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Walsall Circuit (28/4)
Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury District		The Methodist Church

Welcome to the web site for the 10 churches in the Walsall Circuit of the Methodist Church

For more information on Methodist Churches in the Walsall Circuit, click on a name in the picture below or on a link above.

Zimbabwe

News Release

Letter from Zimbabwe sent in by John Winter – 28th July 08

I reckon that these are the last days of TKM and ZPF. The darkest hour is always before dawn.

We are all terrified at what they are going to destroy next........I mean they are actually ploughing down brick and mortar houses and one white family with twin boys of 10 had no chance of salvaging anything when100 riot police came in with AK47s and bulldozers and demolished their beautiful house - 5 bedrooms and pine ceilings - because it was 'too close to the airport', so we are feeling extremely insecure right now.

You know - I am aware that this does not help you sleep at night, but if you do not know - how can you help? Even if you put us in your own mental ring of light and send your guardian angels to be with us - that is a help - but I feel so cut off from you all knowing I cannot tell you what's going on here simply because you will feel uncomfortable. There is no ways we can leave here so that is not an option. I ask that you all pray for us in the way that you know how, and let me know that you are thinking of us and sending out positive vibes... that's all. You can't just be in denial and pretend/believe it's not going on. To be frank with you, it's genocide in the making and if you do not believe me, read the Genocide Report by Amnesty International which says we are - IN level 7 - (level 8 is after it's happened and everyone is in denial).

If you don't want me to tell you these things - how bad it is - then it means you have not dealt with your own fear, but it does not help me to think you are turning your back on our situation. We need you, please, to get the news OUT that we are all in a fearfully dangerous situation here. Too many people turn their backs and say - oh well, that's what happens in Africa. This Government has GONE MAD and you need to help us publicize our plight --- or how can we be rescued? It's a reality! The petrol queues are a reality, the pall of smoke all around our city is a reality, the thousands of homeless people sleeping outside in 0 Celsius with no food, water, shelter and bedding are a reality. Today a family approached me, brother of the gardener's wife with two small children. Their home was trashed and they will have to sleep outside. We already support 8 adult people and a child on this property, and electricity is going up next month by 250% as is water. How can I take on another family of 4 ----- and yet how can I turn them away to sleep out in the open? I am not asking you for money or a ticket out of here - I am asking you to FACE the fact that we are in deep and terrible danger and want you please to pass on our news and pictures. So PLEASE don't just press the delete button! Help best in the way that you know how. Do face the reality of what is going on here and help us SEND OUT TO THE WORLD.

The more people who know about it, the more chance we have of the United Nations coming to our aid. Please don't ignore or deny what's happening. Some would like to be protected from the truth BUT then, if we are eliminated, how would you feel? 'If only we knew how bad it really was we could have helped in some way'.
[I know we chose to stay here and that some feel we deserve what's coming to us]. For now, --- we ourselves have food, shelter, a little fuel and a bit of money for the next meal - but what is going to happen next? Will they start on our houses? All property is going to belong to the State now. I want to send out my Title Deeds to one of you because if they get a hold of those, I can't fight for my rights. Censorship! ---- We no longer have SW radio [which told us everything that was happening] because the Government jammed it out of existence - we don't have any reporters, and no one is allowed to photograph. If we had reporters here, they would have an absolute field day. Even the pro-Government Herald has written that people are shocked, stunned, bewildered and blown mindless by the wanton destruction of many folks homes, which are supposed to be 'illegal' but for which a huge percentage actually do have licenses.

Please! - do have some compassion and HELP by sending out the articles and personal reports so that something can/may be done.

'I am one. I cannot do everything, --- but I can do something.. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do.' Edward Everett Hale

Please send this on. We send jokes out without blinking an eyelid. We don't get told this on the news in South Africa, we only get told what they want us to hear. We all have a chance to do something, even though the something is by pressing forward to as many people as possible. Let's stop talking and let's start doing! There is power in prayer, there is also power in more people knowing about this than you in my address book. This is going to America, Dubai, Australia, France, South Africans all over South Africa, the UK. By forwarding this to all in my address book I have done something. The world needs to know what is going on.

