District News and Events

Stationing 2011
The documents for the Stationing process 2011 are now available here.

Are you considering WORSHIP LEADING?
On Thursday 2nd September from 18:30 to 20:30 in Room 402 at Central Hall, Westminster there will be another Worship Leaders course commencing.

If you believe that you are called to lead worship in the Methodist Church or would like to explore the possibilities of such a calling please speak to your Minister and then join us for the initial session of the second London District Worship Leaders Course. This will be held on the 2nd September at Westminster Central Hall. The full course will take eight weeks and will be run on Thursday evenings in room 402. The following dates will be fixed on the 2nd of September to ensure that they are convenient for participants. To apply email Richard Foyn or call on 07740 828334.

‘GET CONNECTED’ Big Celebration Youth Event
The London District of the Methodist Church is planning a Big Celebration Youth Event for September 11th 2010 titled ‘Get Connected’. The event will take place at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster. We are expecting 1000 young people - some from the Methodist Churches and others who are friends and relatives. For detailed information click here.

Building up to the Celebration Service in the evening, we will be running three interactive workshops on:

Performing Arts & Dance
Gospel choir singing
Praise & Worship music
Learning space “Jesus in the quiet and in the world”.

The workshops will take place from 2pm to 4:30pm in the afternoon at the Central Hall, Westminster. Places on the workshops will have to be limited so young people will have to have signed up for these in advance.

The workshops will feed into the Celebration service of the event in the evening which starts at 6pm and finishes at 8pm. There will be music for the half hour from 5.30 in the hall. The Celebration will include spots by the young people who have participated in the workshops as well as performances by professional Christian artists. It will be a wonderful event. Please come along and encourage other young people you know to attend.

Social Workers Networking
There will be a social workers network evening on the 16th September at 6.30pm at WCH. For more details please contact Revd Sheryl Anderson.

Local Preachers’ Secretaries Day
On Saturday, September 18th 2010 there will be a Local Preachers’ Secretaries day at Westminster Central Hall, Room 402. It will begin at 9.30am for 10am start and finish at 3pm, please bring a packed lunch. Tea and Coffee will be provided.

We are pleased to let you know that we have Mr Doug Swanney Head of Discipleship and Ministries with us again for a follow-up. Amongst other things he will inform us on what was decided at Conference 2010 concerning Local Preacher and Worship Leader training. Last year he explained his role and his vision for LPs and WLs. We are looking forward to having him.

We will try to build an agenda based on your ideas although some time will be spent hearing what your Circuit is doing and how we can learn from each other. So please send us information on topics that you would like to discuss:

This is a day that you requested, we want to see as many LP Secs as possible represented. Can you please let me know asap if you or a substitute will be attending?

Daniella and I are looking forward to seeing you on the 18th.
Please send replies by email to: Mr Geoffrey Goodman, London District Local Preachers’ Secretary. Or to: 427 Prestwick Road, South Oxhey, Herts. WD19 6UL. Tel: 020 8428 6546.

Harvest of gifts! Come, Taste and See!
An event for all the churches by the London District Commissions. On Saturday 16th October 2010 from 9.30am - 4.30pm at Wesley’s Chapel Museum and House (49 City Road, London, EC1Y 1AU). A day to celebrate the gifts of the people of the London District and to equip each other for our mission together. There will be workshops and a plenary session by a District Chair.

The cost will be £10.00 for the day and a buffet lunch is included in price. Please make cheques payable to Methodist London District and send to 1 Central Buildings, Westminster, London SW1H 9NH.

Youth Participation Strategy
A new podcast has been brought out by the Youth Participation Strategy team at Connexional level. To listen click on the link above and see what they have to say!

Ministers who play the Nintendo Wii!
Nintendo is looking for a minister who plays the Nintendo Wii to feature in one of their ads! They are looking for a minister who plays on the Nintendo Wii regularly and is able to talk about it comfortably and genuinely – for example, how the game works, when they play, who with, their favourite thing about the game, etc.

