Covid-19 

Dear Friends
Another year has passed as we now move to 2021. May I take this opportunity to wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year. Last year was certainly difficult for many people due to the challenges and restrictions associated with Coronavirus. This week sadly we have seen further restrictions as wider parts of the Country including Stoke-on-Trent have been placed in Tier 4. Unfortunately nationally the number of new cases has continued to rise, compounded by a new variant of the virus which is more transmissible. Although our local new case numbers are steadily falling, this is not the case in the wider West Midlands and in other areas of the Country and we are therefore again required to restrict contact with others and to avoid contact outdoors unless essential. This means that until the situation is reviewed we will not be holding services at Church but will continue to offer services remotely using Zoom and Whypay (Telephone) services. 
Over the next few weeks the Coronavirus vaccine will be rolled out to many people which will help to reduce further transmission of the virus and hopefully bring the situation under control. The vaccine provides us with hope for the future and we are grateful for the efforts of the scientists and manufacturers who have made this possible. 2021 will continue to be different and we continue to limit contact with others but in a few months we hope and pray the situation will improve. We give thanks for family and friends and the new and innovative ways that are being used to keep in touch with them.
Last week sadly one of our dear friends from West End Methodist Church Mary Tilstone died in hospital. Mary has been a lifelong and faithful servant of the Lord and held many active roles in the Church and Circuit. We are grateful for her friendship and fellowship and hold her family and friends in our prayers at this time.
Traditionally on the first Sunday in the New Year Methodists usually meet for the Covenant Service where we renew our commitment to the Lord. For the morning Zoom Service this Sunday whilst we cannot have Holy Communion remotely we will be sharing together in a Love Feast so please have with you a drink and something to eat which may include a cake, biscuit or mince pie. As part of the service we will share together familiar words from the Covenant Service.
Our Bible Reading this week is from John Chapter 15 v1-9 and focuses on the Parable of the Vine and Branches with God as the vine grower. It reminds us that we are branches and can bear much fruit as part of the vine but are not productive unless we are connected. We may all be familiar with the image of the Vine but perhaps miss the importance of the true meaning of the reading which reminds us about our important connection and purpose with God. Jesus uses the parable of the vine and vineyard as these would have been common features of Palestinian life that would have been familiar to the disciplines in order to teach them the importance of the believers relationship with Christ.
The reading starts with a definitive statement from Jesus, I AM the true vine and my father is the vine grower. This provides clarity about the relationship with Jesus and his father and a positive statement that describes the power and love of the vine grower who cares for the branches with pruning and attention so that they can bear fruit. The Father is the superior but the Son is dependent on the Father for care and feeding. The father (vine grower) is dependent on the Son (vine) for it produce. Each gives life to the other and takes life from the other. Jesus likened the disciples to the branches and describes branches that are both fruitful and fruitless. We are connected to the true vine when we receive Christ as our Saviour and become responsible for bearing fruit. Fruitful branches need to be pruned and this is a reminder that many distractions or hindrances can affect our spiritual growth and that sometimes these challenges and the spiritual pruning can be painful. Branches however can only bear fruit when connected to the vine as indeed we as Christians bring glory to God through our life and witness when we remain with Christ. To remain in and with Christ we must accept and treasure the word of God and use this as the guide to our thoughts and actions. Jesus makes it clear that our relationship with him – our abiding in him – is the key to both our fruitfulness and to our destiny. The relationship with Christ provides both strength and purpose, as we live and work for God we bear fruit which enables our relationship to further develop and for us to become true disciples. The reading concludes with a powerful reminder that “As the father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love”
You can join with friends from the Church and Circuit by joining the weekly Zoom Service at 11.30am each Sunday morning (by either computer or telephone) using the links below.
Topic: Sunday Service 11.30 am
Time: This is a recurring meeting
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4775422768
or just click here.
Meeting ID: 477 542 2768 (No password is required)
Dial by your location
0203 481 5237
0203 481 5240
0203 901 7895
0131 460 1196
0203 051 2874
Meeting ID: 477 542 2768
We also have a telephone service each week using WhyPay at 10.00am on Sunday morning.
If you wish to join this the number is 0333 0110 946 and the Room Number is 47927697# and the Pin is 1145#
Please do continue if you are able to pray at 6pm each evening and join with others from our Church so that we can unite in the power of prayer. We give thanks that Val has now had a hip replacement following her fall and is making steady progress in hospital. Please continue to hold her and the wider family in your prayers. Please pray for Thelma who will this week be going into hospital for an operation. Please continue to hold Pat in your thoughts and prayers as she receives care in the Douglas McMillan Hospice. Please hold Paul, Moira and family in your prayers as Paul recovers at home following surgery.
Please also pray for those on our prayer list.   
Barry, Linda and family
Ashley, Debbie and family
Frank, Sandra, Rosemary and families
Ralph and family
Lorraine and family
Ken and Pat
Chris and Diane
Malcolm, Anne and family
Arthur
Eileen and Carl
Rev Alex
Don
Margaret B
Alan
Doreen
Jean
Beaulah
Alan and Heather
Linda and family
Pam
Carol, Dave and Logan
Janet, Steve and family
Les, Olga and family
Roy
Charles
You can find reflections and biblical stories on our Circuit YouTube channel including new material added weekly from Rev Linda, Rev Jeff and others at
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBhbVptj0forVkUfmmsvd_w
or just click here.
Please continue to stay safe and know that you are surrounded by the love and prayers of your Church family.
With every blessing
Ian