Links


Latest News from the Methodist Church
https://www.methodist.org.uk/

Latest News on Justice and Public Issues
https://jpit.uk/

Questions on the Christian Faith
https://www.christianity.org.uk/

 

A Pastoral Message on facing Changing the Church - YouTube link
courtesy of our District Chair, Rev Rachel Parkinson

Methodist Church centrally provided resources - to help nourish your spiritual life on a daily and weekly basis

A Green Recovery - a call from Methodist Faith Leaders 

Justice for all - take a look at the Church's perspective on Justice in the light of recent events across the world…

(Links updated Saturday 22nd March)

Please click on any of the links below, to go to...

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Please be aware that some of the links on this page may take you to external sites, and although they have been checked,
the Vale of Stour Circuit is not responsible for their contents.

CIRCUIT NEWS

The Vale of Stour Preaching Plan for the March to May 2025 quarter
can be found on the Links / Preaching Plans page here.

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Dear Circuit Family

This week marks World Water Day which raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water.  Dr. Andrew Ashdown, Methodist Partnership Coordinator for Africa, shares these thoughts:

In 2024, I travelled across Zimbabwe. Everywhere the land was parched. Rivers were dry. At frequent intervals, the carcases of dead cattle and goats lay strewn on the roadside, having starved to death or died of thirst. Skeletal survivors rummaged in the dust for non-existent sustenance and water.  At Balanda village in Matabeleland, the local Methodist Minister said to me: “Without water we cannot grow crops to feed either ourselves or our animals. Without water, we all die.”

Climate change is a global issue. But its’impact is not just environmental. It has far-reaching human, social and political consequences that create instability on a global scale. Typically, it is the poorest and most vulnerable regions and people that are most affected and as land is denuded, pressure between groups of people for use of land increases.

The Methodist Church In Britain, with its partners is committed to listening and working with its global partners to support transformative solutions.

Today we pray for those without access to safe water.

Meanwhile there is lots of news - so please read below about our new circuit initiatives, circuit concert and the District Chair's farewell Lent pilgrimage.

Every blessing as we journey through lent.

Rev Alan and the Circuit Team

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New Superintendent for the Vale of Stour Circuit

Following the Stationing Visit on Saturday 16th November, we are pleased to confirm that Rev Jem Hawkins has been offered and accepted the position from September 2025. We are thrilled and delighted, and we look forward to sharing in his ministry with us. This appointment will now need to be ratified by Conference in June. Rev Jem knows the area well having been stationed in the Dudley and Netherton Circuit some years ago and most recently in the Hidden River Circuit (Walsall combined with Brownhills and Willenhall). Thank you to all the Circuit Invitation and CLT Reps for their work and support. Elaine Panchal and Jill Martin
 

Rev Alan’s Circuit leaving service

Rev Alan’s Circuit leaving service has been arranged for Saturday 12th July at Kingswinford (originally the 13th ; please note change of date). There will be a tea from 4pm, followed by a Circuit Service at 6pm. Further details will be made available in due course.
 

District Chair Finishing Her Term of Office

Rev Rachel Parkinson will be finishing as District Chair this summer after many years of faithful and caring service. Her leaving service will be on Saturday 26th July (location to be confirmed).
As part of a surprise gift for her a quilted blanket will be created by Sue Culver and will contain single sentence prayers of blessing or greeting that have been offered by folk across the district (approximately three per circuit).   So - if you would like to offer a sentence of thanksgiving / prayer / greeting for Rachel, please email Rev Alan.  We cannot guarantee it will be included but we will gather up offerings and send them on.  Thank you.
 

Luke Denley 

Luke Denley, the new Circuit Mission and New Communities Enabler is meeting anyone who would like to be involved with Shine church going forward.  Shine church is the Circuit's offering to Lifted Spirits (a community group hosted at Brierley Hill that offers support to families with children who have special needs).   At Shine Church occasional services are offered including crafts and food,  enabling up to 25 children with special needs and their families to come together for an act of worship at Brierley Hill Methodist Church.  If anyone from the circuit would like to be involved, please come to the meeting on the 5th March at 9:30am at Brierley Hill where we will be planning for our service for Shine Church on the 15th April 10:00-11:30.  Please just turn up if you would like to be a part of this planning meeting but also e-mail vosmance@outlook.com or ring 07460 795378 if you would like to be apart but are unable to meet that day.

