District
Chair's Lent Pilgrimage Walks
On Fridays in Lent, the District Chair will be making pilgrimage
prayer walks in the Circuits. This Friday (7th March)
Rachel will walk through the Gornal & Sedgley, Dudley and
Netherton and Black Country Circuits, stopping to pray at St
James, Pensnett; Himley Road; Zoar; Five Ways; Upper Gornal;
Central, Dudley; Tipton Green; New Road; Lea Brook and Central
Wednesbury.
If you have any prayers that you would like her to carry on the
pilgrimage, please contact Rachel by email - chair@wsmethodist.org.uk
The Lent pilgrimage on Friday 14th will be in the Stafford and
Cannock Chase Circuits.
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Soul
Food: Spiritual Nourishment through Lent
This year’s Connexional resource for Lent can be found here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/soul-food/
There are many ways for individuals and churches to
engage.
There is a link on the site to a hospitality initiative called “Susanna’s Table”
originating in Yorkshire West District. This offers an
invitation for groups of Methodists to gather around a table in
their own context, creating a place of Encounter, Fellowship and
Learning. The hope is that Susanna’s tables will gather in
homes, town centres, outside village halls, in churches, coffee
shops, work places and other contexts, with small grants being
available to facilitate this.
We hope to pick up on this initiative in this District, with
churches doing the planning in Lent so that the tables can gather
between Easter and Pentecost. We hope small grants will be
available on much the same basis as those on offer for Advent and
Christmas. Watch this space for more news next week!
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Bonhoeffer:
Pastor. Spy. Assassin - a must - see film at Cinemas
now!
Editor: I went to see a preview of this film and would highly
recommend it. It speaks of courage and faith in dark times and is
very apt for these times of turmoil.
Bonhoeffer 12A
is showing at
Dudley Showcase cinema
Castlegate Way DY1 4TA
on
Friday
7th - Thurs. 13th March:
7.30pm on Fri.;
4.30pm on Sun.;
4.30pm & 7.30pm on Mon. - Thurs.
*** Try to attend the Fri. or Sun. perf.s if
possible **
also at:
Cineworld,
Bentley Bridge Wolverhampton
Vue
Birmingham Star City
Omniplex
Birmingham
See
cinema websites from next Thurs. 6th March
For details, trailer and to book go to:
bonhoefferfilm.com
"An
inspiring, faith-filled story...Bonhoeffer's courage remains as
provocative and powerful as ever"
- Nathanael
Smith,
Premier
Christianity magazine
"Some
of the words spoken in the film have such an unnerving and
uncomfortable contemporary relevance that I hear gasps in the
cinema. 'Bonhoeffer' speaks with extraordinary clarity to a
time when an ugly nationalism seems once more to be on the rise
across the world"
- J. John
I hope the film goes really well in the Birmingham area.
With many thanks.
Every blessing
David Taylor
Christian films at my Cinema
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Margaret
Brownlow Funeral details
Margaret
Brownlow died in Wellesley House, Wolverhampton on 31st January,
aged 90. She was well-known in many areas of church life across
the Circuit and District; she was a stalwart of the District MWiB
Committee, and served as its President in 1995/6.
Her funeral service will be on Wednesday 12th March at Springdale
Methodist Church, Warstones Road, Wolverhampton, WV4 4LE at
10.15. Then at Gornal Wood Crematorium, Chase Road, DY3 2LR at
11.40, returning to Springdale for refreshments.
Many thanks
Wendy Gould
President, Wolverhampton Circuit MWiB
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WM
Synod are looking for a Synod Secretary and Deputy Chair
As we
continue to grow as the West Midlands Methodist District, new
roles and volunteer opportunities will start to be released
throughout March—beginning with senior roles.
Expressions of Interest are invited for the
role of:
Synod
Secretary
This is a voluntary role open to lay and ordained Methodists
living in the West Midlands District.
You will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team of the
District and a District Trustee with particular responsibility
for organising the twice a year Representative Synod meetings.
You will need to:
- be able to think
creatively and strategically and work collaboratively
and
have
- a proven
commitment to Justice Dignity & Solidarity,
- good
administrative and organisation skills,
- knowledge and
experience of several church settings,
- a good
understanding of charity governance particularly in a
Methodist Church context.
The
appointment is for 3 years with the possibility of extension for
a further 3 years.
Click here
for a full role description.
Deputy
Chair
You will be the named Deputy for the District Chair, a District
Trustee and member of the District’s Senior Leadership Team and
take responsibility for an area(s) of District life as agreed
with the Chair
2-3 sessions a week in agreement with your circuit
Remuneration: pro-rata stipend plus appropriate allowance
You will need to be
• a Methodist presbyter in the ‘active’ work
• a reflective practitioner who models discipleship development
and the importance of self-care
• able to think creatively and strategically and work
collaboratively
• able to initiate and manage change effectively and sensitively
and have a proven commitment to JDS,
• the ability to motivate and inspire others
• pastoral and conflict management skills
For a conversation about the role please contact Novette Headley
or Rachel Parkinson or for more information and a role
description email: info@wmmethodists.org.uk
Click here
for a full role description and a Voluntary Application form.
 Interested
in getting involved?
 Keep an eye on
our website for new listings.
We’ll also share
updates right here on social media.
Not sure what
role suits you? We’re here to help! You can arrange a 1:1 chat
with a member of our team to explore the best fit for your skills
and passions.
 To book a
1:1, email info@wmmethodists.org.uk,
and we’ll connect you with someone from our team.
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District
Delegation Returns from Rwanda
(Photo: just some of the 400 children enjoy games with the
parachute donated by Wombourne MC)
The team returned from Rwanda on Sunday, with hearts full of
gratitude for the people they met and the stories they were able
to share.
The later part of the week saw the team visit a number of schools
run by the Free Methodist Church where children who support a
range of football teams from Arsenal to Tottenham Hotspur were
delighted to receive footballs donated by the Cannock Chase
Circuit. Footballs are a luxury in Rwanda - the ones
in the Supermarket cost more than £25 each!
The final day included a two hour activity session for children
attached to the church at Gikondo. Plans had been made for
60 children. The expectation was then raised to 150-200. 400
turned up! It was riotous but wonderful - with singing,
storytelling and sports.
The team will be making a presentation to Synod, but if you would
like to hear more in your church or Circuit, please contact the
District Office.
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Synod
Diary Date Reminders
The
Presbyteral Session of Synod will meet on 27th March at
Wellington Methodist Church.
The Representative Session of Synod will meet on Saturday 10th
May in person at a venue to be confirmed.
Both Synods will be in Session from 10am till roughly 3pm, with
refreshments from 9.30am and at the close
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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.
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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.
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'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.
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Advanced
Safeguarding Courses - update
If your circuit requires a course please let me
know -
29/3/25
– Carrs Lane Birmingham 0945hrs registration 0945hrs
05/04/25
– New Road MC – The Black Country Circuit – DY4 7DE-
0945hrs registration – was LEABROOK but location has had to
be changed
12/04/25
– Beckminster MC - Wolverhampton Circuit – 0945hrs registration
14/06/25
– Central Hall - Coventry Circuit – 0945hrs registration
31/5/25
– Sutton Park Circuit – Four Oaks Methodist Church – 0945hrs
registration
21/06/25
– Studley MC – B80 7NJ – Bromsgrove Circuit 0945hrs registration
05/07/25
– Selly Oak MC Bham – 0945hrs registration
12/07/25
– Blackheath & Halesowen Circuit - Blackheath Central
Methodist church, High street Rowley Regis B65 0EH
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 – please bear in mind there is pre
work for online course via MCBX
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.
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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/
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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
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