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Latest News:
Gender, Church and Culture Conference
Welcomed: a session on authentic and transformational welcome
Lay Conference 21 - more details
School and Community Outreach Worker vacancy
Stories of Change: Hope, Faith and Love
School Lay Worker vacancy
In
case you missed it:
Give Thanks Appeal
COP 26 walk
3Generate comes to Brum
District Children's
Support Fund
FOR
THE LATEST ADVICE ON COVID 19 FROM CONNEXION PLEASE CLICK HERE
Dial-a-prayer
free phone line to hear prayers: 0808 281 2514 Methodist News:
0808 281 2478
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Gender,
Church and Culture Conference
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“Can a person choose their gender?”
“Is gender established at creation or constructed
by society?”
“Is gender a binary thing or is it a spectrum?”
These are just some of the many questions increasingly
faced by every one of us in Britain in 2021. Understanding
the complexity of those questions and offering both
theological and pastoral responses is something
churches will not be able to avoid for much longer.
We need to be able to critically engage with our
culture, seeking to understand what is ‘going on’ in
the world we live amongst, but also to think through
our theology, seeking to understand what the Bible does
(and doesn’t) say about these issues.
The Theology Network invite you to join with
Christian leaders from across the Midlands at a two-day
conference to explore the issue of gender fluidity with
the help of two experts in this field.
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Guest speakers
Dr Elaine Storkey is
a Christian feminist, philosopher, sociologist and
theologian who has published and taught widely on
gender-related issues for over thirty years as well as
working extensively in broadcasting, including being a
regular contributor to Radio 4’s “Thought for the Day”.
Dr Ian Paul is an ordained Church
of England minister, lecturer and theologian who runs
psephizo.com, one of the most widely read Christian
leadership blogs in the country, in which he has
repeatedly engaged in gender-related issues over many
years.
Both Elaine and Ian are informed academics who are also
heavily involved in the church. It’s hard to think of two
better people to have help us with these questions.
Conference
format
The conference will take place over
two days on Friday 15th October –
Saturday 16th October 2021 at Chawn Hill
Church, Chawn Hill, Stourbridge, DY9 7JD.
Friday 15th October
Time: 12pm-4:30pm and 7pm-9:30pm
Friday will include teaching sessions which focus on
understanding where we’ve got to in culture, how we’ve
got there and the issues facing the church.
Saturday 16th October
Time: 9:30am–4pm
Saturday will include teaching sessions that focus on the
biblical anthropology of gender and what we can really
say about these questions from a Christian perspective.
Both days will include panel sessions with Elaine and Ian
where we will delve deeper into asking and discussing key
questions around the issue of gender fluidity.
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Questions
being explored
Gender fluidity is a huge area of
study and we only have two days to look at it.
Therefore, attendees will be asked to send in their
questions ahead of time to ensure that we address the
real issues people are currently facing. Specific
questions that will be covered include:
- Is
gender something we can choose?
- Is
gender essentialised (are we, with very few
exceptions, either male or female) or is it a
spectrum?
- Is
gender something established in creation or
something constructed by society?
- If
men and women are created different, is it just
about biology and reproductive systems?
- What
are the theological and pastoral implications of
transgenderism?
Who can
attend?
The heart behind the conference is
to serve the church by providing a safe place
to explore this highly emotive issue with sensitivity
and with the help of knowledgeable academic and
theological experts.
The conference is open to anyone with an interest in
this topic, however we strongly recommend church
leaders, youth and children’s workers and church staff
teams to book in and join us.
Whatever your opinion on the subject, we aim to provide
a helpful and constructive environment in which to
wrestle with this issue and develop well-informed and
gracious responses to key questions about gender fluidity.
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Book your
place
Advance booking is essential and can
be done online by clicking here.
In order to make the conference accessible to as many
people as possible, there are multiple booking options:
- Whole
conference – £40
- Friday
all day (12-4:30pm
& 7-9:30pm) – £25
- Saturday
all day (9:30-4pm)
– £25
- Friday
afternoon (12-4:30pm) – £15
- Friday
evening (7-9:30pm) – £10
Lunch will be provided on both days
and is included in the price unless otherwise
specified.
