Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The North Wiltshire Circuit begins another Methodist year with a large degree of hope and enthusiasm. As a Circuit we decided a couple of years ago to put our efforts into outreach. mission and evangelism. Now those are words that can frighten people off, but let's get beyond the words to what it means.
We believe that churches are places for community. The church is a community of people who believe in the christian faith they follow and seek to show that to others. Through opening their doors to many groups and organisations they provide not just premises to meet but places to gather. Through welcoming in people of all ages and backgrounds and needs churches seek to be places of fellowship.
We feel that too many people in our society, in the community around us, feel isolated at times, feel lonely at times. In our church there are many activities and groups, some run by the churches, some run by those outside the churches, that seek to bring people together and to help them make connections and find fellowship.
We want to reach out to all ages and to that end we have appointed two youth workers for the Circuit and are advertising for a family and seniors worker.
We have churches that are looking at new ways of worship, new ways to engage with people, with their community. Churches that are looking to the future, but not throwing out the good things we do, nor casting our heritage adrift. We have churches with new building projects, churches with new fellowship ideas and churches always willing to care and comfort.
We, as a Circuit, are engaged in a two year Bible and lifestyle study called 'Holy Habits'. It is our way of making sure that we are continuing to live and move and have our being centred on the way Jesus lived and wants us to live.
For us that is what those words mean, the love, grace, welcome and fellowship of our faith expressed not just in our hymns and songs, not just in our prayers and not just in our worship, but in our actions and our way of being.
If you find this intriguing and interesting then do not 'watch this space', find a local church, go along and experience what those words mean for you in the way you are received, accepted and welcomed.
May God's blessing grant all rest, and comfort and love.
Mark