Information eXchange 4
December 2010

Fuller information can be obtained by clicking on the relevant links.

All information herein is intended for use in churches in whatever form the user thinks fit. If printed, an acknowledgement of source should be included.

Book recommended by Heather Bowery; Every Step of the Way by John Hammersley, Parish & People (2003) ISBN 1873529724 Amazon price - £7.50 or direct from publisher £3.50 inc postage

Every Step of the Way contains 49 reflections, each followed by a modern psalm. Retired Anglican priest John Hammersley finds inspiration at a wedding, whilst standing at the bus stop or seeing a beautiful sunset. He writes of inner city violence and living in a multi-faith society. And he writes of depression, of being told one has a terminal illness and of being bereaved without the opportunity to say goodbye. “They said, “Keep busy,” but already I’m exhausted:/ they said, “Time will heal”, but still it hasn’t done so./ Help me to manage my memories:/ Whatever I recall brings only pain and grief.” (p99 vv5,6)

Although it is a short book (128 pages) it took me a long time to read Every Step of the Way because as I read I was constantly given seeds of new sermons that I had to catch. And this must be my greatest praise of his book – he inspires me to continue to pray and to preach.

This Government does God – speech to the C of E Bishops by Baroness Warsi, 24th September 2010. Go to http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2010/09/17 and search ‘warsi’ to find full text.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi is Minister without portfolio in the coalition Government, and co-chair of the Conservative Party. See details on the Conservative Party web site.

Baroness Warsi began by speaking about the way the British think about faith in society. She believes the political elite have got things badly wrong and that too often, too many intellectuals, journalists, commentators and politicians have been too quick to dismiss faith and its contribution to society. She went on to speak of how the last Government misjudged faiths, and asked what needed to be done. She said it was important to understand the contribution of the faith community to society, and then to draw conclusions for policy, particularly relating to voluntary action and social cohesion.

Baroness Warsi said that the religiously observant are more likely to volunteer and give than their non-believing or non-practising counterparts, and listed several organisations of different religions. But when you try to tell the “new atheists” about these sorts of facts, too often, they simply do not want to know. She also listed a number of well known non-religious activities of faith groups, churches in particular.

So the real question is not: “how should big government be controlling faith-based organisations” but “how can government help people of faith do even more to build the Big Society?” Under our plans, you will have more power, more responsibility, and more choice over how to get involved in your communities. She then listed some funds that will be made available. But above all we want to encourage a bonfire of the petty rules and prejudices that have held you and others back for so long. It seems crazy for the state to offer support to the voluntary sector and then shackle it with so many targets. And it’s crazy that bidding for funds as a faith-based charity is made more difficulty by a kind of religious illiteracy in local authorities.

It would be easy to make this speech and walk away, maybe with the promise of returning next year. But I am serious when I say that I will be thinking about all these issues long and hard over the next few months. And I will always be ready and willing to speak out and help lead the debate.

Young Methodists geared to get Generous

A website for young people run by young people has been launched by the Methodist Children and Youth Team. Generous is a safe, online space designed to enable young people to discuss and act upon decisions made at Youth Assembly – an interactive body designed to maximise the impact of young people’s influence on the Methodist Church in Britain. You can sign up to the site and pledge your commitment to different goals. The website offers you the opportunity to work together on maximising the impact you have on the wider Church. Everyone who signs up and joins the debate becomes an activist and voice for social change. Check out Generous here.

From The Buzz, October 2010

Mustard Seed growing to fit the whole community. From: Chapel en le Frith Methodist Church.

The Mustard Seed is a new community based project run by Chapel en le Frith Methodist Church and aims to provide a welcoming, friendly place providing coffee etc, ethically sourced products whenever possible. Apart from the coffee shop, we also want to show that the church is supporting the local community through events such as information sessions etc. Groups that the church wants to target are:

    Young people - a safe environment for young people to drop into for information and social activities, and a place for them to undertake activities to develop and extend their faith.

