Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

Blackheath and Crystal Palace Circuit Quarterly Newsletter

Issue 29 March 2020 Superintendent Minister’s Letter: Mountain top moments

‘Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James and John the brother of James and led them up a

high mountain. In their presence, he was transfigured; his face shone like the sun, and his

clothes became a brilliant white’ (Matthew 17: 1 – 2)

Dear Friends,

One of my favourite hobbies is mountain walking. I love climbing paths to find summits with

spectacular views of the valleys I have risen from. My favourite mountains are in the Italian

Dolomites. There is something rather spiritual about mountain climbing, and I often feel closer

to God at the top of a mountain than at any other time. In the Bible, people of faith are often

seen reaching mountain top summits at significant moments in their lives. One of the Bible

readings we often focus on during Lent is the transfiguration of Jesus to Peter, James and John

on a mountain top. After reaching this mountain top, Jesus’ face shone like the sun, his clothes

became a brilliant white and according to Matthew 17:5, a voice from heaven called out ‘This

is my beloved Son in whom I take delight; listen to him’. The disciples were to look back on

this ‘mountain top experience’ for many years as a crucial moment in their lives when their

faith really came alive. Peter would have liked this moment to have lasted for ever and he was

all for building tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, as a way of capturing that moment.

But life is not like this; we cannot stay on our mountain tops for ever. Those who believe they

can are not facing up to the realities of life. At some point we’ve got to descend that mountain

we have so carefully climbed. As soon as the disciples did descend there were important jobs

to do and important lessons to be learned. Mark 9:14 tells us that a large crowd were awaiting

them, concerned that the disciples were unable to drive out an evil spirit from a child. The

painful lesson Jesus had to teach his disciples, as he drives out this evil spirit, is about their

lack of faith. Jesus also knew that by descending that mountain, he was heading towards the

pain and torture of Calvary. He had to come down from the mountain to face the reality of his

calling, painful though it might be, because had he not done so, God’s plan for the salvation of

all people would have been thwarted. This truth we shall be reminded of during Holy week.

All of us have experienced our own transfiguration, mountain top experiences. We can point

to moments in our lives when we have been deeply encouraged by events that have confirmed

the truth of our faith. It may have been at our confirmation or marriage; at a Christian rally or

conference attended, or a special service where a verse of scripture, or preacher’s words spoke

especially to us. We need uplifting moments to be reassured of our faith; the danger is that we

can become dependent on these uplifting religious experiences. We have to come to terms with

the everyday problems of Christian life, the frustrations of living in a fallen world. The pain

and agony of ill health, the loss of a loved one, the breakdown of relationships, financial crises

or problems at work. What gives us strength to cope with these moments of danger, difficulty,

hurt and pain is the assurance that wherever we go in life, our God goes with us and He gives

us strength to carry on and climb out of those painful experiences and return to a place of health

and healing where life can be experienced in all its fullness.

May you all enjoy a blessed Lenten season.

Richard

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

Lent Course at Burnt Ash Methodist Church

Rev. Rohama Asif is leading a Lent Course every Wednesday morning in the

Memorial Room at 11am. Commencing with an Ashing Service on Wednesday

26th February, then weekly reflections 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th March, 1st & 8th April

Lent Course at Forest Hill Methodist Church

Rev. Paul Hulme is leading a Lent Course on the theme 'Belief in the 21st

Century'; 7.30pm on Wednesdays 11th, 18th, 25th March and 1st April.

All are welcome

Lent course: ‘Opening the Scriptures’

Led by Rev. Richard Grocott

What are the parts of the Bible that set your heart on

fire? Join the Lent course to discover more about

‘Opening the Scriptures’

Lewisham Methodist Church Begins Tuesday 10th March at 7.30pm

and every Tuesday during Lent

‘Superstar’:The York Lent Course

Led by Rev. Richard Grocott

‘Asking daring questions that give colour to faith’

Eltham Park Methodist Church

Begins Wednesday 11th March at 7.45pm

and every Wednesday during Lent

Daffodil Day Monday 2nd March 2020: 'Best Of All is...'

