Contemporary Worship at Brimington
Since I mis-read the notice last time (I hope you all went to the right place) I’ll repeat the notice correctly now - Friday evenings see two new monthly initiatives at Brimington on the fourth Friday each month at 6.00 pm when the circuit lay worker Nel Shallow hosts a Youth Church/Youth Club called 44 – it lasts for 44 minutes! And the youngsters (aged 10 plus) will share a time of friendship, games, music and a tuck shop - all with a Christian base.
Then, at 7.00 pm Mark joins Nel to lead contemporary worship using many different aids and styles of presentation of the Christian Gospel. The flyers call it an “experience” and everyone is welcome to join in with the experience at Hall Road church.
more News from Brimington
We thank God that we have been able to share our joy with others during the Christmas period. We packed 45 shoe boxes for the Samaritans Purse organisation, and also joined in an 'Ecumenical Carol Singing' at Tesco's which raised over £116 for the same organisation. We also, for the first time, joined the 'Alternative Christmas Cards' scheme - instead of sending cards to our Church friends we donated the money to World Vision, who have a catalogue of gifts to choose from. Our initial target was £95, which would buy a flock of goats for a family in East Africa, but we managed to collect £290 which also bought a farmyard (10 rabbits, 5 chickens and 2 pigs), 100 tree saplings to help reforest an area in Bangladesh, and two piglets for a family in South East Asia, (plus pig rearing skills!)
The Alternative Christmas Card scheme certainly caught people's imagination - how about this idea for you Church next year (if you don't already do it!)?
Circuit prayer meetings
The format of the circuit prayer meetings is to be changed. They will meet monthly on the first Friday of each month starting after the present rota finishes. The first meeting will therefore be on Friday 4 March. It would be helpful if volunteers from each church would be willing to act as leaders. Details of the new rota will be available as soon as arrangements have been completed.
Peter and Michael
Staveley collection for “shelter”…
The offerings taken for Shelter at the Candlelit Christmas Eve service totalled
£93 which along with money from the Benevolence Fund meant that £150 was passed over to Shelter. Thank you to all who contributed and to Gillian and
Eric for leading our worship.
Geoff Thompson
...AND CIRCUIT COLLECTIONS FOR THE TSUNAMI APPEAL
Many collections have been taken for the Asian Tsunami appeal, and those
sent to MRDF via the circuit treasurer amounted to £3593.66. Thanks to all
who contributed.
LOOK OUT FOR MOMENTUM...
Do you want to know more about what's going on in Methodism today? Would you like to know how other congregations are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the Church - and succeeding? Or how the Methodist Church and its partner organisations are responding to global issues like poverty and trade justice?
The Methodist Church and its related Methodist partners in Britain have produced a free pilot publication, Momentum, for people who worship in our churches, support our charitable work or simply want to know about us. Copies have been sent out via Connexional Link contacts to every Methodist church in the country. If you want to see a copy why not ask them...
In this 20-page pilot issue you'll find out how:
* the Methodist Church is working with others to support victims of the earthquake disaster and tackling some of the root causes of global poverty
* a congregation that's left its church building is still managing to thrive, spiritually and socially
* NCH is supporting unaccompanied children who arrive in Britain every year, seeking asylum
* a Circuit in the South East is preparing to welcome thousands of newcomers over the next few years.
Six Methodist partners have worked together to produce Momentum: the Connexional Team, Local Preachers Mutual Aid Association (LPMA), MHA Care Group, Methodist Publishing House (MPH), Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF) and NCH.
Some readers, representing a random cross-section, will receive a short questionnaire about Momentum to complete. If you don't receive one, but would still like to give us your opinion, we'd like to hear from you. You can complete and return the questionnaire on line at http://www.methodist.org.uk/static/forms/momentum.htm.
THE YEAR OF PRAYER.
The Methodist Church is encouraging churches and individuals to focus on prayer over the coming months.
'Pray Without Ceasing' is an initiative of the Church's young people, who have called on the whole church to promote a year of non-stop prayer.
The aims of 'Pray Without Ceasing' are
* To encourage continuous prayer
* To affirm prayer that is already happening
* To open new channels of prayer and encourage people to try out new approaches to prayer
* To be inclusive – of age, gender, culture, theology...etc
* To have a clear link to the Priorities of The Methodist Church
A programme of continuous prayer will be launched at the Methodist Conference at the end of June 2005 and run until the end of August 2006.
