Sunday 27 September

10.30am

Worship

Boston Circuit Worship at Centenary:

Sunday 27 September 2020

10.30am

Also - Join the Circuit Zoom service on Sunday at 6pm

We are now recording worship each week at Centenary (onto audio CD) for anyone who would like a copy... this will continue at least throughout September. If you would like to receive a CD, please pass your details on to Julie  - email.  Please do pass this information to anyone you think would like one; if they can't access email, messages for Julie can be left in the circuit office - 355543. Our grateful thanks to those who are making this happen!

 

Message from Rev Julie

Julie is writing a weekly pastoral letter. If you have already received this directly then she has your email address! If not and you would like to in future, then drop her an email.

 

This includes some resources for worship at home and details of how to keep in touch via pastoral groups, Centenary on Sundays and praying at 12 noon.

Other resources for worship at home

Letter from Rev Ann

Dear Friends

Last week, the Stewards and I met for a bit of an update with what’s what at Zion.  There were a few things that cropped up that I need to tell you about.

 

Stewards

Firstly, I’m not sure if this is common knowledge or not, but L. has resigned as a Steward.  I have been grateful to her, for her dedication to the role and have appreciated the fact she has given so much time to the work of the Church.  She remains the Cradle Roll Secretary, but of course we really could do with at least one more steward.  If this is a role you think you could do, please do get in touch with me and I can let you have a job description.  CPD is very clear what a church can expect a Steward to do, if you chose to do more, that is your prerogative.  Remember, God equips the called!

 

Church Council

Can I remind Church Council members we have a date in our diaries for 6 October 2020 7.30pm via zoom.

Mission Planning Toolkit

Over the next few months, can I encourage you all to have a look at the Mission Planning Toolkit on the Methodist Church website.  We will be chatting about it at the Church Council, but I encourage all of our congregation to read it and do their best to engage with it.  You can find it on the Methodist Church website here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/evangelism-growth/leading-churches-into-growth/write-a-great-mission-plan/mission-planning-toolkit/. If anyone would prefer a hard copy, then do let me know and I can get one to you.

 

It is hoped that we, as a Church, will use this document to help us understand what God is calling us to do in our area.  The hope is that we will have a dedicated team to work through the document - so if you’re interested, do let me know.  It would be great if we could do an audit of our area - that way we can see what our community needs, rather than giving them what we think they need.  It will take time to develop, but ultimately, I believe God will reward our work - and who knows what will happen then!

 

RoadHoG

In the meantime, can I remind you about the desire to bring RoadHoG to Fenside.  In a previous newsletter, it was mentioned that a PCSO has asked if there’s a possibility of this.  RoadHoG have considered it to be a potential opportunity - however, we need volunteers.  I’ve put my name forward, but it would be good if some others could do the same.  This is a great opportunity for us to engage with the youngsters in our area - one I don’t think we’d be able to achieve on our own - so let’s not miss such a God given opportunity.

 

Lastly, I understand many of you have thoroughly enjoyed the worship that has happened over the last few weeks.  As I have mentioned previously, I have felt unable to join a physical service, but have been praying about it and will be back to leading worship on the October-December plan.  I admit that I still feel a bit uneasy gathering in such numbers, but trust our Finance & Property Team implicitly that they are doing all they can to keep us safe.  We are blessed to have such a dedicated team serving our church in the way they do.

 

I finish with an Irish Blessing I heard this morning on Radio Lincolnshire’s harvest service.  It’s a blessing I haven’t heard for a long time, and as I heard it, I thought of those of our county who continue to work hard so we can have food on our tables.  I know many in this area work hard on the land, for which I’m sure we are all grateful.

