Good News Reports

GOOD NEWS REPORTS

Richard's Message:

As I potter around the Circuit it would be so easy to be weighed down by talk of numbers, level of assessment, lack of people to hold certain roles and I know these concerns are real.
Instead, I would much prefer that these weekly offerings allow us to focus on the positives and build our awareness of where our God is at work. We all need to hear of where the new have arrived and helped transform, where faith has been deepened, where music has touched, where the Gospel is being lived out or a reminder of where God has touched in the past which then informs our present.
What stories can our people share?
It would be great if Pete Honeyball, who collates these weekly offerings, was inundated with suggestions of who to ask or even better with a piece of proper good news.
There is so much good news happening in our church which too often we do not share.
So, a few signs of good news in our midst:

• An ecumenical Christianity Explored course.
• New people arriving and staying in some of our churches.
• Times when the church acts through lunches, coffee mornings and such, and brings love and hope into lives.
• Where the church speaks for justice.
• Rooms full of excitement at Messy Church or toddler group.
• Any time faith is discussed.
• Where worship touches, where words inspire, where prayer is shared, where meaning is discerned, where tears or laughter are shared.
• Where we know Christ in our midst.

What good news is there that it would do your family in the Circuit good to hear?
Could you pen a few words to share with others?
Blessings
Richard


Previous 'Good News' reports are now archived and will be kept for 12 months.
see January February March April May June
July August September October November December

This Sunday, 27 July, the focus of our Circuit Prayers is on our Circuit Leadership Team.

Dear All
People often wonder what this mysterious body does and I think the best answer is that it keeps the wheels of our circuit oiled and turning. So, what is a Leadership team?
In Acts 6 we read the following – In those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Grecian Jews among them began to grumble against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, "It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
The Jerusalem Church founded the very first Christian Circuit Leadership Team!
The writer of Acts then goes on to say – This proposal pleased the whole group!
The early church needed a dedicated group of people to ensure that the organisation ran smoothly and any problems that arose were swiftly and lovingly dealt with.
The Leadership team enables our ministers to minister, our preachers to preach, and our churches to reach out into the community with the love of Christ.

Our Circuit Leadership Team still operates with the same high standards to ensure that the work of Christ is carried out as honestly and faithfully today as it was two millennia ago.
But there are major differences between the way our CLT arrives at any necessary decisions and the way in which similar bodies outside the church would answer the same problems.
Being a registered charity, we have to be very careful to ensure that any financial decisions we make are within the charity laws, and always strive to achieve the best return on money that has been given to the church, but alongside that requirement I feel is the need to always ensure that we behave exactly as Jesus would if he was making the decision.
We are blessed with having a vast array of talent within our CLT, but all have one thing in common, a calling to offer the love of Christ in each and every situation and to ensure that common sense and Christian love go hand in hand.
What a Team!
Please pray for our Circuit Leadership Team this week that they may continue to enable the work of Christ in our Circuit and share in the knowledge and joy of his love.

Pete

#On Sunday, 20 July, the focus of our Circuit Prayers was on our Young People.

Dear All
Emma, our Circuit Youth Enabler gives us an update on our young people around the circuit and shares what makes her tick. Please pray for Emma this week and all those willing workers who give their time and energy to all those youngsters both in and on the edge of the church family.

Pete

Emma writes:

Dear friends,

As the summer term comes to a close, it's the perfect time to take stock and reflect on the work that is happening within our chapels and churches across the circuit.
It has been a wonderful privilege to witness this work taking place. We should be very pleased and thankful, for all that happens to serve our children and young people, and for all those that serve lovingly and tirelessly to do God's work with them. We are rich in our history with Junior Church, and I believe that this work is as relevant now, as it has ever been.
We asked Lizzie, one of our circuit's youth volunteers, why she felt compelled to become involved, this was her response:
"I guess one of my motivations for getting involved and wanting my children to attend, is so they have a safe, fun, Christian environment to build friendships beyond school and for them to have the opportunity to chat to others about their faith."
The sense of the need to belong to God's community, is one that we all share.
We must recognise that our church communities, particularly those of our younger generations, are changing in the way that they come together to celebrate and worship in God's community. We must continue to pray for God's guidance to carry out His work, to openly encourage and enable our youngsters to grow in faith, and in ways that are relevant to them.
I am hopeful and confident for the future of our collective church.
Blessings
Emma

On Sunday, 13 July, it was the turn of Wingrave to be the focus of our Circuit Prayers.

