Nexus Methodist Church, Bath

Christian group told to stop claiming it can heal people in Bath

2012-02-02T11:23:00.000Z

As reported by the Bath Chronicle and via Twitter, the 'Healing on the Streets' Team have been told by the Advertising Standards Authority 'to remove claims that it can heal people from its website and leaflets'.

Read the full ASA judgement here.

Within our Methodist tradition, we hold services of healing and wholeness, recognising the complexity that is implied in all ministry offered to and on behalf of others. Our words of guidance are as follows:

Healing was central to the ministry of Jesus. It was a sign of God’s kingdom, bringing renewal and wholeness of life to those who turned to God in their need. Jesus sent out his disciples with the commission to ‘proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal’ (Luke 9:2).

In every act of worship, the Church celebrates the grace of God who desires wholeness of body, mind and spirit for all people. At a service of healing, we focus on that aspect of God’s character. We bring to God our own frailty and brokenness – felt not just in physical illness, but in guilt, anxiety, and all the burdens which weigh us down. We also bring our concerns for others and for the world. Above all, we come to the God who knows our needs before we ask, and whose love revealed in Jesus Christ is stronger than suffering and death.

The possibility that miracles can happen allows those who live according to the Christian faith to know and experience for themselves that there is no situation beyond hope, but equally we need to recognise that sometimes God's answer to prayer is 'No'.

I do not believe that this judgement is a censure to all churches and groups to stop praying for the sick, but it does remind us of our obligations to the vulnerable and those who may feel they have lost hope.

Where does this leave all the churches across our city who will, every day, be praying for those who have asked to be prayed for and/or those for whom prayers are sought by others? Jesus indeed encouraged his followers to pray for healing and it is a central part of Christian discipleship, but how should it be offered alongside the huge medical and scientific advances that have been made since Jesus walked the roads of Galilee and beyond?

Revd Rachel Borgars

Churches speak out in alcohol-pricing debate

2012-02-02T10:43:00.000Z

A group of senior church leaders has written to the Prime Minister urging him to bring legislation into being that would require there to be a minimum unit price for alcohol. Individuals are also encouraged to write to their MP expressing the growing concern about alcohol abuse in our country and the effect it has on every aspect of life from family life to the economy, from community safety issues to the cost to the NHS.

The text of the letter is available by clicking here and there are some useful points within it that could be used in a letter to your MP...

Church leaders say benefit cap will make UK a darker, less humane place for us all

2012-02-01T22:46:00.000Z

Leaders of the Methodist Church, Baptist Union, United Reformed Church and the Quakers have added their voices to the debate on the benefit cap. They say that the cap will put vulnerable families at risk of poverty and homelessness.

Read more here

Bishops stand up for the poor

2012-01-30T18:51:00.000Z

An interesting article by Victoria Coren who says it's the bishops' job to stand up for the poor. Ms Coren was commenting on a debate on BBC's Question Time on the subject of the bishops blocking the benefit cap in the House of Lords. She doesn't necessarily agree with them on that but makes a strong argument that being concerned for the needy is their vocational requirement. Read more here

250 believers to resist Occupy eviction with ring of prayer

2012-01-19T21:19:00.000Z

Over 250 people have already pledged to join a circle of prayer around the Occupy camp near St Paul's Cathedral if it faces forced removal by bailiffs or police. A court in London has ruled that the camp could be evicted on or after 27 January.

The ring of prayer is organised by Christianity Uncut, an informal network of Christians campaigning against the UK government's cuts agenda.
Read more here

World Church Relationships News Bulletin - January

2012-01-05T15:23:00.000Z

Read the latest World Church Relationships Bulletin here which includes news of the improving situation between the Methodist Church and government in Fiji.

Christmas message from the President of the Methodist Conference

2011-12-22T11:28:00.000Z

The Revd Leo Osborn, President of the Methodist Conference, has challenged people to push past their assumptions about the nativity story this Christmas.

Mr Osborn said that asking God to take away our belief that we’ve “seen it all or know it all” would help us to reflect on things in a new light. “For if we look carefully, this simple story may have important things to say to us about many of the personal, social, religious and international issues facing us and our world today, and God’s part in them all,” he said.

