Women in Leadership

The main reason we were visiting South Africa was to find out about Magnify, the women in leadership programme, written and delivered by Rev Jane Day.  The name for the programme takes inspiration from the song of Mary in Luke Chapter 1 when she says, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant…the mighty one has done great things for me…holy is his name.’

The programme aims to equip, encourage and empower women to serve God wherever they are in God’s mission and takes place on six Saturdays throughout the year.  The six sessions, all beginning with ‘C’ are as follows:

• ·         Context – Women in leadership
• ·         Character – The inward journey
• ·         Competence – What gifts do we bring?
• ·         Connect – Who is around you?
• ·         Communion – Exploring spirituality
• ·         Courage – What are you aiming for?
• ·         Celebration – Telling stories of changed lives

Rachel and I attended a ‘Magnify’ day exploring spirituality, which was held at a wonderful retreat centre called Enseni - a former family home that was bequeathed to the church and is set in beautiful gardens. 

      

The theme of the day was ‘love’ and we were offered three different options to help us engage with the theme.  One was creative – to decorate a compassion box and fill it with things that give us pleasure or enjoyment and reflect on how we take care of ourselves. The second was an awareness walk – we were invited to walk in the garden and really take time to notice the beauty of the nature around us and listen for God’s voice.  This was helped by the fact that it was summer in South Africa and it was a beautiful, hot, still, sunny day! The third invitation was to go to a quiet prayer room and focus on different aspects of God’s heart, resting in his love for us. 

      

After a couple of hours we gathered together again and shared communion and were invited to share any thoughts from the morning.  We then ended the time together with lunch before everyone went their separate ways.

   

Jane very kindly allowed Rachel and myself to look at all her Magnify resources and we were both impressed by the professionalism, careful thought and attention to detail that Jane has put into the planning of the days and by some of the amazing stories of women who have done the course and have been enabled to realise their worth to God and how he has gifted them and gone on to do some amazing things in a leadership role.  Another thing that was inspiring for us was that in a nation where there is still a lot of segregation and division, even sometimes in the churches, that the Magnify programme is pulling together women of all backgrounds, races and nationalities in a common bond of sisterhood that must surely put a smile on God’s face.

     

Nicky, Jane and Deirdre - the team from Creative Communication

South Africa - introduction

Our visit to South Africa came about because as the British Officer for the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women, I was offered a trip on behalf of the British Methodist Church at some point in my five year appointment. 

I had begun to correspond with one of our Mission Partners, Rev Jane Day, and was interested particularly in the leadership programme for women she had instigated and the executive agreed this could be a useful connection and learning experience.  The Methodist Women in Britain policy is for two people to travel together and so it was felt that this trip could be of benefit to Rachel Allison, our Helen Kim Memorial Scholar and she agreed to accompany me.  Jane’s husband Steve, is also a minister so Mark came too and we planned that while Rachel and I accompanied Jane and worked with her, Mark would work alongside Steve in his ministry. 

Jane and Steve live in a place called Germiston which is close to Johannesburg.  They very graciously allowed us to stay with them in their home and it was great to spend time with them and find out about their life in South Africa as well as some of the issues facing them and the nation. 

Revs Jane and Steve Day

Jane, Rachel and myself

    

Bus tour

The first day that we were there, Jane and Steve organised for us to take an open top bus tour of Johannesburg which was a great way to gain an overview of the city.  We could have hopped on and off all day but we only stopped at two places – Constitution Hill (which I will write about in another blog) and the Transnet Building to get a view of Jo’Burg from above.  Jo’Burg has several names but the one we kept hearing was ‘City of Gold’ because it developed around a gold rush in 1886. 

     

 

The Jo'Burg red bus

 

Nelson Mandela bridge

Ghandi Square

Jo'Burg sreet scene

Transnet Building - tallest building in Jo'Burg

Views from the top

        

          

  

Theatre

A highlight of our week was when Jane and Steve took us to the Joburg Theatre to see a performance of ‘The Colour Purple’.  It was great to experience not only the amazing voices and acting talents of the cast but also the wonderful way in which the audience interacted with the show – something we have never experienced before.  People were clapping, cheering, gasping, shouting ‘Amen’ and generally engaging with the plot and the characters!  It is an experience I will never forget. 

