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New this week:
Children, Youth and Families Worker needed
In case you
missed it:
Scratch Choir opportunity
Beckly Lecture
New Resources for Church Growth
Dignity Freedom Network
Action for Children News
Defibrillator Funding
Single Friendly Church Network
Spring Dance Company
Dates for your diary
3Gen Volunteer sign-up open
New District Synod Secretary needed
Spiritual Companions Course
Advanced Safeguarding Training
New District Website - reminder
Dial-a-prayer
free phone line to hear prayers : 0808 281 2514 Methodist News :
0808 281 2478
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Telford
Children, Youth and Families' Worker needed.
The Methodist Church Telford
Circuit
Children,
Youth and Families’ Worker
£27,570-£31,320pa depending on qualifications and experience
37.5 hours per week with 30 days holiday per annum, plus
statutory holidays.
• Can
you inspire and support the Telford Circuit and its churches in
our work with children, young people, and families?
• Can you increase engagement with our existing connections
within the circuit and local churches?
• Can you innovate to connect with those not yet involved, using
principles of pioneer mission and the God for All strategy?
• Can you lead efforts to help children, young people, and
families discover and commit to Christian discipleship?
If so,
we would love to hear from you.
Please email super@telfordmeth.org.uk
for an application pack.
Closing Date for applications: Monday 30 June 2025
Interviews expected to be during the week beginning 7 July 2025
Post commences: 1 September 2025
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Scratch
Choir for launch of WM District
Born
in Song – Come and Sing!
We are forming a scratch choir to lead the congregational singing
and also singing a feature item in the service on 30th August
in Walsall to launch the new West Midlands District and welcome
the new Chair of District.
- No prior singing
experience required
- No expectation on
reading music (printed music will be provided for those who
prefer to read)
- We ask that
people attend at least one rehearsal and then the rehearsal
and event on the day (30th August).
The dates are as follows:
Monday
30th June 7pm - 9pm
St Johns Methodist Hereford
St Owen's St, Hereford HR1 2PR
Saturday
5th July 3pm - 4:30pm
Stratford Methodist Church
Old Town, Stratford Upon Avon, CV37 6BG
Monday
28th July 7pm – 9pm
Shirley Methodist Church
257 Stratford Road, Shirley, Solihull, B90 3AL
Wednesday
30th July 7pm – 9pm
New Road Methodist Church Stourbridge
29 New Road, Stourbridge, DY8 1PQ
Thursday
28th August 7pm – 9pm
Carrs Lane Church Centre
Carrs Lane, Birmingham, B4 7SX
Saturday
30th August Rehearsal: 11:30am – 12:30pm Service: 3pm
– 4:30pm
Walsall Central Hall
Central Hall, Ablewell St, Walsall WS1 2EQ
Book in by emailing the Birmingham District office saying which
rehearsal(s) you are to be attending.
office@birminghammethodist.org.uk
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Beckly
Lecture at Methodist Conference '25
Monday
30 June | 6.45pm
You are invited to the Beckly Lecture, at Methodist Conference in
Telford – or join us online.
Anthony Reddie, Professor of Black Theology at the University of
Oxford, will be speaking on the topic: “Whiteness is the
Sea, not the Shark: a postcolonial critique of British Methodism”.
Reserve your free place at jpit.uk/beckly-lecture
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New
Resources to Help Churches Grow
A new
edition of ‘Our Church’s Future Story: Guidance and resources for
growth planning’ is being launched at the Superintendents’
Conferences and is available now. Our Church’s Future Story will
help your churches discern a growth plan that will help them
steward their limited resources well, with God’s help. The new
edition can be ordered
free from Methodist Publishing now, and a new suite of
digital resources is available at methodist.org.uk/grow.
Several 60-minute
Zoom walkthroughs of this new pack are scheduled
during June – church leaders can pick the best time for them and
find out how they could use Our Church’s Future Story to see
their churches grow.
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Dignity
Freedom Network - speakers available
Dignity
Freedom Network UK, a registered charity based locally in
Stafford, partners with OMIF (a humanitarian initiative of the
Good Shepherd Church of India) to bring dignity and hope to poor
and marginalised people of South Asia.
We strive to live out Isaiah 61:1 with integrity by providing
Education, Healthcare, Economic Empowerment, and Community
Development programmes which impact thousands of disenfranchised
people annually. We particularly serve outcaste women and girls
who often face the additional burdens of gender discrimination
and exploitation. Our work is led and directed by Asian staff to
maximise the impact on communities while maintaining cultural
integrity.
Theologically-trained staff would love the opportunity to raise
awareness among your congregations of our work, be that Sunday
congregations or mid-week meetings including children’s/teens’
work etc. Please get in touch or see our secure website for more
information: https://www.dfn.org.uk
Please feel free to forward/distribute this email and my contact
details to Ministers and other Leaders in your church circuit.
