Bradford North Circuit

At a recent meeting someone posed that seemingly simple question. And as it happens I’d been sent a possible answer just a couple of days before in a quote attributed to one Richard Exley: Prayer is multidimensional. It includes petition, confession, intercession and praise, but its highest purpose is fellowship with the Father. In prayer we share our needs with God, but more importantly we spend time with the Father. Relationship takes precedence over everything else. Remember, the primary purpose of prayer is not petition but fellowship. It's about spending time with the Lord. Listen to most prayers, and it’s about praise and asking – and there’s a lot right with that. Jesus certainly told us to praise God the Father and ask for what we needed, especially when we’re in a fix (Matthew 6:9ff). And (perhaps obviously) especially when what we need is for God’s work on earth: promoting Jesus-shaped values of human and cosmic welfare (you can think big if you’re a Christian), includ...

Calverley Pentecost Praise and Picnic in the Park After morning service…. in the park that’s next to Calverley Methodist Church. We will be having a praise and picnic worship time with live music – fun – games – and… A Pentecost Celebration CAKE! Please remember bring your picnic…. Pentecost Sunday 8th June at 12.30pm put the date in your diary now everyone is welcome

My last formal academic study of theology ended in 2002. So part of my sabbatical was spent auditing a Masters level course in Celtic Mission and Spirituality. It is one thing to come across prayers and liturgies to use in worship – it’s quite another to know about the traditions from which they came and how they have evolved. The course allowed some reflection on what we may learn from the Celtic Church, in terms of how we are Church today, and how and where we minister and share the gospel. My Sabbatical was taken over Christmas. Instead of leading the services, I was able to see what someone else did. As ministers, we rarely get to see how anyone else leads or approaches worship. Christmas is also a time when families get together; this was the first time I have seen my Mum at Christmas in 10 years. I spent some time looking at current underlying principles of Youth Ministry. It made me realize that we can take these principles into adult ministry and mission. This will i...

Do you have a young baby? Looking for something to do? If the answer is yes then Soupermums is for you. We're here from 11 until 1 every Monday, Mums (and dads) have a rest and the babies can play. Have a lovely sit down whilst you sip on a brew. Enjoy having someone else make lunch for you! Come along to Wilsden Church, meet the rest of the group. Lovely ladies cuddle the babies, whilst you eat your soup. Chat with the mums, new friends you will make. Swap tips and advice over a slice or two of cake. So what are you waiting for? come on along, For homemade treats, good company and if you're lucky a song. We're looking forward to meeting you, please come take a peek, 11-1 at Wilsden Trinity, we're here every week! Celine V  (a Soupermum!) Where can new mums go, to have lunch where it’s warm and safe and you get to eat fresh soup and homemade cakes, while someone holds your baby? Too big an ask? Not at Wilsden Trinity! Every Mond...

Each November, some of the St Andrew’s Church family spend a weekend away at Green Gables Hotel in Scarborough. This year’s weekend is to be on 14-16 November and will be led by Rev Christine King, who is joining the Bradford North Circuit ministerial team in September. The weekend consists of a short welcome/introduction on the Friday evening, 2 sessions of 1 hour each on both Saturday and Sunday mornings on a theme chosen by the leader. Saturday and Sunday afternoons are free time, to explore Scarborough and surroundings, or to chill in the hotel, possibly swimming in the indoor pool! We have a family concert on Saturday evening. The weekend concludes with family communion at 4.00 pm on Sunday, followed by high tea. We return home around 6.00 pm. The cost for the weekend, full board, is £115 per head. Children 5-12 years are half price and under 5s are free. The hotel is very comfortable, the food is very good and the company is…..what you make it! We have such a good time, ...

The new Drop-in Centre at Haworth Road Methodist is proving a great success. We have been operating for a year now and the regular visitors who come most weeks are enjoying time to chat, exchange views and generally have a good time. At Christmas we were entertained by choirs on two successive weeks. The Thornton Singers, and our own choir members joined us and sang carols which everyone joined in, and also enjoyed mince pies and Christmas cake. We meet every Friday morning from 10.00 and the centre is open to all. Members of the Church work on a 6-weekly rota to provide home-made confectionery and warm drinks, for which there is no charge. We have a well-stocked bookstall and also have home-made jam available. Voluntary donations can be made, but this has never been pushed; we want people to come and enjoy friendship and not feel they have to pay. We have welcomed many people from outside the Church, and we hope that the Lord will work within us, to spread the good news and brin...

