WELCOME
The Lancashire Methodist District of the Methodist Church shares in the calling of the Methodist Church to respond to the gospel of God’s love in Jesus Christ and to live out our discipleship in worship and mission.
An Extraordinary Christmas in Your Church (All We Can)
This will be an extraordinary Christmas for so many of us, as we find ways to celebrate the birth of Jesus in these strange times and perhaps some of our Christmas traditions may need to be re-imagined.
There are three ways your church could engage with All We Can this Christmas
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Thy Kingdom Come #Prayerforthenation
Thy Kingdom Come invites us to pray each evening at 6pm during this
second lockdown. Why not set your alarm, or light a candle? The following
resources may be helpful.
Church of England Website
Prayer Booklet
Year of Prayer
Why a Year of Prayer?
The Conference has declared 2020/2021 a year of prayer so that our Church-wide commitments to evangelism, church growth, church at the margins, and pioneering and church planting will flow from a deep, contemplative orientation to God’s grace and love.
Be part of this movement of prayer as we ask the Holy Spirit to help us be a growing, evangelistic, inclusive, justice-seeking Church of gospel people.
Click Here to read more
Quiet Days for Lay Employees
Online Quiet Day for Lay Employees in the North West and Mann region.
A day to explore the theme "Drinking from the Well" led by our friends at The Chapel in the Fields retreat centre via Zoom.
Thursday 21st January 2021, 10.00 am - 3.15 pm
Monday 25th January 2021, 10.00 am - 3.15 pm
Click Here to read more
Lay Employee Day 
Save the date! Our Lay Employee day, in conjunction with Cumbria District, will be on Tuesday April 13th 2021.
We usually meet together for networking and refuelling - this coming year will need to happen via Zoom again, but for now save the date and more information will be available nearer the time.
Meeting the President
From 9th - 11th October 2020, The President of Conference, Rev'd Richard Teal was with us (virtually) in our District - and he kindly found time to speak with Margaret Bibby, fresh after the announcement of her M.B.E., and he prayed for her and for Euxton Methodist Church in their 175th Anniversary year.
Evangelism and Growth
The Methodist Church is committed to being a growing, evangelistic, inclusive, justice-seeking Church – so that new people become disciples of Jesus Christ, faith deepens for everyone, and diverse communities and churches experience transformation.
“Evangelism” comes from a biblical Greek word that literally means “good news”. All Christians – not just some – are called to listen for, speak of, and live out the good news. We all have good news to share! Watch this video to hear how different people are sharing good news from their own experience of God.
Weekly Meditation
Meditation may deepen one's experience of the presence of God, enhance self-awareness, and reduce stress and anxiety, valuable during this time of isolation.
Join a half-hour Zoom ‘guided meditation’ session, led by Peter Lumsden (local preacher in the Clitheroe circuit), every Monday evening at 7 p.m.
The sessions follow a pattern of 15 mins of spiritual reflection, combined with a focus on breathing, leading into a period of about 15 mins of silence.
Contact Peter Lumsden: pjlumsden58@gmail.com
Coronavirus update from The Methodist Church
2nd November 2020
Following the Prime Minister’s statement on 31 October, it has been confirmed that new National Restrictions will be brought into effect from 5 November 2020 (subject to a Commons vote on Wednesday) in England.*
As part of these new restrictions, places of worship and their ancillary accommodation will have to close or remain closed for congregational worship and all other user groups, except for the following:
Click Here to read more
District Sunday services November 2020, 7.00 pm
UPDATE: REGULAR ATTENDERS ONLY NEED TO REQUEST TO ATTEND AS WE HAVE ALL YOUR DETAILS.
Deadline for requests to attend is 1.00pm on Friday
The District Sunday Evening Services via Zoom are still continuing but are entering a new phase - in that we would like to invite other people to take a role in leading them in the future. Anyone who is interested in helping in this way, contact the District Office at the following email address: lancsmethodist@btinternet.com.
When booking you only need to state your circuit and church if it is your first time of attending, otherwise, please just send an email requesting the codes.
Please contact lancashiredistrictzoom@aol.com to book your place. When booking you only need to state your circuit and church if it is your first time of attending, otherwise, please just send an email requesting the codes.
Please note the deadline for applying to join the weekly service is 1.00pm on Fridays. This will greatly assist the Preston Ribble Circuit with administration.
Click Here for instructions on how to use Zoom
Worship Sheets (Sunday 29th November 2020)
These short acts of worship have been produced for you if you are unable to attend church. If you are well enough why not spend a few moments with God, knowing that other people are sharing this act of worship with you?
Click Here for Word copy worship sheets for 22nd November 2020
Click Here for pdf copy of worship sheet for 22nd November 2020
Click Here for Large Print pdf worship sheet for 22nd November 2020
Prayers for a New Future
by Paul Davis
September 2020
The following were prayers written for the closing of the Lancashire Methodist District Synod in September 2020. The theme of the Synod was a new future and gave the idea of setting sail into a new era and the green shoots of new life.
Gracious God as we leave the past help us remember how things were,
We thought we knew how things worked,
You showed us how small is our understanding.
We thought we knew how to make strategy,
You showed us how limited is our grasp of your plans for us.
We thought we were well organised,
You showed us that there is more than ideas and meetings...... Continue
Prayer 21 - Praying for Lancashire
From John Morton, 29th July 2020
Taking up the challenge of providing a prayer for possible future use within the District – I offer the one below. It is made up of books of the bible beginning with each letter of the word 'CHALLENGE', and then based on chapter 2, verse 1 (keeping the 2100 theme alive) of that particular book to form a prayer.
On that basis I have used chapter 2, verse 1 of the following books of the bible.
Click Here to read more
From Rev'd Paul Davis, 10th June 2020
It has been some weeks since I wrote Praying 21 which has been used across the District. I don’t think I am alone in finding this is probably the time to try something different. Here is a new offering to help you pray at nine pm. Keep praying 21 but if you want a new format here it is.
An Explanation:
I have a great fondness for acrostic prayers, where each line builds into something. In the prayer handbook I chose Respond here I have chosen Lancashire.
Click Here to read more
Click Here to read original Prayer 21 information
Transforming Lives and Communities (TLC)
Transforming means to be changed from one thing to another. A policy document is not meant to be set in stone and fixed. This is especially true if the title is “Transforming Lives and Communities.”
The purpose of this revision is to equip the Lancashire Methodist District to prepare for the 2020’s, building on the past yet seeking to be changed as we approach the next decade.
Click Here to read more
Click Here to download full document
Events around the District
We would like to remind you that we have a page dedicated to events taking place in the District.
If you would like to learn more click Here to visit our Events Page
Coronavirus Guidance for Property
UPDATE ISSUED ON 7TH MAY 2020
The Government is due to give an update on its lockdown guidance on Sunday May 10. We will consider any changes carefully and update our own guidance as necessary. The Secretary to the Conference will meet Ecumenical colleagues later this week and District Chairs and the Warden of the Diaconal Order on Monday May 11 and will discuss any possible changes with them. As usual, any updates will be shared on the Methodist Church website and on our social media channels.
Click Here for more information
DIAL-A-PRAYER
FREE phone lines for prayers and news from the Methodist Church
Listen to a prayer: 0808 281 2514
Listen to news: 0808 281 2478
Content is updated weekly on Thursday afternoon
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