March 2nd 2021
A Message from the Superintendent Minister March 2nd 2021Dear Friends, Greetings to you all as we approach the one-year mark from when Covid-19 really started to make an impact in the UK and we became aware that there might be a need for a period of lockdown. In May 2020, in the third month of lockdown, I wrote about the ways in which the pandemic was starting to impact upon the church and in the world. I wondered if we could be a Church which is flexible enough to respond in a situation of crisis, which has an informed and prayerful understanding of the social and political context in which we live and move, and I talked about how the things we were discovering could offer a vision, a renewed identity and a potential strategy for the Methodist Church moving into the future. I asked the question whether or not in the Methodist Church, we could take the whole pandemic situation and the things which it has been teaching us in the wider world, and create our own change and critical mission response which prioritises those things which are at the heart of scripture – love of God, made manifest in love of neighbour, and the proclamation of justice for the most vulnerable? How the church will look as we emerge from the crisis is still not totally clear. In our own Circuit at least 2 churches have needed to come to the sad and difficult decision that they can no longer continue to meet in their existing premises. How the church will look as we emerge from the crisis is still not totally clear. In our own Circuit at least 2 churches have needed to come to the sad and difficult decision that they can no longer continue to meet in their existing premises. This is very tough, of course, but I also believe that we have a great opportunity if we can resist the temptation to go back to exactly how things were before. Remember those questions: “what would Jesus do?”, “where would Jesus be?”, “who would Jesus be alongside” and “what would Jesus say?” In trying to respond to them, a group of Methodists, myself included, wrote in June last year, an ‘Open Letter’ to the British Methodist Church which ended up being signed by over 700 people – you may be one of them! The letter has provided an impetus to continue to think about what we can learn from a year of global pandemic, and how we can shape the Methodist Church in a way which places social justice at its heart as a key priority for growth alongside discipleship and evangelism. Many of those who signed the letter have been involved in a process of conferring on Zoom over the last few months to continue to dream and to develop the thinking of the Open Letter, exploring what needs to happen for its vision to be realised. It is now the start of Lent 2021, and clear goals and objectives are emerging. I want to share with you the ‘Lenten Update’ from the Open Letter. Some of the ideas within it are already reflected in Connexional initiatives and this is a cause for celebration. Others will require further engagement and commitment from Methodists to ensure they come onto and remain on the agenda for the British Methodist Church. This can, and is already happening through personal, local church, circuit and district actions and hopefully this Summer through the formal structures of Methodist Conference. I want to encourage you to think about how some of the ideas and actions within it might be relevant in our own churches and circuit, and to start a conversation locally! At the heart of all this is the belief that the search for justice in the church and in the world is the foundation of who we are as Methodists, not just one piece of the jigsaw. This includes racial justice, gender justice, justice for those who identify as LGBTQI+, environmental justice, economic justice, justice for all who find themselves marginalised. Here is the update. Following on from the Open Letter to the British Methodist Church A Lenten Update The VisionA Methodist Church with social justice at its heart as a key priority for growth alongside discipleship and evangelism In order to achieve this: There is a need to create an environment which will engender deep systemic and cultural change This will involve (Goals):
The following specific objectives have been defined as ways of reaching these goals and fulfilling the vision which has been defined: 1. Greater grass roots participation in decision making the setting of strategy
2. Developing a flexible use of resources
3. The Church having a ‘louder clearer voice’ into situations of social injustice
If you are not already a part of this conversation and movement towards action, and you would like to be, please email methodistopenletter@gmail.com
With love, blessings and deep thanks for all your messages of sympathy and love over the last few weeks. They have been a great comfort and source of strength to me. NoticesHelpful hint to find Zoom links quickly - Go to the calendar on the website (click here). If you click on the event you would like to attend, a box will pop up with the Zoom information. You can click on the link and go straight into the meeting. WorshipSee your local church notices for details but for the time being we are continuing our Circuit wide Zoom service at 3pm on Sundays. Login details as usual as follows: Meeting ID: 872 1224 6881 Password: 974333 Circuit Lenten Study Course: ‘Life Changing Stories: Scripture From the Margins’Every Wednesday in Lent 7pm -8pm on Zoom, starting Wednesday 24th February to 24th March led by the ministers.The Bible shows us again and again that God is on the side of the poor and the oppressed. People on the margins. But too often, when we read scripture in our churches, we focus on other aspects of the story, or we are so familiar with the text that we don’t notice the challenging things it has to say to us.Scripture from the Margins is a series of Bible studies that encourage people to focus on the voices and perspectives in scripture that we don’t usually hear in our churches. If you are hoping to join the course, please download the associated book here: https://www.church-poverty.org.uk/bible/lifechangingstories/ https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87212246881?pwd=VXpyMzRYV21UZ1ZoYlkvc2R4dmV1QT09 Meeting ID: 872 1224 6881 Password: 974333 WE NEED YOUR ENTRIES!! Forty Days of FaithDuring Lent, we want to share what our faith means to us with one another through social media. You can find more information on how to get involved by clicking here. Look out for #FortyDaysOfFaith on our social media feeds. All WE CAN are also running an online Lent Course ‘Change Begins in Lent’ running at 8pm every Wednesday in Lent. To register please go to https://www.allwecan.org.uk/event/lentgroup/ **NEW** Stockport Digital Lending LibraryStarting Point have set up and run Stockport's first digital lending library, which provide computers, tablets and phones along with internet access to people who need it, for example for online school work or job seeking. They currently have around 300 devices on loan across Stockport, around 1/3 of which are being used to access school work whilst schools are closed due to the pandemic. Click here for more information. TRAIDCRAFT - LIVE FAIR FOR LENT TUESDAY 9TH MARCH on ZoomWe're excited that here in the United Stockport Circuit, as part of the Eco-Task Group, we have the opportunity to attend a presentation by Matt Oliver, who works for Traidcraft, highlighting all sorts of ideas, products, producer stories, and facts about Fair Trade. It will highlight the fact that Lent isn’t all about giving things up, but can be an opportunity to learn and try out new things – and that when people ask you whether Fair Trade makes a difference, you’ll have some answers. You don’t need to let us know if you’d like to come, but if you’d like a copy of the new Traidcraft catalogue beforehand please get in touch (details below). https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86805452033 Circuit PrayerAs we continue into lockdown, let’s continue to say this prayer together when we can, at 11am on a Sunday morning. This way we stay connected in a very really and tangible way with all those who are not yet able to come back to church. You can also read more about each church on the Circuit Website www.stockportcircuit.org.uk God of Love and Life, we pray to you this morning for the life the United Stockport Methodist Circuit, for our sisters and brothers who belong to: We worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. We ask that this time of crisis might pass and that those who suffer might find comfort and strength within the knowledge of your grace, revealed through the kindness and compassion of the people of God. Eternal God, through the self-offering of your Son you have filled our lives with your presence. Help us in our sufferings and trials. Fill us with hope and strengthen us in our weakness. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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