Links

17th March 2020 : Please click here for a formal communication concerning the ongoing Coronavirus situation in the UK, from The Methodist Church in Great Britain and the Vale of Stour Circuit.

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Christianity - what’s it all about in the face of Coronavirus
Why not explore...

https://christianity.org.uk/help-me

There is help here, and good news for all.

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Please click here for a letter from the President and Vice President of the Methodist Conference

and a personal message from the President, the Revd Dr Barbara Glasson,
about racism in our communities.

Take a look at the Church's perspective on Justice in the light of recent events across the world…

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(Links Updated Saturday 4th July)

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

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We trust and pray that these links may prove helpful, beneficial and a source of comfort for you in this uncertain time.

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

CIRCUIT NEWS

Superintendent Minister's Circuit Letter End May 2020 pdf, courtesy of Rev Alan Combes

Rev Rachel Parkinson, our District Chair, reflects on Psalm 23 - YouTube link

A Sunday Reflection from our District Chair - Rev Rachel Parkinson - YouTube link

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Saturday June 27 at 6pm…  Rev Josephine Soon - Reception into Full Connexion

The Vale of Stour Circuit rejoiced today - Saturday 27 June - to Rev Josephine Soon approaching the end of her journey to ordination.  In a service broadcast to the nation she was ‘received into full connexion’.

Being received into Full Connexion is an amazing moment.  People from all around the country elected as representatives to Methodist Conference, those present to support the ordinands and representatives from the world wide Methodist Church, stand together to affirm the call of God to each ordinand.  In particular conference recognises that this call has been tested over time and by God’s grace, they are now counted as worthy.  This moment welcomes the ordinands into ministry within the Methodist Church and deems them  ready to be ordained as a presbyter or a deacon.

Normally this would be followed on the same day by an Ordination Service but due to Covid-19 other plans will have to be made.

Rev Alan Combes
Methodist Minister
Superintendent - Vale of Stour Circuit

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Covid-19 and BAME communities

An exciting opportunity for people in Dudley for Friday evenings in July - Covid-19 and BAME communities.

Recent government and health reports have highlighted that Covid-19 is disproportionately affecting the health and wellbeing of people from the BAME communities.

You have an opportunity to learn more about the reasons why and to get key health information, by listening to and putting questions to experts about your health, care and wellbeing.

To join one or all of the five Friday evening online seminars in July, just book in advance on Eventbrite at https://covid19-and-bame.eventbrite.co.uk. 

The seminars have been prepared by Dudley Council’s Public Health, working together with Transforming Communities Together (with our Just Finance Black Country and Black Country Near Neighbours teams) and Cornerstone Community Church, to help BAME communities live longer, safe and healthier lives.

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Please see the Spring Newsletter pdf, from Claire Biggs, our Children And Families Worker

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Christian Aid Week

Please support Christian Aid Week pdf

Christian Aid Week Resources  
This year we are not going to be able to collect for Christian Aid Week in the same way as normal.
 
Christian Aid resources for Christian Aid Week can be found at https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christian-aid-week/resources

We would like to offer a short adult quiz (pdf) and a children’s activity sheet (pdf).
We have also created our own children’s quiz (pdf) based on children’s books.
 
Donations can be made online at https://www.christianaid.org.uk/give-money/make-donation

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Vale of Stour Circuit Services and Prayer Meetings On-Line
~~updated~~

We are now able to provide a dedicated Vale of Stour on-line centre for activities such as services and prayer meetings.
See the Virtual Church tab for more information and technical details !

NEW LIVE STREAM - please read carefully… thank you.

Dear Circuit

We are delighted to invite you to the NEW VoSWorship LIVESTREAM on Sunday (5th July) at 10am.  The service will be recorded and almost immediately available for regulars of our second service to watch when they wish.

Our morning service will be led by Mr Martyn Filsak and the Order of Service is here.  There will also be a regular evening service at 6:30pm led by Rev Michael Payne.

Live streaming enables better quality sound and picture, it is accessible by a wider range of devices and software and it can be recorded which will allow folk to enjoy our weekly services at any time.  So this is an important step and we are grateful to the tech team for getting us to this point.

Coffee and a Chat

On the live stream page you will see links to Coffee Rooms at the top.  These will be open / staffed after morning worship (at approximatley 11am) and again from 12:15pm for those who may have watched the recording any time after 11:15am.

