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 25th November)

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

------

Please be aware that some of these links 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 new Vale of Stour Preaching Plan for the December 2023 to February 2024 quarter
can be found on the Links / Preaching Plans page here.

----

Dear Sisters and Brothers 

We hear today from Gauri Taylor-Nayar, a Methodist Local Preacher and an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate... 

White Ribbon Day (25 November) is part of a national campaign seeking to end Violence Against Women (and Girls).

A recent crime survey for England and Wales reveals that 1.7 million women reported domestic abuse crimes in a six-month period. A year’s data would put this figure close to 3 million. This, combined with the fact that more than 70% of domestic abuse incidents go unreported, makes this a gendered crime of pandemic proportions. Violence towards women by men is deeply embedded within our society making it difficult for women to be believed and supported and hence the reason that many women do not report incidents.  Sadly, these behaviours are not exempt from our churches. 

White Ribbon Day is about raising awareness of the scale of Violence Against Women and Girls in our society and acquiring knowledge and understanding of how to end it.  

1 John 3:18  - Let us love, not in word or speech but in truth and action!

Gauri calls us to work together, whatever gender we are, to eradicate violence towards women and girls throughout society and throughout our cultures.

Today we hold all victims in our prayers, and we ask that God enable the church to be a safe place of hope, as we challenge these attitudes and behaviours and seek to live out the value that God has for all people.

Every blessing

Rev Alan Combes and the Team

---===---

Circuit Services - Looking Ahead for your Diaries…

26 November - 6pm - Christ the King, the Sunday before Advent at Overend Methodist Mission, and an opportunity to say Farewell to Rev Helen Croft. Tea and cakes from 5pm.

NEWS - IMPORTANT SUNDAY Evening - Overend Roadworks

For information. The bottom end of Banners Lane is currently closed due to works being carried out. This means there is no access from Overend Road at the traffic lights onto Banners Lane. The car park entrance is still accessible via Banners Lane from Coleman Hill/Shelton Lane.

Hopefully, the works will be completed by the weekend, but I think it wise for people to plan their route accordingly.
 

Worship Leader / Local Preacher Information Morning

Do you feel called?  We are holding a Worship leader/Local preacher information morning on Saturday November 18th from 10-12 at Amblecote Wordsley Methodist Church. Please come along and find out about the course ready for a January start. We will endeavour to answer your questions, explain how the courses work, and help get you started. There is no obligation to sign up for anything : this is purely for information purposes and to allow time to pray over the decision.  

Jill, Claire and Rev Michael.

---===---
 

United Church Lye Christmas Fayre

Lye's Christmas Fayre is on the 2nd December - 10:30 to 1pm.  Free admission and refreshments available.  Poster attached.
 

Tree of Lights Service - Brierley Hill Methodist Church at 4pm on Sunday 3rd December - service led by Rev Alan Combes. If you would like to have a light in memory of a loved one/s, an application form is here.
 

Voices In Harmony Choir will be leading the act of worship at Overend Methodist Mission at 6pm on Sunday 3rd December.
Come and join us as we listen to the choir perform songs from their Christmas repertoire. Join in some of your favourite Christmas Carols. All are welcome.
 

Methodist Women In Britain

On Tuesday 5th December at 2.30pm, there will be a Methodist Women In Britain (MWIB) service at Amblecote Wordsley, to be led by Martyn Filsak.  Everyone is welcome to join us at 2.00pm for a cuppa prior to the service.
 

The Black Country Toy Appeal

We are once again collecting for the Black Country Toy Appeal to help local families in need this Christmas. Our planned drop off date at Amblecote Wordsley Methodist Church is on Friday 8th December ready for the gifts to be blessed in the service on 10th December. If you can't make the collection, please contact Claire Biggs who can arrange a collection. Please remember they will only accept unopened and new gifts, not second hand. There is a poster attached and a leaflet template can be sent for printing on request. We look forward to being part of this project again and hope you can support it.

Claire Biggs and June Miller
 

Anniversary Coffee Morning

Amblecote Wordsley are holding a Coffee Morning on Saturday 9th December, from 10.00am to 12.30pm, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the opening of their new church building.  Everyone welcome.
 

"Accord" Concert of Seasonal Songs and Carols

Wesley Methodist Church - On Friday 15th December the music group "Accord" will be presenting a programme of seasonal songs, carols from around Europe and sing-along items.
Light refreshments will be served in the interval with a choice of cold or hot drinks, including alcohol-free punch. A Poster is here.
Tickets are available from church members for £5.
 

Shine Church

As many of you will know, I have been working closely with the additional needs community in opening a church that is accessible for them. We re-opened the Gate last year as a new church plant, a cutting taken from a pre-Covid project. The Gate concept is fantastic, and the structure works well for the families attending. The time and days, however, didn't work so well. After a change in the leadership and new vision we have looked at a different way of making this church work for those families at the centre. With God's guidance through prayer and conversation we are rebranding as 'Shine Church', still meeting at Brierley Hill Methodist Church but at different times and dates through the year - these will mainly coincide with a variety of Christian celebrations and reflections.

Details of meetings and events can be found on the posters here and here. If you know anyone who may be interested in coming along - please tell them to get in touch. I am happy to chat to families before they come along.  Claire
 

Help wanted for Open The Book !

The Open The Book team consists of just 3 people, who currently visit three local schools, enacting and presenting Bible passages and stories to the schoolchildren in once-a-week morning assemblies.  We are appealing for committed Christians - and preferably drivers ! - who have time to visit schools with us on a regular basis and share the Good News with our local schoolchildren.

We currently visit one school per week, first thing in the morning - St James, Wollaston on Mondays, The Ridge Primary, Wollaston on Thursdays, and Amblecote Primary (Friday once a month at present) : any new joiners involving themselves in any way will be most welcome.  We also have regular planning meetings every half term at the home  of our leader, Mrs Ann Tee, in Stourbridge : for more details, she can be contacted on 01384 374407 and Kinglorytee@hotmail.com.

Please contact Ann, who can advise you about getting a DBS check, and we would be delighted to meet you at our next planning meeting.

We love doing this valuable work for God, and the children and staff love OTB as well !!!

God bless you : Joy Jeffrey (Gig Mill)

---===---

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 Collections – Tuesdays from 1:30pm till 4pm.

---===---

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.