Author Archives: Wesley

The new edition of the Connexion magazine is now out – majoring on ‘Room for Faith’.

A much-loved Aberdeen church is to share in a £351,500 heritage funding boost from the National Churches Trust.

A £15,000 National Churches Trust Grant will help to pay for much needed community facilities for Crown Terrace Methodist Church in Aberdeen. The money will help pay for the replacement of  kitchen facilities, ensuring the church building can thrive today and tomorrow.

Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, Vice President of the National Churches Trust, said: 

“I’m delighted that Crown Terrace Methodist Church is receiving funding for modern community facilities. Replacing the kitchen facilities will safeguard unique local heritage and keep the building open and in use for the benefit of local people.”

“Whether seeking quiet reflection, access to community services or as a place to worship, the National Churches Trust helps hundreds of churches each year and with the support of local people, keeps them thriving today, and tomorrow.”

Help for churches

Twenty-one churches across the UK will stay open and in good repair thanks to £351,500 of funding awarded and recommended  by the National Churches Trust in this latest round of grants.

In 2022, the National Churches Trust made over 255 grant awards to churches throughout the United Kingdom, with funding totalling more than £1.95m.

In 2023, grants continue to be available churches of any Christian denomination that are open for regular worship to fund urgent repairs, maintenance, installing loos or kitchens and feasibility studies to develop projects. Full details are at: nationalchurchestrust.org/grants

The project

The grant from the National Churches trust will facilitate the replacement of downstairs kitchen facilities.

Aberdeen Methodist Church seeks to promote community, combat loneliness and contribute to improved mental health by building self-esteem within the neighbouring community. Providing food  and refreshments has been an important means of enhancing individual wellbeing and community resilience.

The church 

In the late 1750s, a citizen of Aberdeen, Dr Memyss, approached John Wesley to send a preacher to Aberdeen and establish a Methodist society there. In 1759 John Wesley sent Christopher Hopper to preach. John Wesley himself came in 1761, the first of 14 visits to the city.

The current building dates from 1873 and is located in Aberdeen city centre. It has a large sanctuary with open plan/flexible seating on the ground floor and a three-sided gallery with pews. There are no other Methodist Churches in Aberdeen.

The Minister of the Church, Rev Dr James Garnett said:

“We are very grateful to the National Churches Trust and to all who have supported the renovation of the church’s kitchen facilities. As we celebrate 150 years in Crown Terrace, this grant will help us to update the building for the next generation.”

Six months ago, Stirling Methodist Church members were challenged to bring their empty medical blister packs to church and deposit them in a suitable container. (In our case a re-purposed wild bird fat ball container). We had no idea whether this would work but when sufficient had been collected they were taken to Superdrug, who have a large collection box, and dropped off. This worked as I pass by Superdrug several times a week, so not out of my way. It is also convenient for those who live outside of Stirling, as no special trip required. In the six months since we have started this scheme 1,250 blister packs have been recycled. A small contribution to cutting aluminium waste and carbon emissions. I wonder if there are other churches who would like to try this out in their areas.

Walter Attwood

The Spring 2023 Edition is now available.

Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees (SFAR) and Faith in Community Scotland have produced some short videos, Journeys of Faith and Welcome, to celebrate the stories of New Scots and faith communities, and the role faith has played in their journeys of seeking, finding and offering sanctuary.  SFAR are always keen to encourage faith groups to get involved in or start similar projects and would be delighted to work alongside and equip any group that might be interested.

Any faith communities wanting to get involved in welcoming and supporting asylum seekers can find further information here or contact Sabine Chalmers, Co-ordinator for SFAR at schalmers@churchofscotland.org.uk.

JPIT, the Joint Public Issues Team, run three annual internships, hosted by the Methodist Church, aimed at recent graduates aged 21–30. These are 12–month, full time, living wage roles, starting in September 2023.
Applications have just opened for the full–time role which focusses on communications, engagement and research. Applications for this role are open until 22 May.
JPIT are holding an open meeting on May 4, for potential applicants to learn more the internships and application process.

More information for potential applicants.

Hope and Anchor from the Methodist Church will be at the Solas Festival at Errol Park 16th to 19th June 2023. We have a fantastic venue with dry bar and an amazing programme of speakers, conversationalists and artists and lots of activities in the venue for all ages.

If you’d like to be on the volunteer team, more details are here and you can complete an application form https://r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/BVI-13Y4/volunteer-with-us-at-festivals-and-events

You will receive a complementary ticket for the whole event, assistance with travel and accommodation, and food and refreshments vouchers for the sessions you cover.

If you’d be interested in attending, we do have some additional complementary tickets as well as discounted tickets. So please get in touch with Holly Adams if you would like to reserve tickets and receive more details. Also, feel free to speak to any of the planning team for further information:

Holly Adams (Connexional Evangelism & Growth Team)

Rev Nick Baker (Angus, Dundee & Perth Circuit)

Tim Baker (All We Can)

Kathryn Campbell (Connexional Learning Network)

On Sunday 23rd April, at 3pm, the government will send a test alert for possible future emergencies. This will go out to all 4G and 5G phones that are switched on at the time, and will sound an audible alarm.

If you have a phone that an abusive partner does not know about, this  alarm could alert them to its existence. You should decide whether to switch off the phone, or change the settings so that you do not receive such alerts. The alert will still sound if you have your phone on, but switched to ‘silent’.

To opt out:

1. Search your settings for ‘emergency alerts’.
2. Turn off ‘severe alerts’ and ‘extreme alerts’.