His reflection is based on painting by artist He Qi which you can view here
You can read the full message here

Prayer and Statement on the death of Kim Jung-il

2011-12-19T11:51:00.000Z

The Methodist Church asks for prayer for the whole of Korea following the announcement of the death of North Korean Leader Kim Jung Il.
Steve Pearce, World Church Partnership Coordinator for the Methodist Church in Britain said:

"The Methodist Church in Britain offers its prayers and support to its brothers and sisters in the whole of Korea today on the news of the death of Kim Jung Il. We pray especially for our partners the National Council of Churches in Korea and the Korean Methodist Church as they offer leadership at this difficult time. The Methodist Church echoes the concern expressed in the NCCK statement, reproduced below, that this time of sadness and anxiety should be the occasion of words and steps that build peace and reconciliation."

The Church is encouraging people to pray for the nation at this difficult time and offers this special prayer:

Creator God,
You love the people of this world with tenderness and care.
We pray that the people of the Korean peninsula may feel your love at this time of fear and uncertainty.
As we prepare to celebrate your coming among us as a vulnerable child, help us as we seek ways to tend the fragile flower of peace in your world.
May our Christian solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Korea be a continuing and mutual source of strength.
We pray in Jesus' name,
Amen.

Read more here

Reclaim Christmas

2011-12-19T08:43:00.000Z

A challenging article from Operation Noah, a Christian organisation that calls for urgent action against climate change.
"Advent was traditionally a period of penitence and quiet anticipation. But now it seems no more than four weeks of frenzied consumption in which stress, needless debt and damage to God’s creation have become its defining hallmarks. 125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging will be thrown away this Christmas. We’ll use 83 square kilometres of wrapping paper. Countless unwanted “gifts” will end up, at best in the charity shops and at worst, in the landfill. If Jesus returned at Christmas, what would he make of us doing all of this in His name?" Read more
If you want a further challenge, read their page Christmas and the planet

World Church Relationships News Bulletin - December

2011-12-15T11:12:00.000Z

A Christmas message from the World Church Relationships Team:
" Dear Friends in Christ,

As we begin to prepare our hearts and minds for remembering the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ, let us thank God for the hope of life we have in him.

Let us thank God that he who came into this world full of grace and truth also brought hope for all people.

We thank God for the hope that our partners all around the world have been sharing with us recently, and pray that as you read this December bulletin, you too will be encouraged by the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.

The World Church Relationships Team wishes you all a very blessed Christmas."

Read the December bulletin here

Our planet is dying - sign the petition now!

2011-12-08T07:41:00.000Z

The campaigning website www.avaaz.org is running a petition to save and strengthen the Kyoto Protocol. If you support what they are saying, sign the petition here - by December 9th.

Avaaz say:

"Our oceans are dying, our air changing, and our forests and grasslands turning to deserts. From fish and plants to wildlife to human beings, we are killing the planet that sustains us, and fast. There is one single greatest cause of this destruction of the natural world --climate change, and in the next 3 days, we have a chance to stop it.

The UN treaty on climate change -- our best hope for action -- expires next year. But a greedy US-led coalition of oil-captured countries is trying to kill it forever. It's staggeringly difficult to believe: they are trading short term profits for the survival of our natural world.

The EU, Brazil and China are all on the fence -- they are not slaves to oil companies the way the US is, but they need to hear a massive call to action from people before they really lead financially and politically to save the UN treaty. The world is gathered at the climate summit for the next 3 days to make the big decision. Let's send our leaders a massive call to stand up to big oil and save the planet -- an Avaaz team at the summit will deliver our call directly."

Dalit Liberation Sunday

2011-12-07T14:40:00.000Z

December 11th is 'Dalit Liberation Sunday', an initiative of the National Council of Churches India.
'Dalit' is a name given to a section of Indian society which has historically suffered discrimination for doing manual labour and other occupations looked upon as ritually impure. There are 200 million Dalits in India. Among the Christian population around 65% are Dalits, which means there are around 16 million Dalit Christians. While discrimination against Dalits is illegal, it is widespread and enshrined in much of Indian culture. A Dalit who becomes a Christian may lose out on the preferential treatment available under the law to counteract endemic discrimination.
Because of poverty, discrimination and the attitudes of society towards them, the Dalit people - women, men and children - are at high risk of trafficking for prostitution, forced labour, child-begging and other forms of modern slavery. The Dalit Freedom Network works to prevent trafficking as well as in the rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of the victims of trafficking.