They want to feature real people (as opposed to actors) with interesting jobs and stories for a new series of TV adverts, including a PCSO, an art teacher, a female Rugby team and a minister / vicar. There will be a fee for those who appear in the ad, but they would want to meet willing participants at home before that happens. The TV production company filming the ad, Kream, is keen to meet interested ministers this week or early next week (at the latest). They plan to film the adverts at the end of August / beginning September in London.

If you are interested please get in touch with Karen Burke who is the Media Officer on the Connexional Team as soon as possible if you are interested! Or call on: 020 7467 5208 [direct line] 07969985376 [mobile]

Microphone frequencies
There are changes to frequencies which can be used by wireless microphones from 2012. We have been advised that there is a compensation scheme in operation for those churches which are affected by this.

The Connexion writes as follows:
Ofcom has at last announced the details of a compensation package for users of licensed wireless microphone systems whose equipment may effectively be made redundant following changes to spectrum allocation due to take effect in 2012. This is likely to affect large churches currently using Channel 69, which tend to be those using four or more wireless microphones, or those in dense urban areas which have experienced problems with interference in the use of unlicensed channels. Compensation of up to 55 per cent of the cost of replacement equipment, or modification costs up to the same amount, are likely to be available to such churches if they held a valid Channel 69 licence during 2008. It is, however, vital that such churches register with the scheme administrator between September and December this year, in order to be eligible for the compensation. For more details on how to register, http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/pmse_funding/

Want a potentially life changing challenge?
Basic Caring Communities aims to provide genuine support to ex-prisoners on release from prison. Volunteers give weekly support – both meeting as a group and 1:1 - for an agreed length of time to help the prisoner resettle effectively in the community and not re-offend. Full training is provided. Find out what one volunteer says about being involved on www.prisonadvice.org.uk/baccvolslideshow

If you are someone motivated by your Christian faith, who has time and enjoys working as part of a group please contact BaCC and find out more. To explain exactly what is involved, Taster Mornings are being held on 11th September and 6th November in Vauxhall, London. Call 07976 284 355 or email: Janeth.kempston@prisonadvice.org.uk

Or contact Revd Allison Waterhouse (who is a Methodist minister for a chat) if your church is interested in supporting or working with the prison or ex offenders.

Visitor Services Bookshop
The Bookshop at Methodist Central Hall stocks a wide range of Christian books, resources and souvenirs. This includes Methodist Worship Books, ‘Hymns and Psalms’, ‘Methodist Prayer Handbook’ and diaries, John Wesley’s ‘44 Sermons’ and Wesley family biographies.
Discounts are negotiable for bulk orders. Christian DVDs and hymns and organ music CDs are available.

The bookshop is open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday with a limited service available on Sunday following our 11 o’clock worship service. We are able to offer service outside these hours by appointment. Please contact us for further information. VISITOR SERVICES Tel: 020 7654 3826 Email: visitorservices@c-h-w.co.uk

Methodist Chaplaincy House is a friendly student community with a Christian ethos located in the heart of King’s Cross, in London. We are a home rather than a just a hall of residence and the students who choose to live here do so because they want to be part of a community with a Christian ethos. There are 26 students living in reasonably priced and comfortably equipped self-catering accommodation. Rents for the next academic year will be £355 a month for shared rooms and £429 a month for single rooms. If you would like further information or an application form then please e-mail Ben Olayusi at mchouse@wlm.org.uk or visit our website at www.methodistchaplaincyhouse.org.uk

Christian magazine, Magnet, reaches out to a broader Church
Magnet magazine, which until recently has been published by the Methodist Church, is now published by its own independent charity, Magnet Resources, with the aim of reaching a wider ecumenical audience.

Magnet is known for colourful and thoughtful meditation pages, its seasonal worship resources, insightful and stimulating features, Bible study and prayer focus. It is of value both to individuals in their personal spiritual journeys and to leaders of worship, Bible study and house groups.

