Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury, the final countdown...

This weekend I have done my last District visit - to Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury. I drove up to Kingswinford early on Saturday morning and there was a programme led by the Chair, John Howard, where I gave a talk on what I have been doing this year and then a panel discussion took place which I chaired on the topic "Is democracy all it is cracked up to be?" Then there was a short time for general discussion and questions from the floor. A really interesting opportunity for people to discuss things that matter to them in this area.

After lunch I went to Stafford to hear about the work that is being done with young people in that Circuit and the way the team of lay and ordained people work together in a ministry team. Really fabulous. I was impressed by the way the Circuit had been prepared to do things differently and the strategy for the work with young people. It really got me thinking about how all the good work I have seen this year can be shared with other people.
I stayed overnight with John and Mary Howard (great hospitality) and then today I was with Chasetown Methodist Church in Burntwood to celebrate their Church Anniversary. In the morning service the Boys Brigade, St John Ambulance brigade and the Brownies shared some of what they do in their meetings and the Brownies followed those collecting the offering, giving out cakes to all of the congregation. A planned picnic on Cannock Chase took place in the Church foyer due to the windy weather. I had tea with Carol and Steve Whitson and their girls and the cockateel, Pearl before returning to Church for the evening service. I have known Carol since she was a teenager and her father was a fellow youth leader in the Birmingham District. Doesn't time fly? The advocate of the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust, Keith Rothery, was with us in the evening service and we shared some stories with each other of our travels during this year before I set off back down the motorway.

So the last District visit and I am reminded of all of the good work which the Methodist Church is involved in and the need to share the good news of that and build on it.