from graduation to thorpe hesley

One of my last engagements as president today. I went to open a new community centre in thorpe hesley. A lovely service and an example of 'good local ecumenism'.

Local ecumenical partnerships are a mixed bag. Some are fantastic, deeply relevant to their context and with a lot of purpose love and grace about. Others seem to be an 'enforced inevitability' with little missionary vision - just two congregations choosing the points of least resistance to sustain their lives a little longer. I've come across both over this year.

Yesterday was Cliff College graduation day. I've always enjoyed it down the years and yesterday the weather was fine and folk were in their finery. My last time, with lots of happy memories.

So into my last week as president. Tomorrow I go to London for my 'next job', then it is off to the Ordinands retreat on Tuesday and down to Scarborough for Conference. So this may well be my last blog entry. Thanks to you all.

And a special thanks to Ruby, my blog companion and a wonderful vice president, and a great pal over a fantastic year.

People of God are doing good all over the world

"People of God are doing good all over the world" was the theme for the "Service on the Eve of The National Prayer Breakfast 2008" at which I was involved in leading prayers this evening. It was a lovely service held in St Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey. It was led by Canon Robert Wright and involved Members and staff from both Houses of Parliament. The address was given by Labib Madanat, Executive Secretary of the Palestinian Bible Society and Development Director of the Bible Lands Bible Societies. He spoke movingly of the need for Christians to change the rules of encounter to break the cycles of damage which humans get into and how Christians need to be bearers of hope. Andy Flannagan and a talented cello player called Lucy led the modern worship songs and Richard Pearce played the organ for the more traditional hymns. A really interesting mix which came together well. It was good to see Martin Turner (Superintendent Minister of Westminster Central Hall) there too. Well, I think it was! When someone came up to me as I was speaking to Martin at the end and said how he had heard every word of my prayers Martin teased "Oh yes, you can always hear what Ruby says - you might not always agree with it but you can definitely hear it!" It's a good job we are old friends. The prayer breakfast is back at Westminster in Parliament at 7.30 tomorrow morning so I better try to have an early night or I might not make it.

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.

fit for purpose

Spent this morning in my home (Sheffield) district. I was asked to lead the sessions on 'Methodism: fit for purpose'. Quite a number of people turned up on a grey drizzly June day. I enjoyed it, and a number of good comments and observations were made. I come back - as I have so many times this year - to some basic convictions. First, that Methodism is instinctively a missionary movement. Second, that God is not finished with us yet, but cares about the world so much that God is not content to leave us as we are. Third, that God is more ready to renew us that we are to be renewed, and therefore the reasons for aspects of renewal tarrying cannot simply be shunted onto a bland 'God does not want to renew us yet' comment.

It was nice to 'go local' near the end of the year, and to see so many folk I know from Synod and other occasions, who have faithfully prayed for me over this year. Thank you all.

first phases of handover

I've been with Stephen Poxon today. I hand over the presidency and presidential 'bling' in under three weeks! Can't believe it's gone so quickly. Still a few more engagements to look forward to, but talking with Stephen reminds me that the end is near! We've talked together about many things pertaining to being president, and I am sure that he is going to lead our Church with wisdom and passion. He will, I am sure, with David, continue to represent us at various groupings. Please pray for them both (Stephen and David) in these last couple of weeks of preparation. I bear testimony to the power of your prayers, and know that they will be borne along with prayer also.

Recognition and celebration and a glimpse of things to come

Yesterday I went to Shernhall Methodist Church in Walthamstow to witness Adam Dyjasek being recognised as a Local Preacher. It was a great service which also included celebrating David Bowes being a Local Preacher for 50 years and Peter Dawe being a Local Preacher for 40 years. A brass band played for the hymns in a rousing manner and the singing was pretty impressive, beginning with O for a thousand tongues to sing.

The preacher gave me a glimpse of things to come - it was David Walton, Vice President designate, who in two weeks time will inherit this blog with Stephen Poxon, the President designate. David's sermon was short and to the point with humour and grace - a great foretaste for what he will bring to the Church next year. Adam, David (Bowes) and Peter each got a few minutes to share with the congregation and it was good to hear their testimony. The letter to Adam from the President of Conference was read out to the congregation so we got to hear from Martyn even though he was in Yorkshire! (Happy Birthday Mr President.)

It was good to meet up with old friends and colleagues as there were a number of Connexional staff there to support Adam who is a member of the Connexional Team. These included Anthea Cox, Margaret Sawyer and Michaela Youngson. John Cooper from MRDF and the Methodist Council was there too. Roger Dawe, ex Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee was there to support his brother Peter and it was good to see Jenni Sweet who had been with us in Ireland and is the minister at Shernhall. Lots to celebrate then and hope for the future too.

Oop, t'ut Yorkshire

Went back home this weekend, back to Yorkshire.

Saturday was spent in Ilkley. About 200 folk gathered in the sum changing to light rain for a day about mission and mission shaped church. I did not bring this theme. Rather the West Yorkshire Methodist district, ably led by Nick Blundell and a mission strategy team, and strongly urged on by Peter Whittake the District Chair, was drawing to a close a year long project called 'touring West Yorkshire'. The local input in the morning was excellent, with drama and testimony to real changes and hope given in a selection of varied contexts throughout the District. In the afternoon I led a bible study from Acts, and we concluded with worship. I make it sound more routine and boring than it was!

Yesterday it was to Brighouse for a morning service. I did the unusual thing of changing what I was going to preach/speak about minutes before preaching/speaking. To all local preachers etc I do not recommend this as normal practice! But I became aware that the sermon on Paul I had chosen a couple of weeks before was not right for what I had now picked up about the context of the local congregation. So I chose something else, a selection of stories from around the world which remind us of the cost, commitment, honour and grandeur of belonging to the worldwide Christian family of the People Called Methodists. Whether it was right to make this change, I don't know - but it's too late to wonder now!

So I return to College for a couple of days. Lots of writing to do, a serious attempt at the last Methodist Recorder article, the Pastoral Address for Conference, a few letters and a 30foot square study that needs looks like a bombsite the contents of which now need to begin to be packed up in boxes. That's for today. Tonight I celebrate being a mere 53 (though I feel a bit older at the moment!)