1:40pm - 4:00pm at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, Storey's Gate, Westminster,

London SW1H 9NH

Methodist Central Hall Team bring you Daffodil Day 2020; a spring festival for Christian encouragement and renewal. Featuring an array of different guests and speakers, including Pam Rhodes, The Lord Mayor of Westminster and Revd Steve Wild of the Cornwall District, to name but a few, this annual event is not to be missed.

Community singing is from 1.40pm, with the event commencing at 2pm.

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

Brexit Bible Studies in Lent: 2 March - 6 April 2020

Led by Rev. Abe Konadu-Yiadom

As Brexit looms, where do we recognise Jesus in the challenging times ahead? How do we stay aware of the presence of God in the midst of our daily experience of the looming Brexit. How do we pray, for our communities, for those we might too easily see as ‘other’, and for ourselves? How do we listen to what God is teaching us in these challenging times?

This Lent, we will be looking at Six Bible Studies for Brexit, put together by the Church of Scotland. There are lots of stories of Jesus meeting with diverse groups of people - people from different backgrounds, with different points of view and attitudes about who the ‘insiders’ or ‘outsiders’ might be. These stories touch on lots of different issues about how we live out our faith and embody our prayers in times of political anxiety.

This series of six Bible stories will include questions for deep exploration and reflection:

Faith does not cease to exist at the threshold of the political chamber, just as politics does not cease to be at the door of the church. It is my prayer that as we spend time reading scripture, we will acknowledge, understand and make room for other points of view, whatever our personal experience is.

2-3.30pm Upper Norwood, Westow Hill, SE19 3PY

8-9.30pm Anerley Methodist Church, Oakfield Road, SE20 8TQ

All Are Welcome

2nd March: Jesus Anointed at Bethany

(Mark 14 NRSV)

9th March: Jesus at Levi’s table

(Luke 5 NRSV)

16th March: The Parable of the Widow and the

Unjust Judge (Luke 18 NRSV)

23rd March: The healing of a demon-possessed

man (Luke 8 NRSV)

30th March: The Mission of the Seventy

(Luke 10 NRSV)

6th April: The Canaanite Woman’s Faith

(Matthew 15 NRSV)

Easter Offering Save 20p a day for World Mission

Save for 40 days of Lent;

Starting Ash Wednesday 26th February

until Good Friday 10th April 2020

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

‘Whether or not the stories have happy endings, just by telling the story of how God works in

our lives, we bear witness to what God has done and is doing, for us personally.’

Clive Marsh, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference 2019/20

Woven reminds us that there is a grand narrative that God is writing and that by His

grace we’re being woven mercifully into His story. We are also inspired by Jesus’s call

to live out and confidently share this story with others, interweave our lives with

communities around us, so that they too may hear, experience and become part of God’s

story. In locating ourselves in God’s story, we also realise there is enough room for

others to be part of it and we extend an invitation to them.

1 Thessalonians 2: 8

So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the

gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

T h e v i s i o n o f W o v e n i s :

• To see increased confidence and ownership of the beautiful weaving of our stories

into God’s story

• For God’s story and our faith journeys to be shared confidently within and beyond

our church walls regularly and more widely

Woven is in concert with the Methodist Church’s Presidential theme for 2019/20 of So

what’s the Story…? which encourages us to learn from other people’s stories and to

reflect on our own story.

Circuit Envisioning Day Led by Rev. Nigel Cowgill

Saturday 28th March 2020: 10am – 4pm

At Lewisham Methodist Church

The day is expected to run from 10am, with two morning sessions, lunch, an afternoon

session, communion, and finish around 4pm. The idea is to discuss the changing nature

of the Circuit, and look at ways to share the Good news today and tomorrow. Discussion

will include the District theme ‘Woven’; and will look at ways the Methodist Church

can offer chaplaincy services to the local community … and more!

All Are Welcome

Woven, the London District Theme for 2019-2021, centres on the power of storytelling to transform and

renew us in our lifelong discipleship as followers of Christ.

