school visits- assemblies, BB and Holy week

It was great to welcome  Hinde House year 5's to church to explore how the church handles through rituals - death. At first it could appear to be a bit of a challenge. But by sharing about how we tell stories we looked at this sensitive issue and one that will affect us all. Then the youngsters had opportunity to put their own life stories so far on small crosses. Of course we ran out of time but what a delight to walk into assembly on Monday morning to receive them all to bring back to church to share on Easter morning.

One of the ongoing highlights I find in ministry is the opportunity to work with schools. I hear such nonsense spoken about schools and what they do and don't do. Well on Monday morning staff could be very proud and parents if they had seen them. Key stage one came into the hall so well and listened. When you think how young they are its amazing and for me really good fun to share the Easter story with them. Then it was key stage 2 turn. They maybe older and more aware of growing up. Yet they too proved to be normal kids with interacted with me, laughing and sharing as again we went through the events of Holy Week. So with hello Mark and high fives as they left the hall some 420 pupils and staff touched base on the Easter story.

Sunday Evening we set the hall out for a Labyrinth so our Konnect 5 youth group could explore the choices that Jesus made in life. They were invited to think about those choices and to see if they might make similar ones for themselves. So 20 teenagers walked in silence , thinking, praying and hopefully learning.

Monday evening and time to share with 40 youngsters of our BB company plus their parents. With song, activity and prayer we marked out the importance of Holy week.

Maundy Thursday at St Peters and the table is set for an evening to recall Jesus sharing a Passover meal. So with food, song and breaking  bread we marked out this Holy night . Going from the church into the night to recall afresh disciples running away leaving Jesus very alone. 

Then to Good Friday procession at Firth Park. Always fascinating to see various reactions to people following s cross. We were joined by a woman who had escaped Syria . A man wanted to know how to join the church . Even s white man switched off his radio and made the sign of the cross.

In the evening back to St Petets for a Labyrinth of choices. People really took their time to walk the route. To read, pray, touch, taste, smell and to reflect upon the choices God in Christ made . And what about our own ? Do our choices reflect a life that reflects Jesus? 

the long catch up

I will shortly be walking down through the mist and snowy streets to lead worship at St Cuthbert's Fir Vale part of our Northern Lights Mission Partnership. A group of three churches St Cuthbert's, Christchurch Pitsmoor and St Peter's Ellesmere LEP. This is an opportunity to give physical expression to the fact we are one in Christ Jesus and our different ministries can work together in leadership.

But before I do time for a major catch up on the blog

Yesterday my St Peter's Church had a church day away using the Church Army facilities at the Wilson Carlise building in Sheffield city centre. Together we explored the place of prayer in our lives. So in worship drawn from Iona, Taize, and within ourselves we shared what prayer was for us. How as one individual put it 'enabling us to draw nearer to the truth that is God'. So with food, laughter, conversation and breaking bread we were living out what it means to be Jesus's community. This will be built on by allowing what we discovered to inform our worship and our life together. I trust there will be further days together to complement our monthly meetings when we eat, sing, talk and break bread. The one thing the day reinforced for me was what an amazing and unique fellowship St Peter's is, and that its very obvious that God holds it together.

Looking at my blog I realised I have been overtaken by so many events in life there has not been time to stop, share and reflect. In fact the last time I blogged I was in the hospital with my youngest daughter. What a roller coast of a time we all had. What could go wrong did. With a major infection and weeks to recover and heal. Thankfully she is now back at work and as I kept saying to her 'it will feel like you have never been away' so it has proved.

Well work at Firth Park Methodist Church began with the roof but as I write its still not complete because a chimney stack was found to be unsafe. As a listed building we had to get permission to take it down- and we have to pay for the advert in the paper!!! as well as £3000 + for its removal. If you are a kind reader all contributions would be welcome.
Well hopefully in the next week it will be complete and scaffolding will be gone. This means half of our roof is truly water tight and ready for the next stage of interior work in readiness for the soft play centre. This Tuesday we begin our weekly soft play opportunities for 0-4's in the Stubbin Hall as we seek to maintain our serving of the community.

Our Konnect 5 youth fellowship year 7-11 secondary school continues to thrive as we meet on the second and fourth Sunday evenings of the month. With four leaders and up to 18 plus youngsters it is a great evening.

This past Advent we put on a nativity in the park at the Firth Park Festival. It was extremely cold as we introduced the characters of the story to passers by. This is something we will do again. It was good that members from both our morning and afternoon (Family Worship) congregations provided the people power.



























Then there was a great evening carol
singing down the Normanton Pub as folks from St Peters and others were made so welcome by the land lady and staff. Mulled wine and sandwiches much appreciated.








This year our  BB had a Christingle as we had not had one for a while. So we worked with children and parents using the opportunity to tell of God's love for the whole world. That this world provides us with all our needs, and the Candle serving to remind us of the Christ child who lights our life's journey.

 It was my turn to lead the annual christingle at St Peters here we are forming a circle around the church before we light candles and turn the lights off. Always a special moment followed by the opportunity to share a meal together.

This year I was able to attend Midnight Communion at the Cathedral and enter into the mystery without having to think about my role in leading the service. It was special, and having our youngest with us nearly healed was a bonus. The new Bishop Pete was present and good to see him settling into his new role and ministry.

The angel on our window ledge bathed in light a symbolic reminder of God's promises he had fulfilled. God become one with us, a witness to our neighbours.