Place are limited so we recommend you book in ASAP
to secure a space.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Many thanks,
Adrian Lowe and Tim Murray
On behalf of the Theology Network.
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Welcomed
- a session on authentic and transformational welcome.
‘Welcomed’ – a
90-minute session exploring how we offer authentic and
transformational welcome in our churches.
Feeling welcomed is one of the most significant factors when
deciding whether we return somewhere, and foremost in our
thinking when considering where we put down roots. As church, we
are called to be welcoming, yet statistics show that under 10% of
those who try church will actually become regulars. So, what can
we learn from the experiences of others? This 90-minute session
explores some of the best ways to be welcoming before, during and
after people join us. Perfect for all of us as we look to welcome
new people at the start of the Connexional year.
Tues
17th Aug, 11am-12.30pm or
Wed 25th
Aug, 2pm-3.30pm
Sign up via Eventbrite - https://welcomedsession.eventbrite.co.uk
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Lay
Conference 2021
Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District in
partnership with Lichfield Diocese
Lay Conference Detail
Title;
Discipleship Today – Being and Doing
Date;
Saturday 4th December 2021
Time;
10.00am – 4.00pm
Venue; Yarnfield Park
Conference and Training Centre, Yarnfield near Stone,
Staffordshire
Cost;
£20.00 per person
Programme
09.30 –
10.00
Arrival
10.00 –
10.20
Welcome and Worship
10.20 –
11.15
Bible Study / Reflection on Discipleship - Revd Rachel Parkinson
11.15 –
11.35
Coffee Break
11.35 –
13.00
Keynote Address – Revd. Roger Walton
13.00 –
14.00
Lunch
14.00 – 14.40
Round 1 workshops
14.40 –
14.50
Movement
14.50 –
15.30
Round 2 workshops
15.30 –
15.45
Summing up – Bishop Michael
15.45 –
16.00
Closing Worship
16.00 Departure
Workshop Leader and Title
Roger Walton – Discipleship – Following a rule for life
Andrew Roberts – Discipleship and Forgiveness
Dr Lindsey Hall – Discipleship and
Change
Helen Morby – Discipleship and Joy
Click here for
more details and here.
For more background information, click here
For booking forms, click here.
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School
and Community Outreach Worker Opportunity
Berkswich
Methodist Church (Stafford Circuit) wish to appoint a part time
Schools and Community Outreach Worker
* 20hrs per week
* £11.25 per hour
* Application deadline 3 September 2021
* Interviews to be held during last week of September
Berkswich Methodist Church has employed a Schools Worker over the
past 12 years and we wish to maintain and build on this work,
developing the relationship between the six primary schools with
whom we work and the church.
We are also looking to find new ways of taking church out
of the building and into the community so that people may
understand what a relationship with God can mean in their lives
and come to faith.
The Schools and Community Outreach worker will work in the
schools delivering assemblies, lunchtime Bible clubs, celebrating
the Christian festivals and being a Christian presence for both
staff and pupils. The outreach work in the community looks to
find new ways of being church in the community and having soft
conversations about faith with those unsure about stepping over
the threshold of the church building.
If you would like to have an informal chat about the position do
call Jean Harrison, Berkswich lay pastor on 01785 661263 and to
request an application form.
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Stories
of Change: Hope, Faith and Love
Saturday 4 September to Sunday 3 October 2021
The Methodist Modern Art Collection will be displayed as an Art
Trail across churches in Coventry and Nuneaton for City of
Culture. The trail exists of carefully selected works, providing
unique moments of healing and contemplation. You can view the Art
Trail on selected days from Saturday 4 September to Sunday 3
October 2021. For more information and timings for each church,
please visit www.methodist.org.uk/cityofculture
#HopeFaithLove
There is also a circuit Facebook group regarding this art trail: https://www.facebook.com/groups/storiesofchangehopefaithandlove
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School
Lay Worker Vacancy
The Telford Methodist Circuit
seeks to appoint a School
Lay Worker at the (Methodist/ Anglican controlled) John
Fletcher of Madeley Primary School
- 7 hours per week
term time only (plus pro-rota holiday pay)
- Pay Range £9:70
to £11.45 per hour
- Application
deadline: Monday 7th September
- Interviews will
be held during the second half of September
The
Telford Methodist Circuit is seeking a person to
work within our Anglican/ Methodist School to help support
the Christian ethos of the school. This will involve engaging
with staff and pupils on a variety of activities including
corporate worship, after school clubs, supporting lessons (in
particularly leading up to the main Christian festivals),
pastoral care, etc. The person appointed will also help to
encourage Methodist support for the school and help the school to
understand its Methodist Heritage.
