If you were walking down the streets of Castle Cary in Somerset and saw John Wesley riding a unicorn, you could be forgiven for thinking you were having a dream. But this vision is real, and it is one of more than 120 scarecrows that are on display in the town as part of its first Scarecrow Festival this July.
Since 2016, the 3rd Sunday in July has been designated, Rural Mission Sunday. It provides an opportunity for rural churches to celebrate who they are and give thanks for their community.
Samaritans Awareness Day takes place every year on 24th July referred to as 24/7. This date serves as a reminder that the Samaritans’ services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Kingswood Foodbank needs are tins of meat meals & veg, shower gel, washing powder/ pods, custard, rice pudding, pot noodles and razors. Thank you all very much.
The school summer holidays are about to start which means Fun Finders is on the horizon. We will be holding the event on Thursdays 21st and 28th August.
Christian Aid is 80 this year. To celebrate, they are holding a Garden Party at 4:30pm on Saturday 26th July. Our church, along with others, has been offered 2 tickets. However, it is being held in Malmesbury so I suspect there is no one in our congregation who would like to take up the offer. If I am wrong, though, and you would like to go, please let me soonest.
The Wallace and Gromit trail around Bristol is now open. One of the models is in the courtyard of The New Room. In fact, this is the start of the trail. Goodies are available there. And talking of The New Room, “1000 Cranes Origami Workshop. Join us for a fun, hands-on origami workshop led by Tony O’Hare, former Chairperson of the British Origami Society and an expert in the art of paper folding.” On 31st July and 7th August, from 11-12 each day. It is free but booking required
Lectionary 20th to 26th July. Genesis 18.1-10a; Psalm 15; Colossians 1.15-28; Luke 10.38-42. Seeing the invisible God. In one of Paul’s richest theological reflections on the coming of Jesus, he talks about the crucified Christ as the invisible God made visible. True authority and power are not found in the pomp and might of Caesar, but in the humility and suffering of Jesus. Consider how we see God, not just with our eyes, but how we perceive and know his character, as revealed in Christ.
Gift Day raised £1601.50. Thank you very much everyone who contributed.
Now available, at the back of the church, the latest edition of the Methodist Homes for the Aged magazine.
Kingswood Town Council and the Friends of Kingswood Park are hosting an outdoor cinema in Kingswood Park on Saturday 9th August. Being shown from 4.15pm to 4.45pm is Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers. From 5.15pm to 6:45pm, The Lion King (1994) is showing. The final film is The Greatest Showman, from 7.15pm to 9:30pm.
Weekly giving envelopes for the year 25/26 are now available, at the back of the church. Thank you Bob for arranging this.
ns of toms, fruit & meat, crisps, jars of coffee, pasta & curry sauces, cartons of long-life milk, cartons of fruit juice (both picnic size & larger), 330ml (or similar) bottles of water, small bags of sugar, deo, hair conditioner, toilet roll and sun protection cream etc for children.
Friday (18th) is Nelson Mandela Day. This day is observed annually on Nelson Mandela's birthday to honour his legacy and promote positive change through service and action. The day encourages individuals to dedicate 67 minutes of their time to service, reflecting the 67 years Mandela spent fighting for social justice.
The Reverend Richard Andrew is the new President of the Methodist Conference, In his address to Conference he included these words: “I believe that the rumours of our death have been greatly exaggerated because God is faithful, Christ is risen and the Spirit blows amongst us, wherever she wills, drawing and calling us into new life, new hope, new community, new creation. It has always been so and for those who wish to join in, it offers not only the most exciting of futures but also a glimpse into our true vocation in Christ. Our hope and convictions about the future are born not out of our present experience of history, important though that it is, but from an enduring sense of God’s faithfulness and desire in Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit to make the new heaven and the new earth.”. The full address can be read on the Methodist Church web site.
At Conference, 21 presbyters and 3 deacons were welcomed into Full Connexion,
Amongst the decisions taken at Conference was one to revise the Church’s authorised liturgies (the Worship Book). This decision sets in motion a major project to equip the Church with new and revised liturgical resources, available in a wide variety of formats, including digital and printed versions. The first stage of the process is to consider the style and language to be used in the resources, in order to enable the Church’s worship to be as inclusive as possible, in line with the Conference’scommitments in its strategy for Justice, Dignity and Solidarity.
The Bristol Methodist Centre became Turnaround. In their latest Newsletter, we are told “We’ve already secured planning permission to expand and improve the building, and we hope that work will start on this in the spring of next year.” As always, your prayers for the wonderful work they do would be much appreciated.
A reminder. We now have a list at the back of the church which allows you to volunteer to do one of the Bible readings on a nominated Sunday. Please do add your name and save Sue constantly having to seek out readers. A reminder is needed as, last time I looked, no one had signed up.
The purpose of Kingswood Methodist Church is to respond to God's Love in Christ and to live out that love in God's world.