    

This is just an introduction to our trip but I will write further blogs, some on a more serious note on the Magnify – Women in Leadership course, on what I have learned about Apartheid and about Methodism in South Africa with more photos to share! 

Life without supermarkets

Gracious I am not sure where that year went without updating my blog! 

I am writing today just as we approach Lent, because my daughter has challenged me to join her in giving up supermarkets for Lent.   

My new year's resolution was to 'eat less and eat better' and I have been searching our local shops, farm shops etc for meat and veg in an attempt to eat more ethically and cut down on the use of plastic, food miles as well as eat food that supports our local economy and good animal welfare. Attempting to give up supermarkets for Lent really takes that a step further as I will see if it is possible to get everything we need locally.

This challenge has made me feel a bit nervous and made me realise just how much we rely on our weekly supermarket shop.  My research so far has shown that buying more local and organic produce costs more and involves a lot more effort to seek out what we need.  I love the food writer, Joanna Blythman, who suggests that we CAN eat ethically and organically on a budget so long as we shop wisely, buy cheaper cuts of meat, eat less meat and cook everything from scratch.

I already do cook most food from scratch but the challenge now is to spend this time eating more simply, eating a bit less but more ethically.  I am not sure how I am going to fit all this in to my busy life but as Emily has laid down the challenge I will have a go and let you know how I get on!  If anyone has any handy hints and suggestions do get in touch! 

All We Can, the charity for which I am one of trustees, has produced some excellent Lent resources, called 'Keep it Simple' which aims to help us explore the pleasure of living simply while joining in solidarity with our global neighbours.  I would really encourage you to have a look and use them in your personal daily devotions or in your Lent groups or to give to the amazing work they are doing around the world with people who often struggle to provide for the daily needs of themselves and their families.  www.allwecan.org.uk/simple  

Seeking refuge in storm Doris

The scene at Euston on Thursday

Last week during storm Doris, our daughter Jo became stranded in London as all trains to her home in Manchester had been cancelled. Due to the large number of people stranded, hotel beds were difficult to find, the tube stations were closed because of overcrowding and there were long queues for taxis.  She texted us for help and as we prayed I was able to put a message out on Facebook and begin compiling a list of people we knew in the London area.  Within the hour, I had had several offers of lifts and beds for the night for her and the kindness of friends moved me to tears.  As it turned out she was able to find a hotel bed and finally got a taxi there but it was a worrying hour or so for me as a mum thinking of my pregnant daughter wandering London on her own.


This incident made me reflect again on how dreadful is the plight of so many refugees fleeing their homelands looking for safety.  Among them will be young mothers to be like Jo who will not have the benefit of parents with lots of friends who would willingly take them in. Jo knew she would be able to get back home the next day but it is just beyond imagination to think of people leaving behind all their worldly possessions, other than that which they can carry, and travelling to unknown destinations where there is no certainty of a welcome and conversely, the possibility of danger and hostility as they travel.  Even though these people are anonymous to us, it made me remember that they are all known and loved by their own families and each one is precious to God.

If anyone wishes to give a donation to the refugee crisis appeal you can do so through many charities including the Methodist charity, All We Can. Www.allwecan.org.uk

New Year musings

The new year is traditionally a time for looking back and reflecting on the year that has passed and also looking forward to what may lay ahead in the new year.

As Mark and I reflect on 2016 we are so thankful that it was a year full of adventure and marked by a lot of travelling, especially with Mark having had his sabbatical and with me having a suitcase constantly packed and ready to journey around the country by train.  It has also been a year of exciting changes as I have officially started my new role with Methodist Women in Britain and Mark has been given responsibility of an extra church at Ivybridge.  We have met and started to get to know many new people and look forward to building more relationships locally and around the country in the year ahead.  In addition, both of our daughters and their husbands moved house and we learned that we are to become grandparents for the first time this coming year. :-) Sometimes I find it hard living far away from our children and not seeing them very often, but we were blessed with a couple of lovely days all together over New Year in Manchester and for that I am very thankful.

A full house at Ivybridge on Christmas morning

Christmas dinner a deux!

Visiting my parents

Happy to be with my chicks!

Looking forward into 2017 we have lots of things already in the diary about which we are full of hope and excitement and there are other situations in which we are having to put our hand into God's and entrust them to him and his plans for us and our loved ones.   As I said in the last blog entry, we look forward to the coming year not knowing what it holds or what will happen either good or bad but as the old hymn goes, 'I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.'

