No.2Winter 2017 Winchester, Eastleigh & Romsey Methodist Circuit

Crossways

From Nomansland to Brazil ... a lesson in how God doesn’t give up on any of us

- see pages 4 and 5

Global refugee crisis - playing our part

‘I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Matthew 25:35-36

Within the next couple of months the cir-cuit will be playing its part in the response to a global refugee tragedy that has seen tens of millions of people displaced.

Since the series of popular uprisings known as the Arab Spring began in 2010, the Middle East has been a particularly tragic source of refugees.

Syria has seen the worst extremes and a full

scale Civil War has continued almost unabated to the present day. The Migration Policy Centre based in Florence estimates that 11 million Syr-ians have fled their homes (about 50% of the population).

Just under 5 million of these have fled to Tur-key, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, and Jordan and 1 mil-

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Things have come a long way for Andrew Sampson since Methodist evangelist Rob Frost visited Romsey.

Andrew became a Christian at 14 when one of Rob’s Share Jesus mission teams came to town and through his teens, Andrew’s faith and confidence grew as he joined the Methodist Amateur Dramatic Society (MADS) run by Irene Bourne, and the Boys’ Brigade, led by Jane Glasgow.

Andrew started going to Easter People with a church group when he was 15 and he attended three missions with the Rob Frost Mission Team.

He began to develop his skills as a communicator, and in 2005 shared the Easter People main stage with RT Kendall in leading the morning Bible studies.

After graduation, Andrew moved to Cornwall as youth worker at Newquay

United Reformed Church. He kept his links with Share Jesus, helping to run summer beach missions.

When Andrew left to study theology at Trinity College, Bristol, he was succeeded as youth worker by a young American, Laura, who eventually became his wife.

Andrew and Laura returned to Cornwall as a married couple with a call to plant a church in Truro in partnership with Newfrontiers.

Grace Church Truro started in 2010 with nine

adults and three small children meeting in their lounge. Today, the church is thriving with around 140 people, and looking to plant a new congregation in Falmouth.

Andrew heads the leadership team of Grace Church and serves a number of other Newfrontiers churches in Cornwall as a preacher, Bible teacher and trainer of church planters.

I often hear the comment: ‘there aren’t any children in church.’ This may be largely true on a Sunday where the so-called missing generation are missing, along with their young families.

The reasons for this are many: the breakup of the fam-ily with children visiting a parent at the weekend; Sunday sport and shopping; irregular patterns of work with Sun-day being for many, an essential day of rest.

And let’s be truthful, we haven’t always welcomed children. We’ve muttered ‘tut tut’ when a little one has run about and hymns and prayers have often ignored children.

But look around the circuit and you will see God at work with children and young people. Messy Church, or something like it, is found in many of our churches. It is worship which meets the needs of young families.

The word ‘messy’ is no accident for it engages with the chaotic world I described above.

Likewise, young people nowadays ‘have’ everything – but that includes having issues with self worth or exam pressure. Church youth and uniformed groups in the circuit offer invaluable safe places for young people to interact socially and seek advice.

Pray for a children’s or youth activity in the circuit; that through this work, young people may catch a glimpse of God’s love for them.

Why not offer to help? If you are an ‘older’ person, the ‘grandparent’ role of wise listener is often what children need.

Look at church notice sheets or websites, talk to those working with children and youth; you will soon discover that there are children in the church.

Peter Cornick, Superintendent Minister

The Superintendent writes

Simple plays that tell Bible sto-ries and get children to provide the sound effects are proving to be one of the best ways churches can link up with their local school.

Open the Book is a Bible so-ciety project to take little plays based on Bible stories into schools.

A team drawn from Bish-opstoke churches, Anglican, Methodist and Evangelical, goes into the two local schools and performs these little plays weekly as part of their assem-blies. The plays are very sim-ple, as are the costumes and sets, but the children enjoy them immensely.

Some children are involved where possible in the plays themselves, while frequently the other children are encour-aged to participate by pro-viding sound effects like the rainfall or by joining in certain repeated phrases. It’s great fun!

