Our Vision

Is to Aspire … to Inspire… a Desire… in JESUS!

The Newsletter of the Bolsover and Staveley Circuit

July 2005                                  No 48

NEW CHAIR OF DISTRICT
By now, I think everyone will be aware that David Halstead is sitting down (retiring) as district chairman at the end of August.  His successor is Revd Vernon Marsh – currently superintendant in Rotherham – and we all wish him every success and hapiness in his new role.  Vernon’s welcome service will be held on 31 August at 7.30 pm at Victoria Hall in Sheffield.  If anyone is planning to go to this service please contact the office beforehand – they would like to know approximate numbers for logistical purposes at the Victoria Hall.

Keep On keeping on
One thing common in working with Children and Young People in the church is that it is very much a work of ups and downs, highs and lows – sometimes seemingly too many lows, then suddendly a child will respond, and we realize of course that it is all worth while.
Into our Mount Tabor Church at New Brimington, a few months ago, walked a young family, - mum, dad and toddler.  Fortunately, our door steward was alert enough to recognise dad – he used to come to Sunday School.  When Russell left the area he went off to university, and walking down a road near the campus he was singing one of the Sunday School choruses to himself.  A girl student on the other side of the road heard the singing, went up to Russell, and said “I know that one” and so they got talking.  That was how they got together, and here they were some years later, a young Christian family, usually found at worship in their new home town but today visiting mum in Newbold and seeking out the place that Russell remembered with so much affection, and more importantly, the place where he had received love and Christian teaching in his early years.
Don’t get disheartened, remember that you never know when that seed has been sown.  It might be something you have said, or maybe just in the way you were with your group.  Or it might have been just one of those difficult times when your group seemed not even to be listening – and you thought you were banging your head against a brick wall – and you weren’t even aware that God was at work – and working for teacher as well as pupil.

“Pray Without Ceasing”
A 14-month “Pray Without Ceasing” programme will be launched at this year’s Methodist Conference in June and will end on I September 2006.
The 33 Methodist Districts will each take a one- or two-week period, during which the churches in the District will between them maintain continuous prayer. The aims of the programme are:
    ·       to celebrate prayer as a gift from God;
    ·       to affirm prayer that is already happening; and
    ·       to resource prayer by providing ideas and inspiration to help people pray in ways that are new to them.
Another key feature is that the prayer will be both diverse and inclusive, spanning age, gender, culture and theology.
The Rev Michaela Youngson, Methodist Secretary for Pastoral Care and Spirituality, says, “Prayer is at the heart of the Christian experience. The Christian ideal is to be in relationship with God - relationships thrive through mutual communication and it is in prayer that we can express our love for God and create space to listen to God’s word to us.”
“Continuous prayer is not a Methodist invention and we celebrate the prayers of all Christians worldwide,” says Michaela. “The Priorities of the Methodist Church urge us to take seriously the need for God centred worship and prayer. We have a rich tradition of liturgical and free prayer in which we express our devotion to God and bring before God the concerns of our churches and communities. This year the Methodist Church is committed to the Make Poverty History campaign and this is one reminder of our calling to pray for the needs of the world in which we live.”
The idea was inspired by the non-denominational 24-7 Prayer movement, which encourages churches to pray for 24 hours a day for seven days. A number of Methodist churches have already done 24-7 weeks and many more will try this form of prayer as one of the ways of joining in the Methodist Pray Without Ceasing initiative.
The programme is supported by a website http://www.praywithoutceasing.org.uk and more resources will be launched at the start of the programme.
Our own District’s specific “slot” is not until May 26th to June 9th 2006, so there is plenty of time for us to all get planning with the help of Susanna Brookes (District Evangelism Enabler) our District Co-ordinator for the project.

The Gambling Act 2005
Many of you will remember that a few months ago we were asked to fill in a petition to send to parliament to try to get them to change the content of the proposed Gambling Bill.  Well, the petition had some success.  There will not be a rash of casinos and conversion of towns into Las Vegas style gambling havens.  The gambling industry will be strictly controlled by a new Gambling Commission and other measures.  However MPs did not ban children from gambling as requested – the only thing that governs children betting on some gaming machines is whether they are tall enough to reach the coin slot!  We must be thankful that the opportunities for children to gamble have not been increased by the other measures in the Act.
The Methodist Church and the Salvation Army are continuing to work with the Gambling Commission to ensure that, over the next few years, regulation is not relaxed and that the situation is monitored and further action is taken if necessary.

TRAINING FOR WORKERS WITH CHILDREN
On 13 July at 7.00 pm (until 9.15) Caroline Riley, the district training and development officer, will be at Bolsover to lead a session designed for all who work with children in our churches.  There should be a notice in your church giving a little more information, but if you are a childrens worker – youth leader, Sunday school teacher, JMA etc – this is for you.

METHODIST PRAYER HANDBOOK
It is that time of year when orders are being placed for the new prayer handbooks.  Each church has a copy in the pulpit, but if you would like your own personal copy please send your orders to the circuit office as soon as possible so that we can take advantage of the bulk purchase price of £1.75 per copy.  I intend to post off the order on 18 July so please respond by then (Individual copies will cost £2 plus postage!)

THE CHILD AT THE CENTRE
is the theme of this years NCH appeal.  NCH Sunday is next week, on 10 July, and your assistance by donating in the envelopes given out in the circuit churches will be of great importance in maintaining the work of the children’s homes, family centres and other projects run by NCH.

Give me the good news ye know,
That I, the child may grow!
Light for the whole day long,
Food that is pure and strong.
Housing and clothing fair,
Clean water and clean air,
Teaching from day to day,
And – room – for a child to play!

Not a lot has changed since that was written in 1924!

Sisterhood Anniversary
Staveley ladies are the next in line with their anniversary – to be held on Sunday 17 July when the preacher is Mrs Mary Jefferson from Sheffield.  The anniversary continues on Monday 18 July with a rally of sisterhoods.  The speaker at the rally will be Revd Gillian Robertson.

CIRCUIT OUTING

Sharrow Fringe Festival

John Peaden

Don’t take it as read:

Memoirs of a non-conforming Methodist

Highfield Trinity Church, London Road,Sheffield

Monday, 11 July, 7.00 – 8.30 p.m.

John reflects on working in Sharrow since the 1960s, including his involvement with the South Sheffield Inner City Community Project, the predecessor of the present Sharrow Community Forum and the initiator of many of the most significant community development projects in Sharrow in the 70s and 80s.

This is the ‘launch’ for John’s autobiography, and should bring together Methodists, community activists, and people involved in mental health work (John has been closely associated with Rethink, formerly National Schizophrenia Fellowship, for many years).
John has a good story to tell.  Highfield Trinity warmly invites anyone who is interested to join us for this event. 

Light refreshments will be provided.

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 as early as possible – by post, e-mail or phone 01246 470859. (I would rather hear the same message many times than miss it once because everyone leaves it to someone else! - David)

July 2005

    1    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm          New Brimington
  10    NCH Sunday
  13    Workers with Children & Young People training
                                                                7.15 pm                    Bolsover
  16    Men’s Fellowship Breakfast           8.30 am                     Staveley
17-18 Sisterhood Anniversary weekend                                    Staveley
  18      Deadline for material to be included in next newsletter
  22    “44” and Ascent                     from 6.00 pm                  Brimington
  30    Circuit Outing to York

August 2005

    5    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm                    Hillstown
  20    Men’s Fellowship Breakfast           8.30 am                     Staveley
  22      Deadline for material to be included in next newsletter
  26    “44” and Ascent                     from 6.00 pm                  Brimington