Sometimes we scrabble around making plans but actually all we have as a certainty is this moment, today and it is good to take time to slow down and enjoy each moment as it arises, appreciate the people we love and remember to count our blessings.

This weekend we will take part in the traditional Methodist New Year Covenant Service and the words are so powerful and if said with sincerity are quite a challenge but I pray that whatever this year brings, you will be given the grace to put your trust in God day by day and be given peace and strength to deal with all that lies in store.  As Wesley said, 'Best of all is, God is with us.'

Methodist Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but yours.

Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;

put me to doing, put me to suffering;

let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,

exalted for you, or brought low for you;

let me be full,

let me be empty,

let me have all things,

let me have nothing:

I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things

to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

you are mine and I am yours. So be it.

And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

When your path takes a different direction

I have been thinking during this Advent season about Mary and how her life took a very different path than the one she had been expecting.  As a young girl she must have dreamed about one day getting married, having children and settling into a peaceful family life and all this changed when she received a visit from the angel telling her she had been chosen to carry God's son.  And yet despite the change to her own plans she was humble and obedient to God's call on her life saying, 'I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said.'

It made me think about the times when our own plans and dreams don't turn out the way we expect and how we react to the change in direction.  Some changes occur through decisions or choices we make - about who we marry, where we work, how we spend our money and time or how we react to people around us.  Other changes are forced upon us - when illness, tragedy, redundancy or bereavement strike, when we wait for passionate prayers to be answered or when things don't turn out the way we hoped.  How do we react when our lives change unexpectedly?

People react in different ways - some people react with bitterness, anger, fear or resentment while others seem to be at peace in their hearts and seem to have an inner strength to cope.  I know that in my own life when there have been changes of direction both chosen and forced upon me, it has driven me closer to God as I have reached out for him and sought his comfort, strength and peace.   That doesn't mean that I haven't wrestled with the 'why' of events or that there has been an easy way through grief or pain, but I have discovered that it is ok to feel what I feel and struggle as I come to terms with things. Thankfully though, I have always ended up at a place of peace so that I can say with the hymn writer, whatever happens, it is well with my soul.

None of us know what tomorrow brings or what changes lay ahead in our lives but I pray that we will all, like Mary, be given the strength to deal with what lies before us and overcome by the power and strength of the Lord and that we will look for ways to help each other along.  If you have any issues you would value prayer for then please do let me know so we can keep you in our thoughts.

Wishing everyone a peaceful Christmas and a fruitful and blessed new year.

A Taste of Texas in Taunton

Last Saturday Methodist Women in Britain held our annual World Federation day in Taunton to give people a Taste of Texas.  The idea of the day was to give people who hadn't managed to get to Houston for the World Assembly in August a bit of an overview of what happened there.

Some of us who had been to Texas shared our experiences of our time there and gave a taster of some of the workshops and Bible teaching we had received.  The hospitable people of Taunton gave us an American themed lunch and a good time was had by all.

The theme of the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women for the next five years is 'Chosen People, Called to Proclaim' based on 1 Peter 2 vs 9,10 and the plan is to explore that theme more deeply over the years in various ways at our conferences, district days and local meetings and to encourage women around the country to tell others how amazing God is through our lifestyles, relationships, words and actions.

I especially loved having Mark there with me for the day as he wasn't in Texas with me and it was good for him to find out a bit more about what went on there from different perspectives.  And it meant I didn't have to drive myself home!  It also made a lovely change to have an event fairly close to home so that I wasn't travelling for hours at the end of the day.  From Texas to Taunton - if I'm honest I prefer Taunton!!

If you want to find out more about the work of Methodist Women in Britain or the World Federation, please visit our website at www.mwib.org.uk.

The lovely banner made for our area to take to Texas.

Some fabulous banners in the church

Everyone arriving and being welcomed

A welcome TV screen at the church - great idea!

I love the joy in this picture - Anne our president having a moment with Alison Judd

This is the bible passage upon which the theme is based. 

This is me leading the bible study taken by my driver and photographer for the day!

A literal taste of Texas!

Plymouth and Devonport ladies enjoying their lunch

Workshops in the afternoon

Gillian and Jennifer talking about stopping hunger

Jude talking about hospitality and sharing stories of Sandylands Methodist Church in the Cumbrian floods

Alison speaking about the UN development goals

 

Almost a full house!