Author: DigiComms

We are delighted to announce that Tara Goodall will be joining the District Team in January 2022 as our Wellbeing Officer, with a particular focus on lay employees. We have been able to create this appointment by successfully securing external funding. The role will support us in pursuing our commitment to creating a culture that enables everyone to flourish.

Alongside this role, in the New Year, we are hoping to form a Wellbeing Group within the District which would have a broader remit to improve the wellbeing of everyone involved in our church’s life. If you are interested in being part of this group please contact the District Office.

Tara moved from Hexham to Leeds in the spring with her husband David and son Jethro. They are enjoying exploring ‘God’s own country’ and Tara looks forward to working alongside you in the north and east District. Wellbeing is a bit of a buzzword at the moment – many of us have struggled to keep hold of good wellbeing these last two years and Tara looks forward to exploring and hearing from others about what has been helpful for them.

She says “I am delighted to be joining a team where wellbeing is given the importance of creating this new role. I believe carving out specific times for being rather than doing can help keep us on an even keel physically, psychologically, mentally and of course spiritually both in our home and working lives. How we do this will be different for individuals. I look forward to meeting you and hearing about what helps you. Each of us is created uniquely and we can share varying things that help.”

Tara has experience in church administration, pharmacy, massage, as a spiritual director, as a Mum to a small person and will draw on her eclectic experiences for this exciting new role.

Email: wellbeing@yorkshirenemethodist.org

Sleep Out for Homelessness is an annual charity event organised by the District Youth Team in response to the young people in our District feeling passionate about helping those who are homeless. 

The sleepout will see members of our community experiencing sleeping outside in the cold January weather at a number of campsites around the district.

However, if sleeping outside isn’t your cup of tea there are other ways to get involved such as boycotting your bed, engaging with resources, and donating to our Just Giving page (https://justgiving.com/campaign/Sleepout4homelessness). We are supporting 3 amazing charities this year who all work around our local area who would all be extremely grateful for any donations.

To find out how you can get involved download this PDF! Click here

Find out more here: https://www.yorkshirenemethodist.org/district-youth/sleep-out/

Read the Blog here: www.yorkshirenemethodist.org/district-youth/children-and-youth-work-blog/

ANNOUNCEMENT

Get your calendars at the ready! We are excited to share that we have new dates for our postponed Flourish District Gathering…

SAVE THE DATEFriday 14th – Sunday 16th April 2023
at Scarborough Spa

A time of inspiration, exploration, worship, celebration, and fellowship
Bringing people together from across the District in a weekend for all ages

Further details in due course…

For more information about Flourish or to recap the 2019 event, see here: www.yorkshirenemethodist.org/flourish/

Find our new District Prayer Diary for 2021/22 here (opens as a pdf in a new tab)

We’re very much looking forward to our Representative Synod on 18th September – meeting at the Manor School in York. We’ll be taking lots of care to try to make sure that everyone who can come feels comfortable and safe. It will be a great opportunity to ‘take stock’ and look ahead to all that God has in store. A warm invitation is extended to all!

Dear Friends                                                                                                                             September 2021

We look forward to welcoming you to the Representative Session of the Yorkshire North and East District Synod on Saturday, 18th of September 2021. This will primarily be an in-person Synod, held at York Manor Academy. (York Manor Academy, Millfield Lane, Nether Poppleton, YORK, YO26 6PA)

We are aware that some people may not yet feel comfortable meeting in large groups, so there will be the option to attend via Zoom. However, with some of the activities we have planned, the virtual experience will have some limitations. If you feel you need to attend virtually, please let the district office (admin@yorkshirenemethodist.org) know so that we can plan accordingly – although you will be free to change your mind on the day! The Zoom link will be sent to those attending online in due course. (If you are attending virtually you might want some pen and paper to hand during the ‘lament’ section; some resources for doing the craft activities will be provided on the district website.)

The day will include the usual Synod business plus worship, workshops, and craft activities.  We are seeking to create a sacred and safe place in which we will explore our Synod themes.  As we focus on ‘lament’ there will be a creative time for bringing music, prayer writing…etc.  We encourage Synod members to reflect in advance on this theme, and perhaps bring anything creative that emerges: poems, songs, prayers.  There will be a time of worship before lunch where we will share both what has been brought and what has been created on the day.

We will begin at 9.30am and finish by 3:00pm, with breaks for refreshments. On another note, if you are attending in person and would require the use of the hearing loop system, please could you inform the district office in advance.

