Chair's Blog


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Renewing the Church

In a recent article on the Fresh Expressions website Nick Barnes, Bishop of Bradford writes:

 

"I want to ask some sharp questions of fresh expressions when hearing the language used. But, the same scrutiny needs to be applied to traditional churches, especially where challenges are being avoided, future development ignored and assumptions about future existence being made without regard for reality.

 

If I want my critique of mission-shaped church taken seriously (that it assumes a middle-class church and world where networking might transcend locality… and pays no attention to the deprived communities where people are condemned to a particular place), then I also have to critique a parish system that props up unviable churches and buildings for fear of addressing the complexity of change.

 

The world needs a church that is old, new and being renewed."

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Discipleship and Ministries Learning Network

Subsequent to a Consultation on the development of the region within the Learning and Discipleship Training Network

- held at Lifton Methodist Church on Saturday 16th February 2013...

 

The regional structure report to Methodist Council can be found here

http://www.methodist.org.uk/downloads/coun-MC1307b-network-regions-0113.doc

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From Mr Wesley - small congregations

John Wesley wrote

January 6th 1781 to one of his Assistants (Edward Jackson, whom he addresses as "Dear Neddy") in which he expressed a doubt "whether you do right in preaching to twelve or fifteen persons".  Wesley added: "I will not blame any Assistant for removing the meeting from any place where the congregation does not usually amount to twenty persons."

What do you think?

I am no longer my own .....

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

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  1. Public Benefit?