The group always prepares for its performances with a time of prayer, and the play itself is followed by a short prayer where the children can say the final Amen, if they want.

The Bishopstoke team have been performing these plays now for over two years, and the children seem to look for-ward to them as much as ever.

Most members of the team have been approached at some time by a child saying something like “We love ‘Open the Book’, we really look for-ward to it!” Sometimes a child will come up to us in the street and say: “I know you, you’re from ‘Open the Book’.”

Giving children a glimpse into the Bible

It seems to be an even more effective witness than peo-ple might have expected. The team is so grateful to the Bible Society, to Revd. Richard Wise, the vicar who leads the work, and to the schools for the op-portunity to witness.

Where else would we get such a large number of chil-dren ready, and mostly eager, to hear God’s word?

Mental health is an issue of growing concern among children and young people and those who work with them.

The Methodist Church’s Children and Youth staff have teamed up with the organisation Young Minds to produce resources, which can be downloaded as a PDF.

There are four different ones produced for people under 12, 12-18, 18 plus and for workers with children and young people.

The main church website has the download link and details of organisations you can contact if you, or someone you work with or know, is in need of help or advice.

Young Minds provides online resources for children and young people about mental health and wellbeing.

Find the information at http://www.methodist.org.uk/mission/children-and-youth/the-well-for-workers/downloadable-resources/mental-health

Support with mental health

Are there children and young people at United Church in Winchester? Absolutely! Sometimes nearly 100 children and their parents or carers come into the church in Jewry Street to meet and make friends, play, learn to know Jesus as a friend, eat, share worries and joys.

They start very small! The NHS Baby Clinic uses the Hall and Coffee Bar extension. Up to 30 parents, grandparents and childminders mix happily and the City Centre Mums lay Chaplains are part of the welcome too.

Tuesdays means Toddler Group, so out come the toys, sand and play dough and the kettle is on. Never underestimate the importance of baby and toddler groups – they can be a lifeline to lonely, tired parents.

On the first Thursday of each month everything gets Messy with pre-school and Key Stage 1 children. After crafts, activities and lively worship everyone shares in a meal. In November 50 meals were cooked.

Sunday is Junior Church day and usually 22 young people aged from 4 to 15 enjoy games, Bible stories, craft and drama. They also explore issues on the internet, eat together, enjoy parties, competitions and trips out.

Young people play an important part in the United church family, reading in worship, helping with the collection, learning how to use the sound and AV systems.

Getting Messy in the middle of Winchester

Much of the work churches do with children and young people is in faith and hope. It’s only years later that we discover the impact.

David Hutchings from Landford Church dis-covered that those memories came right up to date only recently.

Last year was the church’s 150th anniver-sary and 2017 marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of what was called the Methodist youth hall.

“It was to provide facilities for church youth activities and to accommodate an active Boys Brigade Company, led by Peter Hayward as Captain with help from other church mem-bers.

“Peter was involved with a Boys Brigade company in Southampton before moving out with his family to Landford and was led to start up this new company.”

The Landford Company had been running about 10 years when the hall opened.

Recently David had a visit from a nephew who used to live in Landford and would have

been about eight when the BB Company started.

“He reminisced about that period of his life and how help-ful the experience was to his Christian development,” said David.

“He was 12 when he left the company because his family moved to North Cornwall but he has developed a very strong Christian faith and is an elder in a Church in North Cornwall.

“There are several other boys, now men, who we are in contact with, also members of the BB at that time and have very similar testimonies.”

Although the BB Company has gone, the hall is used by Landford and Whiteparish Brownies who have been there for the whole 40 years.

In addition, Off Roaders Youth Group, Ladybird’s Tod-dler Group, Messy Church and several adult groups from the community regularly use the hall.

Memories that encourage faithful service

Teenage challenge was Andrew’s start

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Here’s another story of God meeting a young man even while he is trying to cause trouble.

This is an extract from the booklet History of Twyford Method-ist Church by A L Unsworth (1972).

In the first chapter, The Good Seed Germinates, we read:

On the 6th December 1809 there was born a baby boy who was destined to become a notable Missionary in West Africa. In the following month, January 1810 he was baptized in the old Church at Twyford, and he bore the name of Thomas Birch Freeman.

