specific invitation to
members of the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District. For
more information and bookings see here: https://birminghammethodist.org.uk/replanting-church-at-the-margins
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Children's Support Fund
There
is still money available from the above and if your Church is
thinking of running any Children's activities, then, please
consider applying for a maximum of £500. The attached application
form needs to be completed.. Any further
questions please contact Tim Lorimer on tim.a.lorimer@gmail.com Many
thanks
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Thanksgiving Service for Rev Stuart Davis
We just
wanted to let you all know that the funeral of Stuart
Davis will be taking place on Thursday, 5 January
2023. There will be a short, private committal
service for close family followed by a service of thanksgiving at
Beckminster
Church, Wolverhampton at 2.30pm. All are welcome
to stay for refreshments after the service in the church
hall.
https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/funeral-notices/14-12-2022-stuart-davis/
On the Funeral notice (link above) you'll find confirmation of
times and venues for the day. There are also links within the
obituary information about donations you may wish to make (to The
British Heart Foundation and All We Can).
We are aware that many of you are planning to come to Beckminster
to pay your respects. We will be dressing to celebrate Stuart's
life, rather than wearing mourning attire, for those who are able
to attend please dress in what you are comfortable with.
For those who cannot attend, the service will be live streamed on
YouTube, meaning you can watch the service at the time, or later
on to suit you. You just go onto YouTube on your device,
search Beckminster and simply tune in.
If you require anything further, please get in touch.
Best wishes.
Sue
Lorimer
Church
Administrator
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Change of date for Representative Synod in
Sept 2023
Please
note that the date of September's Representative Synod has been
put back a week from the 16th to the 9th September 2023.
Please add it to your diary.
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MWiB Job Opportunity
Methodist
Women in Britain are looking for a Finance Officer
to join our exec team as we move forward into the future
We are looking for a Finance Officer to take charge of the
financial processes of Methodist Women in Britain, an independent
registered charity, by administering accounting operations to
meet legal requirements.
You should be familiar with independent examinations, dealing
with invoices and expenses claims and producing regular
accounting reports. You should also have excellent organizational
skills and be able to handle time-sensitive tasks.
This is a voluntary, unpaid position which will require a substantial
time commitment although working hours can be arranged to suit.
Ultimately, you’ll be responsible for the day-to-day management
of our financial transactions and procedures. Finance to acquire
necessary IT equipment for the role and all other necessary
expenses will be reimbursed.
Prior knowledge of MWiB and its relationship with the Methodist
Church is preferable but not essential. The Finance Officer is a
Trustee of the Charity and as such is required to be a member of
the Methodist Church or permitted to hold office in the Methodist
Church.
Interested?
Please email communications.mwib@gmail.com
for a role description and application form
Closing Date for applications: Thursday 9th February
2023
Interviews to be held on Zoom: Thursday 23rd February
2023
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The Strippings of Jesus - Wesley House Public
Lecture
The
Strippings of Jesus: Asking the Right Questions. A FREE public
lecture by Prof. David Tombs at Wesley House Cambridge and
online.
Monday
23 January 2023, 4pm-6pm
All four gospels record that Jesus was stripped of his clothes at
the cross. Mark 15:15-20 and Matthew 27:26-31 attest to an
additional series of strippings as part of the mockery in the
praetorium. Asking the right questions about the strippings can
help churches to think more deeply about the prevalence of sexual
violence both past and present. How are these forced strippings
of Jesus to be understood? What was their purpose at the time?
How might they help churches address the silences and stigmas
around sexual violence in contemporary times? This public lecture
will examine the meaning that stripping a prisoner conveyed in
the ancient world. It draws on the recently published The
Crucifixion of Jesus: Torture, Sexual Abuse, and the Scandal of
the Cross (Routledge, 2023, taylorfrancis.com) to show why this
part of the crucifixion narrative deserves more attention.
Please book below:
The
Strippings of Jesus: Asking the Right Questions Tickets, Mon 23
Jan 2023 at 16:00 | Eventbrite
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#ThereisRoom...Could
you host a Ukrainian person or family in your home?
As Russia’s war in Ukraine evolves, its impact on the people of
Ukraine is being felt in new ways. Attacks on civilian
centres and shutdown of key infrastructure will force many to
flee as winter sets in. Thousands are still hoping to come
to the UK, but suitable hosts are in short supply.
The Methodist Church is partnering with Citizens
UK’s "Communities for
Ukraine" Scheme, which helps community groups to
welcome and support refugees from Ukraine. This means that as a
host, you would have more wraparound support for both you and
your guest(s), being supported every step of the way. Matt
Caeser has joined the Connexional Team to in order to support the
scheme and we’re grateful to our Safeguarding team, Sue and Kay,
for offering the local support which means that potential hosts
from this District can now apply through the scheme.