World Church Relationships News Bulletin - November

2011-11-17T14:56:00.003Z

In this month's World Church Bulletin, find out what the Methodist church is doing in Pakistan, Hong Kong, the Ivory Coast, Albania and for those affected by flooding in Central America. Also for the work of Mission Partners in Grenada and Zimbabwe. Read more here

What colour poppies?

2011-11-10T12:33:00.000Z

November is the month of national remembrance, although for many of us other months throughout the year also hold particular significance. Already there are many people who are wearing the traditional red poppy bought in support of the work of the Royal British Legion, an organisation on which many depend for support and practical assistance. Alongside the red poppies, there will be a smaller number of white poppies worn sometimes on their own, sometimes jointly with the red one. These are the poppies of the Peace Pledge Union, sold to fund projects focussing on education, reconciliation and peace.

It was in 1926 that the first discussions took place with the British Legion about how the red poppy that had become recognised as a symbol of support for ex-servicemen and women might become a wider symbol in the quest for no more wars. A few years later the idea was again discussed by the Co-operative Women's Guild who in 1933 produced the first white poppies to be worn on Armistice Day (later called Remembrance Day). The Guild stressed that the white poppy was not intended as an insult to those who died in the First World War - a war in which many of the women lost husbands, brothers, sons and lovers - but a challenge to the continuing drive to war. The following year the newly founded Peace Pledge Union joined the CWG in the distribution of the poppies and later took over their annual promotion.

As we know all too well, peace in our world is still an elusive quality and there are many differing views on how it should be achieved on an international level, national level, within communities or families.
My personal view (and I stress that it is a personal one) is that it is appropriate to wear both poppies alongside each other. I do this because one of my grandfathers served in the Merchant Navy in WWII and the other served as a fire warden in keeping with his beliefs as a conscientious objector. Both of them saw friends lose their lives and both served their country albeit in different ways. For myself, I would like to have the courage to be a pacifist, but equally I hope and pray that my resolve so to be will never be put to the test.

Above all, I believe that the time of remembrance should be a time of looking back in the spirit of thanksgiving for all that has been lost through times of conflict and looking forward in the spirit of hope; the kind of hope that many of us observed in the tears of Revd Jesse Jackson as he witnessed the announcement of Senator Barack Obama’s success in the US presidential elections. A hope that is God-given and dares to believe that what appears impossible to humanity is still possible with God.

Revd Rachel Borgars

How should the church respond to the voice of protest?

2011-11-01T16:21:00.000Z

The ongoing presence of protestors outside St Paul's Cathedral in London has raised and will, I suspect, continue to raise some big questions for those in leadership across the churches. How should we respond to the voice of protest, especially when those who protesting are on the doorsteps of buildings that are used by others for different purposes?

In an article on the BBC website (click here for the link), Stephen Tomkins suggests that "the Christian Church seems to have come a long way from its radical origins...", yet he goes on to say that "Clearly the Church is too diverse a phenomenon to be on one side or the other..." It is true that within the Christian Church there will be a wide divergence of opinion as to whether the protestors should be outside St Paul's; on what terms; for how long; what they should be 'allowed' to express and so on...

What started out as being a place for some protestors to make their point as near to the City of London's financial institutions as the authorities would permit has now also become a focus for a review of how closely the Church follows and lives up to the model of living a life that went against the status quo, as exemplified by its founder.

In Bath, we have a smaller group of tents in the setting of Queens Square, asking some difficult questions of our citizens about equality of education and opportunity and the place of debt in our society. Should we as church leaders and members be hearing what they are saying and joining in, for much of what is said is in accord with the radical nature of the gospel, or should we just drive by and hope that they'll go away and leave us to get on with 'doing church' the way we always have?

Revd Rachel Borgars

Science and Faith – Eternally Conflicting or Mutually Supportive?

2011-10-29T19:01:00.001+01:00

In the West at least, we live in an age which has seen a steady emergence of a new brand of aggressive atheism/secularity espoused by some (now) famous names such as Richard Dawkins (Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University) and Christopher Hitchens (author and journalist). Behind at least some of this advance in atheism, particularly in Dawkins’s case, lies an implicit trust in the scientific method to provide all the answers to life’s questions and to dismiss the ‘supernatural’. Some would say that is a belief system in itself – which implies ‘faith’ of some sort – but it has unhelpfully brought science into conflict with faith where, in my view as a Christian with a scientific background, none exists. I wonder how many of us have been ‘hoodwinked’ into thinking that science and faith are somehow mutually exclusive and therefore in eternal conflict? Both are about the pursuit of truth, but with one crucially mutually supportive difference. Science tells us how the world works, such as how gene expression controls your susceptibility to certain diseases, and leads us to an understanding of what God already knows. Indeed, many Christian scientists (particularly those in the physical sciences such as cosmology) subscribe to the view that their work enables them to draw ‘closer to God’. However, none of this answers the question ‘why?’. Faith provides meaning and purpose – the answers to the ‘why’ questions – and the exercise of free will through consciousness proves that we are not automatons in a purposeless and purely mechanical universe. Moral law, something which sets humanity apart from the rest of creation, has no easy explanation through the mechanism of evolution.

