Dear Sisters and Brothers,
I wonder if you like jigsaws? My children love jigsaws but sometimes they do not have the patience to persevere and see it to completion. On one occasion we borrowed a jigsaw from the library, the box said that it was a 50-piece jigsaw, we checked and there were 50 pieces and so we started to put it together.
I was always taught that when you make a jigsaw it is always good to start with the outside edges to get the frame, so we did this. We completed what we thought was the frame, and started to fill in the jigsaw. To our surprise we discovered that the box was wrong and it was actually a 60 piece jigsaw – we were missing 10 pieces.
The preaching plan is a bit like a jigsaw as the ministers prayerfully try to complete the picture of the worship life of the circuit on a Sunday. Sometimes you need to carefully move the parts around to get the best fit. Of course, the plan does not give the whole picture of the Circuit but it does remind us of our connectedness and the different parts that make up the whole. I wonder if it is time to change the picture? Should we be so focussed on Sunday worship, or should we be more focussed on discipleship and what it means to follow Jesus? What ideas do you have, it would be great to hear them!
This plan takes us on the journey through Lent into Holy Week and through the whole season of Easter. A familiar story will be re-told but I wonder if a different picture may emerge.
I am very excited that the National Methodist Youth Brass Band will finally be coming to Newark in April, following the postponement of their visit two years ago. I strongly encourage you to come to the concert on Saturday 2nd April at Hope Community Methodist Church, Barnbygate at 7.30pm. The band will also be leading worship on the Sunday too!
Near the end of this new plan Peter Bates will be going on sabbatical, please do keep Peter in your prayers. I think the June-August plan may be an even more complicated jigsaw than this one.
Every blessing
Nathan