Our Minister Shares in the All Partners Consultation
Our minister Mark was privileged to be one of the team of British representatives at an international consultation of Methodists held in London on 20th-24th June 2010.
Leading Methodists from around the world gathered at the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf to consider the future shape of our Methodist world mission. 66 countries were represented, ranging from Uruguay; where the Methodist Church has about 600 members, to South Korea where the membership is over 1.5 million and still growing!
Mark found himself sat at a table next to our new President of Conference, Revd Alison Tomlin and the leading Methodists of Argentina, Uruguay, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Scotland!
Whilst official statements and agreements are important, the most valuable result of such gatherings is the personal relationships that are built across the world. Ultimately it is these rather than any formal words that will have the greatest impact for God’s kingdom.
So, for example, the consultation brought together leaders from the Indian sub-continent - the Church of South India, Church of North India, Church of Pakistan, Church of Bangladesh and the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka - and they agreed that they should take a lead in showing a divided continent the importance of unity.
As a result, the Indian churches now plan to visit Pakistan in November, with the Pakistan church making a return visit in 2011. Such links across a border that is officially closed will not be easily forged, they are likely to attract considerable opposition, but they are just the kind of difficult love-motivated thing that Jesus would do.
For his small part, Mark strengthened our links with South Africa through his friendship with Revd Ivan Abrahams who is Presiding Bishop there. He also furthered our District’s partnership with the Methodist Church in Uruguay through his friendship with their Presiding Bishop Revd Ines Simone. She even stopped by at the manse for lunch, and had a look around our building site!
On reflection, the London Consultation, and gatherings like it, remind us of the far bigger picture. We Methodists here in Thornton are part of a worldwide network of Christian sisters and brothers, and wherever in the world we may roam, we are always bound to find ourselves among family.
As we continue to build local community through our Christian service, let us also ensure that we also continue to play our part in building this remarkable global community.
Ends...
As many of you will know I have been to Uganda to work on some projects with Mission Direct, and I thought you would like to see where I used the aid and funds you all supplied so generously. Expenses and administration costs are covered by the volunteers (such as myself) so every penny of your donations goes to the projects, and I sent our first £500 towards the cost of buying building materials.
A team of five of us, the first of a relay of teams, met at Heathrow Airport for the overnight flight to Entebbe, then a looooong drive to Rukungiri in SW Uganda, about 10 hours on unsurfaced roads! We were going to work on two projects – finishing off the building of the nursery department of Rukungiri Modern Primary School and Orphanage, and building dormitories for the girls learning secretarial and sewing skills at the Vocational Training School.
Modern School has 900 pupils, who are either orphans or come from families too poor to pay school fees. In a country where most people live at subsistence level there are too few taxpayers to fund much government investment in education or health (or roads!) so the poorest children have no education and little health care. These children depend on being individually sponsored (£20 a month) or donations from aid organisations.
This family, like many, is headed by a grandparent after the HIV/AIDS epidemic devastated Africa. They live at subsistence level, growing and eating matoke bananas, with a small cash crop of chillies.
The little girl, Anita, was born without an anus and was initially operated on to save her life. She cannot go to school because of the repercussions of this operation. With your donations she is going to see a doctor for a report on the possibilities. I will be supporting her in the future and I will keep you informed.
There is a clinic for brain damaged children. One of the little girls has cerebral palsy and spends her days isolated and on the ground when grandma is busy. With your donations she, and four others, will soon have supporting chairs. I will let you know how they are going on.
I was impressed with the local people; they have no running water and little electricity but are so clean, beautiful and proud. We took aid to them, but they gave us so much; worshipping with people of such deep, simple faith was a joy. I came home physically exhausted and emotionally wrung out, but will never again take my luxurious life for granted.
Gwen
Thornton Gala 2010
Saturday 12th June 2010 was the day of the 111th Thornton Cleveleys Gala. This year, thanks to Wyre Borough Council Parks and Open Spaces loaning us one of their vehicles, we were able to have a float in the Gala procession. The theme was Noah's Ark and the float was bright and colourful with children and adults in costume and plenty of animal puppets making up the numbers.
There was a lot of effort put into the decorations and everyone had an enjoyable time as the procession wound its way around the Thornton streets, passing the chapel where there was a coffee morning and table top sale taking place. The crowds turned out to cheer and wave and after the procession returned to King George's Playing Field there was not much time to spare before the puppets were on stage to entertain onlookers with a medley of songs previously only seen as part of our worship.
It was a great day out for everyone and a great opportunity to share with others just what is going on at Thornton Methodist Church.
View a selection of images from this year's Gala on our Facebook page.
VIPs visit project
It was an exciting day for members of the project team as the chapel was visited by a trio of VIPs. Visiting the circuit were President of the Methodist Conference, Revd David Gamble accompanied by Revd Stephen Poxon, District Chairman. They were met by The Worshipful the Mayor of Wyre, Councillor Russell Forsyth and members of the church.
During a break in the building work the guests were able to see how the project is progressing. The floor has already been levelled to facilitate better disabled access and a new mezzanine floor is being installed. Many creative and imaginative events have been held to raise funds to finance the work and tomorrow (22nd) will witness a sponsored climb which is expected to be the equivalent of the height of the mountain K2.
News and Events
Leading Methodists from around the world gathered at the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf to consider the future shape of our Methodist world mission. 66 countries were represented, ranging from Uruguay; where the Methodist Church has about 600 members, to South Korea where the membership is over 1.5 million and still growing! 
So, for example, the consultation brought together leaders from the Indian sub-continent - the Church of South India, Church of North India, Church of Pakistan, Church of Bangladesh and the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka - and they agreed that they should take a lead in showing a divided continent the importance of unity. 
Modern School has 900 pupils, who are either orphans or come from families too poor to pay school fees. In a country where most people live at subsistence level there are too few taxpayers to fund much government investment in education or health (or roads!) so the poorest children have no education and little health care. These children depend on being individually sponsored (£20 a month) or donations from aid organisations.
This family, like many, is headed by a grandparent after the HIV/AIDS epidemic devastated Africa. They live at subsistence level, growing and eating matoke bananas, with a small cash crop of chillies. 