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

Marriage & Relationships

As advised in the December Circuit Newsletter, The Methodist Church in Britain is

considering redefining marriage to include same-sex partnerships. Discussions are

already taking place, and decisions are due to be made at the Methodist Conference in

July 2020. Our Circuit is holding a discussion forum at 7.30pm on Wednesday 4th

March 2020 at Lewisham Methodist Church; to be led by Revd Geoffrey Farrar, who

was a member of the Connexional task group that worked for over two years preparing

a report and presenting it to conference. All are welcome

Further details and copies of the leaflets ‘Remaining Faithful’, and ‘A Case for Change’

have been sent to your Church Council Secretary. The booklet ‘God in Love Unites

Us’ is an important resource and can be ordered from Methodist Publishing

https://www.methodistpublishing.org.uk/books/MAR01-CT-19/god-in-love-unites-us

For details of discussions taking place within Methodism see:

https://www.methodist.org.uk/MandR19/

Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History Oxford Brookes University,

Harcourt Hill Campus, Oxford, OX2 9AT

admin.ocmch@brookes.ac.uk

Methodist Archives and Collections Update

‘Over 200 years of Methodist portraits’

Latest major digitised resource for the study of Methodist heritage.

Methodist Portrait Prints provides access to over 2,000 historic portraits dating from the

eighteenth to the twentieth centuries. These images chart developments in engraving

techniques, to the advent of photography, and beyond. This project draws from the

collections of the Wesley Historical Society, and builds on the success of British Methodist

Buildings – a digital resource released by the OCMCH in January 2019 that has since been

viewed over 300,000 times in less than twelve months

Many of the images in Methodist Portrait Prints are derived from leading Methodist

periodicals. From its first publication in 1778, the Arminian Magazine included portrait

prints. The Magazine was the initiative and promotional vehicle of John Wesley. In 1798

it became the Methodist Magazine, adding ‘Wesleyan’ to the title from 1822-1932 (when

the main British Methodist sub-denominations united), finally closing in 1969. Despite

being priced cheaply to achieve wide circulation, the quality of some of the prints is high.

These images were often cut out and framed, or mounted into albums, as mementos of the

individuals depicted.

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

YOUR VOICES RAISE

Come and experience the lively and joyful music of

church bands from the 18th and 19th century,

in a concert by the London Gallery Quire

Sunday, 8th March at 3pm

followed by refreshments

Admission free with retiring collection

Proceeds will be shared between

the Quire, Burnt Ash Methodist Church and Lee Oasis

Burnt Ash Methodist Church,

Burnt Ash Hill, Lee, SE12 0QD

‘WOMEN EMULATING SUSANNA WESLEY (W.E.S.U.W)’ Saturday 21st March 2020; Saturday 18th April 2020 and

Saturday 23rd May 2020: 11am-1pm

Venue: Upper Norwood Methodist Church Westow Hill, Upper Norwood, London SE19 1TQ

Refreshments will be served

Contact: Nana Ama Brehen Ankah 07957111810 (Wesley Hall)

Circuit website: bhcpmethodist.org.uk

Deadline for information for next newsletter: 20th May 2020

Articles, posters for forthcoming events etc always welcome

Please email details to: office.bcpc@btinternet.com

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

Circuit Forthcoming Events

Mon. 2nd March Daffodil Day 1.40pm-4pm Central Hall

Wed. 4th March Marriage & Relationships discussion 7.30pm Lewisham

Sun. 8th March London Gallery Quire 3pm Burnt Ash

Thur 12th March Circuit Leadership Team meeting 7.30pm Burnt Ash

Sat. 14th March ‘Praise Be’ 10am-2.30pm Anerley

Sat. 14th March District Safeguarding Conference 10am Central Hall

Thurs. 19th March Circuit Meeting 7.45pm Sunfields

Sat. 28th March Circuit Envisioning Day 10am-4pm Lewisham

Sat. 25th April District Synod 10am Central Hall

Sun. 17th May Easter Offering Service 4.30pm Anerley

Your generous donation is graciously received towards

• Robes Project: Supporting Homeless people

• Bore Hole Drilling in 3 villages in Northern Ghana to

provide clean water May God bless you with everlasting living water Amen

If you want to make a bank transfer donation:

