If you would like to sign up for these please go to and fill in the form

Transcription

1 News from the NW Synod 16th March : Moderator s snapshots 2: Devotions for Lent 3: Sale URC, Montague Road Prayer Labyrinth 4: Luther King House Events 5: GO Mission Exhibition 16th April : Revd Ken Davies 7: Revd Helen Mary Pullin 8: Comedy Night 9: Notes from Andy about Mission Council 1: Moderator s Snapshots Last week Mission Council met at The Hayes Conference Centre, at Swanwick in Derbyshire. Mission Council consists of representatives from each of the Synods and works hard at moving various pieces of work forward on behalf of the General Assembly. In the picture the Revd John Proctor, our General Secretary, is addressing and guiding those present with a wisdom which is needful at this juncture in our denomination s life. Please keep praying for our General Secretary (and some of you will have been at Synod on Saturday and heard John lead us in Bible Study), staff and centralised committees as they continue to work for the good of the denomination. Pray too for the preparations for General Assembly that the gathering in Southport in July may be a fruitful time of listening for the Spirit s leading in many important matters that will need to be considered. 2: Devotions for Lent Following the success, and wide take up, of the Advent and Christmas devotions sent out by the North West Synod Andy Braunston and Lis Mullen are working together to get a team of people from the North Western and Northern Synods to write some daily devotions for Lent. These will be sent out by to those who sign up and also placed on the Northern Synod website. They will run from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday (we hope to have another set for Easter to Pentecost). If you would like to sign up for these please go to and fill in the form

2 3: Sale URC, Montague Road Prayer Labyrinth During Holy Week the Prayer Labyrinth at Sale URC will be available for people to come and spend a short time in contemplation and reflection. The journey through the Labyrinth takes minutes. As you move towards the centre there is opportunity to let go of those things in your life that, sometimes, prevent you from feeling God s presence near to you. Then as you journey out again you can reflect on those things that you need to take into your life to become a better disciple. If you have not been on this journey then come and join us. If you have already experienced the Labyrinth then you will know how much you can get from the journey and will want to go on it again. For further details ring The Labyrinth will be open during the following times Tuesday, 22 nd March, 2.00pm 4.00pm. Wednesday, 23 rd March, 2.00pm 4.00pm. Thursday 24 th March, 2.00pm 4.00pm

3 4: Luther King House Events

4

5 5: GO Mission Exhibition 16th April : Revd Ken Davies died on Thursday 3 rd March. We give thanks for his life and Ministry. Following his retirement in 1993, Ken lived in Petersfield and continued to serve local churches for many years. His Funeral will take place at the Oaks Crematorium, Havant on Friday 18th March at 12:15. Ken leaves a wife, Betty, and three daughters. We remember them in our prayers. 7: Revd Helen Mary Pullin It is with deep regret that I have to tell you that the Reverend Helen Mary Pullin died on Friday 11 th March. Helen trained at New College and was ordained in Helen served at Mere, at Foxhole, with the National Christian Education Council, at Banners Gate, Sutton Coldfield and finally at Petersfield & Liss. Helen lived latterly in Plymouth. The funeral arrangements are not yet available. Please contact the South Western Synod Office at synodoffice@urcsouthwest.org.uk or phone to be advised when we have the information.

6 8: Comedy Night

7 9: Notes from Andy about Mission Council News from Mission Council Mission Council is the executive body of the United Reformed Church, meets twice a year and acts in the name of General Assembly. It is made up, mainly of four representatives from each Synod (including each Synod Moderator), the General Assembly Officers and Committee Convenors. The last meeting of Mission Council took place in early March. Worship We mix worship in with our business highlighting our role as disciples seeking the mind of Christ for His Church. Mission Council opened with a celebration of Holy Communion led by Mr John Ellis and the Rev d David Grosch Miller, Assembly moderators, and the Rev d Nigel Uden, chaplain. Mr Ellis preached about the different ways we encounter Jesus and the wider Church which give us the gift of diversity which is one of our hallmarks. He felt this gift of diversity had helped us cope, with good grace, in difficult discussions over recent years. Rev d David Grosch Miller inducted our new Secretary for Church and Society, Grace Pengelly. Thursday morning started with an extended Bible study led by the Rev d Carla Grosch Miller on the meeting with Jesus and the woman at the well. Jesus did not hesitate to engage her in her in deep and revealing conversation despite the barriers of race, faith and gender that were between them. Our closing worship concluded these thoughts with a reflection on listening to the people on the edge, as was the woman at the well. URC now an Associate Sponsor of Greenbelt Steve Summers reported that the URC is now an associate sponsor of the very popular annual Christian arts festival, Greenbelt. A range of URC themed activities will be planned for this year s festival which takes place over the August Bank holiday weekend at Boughton House near Kettering. It is hoped that this will both raise the profile of the URC at Greenbelt and give a place for URC people attending the festival to meet and socialise. Mission Council at Work

