Mission and development
A Discipleship movement shaped for mission - General Secretary’s Report Conference 2012
In July 2012 The Methodist Conference agreed the way forward proposed by the General Secretary in his report. Available here: http://www.methodistconference.org.uk/media/41172/2-the-general-secretar...
The Conference commends the Report and its proposed emphasis on the Methodist Church as “a discipleship movement shaped for mission” to the whole connexion for study, response and action.
Since 2008 I have been working with circuits engaging with a review which has been encouraging them to think about the future and their purpose today. I have been working with five other district development enablers in the north of England having realised that, as we were working with circuits to discern the way forward in developing the Mapping a Way Forward: Regrouping for Mission Connexional initiative, we were coming across the same comments and challenges, as well as having the joys of sharing in hopes and dreams for the future. We were encouraged by the prayer offered up as the Church sought God’s guidance for this journey. Some people saw the fact that there was no “blueprint” that could be followed to be a difficult issue; others felt freed up to be creative in their thinking. So the Healthy Circuits Handbook was born.
From the Darlington District we used examples from the West Durham, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Eston circuits.
This Healthy Circuits Handbook is designed not only as an aid to creative thinking, but also as a means for Circuits to evaluate themselves, in order to take steps on a regular basis to increase their health. It offers guidance on areas that need to be considered by circuits and provides examples of how this may be achieved.
It will be available in the District after a presentation at Synod in September 2011and it is hoped that many circuits will use it.
It is also available as an A5 booklet which can be found on the Newcastle District website: http://www.newcastlemethodistdistrict.org/healthycircuit.pdf
More information and support from Susan Johnson