If this is something you would like to explore, even tentatively,
then please find more information and apply here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/social-justice/methodists-for-ukraine-apply-to-host-a-ukrainian-family/
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Warm Spaces...Write to your MP
The
District team is delighted to have awarded six Warm Spaces grants
of £500 in response to applications from five different Circuits.
The scheme is still open. We're sure that many more
churches are providing a warm welcome to their community in these
icy conditions. However, we do not want Warm Spaces to be
normalised in UK culture in the way that Food Banks are. We
do not want to have to be running a grant scheme next year!
The Joint Public Issues Team has produced resources to help
us prevent this from happening. You can find it here: https://jpit.uk/warmwelcome
You’ll find resources to help you write to your
constituency MP. And if you’re running a Warm Space, why
not invite your MP to come along and talk to those both
supporting and using the space?
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Membership of the Interim Nominations
Committee
As part
of its commitment to new ways of working, The Methodist
Church looks to form an Interim Nominations Committee (INC) that
will bring names to the 2023 Methodist Conference for members of
The Mission Committee, The Ministries Committee, The
Resourcing Committee, The Nominations Committee, and other
senior committees of the church as we go forward. Members of
the INC will need to be aware of the Church’s commitment to
Justice, Dignity and Solidarity, experience in identifying,
interviewing and selecting diverse people for voluntary and/or
paid roles [ordained and lay] in the life of the Church or other
bodies, and able to commit time to meetings between January and
June 2023. To apply:
Please submit a completed Expression of Interest Form.
Closing date: 12 noon, Friday 6 January 2023 Interview date: tbc
Further details and Expression of Interest form available from:
E-mail: soc@methodistchurch.org.uk
Web: www.methodist.org.uk/who-we-are/job-opportunities/
jobs-around-the-connexion
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In Harmony Free Choir Festival
Christian
greetings from the "In Harmony" Free Church Choirs
Committee.
The next biennial Festival of Church Music will be held in
St Albans Cathedral on Saturday 14th October 2023
We are inviting singers, either choirs or individuals to join in
this inspirational occasion. Many denominations will
take part. Local rehearsals will be organised next spring /
summer.
The festival music book will be available from January 2023
from our treasurer, Adrian Prisk via email; aprisk@doctors.org.uk or by
phone; 01908605815
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Last Taboo Courses
The
Learning Network in partnership with MHA is looking
for a couple of circuits to partner with us in offering to
host a workshop:
The Last Taboo: a workshop developed by MHA to promote confidence
in talking about death and dying in a positive and supportive
way.
Death is the only certainty in life and yet we are often quick to
avoid the topic.
This training is an opportunity to discuss best practice in end
of life care, wishes and decision making with others in a
non-judgemental setting.
It is open to all people, whether you are involved in health and
social care or not and would be particularly helpful for those in
pastoral ministry, lay or ordained, paid or volunteer.
If this course offers value to your circuit, and you would like
to discuss hosting please get in touch with Geoff Bond
Email: bondg@methodistcurch.org.uk
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Warm Spaces Grants - updated updated form
Many
churches across the District are preparing to offer Warm Spaces
this winter in response to the cost of living crisis. At
its simplest, being a Warm Space is about simple,
non-stigmatising, neighbourly hospitality. Providing a warm
welcome, a hot drink or bite to eat, a listening ear, and being
ready to help people access further specialist support. Many
churches already run activities which can be adapted to meet the
current need.
We
know that this provision may put strain on church finances.
If your church is stepping forward to respond to a desperate
community need there will
be people who can and want to contribute time, expertise or money
(e.g. you might consider asking your local councillors, members
of regular groups using your building, asking your local food
bank for advice or applying for specific local grants).
But
to help you get started, we are offering grants of £500 to
churches offering a Warm Space this winter.
Qualifying criteria for a Warm Spaces Grant
•
This will be a new activity or an existing activity which has
been specifically adapted to respond to the new circumstances
•
You will have looked at the situation in your local community to
ensure that what you provide is shaped around real need.
For instance, you will know where else “Warm Spaces” are being
provided and will have worked in partnership to ensure that
opening times etc complement one another.
•
Wherever possible you will have worked in partnership,
particularly with other local churches or faith organisations.
If your church is part of a team to provide a Warm Space in a
different building, you may still apply for this grant
•
All necessary risk assessments will be in place before opening
(guidance is available)
•
Sessions will be freely available to those participating
•
They’ll be advertised in ways that make them easy for people who
need them to find out about them
•
They’ll be sustainable through the winter. We are looking
for local provision at least weekly, though this can be shared
with other organisations you’re partnering with.
•
They’ll be non-judgmental, hospitable and open to people of all
faiths and none
•
You’ll be prepared to listen to people’s concerns and to signpost
people to specialist support if needed.
•
The Warm Space initiative will be prayed for regularly by your
congregation.
Please clock on the links below for more information and
application form:
Application
form
Safeguarding
Form
Safeguarding
Guidance
Risk Assessment Proforma
example
Please send completed application forms to: Richard Lockley at admin@wsmethodist.org.uk
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