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PEMD enews

 


The recent sudden death of a friend has been a poignant reminder that tomorrow isn't guaranteed. We have today and all the opportunities that today holds and we have our memories but tomorrow is a different matter.

Reminders to 'not put off tomorrow what you can do today' and to 'never let the sun go down on your anger' are good messages for us to hold on to.  And yet - and yet - we are also those who have been gifted eternal life.  Therefore, tomorrow will be very different from today whenever we move from one state of being to the next.  So holding everything in tension is required - between the earthly 'now' and the heavenly 'not yet'.

I trust you will seek the guidance of God about the best use of today and make appropriate plans for tomorrow.

Epiphany blessings,


 
 
                               
 

Cuttack Sunday - 3rd March 2019

A reminder that the Sunday before Lent has been earmarked as 'Cuttack Sunday' when we specifically remember our sisters and brothers in the Diocese of Cuttack in the Church of North India - our overseas partners.

Each church is asked to remember the Diocese of Cuttack in their prayers on 3rd March and our friends in the Diocese will be praying for us on the same day.

Material to support Cuttack Sunday will be available at the end of January.
 

Forthcoming Important Dates

19th January - Regional Candidates' Committee - Plympton
2nd February - Circuit Treasurer's  Meeting - Wonford
2nd March - District Safeguarding Day - St Thomas, Exeter
20th March - Presbyteral Synod - Barnstaple
6th April - Representative Synod - Taunton
 

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES IN CONVERSATION

Christian Communities in Conversation is a District project with the following aim:

'To grow a new generation of people who are confident and excited about having  spiritual conversations based on experiences of life, living and encountering God'


It is through the use of facilitated Core Process (conversation) Groups that participants are given safe, focused and inclusive space to explore their own faith and in doing so unpack what it means to be able to relevantly share their experience of God with others and learn to listen for the experience of God in others.

Initially 18 Conversation Champions attended two weekends away where they experienced an immersion in conversation, listening and noticing.  From this a supportive community of practice was formed to explore new thinking around the art of conversation as it relates to evangelism.  The community of practice is a place of learning and reflection which embodies the heart of the initiative which is to make the road by walking, journeying together and learning as we go, rather than assuming there is a training package to help us in our evangelism endeavors.  

Since the project started in June:

18 Conversation Champions have completed 2 weekend introduction sessions.
3 'Introduction to CCiC and the art of conversation' workshops have been created which look at post-modern evangelism and the application of the CCiC way of being.  These are being offer to churches, circuits and ecumenical groups. 
15 church, circuit and ecumenical groups have already taken part in these introductory sessions. 
160 people (approx.) have attended introductory sessions.

The next phase of the project will be to:

Establish Core Process (conversation) Groups across the District using facilitators who have achieved the facilitator competencies. 

How can you get involved?

  • Invite me 
Invite me to come and present the three introductory workshops in your church, circuit or ecumenical group.
  • Train as a facilitator
If you have already taken part in the workshops, then consider whether you would like to join the community of practice by training as a CCiC facilitator.  If you haven't taken part in the workshops, but would like to find out more about training as a CCiC facilitator then contact me.

The new round of facilitator training will be starting in February/March 2019.  This is a self-led reflective training with on-going coaching support.
  • Look at the website 

Take a look at our website www.ccic-sw.co.uk  where we will be adding stories, news, podcasts and general information and updates about the project.


For more information contact: Jo Simpson (District Evangelism Enabler) 
evangelism@pemd.org.uk  07951 230521 

 

Circuit Administrator Torridge
Methodist Circuit

 
Purpose and Adjectives:  To provide support to the Superintendent, Circuit Leadership Team and the Circuit.

Main responsibilities:
  • Provide Administrative Support 
  • Facilitate communication between the Circuit Churches.
  • Maintain accurate records
 
Hours:  15 hours per week @£10 per hour

Further information and application form can be obtained from Revd Robert Blackhall, Superintendent Minister by email r.blackhall@sky.com or telephone 01805 628041
Member of the Connexional Grants Committee - Closing Date 11th January 2019
 

Closing date for applications: Noon on 11th January 2019

Interview date: 24th January 2019

https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/connect/jobs-volunteering/volunteer-positions/member-of-the-connexional-grants-committee-closing-date-11th-january-2019/
 

 Spending time with God, alone and with others. Do you ever long for time just to be, quietly but alongside others, and to listen to God?
 Life Rhythms might be for you!

