Dear Sisters and Brothers.
September is a time for new beginnings; after the summer holidays and the break from the routine, activities start up again. September sees the newacademic year, new Methodist year. Maybe you are facing a new beginning in September!
The preaching plan in its entirety gives a snapshot of the circuit at a point in time, and is a resource for praying for the preachers and officers of the circuit. You may have already noticed on the front page that there have been some changes. Methodist Conference confirmed the appointment of the Revd Canon Helen Cameron as the Chair of the Nottingham and Derby District and the Revd Andy Fyall as the Deputy Chair.
Helen is also Chair of the Northampton District and Moderator of the Free Churches Group (which also makes her Churches Together President for the Free Churches Group too). Helen will be the person who represents the district on the Connexional Committees.
Revd Andy Fyall will be the face of the senior leadership that we will see mostoften; he is embodying the full ministry of a Chair of District at District level for 80% of his time, and for the remaining 20% he is focussing on New Places for New People. We warmly welcome Andy to the district.
The plan also marks the appointment of a new Circuit Steward, Jan Wright. We welcome Jan back as a Circuit Steward after her 4 year break and we welcome Jeff Proctor as a Local Preacher "On Note."
On 25th September we have a special circuit service at Hope Barnby Gate to celebrate the ministry of Local Preachers. Local Preachers annually have the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the ministry and it makes sense for this to be a Circuit occasion. We will be particularly celebrating the ministry of Ruby Beech as a Local Preacher as she marks 40 years, the preacher for the service will be Revd Michaela Youngson (Assistant Secretary of Conference). At the Circuit Service in February we will celebrate Terry Pearce's 60 years service as a Local Preacher.
As we travel through the next plan let us: give thanks to the God of all creation as we celebrate harvest and creationtide, hear God's call to the homeless and the prisoner, remember those who have gone before us, recommit ourselves to work and pray for peace, declare the Kingship of Christ in our world and our lives, and once again begin our Advent journey
Every blessing
Nathan