signs of hope across Lincolnshire

There was a full congregation at Central Methodist Church in Lincoln and it was my privilege to present Carole Sharpe with her 40 years certificate as a Local Preacher. Throughout the year I have been so impressed by the quality of our local preachers and encouraged to keep hearing that younger people are being given a note to preach. Please pray that God will continue to call people of all ages to this ministry of lay preaching and worship leading.

We had a good country chapel tea at the Barton church......David Perry and I got there just in time for a quick piece of cake before a question and answer session...but not before the photos were taken....
and then a wonderful circuit service with children's talk, interviews of young people attending Youth Conference and the Emerging Leaders day, presentation to a supernumerary minister, barrie Leah, who has been helping outin the circuit during a complex period, lots of singing, preaching and even a conga dance at the end.

the children of Caistor Church of England/Methodist School were in good voice...after i shared an African story they changed the song they had rehearsed and sang 'Come all you people' in lots of different parts and harmonies...they were great. then we had two of the children show us around...and they were excellent guides..for the Rev Andrew Lomax, David and I


ending with a time of questioning in year 5...and being asked if I could tell them another story.......which I did...about how the sun and moon come to be in the sky.........and David Perry, the Chair of District, offering to buy them a World Praise Music book so they could learn more songs

Then onto Scunthorpe to visit the Forge


where we met Maria, the manager, and deacon Laura. 12 years ago this began as a drop-in coffee morning for the community which developed into a drop-in for the homeless, drug addicts and those on the fringes of society as the church ceased to worship but continued as a place of hospitality.

It is also a Contact centre in the afternoons and as other community groups attach themselves a worship service (very much FX) is developing once a m onth with between 7-15 of the service users coming...and the photo shows what they created the day before we called in.


As I left the District across the Humber Bridge I reflected on the good things I had seen and heard as well as the difficult situations where people were hanging in or trying to turn things around. Please uphold the people of the Lincoln and Grinmsby District as they seek to become fit for purpose and respond to the needs of the communities they serve.