COVID-19 | Fomc

Coronavirus and COVID-19

Here's all the recent news about our church family. Anything we've underlined is a link to more details.

If you don't already receive it, why not sign up for the Circuit's weekly newsletter. That's the best way to keep up to date with everything that's going on. It will drop into your inbox every week, usually on Saturday afternoon, and it has tons of up-to-the-minute information about worship, study, what is happening around our circuit of churches and in the communities in north Birmingham that we serve.

Weekly notices come out as usual and can be sent to you by email. If you don't already subscribe please email the office and ask to go on the mailing list. There's a copy of this week's edition here.

On the Worship at Home page and the Junior Church at Home page there's lots of ideas and materials to support us as we worship "together but separately" in response to the health crisis.

Church Re-Opening

If you are interested in what is involved in resuming worship, follow these links to read the guidance from Methodist Trustees and the guidance for church property managers. Please bear in mind that with fresh announcements from the Government and new developments being issued all the time, this guidance is being updated regularly.

Click here to find more news about the church re-opening

If you need help let someone in the church family know your situation

Getting in touch

As well as all the options on the regular Contact us page, if you have an urgent concern or need help please call or text Chris on 07710 170278

Hospital visiting is restricted. If you can't get to see someone in the QE, Heartlands, Solihull or Good Hope hospitals please get in touch with Stephen or Marilyn. If they can't visit either, they can contact the UHB Chaplaincy Team.

Do you WhatsApp? There are two church WhatsApp groups that you might want to join to keep up with news and share fellowship. One just has notifications from the office, the other is a busy support group where we share news, prayers, ideas, uplifting thoughts every day. To be added to either or both call or text Peter on 07966 875585

Prayer Line

If you would like someone to pray for you, or with you, or for a particular concern that is on your heart

call the prayer line number which is 07942 581223

email the prayer line at fomcprayer@gmail.com

FOMC Updates

For this week's Methodist News, click here.
To open a copy of the Winter edition of Connexion Magazine, click here.
Stay up to date with the Joint Public Issues Team by clicking here.
For this month's Singing the Faith+ newsletter, click here.

Funerals have become a new challenge as most of us will be unable to attend funerals at present. A church publication containing reflections and prayers is available, and you can open a copy by clicking here.

Church Giving can continue if you are able to contribute to our running costs and in these difficult times donations are especially welcomed. You can still donate by text (see the Giving page) or you can set up a standing order or make a donation directly to our account - contact the office for the account details.

Financial worries are affecting many in our community. If you need advice, or know someone who does, please click here for contact details to receive confidential (and free) advice on the telephone from advisers working in partnership with Birmingham City Council.

Erdington Foodbank - Our Circuit is supporting a food bank in Erdington which has unprecedented demand. Contact Revd Stephen directly, or via the WhatsApp Group, or via Peter or Chris (above) to make donations.

The Messenger - our print magazine is back, despite lockdown restrictions, although currently it comes out every three months rather than monthly. The latest edition came out at the beginning of February. You should have received a copy through the Pastoral Visitors, but if you don't have a Pastoral Visitor and would like a copy, please email the office. It isn't too soon to start thinking what you might like to contribute for the next edition - contributions to Sue by post or on this link by Easter.

Birmingham City Mission - we are still delivering to BCM. Click here to see their shopping list. Donations of food and toiletries can be left in Ian and Sue's porch and we will deliver them as soon as we can. Contact us using the big orange button if you need the address. Thank you.

Junior Church Leaders - please click here for the updated guidance on social media communications.

3Generate 365 - this is the Methodist Church's initiative to resource and support ministry amongst young people, never more important when we're all worshipping separately. Click here to find out more.

Church Floodlighting - has been upgraded, and you may have seen the church bathed in red for the week after Valentines Day and at present it is lit in NHS blue as a tribute to all key workers. If you're interested in sponsoring the floodlighting you can always contact the office.

Fairtrade Fortnight - is virtual this year sadly, but click here for details of how you can participate.

Click the button to email us anything you would like to add:

I have something to share

Grief Loss and Bereavement

A workshop on Wednesday 31 March

For some Christians, the death of a loved one is inexcusable. Why didn't God heal him/her? Did God ignore my prayers?

In this workshop we raise some of the big questions around death and dying, and around prayer and faith, as we explore bereavement from a Christian perspective. We recognise that this is an emotive topic so we have Chaplaincy colleagues (Deacon Marilyn and Deacon Rachel) available for 1-1 discussions and prayer in 'breakout rooms' if required.

The workshop is set deliberately in Holy Week so that we can anticipate the joy of celebrating Christ's resurrection, and thus bring some answers to our questions. The event is designed for people from churches in the Sutton Park Circuit, and will be led by Revd Stephen Froggatt. Questions raised by this group will inform Stephen's sabbatical study on the need for lament in public worship.

Click the image below to book a place.

A Prayer

Light of the World, you shine for me always, whether I am strutting my stuff in the footlights, or caught like a rabbit in the headlights; when lightning strikes twice in the same place, or all the lights go out.

Draw me in to your firelight, search my heart with your candlelight, may I live in your sunlight, until every dark place in my soul is illumined by you.

Amen

Jenny Dyer, superintendent, Stoke-on-Trent North Circuit.

In Memoriam

Revd Stephen is maintaining a memorial page on the Circuit website to those we have sadly lost during this difficult time. Please let him know if there is anyone we should add who is not already remembered there. In time we will be able to join together to celebrate and thank God for these lives and remember the ways they have enriched our own. In the meantime we hold them all in our hearts and ask God to bring comfort to those who are mourning.

Those who wish to remember the life and service of the Reverend Dr John Taylor, our own cloth-cap theologian, may do so here.