The work of the 50 plus churches in the area covered by the Circuit, together with other centres of Mission
MISSIONS EVENTS GROUP
ALL those interested in mission and those who want to act and be involved in the mission life of the new circuit are invited, so please can you encourage them.
There will be poster coming round but in the meantime if you can talk and enthuse people we would be very grateful.
We also need to know what mission projects each church runs and is participating in so we can pass this on to others.
Next Meeting of this group will be at Westbury-on-Trym Methodist church on Monday, 24th November at 7.30
The Minutes of their mosr recent meeting can be opened if you click here
CIRCUIT NETWORK NEWS
2008 has proved to be a busy year for Network,with the discussions of our future at National and local level.
The national report prepared for the Spring Methodist Council has now been accepted by the Methodist Conference and we are now in a transitional period of two years.
The report was long but it recommended working closer with the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women and that we should still have an elected Connexional committee.
A matter of concern for many of us was the future of the Easter Offering, the report addressed this:-
“The annual Easter Offering Service should continue to be planned and advocated by Women's Network,as a significant fund raising activity towards the Connexions World Church relations. The current practice of 1% of EO funds going to the Women's Network District Committees should continue,and in addition 4% of the total raised should be allocated to the costs of producing the service and related materials, and their distribution.”
Locally the officers of the five Circuits plus other interested people met on July 18th and agreed that the focus of work has to remain with the local church where most activities are fruitful.
We will continue to work in the old circuit groups that will be known as clusters.An organising committee will be set up with two reps from each cluster, plus District officers and any interested ministers.
For at least the first year we will continue with all the existing treasurers
Chris Perkins (pictured left) will act as Co-ordinator for a limited period. (Tel. 0117 9491912 email chrisbob@blueyonder.co.uk)
The old Kingswood Circuit Network Banner has been adapted to incorporate part of the B.S.G.C.new banner (as pictured in heading)
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
>Friday 14th November at 12 noon at the New Room, Broadmead
Circuit Network Bring and Share Lunch
Communion at 1pm followed by a concert which is part of the New Room programme (at which there will be a collection.)
The Easter Offering Service will be at the New Room on Sunday May 17th, 2009 at 3pm.
News about Network will be posted on this page as it is produced -please check regularly!
Methodist Church Bristol District Mission Portfolio
Environmental Report for Synod September 2008
Concerns about environmental issues continue to feature regularly in the media.
Dramatic increases in oil prices are now impacting on agricultural production and transport result in higher food prices and still more increases in the cost of energy.
As responsible stewards of God’s world churches must play a leadership role in addressing these global issues.
Rev Tim Harrison continues to highlight environmental issues in the regular newsletter published by the Political, Social and Economic Group.and Bristol District now has an Environmental Group on the Operation Noah website (www.operationnoah.org) where as District Advisor, I also have a blog. Until we manage to arrange for a “Green” page on the District website, I would encourage those interested in the environment to join this group and let me have new about what they are doing.
Earlier in the year Mark took a Circuit Service at Bristol Kingswood which focused on environmental stewardship and in the same month he and Jerry Barr attended a showing of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ arranged by Stroud Methodists and followed by a question panel chaired by Rev John James.
Bethesda Methodist Church in Cheltenham has received approval from Manchester for the installation of a PV (solar electric) roof and the application is currently with the Borough Planning Department. The church has also set up its own Carbon Offset fund to raise money for a solar roof installation on a South African AIDS orphanage and is distributing OWL home energy monitors (see Methodist blog on Operation Noah website). Please tell us what your church is doing!
As District Enviromental Advisor Mark is available to help Methodist churches in the Bristol District sign up to the National Eco-Congregation Programme and to provide practical advice on energy conservation/micro-generation or any other environmental concerns. Feel free to contact him by phone (01242 674839) or by email (traidgreen@brocklebank.plus.com)
THE NEW METHODIST PRAYER HANDBOOK should now be available at any good Methodist Church
You can read the Mission Group's declaration of aims and objectives HERE
It is crucial that Christians are willing to learn about their faith and about growing in service.
Wesley College in Bristol offers a very special and wide range of opportunities for training. Click on their icon to find out more