    30s to 40s - a meeting place to help develop relationships by attracting them in the early morning or afternoon when they are taking and collecting their children from the local school.

    Outside agencies - to use the premises for providing support and advice sessions.

E-mail contact: Tim Wallace mailto:tim.hpco@btconnect.com

Last year, a Christian advertising campaign caught the imagination of Methodists here and they raised enough funds to sponsor three bus shelter ads. The poster campaign, organised by ChurchAds.Net, used an arresting image of the traditional nativity scene set in a modern bus shelter with the slogan 'Christmas starts with Christ.' Particular poster sites cannot be guaranteed but members of St Andrew's Church, Littletown were delighted to hear that a bus shelter outside the nearby primary school would display the poster for the fortnight before Christmas. The circuit arranged to sing carols outside the school at the close of the final day of term. Ice and snow meant few people could come, but the school came to the rescue and the Year 6 class sang a selection of carols. Visit the www.churchads.net website for more information.

E-mail contact: Revd Roger Smith mailto:roger. smith@methodist.org.uk The BUZZ needs 'good news' stories. Contact mailto:newlandl@methodistchurch.org.uk with yours. e-mail copy of The BUZZ from http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=contact.subscribe

From Methodist E-news Sept 2010

METHODIST YOUTH ASSEMBLY: 19-21 NOVEMBER 2010

Methodist Youth Assembly is the perfect place for young people to meet other like-minded people, to listen to each other and to God, and to talk about the issues that really matter to them. It's also a lot of fun! For information visit http://www.methodistyouthassembly.org.uk . If you are between 11 and 23 next year, think about going. If you are older, please encourage your young people to attend. For more information, posters, etc email Jude Levermore at mailto:levermorej@methodistchurch.org.uk.

SQUEEZING THE JUICE OUT OF GENESIS

Following the success of its 2009 production, Riding Lights Theatre Company is touring the country this autumn performing Origins and Lemons. Subtitled 'Squeezing the juice out of Genesis', the play uses a mixture of humour, imagination and honesty to take the audience back to the very beginning; concentrating on the ultimate expression of Genesis - the 'Why?' of the created world. It is a highly entertaining plunge into some of the issues that have aroused our curiosity since the dawn of time. For more details go to http://ridinglights.org/sub_sites/o&l/o&labout.html. Demand for the 2009 show has led to the production of a DVD which captures on film the heart of the performance. It addresses 7 key themes from the first 11 chapters of Genesis, including the division between nations and questions about the nature of death (as discussed by Darwin and Noah) with discussion notes. To order visit http://www.ridinglights.org/merchandise/1052.html.

If you have any suggestions for stories or comments about E-News please contact mailto:newseditor@methodistchurch.org.uk E-News editor, Methodist Church House, 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR

From Methodist E-news Oct 2010

METHODIST GEAR UP FOR GREAT CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY

Full of inspiring and accessible words and images, A Gift of Christmas is a little reminder of who is at the heart of the festive season. It is an ideal gift to give away at any outreach event you may be planning. The booklet is the second in the re-launched 'A gift of' series (formerly 'in your pocket'). This completely revised edition contains brand new images and quotations on Christmas, but retains the look and feel of its predecessor. A pack of 50 booklets costs just £5 (including postage and packing). To order your pack visit http://www.methodistpublishing.org.uk/

A free nativity play script, written by the Revd Howard Mellor, and a PowerPoint presentation of the booklet is available to download for free from http://www.methodist.org.uk/gift.

METHODIST CHURCH LAUNCHES FIRST EBOOK

The Methodist Church has launched its first ebook as its renewed emphasis on discipleship continues to gather momentum. The book, Discipleship and the People Called Methodists, is available to download for free in both the epub and mobi formats from http://www.deepeningdiscipleship.org.uk/?p=123. At the same time, the book has just been reprinted again and now has over 19,000 copies in circulation.

