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Hybrid
Church: Leading Worship Online
A
3-part series exploring leading worship online, for members of
the Methodist Church in the West Midlands Region.
Much has changed during the pandemic, particularly for the
Church. Some people have lost the habit of coming to church and
others have grown the habit of joining zoom worship, prayer
meetings, fellowship groups and bible studies online. As we go
back to in-person worship, many members of your congregation may
not be in the building any-more!
Hybrid Church; a term seldom heard 12 months ago is now a central
conversation in the Church. Initially it was about the technology
to get this going, but now it’s probably more about the content,
the style, and the connection with those the Church is seeking to
connect with.
This online event seeks to help churches examine some fundamental
underpinning principles and practicalities in mapping out a way
forward for your church. Each session will last about 1 hour.
Session
1: Preaching Online - Thurs 17th June at
1.00pm Exploring the concept of the preacher as
prophet, and how they respond to the mood and emotions of wider
society. Mini keynote by Ian Howarth (Chair of the
Birmingham Methodist District).
Session
2: Leading Worship Online - Wed 23rd June at
1.00 pm Examining the idea that worship leaders
are both curators and facilitators, using Sunday worship as a
springboard for ongoing reflection and discussion. Mini keynote
by Adam Sanders (Birmingham
District's Mission Advisor).
Session
3: Growing Church Online - Thurs 15th July at
1.00 pm Exploring the use of online platforms to
focus on outreach and community engagement. Mini keynote by Geoff
Bond (West
Midlands Learning Network) and Ashley
Cooper (Principal
of Cliff College).
To book tickets for each of the sessions, please click the
following link - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hybrid-church-leading-worship-online-3-part-series-tickets-150159084865
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MHA
Chaplain Vacancy
Methodist
Homes (MHA) Briar Hill House, Rugeley
Permanent – part time – 10 hours per week
- Location: Briar
Hill House Care Home, Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 1BP
- Salary: £22,063
pro rata
- Closing date: 30th
May 2021
Would
you like to make a positive contribution to benefit older people?
Spiritual well-being – distinct from religious affiliation or
belief – is a universal need and a cornerstone of MHA’s positive
approach to ageing and we aim to provide the highest quality care
and support for older people of all faiths and beliefs.
You will build good working relationships with local faith
communities and take the lead on pastoral, spiritual and
religious aspects of life at Briar Hill House care home. You will
need to be in good standing with your faith community.
You will have excellent listening skills, great empathy, be able
to lead appropriate worship and have an understanding of the
spiritual aspects of ageing and dementia. Experience of providing
excellent pastoral care, ideally to people in later life, is
essential.
At Briar Hill House, we provide residential and nursing care for
36 residents in purpose-built, en suite accommodation.
Rated as ‘outstanding ‘ by the CQC, it’s a wonderfully bright and
welcoming space , where our passionate team deliver personalized
care in a warm, supportive and safe environment. We also offer
short term respite care.
Please look for the job description and apply online at https://www.mha.org.uk/careers/current-vacancies/
Job Reference REQ012825
For more information please contact Area Support Chaplain,
Hilary Al Rasheed, t: 07568 612075
or email hilary.alrasheed@mha.org.uk
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Thy
Kingdom Come News
I
have taken the opportunity to set up a new YouTube Channel under
the title ‘Staffordshire Churches’ and have so far uploaded the
first six videos to it. These are scheduled to be released
one-by-one at 8.00am each morning, beginning tomorrow, Thursday 13
May. The YouTube Channel can be found at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnuPh2UV6d8ys-aOENZJJJQ.
I would be really grateful if you would visit the channel – and
subscribe to it! I hope that we will use it not only during the
coming eleven days, but also for future reflections, events and
promotions.
Here is the line-up and programme for the next 4 days:
Thursday 20 May – Pastor Marcus Chilaka (National Ecumenical
Officer, Redeemed Christian Church of God) – Unity in the Kingdom
– Acts 2:1
Friday 21 May – Revd Helen Kirk (Chair, Chester and
Stoke-on-Trent Methodist District) – Power in the Kingdom – Acts
2:2
Saturday 22 May – Lieutenant-Colonel JP Ramos (Commander, West
Midlands Division, Salvation Army) – Purity in the Kingdom – Acts
2:3
Sunday 23 May – The Most Revd Bernard Longley (Archbishop of
Birmingham) – The Kingdom Unleashed – Acts 2:4
With appreciation
Robert
Ecumenical Mission Officer for the Black Country and
Staffordshire
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Support
Christian Aid Week by giving thanks for your Vaccination
Like all charities, Christian Aid’s ability to raise funds has
been adversely affected by lockdown restrictions. The
District has joined with the Diocese of Lichfield in aiming to
raise £5K for Christian Aid’s Coronavirus
Appeal. We’re encouraging people to donate as a
way of saying “thank you” for our COVID-19
vaccination. The money will help vulnerable
communities around the world access soap, water, food and
vital health information in the face of the vaccine.