8 Missional Discipleship The Rev d Richard Church, Deputy General Secretary (Discipleship) and the Rev d Fiona Thomas, Secretary of the Education and Learning Committee presented a paper which will affect every agenda of the church. Various resources to foster discipleship are being developed including those which will celebrate the 100 th anniversary of Constance Coltman s ordination as the first female minister in our tradition and of the 500 th anniversary of the Protestant Reform. The Training for Learning & Serving programme will be remodelled for two years and incorporate various new elements. A range of new resources for the church will be developed and a funding application to the Council for World Mission will be made to help finance this project. Migration Issues The Rev d Dr Michael Jagessar, Secretary for Racial Justice and Multicultural Ministry told Mission Council of a series of resources which are being developed to help local churches discuss issues of migration in the context of the refugee crisis currently effecting the Middle East. It is anticipated that these resources will be available in due course. Celebrant Elders The Rev d Elizabeth Welch, convenor of the Faith and Order Committee, and the Rev d Professor David Thompson, convenor of the small task group looking at authorised eldership, presented a paper reviewing the discussions we have been having about authorising elders and lay preachers to preside at the Sacraments. The main difference to our current practice would be to authorise such people to a period of service of between 3 and 5 years. A code of conduct would be developed for such authorised people and a record of those who had been removed from the list of authorised people would be held at Church House. Mission Council members felt that specific training for celebrating the Sacraments with vulnerable people for example in care homes should be provided following the model of the Synod of Scotland which already does this. The comments made would be considered by the Faith and Order Committee and an updated paper will be presented to General Assembly. Question Time with the Moderators An interesting session was held with the two retiring Assembly Moderators about their time in office and perceptions of the church. The Future of General Assembly Mission Council broke into small groups to discuss an excellent paper from the Rev d John Proctor, General Secretary, outlining the various things we seem to want from General Assembly: to make wise decisions; to make widely shared decisions; and to inspire and equip those who attend. We were also to reflect on the value of our consensus decision making process. Mr Proctor suggested that our consensus process is reflective of our polity of wanting to journey together, is prophetic as it allows minority voices at a Council of the Church, is a good process for working through the various stages of a debate and allows us to perceive the depth of feeling on various sides of an issue. Feedback from each discussion group was given and every member of Mission Council was invited to complete a short questionnaire exploring their feelings in detail. During the closing session Mr Proctor reported back views of Mission Council including suggestions to consider which are the best decisions to be made at Assembly, how synods and churches could become more involved in decision making before the Assembly meeting, perhaps creating more space for inspiration, vision and equipping. It was proposed that Assembly could be shortened to two nights, particularly if we were more discerning about Assembly agendas and this might help with costs. The Assembly Arrangements Committee were invited to consider the feedback as they commence plans for 2018 Assembly.

9 Past Case Review Mission Council heard of the progress of the first stage of the Past Case Review as well as the next stages which are being planned which will be announced in due course. Redevelopment of Church House Mission Council was informed of plans by the United Reformed Church Trust to redevelop Church House from funds held by the Trust. Better use of the basement, ground and first floors is planned and the second floor will be developed so that it can be rented out separately. It is hoped that the rent achieved from this rental will pay for the running costs of the building. The cost, of 2.5m, will be met from the sale of a house owned by the trust near Church House and from funds already held. Mission Council was concerned about the money being spent, the environmental impact of any development and about finding a way to support a project in the developing world as well. The matter was referred to a facilitation group who suggested that the General Secretariat develop a clear strategy that communicates the vision behind the project which: highlights the aspiration that Church House becomes cost neutral; becomes more accessible both physically and virtually; is more environmentally responsible; is future proof and that the day to day management and use of the building communicates our mission; and that information about the funds that are available to local churches for building work. These suggestions were approved by Mission Council. Technical Issues Final approval to some tidying up the Structure on who is to be a member of General Assembly, the Appeals Process and various other items were discussed. Further details of these can be found on the URC websit Notes Notes were made by Andy Braunston: Synod Clerk North Western Synod.

10