Luke Denley - Mission and New Communities Enabler - 07460 795378
 

Lenten Courses

Churches Together in Stourbridge Lent Course starting 8 March – see below:-

Date

Topic

Host church

  March 20

The Hope of the Church

Our Lady & All Saints

  27

Hope in the community

Led by the Salvation Army in
Our Lady & All Saints

April 3

Hope in a troubled world

Stourbridge Quakers

  10

The Hope of eternal life

Chawn Hill

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Chair of District Lent Pilgrimage Walk

On Fridays in Lent, Rev Rachel Parkinson, the District Chair will be making pilgrimage prayer walks in the Circuits.  

On Friday 28th she will begin in Foley Park in Kidderminster and will enter the Vale of Stour with soup LUNCH at KINVER  at 12pm.  She will then walk up to Wollaston (2.30pm), Gig Mill (3.30pm) and will end her day at New Road (4pm).  You are invited to join her along the way or meet her at one of these stops. 

You are invited to write prayer requests and send them to Elaine (who will gather them and pass them onto Rev Rachel.
 

Circuit Lent Walk – Wednesday 16th April 2025 – Rev Michael will be leading this year’s walk beginning at Kinver and ending at Kingswinford. Please see the attached document which contains all the details.

Why not Try Some Lent Reflection

By signing up to Soul Food - offered by the Methodist Church for this Lent. Here's the link...

https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/soul-food/#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=aee5cb32-bcf1-4fe9-848a-b0a80a262c66&msdynmkt_prefill=mktprfe7b335c51ceb42c5a6801f1e22c8b1daeoprf

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Easter Eggs

Just to let you all know that we are collecting Easter Eggs at Amblecote Wordsley Methodist Church again.  They will be going to Kids Clothes Project in Brierley Hill (https://www.kidsclothesproject.co.uk/). We will be hosting an open day on the 1st of April from 1pm till 4pm, when the church will also be open for tea and coffee. We will be accepting eggs any Tuesday or Sunday until this date.

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Women of Holy Week

At Kinver Methodist Church during Lent, we will be exploring Paula Gooder’s imaginative and inspiring book Women of Holy Week. Paula is one of the leading biblical scholars in the UK and is Canon Chancellor of St Pauls’ Cathedral.  Paula uses her extensive biblical expertise to retell the events of the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension through the eyes of nine female characters she imagines accompanying Jesus during these momentous days. Paula has kindly recorded an exclusive introductory video for us. We also have audio recordings of her reading each of the short stories that we will use at the evening studies. We will be exploring seven of the women in the book at Sunday Services (10am) beginning on March 9th and Tuesday evening studies (7:30pm) beginning on March 11th. You would be most welcome at any or all of these. Paula’s books are available now for a suggested donation of £6 a copy. For more information, please contact Rev Andrew Roberts.
 

Holy Communion Service

On Sunday 23rd March - Holy Communion Service at 6pm at Kingswinford Methodist Church led by Rev Alan. All welcome.
 

Stourbridge Methodist Church (New Road) – Viva Musica Saturday 29th March at 7.30pm (Poster Attached)
 

Thanks for the Memories - Music and Singing for our Wellbeing

The circuit is delighted to announce the launch of Monthly afternoon singing of favourite songs from the past and from the musicals.  This will be at Amblecote Wordsley beginning on Sunday 30th March and 27th April with tea from 3:30 and singing from 4-5pm.  All are welcome - see attached poster.
 

Action for Children Fundraising event :-  Demonstration , Flowers by Andrew, Thursday 10th April 7.30pm at Amblecote Wordsley Methodist Church.  Tickets £5. Your church representative has details and tickets, or you can pay on the door.

A Service Celebrating the life of Joyce Adams will be held on Friday 11th April at Stourbridge Methodist Church New Road.

The service will begin at 11.30am and refreshments will be served afterwards. If you are planning to attend, would you let Rev Michael know for the purpose of catering and other arrangements.
 

Circuit Concert - Scratch Choir singing 'Solomon the Peaceful King'

Come and join a scratch choir to sing 'Solomon the Peaceful King' on Saturday May 24th - 7pm at SMC - New Road

Rev Alan and the team invite you to attend, enjoy, sing / contribute to a circuit wide concert... Churches / groups are invited to offer an item or two of entertainment!

