n May I joined a small group of women from all over the country on an MWiB Pilgrimage. Like many things it has been deferred three times due to the pandemic, sadly one early volunteer died earlier in the year and another was too ill to join us but spaces were filled and thirteen of us set off under the guidance of Jill Baker and Gillian Womersley.  For many of us St Mungo and St Ninian were merely names but we learnt a little bit about them as we travelled.  The pilgrimage began in Glasgow where, in the 6th century, St Mungo served the community.  Our journey then took us to Ayr where we picked up the trail of St Ninian walking up the coast to St Ninian’s Cove and Whithorn.

I have just returned from the Methodist Conference which was held in Telford.

Part of the Conference included the welcoming of overseas representatives, admitting the new President and Vice President, Ordination services, Thanksgiving for those who have died, and then the business of the church. Finance, Pensions, Stationning of ministers, changes to our candidating processes, discussions on changes to District boundaries (which was overturned), and so much more. All of this is held within times of prayer and worship. I think for me there was also an honesty in where we are as a church in these times of declining figures and the amount of work placed on ministers but also those who hold office in the life of our churches, circuits, and districts. But we also heard of positive projects happening and the sense that God isn’t finished with us yet! God is with Us!

When Jesus sent out the seventy-two disciples he said their first words on entering a house were to be ; ‘Peace to this house’. They were to be ambassadors of peace and goodwill. Without peace nothing is possible.