Radcliffe Methodist Church
News From The District
THE METHODIST CHURCH
Nottingham and Derby District Newsletter following the
Methodist Conference
Held at Scarborough, July 2008
Contributions from Wes Blakey, Ann Blakey, Vivienne Gray, Frances Hopwood, Sue Nickson, Tony Pick and Elaine Robinson.
The original scripts have been edited to fit the page. The full text may be found on the Conference website http://www.methodistconference.org.uk/index.htm or obtained from Rosemary Harrison, 16, Parker Gardens, Stapleford, Nottingham, NG9 8QG rosemary.harrison10@ntlworld.com
A full report of Conference may be found on the Connexional website www.methodist.org.uk
Part of a worldwide movement .
Conference this year reflected in very specific ways that the British Methodist Church is very much part of the worldwide Methodist Movement. The rainbow fabric which was draped round the central cross and other rainbow banners were a visual reminder of this throughout Conference.
Visitors from 24 of our partner churches were welcomed by the President and Vice President, who received gifts from some of the poorest churches. The situation in Zimbabwe was very much in the thoughts and prayers of Conference. The offering at the morning service was earmarked for Zimbabwe. £9,000 offered in this one service reflected the theme of hospitality and generosity of the President’s address.Each morning prayers were led by groups of World Church representatives. The Methodist Missionary Society AGM agreed that the Methodist Church in The Gambia will receive full autonomy on Wesley Day, May 24th 2009. The Youth Conference encouraged the whole church to pray for Burma and action on the global food crisis was urged. Conference resolved that the world-wide family of Methodists be adequately-resourced, appropriately-supported and wellmanaged.
With Integrity and Skill.
This report received by Conference is commended to the Methodist people, particularly pastoral committees, circuit staff and leadership team meetings. It concerns local pastoral policies with particular reference to confidentiality. The salient points are:
Confidentiality in worship. The report recommends that intercessory prayer in public worship should always have the permission of named persons.
Formal pastoral relationships where the pastoral worker is representing the church should be supported by structured supervision.
Standing Orders already expressly provide that there is a duty of confidentiality in discipline matters, stationing and local pastoral committees. Information about data protection Information about confidentiality in record keeping including the use of technology.
The document “Guidelines for Good Practice in Confidentiality and Pastoral Care”
constitutes a summary of the whole report and will be in the guidance section of CPD and on the Methodist Church web site.
Team Focus.
The current Connexional team was formed in 1996 and, over three years, has been reconfigured and will commence its new role from 1 September 2008. All the new services are based around “Our Calling and Priorities for the Methodist Church” and aim to help circuits and churches in their outreach. As a result advice will be more easily accessible; there will be simplified Connexional processes for giving consent to property schemes and for grant-making, including creative mission projects; District resources of people and finance will be enhanced and complemented; partnerships, ecumenically and around the globe will be moved forward and costs charged to the Assessment will be reduced.
Conference thanked Peter Sulston for his 9 years work as Co-ordinating Secretary in the Connexional Team – we wish him well in his retirement.
Stirring up the Spark of Grace: Connexional Training Strategies
This report on Connexional Training Strategies emphasised the ongoing need for life long learning for both ordained and lay. This means ‘clustering resources regionally in a Connexional and ecumenical context’, as well as a flexible approach to boundaries in order to make best use of scarce resources.
The concept of ‘Extending Discipleship and Exploring Vocation’ (EDEV) is an opportunity for everyone to reflect, develop and learn. Training Forums and Networks will closer integrate training for ordained ministry and lay office so that there is learning for the whole church. Regional Training Partnerships will enable learning alongside our ecumenical partners. A new course of training for Worship Leaders will be available on the Methodist website as well as in printed form.The LP Office and London Districts are piloting a programme that delivers the content of Faith and Worship, and study skills during four residential weekends and weekly tutorials. The course is aimed at those who will benefit from additional learning support.
The Covenant between the Church of England and the Methodist Church.
