Words from Bede Circuit
Dear Friends
A happy Methodist New Year to you all.
The cycle of the church year ends and restarts. Treasurer’s will be busy doing the end of year accounts, the schedules we have to fill in every year will be needing information putting into the system. The rota of Synod, Circuit Meeting and Church Councils would normally be taking place but this year of course is different. How do we meet? How do we discuss together? How do we make plans for the life of our churches?
I know some of the churches in the circuit are starting to reopen for prayer and worship but some have said not yet. We are not in a position to provide a preaching plan until preachers feel they can lead worship. Conversations will be taking place over the next couple of weeks to see what we can provide for churches who want to open for worship, and for those who meet on Zoom, Why Pay, and for those who use written materials provided.
One of the pieces of work which has been issued by the Methodist Church over the summer is one called ` Mission Planning Workbook”. At the end of the workbook is a page written about Covid 19. It states,
`This workbook was written during the lockdown in spring/summer 2020, brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, everything changed. Many people died and families and communities experienced suffering and loss…..
….Social media declared many variations on the following: “The church is not closed –the church has left the building.”
Mission planning remains as important as it ever was in our current context– perhaps even more so. Most circuits will have less money and may have had to furlough some of their workers; most churches will have fewer volunteers who are able to leave their homes. How much more important then that we all discern the way forward for our churches prayerfully and carefully, taking into consideration those resources we actually have and figuring out what is possible and sustainable, guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Any plans already in place will need to be radically revisited, if not put on hold. We will all need to be prepared to adapt and to plan out of our changed circumstances. We will be listening for, speaking of, and living out good news in a profoundly changed world.’
One of the areas we are asked to think about is- How well do we know the communities where we live? We may have lived in the same place for many year’s but the community around will have changed. New houses, shops, new needs, new people. Some businesses will have closed. How many are employed and how many unemployed?
How then can the church serve its community?
Whilst the changes and the questions are being asked our meetings/services continue on Zoom.
Bible studies resume on Mondays 7.00pm and Thursday at 10.30am. We will be studying the book of Philippians during September. Meeting ID 91968795706 Password 711688
Sunday worship at 10.30am (Meeting ID: 95979435144 Password 321257)
Wednesday Morning prayer (Meeting ID 99912067989 and Password 564776) at 10am will continue on Zoom.
There are other services on Why Pay Telephone Conference (please ask your minister for details) and please do use the Sunday service sheet as we continue (for now) to worship at home.
With love
Rev. Jane Carter , on behalf of the Bede Circuit staff team.