Walsall Circuit (28/4) |
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Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury District |
The Methodist Church |
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Welcome to the web
site for the
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Walsall Circuit (28/4) |
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Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury District |
The Methodist Church |
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Welcome to the web
site for the
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Information for Preachers (Updated 2nd April 2009)
Visit of Rev Peter Howell Jones
For more information on Methodist Churches in the Walsall Circuit, click on a name in the picture below or on a link above.
Snapshots from a recent traveller
Peter began speaking to us by showing us a slide with a coffin bearing the word CHRISTENDOM being carried by a number of pall bearers.
He then looked at two lists which showed where we were and where we are now to back up the thought that Christendom is dead.
THEN
NOW
At the Centre
On the margin
In the majority
In the minority
Settlers (stayed put)
Sojourners (move around)
Privilege
Plurality
Control
Witness
Maintenance
Mission
He then reminded us that as his topic was loosely 'Can God be found in the city?' that God's story began in a garden (Genesis) and ends in a city (Revelation).
He said we are often confined by the framework we grew up with.
God loves and the church struggles to engage - he said we should not think how but rather we should just go and do it and look for new ways of doing it.
He shared about going to the pub and engaging in conversation - not doing the Alpha type stuff but just being there as someone folk could talk to. He mentioned his book 'Pints of View' available from all good Christian bookshops.
He talked about thinking outside the box and suggested we went to the betting shop and went in and placed a bet (shock, horror), and then went on to explain that just as we would find that very difficult many people have the same issue about coming into church.
Peter said that words and ideas can change the world.
Peter said Jesus could be found on the highways and byways and talked about lifestyle discipleship which is outward focused.
He told us that when he first went to the cathedral he realised that lots of people were on the lawns at lunchtime and he decided to buy a gazebo and put it up on the lawn one day a week and go out there to work - he put some sweets on the table and some spare chairs and a notice that said something like 'I'm from Birmingham Cathedral - Hi' and people would come and sit and talk to him
Peter told us they had blessing days on the square and had things like people do head and shoulder massages. They also had a shoe shine day one Maundy Thursday and if anyone asked why they were doing it they explained it was to symbolise Jesus washing the disciples feet.
Peter told us that it is said that it takes 52 connections before someone comes to the Lord and that while there may be many people sowing the seeds there was a sense in which the harvester was the lucky one.
He said that often people hear the call of God and run away - he said he believes that God call us to be what we are - not to conform.
He said conformity is probably one of our biggest challenges and that the man we follow refused to conform to the society he lived in. Jesus was radical and perhaps like him we need to break out.
Church is a life giving organisation that can transform lives - Jesus did things that were important to people.
Peter was asked if he could give us any practical advice to go out with.
Peter said that we needed to be ourself- too many think they have got to be something they are not - we are all called to be a witness - we need to learn to share our story.
We need to start where people are at.
Pubs are the Aereopagus - the debating place - of today.
We need to be exposed to aspects of life we are not familiar with.
He also suggested we might spend more time with people who are not Christians.
I am the Area Librarian, Walsall Mobile Library Service. One of the services we offer the citizens of Walsall is a Home Library Service. This is a free library service to residents who are unable to get to a library because of a disability, illness, frailty or a carer. The Home Library Service is a monthly service delivered to people in the comfort of their own homes. It provides a variety of large print books, talking books, jigsaws, music and Council information.
We would welcome the opportunity to make more people aware of this service, by talking to church groups or including the information about the Home Library Service in the Church newssheet/newsletter.
If you think some of your members could benefit from this service, please contact me for more information.
Regards
Naomi Jones
Area Librarian
Mobile Library Services
Willenhall Lane
Bloxwich
WS3 2XN
Tel: 01922 710625
District Network Rededication Service at Ludlow on Thursday 16th September
10.30 to 3.30
Details from Margo Taylor
Kings Hill church (St. Andrews) is no longer used for services.
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We launched the website with ambitions to make it easy to find out what is happening within Walsall Methodism and by links to other sites, to stay well informed about others. We hope that the links already provided are interesting, and will be pleased to follow up any new suggestions. We have plenty of site capacity, and would like to build up a collection of archive photos, and of memories of times past. Anyone with stories to tell or photos should contact David Phillips who will gladly add them to the site. Watch the site for new developments.
You can e-mail us at
walsallcircuit @
walsallfriend.org.uk
Site design by David
Phillips :-
david.phillips @
virgin.net