PLUS, WHY not join the circuit scratch choir (you don't need to read music but there are parts to learn if you do!) to learn and sing the centre piece of the concert: 'Solomon the Peaceful King' by John Pantry.   Rehearsals will be on Sundays 4, 11 & 18 May from 3-5pm at New Road. 

Let's make something special together - offering in aid of Ukraine. 

Please contact Rev Alan directly to let him know church offerings and if you will join the choir.

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Stourbridge Methodist Church Open Mic Night - We're thinking about doing an Open Mic Night, venue to be decided, but we want to see if there’s enough interest to make it happen!
Whether you’re a musician, poet, comedian, or just someone who loves a good night of live performances, we’d love to hear from you.
If you’d be up for performing, please take a moment to fill out this quick form: https://forms.gle/E1NGZuhDMUBNaw4P6
It’ll help us gauge interest and decide if it’s something worth putting together.  Feel free to share with anyone who might be interested!
Looking forward to seeing what you think.

Liam Hodgetts
liam.hodgetts212@gmail.com
 

Amblecote Wordsley Methodist Church are now holding Foodbank Collections – Tuesdays from 1:30pm till 4pm.
 

Activities at Brierley Hill Methodist Church

Brierley Hill Methodist Church begin a weekly Men’s Fellowship Group, on Tuesdays from 2:00pm-3:30pm.  Initial activities are Chess, Dominoes, Local History or Current Affairs, Music, Poetry, Quizzes, Bible study and Bible meditation.  A leaflet is attached here with more information !  "All are welcome in this place."
 

Activities at The United Church Lye

First Tuesday of the month - 2-3 pm Tuesday Club, informal gathering with different activities each month. Cost is £2 : contact Jacqueline Hill for details 0780 1030844 or Elizabeth Long 07928 808772.

Third Tuesday - Discussion Group 7-8pm (very informal, Bible based) contact Revd Chris on 07708 750142

The Luncheon Club now meets each Friday at 11am, 3 course meal plus friendship all for £5. Contact Margaret Mullett on 07904 514764.

Events are open to all.

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VOS Virtual Platform - Please Make Use of the Circuit Online Meeting Space - It's free, funded by the circuit...

Alongside VoSWorship, the Circuit Platform has been undergoing an update thanks to the CTC team and I encourage churches to use this FREE resource - funded by the circuit for online gatherings such as Bible Study, Prayer, Games Nights etc.  It's a fantastic and easy to use environment and there are many folk already trained across the circuit who can open a room for you to host your event / meeting.
 

God bless you all and may you know the sustaining presence of God in your lives.
 

Rev Alan Combes

ONLINE Service

We are no longer providing a weekly pre-recorded circuit service.  However, for anyone unable to attend church or access online services; we attach a full text version of a service for you to use at home.

We also recommend any of the following for those of you still unable to get to church :
 

ONLINE Service Live-streamed from Kinver.

This will be the first video (on the left) under UPLOADS > PLAY ALL at the following site :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZnnIcxNLSP5VXyOGBeuxMA

The most recent online services are the other videos found on the same page.

The dates of all the Kinver services are shown beneath each video thumbnail.
 

Wesley's Chapel’s YouTube channel has a livestreamed service at 11am on Sundays and Morning Prayer services the rest of the week at 10am.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAUqhmhevz5sqhh72LIMxA
Again, this will be the first video (on the left) under HOME > Past live streams, and the most recent online services are the other videos found on the same page.

The dates of all the Wesley services are shown beneath each video thumbnail.
 

All previously archived live-streamed and recorded services can be found on the Circuit Website Virtual Player: 
https://www.valeofstour.org.uk/virtual-church/player
 

Order of Service
For anyone unable to attend or watch any services in person, this week's full Order of Service is here.
 

Coffee and a Chat

If you are interested in online coffee on a Sunday, please talk to any of the circuit staff and let us know what time would work for you and we can look at a time that would suit the majority of people.

Thanks to all those working in the background.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we continue to pray for our communities, the church and ourselves.

God bless

Rev Alan and the Team


 

NEW LINKS

Ministers' and Preachers' Reflections, Sermons, and Orders of Service
~~updated~~

For earlier Worship Resources and Reflections, see the archive page here.