|
New this week:
Sad news concerning Yvonne Gough
Looking Ahead: to the WM District
Action for Children News
Prayer and Care news
Rewarding Voluntary Work Opportunity
In case you
missed it:
Stationing Briefing - save the date!
Wholehearted Monthly Mission Series launches
Ecumenical Links
Easter Pilgrimage 2025
Hymnbooks for Africa
Greenhouse retreats
Advanced Safeguarding Training update
New District Website - reminder
Safeguarding Officer Post
District Children's Activities Fund
Methodist Conference - Telford
Dial-a-prayer
free phone line to hear prayers : 0808 281 2514 Methodist News :
0808 281 2478
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sad
news concerning Yvonne Gough
It is with great sadness that we bring news of the death of
Yvonne Gough, of the Hidden River Circuit, after a short illness.
Yvonne was involved in the life of the District in a number
of ways over the years, but is best known for her passionate
commitment to the District's relationship with the Free Methodist
Church in Rwanda.
This means that Yvonne will be greatly missed in Rwanda as well
as in the UK. It brings a measure of comfort that her death
coincides with the planned trip of a District delegation to
Rwanda. We will be able to share both in mourning and
celebration with Methodist friends overseas even as Yvonne’s
family and friends do the same at home.
The photograph is of Yvonne with her friend Marianne, a member of
the Methodist church on the Shara Peninsula with which St John’s,
Bloxwich is twinned.
|
|
|
Looking
Ahead: to the West Midlands District
Wednesday
19th February 9:30-10am
You are warmly invited to the next of our monthly 30 minute zoom
sessions preparing for the new West Midlands District. There will
be an opportunity to discover more, ask any questions you have,
and pray together.
Get the zoom link by signing up here.
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/inh05Sz_TcWo2ctwXyFPpw
If you would like to ask a question email it to info@wmmethodists.org.uk
Don’t forget to sign-up to the mailing list at www.wmmethodists.org.uk
|
|
|
Action
for Children news
|
|
Your
February District News from Action for Children
Dear friends,
I'd like to thank you for all of your support
last year and wish you a belated Happy New Year!
I hope you are settling in well to 2025 so
far. Please find your first newsletter of
the year below.
|
|
News
and upcoming events
Count Your Blessings through Lent
Lent is only a few weeks away. We know some of
you are keen to take part in Count your
Blessings, daily reflections and short stories
about our work with opportunities to make small
donations during Lent.
The 2025 leaflet, newsletter and contact sheet
are now available to download from our website.
Just go to this page: actionforchildren.uk/faithFR -
and scroll to the "Count Your
Blessings" section.
Stephenson Awards - nominate a shining
star
Our annual Stephenson Awards are back and the
deadline for nomination is this
Friday, 14th February. The Stephenson
Awards celebrate the shining stars in the Action
for Children family.
Do you know an Action for Children supporter or
staff member who deserves recognition for
exemplary service to the charity? Then, nominate
them for a Stephenson Award and let us celebrate
the shining stars in the Action for Children
family.
More information and details on how to nominate
someone can be
found on our website.
Please
also share this poster with your churches.
Faith Space - 12th March
We're looking forward to our first Faith Space
event of 2025, which will be held from 2:30 -
3:30pm on 12th March.
The government’s forthcoming Child Poverty
Strategy is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to
transform child poverty in the UK. Alice Woudhuysen,
Head of Campaigns & Public Affairs at Action
for Children, will give you a sneak preview of
the charity’s new campaign - which aims to
influence the strategy - ahead of our campaign
launch on 19th March.
There will be other guest speakers too!
Sign up
to future Faith Space events here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rewarding
Voluntary Work Opportunity
Ablewell
Advice Walsall, the mission outreach project
of Walsall Methodist Central Hall, is looking for a volunteer to
help with administration for the management team.
The project has been running for over twelve years under the
trusteeship of the Church Council. At the council’s request the
management team is working to transfer Ablewell Advice into a
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).
We provide a Foodbank as part of Black Country Foodbank, and a
free to use Benefit and Debt advice service to anyone in living
in the Walsall area.
