Plan Letter for December to February

Dear friends

Greetings, and welcome to our second Circuit Plan for the Newark and Southwell Circuit.

First of all, a big thank you to everyone for your prompt cooperation in providing us with dates. It really does make the process smoother! I’ve been working closely with Peter to understand how the plan-making website works, and I must say, I’m impressed. From this point on, any changes to the Plan should be arranged between the local preacher and the local church, but please do notify us. Our aim is to issue a list of changes rather than a full reissue of the Plan.

We now also have the ability to provide Plan dates in a digital diary format, which you can import directly into your calendar. For those who prefer paper, don’t worry — we’ll continue to provide printed copies — but for those like me who live by their devices, the digital option is there!

Staying in Touch

A gentle reminder to all churches: even if your preacher is familiar, please make contact in advance. There are three good reasons for this:

• We are covered if there has been confusion in plan requests.
• You may pick up that a preacher is struggling with ill health.
• It gives churches the opportunity to alert preachers to recent or upcoming events (activities, bereavement, etc).

Contact between churches and preachers has been a little patchy at times, so let’s work together to strengthen that.

“Next Sunday Now”

Don’t forget that Next Sunday Now continues every Monday evening, streamed live to my own Facebook profile, and also to the Balderton, Hope, and Charles Street pages — as well as live to the Circuit’s YouTube channel. Occasionally the stream doesn’t go live in one place, but we always signpost where it can be found.

The broadcast is useful for anyone, but especially for worship leaders and preachers preparing for the following Sunday, with reflections on the continuous readings.

Prayers and News

Please keep Hope Community Methodist Church in your prayers. As has been planned for some time, they are exploring the sale of their current building and seeking alternative premises. This puts them firmly within the area of New Places for New People and Church at the Margins — and they are approaching this faithfully and prayerfully.

We also give thanks for Nick, who will be retiring in December after many years of service. His work has supported so much of the circuit’s life — not least the planning process itself! His patience, diligence, and good humour will be greatly missed. This naturally means we will need to consider how we provide administration in future. We will take our time to discern this carefully, especially in a changing landscape where digital mission and communication are increasingly central.

Looking Forward

Finally, a broader thought for us all — preachers, leaders, and members alike. How do we nurture a growth mindset rather than settle for managed decline? This question is being asked not only here, but across the Connexion. God is at work in our churches, often in quiet but powerful ways. The task is to build a culture — “the way things work around here” — that moves us beyond the post-COVID downturn into a season of renewed energy, hope, and outward focus.

As we approach Christmas and the New Year, we remember that expectancy is part of the Christian story. Renewal will not come through a single sermon or meeting, but through a steady and faithful underlining of God’s faithfulness — provided we, as Methodist people, act with honesty and integrity.

I was reflecting on this recently at Balderton, preaching on the Methodist Way of Life theme, “Tell.” One of the simplest but most powerful ideas is to ask one or two people each week, “What would you like me to hold in prayer for you?” I’ve seen this at Charles Street and through Churches Together In Newark's Healing on the Streets ministry. The effect is remarkable. To ask that question is to declare that we believe in prayer — and in a God who listens and acts. It opens the door to future conversations about faith, and it reminds others that we all have a story to tell.

Perhaps that’s something for each of us to carry into the weeks ahead — a small but faithful step into mission.

Every blessing
Langley