His father had been a slave, and was brought as such to Eng-land where, of course, he was set free, and assumed the appro-priate surname of ‘Freeman’. He found employment in the village of Twyford, as a gardener, and his wife had been in the service of the same Master.

During his boyhood in the village young Thomas Birch Freeman joined in with the team of other naughty boys, and in the course of their escapades, a plan had been made to disturb the little Methodist congregation which were worshipping in a Cobbler’s cottage. The plan was to draw a brick up and down the chimney, and thus to smoke the room out, but God had another plan for this young life.

He went to the house as planned, but heard words spoken by the humble but earnest Preacher through the keyhole, which caused him to decide to surrender his life to the Lord Jesus Christ, thus proving the truth of the hymn which says: “But while I passed my Saviour by, His Love laid hold of me.”

The Story of this remarkable conversion is told in J.T.F Halligey’s ‘Methodism in West Africa’, published by Charles M. Kelly in 1907.

... and from Twyford to West Africa

Never lose heart with the troublesome ones - God has a plan

Nomansland to BrazilA South American mission agency

that began through the conversion of a mischievous Nomansland teenager is still having a positive impact on the lives of youngsters and their parents today.

Evangelical Action Brazil (EAB) runs food banks, work projects, church planting, Bible Colleges, schools, well digging, youth and children’s work, environmental projects and reaches out to abused women.

Its origins go back to the early 19th Cen-

tury and to a man called Bert Mundy. His teenage antics were interrupted when God spoke to him through the preaching of a Sis-ter Greta at Nomansland chapel.

Bert heard the Gospel, was converted and called to Brazil in the 1930s. He and his wife Daisy established their first church in 1943 and, as a direct result of that encoun-ter in Nomansland, 82 evangelical churches have been founded.

The work of EAB has been developed in many different ways and the Methodist so-

ciety in Cadnam has supported EAB with tithes and musical events for some years. Marian Rashleigh, the charity’s local rep-resentative, explained about some of their work, including how they support vulner-able children and their mothers.

“The semi-arid region of north-east Brazil has been through a time of drought as only half the expected rainfall fell during the rainy season,” said Marian.

“EAB has provided drinking water through well digging and drilling for 25 years now. Each site for a well is carefully chosen to benefit the most people possible. When they strike water there is such joy as people know their lives will change for the better. Water from a drilled well is pumped up to a water tank where gravity then takes it to the taps.”

Wells really make a difference, Marian said.

“Being able to get fresh water near their homes is amazing as it changes lifestyles,

saves time and money. People’s health also improves.

“It can then lead onto the setting up of community smallholdings where they can grow their own organic vegetables, keep honey bees and set up a fish farm, all under the training of EAB.

“When the well is handed over to the villagers there is always a Community Day with hairdressing manicures, health talks, medical tests and tooth cleaning training for children.

“This is followed by a Gospel service during which there’s a talk on the environ-

ment, the mayors of local com-munities are given a Bible and everyone attending is given a small packet of Moringa seeds so they can grow the trees for shade as well as food for them-selves and their animals.”

The Moringa tree is common-ly known as the miracle tree because of its many nutritional and medicinal uses.

The Gospel is clearly pro-claimed so that no-one is in any

doubt that they now have wa-ter provided by Christians who serve the Lord Jesus.

EAB also runs a child spon-sorship scheme to pay for the schools, the children’s educa-tion and meals. There’s a Gift Card Scheme to buy chicks, goats, food parcels and tooth-brushes for the poor.

And it all began with a trou-blesome teenager at Nomans-land!

‘The society in Cadnam has supported EAB with tithes and musical events for some years’

Winchester, Eastleigh & Romsey Methodist Circuit Circuit No. 26/2

Circuit OfficeChandler’s Ford Methodist Church,

Winchester Road, Chandler’s Ford SO53 2GJ

023 8026 0128

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Bacon,babiesand awarm welcome

Contacting the administratorsThe Circuit has two Administrators - Sarah Sprack and Marilyn

Pack - both working from home.