Dear All
We join Gay who shares her spiritual and physical journeys with us, both in Zimbabwe and the UK. I love the way that Gay describes herself as a 'Christian', not 'Belonging' to any one denomination. How right this is because we are all first and foremost 'Christians' and we are not tied to any particular branch of Christianity, we are tied to Christ! Please pray for the lovely fellowship at Wingrave this Sunday, and also for all those who are 'between churches', and none, that they may find God, stand in awe of His creation, and rejoice in His love as Gay does.
Pete

Gay writes:
"My mother was an Anglican Christian and my father a professed atheist, so my family was not particularly church orientated. I remember going to Sunday school and singing joyful songs and collecting Christian stamps. However, until I was 12 religion did not feature much in my life. My mother then decided I should be confirmed and sent me to confirmation lessons – through which I mostly slept.
I was taken to church services until I was confirmed and then the family lapsed again.
However, I always believed in the existence of God. I was fortunate to grow up in Zimbabwe where I spent much of my time in the bush. I can remember always observing nature around me and being in awe of the wonder of living things. It is not hard to believe in the existence of God when you observe and understand the wonder of His creation. I studied the sciences at school and university and my understanding of the intricacies of the processes that sustain life only increased my belief in God.
I did not invite Jesus Christ into my life until, in my 50s, an incident occurred when I was in abject despair and distress. I was praying to God for forgiveness and mercy when a deep and invading peace settled on me. I believe God, in his silence, 'spoke' to me.
This led me to attend an Alpha Course which presented me with the evidence that Jesus was the son of God and the truth and the way and I invited Him into my life.
Since then my Christian journey has moved forward and my relationship with Jesus Christ has grown steadily. I was fortunate to join a wonderful Bible study group in Zimbabwe. We became very strong together and could trust each other to share anything, good or bad. A study that we did of the the 'Celebration of Discipline' particularly helped further my Christian journey.
I don't label myself as belonging to any one denomination but prefer to just call myself a Christian. I particularly enjoy attending the Methodist services in Wingrave and the friendship of the Methodists there. I am grateful to have attended the Lent and Advent courses that they hold as they have helped my spiritual growth enormously. I appreciate and admire the Methodist outreach and the work they do for the community and for charity."

Gay

#On Sunday, 6 July, the focus of our Circuit Prayers was on Whitchurch.

Dear All

We have often been told that God has a job for each one of us, a job for which only we are equipped by the Holy Spirit, a job that only we can do. So, I asked Karen how she felt God had influenced and guided her life and how He had equipped her, and Karen shares that calling and journey with us now. Please pray for the lovely people at Whitchurch and for all those people who have to make difficult decisions in life about which direction to go in, a direction that is not always one they wish to go in. But they listen to God and step out in faith.

Pete

Karen writes:

It was 16 years ago. I had a career I loved and I truly believed I would be in for the rest of my working life.
A lovely home I had put my heart and soul into over the years. Surrounded by friendly and supportive neighbours.
My husband and I had many friends around us who had supported us throughout some pretty awful times, and continued to do so.
We were as happy and content as any one could be.

What was I thinking?
Where was my thinking taking me?
What was my heart telling me?
What was God asking of me?

We as a family had seen our Mum and younger Brother pass away in just over a year.
Dad was struggling!
Jim and I prayed together and decided there was only one thing to do.
We both resigned from our jobs,(not an easy move on my part).
We put our home on the market and started packing.
4 months later we said our goodbyes and moved in with Dad 100 miles away from friends and familiarity and my beloved job.
We both felt God was asking us to put my family first.
Neither of us regretted one minute and felt we had made the right decision. God knows what he is doing.
That was 16 years ago and during that time Dad has joined Mum and Dave, and Jim has joined his Mum.
I am hoping and praying that God will guide me to wherever and whatever He feels I should do now.

Right now I am not sure, but as my parents always said, He works in mysterious ways!!!!
But will let you know what he wants when you least expect it.

I pray he will.

Karen