New years day and we took the dissenters walk around Sheffield. So much more to see of our amazing city when you walk it.

Well the new year has brought us a mixture of challenges.

The Sheffield Methodist circuit is building up a sense of optimism and challenge as we look to explore as churches "Holy Habits" . Based on Acts 2 the material has been produced in an excellent and easily used format. There is a genuine air of this could be just what we all need to revisit essential things in the Christian life style and Christian community in a way that achievable.

Our Firth Park Methodist Church is moving ever closer to gaining funding firstly for the next stage to get phase 2 of our building work off the ground. This will mean we can have the soft play centre serving the community and an empty building back in use generating some income.

..... so catch up complete having missed out lots. Of course if your local to Firth Park Methodist Church or St Peters Elesmere then just join us for the diverse activities we offer.

Watching the ward go by

Well fascinating day so far sitting in hospital. The diversity of cultures makes for interest . The way people speak could so easily be misunderstood for rudeness . But it’s not just culture.

Then there has been the amazing patience of the doctor who explained at least fifty times to a father about his daughter. How he did not lose his cool I don’t know. And we all had to listen to the Father on his phone time and time again. Poor girl in a bed just wanting to rest . 

Looking around I still wonder why people voted for Brexit.  If many of these staff had to leave no way could this hospital operate , literally . That’s true for most of our hospitals. 

Well one daughter had her op and we wait to see if she is discharged tonight. It’s looking good which will please her. But you can tell she’s not there yet as she didn’t ask for her mobile !!! So far it’s been ten hours .

Half term - a break ?

Sitting in Newham hospital having brought our youngest daughter in for an operation makes for a different experience.

We had planned to be in London to look after our granddaughter for  a few days as son in law in Australia and eldest daughter teaching. This we have done and it’s been great fun reading books, singing songs,  drawing - well making marks on paper , and generally messing about. 

However the visit fortunately coincided with our youngest daughter need to have her gall bladder out . So now sitting on the ward waiting for the consultant and the operation in about hour and a half. Strange to be in Dad mode and not Minister mode. Just glad we can both be here with her . So nurse has been and the consultant so we wait.....

Time to plan next trips out for granddaughter . So far it’s been September London Aquarium and the chance to build on her interest in sharks. October it was London Zoo . On seeing the Camel it was Grump. Great days out. So what’s the next trip? The science museum? That may have to wait as the Sheffield Circuit waits to  see if potential new ministers are directed to visit. That will take up two weekends in November so no visit to London for me.

Of course some of the best moments with a granddaughter are just the way she recognise you. A great smile as she comes into the bedroom first thing in a morning . Or when cooking she just comes up and says Granddad so clearly . Then she changed it to granddee . 

So we sit waiting and observing. 

Youth work - Konnect 5

Firth Park Church does not stand still while waiting for its church building to be renovated. Just s few months ago we started a youth group for year 7 and above on a Sunday evening once s month. Soon the young people wanted to meet more regularly . Now with 24 on the books we meet on the second and fourth Sunday of the month. Food, games, and general conversation and a fantastic group of youngsters mean the leaders enjoy it just as much as the young people . It’s another sign we are a church community that is alive and growing . If you want to know more contact the church office firthparkmethodistchurch@gmail.com

moving things on

Firth Park at last is seeing the beginning of the work towards bringing the main worship space (church) back into use and to get it ready for part to be a soft play centre.

Half of the roof is in process of being renewed to make it watertight. Then we will be able to move onto reshape a space ready for the soft play equipment. 

The working party did a great job in lifting the pews ready for sale .

It’s a good job we are as rain finds its way through the roof and suspended ceiling . 

So we continue to seek grants to enable us to complete stage one .

Firth Park is an area that deserves to be invested in. We pray as a church that by serving our community in another practical, way people will know there is a God who cares about them. 

back to work from Cornwall

Final day in Cornwall saw a very relaxed day with sunshine and a picnic down at the small rocky cove.


Then an evening stroll along the cliff path to

the Cadgwith Inn. A great fish meal at the end of which we could listen to the local Cadgwith Singers entertain in the bar as they do each Friday night.

Then it was the long journey home thankfully broken up the the diversion to our middle daughter's home near Oxford. Staying overnight meant that as our Son in law has taken on another organist job at Deddington Parish church a visit was requited to check the place out.

Always good to see how Churches convert their premises to make them usable. This one can hold a market inside, concerts and live streams its worship.

Sunday morning meant Jill could go to worship at Christchurch Oxford where Jonathan was playing for the service.

Finally we made it home Sunday evening and a week of catching up before the final event of the summer which took us north.

Good friends from our days in Leigh-on Sea, Joe and Mary, were celebrating their Golden wedding anniversary.

Thankfully the sun shone and on arrival we found ourselves as expected amongst familiar faces from our past.

I had married John and Jill, their son and daughter in-law.





Then there was Trevor and Gill whose daughter Emma, I had officiated at her wedding.  Then another Jill whose dads funeral I had taken.

Before I knew it I was reliving my past and hearing everyones news.


So back to leading worship on the first Sunday of the new Methodist Year.

In particular, it was a wonderful time with the morning Firth Park Congregation joining our afternoon family worship centre congregation. We made our covenant promises together, having begun to explore what our future together might look like. It's the beginning of a process of exploration of how we can serve more effectively by pooling our resources. To see such diversity of age, race and styles worshipping was a little miracle. Today perhaps we had a glimpse of what Jesus hoped for when he prayed 'that they might be one as we are one'