Ponte Sant Angelo

PONTE SANT’ANGELO

METHODIST CHURCH ROME

Minister’s Report

To General Church Meeting:

May 2016 Minister`s Report to Ponte Sant`Angelo Methodist Church General Church Meeting : May 2016

GENERAL : We are now half way through the 60th anniversary year of PSA, launched at the end of November with a special service at which Rev Gareth Powell, the new Secretary of the British Methodist Conference preached, and Archbishop David Moxon and Ambassador Baker brought greetings. As well as celebrating those years and our witness on this site, we hope to refocus our work looking out as well as in, in service and in refurbishing our premises. The addition of the Methodist Centre on the fifth floor gives us a further resource for meetings and outreach and offers a base for those working and studying here who can support the work of PSA.

THE LOCAL CHURCH Worship : We have acquired more copies of Singing the Faith which has helped our congregational singing. Unfortunately we don`t have a regular organist, though we have been blessed with the times Alessandro has been with us as he is so much more responsive to our needs. We now know we can use a digital projector but its siting downstairs only allows limited viewing and thought needs to be given to a larger screen and projection from the gallery. The introduction of an All Age Worship service quarterly (including the Scouts service in March) has been possible thanks to a revival of the Sunday School and the dedication of Sandra Mi and others. The Easter Offering Service on World Church Sunday was well appreciated (and 600 euros given for its work) as have been the occasional contributions of our African and Filipino singers at services. The attendance at services has averaged over the past year at 73 (compared with 55 in 2013) within the range of 35 (Marathon Sunday!!) to 136 (October Service with Dutch group).

We have had a number of visiting preachers on special occasions or when I am away. Over the summer there were two ex-Presidents of the British Methodist Conference here and Jonathan Hustler returning after 25 years. Gillian Kingston and Robert Gribben have made contributions from the World Methodist Council and we have been glad to welcome back two former ministers (Trevor Hoggard and Richard Grocott) as part of our 60th anniversary celebrations with a pot luck lunch on each occasion. Two school groups from the Netherlands have been (the last one singing in the service very effectively) as well as a number of smaller groups mostly from Colleges and Universities.

Social : It has been good to have a number of pot luck lunches as opportunities to greet each other as well as to welcome newcomers. In this respect those who have volunteered to act as ushers on Sundays perform a valuable role in making people, especially visitors, welcome and accepted and to help them familiarize themselves with our services. A particular thanks to all those who week by week provide the refreshments for us after the services.

Membership and Pastoral: Despite losing the Rowes and the Archers to Zimbabwe and Spain, we have gained other people and families coming to us from the US, India, Zimbabwe and elsewhere who have swelled our numbers. We were glad to welcome Penny Gigante and James Cudiamat in baptism, to have a blessing for Nadia, daughter of Caroline and Bapi and to baptise and confirm Rumy, and to receive Alessia and Federico into membership by transfer. We have also been pleased to welcome those who have come to work in Rome and who have transferred their allegiance to us here from other churches.

I have been involved in a number of hospital visits over the year, not to members of our own congregation but to friends of those who know PSA and who have asked for pastoral help for those hospitalised whilst on holiday here.

Christian Education and Resources : The fortnightly bible class led by Sandra Mi continues to have a core membership of 6 or 7. This year they have been studying the Book of Revelation. The bible classes after service on Sunday have attracted about 12 people for the hour, taking as their themes so far an introduction to the readings from Luke`s Gospel for Advent and Lent. A series on the creeds is planned for the next year.

The start of a more regular newsletter entitled The Bridge was at first quarterly but is now, with the administrative assistance given by Charlene Adoo, a monthly edition, available in hard copy, electronically by email and on the website, thanks to Paolo Livorati and Simmone Rose.

Outreach: The Church continues to be used for the teaching of Italian to those who value this additional help from Consulta in enhancing their job prospects. And we have contributed 1250 euros to the Rice Bowl Appeal for house building in earthquake-striken Nepal. Pastor Tim and Angela help with the work of Pozzo di Giacobbe on the third Sunday of the month in distributing food outside Termini.

Church Council: The projects discussed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the English-speaking congregation at PSA include the Ghana project to help the disabled and a project to tidy the gallery and acquire more and better chairs. The Gift Day on Pentecost Sunday will give a welcome boost to our fund raising. We are awaiting a decision about an application for a heritage project from OPM funding to create a cultural visitors` centre at the church led by a part time co-ordinator of volunteers. THE WIDER CHURCH Wider Methodist Involvement with OPCEMI and in Italy : I have attended the annual Synod at Torre Pellice in August with Angela as one of the circuit representatives. This was a good occasion to meet up with old friends and make new. I participated in a conference organized by OPCEMI on Methodism and Ecumenism in October at La Sapienza University. I went again at the invitation of a circuit in North Italy to lead a study day for preachers in Padua in November. I was pleased to be invited again to preach at Via Firenze (in Italian!) with Pastor Eric coming here. I will cover for him in his absence there on 29th May before he takes up his appointment at the Facolta.

Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome: Half my time, theoretically, is devoted to being Director of MEOR and developing ecumenical links and dialogues here in Rome on behalf of British, European and World Methodism. In practice this year there has been rather more ecumenical work to cope with. I have been glad of help from student minister Kassim Conteh and will welcome an additional pair of hands when we have an intern from the UK assigned to us from September. It is hoped that the person appointed at the end of June will be based in the Methodist Centre next door to the manse. Some areas overlap. as with my acting as Secretary of Churches Together in Rome. I am grateful to Jenny Smith for representing us on the Consulta as also Marius de Gaay Fortman for being on CTiR. My membership of the European Methodist Council and as Co-Chair of the Methodist/Baptist international dialogue has taken me respectively to Ruse, Bulgaria, in September and Berlin in February for periods of 6 and 8 days respectively. As a member of the Roman Catholic/Methodist British Committee I have attended the two meetings in November and May. I have tried to balance the need to be at these meetings with preaching and pastoral needs of the local congregation. Wherever possible I am anxious to feed back to PSA the insights of my ecumenical and diplomatic contacts through sermons and newsletters.

Conclusion All told it`s been an even busier second year with the developments in the church and in MEOR! I look forward to working with you in the coming year and to have your support for what we are doing as a Methodist witness on this strategic heritage site on the main pilgrim route through this great city.

Pastor Tim