This appointment is for a 12 month fixed term in the first
instance and then depending upon funding.
For further information and an informal chat prior to application
please ring:
Brian
Oakley 01952 510546
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Vaccination
Give Thanks Appeal reaches £5000
An
appeal which encourages people to give thanks for their
vaccinations by helping others in crisis has passed its £5,000
fundraising target.
The Diocese of Lichfield and the Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury
District of the Methodist Church have partnered with aid and
development charity Christian Aid for the #GiveThanks appeal.
Recognising the deep sense of relief and gratitude experienced by
many people after being vaccinated, the organisations came
together to enable people to pass the blessing on by making a donation
to Christian Aid’s Coronavirus Appeal.
Funds from the appeal are helping vulnerable communities around
the world access soap, water, food and vital health information
in the face of the pandemic. Many communities around the world
face an uncertain wait for a vaccine as questions remain around
the cost and timing of a global vaccine programme.
Donors to the campaign have included many individuals and people
who gave on behalf of their families, plus one church
congegration who gave en masse.
The Church of the Holy Spirit in Harlesecott, Shrewsbury, donated
£146. Churchwarden Muriel Rayner explained: “As most of our
congregation are elderly, they were grateful to get both vaccines
early on. We explained about the appeal and a bucket was place in
the church and donations were encouraged. Not many would have
been able to pay online so this was an easier way to collect
donations”
The Bishop of Lichfield, the Right Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, said.
“It is great that so many people have given generously to Christian
Aid through this appeal. While the pandemic affects all of us, it
has highlighted the deep disparities in how communities and
families are able to protect themselves both within our country
and around the world.
“Many people are awaiting their second vaccinations, and there is
still time to donate if you have not already.”
The Revd Rachel Parkinson, Chair of the Wolverhampton &
Shrewsbury District, said: “Being part of a worldwide Methodist
Church makes us very aware of our own privilege in this country
when compared to so many of our brothers and sisters around the
globe. Making a donation to Christian Aid is an effective way of
sharing hope and love with them.”
You can give today here: https://giving.give-star.com/online/christian-aid/diolichfield
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COP
26 District Walk
Date
for your diary: Thursday 26th August 2021
District
Event. A Tributary Walk is being organised from Wolverhampton to
Birmingham City Centre, along the Birmingham Mainline Canal
towpath, a distance of about 14 miles. This would be to raise
awareness of Climate Change issues as we walk to meet up with the
main YCCN Relay to COP 26 in Glasgow, who are resting in
Birmingham that week. (Take a look at the YCCN
website to learn more) We will leave at around 9.30 am
and arrive at around 3.30 pm, with a toilet/lunch stop at Tipton.
You can make your way home independently by train or tram
I
would be grateful for expressions of interest: please let me know
if you wish to take part, by sending your name, mobile phone
number and email address. Please also let me know If you would be
willing to be a group leader or group back marker. We are
particularly
in need of a FIRST AIDER. Lesley
Cook lesleyvcook@btinternet.com
07840128510
If you feel that 14 miles is too far for you, you might wish to
do a shorter walk from Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station;
arriving in to Birmingham at a similar time. It is around 5 miles
and takes about 2 hours. We would need a leader, back marker and
first aider for this too, so PLEASE GET IN TOUCH.
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3Generate
comes to Brum!
Calling
all Junior Church leaders, Youth and Children's workers and
Ministers. 3 Generate (for 8 -23 year olds) is happening this
year, at the NEC, Birmingham, October 29-31. Tickets are on sale
now. Please go to the 3
Generate pages on the Methodist Church website for
more details. Volunteers will be needed too.
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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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