Nottingham & Derby District SERVING CHRIST RESOURCING DISCIPLES

1st September 2017

Calling Papers for the Autumn Synod

16th September 2017 10am at Riverside, Derby DE24 8HY

Theme: Risk-Taking Mission and Service

Dear Colleagues

I am glad to say that the Chair will be with us at Synod on 16th September to lead us in a service of Holy Communion, but in her absence on presidential duties at the moment, the Deputy Chairs and I write to invite you to the Synod. Our theme will be Risk-Taking Mission and Service, and, as you will see from the Agenda, we have many interesting speakers to inform and inspire us.

Could I encourage you to consider standing for election for Conference? In summer 2018 Conference will be meeting in Nottingham. We have one place that has to be filled by a Deacon, three places that can be filled by either Presbyters or Deacons, and five places to be filled by lay people. The nomination form is in the following pages. Please get it back to me as soon as you can if you would like to stand. Please pass it on to anyone else in your circuits who may wish to stand. Those elected do not have to be members of Synod, but will become members of Synod if elected.

Please note as well the following housekeeping matters:

Presbyters and Deacons asking for a dispensation should contact the Deputy Chair Paul Worsnop on . Apologies for absence from lay people should be sent to me please.

People who are not Synod members but who are interested in the theme of the day are very welcome to attend. However, only Synod members can vote on Synod business.

A loop system is available at Riverside, but users need to wear a pendant around their necks. Please let me know if you would benefit from this.

If anyone speaking to Synod has material that they would like projecting, could they please send this to Carole Thorpe s soon as possible.

Information for the Synod notice sheet may be sent to the Caroline Green on efore Sat 9th.

Directories will be available in the circuit boxes. Please ensure that named copies for those not at Synod are distributed. Any alterations spotted during the next week few should be notified to me or to Angela Davies and a list of corrections will be emailed out around the end of September. Changes during the year should be notified to the District Office on .

Finally, if anyone who is coming to Synod is trained in first aid, might they be prepared to be our nominated first aider for the day? Please get in touch with me if you can help.

Rev Jenny Dyer

Synod Secretary

01332 346715

Diary Dates

Future Representative Synods: April 21 2018 and Sept 15 2018 at Riverside Derby

Presbyteral Synod: Thursday 15 March 2018

District Executive:Monday 11 September 2017

Wednesday 8 November 2017

Monday 15 January 2018

Monday 19 March 2018

Monday 11 June 2018

Monday 10 September 2018

Wednesday 14 November 2018

Agenda for the Representative Session of the Nottingham & Derby Synod: 16th September 2017

Theme: Risk-Taking Mission and Service

Timings may change but it is hoped that lunch will be at 12.30 and that Synod will close at 3.30.

10.00Welcome/housekeeping arrangements

10.05Opening Worshipwith Holy Communion, led by the District Chair and President of the Conference RevdLoraine Mellor, and including the commissioning of Mission Enabler Revd Chris Briggs

11.00Synod business

Appointment of scrutineers

Adoption of appointments listed in the Synod Directory

Voting for representatives to Conference (nomination form below)

Appointment of Synod-elected representatives to Synod for 2018-20 (please give details of any nominations to the Secretary)

11.05Report from the 2017 Conference

11.20Fresh Expressions Michele Simms

11.35Youth Tim Annan, Jasmine Roberts, Liberty Dane

11.55Valley CIDS Jonathan Brook

12.05Tax Justice Matthew Jones

12.30Lunch and Market Place. There will be a retiring collection for the Methodist Ministers’ Children’s Relief Association

13.30Synod business

Result of election for representatives to Conference

Requests for permission to discontinue worship at Wollaton Rd and Queen’s Rd in Nottingham (Trent Valley) Circuit 22/4

DLMN (introducing Nigel Pimlott)

Safeguarding (Philip Holmes and Susan McIvor)

14.00Boaz Trust Ros Holland

14.30 HOPE Nottingham Nigel Adams

15.00Closing worship

*********************

Applications for Discontinuance of Worship

Dear Friends,

Permission to cease worship at the Preaching Places at

Wollaton Rd and Queen’s Rd, Beeston

Although there is a standard form for the cessation of worship, it was not designed for the situationat Beeston, and so, at Loraine’s suggestion, here’s a narrative explanation of the request from the ChurchCouncil, which has been endorsed by the Circuit Meeting:

1.A consequence of the amalgamation of the Long Eaton and Nottingham West circuits in 2003 wasthat there were five Methodist Churches within a 1 mile radius of the centre of Beeston, and one more 1.7miles away. The latter, Inham Nook, struggled, and became a ‘circuit project’. Subsequently, the premiseshave been sold and we have a sharing agreement with the nearby Anglican church.

2. In 2011, three of the remaining five (that is, Chilwell Rd, Clarke’s Lane and Wollaton Rd) endorsedthe principle of there being a united society, preferably in new premises. In 2013, Queen’s Rd endorsed theproposals, leaving just the 18-member Rylands church which has not opted in to the scheme.

3. In parallel, we worked together to (i) find a new site and (ii) unite the societies. At midnight on 31stAugust 2014, Chilwell Rd, Queen’s Rd, Clarke’s Lane and Wollaton Rd societies amalgamated to formBeeston Methodist Church. The Clarke’s Lane premises had been sold a little earlier, in anticipation.

4. Thus, on 1st September 2014 a new Church was formed of c.300 members, initially with 2 serviceseach Sunday continuing on all 3 sites, Rather sooner than expected, the Church Council resolved to unifyworship arrangements, with Chilwell Rd hosting the Sunday morning service, Wollaton Rd the Sundayevening service, and Queens Rd a mid-week communion service.

5. At the end of 2016, we had to recognise that our search for a new site in the heart of Beeston hadbeen fruitless, and the Church Council resolved to redevelop the Chilwell Rd site, with a massiverefurbishment of the Church itself (which is in a Conservation Area), and probably the demolition of the rearpremises, with a new building to replace them. We hope to start work towards the end of 2018.

We envisagea two-stage process, so that the life of the Church can continue, albeit with some limitations.

6. The Church Council wishes, therefore, to dispose of the Wollaton Rd and Queen’s Rd premises, toraise funds for the refurbishment/rebuilding. Before that can happen, we need permission to cease worship inthose two of the three ‘preaching places’ of Beeston Methodist Church.

We ask, therefore, that the District Exec. recommends approval to the September synod.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Bell

The Methodist Church Nottingham & Derby District

Nomination paper:2018 Conference (Nottingham)

Presbyteral session – 28-29 June Representative session – 30 June -5 July

Please note that Conference advises that it is the responsibility of all representatives to make themselves available if they possibly can to attend a pre-Conference meeting and a post-Conference meetingin the District (Monday 18th June and Monday 9th July 2018) and the 2018 September Synod.

In appointing Conference representatives members of the Synod shall have regard for the composition of the membership of the District as a whole with regard to age, gender & ethnic origin. (The consent of the nominee must be obtained.)

Name………………………………………………………. Circuit…………………………….…………….. 22/……….

Address………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………………….

Tel. no………………………………….

Email…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Age (please circle): under 26 26-44 45-64 65+

Ethnic origin (please circle): Asian Black White other (please specify)

Current appointments /offices within the Church:

Other information (up to 25 words):

Date of last Conference attended, if any……………………..

Nominated by two members of Synod:

1……………………………………………………. 2…………………………………………………….

Please send this nomination (the above information typed in an email is fine)

to the Synod Secretary, Revd Jenny Dyer

2 Crich Ave, Littleover, Derby DE23 6ES

to arrive no later than the Saturday before Synod: i.e. 9 September 2017.

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