NORTH METHODIST CIRCUIT ISSUE 425 WEEKLY BULLETIN 18th December 2020 This is our weekly bulletin. The bulletin can be received by anyone who has an e-mail address. To subscribe to this service please send your e-mail address to: [email protected]. All items for the bulletin need to be in for Wednesday morning.

Worship 20th December 2020

The service is an audio file and a separate video file.

(A full order (transcript) of these services can be emailed out to you, please ask your minister)

~ To hear the services click on this link here. ~

For a video of this service (with words to the hymns) ~ click on this link here. ~

If you would like to take part in the weekly recorded service please let John Palmer know.

1 Christmas Message 2020

The story is told of a young child who had been invited to put together her Christmas present list. Soon it was written and handed over to her parents.

It started with some fashionable toys, which went on to include CDs and books all fairly predictable. But at the end it read 'Gran'. Her grandmother had died earlier in the year, and this would be the first Christmas without Gran. Not that Gran gave the biggest presents, but she was always there to tell her about all those new things. And Gran always took such an interest in everyone. The best Christmas present for her was the one no one could buy.

There are many people for whom Christmas acts as a reminder of someone who isn't with them. They learn to live with the pain of separation but it may never go away completely. This year during the pandemic you and I will have lost someone we know or who was very dear to us.

But bereavement isn't the only cause of separation, for instance it can arise because of changes at work or in relationships, for a number of different reasons. It maybe because of COVID-19 many families will not be able to meet up or see each other as we usually do.

It is good to be aware that Christmas can be a difficult time for some, a time when they need our understanding, love and care.

Some of the most important things at Christmas are the things that money can't buy the presence and the love of other people.

At the heart of Christmas is the message that, through His great love for us, God is present with us in Jesus Christ, who was born as a baby in Bethlehem.

May I wish you a happy Christmas and a good and healthy start to the New Year.

Every Blessing from,

John Palmer

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3 Community testing & hotspot stakeholder update

Dear All,

Following discussions with the borough and district councils, please find a list of hotspots for the w/c December 14. These generally represent the areas which have seen increases in cases over the last 14 days. (Excluding care homes and prisons.)

This week’s hotspot areas are:

• Chase – Cannock North • East Staffs – Anglesey, Eton Park, Horninglow, Shobnall, Brizlincote, Branston, Winshill • – none • Newcastle – whole borough • South Staffs - ‘Perton’ (Perton East, Perton Dippons, Perton Lakeside) North, Landywood • – none • Staffs Moorlands - Caverswall, Cheadle North East and Werrington • Tamworth – none

People in these areas are advised to take extra care to stop the spread of the virus. They are also advised to get a test even if they don’t have symptoms.

The county council is now part of the national Covid community testing programme to identify more people who may have the virus, but are not displaying any symptoms. This will help target more people who should be self-isolating and in turn break the chain of infection.

The rapid “test and collect” community offer means people can get tested and pick up their results in less than an hour.

You can book an appointment online at one of our community testing sites. Details of locations and dates of upcoming community testing sites are shown below:

4 District / Hotspots Community testing venue Dates borough

Cannock Cannock TBC TBC Chase North Pirelli Stadium, Pirelli Stadium Princess Way, Princess Way, Burton upon December 14, 15 Trent, Burton-on-Trent DE13 0AR Anglesey, Winshill Neighbourhood Eton Park, Resource Centre, Horninglow, East Canterbury Road, Shobnall, December 15, 16 Staffordshire Winshill, Branston, , Brizlincote, DE15 0HD Winshll Waterside Community Centre, Heath Road, Stapenhill, December 21 Burton Upon Trent, DE15 9LF Lichfield None - - Bradwell Lodge Community Centre, December Bradwell Lane, Porthill, 16,17,18,19,20,21,22 Newcastle-under-Lyme, Whole ST5 8PS Newcastle borough The Victoria Hall, Liverpool Rd, , December Stoke-on-Trent ST7 3EL 20,22

‘Perton’ (Perton East, Perton Civic Centre, Perton Church Road, Perton, WV6 December 19 Dippons, 7PD Perton South Lakeside) Staffordshire Codsall North TBC TBC Great Wryley Scout Great Wyrley Hut, Walsall Road, Great December 16 Landywood Wyrley, WS6 6LA Stafford None - - Caverswall Caverswall Village Hall, and The Dams, Caverswall, December 17, 21 Werrington ST11 9ED Staffordshire Great Wood Moorlands Cheadle Hall, Hollington Road, Tean, December 14 North East Stoke-on-Trent ST10 4JY Tamworth None - -

5 The testing programme is currently being scaled up, with the view to eventually testing 10 per cent of the population each week.