We are really looking forward to the opportunity to meet together physically again, but of course Synod will have a different feel as we mitigate the risks. Please bring a mask with you and your own mug for drinks. You will also need to bring lunch and any snacks that you might need through the day, though a pack of biscuits will be included in a bag you receive as you arrive!  We also would ask that those joining us in person do a lateral flow test before attending. Also, if anyone is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, please contact the District Office so that they can give you the information to attend virtually.

Synod papers will be available on the District website at: www.yorkshirenemethodist.org/district/synods or can be requested to be emailed directly, or printed and posted, by contacting the District Office at admin@yorkshirenemethodist.org or by phoning/texting 07809 431871

In calling you to the Synod, it is also our responsibility to remind you, as required by Conference, that “every presbyter and every deacon who is not a supernumerary, and every presbyteral and diaconal probationer, unless, in any case, excused by dispensation of the Chair, is required to attend the Synod of which he or she is a member and to remain throughout its sessions. A dispensation of absence is to be given only on compelling grounds.”  This also applies to Recognised and Regarded ministers.

Supernumerary Ministers and Ministers Authorised to Serve are welcome to attend the Representative Synod, but do not need a dispensation of absence if unable to attend.  Lay members of Synod who are unable to attend are asked to notify the Synod Secretary via the District Office and to let their Circuit-meeting elected substitute have their Synod Papers.

We look forward to worshipping and reflecting together in these challenging times.

With best wishes

Leslie Newton                        Emma Crippen             Chair of District                        Synod Secretary

A Study Morning led by the Revd Leslie Newton as he shares reflections from his recent Sabbatical.

Saturday 20^th November 2021, Boston Spa Methodist Church
9.45am – 1pm
Teas/Coffee from 9.15am

Please book online through Eventbrite here: https://bit.ly/reviveuslordagain

Looking afresh at the 18^th Century growth of the Methodist movement and exploring how Wesley’s primary message and principal methods can shape the renewal of the mission of ‘the People called Methodists’ in the 21^st Century.

“My recent Sabbatical inspired me greatly as I explored the growth of early Methodism. I began to see, as with fresh eyes, how Wesley’s message and methods have much to offer us as we explore what it is to be ‘the People called Methodists’ in our world today.
I don’t believe for a minute that God has finished with us, and if we have the courage to dig deep into our heritage, I believe that God’s Spirit can breathe new life into our life and mission.
Here, I will share some of my reflections – glad for the opportunity to receive feedback – as together we look for a faithful and courageous way ahead.”

“Revive us, Lord, again” is a line in ‘Being of beings, God of love’ StF 490v4, Charles Wesley

GIFTS: outside the box – A week of online events to discern how we can use our gifts from God to serve others in safe and gracious ways. Join us for any or all of these sessions! Book for the sessions you are interested in here: (booking required) https://bit.ly/giftsoutsidethebox Registration Deadline: Monday 3rd May

After a great deal of thinking and praying, consulting and discussing, we have now reluctantly agreed that the wisest and safest decision is to defer Flourish from this September.  We have such wonderful and enduring memories of Flourish in 2019 and we want our next event to be as equally inspiring and positive.  Although it seems that it would have been possible to go ahead with Flourish this September, we cannot be sure of how free from restrictions we would be, and we have recognised that many will feel reluctant to gather in such a significant number so soon after the lockdowns of the past year.

We are now planning our way ahead as follows:

1. Saturday 18^th September will instead be our Autumn Synod.  We will plan to meet physically, and also offer an online option so as to be as inclusive as possible.  We will develop a programme that is as open as possible to everyone in the District who would like to participate.  We will have a particular focus on:
2. reflecting on all that we have travelled through during this pandemic, and
3. committing ourselves with renewed faith to fulfilling all that God has for us in the future.
4. We will now seek to agree a new date for Flourish – now Flourish 22 – to be, we anticipate, in September / October 2022.  All things considered this seems to be the preferable time of year, with the best opportunity for a really successful event which includes all ages as fully as possible.

We will of course keep you updated as our revised plans develop.

On Sunday 14th March at 6pm we will be hosting a District Ordinands Testimony Service. This is a special opportunity for us to hear Deacon Nigel Perrott in the Ripon and Lower Dales Methodist Circuit share his testimony and to offer him our affirmation and support to him ahead of his ordination in June. (Nigel’s ordination was due last summer, but delayed to this summer because of the impact of Covid-19.) We are honoured and delighted that the President of the Methodist Conference, Richard Teal, will be taking part in the service. Please share this widely!

The service will be taking place on Zoom and live streamed to YouTube for those not taking part in the service to watch and join with us.
Watch Live Here

The video will be available to watch back afterwards as well and should be easy to find from our YouTube channel, the link for which is: www.youtube.com/yorkshirenorthandeastmethodistdistrict