Thank you very much,
Janet
Janet
Carleton
Partner
Communications
DFN UK
DFN UK, PO Box 3560, Stafford ST16 9QP
01785 785068
www.dfn.org.uk
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Action
for Children News
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News and upcoming events
Annual Supporter Survey
We're inviting our valued Action for Children
supporters to take part in our annual survey. With
your feedback, we can improve the experience of
those who support us. Your opinion truly matters to
us, so we would love it if you could spare 15
minutes to fill out our survey.
By completing the survey, you can also enter our
prize draw to win one of two Love2shop vouchers
worth £50, which you will be able to spend at over
95 top brands on the high street, on dining out,
holidays, music or even experiences. Enter the
prize draw* at the end of the survey for a chance
to win!
There will also be a chance to sign up to focus
group sessions taking place in July with a
guaranteed £30 Love2shop voucher for anyone who
attends – but be quick, because spaces are limited!
Take the
survey here
*T&C's
apply
Celebrate Action for Children Sunday
Thank you to the churches
that have told us that they are holding a special
worship service to celebrate Action for Children
Sunday over the coming months. We are so
excited to hear about your plans.
Another way you can celebrate Action for Children Sunday
with family and friends is to host a cream tea or
afternoon tea. To help you plan, we have produced a
booklet with ideas, and templates for a menu and
poster.
Just visit actionforchildren.uk/faithFR
and scroll to 'Action for Children Sunday'
where you will find it along with the worship material.
Honouring our Heritage
Our Honouring our Heritage campaign to celebrate
the legacy of our rich history is just round the
corner. This June, we will be shining a spotlight
on our wonderful home collection box holders. If
you have a story to share, we’d love to hear from
you! What’s your earliest memory of your home
collection box? Did your parents or grandparents do
it before you? Please get in touch at giftsinwills@actionforchildren.org.uk
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Defibrillator
funding
London
Hearts is a registered charity providing life-saving heart
defibrillators throughout the entire of the UK.
We currently have funding schemes running which enables us to
provide the equipment at reduced costs. We are therefore
able to supply the following depending on where you wish to
locate a Defibrillator:
- Mindray C1A Fully
Automatic Defibrillator & C Series Carry Case – currently just
£660 exc VAT under our scheme
- Mindray C1A Fully
Automatic Defibrillator & Internal Wall Bracket - currently just
£660 exc VAT under our scheme
- Mindray C1A Fully
Automatic Defibrillator & Internal Cabinet with door
alarm - currently
just £660 exc VAT under our scheme
- Mindray C1A Fully
Automatic Defibrillator & External heated Locked or
Unlocked Cabinet – currently
just £950 exc VAT under our scheme. (Please
be advised the external cabinet requires a power supply
& is not suitable for installation into a phone box)
VAT will only be applied if the payee is VAT registered.
Our schemes are run on a first come first served basis and there
is currently no limit to the number of units you require.
Once our funding has been exhausted the schemes will close.
As with all previous schemes we have run, demand is high, so we
advise you act promptly.
The only eligibility requirements are:
- You are based
within the UK
- To share with any
interested third party our free online recorded
CPR/Defibrillator awareness training which we will provide
via email at point of dispatch
- Responsible for
ongoing maintenance ie., simple routine visual checks,
replacing of battery and pads when required.
- External
Defibrillators are for installation on an external wall and
a power supply is required. Once installed External
Defibrillators must be registered with the ambulance service
via www.thecircuit.uk
To
receive our full general information and a non-obligatory quote
please complete our online form at: Apply
For A Defibrillator | London Hearts
If prior to this you have any questions please contact me by
email reply or by telephone on 02070432493.
Our office hours are Monday to Thursday 8am-4pm and Friday
8am-1.30pm.
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Single
Friendly Church Network
My
name is Liz and I am the Church Engagement Officer for
Single Friendly Church Network. I am emailing to let you know
about our free resources and training opportunities for church
leaders, as a perfect follow up to the 2024
Methodist report on Singleness.
What
is Single Friendly Church Network?
We are a Christian charity helping churches to welcome and value
single people at every stage of life. We are research-based and
provide free resources and training for churches and leaders.
We believe listening to single people’s voices is so important to
pastoral care and church growth. You can also watch
our short video to find out more about our work.
Our
free resources and training for church leaders
We would love to work with any staff responsible for mission or
training in your District - to ensure that church leaders and
singles' advocates in your area are aware of our work, such as:
- Why singleness is
such an important issue
- Our seasonal
resources
- Our free training
opportunities
- Our free 5
Step Audit that churches can complete to
become a Single Friendly Church
We would
especially like you to consider featuring our resources and
training opportunities in your communications and events
calendars across the year. Our next
webinar is on Tues 3rd June.