NEWS RELEASE

A Word in Time, the online Bible study for daily life, was launched at the beginning of September and has been hugely successful, with around 300 visitors to the site every day (www.methodist.org.uk/bible).

But now the team have decided to make the studies even more accessible. An audio file of each day’s Bible study, and a bigger file with all of the studies for each week can easily be downloaded onto a computer or mp3 player, so that users can listen at a time convenient to them.

Alison Pollard, Web Writer and Researcher and the new voice of A Word in Time says; ‘People find it increasingly difficult to make time to read and reflect on the Bible in today’s busy world. A Word in Time made it easier by giving people access to a Bible study on the internet. Now we’ve taken it to the next level and you can catch up with your daily Bible study at a time most convenient to you – whether you’re cooking dinner, doing your weekly shop or on the daily commute to work.’

A Word in Time features a daily Bible reading, background and an explanation of the text, reflections and questions to ponder from that week’s contributor. It follows the readings in the Methodist Prayer Handbook bringing the 40,000 readers of the handbook together with online disciples in their search for daily spirituality.

Each audio file is available in two formats – a high quality version for those using broadband internet connections and a lower-quality file for those using a dial-up connection. The audio files for past Bible studies are available online in the Word in Time archives.

The audio Bible studies are also ideal for sharing with those who otherwise might not have access to daily Bible notes, perhaps because of a disability or simply not having access to the internet.

Komera Project, Rwanda - Sponsored Swim

Rachel Williams from Bentley swum her swim at Darlaston Baths. Her aim was to swim 100 lengths of a 25 metre pool in 100 minutes.

In fact she swam it in 59 minutes 45 secs. She has raised about £125 which will go towards two projects in Komera - an isolation unit at the hospital and 'The Centre for Peace and Reconciliation'.

Stepping out for Africa

Sarah Timms from Shropshire set herself a personal challenge recently and in the process hopes to make a difference in Rwanda.

She successfully completed her walk on 27th August!

As Sarah says: ‘As you can imagine the experience has been very mixed,. I could be feeling very lonely one minute, singing happily to myself the next or getting worried about being lost. The best thing though was meeting and talking to all the interesting people along the way whom I most probably would never have met if I hadn’t taken on the challenge. What makes the Komera project special is that we have spoken to the people of Rwanda so that we can do what they want …not do what we think they want. There is a huge difference.’

Sarah is not a hardened walker, just a young person trying to achieve something for herself and others.

As you can imagine they are very proud of her at Admaston Methodist Church.

Is there anyone with office experience who could offer an afternoon a week to keep the circuit admin up to date. John Davies has been doing this very willingly since he came into the Circuit, but is now faced with looking after four churches instead of three and would welcome some assistance.
Please contact us at
circuit@walsallfriend.org.uk
or ring John Davies

Snapshots from a recent Traveller

John Wilcox and his wife Carole have undertaken extensive travel in the last two years since his retirement. Their experiences in the Americas have been particularly interesting and John shares some of his notes with us. The contrast between prosperity and poverty is very great and John makes the point that these are all Christian countries, but with different histories. They have already made bookings for further travels and have a list stretching well into the future.

Canada - smart, sprawling, clear roads, good tourist spots now becoming over-commercialised (e.g. Niagara), rail is freight-orientated, housing standards generally high, abundant flags.

Alaska (USA) - few people but concentrated in the towns (often only reached by sea-plane), employment seems high, pavements very dodgy to the unwary - H & S seems to be lacking ! Railways efficient, e.g. Anchorage and Skagway areas.

New England (USA) - Maine / Massachusetts / Vermont / New Hampshire / Rhode Island - generally clean except for areas of large cities / towns where graffiti and rubbish abound, clear roads, good tourist sites but becoming over-commercialised, parks and memorials (even to victories over the hated British in 1766 and 1812) very well manicured. Trying to build up a 'history', with flags everywhere, even in cemeteries.