The author, the Revd Dr Martyn Atkins, general secretary of the Methodist Church, says: "Discipleship is about transforming the world as well as ourselves, and I'm delighted that the Methodist people are really taking this emphasis on discipleship to heart. Print copies of the book are available from Methodist Publishing. It can also be downloaded as a pdf from the above site

PEANUTS AND PIGLETS MAKE PERFECT PRESENTS THIS CHRISTMAS TIME

MRDF has just launched its all-new range of extraordinary gifts for Christmas. The collection includes piglets that will help school leavers in Cameroon to make a living and peanuts that will enable a food production group in Zambia to make a tasty profit. Extraordinary gifts make ideal presents - and with gifts starting at just £8 you can make a positive difference without breaking the bank. Each gift comes with a colourful bookmark and a card that can be given to the gift recipient. For larger gifts, it's possible to request a CD-ROM with a presentation illustrating how the gift will make a difference. This is ideal for showing to a church or group which has bought or received an extraordinary gift. Extraordinary gifts can be bought online at http://www.mrdf.org.uk/ or by calling 020 7467 5132 to request a catalogue.

   You can obtain MRDF news regularly through their site as above.

From MRDF (Methodist Relief and Development Fund) E-news October 2010

Reaping the benefits with Partner a Project

Fadi is from Cameroon. She took part in a training course provided by MRDF partner Presbyterian Rural Training Centre (PRTC).

Fadi says: 'Before we had nothing. We didn’t know how to work the farm, but the PRTC showed us how to use seeds. We had a three-day seminar on how to plant and how to make body lotion and soap to wash our children’s clothing. Now we are providing for our families.'

PRTC is one of three projects that your church or group can support through MRDF’s Partner a Project scheme. Through direct sponsorship and regular updates from the projects, you get to see the lasting difference you are making and learn about a community in another part of the world. Thanks to MRDF's Partner a Project scheme, Fadi Matu can provide for her family.

From MRDF E-news, September 2010 President in Cameroon

The President of the Methodist Conference, the Reverend Alison Tomlin, recently visited MRDF projects in Cameroon.

Alison spent time at business and agriculture projects in the region, including our award-winning partner CDVTA. The project supports elderly people in the region, providing house visits, elderly clubs, income generation activities and training. Alison said: ‘We met elderly people who climbed steep hillsides which exhausted me, and who delight in the possibilities that MRDF grants have opened up for their grandchildren.’ Read Alison’s blog

Prayer from the Circuit Service in September, when the service was planned during the afternoon.

God of wind and rain, sun and shade, Thank You for the substance of our Harvest; trees heavy with fruit; blackberries in plenty; fields filled with golden grain. Thank You for the pleasure of gathering in so many good things, and for the promise of food enough, and more to share. We pray for those who are less fortunate, for those whose crops have failed; for Your children in Ethiopia, where the rains have not come, and there is no harvest to gather, and in China, where rice fields have been destroyed by flooding.

Teach us, who have plenty, to hold less tightly to what we have because we fear losing it.

Teach us, not only to share our excess, but to share in others poverty, and emptiness.

Stop Press: The following covers three matters of importance on which the Free Churches have spoken. The links give more details.

Methodist E-news, November 2010

Over the last month the Methodist Church has reacted publicly to a number of Government proposals.

In collaboration with other denominations and agencies, it has accused the government of failing to take account of the reality of poverty. Although they welcome plans for a simplified benefits system, they raise concerns that the proposed reforms are based on inaccurate assumptions about the poor. To read more go to http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=477.

Also on the eve of the comprehensive government spending review the president of Conference, the Revd Alison Tomlin addressed a rally organised by the Trades Union Congress. In her speech she raised concerns that spending cuts will hit the poor hardest. You can read more, including the full text of Alison's address by visiting http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=470.

The Methodist Church, the Baptist Union of Great Britain and the United Reformed Church have voiced concern over Chancellor George Osborne's inaccurate use of welfare fraud statistics in his spending review speech. He claimed that welfare fraud is responsible for cheating tax payers out of £5 billion a year. But Church leaders said that this exaggerated figure depicts the poorest and most vulnerable in society as thieves. Discover more at http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=472.