If there is no community testing currently, people can book a test online at their nearest NHS test and trace facility using the option “My local council has asked me to book a test.” People will automatically be offered a test closest to where they live.

Anyone with symptoms should book a test online through https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test.

Regards and thanks,

Joe Harkin | Campaigns Officer Communications Team Staffordshire Place 1 Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH : (01785) 854236 : [email protected]

: www.staffordshire.gov.uk

6 North Staffordshire Circuit Notices Please See These Important Notices Regarding Opening our Churches:

Preparing for Re-opening our Churches for Worship

Official Guidance

Coronavirus Guidance for Property New Guidance and New Format – Updated 10th December 2020 here.

TMCP have produced a helpful article regarding the legal requirements for Test & Trace and QR codes, read more here.

Property Matters December 2020 click on this link here.

Circuit Plan

There have been some changes to the Circuit Plan since it was published. Please click on this link here.

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8 Lectionary

The Lectionary Readings for this week (Fourth Sunday of Advent) are:

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 Romans 16:25-27 Luke 1:26-38

Please pray for: Wolstanton

The Lectionary Readings for next week (First Sunday of Christmas) are:

Isaiah 61:10-62:3 Psalm 148 Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:22-40

Please pray for: Audley

Morning Prayers with Revd Joy Ventom

Revd Joy will be online with morning prayers at 10.00 am on Wednesday mornings via the Audley Methodist Church facebook page.

Click on this link here

Zoom Advent Bible ‘Exploring Advent Through Godly Play’

The last session will be on Wednesday 23rd December at 7.00 pm. Please let Revd Joy know (email: [email protected]) if you would like to receive the link.

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Please email Revd John Palmer for the Link and password to join this service.

10 Foodbank – click on this link here. Thank you to everyone across the circuit who gives regularly to Foodbank through their church. Foodbank remains open through these troubled times and demand for food is high. Can I please ask you to all keep on giving by taking your donations to your nearest Foodbank.

Clayton St Luke’s host a session on Tuesday morning. 10.00am – 12 noon All Saints, Madeley host a session on a Wednesday Morning.10.30 am - 12.30 pm The Bethel Centre Silverdale 2.00 pm – 4.00pm Chesterton Pentecostal church on: Thursday Morning. 10.00 -12.00 noon Newcastle Congregational church on: Thursday afternoon. 2.00 pm – 4.00pm St Thomas church Kidsgrove on: Friday afternoon 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm or you can take your contribution to our warehouse on the Parkhouse estate on a Monday afternoon or Wednesday morning ... please give us a ring if you want details of how to get there, it is on the Aspire work complex.

Your gifts large or small are very much appreciated and are a lifeline to those sadly more vulnerable than ourselves.

Please give us a ring if you want to drop your gift off at our house! Carol and Marion Reddish TEL 01782 613265

If you would like to make a monetary donation to Newcastle Staffs Foodbank you can contact the Trustee/Treasurer Michael Heap for details: - 01782 639882 or email him on [email protected]. If you would like to Gift Aid your donation please visit the website or contact Michael Heap for details.

At the present time Foodbank are short of the following items:- Tinned Cold Meat (Ham, Corned Beef, Pork) Shaving Gel & Razors Long Life Juice Chocolate Shampoo Tinned Potatoes Shower Gel Mash Potatoes Deodorant for Men & Women Sponge Puddings Washing Up Liquid Washing Powder

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United Christian Broadcasters Limited

… are currently advertising various vacancies on their website.

For more details, application forms and job descriptions please visit www.ucb.co.uk/vacancies

12 (Click on any of these links below from The Methodist Church also the Circuit has added more links)

For general guidance and resources for the coronavirus pandemic click on this link here.

For Methodist News Updates from Connexion

17th December edition is available by clicking on this link here. Worship during the pandemic

Suggestions for worship opportunities and how to help others in worship can be found Click on this link here. including service sheets to be printed at home.

For those Methodists feeling the loss of communion, a short act of spiritual communion

Click on this link here

A selection of streamed Methodist services are taking place online. The list of services, produced with current guidelines in place. click on this link here.

Telephone - Dial-a-Prayer A FREE phone service to hear prayers and news from the Methodist Church has been launched.

Listen to a prayer: 0808 281 2514 Listen to news: 0808 281 2478 Content is updated weekly on Thursday evening. Click on this link here.

Daily Prayers from the Methodist Prayer Handbook

Click on this link here.

Regular updates will be given on social media pages and on the Methodist Church website. Click on this link here.

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