News from the Circuit and Beyond

During the first part of the year Trinity Brownies often had to meet on Zoom. This is still a little different from normal but allowed us to have meetings that would not have been possible in person.

We had a pet show where everybody introduced their pet (alive or a stuffed toy). There were prizes given out for sparkliest unicorn and cuddliest guinea pig (amongst other things) and we certainly couldn't have had all the dogs and the cats in the church hall!

We have worked to earn our baking badge which was a lot of fun - we made cakes and decorated them to illustrate a story (see photos of one home cook). We have also done crafts.

Read more: Trinity Brownies at work

Our own Rev. Nic Langton-Miller was welcomed into Full Connexion and Ordination at a service in the Central Hall Methodist Church, Walsall, on 27th June.  For our Superintendent Minister, Rev Yvonne, "it was a wonderful experience to attend the Ordination with her family and to meet her as she came out of the hall afterwards. Such a joyous occasion."

For a description of all that took place during the service, and some appreciation of the significance of it, see the Order of Service on the web site of the Methodist Church of Great Britain."

Read more: Rev. Nic Ordained

This year, Conference made a wide range of decisions on, e.g.

• cohabiting and same-sex marriage,
• celebrating a rich diversity in humanity (race, gender, disability LGBT etc),
• creating the office of Lay pastor,
• changing the minimum size of a 'local church',
• campaigning against changes proposed for the UK social care system,
• selling Church House;

and debated, amongst other things:

• whether and how to celebrate Holy Communion on-line,
• theological bases of safeguarding,
• a call for a ban on conversion therapy,
• a review of the work by Methodist Women in Britain.

See the official 'digest' of the proceedings.

Behind the headstones in a graveyard are many stories, most forgotten and beyond recall. There is a headstone in Bosley St Mary's Church yard, near the path as you walk from the Church to the main gate. "Asleep in Jesus; M H Brassington, Wesleyan Minister, Queensland; died 10th March 1894, in his 26th year".

I have often wondered what his story was. None of the local Methodist families [who go back several generations] seemed to know anything about him. I presumed he was a bachelor with a local connection who had died in his prime.

A few weeks ago we had a surprise email, via the Circuit Office, from his great grandson, Mark Greenwood, who has been researching his ancestors. M H Brassington certainly had a story! The following is an abridged version of what Mark could tell us.

[Alec Needham]

Read more: Story of a Fascinating Gravestone