Bespoke
training for your District
We can also offer any bespoke training or presentations tailored
to your District. I would be more than happy to arrange a zoom
with you to discuss this.
Methodist
Conference 2025
If you are going to Telford in June and would like to meet us in
person - we will have an exhibitor stand throughout the
conference and a Fringe event on Mon 30th June.
I appreciate the time you have taken to read this email and look
forward to hearing from you.
Easter Blessings
--
Liz Dunbar
Church Engagement Officer
Single
Friendly Church Network
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Spring
Dance Company dates
Springs
Dance Company are delighted to be touring our popular Christmas
production again this advent. Loved by everyone for the
enjoyable, nostalgic, easily relatable story and outstanding
performances by our world class dancers.
Journey of
the Magi is a professional production of dance,
theatre, song and poetry. It is a family show: accessible for
all, fun and thought-provoking, full of warmth, hilarity and
delight. It offers a wonderful opportunity to laugh, reflect and
refocus during advent.
Now available for churches to book between 21st
November – 22nd December 2025.
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Dates
for your diary
Some
dates for your diaries:
Revd
Rachel Parkinson's leaving service:
Saturday 26th July 3pm at Berkswich.
The
inauguration service for the new District and welcome to new
Chair - Saturday 30th August 3pm at Walsall
Central Hall
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3Generate
2025 Volunteering Sign-ups are live
3Generate
is back and bigger than ever in 2025! Volunteer sign-ups are live
and we look forward to welcoming even more people this year, to
help children and young people from across the Connexion
experience an amazing weekend packed full of fun, faith and
discipleship.
There
are volunteer roles to suit everyone, no matter your skills,
experience or ability. You’ll join a dedicated team of volunteers
– and a great network of like-minded people! Please encourage
your districts to sign up. Find out more about the different
roles available and how to sign up at the following link: http://www.methodist.org.uk/3Genvols.
Keep an eye out for more information on ticket sales, which go
live on April 29th.
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WM
Synod are looking for a Synod Secretary
As we
continue to grow as the West Midlands Methodist District, new
roles and volunteer opportunities will start to be released
throughout March—beginning with senior roles.
Expressions of Interest are invited for the
role of:
Synod
Secretary
This is a voluntary role open to lay and ordained Methodists
living in the West Midlands District.
You will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team of the
District and a District Trustee with particular responsibility
for organising the twice a year Representative Synod meetings.
You will need to:
- be able to think
creatively and strategically and work collaboratively
and
have
- a proven
commitment to Justice Dignity & Solidarity,
- good
administrative and organisation skills,
- knowledge and
experience of several church settings,
- a good
understanding of charity governance particularly in a
Methodist Church context.
The
appointment is for 3 years with the possibility of extension for
a further 3 years.
Click here
for a full role description.
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Course
for Spiritual Companions
Birmingham
Forum for Spiritual Directors and Companions are organising a one
year ecumenical Spiritual Accompaniment training course for lay
and ordained Christians from September 2025 to July 2026
It is ecumenical and two of the facilitators are Methodists.
Please click here
for more details.
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Advanced
Safeguarding Courses - update
If your circuit requires a course please let me
know -
21/06/25
– Studley MC – B80 7NJ – Bromsgrove Circuit 0945hrs registration
05/07/25
– Selly Oak MC Bham – 0945hrs registration
12/07/25
– Blackheath & Halesowen Circuit - Blackheath Central
Methodist church, High street Rowley Regis B65 0EH
0945hrs registration
04/10/25
– Brierley Hill MC Vale of Stour 0945hrs registration
Also
for online courses use this link – its uploaded with new options
regularly – if someone requires on line option can they please
email me so I can create an account with MCBX as there is pre
course work with this option – please bear in mind there is pre
work for online course via MCBX
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/nottingham-and-derby-methodist-district-32226456073
With on line options there is a requirement to complete the pre
course work via MCBX so anyone wishing to choose online course
need to email myself, Stephanie Bradley at StephanieBradley@birminghammethodist.org.uk so
I can create an account with MCBX as there is a requirement
to complete pre course work on MCBX – some people are just
attending the course without completing the MCBX work. The online
option is far more time consuming than face to face and the
feedback I receive is that the MCBX work is repeated at the on
line session – just for people to consider.
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New
District Website and Socials launched
If you are looking for updates and news of the progress of the
District merger, the launch of the new website and socials
has now taken place so please click the link below to sign up for
news regarding the new West Midlands District so you don't miss a
thing!
https://www.wmmethodists.org.uk/
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