Newsletter 3

 NEW Y EAR AND NEW L OCAL P REACHER …... 1



MY FIRST YEAR, SPACE ACADEMY, CIRCUIT CHARITY, CREDIT UNION AND CONFERENCE CALLING ……... 2-3

 N EWS AND

EVENTS

...... 4

September 2013

Sankey valley

COMM UNIC AT ING NEW S ACRO SS OUR S ANKEY V ALLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT.

Welcome to the latest edition of the Sankey Valley Circuit Newsletter. In this issue you will find details of activities which have taken place across our circuit as well as a look ahead to some forthcoming events. In addition there is information from the recent Methodist Conference, which took place in London that will have some impact on our churches and circuit. If you have any information for subsequent newsletters please contact the Circuit Communication Team.

The Rev’d Jackie Bellfield, The Rev’d Mark Coles, The Rev’d

A New Year and a New Local Preacher We began our new church year with a special Circuit service on Sunday 1st September. Over 80 people packed into Hood Manor where we received a warm welcome and had the opportunity to share with old and new friends from across the Circuit. During the service Helen Porter was admitted into the office of a local preacher. We were glad to welcome Helen's son and dear friends who had travelled from Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Our Superintendent Minister, Lucille, spoke from Isaiah 52 'How wonderful it is to see a messenger bringing good news.' She challenged us all not just to bring the good news of God's love but to be the good news in who we are.

Helen thanked all those who had inspired, encouraged and supported her during her journey so far, recognising that becoming a fully accredited local preacher was not an ending but a new beginning. An offering of £200.15 was received to support the work of the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Stephen Froggatt or Mr John Humbles.

We celebrate that 11 new worship leaders have completed the recent worship leaders training course run by Kit Heald and Linda Ogden. Thank you Kit and Linda.

We are grateful for all who lead and enable our worship week by week - our local preachers and worship leaders.

Thank you for your faithfulness and commitment.

The next worship leaders course will take place next year at Farnworth Methodist Church.

Reflections on a 1st Year The Rev’d Lucille Rogers As I think back over my first year as Superintendent of the Sankey Valley Circuit first of all I want to say 'thank you' to all the individuals and communities who have made me so welcome, held me in prayer and offered such encouragement along the way.

As a Circuit we have faced challenges in tackling some financial, property and governance issues. We have rejoiced in some very special occasions, including the Connexional Worship Conference, the Warrington Peace anniversary service, the opening of Nutgrove's nursery and community centre, Brian Fisher's 50 years as a local preacher, and Parr's farewell celebration service. We have come together in prayer and service through our 24 hour prayer vigil and our weekly prayer pointers, and in supporting our Circuit charity: the Methodist Hospital in Burma. We have mourned the loss of old friends and been glad to welcome new ones.

It has been a joy to work with the Circuit Leadership Team (CLT), a group of people who offer their gifts, time, prayer and energy with great generosity and commitment. Please continue to pray for our CLT as we review our Circuit’s mission and strategy for making use of the resources God has blessed us with.

I have enjoyed getting to know the three churches and communities where I have pastoral charge: Ashton, Heath St in Golborne, and Prescot & Whiston, and visiting many of the other churches in the Circuit through meetings, events and leading worship.

A particular joy in leading our staff team is working with our two probationer ministers: Rev Stephen Froggatt and Deacon Angela Shereni. They are both full of God's Spirit of love, prayerfulness, grace and enthusiasm, and we are blessed to have them among us. Please hold them especially in your prayers as they start their second year of training with us.

Some lines from a song by Matt Redmond have been a blessing to me this past year and I share them with you, praying our Lord's continuing guidance and inspiration for us all in the year ahead: “Every step we are breathing in your grace, evermore we’ll be

At the beginning of the summer holidays, volunteers from Lymm, Padgate, Rixton and St Martin’s churches held their sixth children’s holiday club at St Martin’s. Each morning for a week we had around 45 children singing songs, playing games and making crafts. They found out lots of facts about space and also heard about Daniel and his friends and how God helped them be brave in new and dangerous situations. We hope the children also thought about how God can be a friend to them.

Here are some of the children’s comments: ‘Awesome’; ‘Epic’; ‘I enjoyed doing all the arts stuff’; ‘Very noisy!’; Out of this world’; ‘I liked the man with the orange hair’; ‘It was really good and very fun and I hope I can come next year’.

Very many thanks go to everyone who planned and prepared the event, worked with the children, prepared refreshments, supported us in prayer, provided craft materials or helped in any other way. And to the children themselves, who made it all worthwhile: thank you! (well done everyone from the comms team)

Prescot and Whiston Walking Group is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The group is made up of people from the church and local community and organises a walk every month as well as various social activities. We also have a special annual sponsored walk, which this year saw us walking a circuit of canals around the South Pennine Ring. The walk ended with twelve of our Junior Church children (aged 3-14) walking out to meet the final walkers and sharing in the last mile. We were joined on the walk by friends from Lymm and Penketh Methodist Churches and raised over £6,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. One of our aims is to bring people together across the Circuit. This year we have formed a valuable link with the church family at Lymm who kindly welcomed us to a special celebration family service and lunch to mark the end of the walk. For more information please contact our

Our Circuit Charity Wesley Hospital, Myanmar During July Stephen and Denise Kingsnorth met Dr Luai, Director of the Wesley Hospital in Myanmar, during his visit to Britain to attend the Methodist Conference. He was thrilled by the support of the Circuit for the work of the hospital and asked that his immense gratitude be passed on. Myanmar/Burma continues to be in the news, but quietly, in a corner of the country, the Methodist Church, with our support, carries on witnessing to the Christian faith as it serves the people. At this 80 bed hospital there is a fund for patients unable to meet the costs of treatment, and families cook for their patient relative in the kitchens.

