by Pete Wildman | May 19, 2017 | Circuit News
Late Night Lock In (LNLI) is a group for young people of secondary school age which meets in the evening of the second Saturday each month at Bromborough Methodist Church.
We welcome the young people from all church backgrounds and none; some of our regular attenders have other links to the church whilst for some LNLI is the church and we are very happy to see all of them when they come.
The activities are a mixture of discussions, crafts, video and film including creating films ourselves, plus some games. There is also a light supper of different types of food each month, some of which may be linked to the theme of the evening.
We often create a piece of art to be placed in the church so the Sunday worshippers can see what the group has been doing.
Each session finishes with an act of worship which draws together all the activities of the night.
The supervisors and helpers are all DBS checked and have completed the relevant safeguarding courses.
All young people from other churches in the circuit are welcome to come by themselves or with a leader from their own church.
by Pete Wildman | May 19, 2017 | Circuit News
Since launching Bacon Butty Church in October 2016 we have welcomed on to our church premises people of all ages, familiar faces and faces we are now getting to know – all experiencing worship in a very different way.
We meet on the first Sunday of each month at 9 a.m. for bacon butties followed by our act of worship between 9.15 and 9.45 a.m. Many people are involved in the preparation and production of our services, from telling stores and bringing the Bible alive, to the wonderful bacon butties, hearing surprise guitar talent, developing crafts and always great music and singing.
All are welcome so come and experience a great time of worship with us.
by Pete Wildman | May 19, 2017 | Circuit News
During the summer St Andrew’s United Football Team was formed, a more complicated process than you might imagine! With Matthew Threlfall as Captain and several church members in the administrative roles required by the FA, the team has been playing in the Wallasey League since September. They have met with mixed success but are currently 6th in their division. There are about 24 young men in the squad, many of whom have never previously had any church connections at all. For some of the players, the Team is providing a focal point and stabilising interest in their lives.
Our 
work with local schools continues regularly and we find it very rewarding. In November we held an exhibition, “Remember Me”. Years 5 and 6 from New Brighton Primary School and all the children from Elleray Park School visited the church to hear stories from the Minister and church members about rationing, evacuation, local bomb damage, the wartime role of the Mersey ferries, Wilfred Owen and the reason for wearing poppies. In December, Year I from New Brighton Primary School and the children from Elleray Park School came to hear the Christmas story and enjoy our Christmas Tree Festival which we held for the first time this year. Both schools decorated a tree for the festival. A choir from New Brighton Primary School came to the church to entertain us with carols and Christmas Songs which we, and they, all enjoyed. In all, well over 300 children visited St Andrew’s during November and December. We are now preparing for “Experience Easter” in March.
Our Minister, Lorraine, has been asked on several occasions by local schools and social services about a group for parents and very young children, so in November we opened a Toddler Group at our Community Hall. This has proved popular and is going very well. There is very clearly a need for such a group in the area. We have already been asked if we could open for a second session!
We have also been very pleased to welcome 11 people into Membership recently, 6 at a service in November and a further 5 at the Covenant Service.
We give thanks for all that God is enabling us to do in our neighbourhood and community.
by Pete Wildman | May 19, 2017 | Circuit News
The Wirral FUSS project, based at St. Luke’s Hoylake and with seven Hubs around the Wirral, continues its important work of supplying good quality school uniform to those who require it. We do this FREE of charge and irrespective of family circumstance – while preventing or delaying textile waste from entering landfill, and encouraging re-use. Wirral FUSS is concerned with social welfare and response to human need, raising awareness of poverty and disadvantage, and encouraging greater care of the environment. Since the project started in 2012, we have helped over 3400 families and given away some 18,000 items of school uniform! In the last six months alone we have also prevented 2.6 Metric Tonnes of clothing from ending up in landfill.
Wirral FUSS is only as good as its volunteers. At our Birkenhead Hub, Petra, Pat and Allison have worked with great energy and enthusiasm to establish our pop-up shop in the Pyramids Shopping Centre (see our website www.wirralfuss.co.uk for current details). The shop, which moves its location every six weeks, has been helping families in the Birkenhead area for nearly a year. Since the Hub was established in 2015, Petra and the team have helped over 900 families and given away more than 4000 clothing items! They are reaching people who are in most need of our service, especially those requiring Primary school clothing, and helping those who are less likely to access our resource online.
We are now looking to establish a more permanent presence in the centre of Birkenhead, building on these tremendous efforts. The shop has broadened the scope of the project and raised its profile. Frank Field MP has expressed his support for the project: “This is such a good initiative .. tackling need right at the grass roots”.
If you need school uniform or if you have clothing to donate, please get in touch: on 0151 632 6524; email: wirralfuss@yahoo.co.uk, or visit the website for more information: www.wirralfuss.co.uk.
by Pete Wildman | May 19, 2017 | Circuit News
Our Prayer Shawl Ministry is growing and these are well received by those who need them at a time in their lives when they need some warmth and love. The shawls are blessed in a church service before they are taken out by one of our members. This does not have to be someone from our own church; they can be given to anyone.
The following prayers are laminated and sent out with the shawls or blankets. I hope this will encourage more churches around the circuit to get involved with this wonderful ministry.
These can be crocheted or knitted and bring comfort to those who receive them. You can read more about this ministry on Google under Prayer Shawls.
This is a shawl to encircle you.
This is a shawl to empower you.
This is to show you I love you.
This is a shawl of protection.
This is a shawl of wholeness.
This is a shawl of strength.
This is a shawl of healing.
This is a shawl of patience.
“Remember, when you rest your gift on your shoulders or across your lap, you are covered in prayer as well as the love of your church family. Wear it for its beauty, for its warmth, for its solace, for comfort in prayer.”
“The person who made your shawl prayed while they were making it. That person may not have known your name or your circumstances but their prayer was that this shawl would bring you God’s comfort for the challenges you are facing.”
by Pete Wildman | May 19, 2017 | Circuit News
According to the dictionary we are a group who communicate with each other to exchange information & establish new links. The former definition is certainly true if the level of conversation before and after our meetings is anything to go by!
The new links are forged by our speakers whose subjects range from the John Lewis Partnership to Lapland in a Day & from Hooton Airfield to Oman – Jewel of the Middle East. We particularly enjoyed a talk on Port Sunlight River Park and Rev. Kim Goh’s Journey to the Ministry.
Several members, holiday experiences have been highlighted including Kirchentag, Celtic Pilgrimage, Vietnam, Kilimanjaro, New Zealand, USA, Pilgrimage to Turkey, Uganda and others.
We have organised guided tours to various places, afternoon teas and visits to local pantos in January.
Along the way we support the District Project and many deserving charities too numerous to mention but always gratefully received. In spite of promoting ourselves as a friendly group, we can be rebellious in that we choose to retain our title of NETWORK rather than METHODIST WOMEN IN BRITAIN as we are happy to welcome any menfolk who are brave enough to join us, in fact the refreshments served before the business of the evening are prepared and distributed by MEN!
All are welcome to join us on the first Wednesday of each month at 7.45pm in the fellowship room at Bromborough Methodist Church, Allport Lane.
THE NETWORK PRAYER : Loving God, your care is ever present at all times and in all places. May we share your call by making our church a welcoming place in which each person is valued and encouraged. As we go from here, help us to show your love in our daily lives, Amen.
Judy and Stan Wilkinson, Bromborough Methodist Church
Late Night Lock In (LNLI) is a group for young people of secondary school age which meets in the evening of the second Saturday each month at Bromborough Methodist Church.