The Revd Dr Martyn Atkins, general secretary of the Methodist Church, said, "This is an exciting time for Magnet, and a fantastic opportunity to bring their high-quality material to an even broader audience. We wish them well and look forward to enjoying the magazine as it grows and develops."

You can phone 0844 736 2524 or email Felicity for a free copy or subscribe online.

Methodist Church Children and Youth Team – New Websites Coming Soon – REGISTER NOW!
The Children and Youth Team at Methodist Church House are in the process of building a new website for Children, Family and Youth Workers. The C & Y website will be designed to provide resources and information for anyone involved in Children, Family and/or Youth work. It will also include a network for workers, called ‘The Well’, and this again is open to anyone, whether paid or voluntary.

The holding page of the Children and Youth website now has a live section that will enable you to register your contact details for The Well: www.childrenandyouth.org.uk Please take advantage of this opportunity to network with other workers across the Methodist Church Connexion and do pass the message on to others. We will also use registration details to create a database of Children, Family and Youth Workers, so we can keep abreast of all the good work that is going on.

There will also be postcards available in March with more information about the Well and the main website. Please let Rachel Quinlan know or call on 07929 503937 if you would like to receive these, or if you have any questions.

Foundation Degree in Ministerial Theology at Roehampton University
Roehampton University is pioneering a Foundation Degree (FdA) for people engaged in any form of Christian ministry, including roles such as pastoral assistants, worship leaders, evangelists, youth workers and those engaged in running church or community groups.

Foundation degrees are essentially ‘workplace based’ practical degrees where formal learning is applied to life-skills and experience. The Foundation degree takes two years to complete, and there is the option of continuing for a further year to complete a BTh honours degree. There are no formal entrance requirements and students are not expected to have any academic or theological background, although, where appropriate, those who have already done some church-related study will be welcome.

If there are any in your congregation who you think may benefit from this course, do get them to contact the programme convenor, Andrew Rogers or on 020 8392 8167.

Details about this resource:
An attractively presented report and study guide to help individuals and local groups:

Understand the position of The Methodist Church, The Baptist Union and The United Reformed Church on climate change.
Become aware of the vital connections between climate change and the Christian faith.
Transform lifestyles through studying, praying and acting on the issues.
Inspire others in the community to live in harmony with the whole of Creation.

The study guide offers the full text of the report, and questions to get you thinking, ideas for creative activities, inspirational prayers and worship, help and advice for leaders, and suggestions for group sessions (lasting one or two evenings or even a whole day).

Students studying in Newcastle University
To young people who are planning to come to Newcastle to study, you have the opportunity to find out about what the Methodist Church is doing for students in the city. Stephen Richardson is the international student co-ordinator for the Methodist Church in Newcastle upon Tyne. As part of his role, he also act as an assistant Methodist Chaplain to Newcastle University.

From September 2010, they are launching the Methodist Student Fellowship in Newcastle with the aim of better supporting and encouraging Methodist students in the city through a regular program of prayer, worship and Bible study alongside opportunities for social activities, visits to places of interest and of course help, where needed, with settling into life as a student. We would also want to assist students in finding a Methodist Church near to their residence and support them in becoming part of the church family here.

Contact Details: Stephen Richardson, International Student Co-ordinator, c/o Brunswick Methodist Church, Brunswick Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7BJ, ENGLAND. Tel: +44 (0)7762 440 811
Accommodation for visiting Choir in 2011
Through a link with South Wales the ladies choir of the St Matthew's Congregation of the United Church of Zambia will be visiting the UK in October 2011. The Rev. John Atkinson, a Methodist minister in Dinas Powys is keen to hear from any circuit who would be happy to host the choir between 13th and 18th October. The Choir has about 30 members who would like to stay in home and are willing to share rooms. They are very open to exploring the possibilities of making this an exchange with a circuit. If you are able to help or wish to explore this possibility then please contact the Rev. John Atkinson