Each is responsible for different aspect of the work: for exam-ple, Sarah for the Preaching Plan; Marilyn for the Circuit Directory. Other things will be shared as appropriate.

When they work varies each week but both can contacted at any time by email or phone:

Sarah wemethodistcircuit@yahoo.co.uk 023 8062 0574 Marilyn mjpack@renpack.co.uk 01 794 512022

How letting the dads out lets the Gospel in at RomseyThe very best play equip-

ment, top-notch coffee and a genuine welcome are the hallmarks of Romsey’s growing monthly event for dads and their little ones.

Who Let The Dads Out has become a firm favourite over the past year since Meghan and Jason Elkin approached the Church leadership team with a vision to launch a group.

WLTDO is a growing move-ment developed by the Bible Reading Fellowship to reach out to dads, father figures and their children.

Because the Methodist Hall is used by a dancing school on a Saturday, it wasn’t until the Church was updated that the plans could go into action.

The refurbished church was opened in September 2015

and WLTDO launched in the November.

The start-up budget of around �2,300 en-�2,300 en-2,300 en-sured high-quality play equipment that would be very different to what the children might have at home.

The very able all-male team have taken on tasks, such as glu-ing and sticking, with enthusiasm!

Some have also rel-ished the chance to revert to their child-hood: building mega

towers with soft play blocks just to knock them down!

A great choice of breakfast options is on offer: bacon butt-ies, toast, even scrambled eggs from time to time. Of course, there is always the very best coffee.

Although there are some gifted chefs among the team, there hasn’t been access to the full kitchen so the cooked hot bacon for butties is delivered by a little blue VW “taxi”.

Many dads come back time after time and good conversa-tions are developing with the team. Naturally, they were particularly curious about the church’s motivation to run a monthly free event for them and that is where the conver-sations and relationships are being built.

BBC Radio Solent visited in March 2016 and did a live broadcast with people at the event into their Saturday morning show. They also made

a short film which you can see at Romsey Methodist Church’s facebook page on March 19, 2016.

Another team of ladies has recently taken on the organi-sation and running of the tod-dler group which has been meeting in our Church hall for years. This, alongside Funday Sunday and Kids Club is giving us increasing opportunities to reach out to the local commu-nity and build links between the groups.

The aims of WLTDO are:

• To demonstrate God’s love to people through hospital-ity and friendship.

• To provide an opportunity for dads and their preschool children to spend time with each other, mix with other families, have fun and en-gage with the church.

• To build a community where people feel safe and sup-ported.

lion have requested asylum in Europe. The rest are displaced in Syria.

Greek Catholic Patriarch Gre-gorios III Laham claims more than 450,000 Syrian Christians have been displaced by the conflict.

The circuit was challenged by the Revd Kate Cambridge to respond to this crisis and a group began to see how we can look after those in desper-ate need and coming to the UK from Syria.

As a first step, we are offer-ing a vacant property within the circuit for rent to a Syrian family or families. This is being done under the Government Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme which aimsto offer homes to 20,000 Syrian refugees over five years.

It’s a government scheme but administered by local au-thorities and Hampshire Coun-ty Council have already housed a number of refugee families through it. There is govern-ment funding and the scheme ensures each family has access to the necessary services and support.

The county council commis-sions the British Red Cross to work with the families to give them access to translators, English lessons, school places for children and help integrat-ing into their new communi-ties.

Refugee families are entitled to benefits and help finding work where possible.

The Circuit Meeting voted unanimously in favour of join-

Circuit plays its part in global refugee crisis

ing the scheme and the vacant property is being funded so that a Syrian extended family, already allocated by the coun-ty council, can move in some-time in February or March.

Thank you to all the church-es and individuals who are helping with this.

How can you help?

Friendship and support from local people is crucial. Support could include lifts to the doc-tors, language classes and job interviews; help with filling in forms; baby-sitting; taking ref-ugees on outings; introducing them to local groups eg play-groups, exercise classes, lunch clubs and finding appropriate expert help.

All of this would be coordi-nated through the Red Cross to ensure that the privacy and independence of the family is always respected.