We are looking for a volunteer to provide administrative support
to the Management Team. You will work closely with the Chair of
the Team, preparing Agendas and taking minutes of the meetings.
Additional responsibilities may develop in line with the
successful candidate’s skills, abilities, level of interest and
enthusiasm to take on more as they feel able.
To discuss or to apply for the role, please email Andrew Beattie
at abb4aac@gmail.com, or phone 07
967 975 861.
|
|
|
Stationing
Briefing 25/26: Save the Dates
The West
Midlands District preparation and training meeting to outline the
stationing process will be held online on 1st May at 7pm.
In Circuits where invitations come to an end in 2026, those
expected to attend are presbyters, deacons, Superintendents
and Circuit and Church Stewards who will be involved in
the process. Spouses/partners or other supporting people are
warmly invited to attend the briefing
alongside ministers.
There will be a follow-up online session on 13th May at
7pm for those who engaging with the
processes of re-invitations. Recognising that this can
be a complex process, this session will go into more details
around the protocols and will give greater space of
questions to be aired.
|
|
|
'Wholehearted
Monthly' Mission Series Launches
The Methodist Church is thrilled to announce the launch of
wholehearted monthly, a free, online mission series starting in
March on the second Tuesday of each month, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
GMT/BST. People from all traditions and countries are welcome.
What
is wholehearted monthly? Think community
organising rally meets immersive spiritual laboratory. It's
for anyone committed to a vibrant friendship between
"Church" and "World" — and a desire for
both to flourish. Each month, testimony from local innovators,
input from a renowned guest speaker, and wisdom-sharing in
networks around Gospel justice, inclusion, evangelism, and
growth.
Speakers for the first three gatherings are now public!
Nadia
Bolz-Weber is a best-selling author, public
theologian and pastor, and is the founder and church planter of
House for All Sinners and Saints. (Tuesday 11 March)
Rowan
Williams is a theologian, poet and former
Archbishop of Canterbury, and is author of fifty books on
literature, politics, and being Christian. (Tuesday 8 April)
Chine
McDonald is a writer, broadcaster and
author, and is Director of Theos, the religion and society think
tank. (Tuesday
13 May)
Get your seat at the online table here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wholehearted-monthly-tickets-1082365166349?aff=evangelismgrowth
Hosted by The Methodist Church in Britain and open to all.
|
|
|
Ecumenical
Links
The
following two websites act as a basic portal to the ecumenical
world, each carrying a few articles of interest and links to
Churches and groups and the two Facebook pages carry news of
people and events locally, regionally and nationally and are
updated at least once per day.
‘Churches Linked Across Staffordshire and the Potteries’ website
(Link HERE) and Facebook
page (Link HERE)
The ‘Black Country Churches Engaged’ website (Link HERE) and Facebook
page (Link HERE)
|
|
|
Easter
Pilgrimage 2025: 21st - 26th April
People linked to either the Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury or
Birmingham District are invited to join a “pilgrim community” of
up to 12 people this Easter week on a route in the beautiful
South Shropshire countryside, gathering at Ludlow on the evening
of Easter Monday and finishing at Church Stretton the following
Saturday. It is possible to get to both the start and the
finish by train. During this six day experience, we will
walk, pray and eat together and share sleeping space in a number
of Methodist Churches. Luggage (including your airbed /
camp-bed and bedding) will be transferred each day. Mileage
will be around 7 to 11 miles, taken at a gentle pace on rural
routes that may include stiles. We share cooking within the
group.
This is now a “tried and tested” formula which has been greatly
appreciated by previous pilgrims. Being willing to be part
of a short-term community is far more important than being
super-fit, providing you can manage a modest amount of walking
over a number of consecutive days, followed by nights on a church
floor! The pilgrimage will be led by a small team of
previous pilgrims, including Rachel Parkinson, Chair of
Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury District.
If means allow, we suggest a contribution of £120 to the kitty to
cover food, accommodation and luggage transfer.