Name: Ms Eve DeGraft

Sort Code: 60-60-04 Account number: 46 00 21 38

Methodist Women in Britain

(MWiB) – London District District President: Ms Eve deGraft

Term Theme of Office 2019 - 2021

Living Water In A Parched Land

BLACKHEATH & CRYSTAL PALACE CIRCUIT

Easter Offering Service

Sunday 17th May 2020, 4.30pm

Anerley Methodist Church

Guest preacher: Eve deGraft, President MWiB London District

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

Saturday 14th March 10am – 2.30 pm

Join us for Singing (10-11); Fellowship, Activity, and Coffee (11-12.30); a Light Lunch (12.30 – 1.30),

and more Singing (1.30-2.30) Come all day or ‘drop in’

Further details from Peter or Margaret

Date for your diary: Anerley’s next ‘Special Saturday’ will be on Saturday 16th May 2020

DO YOU LIKE A GOOD TUNE?

THEN WHY NOT COME ALONG TO A CONCERT BY THE

ELTHAM PARK PLEASANT SUNDAY AFTERNOON ORCHESTRA

29th March, 26th April & 31st May 2020 at 3.00pm

ELTHAM PARK METHODIST CHURCH

Westmount Road SE9 1XX

LIGHT CLASSICS SHOW SELECTIONS FAVOURITE HYMNS POPULAR STANDARDS

ADMISSION FREE Refreshments available www.pleasant.org.uk

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

TUESDAY FELLOWSHIP: Forest Hill Methodist Church

Sharing friendship, faith and fun

March - May 2020

Tuesday Fellowship, an ecumenical fellowship group, meet at Forest Hill Methodist Church from 2:00 on

Tuesdays for refreshments and chat, before we start at 2:30 with a hymn and prayers, then listen to a speaker

or have an activity. We do not duplicate what church does. We take a small voluntary offering. All are

welcome, as we get to know each other better, make new friends and develop our skills. Please come to

Tuesday Fellowship meetings, featuring subjects such as:

3 March 2020 John Glover: Daffodils

10 March 2020 James Faithful: Fire Training

17 March 2020 Jane Moxhay-Baker: Tuesday Tunes

24 March 2020 ‘Bring and Share’ Compère: Elsie Sutherland

31 March 2020 Getting to know our neighbours: Father Graham Preston:

St. Peter and the Guardian Angels, Rotherhithe

7 April 2020 Rev. Paul Hulme: Holy Week Meditation (with Bible Study)

14 April 2020 NO MEETING (Easter Week)

21 April 2020 Sue Rhodes: Titanic, Waverley and me (Titanic sank 14-15 April 1918)

28 April 2020 Brenda Onatade: Elmina Castle, Ghana

5 May 2020 Sue Rhodes: Labyrinths (World Labyrinth Day 2nd May 2020)

12 May 2020 Janet Sparks-Samuels, Thames Water: Water Efficiency

19 May 2020 Linda Ryan: Susanna Wesley and the education of her children

26 May 2020 Tuesday Fellowship anniversary celebration

ECCLESIA, ACADEMIAET MUNDUS 300 YEARS OF METHODISM AND HIGHER EDUCATION

OXFORD, 17 -20 JUNE 2020

OXFORD CENTRE FOR METHODISM AND CHURCH HISTORY, OXFORD

BROOKES UNIVERSITY, HARCOURT HILL CAMPUS OXFORD, OX2 9AT

The promoter of Sunday Schools, and the writer/editor of some 400 works, John Wesley sought to

educate those in less privileged positions. Wherever the Methodist Movement has spread, it has

instituted educational initiatives, schools, colleges, and universities. 300 years ago, John Wesley was

elected a scholar of Christ Church, Oxford on 24 June 1720. This conference will reflect on the past

3 centuries, addressing key themes of today, and looking to the future, exploring values and principles

which Wesley and early Methodists developed. Hosted on the Harcourt Hill campus of Oxford

Brookes University, conference sessions will take place in the original Methodist buildings, whilst

accommodation will be in the new, en-suite Westminster Halls. The campus is fully accessible, and

all in sight of the historic city of Oxford.

WEDNESDAY 17 JUNE Arrivals & Welcome

THURSDAY 18 JUNE Thinking Historical Thinking 'Then'

FRIDAY 19 JUNE Thinking Global, Thinking Today.