Very sick people in overcrowded wards, are treated by professional, dedicated and enthusiastic staff in ‘their

Whether it is a means of saving for something special or borrowing to spread the cost, for many people a Credit Union is the best way to manage money. A credit Union is a nonprofit making financial co-operative, offering a means of saving money and a low interest loans service for its' members. The Archbishop of Canterbury recently highlighted how churches could become involved in offering an alternative service to people who need to borrow money, without taking on loans which demand extremely high interest rates.

Conference Calling The Annual Methodist Conference allows for debate, decision making and networking. Churches can impact Conference through proposing memorials to the Circuit meeting which in turn go to Synod then conference. Any representative from a Synod can attend conference and nominations are received at the September Synod for the following years conference.

With immediate effect there is a change for all church councils sending substitutes to Circuit Meetings. The original Standing Order 510. (7) allowed for Councils to nominate substitutes in advance, their names being recorded at the beginning of the meeting so that they could be full members of the meeting with voting rights. Conference adopted the resolution that this now be amended, so that substitutes may attend a Circuit Meeting participate in discussions but not vote. This is to comply with Charity Law. The Rev’d Ruth Gee was inducted as the President of Conference with Dr Daleep Mukarji as the VicePresident.

The Memorial M18 - Definition of replacement projects, sent by our own circuit, requested conference to instruct the Connexional Grants Committee to revise the criteria in relation to replacement projects as directed by conference in 2011. This was to change the interpretation of Standing Order 973 to allow for the proceeds of multiple dispositions to be included in a single replacement project without attracting the CPF Levy. The process is underway to ensure guidelines are changed.

The Rt Hon and Most Rev’d Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, urged the Church to

The members of the Methodist churches at Nutgrove and Balmer St have made links with the St Helens Credit Union and plan to do their part in highlighting the advantages of credit union co-operatives over and above the commercial payday loan companies.

Copies of the agenda items and papers can be found at: www.methodistconference.org.uk/ london-2013/2013-07-04

If you want more information about joining, using or volunteering with the St Helens Credit Union locally in Nutgrove and Thatto Heath, contact the minister, Martin

Safeguarding Training - Creating Safer Space Foundation Module

Are you interested in Messy Church or Sticky Church? Look out for information on how we can share resources and encourage one another in our activities in the next few months….

Two more events for training for all stewards, worship leaders., pastoral visitors church council secretary are scheduled for: Thurs17th October at Penketh Methodist Church at 7.30pm Sat 9th November at Cross Lane United at 2pm

Events and News

As I move on … Phillipa Kirby-Girdlestone I returned to my home church in Cross Lane, Newton-le-Willows in 1993 after 19 years away from regular church attendance. Little did I know that 20 years later I would be leaving again. And this time I’m not turning away from church; I’m turning further into the church.

With your help, God has called me into full time ordained ministry and I leave to embark on full time training at Queen’s Foundation in Birmingham for two years – even at my age!!

Throughout the candidating process I have been challenged in many ways; something I have welcomed even when it has felt a little scary. I have had to reflect on and share my spiritual journey and this has stretched my understanding of what a prayerful life could be like.

While a little unsettling at times, it has been excellent preparation for a life in the Methodist Diaconal Order which encourages a daily routine of prayer – praying for other Deacons, their individual ministries and the Diaconal Order, family and friends and the world. It has allowed me to explore different ways of being church and this has been energising and illuminating and given me hope for a time when I will be able to join a church and community somewhere in this wonderful country to begin my ministry as a Probationer Deacon.

I have loved being part of the Sankey Valley Circuit and sharing its early life – both as a Circuit Steward and as a Local Preacher. I know it has brought challenge to many people; I also know with the love for God and people that exists among you there is hope for a bright and growing future. Perhaps like I have had to do, give way to God’s calling and be prepared to step out in faith where you feel uncertain about what is happening. God knows what is right for us and will continue to guide and cherish through whatever comes. Having worked closely with colleagues – lay and ordained – and recognised a wealth of gifts and talents I know that that if they are allowed to flourish they will bring you many blessings.

God has led me through an amazing journey of exploration and discovery in the last twenty years, bringing into my life many wonderful people – including many of you reading this newsletter today. I feel blessed to have worked with you in creating a desire for a closer relationship with God. This has certainly encouraged me and I hope it continues to encourage and drive you.

Sankey Valley Circuit Website: http://ww.sankeyvalleymethodists.org.uk Sankey Valley Circuit Facebook Group: Search for Sankey Valley Methodist Circuit (All photos of people uploaded must have their permission please)