Five years since the Covenant was signed a new report, “Embracing the Covenant” has been jointly produced. Progress has been slow towards the goal of full visible unity, and our divisions remain a barrier to mission; those outside the church find our disagreements incomprehensible. We are encouraged to continue patiently working together at every opportunity and level, increasing in understanding and dismantling barriers. The report contained research on our different administrative structures and theological interpretations. Relating to the differences over episcopacy (bishops) it was suggested that a way forward might be for the President of Conference to become Bishop and start the process in the Methodist Church. Whilst we were in Conference the Church of England, meeting in York, voted to admit women bishops. Whilst welcoming this momentous decision, Conference recognized the pain and tension this would cause in our sister church. We were reminded of Christ’s passion for unity among his followers. When we meet differences the temptation is to reject, or to absorb, to blend or coldly tolerate. What is needed is a dynamic mutual enrichment. Christ prayed that we should be one, even as he and the Father are one, so that we can display his glory.
Women’s Network.
Good news. Women’s Network has been assured that they will be Connexionally supported for the next two years. In this time they will be given appropriate administration support in Methodist Church House. The Connexional president will continue; Districts, Circuits and Churches will continue as before in their meetings and organisation The two year support will give Women’s Network the time and resources to plan how their work will continue and what their priorities are to be. Women’s Network will continue to support women in Methodism and in all manner of worldwide projects.
Youth Participation Strategy.
The Steering Group initiated by the 2007 Conference to propose ways of achieving active participation by young people in the structure of the Methodist Church recommended the creation of a role for young people called Youth Enablers, to be appointed at local District level, to carry out bespoke, targetted projects that would involve active work with and for young people. Conference agreed a 5 year project, costing £4m. The project will be part of a rolling plan from the regional/connexional initiatives and managed by the Regional Participation Workers. These 32 Youth Enablers will be employed on a part time basis (9 -15 hours) for a period of one year, to allow for other work/study commitments. They will be supervised and mentored by the new Regional Participation Workers. They will be employees of the Connexion, and Districts will receive grants from central funds to support their work.
Other things coming soon.From September the Superintendent will be the person to receive formal complaints, and she / he will then process the complaint in the either to a District Reconciliation or else to a Connexional Complaints Officer. It is hoped that proper mediation will enable more complaints to be resolves.
Conference has requested that “Embracing the Covenant” – and its recommendations be studied as widely as possible with responses sent to Assistant Secretary of Conference by 31.12.09
The Conference calls upon churches across the Connexion to have Bibles in appropriate translations and formats available to give to new Christians and those seeking to know more about the Christian faith. 38 recommendations of Stationing review Group have been adopted. These will be discussed with Superintendents and Circuit Stewards in the first instance enabling their wider implications will be shared to all.
Challenge to all to end discrimination and bias of any kind Equalities and Diversity reportChallenge to think seriously how we approach such issues as abortion; embryo screening;
saviour siblings etc. Created in God’s Image.
Conference had so much in its agenda that inevitably there was not time to discuss everything in detail. There was much good stuff – not everyone will be interested in everything – but there is something in its deliberations for all. Watch out for more
Wes Blakey
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If you had sat down with a supporter of Notts County Football Club this time last year and asked, “what are your hopes and expectations for the coming few years?” you would probably been greeted with the response, “purely survival – perhaps promotion into league 1”. If you do the same thing today the response you are likely to receive will be couched in visions of reaching the Premier League within 5 years, competing in Europe and definitely overtaking Nottingham Forest as the top football team in the county.
But what has made the change? The answer is a 4 letter word – SVEN. To the supporters of Notts County, he is seen as their Messiah. Not only is he transforming the way they play week by week but he has also totally transformed the mindset and future expectations of those who support the club week by week. But that’s what a Messiah does. They provide a new way of life in the present and raised expectations for the future.
Mind you, the Notts County supporters were dealt a nasty blow last week when they were beaten by lowly Barnet – none of them would have expected that. Likewise, the disciples of Jesus were dealt a severe blow when Jesus was arrested and crucified by the Roman authorities and it took the resurrection and Pentecost to change all that.
But the challenge for the Church as we embark upon a new connexional year is “do we act as though our Messiah can make the difference the world needs?” and “what kind of image of our Messiah does my Church portray to those who don’t yet come?” Sadly, all too often, the Church has been guilty of a negative mindset, more concerned with survival than going out into the highways and byways proclaiming the Messiah.