HOW To Find the Live Stream

For nearly all of you - especially those on computers / laptops, you just need to do what you normally do and in your web browser (eg Chrome) go to: 

https://church.valeofstour.org.uk/vosworship

You will be redirected to the live stream which will begin at about 9:55am with an informal welcome and notices.

Problems - particularly phones and tablets?

Try this link instead:

 https://www.valeofstour.org.uk/virtual-church/live/vosworship

IF you find yourself inside VosWorship there will be a steward on duty there to help you find your way to the live stream.  Trying the link above should get you there.

The morning Order of Service is here : 5th July 2020 pdf, and will be led by Mr Martyn Filsak.  The pdf has everything for the service and is in a normal format, ready for printing if you wish. 

You are welcome to read or print these files if you wish to use the material yourself on Sunday without joining the live "virtual church" service ; but if you intend to attend either of the Virtual Church services on Sunday, the Order of Service is provided so that if we get problems with sound quality at any point, you will be able to read the prayers etc alongside the "broadcast”.

Thank you for sharing this journey and bearing with us along the way.  And 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

Alan and the Team

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Holy Habits on Facebook Live

You are invited to join our very own Rev Andrew Roberts on Tuesdays, at 7:30pm, where he will be presenting the start of eight Holy Habits Facebook Live home groups followed by a 30-minute Q&A session live on Facebook.

To join the home groups and watch parties, simply follow the links below :

facebook.com/groups/holyhabitshomegroup

facebook.com/groups/holyhabitshomegroupaustralia

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Why not join the Circuit-Wide Lent WhatsApp Group ?

Rev Alan Combes invites you to join his WhatsApp Lent group - receiving daily reflections through WhatsApp (if you have a smart phone).  E-mail or phone the circuit office, or contact Rev Alan to find out how to do this :

  • Click here to contact Rev Alan - select the category "Circuit-Wide Lent WhatsApp Group"

  • or phone 01384 823146
     

NEW LINKS

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

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Health, Guidance, and Support Resources
 

Young Minds website, featuring

Self-Isolation Conversation Starter pdf
Young Minds Matter pdf

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NSPCC website - advice for you and your family with coping emotionally

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Looking After Your Feelings And Body pdf from Public Health England

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NHS site - tackling Working From Home

NHS site - looking after children and young people during COVID-19

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Poster for a Black Country Welfare 24-7 Support Line, showing links to

Sandwell Healthy Minds - 0303 033 9903
Wolverhampton Healthy Minds - 0800 923 0222
Black Country 24-7 Mental Health Support Line - 0345 6460827
and
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies :
- Dudley IAPT - 0800 953 0404
- Walsall IAPT - 0800 953 0995

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New Online Resources from Christianity.org.uk

Run by the Christian Enquiry Agency and part of Churches Together In England.
Visitors to the site can read a number of well written articles or watch short video that may answer their questions.
It’s worth a browse and visitors can then ask questions, request a free copy of Luke’s Gospel, or find a church from the site.  All this is available to your church website for free.

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The Joint Public Issues Team

The Joint Public Issues Team is found here -

www.jointpublicissues.org.uk

- and is a great source of contemporary, relevant Christian commentary on the world today.

They are analysis group that looks at all kinds of political and justice issues from a Christian perspective and produce reports, videos and study materials : part funded by the Methodist Church and including Methodist staff

Stay Alert…to Justice

Take a look at the Church's perspective on Justice in the light of recent events across the world…

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Links for helping families dealing with children who are grieving :

https://parentingforfaith.org/post/death-grief-and-coronavirus link

Supporting_bereaved_children_through_difficult_times pdf

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Click here for MH Self-Isolation Survival Guide pdf

An excellent home-schooling resource
for those of you with older children/teens to help them through isolation.

Provided by Forward Thinking Birmingham NHS Women and Childrens' Trust

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URC On Line Resources During the Crisis including Daily Devotions

The United Reformed Church (URC) is offering regularly updated advice and resources from a variety of sources about the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Please follow government advice: stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives. God is with us and being worshipped in creative ways around the denomination as churches are closed. 

The URC has produced a list of its churches providing digital services, available here

 

 

The URC Daily Devotions team is also offering a Sunday service in both written and audio formats, featuring a range of voices from around the denomination. Since 22 March, more than 1,000 people have signed up to bring the total number of Daily Devotions subscribers to a whopping 3,988. Sign up to the Daily Devotions here

 

 

 

 

While the Coronavirus situation persists, this page will contain useful links to :

We trust and pray that these links may prove helpful, beneficial and a source of comfort for you in this uncertain time.

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