So far nearly £4K has been donated. Help us celebrate
Christian Aid week by getting over the £5K
line. Donate here: https://giving.tapsimple.org/online/christian-aid/diolichfield
Our very best wishes to Brenda
Shuttleworth of the Wolverhampton Circuit and Bev Boden
of the Walsall Circuit who have both taken up the Christian
Aid challenge to walk 300,000
steps in May
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Methodist
Conference new venue
24 June – 1 July 2021
It
has been confirmed that the Methodist Conference will take place
at the National
Conference Centre, Birmingham, from Thursday 24 June
to Thursday 1 July. The Conference Office is in the process of
arranging hotel accommodation and travel to and from the venue
each day for all who have booked to attend. Confirmation emails
will be sent in early June.
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MWiB
Conference - Those Celtic Christian Ways
As I
hope most of you are now aware, the Conference cannot take place
at Swanwick, but we are most grateful to our planned speaker, the
Revd Shalome Macneill-Cooper, who has agreed to lead us on
Zoom. Below is the outline of the Conference and, as you
will see, each half day is made up of two sessions with a break
in between, so that we can have a comfort break, and a short
stretch of the legs while we make ourselves a drink. This
will also enable those using landlines and who possibly have
‘free’calls on their contract, to be able to redial in just
before the end of the first hour of each session.
While it will be possible for people to join us for one or just a
few sessions, we hope as many as possible will be able to with us
for all the sessions on the three days. As all who had
booked originally to be at Swanwick have made a contribution of
£5, we are asking those who are new participants, to make a
similar contribution, sending their cheque to our treasurer, Mrs
Dilys Jones, 6 Coach Road, Shrewsbury SY3 5AU, making their
cheque payable to Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District MWiB
a/c. It would be helpful if you would give your contact
details: name, address, email address (if you have one), phone number
and church or circuit you have a connection with. I do hope
a good number of you will now be able to join us.
Conference: Those Celtic Christian
Ways: Monday 7th to Wednesday 9th
June 2021
Outline:- Monday
(Session 1) 2.00 – 2.55, 3.15 – 4.10 (max)
2.00 ‘Arrive’, Chat, Welcome,
Introductions, Devotions (by Pauline and Walsall circuit)
(I
would open up on Zoom at 1.30 to give people chance to arrive and
chat before the 2pm start; we can use the Walsall circuit Zoom
platform) Then, over to Shalome.
3.15 What is Celtic Christianity? followed by closing devotions
(Shropshire and Marches circuit)
Tuesday
(Session 2) 10.00 – 10.55, 11.15 – 12.10 (max)
10.00 Devotions (Brownhills and Willenhall),
followed by Shalome
11.15 Celtic Trinity- Understanding of God, Jesus and the
Holy Spirit (Shalome)
Tuesday
(Session 3) 19.00 – 19.55, 20.15 –21.10
19.00 Celtic Worship-
20.15 Celtic Worship ………. To finish by 20.55 for evening
prayers Shropshire & M
Wednesday
(Session 4) 10.00 – 10.55, 11.15 – 12.10 (max)
10.00 Devotions (Cannock Circuit), followed by
Shalome
11.15 Celtic Model of Mission- things to have on hand-a
piece of yarn or string about 30 cms long and tied to make a
loop.
Wednesday
(Session 5) 14.00 – 14.55, 15.15 – 16.10
14.00 Celtic Wheel of the Year and Celtic Wheel Life and
Questions Arising
15.15 LOVE FEAST- Please have on hand a morsel of food and a wee
sip of something that is a bit extravagant for you and preferably
fair trade. Have an extra cup and plate with whatever you are
having on hand (be prepared to also eat that, too!). If possible
have on hand a candle and a very small finger bowl of water.
Participants may wish to have a notebook on hand for reflection
questions.