If you have ever struggled with the theory of evolution and the concept of creation, or wondered about cosmological explanations of the existence of the universe and the implications for faith of finding intelligent life elsewhere, you may wish to spend some time accessing the on-line resources of the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion here

The Faraday Institute is based at St Edmund’s College, Cambridge and is directed by Christian scientists and theologians who grapple with the ‘big issues’ on an almost daily basis and in a fearless way. I encourage you to have a listen to some of the lectures which are available to download from the website. I would also encourage you to become more familiar with the work of Christians in Science, about which you can find out more at www.cis.org.uk. CIS embraces the ‘enduring partnership’ between science and Christian faith, and there is a local branch operating in nearby Bristol. For a satisfying evidence-based deconstruction of the atheistic worldview, you might consider reading C S Lewis’s Mere Christianity - a superb read which has been a ‘revelation’ for some.

Ben Sykes

Slavery in modern day Britain

2011-10-22T13:09:00.002+01:00

A good number of Methodists from the Bath churches were at the Little Theatre Cinema on Tuesday to see the film "I Am Slave," sponsored by the organisation Unchosen. Many more will have seen the Panorama programme on Wednesday about child beggars in London. Unbelievably, slavery is on the rise in modern day Britain and we should all be alert to it. Part of our mission is "to set the captives free", so we must all do what we can to keep this at the forefront of government action.
Colin Smith

World Church Relationships News Bulletin

2011-10-20T13:49:00.000+01:00

Read the October World Church Relationships News Bulletin here.
In this edition:

The situation in the Methodist Church in Fiji where all church business meetings of any kind have been banned until further notice.
The Methodist Church in Britain has launched an appeal for the people of Pakistan as the number of flood victims continues to rise.
The Methodist Church in Ghana’s Street Children Rehabilitation Project, to help provide care and assistance to street children in Accra.

Methodist Leader's response to London riots

2011-08-09T13:16:00.000+01:00

The current President of the Methodist Church, Revd Leo Osborn, has issued a short statement about the London riots. He is in South Africa attending the World Methodist Council.

Read his statement by clicking here

Prayers for those affected by the riots have also been posted on the Methodist Church website. You find them via this link.

General Secretary's challenge to the Methodist Church

2011-07-04T13:20:00.000+01:00

Setting out a positive vision for the future, Revd Dr Martyn Atkins spoke of tough decisions ahead and his belief that the Church must change to fulfil its calling in contemporary society.

General Secretary Dr Atkins spoke of his hopes for the life, work, worship and mission of the Church in a report to the annual Methodist Conference, taking place this week in Southport.

“As disciples of Jesus we are called to become the Church God wants us to be,” said Dr Atkins. “This will involve making some tough decisions. We don’t have all the resources we would like to have but God has not given up on us. We must work hard to become a Church that demonstrates our faith through a commitment to justice and serving our local, national and international communities.”

The wide-ranging report, entitled ‘Contemporary Methodism: A discipleship movement shaped for mission’ addresses issues from church buildings to evangelism and the nature of local ministry.

On property, Dr Atkins said: “We unquestionably have too many church buildings: too many in the wrong places, too many unfit to sustain our life as a discipleship movement shaped for mission today. We too readily associate the sustaining of the life of our chapels with the work of God’s kingdom – these often overlap but they’re not the same thing. A more sacrificial, strategic approach is needed. Our churches must not exist simply to perpetuate the status quo, but to provide a place where people can come to faith and be nurtured in their journey with Christ.”

The full report is available online here .

The report was warmly received by the Conference, which commended it to the whole Church for study, response and action. Working groups will now address some of the issues raised in the report, to bring concrete recommendations to a future meeting of the Methodist Conference.

