Links


Latest News from the Methodist Church

https://www.methodist.org.uk/

Latest News on Justice and Public Issues
https://jpit.uk/

Questions on the Christian Faith
https://www.christianity.org.uk/

 

A Pastoral Message on facing Changing the Church - YouTube link
courtesy of our District Chair, Rev Rachel Parkinson

Methodist Church centrally provided resources - to help nourish your spiritual life on a daily and weekly basis

A Green Recovery - a call from Methodist Faith Leaders 

Justice for all - take a look at the Church's perspective on Justice in the light of recent events across the world…

(Links updated Saturday 15th March)

Please click on any of the links below, to go to...

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Please be aware that some of the links on this page may take you to external sites, and although they have been checked,
the Vale of Stour Circuit is not responsible for their contents.

CIRCUIT NEWS

The Vale of Stour Preaching Plan for the March to May 2024 quarter
can be found on the Links / Preaching Plans page here.

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Dear Circuit Family

As we approach Holy Week there are many special services and events happening across the circuit.  I encourage you to seek out what is happening in your own church and churches together in your community.

There are three particular circuit things I want to highlight here:

On Palm Sunday Evening at 6pm there will be a Circuit Palm Praise at Kingswinford.  You are welcome to come for refreshments beforehand from 5pm.

On the Monday of Holy Week there will be a Circuit Retreat Afternoon led by Rev Alan at Brierley Hill - starting with a simple soup lunch at 12.30 and Bible Study at 1.15pm then guided silence and opportunity to reflect on aspects of Holy Week.  Finishing around 3.30pm 

On the Wednesday of Holy Week there are the two Circuit Holy Week Pilgrimage Walks - the long walk will be led by Rev Michael and the short walk led by Rev Alan - ending with a short service at Kingswinford at 7pm.  All are welcome.   See the advert for full details

On the Thursday and Friday and Sunday of Holy Week many of you will have your own Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Day Services which will be very special.

We are not there yet but I pray you will all be blessed by this special journey.

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Attached is some information about the Third Easter Week Circuit Walk on Wednesday 27th March, the Wednesday of Holy Week. You may feel you cannot walk all that way but you may enjoy coming to just one church and sharing in coffee, cake, prayer and a reflection, or joining in a short time of worship at the end of the day in Kingswinford.

May we all discover God’s unbounded love this Easter.

God bless you.

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The latest Newsletter from Claire Biggs, our Childrens and Family Worker, is attached.

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Daily Lent Reflections - delivered straight to your email inbox every day of Lent

Daily emails will include Bible studies, creative activities, and challenges to take an action.
Throughout Lent the Methodist Church is sharing daily email reflections that explore the theme of Unbounded Love. Sign up to receive these each day, beginning on Wednesday 14 February and discover a rhythm of reflection over Lent. You'll also be signed up to future reflection series.

Follow this link to get started...
https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-faith/worship/lent-and-easter/unbounded-love/

What to expect?

A range of resources that connect the Gospel readings from the Sunday lectionary throughout Lent to weekly themes, each one a line lifted from “Love divine, all loves excelling”. The themes are: 

Week 1 - “Unbounded love”: Jesus’ baptism and wilderness experience – God’s love bursts the barriers of heaven, and then bursts into the realms of darkness.
Week 2 - “Visit us with thy salvation”: Losing our life (psyche) to find it – the ways we attempt to insulate ourselves from God’s love.  
Week 3 - “Pure and spotless let us be”: Turning the tables in the Temple – corporate religious attempts to boundary God’s love.
Week 4 - “Finish then thy new creation”: God’s unbounded love for the cosmos.
Week 5 - “Changed from glory into glory”: Like a seed that has to die before it bears fruit, death is no barrier to God’s love.
Week 6 - “Till we cast our crowns before thee”: As Jesus entered Jerusalem the people responded by taking off their cloaks. What’s our equivalent? 
Holy Week - “Lost in wonder, love, and praise!”: As Jesus becomes bound by his opponents, will God’s love stay bound?

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Headlight - Music and Singing for the Mind

Headlight - Music and Singing for the Mind - is RETURNING for the 2024 Season

Amblecote Wordsley Methodist Church - 4th Sundays - starting on 24th March 2024.  3:30pm refreshments, 4pm start.
Come and enjoy great company in an hour of singing songs from the 60s and the Musicals.Parking - at the church or the King William Street Car Park opposite.
 

Stargazing is back!!!

We are hosting another family friendly Stargazing Evening with Martyn Filsak on 16th March at Overend Methodist Mission. Please join us for an evening gazing at the stars, hotdogs and refreshments and some expert knowledge on the skies above. If you can't join us, please help us by praying for a clear night and opportunity to see God's amazing work through the night sky.  A flyer is attached.
 

AMBLECOTE WORDSLEY EASTER EGG APPEAL

Amblecote Wordsley are now collecting Easter Eggs for the Black Country Toy Appeal again.The main collection will be at Amblecote Wordsley on Tuesday 19th March from 1pm - 4pm, but kind contributions will be gratefully accepted on Sunday mornings and any Tuesday afternoon between 2pm and 4pm between now and then.
 

