News
Our News page has details of future events in the District, Circuits, churches and wider community that may be of interest to you. It also contains reports of recent events and past newsletters, situations vacant and other helpful information, together with the current District news.
If you have events to be publicised on this page please email details to us.
Press Release from the co-presidents of Churches Together in England for ‘A Time For God’s Creation’.
The keynote address to Synod by the Rev David Deeks is now available in our 2008 news items.
Situations vacant page now updated with new jobsBible Day in the Global City – see District Events page for more details. (can you please hyperlink Bible Day Flyer in the same way as other Paul’s training events)
New dates have been added to the Diary page
New Training Events have been added to the District Events page
“to see ourselves as others see us”
So here we are! After a number of deferrals and false starts, our Website is now operational. The aim is that it will continue to develop, and we would welcome your views on ways in which it can be made even more useful.
Through the Website, we will be able to communicate more easily with members, but we will also be providing a window through which others can look into the London Methodist District. Now there’s a sobering thought!
We have all probably heard quoted at some time, the lines from Robert Burns’ poem “To a Louse”: O would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us.” It can be quite a challenge for us as churches to really “see ourselves as others see us.”
Travelling round the District, we are impressed by the faithful service offered by members, which makes possible the continuing ministry and mission of the 247 churches that are part of the District. But we cannot help noticing sometimes, how easy it is for churches to get into habits and routines that do not fit in with their ‘mission statements’ and declared purposes:
- Sometimes it is in the details that we overlook, perhaps because of the pressure of meeting deadlines;
- At other times it is in the assumptions we make about the daily lives of members, or about how people who are not regularly part of our congregations may want to be treated;
- More fundamentally, it can be through a loss of vision and of a sense of what really matters.
Of course, “to see ourselves as others see us” is not the end of the story. It is only when Christ looks at our churches and recognises himself in their activities and the inter-relationships of members with one another and with their communities that we can be at peace.
How ready are we to be looked at with fresh eyes and to adapt our practices in order that we might be able to fulfil our calling?
The District Chairs
'Windrush Sunday, 22nd June 2008'
To help you celebrate the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush, you can find information and
resources on www.cte.org.uk Follow the links for 'Events', 'Windrush Anniversary', 'Things to do and resources'. Amongst a number of very helpful ARTICLES on the page is one by Rev. Dr. Claire Potter of the Wandle Valley Circuit.
Circuit Stewards
Circuit Steward is one of the key roles in Methodism. In the next couple of months people in the Circuits will begin to consider who might be open to take on that role for the coming Connexional year. Those already serving as Circuit Stewards will be wondering about continuing for another year.
A measure of the importance of the role is that the District provides two training opportunities for Circuit Stewards every year – one for introduction to the role and the second for briefing about stationing. On a separate occasion, all Circuit Stewards are invited to meet with the Chairs to discuss matters of common concern.
There is no doubt that there are heavy responsibilities involved, but as ever with service in the church, the experience can be profoundly enriching. In the preparation of a new pack for Circuit Stewards in the London District, one senior Steward was invited to share his experience. This is what he wrote:
As a Circuit Steward - a role to which I believe I was called, I was rewarded richly through:
- engaging, sharing and fellowship with others (both lay and ordained), collectively and individually, in the Circuit Leadership team and churches of the Circuit and also at District meetings and events;
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exercising my God given gifts and talents, many of which I had not
previously recognised (specifically in relation to support of our
Ministers) - gaining a far wider perspective and appreciation of the relevance and importance of Methodism and its structures, beyond the local church;
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being challenged to think of creative and innovative ideas and ways to address the issues faced particularly by Methodism, but also the wider Church, in the 21st century, and encouraging and working with others to bring these about.
Click here for more information about ‘Becoming a Circuit Steward’ on 25th June, 2008.
Challenge to the District
At our Autumn Synod in 2007, as a District we accepted this challenge:Over the next two years:
- To recruit and train 20 Local Preachers under 20 years old
- To recruit and train 20 Local Preachers under 40 years old
- To encourage every Circuit to recruit and train 10 Worship Leaders
The Worship Task Group has been set up to provide resources to meet this challenge and support for Connexional training for Local Preachers and Worship Leaders. Click here to find their first report.
Birkbeck College
Short courses in theology and religious studies for 2008/9 More details
Street Pastors
At the February residential meeting of the District Superintendents, Rev. Les Isaac gave an inspiring and challenging insight into the work of the 'Street Pastors'. To find out more - www.streetpastors.org.uk
District Report
The 2008 District Report is available to download
Stories from the Circuits
Kingsdown Methodist Church - Ealing Trinity Circuit
The hoardings have gone; the barriers have been removed. The local community has been invited to look around and make use of the work Kingsdown Methodist Church has done to create a dramatic new space at the front of their building.
Harold Blackburn & Associates Ltd. have organized the redevelopment whilst members have worked hard with fundraising. Ealing Trinity Circuit has been amongst the generous donors. There is more work to do to renew other parts of our building, but all the church activities are continuing as usual and with exciting new space at the front even more will be able to happen.Rev Dr Stuart Jordan, Co-Chair of the London District, visited the church shortly after the new entrance had been opened on 30th March. He toured the new areas, spoke with the young people and with the congregation about the challenges and possibilities before us and across the London District.
Rev Roger Dunlop
Previous stories are available here
This page was last updated on 11 June 2008