Methodist Conference opens in Southport

2011-06-30T10:11:00.000+01:00

Methodists from all over Great Britain are gathering in Southport today for the annual Conference which is the seat of administrative authority for the Methodist Church. There will be debates about climate change, following the report Hope in God's Future; the possibility of a renewal of baptism vows including the use of water; the Fruitful Field project which looks at education and discipleship within the church and the usual round of administrative niceties.

Read the full agenda here

Archbishop challenges 'radical' Government policies 'that no one voted for'

2011-06-09T22:32:00.003+01:00

The Archbishop of Canterbury has made use of his guest editorship of the New Statesman magazine to publicly raise his concerns, echoed by a signficant number of other church leaders, about the phalanx of 'radical' policies currently under consideration by the Government.

His concerns stem not only from the speed of the proposed changes, but also from the fact that many of the changes that will have far-reaching consequences for the most vulnerable in society (however we define 'vulnerable') are being brought in with a minimum of public consultation and without the details having been disclosed in the election manifestos.

Read more here

There has already been a degree of outcry about the church meddling in politics, with parallels being made between the Archbishop and St Thomas a Beckett - what do you think?

Church leaders oppose Government’s decision to sign a £3 billion cheque for nuclear submarines that might not be bought

2011-05-19T13:11:00.000+01:00

Leaders from The Methodist Church, The Baptist Union and the United Reformed Church have denounced the Government’s decision yesterday to spend at least £3 billion on a nuclear weapons system.

Paul Morrison, policy adviser for The Methodist Church, said: “The Government’s decision means that we are committed to £3 billion of expenditure whether Parliament chooses to purchase the new Trident system in five years time or not. This comes at a time when communities are suffering from the impact of local government spending cuts. Youth services, SureStart Centres, Back-to-Work Clubs have all had their funding cut because we have been told that we can no longer afford to sustain them.

“The £3 billion the Government has committed could pay the entire budget for every SureStart Centre in the country for the next two years; £3 billion would stop every council cut this year, and the first ten months of next year. Instead, that money is being used to purchase an option of whether to buy weapons of mass destruction.

Methodist Church issues statement on the killing of Osama Bin Laden

2011-05-03T21:47:00.002+01:00

The Methodist Church in Britain has issued the following statement on the death of Osama Bin Laden in a raid on his compound by US Special Forces.

Christine Elliott, Secretary for External Relationships, said: “We cannot rejoice in the death of another, even if that person is regarded by many as a threat. Proverbs 24:17 says ‘Do not rejoice when your enemies fall, and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble’.

Full statement from the Methodist Church

Do atheists need their own bible?

2011-04-05T07:39:00.000+01:00

Philosopher AC Grayling has written a book which offers atheists a "bible" of their very own.

In The Good Book, Professor Grayling attempts to whisk together in one tome the wisdom of Ancient Greek philosophers, Confucian sages, medieval poets and the discoveries of modern science.

Without any reference to gods, souls or afterlives, it aims to give atheists a book of inspiration and guidance as they make their way in the world.
In place of the more well-known Ten Commandments, his atheist principles are: "Love well, seek the good in all things, harm no others, think for yourself, take responsibility, respect nature, do your utmost, be informed, be kind, be courageous."
Read more here with comments from Giles Fraser (Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral) and others.

Methodist President to live on £1 a day

2011-03-23T21:39:00.000Z

The Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF) is challenging people throughout the UK to ‘live below the line’ – and spend just £1 a day on food and drink for a working week. The President of the Methodist Church, Revd Alison Tomlin, and the strategic leaders of the Methodist Church have already committed to take part: Revd Dr Martyn Atkins; John Ellis; Christine Elliott and Mark Wakelin.

It is hoped that between 2 and 6 May thousands of people will try living below the global poverty line, with a budget of just £5 for all of their meals over five days. They will ask their friends and families to sponsor them and funds raised will be used to help some of the world’s most vulnerable people to work their way out of poverty. 1.4 billion people globally live on less than £1 a day. Read more

MRDF response to UK overseas aid review

2011-03-15T20:47:00.000Z

The UK government recently announced changes to its aid budget which would refocus funds on ‘areas of greatest need’ but has diverted funds away from some of the most vulnerable countries, including Niger, the third poorest country in the world. Read the MRDF reaction here

A prayer for those affected by the earthquake in Japan

2011-03-11T21:31:00.000Z

A prayer for Japan, written by Steve Pearce, Partnership Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific. Read it here.

