Gloucestershire Circuit of the Methodist Church

The Circuit affirms Our Calling from God within the Methodist Church: enabling Christians and congregations, individuals and communities,to recognise and fulfil their calling by encouragement, support and by the exploration of new visions in God’s world.

The Circuit is committed to support and promote Fairtrade,to further encourage the use and sale of Fairtrade products and to serve only Fairtrade coffee and tea at meetings for which it is responsible.

Prayers

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

Superintendent’s Lunch Club

The Superintendent's Lunch Club takes place every Thursday at 12.30 p.m. at the venues below:-

2rd February – Fromebridge Mill, Whitminster

9th February – The Moon Under the Water, Bath Road, Cheltenham

16th February - The White Hart, Broadoak, on the A48, left-hand side, just after the A4151 turn-off for Cinderford and just before Newnham-on-Severn

23rd February – McKenzies, Castle Street, Cirencester

1st March – Fromebridge Mill, Whitminster

EVERYONE is welcome to come along to eat, drink and natter about all sorts of things and nothing in particular.

“CREATING SAFER SPACE” - Safeguarding Training

Are you working with children and young people, a pastoral visitor, or a teward/church secretary/church safeguarding co-ordinator responsible for safeguarding or appointing volunteers? Have you attended Safeguarding Training?

The Methodist Conference 2010, fulfilling a standing order of 2007, determined that people carrying out many roles in the Church should receive safeguarding training and be certificated. At the Methodist Conference 2011, a motion was passed declaring it was mandatory that all volunteers working with children and young people should receive safeguarding training by Summer 2012.

Karen Burridge and I are organising two further training mornings in February/March for those volunteers who have not attended training at our previous seven venues. 198 people have attended these sessions, and found the training “informative, challenging and most worthwhile”.

Saturday 18th February at Dursley Methodist Church (9.30am – 1.00pm)

Saturday 10th March at Drybrook Methodist Church (9.30am - 1.00pm)

Please book your places (only 30 places available per venue)

Contact: Peter Gardner 01452 790564 or by Email peter@familygardner.plus.com

Countdown

Do you enjoy watching Countdown on the television and fancy having a go yourself? Come along to the Wesley Rooms at St Albans Church, Parliament Street, Stroud on Saturday 11th February at 3.30 pm. We will playing Countdown in teams and also enjoying afternoon tea (a buffet of sandwiches, cakes etc). There will even be prizes for the winning team!

Tickets cost £5.00 and can be bought at the door

An Evening of Folk Songs for Voice and Guitar

CARRIE SEATON & JOHN WHITWORTH present their own distinctive arrangements of traditional folk songs from the British Isles and America. They will include songs from their 2009 CD Misadventure, as well as newer material. John is perhaps best known in the guitar world as co-author of the children's tutor series The Guitarist's Way and will perform a selection of classical guitar solos, including music by Bach and Villa-Lobos. Carrie may well show us her clog dancing skills!

Saturday 17th March at 7.30pm

Ashcroft Church, Ashcroft Road, Cirencester GL7 1RA

Tickets: £6/£5 available at the door or from Carrie Seaton. 01285 653655

Interval refreshments included. Proceeds to 'Action for Children'

(Posters and/or Flyers can be provided by post or email, from Carrie)

Spirit of Peace

Monday 13 Feb 2012

7pm to 8.30pm

Ribston High School, Stroud Road, Gloucester GL1 5LE

The first Spirit of Peace "Space to Reflect" drop in Vigil style evening of 2012 is on Monday 13th Feb 2012 from 7pm to 8.30pm at Ribston Hall High School, Stroud Road, Gloucester.

Given the recent violence in places such as Nigeria and the tragedy of the sinking of the Costa Concordia, this "vigil" is about giving time and space to find stillness and send out loving intentions for people, places and events we care about.

The evening mixes times of silence, prayer, reflection and meditation along with an opportunity to share meaningful thoughts and readings. You are warmly invited to bring an object, picture, poem or reading which has meaning and may also serve as a focal point.

We hope to show a video of the "Words for World Peace" Trek, given in very challenging conditions from Everest Base Camp in Nepal by our Administrator Noel Lockyer-Stevens.

This drop-in evening means you can stay for all the evening, or just the time you need.

Admission is free but donations are invited for the work of Spirit of Peace.

For more information about Spirit of Peace please visit www.spiritofpeace.co.uk

BBC Radio Gloucestershire

Do you produce a church or community magazine each month? If so I'd love a copy. Each one gets read and I get so many stories and events from them. If you already send me a copy, thanks very much, if not then please send your church or faith magazine to me, Richard Atkins, BBC Radio Gloucestershire, London Road, Gloucester GL1 1SW and don't forget to listen each Sunday morning for a Gloucestershire Sunday Breakfast from 6 including many of your favourite hymns.

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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