District-led Gatherings for Conferring  Together on the God In Love Unites Us report and proposals

As you will be aware the Connexion is inviting wide-spread conferring about the “God In Love Unites Us” report, exploring marriage and relationships, and its proposals.  The Representative Spring Synod on Saturday 25^th April 2020 will have a further discussion and hold the necessary vote. All ministers in the active work have received both the report and the study guide.  Copies can viewed, or ordered, at:

www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/the-methodist-church/marriage-and-relationships-2019/managing-group-conversations-around-marriage-and-relationships/

Our plans for conversation within the District, as agreed by both the Superintendents and the District Leadership Team are as follows:

• All local churches and circuits are encouraged to have local conversations, using the material provided, as they so wish.  Two facilitation training meetings are being arranged within the District to support those who will lead these conversations and ministers are being advised of these separately. 

• Four District led gatherings for conferring will be held around the District in February/March 2020 as set out below. These meetings will be widely advertised and open to all and I very much hope that all Synod members will attend one of these gatherings.  They will be important opportunities to share and confer sensitively and graciously across circuits. 

10.30am Saturday 29^th February 2020 – Masham Methodist Church, Ripon & Lower Dales Circuit (HG4 4HN)

2.00pm Wednesday 4^th March 2020 – Copmanthorpe Methodist Church, York Circuit (YO23 3SU)

7.30pm Thursday 12^th March 2020 – Toll Gavel Methodist Church, Beverley Circuit (HU17 9AA)

7.30pm Tuesday 17^th March 2020 – Pickering Methodist Church, Ryedale Circuit (YO18 8AA)

• Additionally, having read the whole report, if anyone would like to offer a reflection in writing, this can be submitted to the District Office by 20^th March 2020.  A paper summarising reflections from the gatherings and offered in writing will be prepared for distribution to Synod members prior to the Representative Synod.

• The Representative Synod on Saturday 25^th April 2020 will have further conversation and will then express its mind as requested. It is important to note that Synod members are ‘representatives’ rather than ‘delegates’.  We will all come to that Synod aware of views expressed locally, at our District gatherings and in writing, but we gather to confer together and then prayerfully express our mind through the vote we are asked to make.

Every week during December and January we will sharing some of our “Good News Stories” videos – featuring projects, events and success stories of many varieties from all around the district! These will be posted on our Social Media channels on Facebook and Twitter.

You may have already seen a few of these on our website and at Flourish, but we look forward to sharing others with you which haven’t been released before.

The full list of videos can be viewed on the District webiste here:
www.yorkshirenemethodist.org/news-events/good-news-stories

Yorkshire North and East Methodist District is to undertake important research on homelessness.

We are pleased to announce that Mark Bevan, who has a background in housing research and issues surrounding homelessness, will be working with us over the next year to see how local churches and the District as a regional voice can make a positive impact on homelessness.

Watch the video to find out more…

https://vimeo.com/383811549

There are now a few dates and venues confirmed for Digital Training sessions around the District over the coming months. Take a look at the Digital Resources page. If you want to organise a training event in your local circuit or area, get in touch.

Our District vision is to enable the growth of Flourishing Missional Communities.  One way to see this happen is to have a culture that tries new things and ’sows generously.’  The parable of the sower reminds us that we should approach our mission mirroring the generosity of God’s nature.  We’re called to take risks, knowing that not everything may grow or turn out as we hoped.  However, some seed will fall on good soil, and produce astonishing results. The District Advance Fund Committee wants to help us develop this culture.  We have therefore ring-fenced £15,000 for this connexional year for seed-funding grants. Local churches and circuits are invited to apply contacting Nic Bentley, our Grants Officer, using a short form that is on our website. Grants will be up to £1,000 and we will be supporting ‘new things seeking to reach new people.’  We intend for the process to be very straightforward.  We will aim to give a decision in less than 28 days, and hope to usually say ‘yes’ so long as your idea is missional and outward looking and you’re able to get on with implementing the idea within a year. We look forward to receiving your ideas and plans.  

More details available here: www.yorkshirenemethodist.org/flourish

To book your FREE tickets, please contact the District Office.