Calderdale Circuit Update

Over the last few months working groups have been beavering away so that when the new circuit comes into being in September 2010 everything will be in place. There will be an inauguration service for the new circuit on 1st September 2010 so put this date in your diaries. This service will also welcome new ministers to the circuit.  Revd. Francis Neil has been stationed to Sowerby Bridge.  We are still waiting for someone to be matched to the appointment in Todmorden.  Revds. Tony Buglass & Ian Coverdale will be nominated at the March Circuit Meeting as the joint superintendents of the new circuit.

For the new circuit to operate smoothly and efficiently the new Circuit Meeting will be formed in a slightly different way with many aspects of the work being undertaken by working groups. A church steward and the church treasurer will represent each church on the circuit meeting along with representatives  from the working groups.

The February Church Councils will nominate volunteers to serve on these groups. The volunteers do not have to be members of the church council and any Methodist Church Member is at liberty to offer their services to the groups.  You are asked to prayerfully consider whether you would like to be a part of any of the following teams.  Previous experience is not essential but a heart for that particular aspect of the church's life and work is. No-one will be asked to serve on more than one group

- Mission (Evangelism, Chaplaincy, JMA/Network, World Mission, Home Missions)
- Youth and Education (Youth & children's work, Schools, Safeguarding)
- Church Life (Membership training, Pastoral oversight,  Ecumenism, Church development,Communications, Circuit magazine, Website)
- Church and Society (Community & political issues, Racial justice, Action for Children, MHA)

If you would like to be part of any of these groups please give your name to a church steward, clearly indicating which group you would like to join, by the end of January 2010.  We wish to give the new circuit a strong outward looking mission focus.  To this end a Circuit Mission Enabling Team will be created which will work alongside local churches encouraging them in discovering how they can engage with their local community in mission.