Caribbean - each island has its own character, and flags are conspicuous - I like St.Kitts / Nevis. with its railway; Carole likes Tobago with its scenery; Grenada still seems to be suffering from the Cuban invasion and being ignored by UK at the time, and recently by the hurricane where UK has chipped-in to help; Antigua is good if you appreciate Nelsonic-naval history; Barbados is vibrant; Dominica is lush; St. Lucian children in their school uniforms are very smart; the Virgin Islands (USA) are over-commercialised but drive as in UK and V.I.(UK) are very pretty but steep. However, all are spoilt by dumped rubbish such as refrigerators / cars / old building materials / graffiti, and litter, with 'palaces' (probably belonging to those who have emigrated, invested, and returned) cheek-by-jowl with shanties, and churches often being adjacent to a liquor-store - both offering spiritual salvation however, the police are conspicuous. Curacao (Dutch) - has no natural water-supply and so depends on desalination, but again is pretty and well-organised; Aruba (Dutch) is generally very prosperous with its oil-led economy; and St. Maarten (50% Dutch and 50% French) is well -organised with good housing and employment though with its separate communities. good housing, and employment.

Mexico (Acapulco) - much unemployment with shanties adjacent to skyscraper hotels and offices on a wide curving beach, over-commercialised but too-vibrant with noise and traffic-congestion.

Nicaragua - now for a shock ! Its recent disruption and dictatorship has left it with few 'palaces' but even its churches look run-down, though well-used. Unemployment is rife, and whole families are begging, with babies and grannies all standing with their hands out or trying to sell trinkets. The 50-mile drive to Granada was abounded by rubbish, litter, and shanties. Public transport was run-down and almost non-existent. The retail premises are gloomy and cramped, and in need of 'modern' touches. A startling contrast to our comparative-affluence and well-being.

Puerto Rica - much more affluent than its neighbouring Nicaragua . The tourist industry is emphasised so that tidiness and facilities are much more evident. Little graffiti or litter / rubbish and, with no Armed Services and a stable administration, the police are not common.
Panama - the Canal is a money-spinner, as long as it remains frequently dredged (deforestation has brought on difficulties with lower rainfall causing maintenance problems) and widened and deepened.. A general air of affluence and employment.

These are all Christian countries with non-Christian places of worship often being conspicuous by their absence.

R. John Wilcox, August 2006

More Snapshots from a recent Traveller

I have just returned from visiting S. Norway / Denmark / Sweden, inc. Gotland, Latvia / Estonia / Russia (St.P.burg.) (East) Germany, to-and-from Southampton.

The excursion guides, whilst chatting, have each reported the current ethos of their nation.
General attitudes were :
All current and former royal palaces were o.o.t. cf. UK, and no wonder that Russians overthrew Tsarist regime which had oppressed them into greater poverty by contrast, and Latvia / Estonia were now republics.
Sweden / Denmark / Norway very proud of their Monarchy.
Most countries reluctantly accepted the Euro (they preferred their own, except (E.) Germany) rather than $ or £ - but the ship was in £.
Global warming will sink these countries and certainly their capitals if the sea-level rises.
EU has routed their fishing fleets, their military defences.
EU has imposed immigration upon them and they, therefore, insist on fluency in language and history before entry and acceptance. Few `foreigners` were evident.
The Russian Police force is recognised as corrupt, and walking around in St.P is intimidating, though the buildings are enormous.
Islam etc. has no place because, in e.g. Visby (Gotland), the state gives 2% of GNP towards looking after their Churches - which were beautifully kept - though o.o.t. in splendour with gilt and stained windows everywhere, even if 12 or 13 Century. There were no temples visible anywhere.
The EU has helped East Germany / Latvia / Estonia tremendously to restore municipal buildings.
Naval power was evident at sea and in Copenhagen / St.Petersburg / Warnemunde, but the only UK RN ship was in Southampton awaiting scrapping.
The Baltic is polluted and bathing is not recommended.
Education is free, and minimal HE costs (eg. £60 per term for transport).
Health care is usually paid to the GP on each entry but any consequences (eg. Visby by helicopter to Stockholm) are included, inc. prescriptions.
The North Sea was generally empty, except for Oil Rigs, but the Baltic and ports were busy.
Each country had an individual history which was very mixed with Denmark / Finland / Russia / Hanseatic League / Sweden having had periods of `colonial` power.
Gotland has no defence, and is wary of being vulnerable to terrorist attack, esp. if the Russia-EU gas pipeline runs nearby.

John.

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.

Walsall Circuit (28/4)

Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury District

Welcome to the web site for the 10 churches in the Walsall Circuit of the Methodist Church