Circuit Holy Week Walk

A pilgrimage around the Circuit Churches beginning at Kinver and ending at Kingswinford on Wednesday 27th March. See details in a post above.
 

Tea And Chat

Wesley Methodist Church, Mount Pleasant Quarry Bank, invite you to a Tea & Chat on Wednesday 3rd April for 2pm – 4pm.  Everyone is welcome for Unlimited Tea/Coffee and Cake for only £1.50 !  See this poster for more details.
 

Handel’s Messiah - "Come And Sing"

Stourbridge Choir And Orchestra invite you to join them in performing Handel’s Messiah, in a “come and sing performance” at New Road Methodist Church, on Saturday 6th April.  The performance is a scratch performance, so anyone can buy a ticket to be part of the Choir : tickets are £10, you attend a singing and orchestral rehearsal and workshop from 10:00am, and then perform the Messiah at 7:00pm.  Audience tickets to hear the performance are £12 (under 16’s £8), on the door.   See attached poster and application form for more information !

Just Desserts Evening

Kingswinford Methodist Church invite you to a Silent Auction and Quiz on Saturday 13th April from 6.30pm. Tickets £10.00 to include a choice of 3 desserts, tea and coffee. Tickets available from Elaine Panchal or Jane Artist..

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Activities at Brierley Hill Methodist Church

Brierley Hill Methodist Church begin a weekly Men’s Fellowship Group, from Tuesday 13th February from 2:00pm-3:30pm.  Initial activities are Chess, Dominoes, Local History or Current Affairs, Music, Poetry, Quizzes, Bible study and Bible meditation.  A leaflet is attached here with more information"All are welcome in this place."
 

Activities at Providence Methodist Church

Providence Fellowship Group extend a very warm welcome for anyone to come along and share time together, held on alternate Mondays from 10.30am till 12noon. There is normally a speaker. Refreshments are available. For more information please contact Judith Morris 01384 561020.

Providence Brunch Club will be restarting again in March 2024, weather permitting. See the attached poster for more details.
 

Activities at The United Church Lye

First Tuesday of the month - 2-3 pm Tuesday Club, informal gathering with different activities each month. Cost is £2 : contact Jacqueline Hill for details 0780 1030844 or Elizabeth Long 07928 808772.

Third Tuesday - Discussion Group 7-8pm (very informal, Bible based) contact Revd Chris on 07708 750142

The Luncheon Club now meets each Friday at 11am, 3 course meal plus friendship all for £5. Contact Margaret Mullett on 07904 514764.

Events are open to all.
 

Amblecote Wordsley Methodist Church are now holding Foodbank CollectionsTuesdays from 1:30pm till 4pm.

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VOS Virtual Platform - Please Make Use of the Circuit Online Meeting Space - It's free, funded by the circuit...

Alongside VoSWorship, the Circuit Platform has been undergoing an update thanks to the CTC team and I encourage churches to use this FREE resource - funded by the circuit for online gatherings such as Bible Study, Prayer, Games Nights etc.  It's a fantastic and easy to use environment and there are many folk already trained across the circuit who can open a room for you to host your event / meeting.
 

God bless you all and may you know the sustaining presence of God in your lives.
 

Rev Alan Combes

ONLINE Service

We are no longer providing a weekly pre-recorded circuit service.  However, for anyone unable to attend church or access online services; we attach a full text version of a service for you to use at home.

We also recommend any of the following for those of you still unable to get to church :
 

ONLINE Service Live-streamed from Kinver.

This will be the first video (on the left) under UPLOADS > PLAY ALL at the following site :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZnnIcxNLSP5VXyOGBeuxMA

The most recent online services are the other videos found on the same page.

The dates of all the Kinver services are shown beneath each video thumbnail.
 

Wesley's Chapel’s YouTube channel has a livestreamed service at 11am on Sundays and Morning Prayer services the rest of the week at 10am.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAUqhmhevz5sqhh72LIMxA
Again, this will be the first video (on the left) under HOME > Past live streams, and the most recent online services are the other videos found on the same page.

The dates of all the Wesley services are shown beneath each video thumbnail.
 

All previously archived live-streamed and recorded services can be found on the Circuit Website Virtual Player: 
https://www.valeofstour.org.uk/virtual-church/player
 

Order of Service
For anyone unable to attend or watch any services in person, this week's full Order of Service is here.
 

Coffee and a Chat

If you are interested in online coffee on a Sunday, please talk to any of the circuit staff and let us know what time would work for you and we can look at a time that would suit the majority of people.

Thanks to all those working in the background.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we continue to pray for our communities, the church and ourselves.

God bless

Rev Alan and the Team


 

NEW LINKS

Ministers' and Preachers' Reflections, Sermons, and Orders of Service
~~updated~~

For earlier Worship Resources and Reflections, see the archive page here.