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week, 4 of our Churches took part in Prayer for Bradford. For a first time activity, I am thrilled at this. The churches were: Baildon , Crag Road , Haworth Road , and St. Andrew’s . Each church brought a distinctively individual and fresh approach to praying for our Metropolitan area. There were maps, leaflets, bookmarks, prayer sheets and lots of other ideas. I hope that this has made a difference to Bradford. In Lent, the whole Metropolitan area has been prayed for on a daily basis. Perhaps next year we can do more. May God bless you all. John W

Did you know that it is Fairtrade ’s 20th birthday this year? Yes, 2014 marks 20 years since the first Fairtrade product was sold in the UK. In that time, Fairtrade supporters have helped make huge progress, so that millions of farmers, workers and their families now have a brighter future. To celebrate this milestone, we will be having a: Fairtrade Summer Fair at Calverley Methodist Church on Saturday 31st May from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.  Please come along and give your support. There will be refreshments, Fairtrade tasting, a quiz with prize and lots of lovely Fairtrade products for sale.

Every Easter the Methodist Women in Britain focuses on the World Church and invites donations to the World Mission Fund through Easter Offering Envelopes. Please use the envelope to make your gift, which will not go to the local church, but be used for the Church worldwide. A dedication service for these gifts will be held in the circuit on: Wednesday, 4th June 2014 at 2.30pm at St. Andrews Methodist Church , Undercliffe. Speaker: Rev. Sarah Jemison.   The theme of Easter Offering this year is ‘ RISK THE PATH HE TROD ’. Everyone is warmly invited to attend this annual event focusing on World Mission.

We went to see this musical on Friday 11th April at St. Andrew’s and found it very moving. Debra had written the whole musical and played the keyboard throughout, accompanied by a wonderful violinist, who also had two roles in the story. Members of St. Andrew’s and from Churches Together in North Bradford formed the choir. The music was skilfully interwoven with narrative, describing the whole of the Easter story, the narrator reading the Bible story very effectively. Debra focused on the emotions of those involved in the events – Peter, Mary Magdalene, the Priests, Pilate, Judas, Jesus, Mary the Mother of Jesus – bringing the whole story alive. Debra’s words gave real insight into how they might have felt at the time. The choir sang very movingly, as did the soloists, and Debra’s music was haunting at times. I found myself wanting to join in as the music pulled me into the scenes. There were tableaux in which the principals sang and expressed emotion very compelli...

A FREE morning seminar exploring how you and your church can help to support asylum seekers and refugees in West Yorkshire: Saturday June 7th, 10.00am - 12.45pm Bradford Cathedral, 1 Stott Hill, Bradford, West Yorks. BD1 4EH This seminar is for members of any church who wish to explore how they can better support asylum seekers in both church and the wider community. For a full programme and booking form go to Bradford Cathedral Website  or contact Gillian Davis, Bradford Cathedral, 1 Stott Hill, Bradford BD1 4EH Email gillian.davis@bradfordcathedral.org Tel 01274 777720 Please book by Monday May 26th

A secret farewell service! What a surprise! Actually I probably had to be told as (and this will come as no surprise) I was all on for organising my own “DO” Ha Ha! But what a “Do” it turned out to be! I can’t begin to thank everyone who came and made it such a wonderful experience, and for those of you who have taken the time to write to me. When I started the job, I had never been so welcomed and as I leave I have to say I’ve never been so thanked!!! So many years of fun, laughter, prayers and tears (both of joy and frustration!) Hundreds of children have been told the Good News in oh so many strange ways – a giant Christingle and noisy wacky nativities, puppets and action songs, wet fish and 5000 salt people , Noah activity days , Pirate holiday clubs, services and assemblies with pizzas or bread or chips and even ice cream, the many manifestations of Friends and Heroes sessions and pretzels, hot cross buns and lit up tombs, the list goes on. You will all have your own mem...

You may or may not be aware that we have a dedicated team of lay people who will bring communion to people who are ill, housebound, in a care home or who, for any other reason, cannot receive communion in their church. It is a real pastoral caring ministry, as well as a chance to have company. The people who give and receive this Eucharist find it a time of special blessing. It is an absolute privilege to serve our people in this way. If you know of a person or couple within the Circuit who would appreciate home communion, please contact our Pastoral Visitor/Co-ordinator.

Dear friends One of the ‘deep wells’ that replenishes my spirituality is the practice of ‘Lectio Divina’ which is an ancient method for praying with the Bible. It literally means ‘divine reading’, or ‘reading in a godly kind of way’. We rush about so much these days and practising the discipline of a slower reading of the Bible to allow it to speak to us is an integral aspect of Lectio Divina. If you want to try it yourself, read slowly a short passage of text that you have decided upon in advance, letting your awareness rest in turn upon each word. As you read, be alert for any particular word or phrase that draws your attention in a special way. Then meditate on this word or phrase, allowing it to engage you fully. Does the word connect with some aspect of your own experience? As you hold this in your heart, let yourself become aware of any answering words, images, or memories that arise in you. Then finally respond through prayer to the word you have heard, simply and directl...