Methodist Districts (33 in Great Britain) are being encouraged to organise continuous prayer events for a week or fortnight within that 14-month period. As well as this Prayer-Rota, we hope that people will organise local prayer events all year.
Resources will be available from June 2005 for those who want to be inspired to pray – perhaps in new ways, perhaps more frequently, perhaps for the very first time. A web site http://www.praywithoutceasing.org.uk will be developed over the coming months, to include:
* Information about events and conferences that you can get involved with
* News of events that have taken place
* Prayer for the Week
* Ideas for ways of praying
* Links to sites that offer resources for prayer and ideas for '24/7 style' prayer events
TRIP TO THE HOLY LAND
I have been asked to advertise a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to be undertaken
in April/May 2006, and organised by Thrum Hall Methodist Church, Rochdale.
They make regular visits and invite anyone who would like to join them to
contact Les Fletcher 01706 656776. There are photographs of previous visits
on the web at www.overfield-pilgrimages.co.uk
EVANGELISM - 'MARKET'ING
From Darwen, Lancs
Since last summer, we've had a stall in the local market - unattended, but covered in a range of posters and leaflets, changed and replenished regularly: it's all free. Just before Christmas the whole lot, worth 120 pounds, disappeared one Saturday. We suspected the worst! But we discovered from market staff that 2 boys had worked all day handing out the leaflets to shoppers and telling them God had a message for them. We still don't know who the 11-year-olds were, but how terrific!
and from the derbyshire times…
MR AND MRS H. MASON
Teenage sweet-hearts who tied the knot on Valentine's Day have celebrated 65 years of marriage. Musical duo Hedley and Evelyn Mason met while playing in a children's band at Duckmanton. And they went on to walk down the aisle at Bolsover Trinity Methodist Church on the most romantic day of the year.
Mr Mason (87) worked in the National Coal Board offices at Wingerworth while his wife (also 87) was a music teacher at New Bolsover Junior School.
The couple, of Meadow Hill Road, Hasland, have continued their love of music as choir members and Mr Mason plays the pipe organ at Hasland Methodist Church. They are both active churchgoers and regularly attend Duckmanton Methodist Church. Mr and Mrs Mason have a son, lan, a daughter, Marion, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
We add our own congratulations to Hedley and Evelyn on their celebrations, and wish them every blessing for the future.
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday Meetings in the circuit
Maundy Thursday:
Staveley: 7.00 pm, Clowne: 7.30 pm, Brimington: 8.00 pm.
Bolsover: 7.00 pm – A “Passover Meal” – prior booking essential – please
contact Revd Gillian Robertson for details
Good Friday:
Staveley: 10.00 am – leader Miss Gwen Cushing, Witness in the Market
Square at 1.00 pm.
Bolsover: 10.30 am – Ecumenical meeting with Hillstown and Parish Church followed by a procession to the Parish Church
Clowne: 10.45 am – Walk of Witness from Salvation Army to Co-op (outdoor meeting at 11.00 am led by Revd Geoff Fisher)
Inkersall: 11.00 am – leader Revd Mark Coles.
Brimington: 12 noon – United Witness on the Green
Duckmanton: 7.00 pm – The circuit is invited to a Service of Light and
Darkness
Circuit DIARY
Meetings and Other Church Events for the forthcoming months.
To have your meeting/event included in this listing – Please leave a message at the circuit office – 01246 470859. (I would rather hear the same message many times than miss it because everyone leaves it to someone else! - David)
March 2005
4 Circuit Prayer Meeting 7.30 pm Staveley
9 General Purposes Committee 7.30 pm Bolsover
14 Local Preachers Meeting 7.30 pm Brimington Common
16 Circuit Meeting 7.30 pm Inkersall
19 Men’s Fellowship Breakfast 8.30 am Staveley
20 Men’s Fellowship Sunday 10.30 am Staveley
21 Deadline for material to be included in next newsletter
25 “44” and Ascent from 6.00 pm Brimington
April 2005
1 Circuit Prayer Meeting 7.30 pm Inkersall
6/7 Network Quiet Days at Whirlow Grange and Bawtry Hall
16 Men’s Fellowship Breakfast 8.30 am Staveley
18 Deadline for material to be included in next newsletter
22 “44” and Ascent from 6.00 pm Brimington Common