We are planning some in-formative fund raising events. Our first is a circuit coffee morning to be held at United Church on Saturday, February 25 (10am-12pm).

During the morning we will be publicising the work of the Red Cross among refugees and asking for donations. Please contact Kate if you would like to help.

Circuit churches are already raising awareness and funds for refugees. Colden Common have given more than �800 to the Refugee support group, which will go to support refu-gee families coming to our area.

If you would like to join the support group then email kate.cambridge@gmail.com.

FROM FRONT PAGE

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Winchester, Eastleigh & Romsey Methodist Circuit (Circuit No. 26/2)

VISION STATEMENT To enable us all to worship God and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.MISSION STATEMENT All the believers were united and shared everything with one another. Acts 2:44 We will share fellowship and resources across the Circuit. United in purpose, they went to the Temple every day, ate at each other’s homes, and shared their food with glad and humble hearts. Acts 2:46 We will develop a sense of belonging so that we can build each other up. They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Acts 2:7a We will encourage churches to experience a wide range of worship and preaching styles. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved. Acts 2:47b We will explore, develop and unlock opportunities for mission in each church so that the Good News of Jesus Christ can be proclaimed.

Colden Common has a good Primary School and it is the centre of many lives in the village.

The Vicar of the Parish Church and the Methodist minister used to alternate in leading the School Assembly once a week.

A change of headteacher changed that arrangement and Christian input became sporadic. The decision was made to follow Bishopstoke’s example and explore Open the Book.

This Bible Society initiative gives primary children an opportunity to hear Bible stories and ‘meet’ some of the characters.

Christians in the village were approached to set up a group prepared to dress in appropriate costume and act. The script is

provided by the Bible Society and approved by OfSTED.

As well as having to collect costumes and make transportable scenery, some stories have posed quite a challenge:

• How to portray the Creation or walking on water without it looking ridiculous?

• How to use children without rehearsal?

• What are suitable costumes for the children?

• Dare the whole school be used to make sound effects?

The group is now in its fourth term and the 19 people, representing at least four different churches, have found it the most amazing experience praying, sharing and laughing.

They have been able to share the foundations of our faith with the children: how Jesus lived, died on the cross, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and promised to return in glory.

The team has been invited back for another term.

Telling the old stories for a new generation

I grew up in South Africa in a non-Christian home but it was normal to start the day with assembly, singing hymns like Make me a Channel of your Peace, A New Commandment and The Lord’s Prayer.

The stories of Jesus caught my attention. My strongest memory of religious study was aged nine. We were reading the story of the crucifixion. A little boy sitting in front of me started to sob. My teacher sat down next to him and whispered: “its okay he’s alive” and then laid hands on the boy

and prayed for him.

I joined the Methodist Church when I was at University. I did Alpha, was baptised and felt compelled to get involved. Children seemed the easy route so I volunteered with the Sunday School.

My first class ended with 11-year-old boys excitedly piling on top of each other. I was mortified. They thought it the best lesson ever.

Years later I moved to Jersey

and joined a Methodist Church where there was no youth worker but lots of young children. I got involved again. I was scared.

Andrew and I started a youth group in our lounge and decided to do Alpha! I was nervous, read the Alpha course at least five times and on the first day one of the children locked themselves in our bathroom.

Reluctantly I continued to serve these children who are now adults, some thriving as worship leaders in church and

others still working out their place and purpose: all amazing individuals!

After four years at St Andrews, Eastleigh, I am amazed and excited about the work God is doing in our children’s work. We started off with a handful of children. Today we are struggling to resource a growing ministry.

Our children love the space in the upper room known as Jigsaw. It’s theirs and they get to express who they are, share ideas and talk about the Bible.

It’s chaos most days with an age range between 4-12 years. We have more than doubled in numbers and our outreach continues to grow every year.

Children are important to God. As children’s workers, we seek to join in God’s mission by contributing in a simple, enthusiastic and hopefully authentic way.

Looking back I am so grateful to the Christians who openly shared their vibrant infectious faith. I hope we as a Christian community can continue to do the same for the children of this generation.

Faith in young livesTestimony: Monica Bird