Unfortunately, the living arrangements mean we cannot
include children and young people, though they will be welcome to
join us as accompanied day walkers (details later).
Numbers are strictly limited so if you are interested in joining
the group this year, please don’t delay - contact Richard Lockley
in the W&S District Office: admin@wsmethodist.org.uk
|
|
|
Special
request for Hymnbooks for Africa
Special
request from the Music Association of the Methodist
Church in Southern Africa
Do any British Churches have any old Methodist Hymnbooks hanging
around that aren’t being used, especially music copies with
music or tonic salfa annotation? The tunes in these hymnbooks are
still widely used in Southern Africa and copies would be
much appreciated.
If anyone can help, please contact Andrew Ashdown, Partnership
Coordinator for Africa. E-Mail: ashdowna@methodistchurch.org.uk
|
|
|
The
Greenhouse at Barnes Close Retreats
This year the Greenhouse at Barnes Close are running six
residential retreats - three led Encounter retreats (Lent,
Psalms, Advent) and three Time & Space retreats (which
are just that).. For further details all the info is here https://greenhouseatbarnesclose.org.uk/events/ including
details about our Lent retreat in March.
|
|
|
Advanced
Safeguarding Courses - update
If your circuit requires a course please let me
know -
29/3/25
– Carrs Lane Birmingham 0945hrs registration
05/04/25
– New Road Methodist Church DY4 7DE. – 0945hrs
registration
04/10/25
– Brierley Hill MC Vale of Stour 0945hrs registration
Also
for online courses use this link – its uploaded with new options
regularly – if someone requires on line option can they please
email me so I can create an account with MCBX as there is pre
course work with this option -
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/nottingham-and-derby-methodist-district-32226456073
Online courses –
24/3/25 – 10am x 12pm
24/3/25 – 7pm x 9pm
12/6/25 – 10am x 12pm
12/6/25 – 7pm x 9pm
With on line options there is a requirement to complete the pre
course work via MCBX so anyone wishing to choose online course
need to email myself, Stephanie Bradley at StephanieBradley@birminghammethodist.org.uk so
I can create an account with MCBX as there is a requirement
to complete pre course work on MCBX – some people are just
attending the course without completing the MCBX work. The online
option is far more time consuming than face to face and the
feedback I receive is that the MCBX work is repeated at the on
line session – just for people to consider.
|
|
|
New
District Website and Socials launched
If you are looking for updates and news of the progress of the
District merger, the launch of the new website and socials
has now taken place so please click the link below to sign up for
news regarding the new West Midlands District so you don't miss a
thing!
https://www.wmmethodists.org.uk/
|
|
|
Safeguarding
Officer needed
The Methodist Church
Telford Circuit
CIRCUIT SAFEGUARDING OFFICER
Home -based
12 Hours per Week
£7488 (Actual Salary)
We seek a person with ability to lead and instruct on all aspects
around Safeguarding at a Circuit Level and to support local
churches in exercising their Safeguarding responsibilities.
The post is to commence as soon as possible.
Applications will be dealt with as they are received until we
find the right person for the role.
For a full application pack
please contact the Circuit Administrator
email: circuitsupport@telfordmeth.org.uk
Telephone: 01952 505108
|
|
|
District
Children's Activities Fund
If
your Church is looking to run Children's activities and
want some hep with funding, (up to £500)don't forget to apply to
the District Children's Activities Fund using the application
form linked to this and forward to Tim Lorimer at childrensfunding2024@gmail.com
|
|
|
Methodist
Conference 2025 - Telford
Taking place @ Telford
International Centre
26th
June – 2nd July 2025
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED
An
exciting opportunity to support
The METHODIST
Conference
Conference Needs
Stewards/Help
Desk
Collators
and paper distributors
Creche
Memorial
Service Chaplains
Please
make initial contact with YOUR District’s PA
Wolverhampton
& Shrewsbury admin@wsmethodist.org.uk
Birmingham
office@birminghammethodist.org.uk
Chester
and Stoke chester.stoke@btconnect.com
Be
part of the team that makes The Methodist Conference work!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