These sessions will be inclusive for those participating by phone
so there will be a reduced amount of visual material. If you have
audio or visual needs (a specific font, size or colour) please
let Shalome know by ringing 01743 791 267
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JACEI
member required
We are looking to appoint a new member of JACEI, the Joint
Advisory Committee on the Ethics of Investment, and in particular
would welcome applications from women and from black and minority
ethnic candidates, as these are currently under-represented
within the Committee.
Details of the role and Expression of Interest forms can be found
on the link below, and we also be offering a webinar in which the
work of JACEI will be explored.
https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/connect/jobs-volunteering/volunteer-positions/joint-advisory-committee-on-the-ethics-of-investment/
Many thanks for this,
Stephen
Revd Dr Stephen Wigley,
Chair of the Wales Synod of the Methodist Church
Synod Office, c/o Cyncoed Methodist Church,
Westminster Crescent, Cardiff CF23 6SE
Tel: 029 2076 1515 (H:029 2046 5187)
wigley@methodistwales.org.uk
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FoodCycle
Webinar
We all
want a Black Country where no one is hungry or lonely and where
surplus food is used to nourish communities.
As part of TCT's work to support people and communities to thrive
and flourish, we are hosting this webinar, where you'll learn
about the national charity FoodCycle, as it prepares to open its
first Walsall-based free meals service for local residents.
FoodCycle is a national charity established in 2009, with the aim
of tackling food poverty and social isolation using donated
surplus food. Within the West Midlands we currently have six
projects, all Birmingham-based, and we’re now working to set up
FoodCycle Cooking projects within Walsall and the wider Black
Country.
Webinar
date - Wed, 23 Jun 2021 10:30 via Zoom
Bookings
via Eventbrite at https://feeding-black-country.eventbrite.co.uk
How does
it work?
FoodCycle utilises suitable kitchens in which our volunteers cook
the fresh surplus food donated to us, producing healthy hot
vegetarian meals for anyone who would like one. The meals are completely free
and anyone can just turn up; typically our guests include low
income families, homeless people, isolated older people, and
people struggling to ‘make ends meet’.
Is
this webinar for me?
• Are
you a Walsall based group? We would like the
people of Walsall to know about the charity’s service, so that
they and their families and neighbours could benefit from
nutritious free food. With this in mind we would welcome contact
information on any local organisations, community groups etc.
through which potential guests could be reached.
• Would
you like to volunteer? We would like to attract
local volunteers who we could support and train. Our lead
volunteers learn Teamwork, Leadership and Delegation, Cooking
skills (naturally!), Problem-solving and Relationship-building,
and among the free training that we provide is: Food Safety Level
2, Safeguarding and First Aid. So if you have a work intranet or
newsletter for example that FoodCycle could be mentioned in,
please do let me know.
• Are
you interested in hosting a Black Country FoodCycle venue?
FoodCycle would like more local venues from which we could
provide our weekly meals service. Suitable venues would ideally
have a six-hob cooker (or two 4 hob cookers), and would be
available once a week regularly for 5 hours. Venues would need to
have capacity to seat at least 30 people at a time, because when
the pandemic restrictions lessen considerably, each of
FoodCycle’s Cook and Collect projects will become a venue from
which we will run our free communal meals services again. We will
continue to stringently adhere to all guidance on PPE, social
distancing etc.
Please see FoodCycle’s latest Social Impact Report: https://www.foodcycle.org.uk/who-we-are/foodcycles-impact/
For more information, please contact:
Pamela@foodcycle.org.uk | Tel:
07377 866347
or Jody@foodcycle.org.uk | Tel:
07593 256805
Book your FREE place via: https://feeding-black-country.eventbrite.co.uk
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District
Children's Support Fund
The funding allocated
specifically to the support of children and families in the
District - particularly those experiencing some form of
deprivation - is still open to accept applications at the moment.
Are there projects you might consider which could offer
support even during the lockdown?
The
maximum amount of any claim is £500 and a Church can apply at any
time using the attached form
and send it electronically to Tim Lorimer who will process your
application and give a decision within six weeks of receipt. The
application will need the support of the hosting Church and
circuit superintendent. Church’s cannot apply for retrospective
funding.
We would hope that individuals and groups that have contributed
in the past to the Holiday Fund will still wish to do so knowing
that there money will still be used for Children’s Projects.
For more information please contact Tim Lorimer
on lorimertim@yahoo.co.uk
07971899084.
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