Words from Bede Circuit
Dear Friends
This Sunday’s theme for worship is based on Jesus’ statement from St John’s gospel. `I am the Good Shepherd”.
From an early age I visited my fathers’ cousins farm near York every Bank Holiday Monday. Some years the Easter Monday coincided with lambing. I loved seeing the lambs being born. Three years ago I was fortunate to have an opportunity to help in the birth of a lamb.
Working alongside farmers in my previous appointment I learned how much planning is involved during the year to ensure a good number of lambs- having enough feed, resources to care for them. The prices at auction also had to be considered. Which sheep were to be kept for breeding, which needed to be sold on.
The work of the shepherd is complex.
In the church throughout history we have used the image of the shepherd as an image for leadership, pastoral care. But what about the sheep? From watching them they soon know who it is who feeds them, and they follow the shepherd.
I reflect on these images of shepherd and sheep as we as a circuit are looking ahead to the future. What will the circuit look like in 12 months? What new ministries are to start? What is to cease?
The Circuit Leadership Team are working through the replies we have had in the circuit review and once we are able to meet face to face we want to go through them, to hear what you have said and to then bring recommendations to the circuit. This will include staffing-both lay and ordained, ministries we feel God is prompting us to start, to continue, to develop.
I ask for your continued prayers as we listen to you, to each other and more importantly as we listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd.
Over the next couple of months alongside this work we will also be reopening our church buildings for worship, fellowship and opening to the wider community groups. Within all of this we continue to listen to the guidelines, and of course to God. It will be wonderful when we can meet again, when we can share around the Communion Table. For some it will feel frightening to be around others, and we need to be aware of this, and to help people return gently.
Dates for you to be aware of is the District Testimony Service where Matt will share his testimony and we will together celebrate with him on his journey to ordination. This service will be on Zoom on Saturday 29th May at 4.00pm.
So- in this time of our life as a circuit we have much to pray about. The Circuit Review, each church as it reopens, for Matt, for lay staff who will be returning to work following furlough, for Neil and Alison as they prepare to move in the summer, for Huw as he goes on sabbatical in June. We pray, we listen so that our plans, like the plans of a shepherd bring new life, new birth.
Sunday worship continues on Zoom at 10.30am.
Wednesday prayers at 10am continue as well on Zoom.
There are Whypay Sunday services and service sheets for use at home. For more information, please contact your pastoral visitor or minister.
Blessings to you all
Revd Jane Carter, on behalf of the Bede Circuit staff team