RE in GCSE curriculum

2011-03-10T12:21:00.002Z

Religious Leaders and educators are expressing their concern at the proposal by the Secretary of State for Education to remove Religious Education from the list of possible subjects to be studied as part of the English Bacalaureate (EBac). To qualify for the EBac pupils must achieve at least a grade C in GCSEs or IGCSEs in English, maths, two sciences, a foreign language and a humanity. RE has not been included on the humanities list, prompting fears that the subject will be marginalised. The full article is avilable via the attached link.

What are your thoughts on this? Where will our young people encounter any spiritual, ethical or moral thinking if not in RE? What about those who want to explore the 'big questions' at further or higher education level, if they have been discouraged from engaging with the subject at GCSE level? Where will the thinkers, philosophers and theologians of succeeding generations be nurtured? Would you write to your MP expressing your concern?

Rachel Borgars

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6069266

Methodist Church appalled by 'absurd' plans to sideline homeless in Westminster

2011-02-28T16:31:00.000Z

Revd Alison Tomlin, President of the Methodist Conference, said: “Westminster Council’s proposals are nothing short of disgusting. This by-law punishes people solely for their misfortune and belongs in a Victorian statute book, not in the laws of a decent 21st century community. In the 18th Century John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, described those who would punish and blame the poor for their misfortune as ‘foolish and wicked’. These words seem appropriate for such an appalling piece of legislation.”

Fairtrade Fortnight starts today!

2011-02-28T07:43:00.000Z

The focus of Fairtrade Fortnight this year is on cotton. The Bristol Fairtrade group are taking action to ask two high street fashion stores - H&M and Fat Face - to stock Fairtrade garments.

Find out more here:
Petition to H&M to stock fairtrade garments
Petition to Fat Face about stocking fairtrade garments

SpringboardBath

2011-02-25T07:42:00.000Z

Watch this short video clip to find out about SpringBoard Bath and some of the projects it supports. More on the website www.springboardbath.org.uk

Should prisoners be allowed to vote?

2011-02-19T18:36:00.000Z

This week the Wednesday Housegroup discussed whether prisoners should be given the vote. There was a wide range of opinions from "Yes definitely", "It depends what they've done", "Maybe when they're near to being released to get them ready to go back into society" to "No, they've given away their rights by committing a crime".

The Archbishop of Canterbury backs votes for prisoners, as does Bath MP Don Foster who was in a minority of just 22 MPs who opposed continuing the ban.

What do you think?

MRDF eNews February 2011

2011-02-19T18:24:00.000Z

The latest edition of eNews from the Methodist Relief & Development Fund.
Read more...

When God Spoke English: The Making of the King James Bible

2011-02-18T17:23:00.000Z

Watch this Monday (21st February) at 9pm on BBC4. Documentary telling the unexpected story of how arguably the greatest work of English prose ever written, the King James Bible, came into being.

Petitions, petitions, petitions

2011-02-11T15:50:00.000Z

There have been some high profile petitions recently. Over 600,000 people have signed up to support Hugh's FishFight and nearly 500,000 to Save Our Forests. Both worthy causes of course but have you heard about this one - to ask the government to opt-in to the EU Directive on Human Trafficking?
The guidelines work towards making sure EU countries work together to prevent trafficking, ensuring successful prosecution and making sure victims of trafficking are properly looked after. Denmark and the UK are the only EU countries not to have signed up.
So far over 22,000 people have signed the petition but please make it more - and spread the word.
www.38degrees.org.uk/stoptrafficking

Methodists & Quakers slam government's alcohol policy

2011-02-04T17:04:00.002Z

Methodists and Quakers have criticised the government's proposed minimum pricing policy. They say a minimum price per unit of alcohol would be more effective as stronger alcoholic drinks would be more expensive than weaker ones.
James North, speaking on behalf of the Methodist Church, said that the government's policy "will do virtually nothing to save lives, reduce alcohol-related violence and prevent accidents". He also called for a "social revolution" in attitudes to alcohol. "There needs to be a wider recognition that alcohol misuse is a serious issue for our whole society, not just a visible minority who drink cheap alcohol in public places".

The Secret Life of Waves

2011-02-04T16:55:00.000Z

A fascinating documentary about waves - some science but some philosophy as well.
'Waves are not only beautiful but also profoundly important, and there is a surprising connection between the life cycle of waves and the life of human beings.'
Available on iPlayer until 13th Feb

Chilean miner shares spirituality with Durham Cathedral

2011-01-22T21:16:00.000Z

Jose Henriquez, one of the 33 miners who spent more than 2 months underground is visiting Durham Cathedral to share his story. Jose, an evangelical preacher nicknamed "The Pastor", found strength in his Christian faith and led daily prayers to lift the spirits of his fellow miners.