Yesterday we engaged in our annual sortie into the Cotgrave Shopping Precinct handing out invites to the next Alpha Course. We struck up interesting conversations with folks about God and who they perceive him to be. How many of the misconceptions about God and Christianity generally are generated by the Church scoring ‘own-goals’ by being inward-focused and divided?
I was staggered at the rapid transformation in the mindset of Notts County supporters when Sven first took up his post. The cynic in me says, “It won’t last”. The cynic also says, “He couldn’t do this for Manchester City so what will it be like in League 1 and above?” The same was said when the first disciples spilled out into the streets after Pentecost. But here we are some 2,000 years later still living in the afterglow of the resurrection with millions of people worldwide acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah and seeing their lives and future hopes transformed as a result.
Will our mindset be focused upon Jesus and the difference he makes in our lives, communities and the world or will it be focused on negative things and the survival of our institutions? When Simon Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wind and the waves as he tried to walk on the water, he began to sink. There are enormous challenges ahead for the Church in this connexional year but our focus needs to be fixed on the one who will lead us through to victory.
District Evangelism Bulletin District Evangelism Bulletin
Evangelism Bulletin 173 - Rethinking the Prodigal
Thu 24th Sep 09
I am fascinated by the parables of Jesus and one of the best known and most loved is the one we have come to know as 'The Parable of the Prodigal Son'. Many things have been written and preached on this parable and not everyone one welcomes the title it has acquired in some Bible translations. Others would rather call it 'The Forgiving Father'. However, as I soaked up the sun in Spain last week I started to think afresh about the Father in this parable.
Traditionally people have taken the Father to represent God in that he demonstrates forgiveness in the way we believe God does. However, I wonder now whether Jesus would be so quick to associate the Father with God. When we look at the Father, we can see a whole number of faults in his personality, some on a par with his rebellious younger son and his legalistic, unforgiving elder son.
For instance, should he not have said 'no' when his younger son asked for his share of the inheritance? Where is his concern for fairness towards his elder son and his concern for family unity? Why didn't he tell his younger son to do what other lads should do - go out and earn himself a living? Also, wasn't his elder son justified in criticizing his father for not having given him a party in recognition of all the hard work and dedication he had shown? The whole forgiveness thing is steeped in favouritism. Perhaps this is what drove the son away in the first place. And where's the call for true repentance which requires making amends for our mistakes?
Whenever I lead a discussion on this parable I find that many people show an enormous sympathy with the elder son and question the actions of the Father. Perhaps we should conclude that the Father was simply one of three figures caught up in the drama of life and equally at fault for what happened. If so, then where is God in this parable?
My answer to that would be that God was in the pig sty. He was there when the younger son 'came to himself'. God was there opening the young lad's eyes to the hurt he had caused and the need to repair the damage. He was there giving him hope that all may not be lost and that going home was a worthwhile journey. He was there helping him to frame his apology.
God was also there in the home-coming celebration assuring the Father that parental mistakes can be forgiven and healed. I believe God was also out in the field when the elder son refused to come and join the celebration. He was there as he so often is, patiently waiting for us to soften our hearts and lay aside our prejudice, self-righteousness and pride.
When we look around at the problems in the world we often wish God would act and destroy the bad people, rescuing the good ones from their suffering. Any cursory glance at the Psalms will show that life isn't like that. God is the one who waits endlessly for people to turn to him. God is the one who sometimes allows the unrighteous to 'get away with murder'. God is the one who frustrates us enormously for sitting on his hands when we demand justice and action.
But God is the one who sees life from all directions. In the 'Parable of the Prodigal Son' Jesus offers us an insight into life from all directions. Each of the three characters made mistakes and had lessons to learn. The comfort we get from this is that God does not cast off any of the characters because of their faults but patiently waits for truth to be revealed and for hearts to turn to one another in a truly loving spirit. This is the stuff of the gospel Jesus came to proclaim.
District Evangelism Enabler
Nottingham & Derby District of the Methodist Church
Tel : 0115 923 5221
Mobile : 07913 252541
Skype : rogerj51
All previous bulletins can be viewed and printed from the District Evangelism Web Site - www.district-evangelism.org.uk/enews.php. Please feel free to use the material in these bulletins for church newsletters or similar - please acknowledge the source of the material.