Gloucestershire Circuit of the Methodist Church

Prayers

We ask you to remember in your prayers this week the worship, work and witness of the congregation at Clements End.

Superintendent’s Lunch

This week’s lunch club will be held on Thursday 11 March 2010 at 12.30 p.m. at The Moon Under the Water, Bath Road, Cheltenham and next week on Thursday 18 March 2010 at 12.30 p.m. at The Greyhound Inn, Popes Hill, Cinderford.

Fresh Expressions Vision Day

To encourage and inspire us in this mission we are delighted to invite you to a Fresh Expressions Vision Day to be held at St Andrew’s, Churchdown on Saturday 22nd May from 9.45am to 4pm. Led by members of the national Fresh Expressions team this will be an opportunity to dream dreams, reflect on what is happening locally and nationally, share ideas and experiences, and be equipped to develop local fresh expressions further.

For further information and a booking form, please contact the Circuit office.

Cream Teas

Saturday March 20th 3 - 5pm at Hucclecote Methodist Church. Cream Teas will be served (cost £2) In aid of Women's Network District Project for the Dalit women at the Nutan Silai Sewing Centre in India. There will be many stalls including Books, Handicrafts, Cakes and Bring and Buy. Do come and enjoy a cream tea and a chat. (Please note it is at Hucclecote and not Christchurch this year).

BBC Radio 4 Arthur Rank Centre Appeal

Pam Rhodes presents the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of the Arthur Rank Centre

“For all its beauty, life in the countryside can be tough and I know during my years of presenting Songs of Praise, I’ve come across real hardship in farming and rural communities. Our rolling English countryside may seem idyllic but the fact is that over 900,000 rural households are living in poverty and constant worry, vulnerable and isolated, that’s how many feel as their plight is hidden from view, but there is somewhere they can turn. The Arthur Rank Centre is a small charity with a great spirit which for 38 years has been making a real difference to rural communities and churches.

It helps people like Robert who was struggling to keep his farm business afloat while he cared for his sick wife. With no help he lost the farm and the family home and when he phoned the A.R.C. helpline he told them he had even considered suicide. And sadly that’s not an unusual story for the charity to hear. They helped with practical solutions and emotional support. Robert is now working on a neighbouring farm and has been rehoused locally so his children have been able to stay at their school.

Another person helped by A.R.C. was Margaret who was deeply depressed when her marriage broke down after 34 years. She doesn’t drive and in a village with no shop and practically no local activities she found it difficult to meet people and was desperately lonely until through A.R.C. Margaret was put in touch with the local church. Now one of the church congregation visits her regularly and takes her to coffee mornings where she is slowly making new friends. That’s how A.R.C. works – giving people like Robert and Margaret new hope. Over the years A.R.C. have set up services where they are most needed to help provide housing, training, local facilities like post offices in church halls, and low cost computers for youth groups and the W.I. and they care for the most vulnerable of people in rural society.

Here in the U.K. we owe our farming communities so much, so please help the Arthur Rank Centre to help them.

Make a donation by calling 08004048144 or you could send a cheque payable to The Arthur Rank Centre to Freepost, BBC Radio 4 Appeal, and please mark the back of your envelope The Arthur Rank Centre. Thank you and God bless.”

All the details for giving – www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/appeal and remember if you are a UK tax payers, charities will only be able to collect the gift aid on a donation if you let them know that you want your donation to be gift aided and provide them with your address.

For further information about the Arthur Rank Centre,

contact Rev. Dr. Gordon Gatward (Director, A.R.C.), or Rev. Graham Jones (National Rural Life Officer, Methodist Church at A.R.C.) or visit the A.R.C. website at www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk

Stuart Freeman

Circuit Rural Life Officer

The Messiah by Mr Handel and Mr Newton

Gloucester Cathedral, 13 March 2010, 7pm

The John Newton Project and Gloucester Cathedral are combining in an innovative performance of Handel’s Messiah (Part 2: The Passion), with meditations from relevant sermons preached by John Newton, author of Amazing Grace.

Adrian Partington, Musical Director at Gloucester Cathedral, will be conducting the Cathedral Choir and the Corelli Orchestra. Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith will be reading extracts from Newton’s Messiah sermons.

The combination of Handel’s Messiah and Newton’s sermons has enormous potential for explaining the Gospel and encouraging Christ-centred thinking and living.

For further information, please contact the Circuit office.

Spirit of Peace

29th March 2010 - Gloucester - Bring and Share Supper

Passover, Holy Week & Easter. This is an opportunity to find out, reflect and think about this important week, viewed by the three Abrahamic Faiths. Everyone is invited - bring and share your food (please do not include anything with meat or alcohol).

Date: Mon 29th March, 7:00pm

Location: The Friendship Cafe, Barton Street, Gloucester, GL1 4HR

Contact: David: davidjohnbennett@hotmail.com, 07952 372 132

or Imran: gymnation@btclick.com, 07977 022 393

HP Printers

Two large HP 4000TN printers, one of which is networked. Would these be of any use to anyone in the Circuit? Nothing wanted for them - free to a good home! If you are interested, please contact Sue Hitchings on 01452 524117 or email david.hitchings1944@btinternet.com

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The Methodist Circuit of Gloucestershire

Circuit Office Address: Northgate Hall, St. John’s Lane, Gloucester, GL1 2AT

Telephone: 01452 415769 Email: gloscircuit1@btconnect.com