Read more here

Barnardo's launch new campaign

2011-01-20T17:23:00.000Z

The children's charity Barnardo's has launched a new campaign - 'Cut Them Free'. It calls on the government to appoint a minister to take responsibility for tackling the sexual exploitation of children.
Barnardo's report that children as young as 10 are being exploited in the UK, with the average age falling from 15 to 13. Both girls and boys are at risk, all over the country and in all ethnic groups and social classes.
You can sign up to the petition here.

Join the Fish Fight!

2011-01-14T17:50:00.007Z

Half of all fish caught in the North Sea is thrown back overboard dead. By supporting this campaign, your name will be added to a letter to be sent to Commissioner Maria Damanaki, members of the Common Fisheries Policy Reform Group, and all MEPs.
Join the campaign here www.fishfight.net
Sign up to Greenpeace's petition on tinned tuna as well here www.greenpeace.org.uk/fishfight

A prayer for those affected by flooding

2011-01-14T16:57:00.000Z

The Gift of Water is a prayer that was written as floodwaters approached Brisbane and a grant was being sent to assist the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka as it attempts to feed the hundreds of thousands of people made homeless by floods in the east of the island.
Read the prayer here.

A day of bible readings on Radio 4

2011-01-03T09:00:00.000Z

To mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, BBC Radio 4 will be broadcasting 28 15-minute bible readings from early morning to midnight on Sunday 9th January. The readings will be introduced by the Archbishop Rowan Williams, Simon Schama and Will Self, and recorded by actors including Samuel West, Emilia Fox and Hugh Bonneville. Secularists have complained to the BBC for the 'excessive' coverage.

A message from the Methodist President

2011-01-01T12:42:00.001Z

The Revd Alison Tomlin, The President of the Methodist Conference, calls on the Methodist people to be generous this Christmas to those in need, those in pain and to God.

Read the full message here.

The bible that even atheists worship

2010-12-22T13:04:00.000Z

Interesting article on the King James Version in the Independent today. "The language was archaic, even in 1611. They deliberately copied anachronistic word endings and verbs to give it gravitas, because it was to be read in church."
And a quote from Richard Dawkins "it is important that religion should not be allowed to hijack this cultural resource". What do you think?
(Thanks to Biblefresh for the link)

Tony Benn on the relevance of Jesus.

2010-12-22T08:38:00.001Z

From the Greenbelt blog, links to the Channel 4's series of two minute, thought-provoking films on faith, ethics and philosophy. www.4thought.tv
"Are Jesus and his teachings still relevant in Britain today?" With Tony Benn and a wide range of viewpoints from militant atheists to 'born-again' Christians.

'Nativity' interview

2010-12-20T09:37:00.000Z

Methodist Web Radio December podcast features an interview between Martin Saunders from Christianity Magazine and writer Tony Jordan. Tony talks about the creation of his four part dramatization of The Nativity that will be screened on BBC1 in the run-up to Christmas. He also explains the effect his research had on his beliefs.
'The Nativity' will be screened at 7pm, Mon 20th - Thurs 23rd December.

Nexus now has a Blog!

2010-12-18T20:13:00.000Z

Who's noticed that there's a Blog on the website? Any comments/suggestions on how to develop it here please!

2010-12-18T18:53:00.000Z

The BBC is showing 'The Nativity', a four-part series on Dec 20th - 23rd at 7pm on BBC1.

It comes highly recommended by Peter Graystone of the Church Army and Fresh Expressions. He says "...it is going to do more to promote Christian faith in this country than all the sermons of the year put together. It is that good!" So why not watch, and see if you agree.

The cringe at the heart of Christmas

2010-12-14T14:28:00.000Z

Giles Fraser in The Guardian. 11th December 2010.
Read it here

'Atheism seems to get the cool, brainy people. We need witty thinkers to speak up for God.'

2010-12-14T14:22:00.000Z

Article by Victoria Coren in The Guardian. 5th December 2010.
Read it here

Welcome to our new Blog!

2010-05-06T14:10:00.000+01:00

This is the Blog for Nexus Methodist Church. Please feel free to add your comments!