Halberton Halberton Methodist Church
(EX16 7AF) Methodist Church (EX16 7AF)

Quiet spaces to read, pray, reflect, be creative.. Opportunities to walk in the village or along the Grand Western Canal. 

Dates
  • Saturday 19 January 2019 Tuesday 19 March 2019
  • Saturday 18 May 2019 Wednesday 17 July 2019 10.15am - 3.30pm 10.15am - 3.30pm
Bring your own lunch. Drinks provided.

For more information contact Hazel Parsons hazelfparsons@btinternet.com 01884 821581
Anne Browse annebrowse@yahoo.co.uk 01884 820532
 
Philippa Hanna, Award winning singer-songwriter & Author will be performing at Tavistock Methodist Church on Friday 18th January at 7:00 p.m.  Philippa performs songs and shares from her new devotional book ‘Amazing You’; plus after show meet and greet.  Tickets are £12.50 and can be purchased from philippahanna.com.  This is a fundraising concert for Trinity Balloons.

For the past ten years there has been a Unity Festival on Plymouth Hoe in the summer.  Organised by the All Nations church in the city, it has been a great faith venture that they have taken on.  Other churches are invited to take part.  The City Council have opportunity to speak, as do the Police and other organisations.  Christian bands - sometimes from places such as London or Manchester have taken part.  Speakers, worship for all the churches together, and testimonies add to the joy of the event.

 

Each year those with a desire to speak to people who wander by (especially on days of really good weather!) are part of an evangelism group.  This year it may be that Christians from the District might like to take part - here is why:-

 

Readers might have heard of 'the Turning':  unexpectedly a few years ago, in Reading, a mission that was planned to bring the Gospel to the streets of that city, turned out to be an amazing events with many, many adults and children making decisions for Christ.  Since then teams from Reading have encouraged cities - even some overseas - to witness in the same way.  The results are always good.  In a Welsh mission organised by 'Mission to Wales' (New Wine Cymru + the Turning teams), 3,551 people said a prayer accepting Jesus' salvation; and were given Luke/Acts booklets.  

 

In the lead-up to the Hoe Festival this year - Saturday/Sunday 22nd/23rd June - a 'Turning' team will help local Christians to witness in the special way that has come about.  In the four evenings/mornings before the Saturday 'training' will take place.  The evenings are times of waiting on God, worship, receiving through the Holy Spirit, and the mornings are time of instruction.  Details will come; but you may like to just express your interest now by e-mailing me on tmh.eastpark@gmail.com

 

In November 2017 two very 'scared' Methodists took part in the Cornwall venture in Falmouth over a Monday and Tuesday.  We listened well to the training, but the thought of approaching people 'cold' in the town's principal street was daunting.  We had Reading team members with us to help at first - then we were on our own.  It was for just one hour - but the time seemed endless!  At midday we returned with 28 others to the host church.  Testimonies galore were shared of people making a commitment.  The highlight for me was the story of one man who happened to be walking in that street that morning.  He gave his heart to Jesus; his wife, we heard, was a Street Pastor, who had been praying for her husband to make this commitment for a long time - imagine her joy!!

 

I had a strong input in prayer not to give up on something I definitely didn't want to do, so am looking forward ('sort of') to that week in Plymouth.  There are many in street evangelism who are doing a great work for Christ, including many here in our city.  But just like 'Alpha' seemed like a special gift to the church from God, so to me the 'Turning' is similar.  It is not for churches who just want to add to their own congregations, but for those who want to be ready to enable not-yet-Christians to find trust in the Lord Jesus.

 

Terry Higgins, retired Methodist Minister, Plymouth & Devonport Circuit.

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Plymouth & Exeter Methodist District · The Mint Methodist Church · Fore Street · Exeter, Devon EX4 3AT · United Kingdom

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