SATURDAY 20 JUNE Thinking Forwards & Departures

FURTHER INFORMATION: EMAIL: ADMIN.OCMCH@BROOKES.AC.UK

Or speak to Dr Linda Ryan, Circuit Administrator office.bcpc@btinternet.com

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

Burnt Ash Methodist Church Hall

Lee, London, SE12 0QD

Tickets £8/£7 concessions

Enquiries & Box Office: rynlnd@aol.com

LOOP SYSTEM IN OPERATION

Spring Fayre & Plant Sale

Burnt Ash Methodist Church Burnt Ash Hill, SE12 0QD

Saturday, 16th May 2020

ADMISSION 50p (Children free)

This amateur production is presented by

special arrangement with STAGESCRIPTS LTD

Thursday 30th April and

Friday 1st May 2020 at 7.45pm

Saturday 2nd May at 2.30pm

WWW. COLLEGEPARKPLAYERS.COM

COLLEGE PARK PLAYERS CPPDRAMA

COLLEGEPARKPLAYERS

Plants, tea & cake, BBQ,

second hand books

Gardening/home/gifts/preserves

Bric-a Brac and pots

11 am - 1.30 pm (Raffle 1 pm)

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

£5 adults £3 children

Refreshments in interval – maybe a spoonful of sugar!!

Come and sing-a-long and have a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious evening

‘Practically perfect in every way!’ Ticket enquiries to Sandy Colley

Tel 01474 353872

BURNT ASH SINGERS PRESENT

‘You’re Never Too Old’

Join the residents of an Old People’s Home

as they enjoy the rejuvenating magic of music!

Saturday 6th June 2020 at 3pm Burnt Ash Methodist Church Hall, Lee, SE12 0QD

With Martin Cleave at the piano

All tickets £7.50

Includes Afternoon Tea and Cakes Served during the interval

Book early to avoid disappointment

Raffle in Aid of Prostate Cancer UK

For information/booking contact: rynlnd@aol.com

Wesley Hall Film Night

Saturday 7th March 2020 Showing Starts at 7pm

Spit Spot!

Anerley Burnt Ash Eltham Park Forest Hill Hither Green

Lewisham Sunfields Upper Norwood Wesley Hall

EASTER SERVICES AROUND THE CIRCUIT

Maundy Thursday 9th April 2020

12.45-13.45pm Upper Norwood led by Rev. Abe Konadu-Yiadom

7.30pm Anerley led by Rev. Abe Konadu-Yiadom

7.45pm Eltham Park led by Rev. Richard Grocott

8pm Forest Hill led by Rev. Pam Clews (Please note change of time since preaching plan was printed)

Good Friday 10th April 2020

9am Lewisham led by Rev. Richard Grocott

9.15am Anerley Reflection led by Rev. Abe Konadu-Yiadom

9.30am Burnt Ash Short service led by Beccie North,

followed by Walk of Witness to Leegate

10.30am Eltham Park led by Rev. Richard Grocott

10.30am Forest Hill led by Rev. Paul Hulme (Please note change of time since preaching plan was printed)

10.30am Hither Green led by Rev. Rohama Asif

10.30am Wesley Hall led by Sandra Clifton

3pm Upper Norwood Reflection led by Rev. Abe Konadu-Yiadom

Easter Day 12th April 2020

9am Eltham Park led by Rev. Richard Grocott (HC)

9.15am Anerley led by Rev. Abe Konadu-Yiadom (HC)

9.30am Wesley Hall led by Rev. Paul Hulme (HC)

10.30am Burnt Ash led by Rev. Rohama Asif (HC)

10.30am Eltham Park led by Garry Young/Joe Koroma

10.30am Hither Green led by Elizabeth Buck

10.30am Lewisham led by Rev. Richard Grocott (HC)

10.30am Sunfields led by Jeannette Warren/Lesley Murray

11am Anerley led by Chris Watkins

11am Forest Hill led by Rev. Paul Hulme (HC)

11am Upper Norwood led by Rev. Abe Konadu-Yiadom (HC)