 

Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Rev Ann

Insight meetings and Lay Weekend Away

Some of you may be interested in joining Rev Bruce Thompson for the monthly Insight meetings. These are currently being held on Zoom rather than face to face. The meetings consist of worship, bible study and discussion. All take place on Saturday mornings from 10am until 11am. The dates for this quarter are 19 September, 3 October, 14 November, 12 December. Please contact Alison Godfrey for Zoom details via email at pa@lincolnshiremethodist.org.uk

 

You may also be interested in the lay weekend away at Launde Abbey in Leicestershire.  At this moment in time it is intended that the weekend away planned for 26 to 28 March 2021 at Launde Abbey will go ahead unless any new government rules prevent it from doing so.

For more information: https://laundeabbey.org.uk/keeping-you-safe/. The cost is £238 per person.  If you wish to attend please let Alison Godfrey know as soon as possible via email at pa@lincolnshiremethodist.org.uk

 

Year of Prayer

The Methodist Conference has declared 2020/2021 a year of prayer. Join others across the Methodist Church to pray together, every Tuesday from 12.45pm to 1pm.

Read more and register here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/evangelism-growth/year-of-prayer/

You can also watch past prayer meetings on the same link.

 

A prayer for God to break through in the life of our churches:

 

God of love, God for all, your purposes are more beautiful than we can possibly imagine. Fill us with your Holy Spirit. Help us let go of all that holds us back. Open our lives and our churches to new seasons of humility and faith, of change and growth. Shake us up with the Good News of Jesus and show us the way. Amen

Evangelism and Growth: Year of Prayer

The Methodist Conference has declared 2020/2021 a year of prayer where Church-wide commitments to evangelism, church growth, church at the margins, pioneering and church planting will flow from a deep, contemplative orientation to God’s grace and love.

Read more and take part here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/evangelism-growth/year-of-prayer/

 

Be part of this movement of prayer as we ask the Holy Spirit to help us be a growing, evangelistic, inclusive, justice-seeking Church of gospel people.

 

Weekly Online Prayer Meeting - Tuesdays at 12.45pm

Join others across the Methodist Church to pray together every Tuesday (starting 1 September) from 12.45 to 1.00pm on Zoom.

Register for the first Prayer Meeting here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvdeGpqj8rHtPwCqKrcGrw17KP0OIZM4w0

 

Join the weekly prayer meeting on Facebook Live or view past prayer meetings from September here: https://www.facebook.com/MethodistChurchinBritain/videos/

 

This online experience will draw on the diversity of Methodist traditions to help the whole Church pray together. Each week, different leaders will share Scripture, offer testimony, and creatively lead participants deeper into prayer. This may include praying with images, with music, in silence, with poetry, liturgically, or in free prayer.

 

Other Ways to Pray

Wherever we are, we are called to prayer, which is “oxygen for the soul” and “a conversation of the heart with God”.

For suggestions for how to pray individually: https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/evangelism-growth/year-of-prayer/praying-individually/

Methodist Women in Britain

For all the latest information: https://mwib.org.uk/

• Newsletter
• Prayer booklet
•  The World Federation Newsletter – Tree of Life

A Call to Prayer for Latin America

Message from Jenny  and Rev Ann re RoadHoG

As you may be aware RoadHOG returned to the road on July 6th to carry out community visits in a socially distanced safe way.  We have been blessed by the support and guidance of Fran Howard of Boston Community Policing and the support at stops from PCSOs.  One thing that was raised by them was the need for the RoadHOG bus in Fenside.  The Stump are looking to lead with a potential team leader and we have the support of St Christopher's.  I know we Methodists love to get involved, and I have seen the benefit of ecumenical teams elsewhere and I was asked to suss out if there was any interest from Zion in supporting this new stop as team members or as a driver.  If you want a chat about this or have any interest, my email is boatwright.jk@gmail.com.  We are hoping to arrange a meeting of those with an interest (no commitment needed at this stage) in a couple of weeks.  In the meantime, please keep praying for the young people of Boston, the team members able to come out and for the bus!

Jenny, RoadHOG

 

With regard to the above venture, I hope some members from Zion will feel able to support this.  It would be a great way to connect with our Community at a level we wouldn't be able to achieve on our own.  I hope to join the team once I've had some training - so hope to see you there!

Rev Ann