Minister’s Message - September 2018


From Reverend Linda Catlow 


MinistercropHappy Church New Year! 

1 September marks the beginning of the Methodist Church Year.

Over the coming months the Methodist people will gather together for worship and to discuss business: first at District Synods across the country, to hear what has come from July’s Methodist Annual Conference and discuss District life; then at Circuit Meetings, to receive news from the Circuit Meeting and discuss Church Life. In Spring the meetings reverse. This shows how we are connected as the Methodist Church and explains why we are called the Methodist Connexion. 


Methodist Church membership is sadly declining across the country and therefore being connected is even more important. The image of the ‘Body of Christ’ does not reflect an individual part struggling to work on its own but many parts supporting one another, working and worshipping together. 

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptised by one Spirit so as to form one body - whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (NIV)

We are the Stoke South Methodist Circuit, made up of nine parts (10 church buildings). Each has an important part to play in the body of Christ. It is wonderful to see God’s mission being carried out across the Circuit.

We give thanks for:

  • new worship styles like Café Church, Healing Services and Recharge
  • the generous response of churches to the Foodbank
  • the West End Church, Community Centre and Café as it continues opening its doors to the community and responding to people’s needs
  • volunteers who run the Night Shelter at Temple Street
  • Sanctus at Longton Central Hall reaching out to Refugees and Asylum Seekers
  • outreach through Coffee Mornings and Lunches across the Circuit which welcome all
  • children’s work and worship across the Circuit as we run Messy Church, Junior Church/Sunday Schools, Holiday Clubs, Toddler groups and Family Fun & Food.

Let us continue to always pray for one another and support, worship and work together so that God’s Kingdom will grow. 

May God bless you in the new Methodist Church Year. 

From Rev Linda 

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