Cleveland and Danby Methodist Circuit Website
Report to Spring Synod 2019
Our 'Pathfinder' 'snapshot' of our circuit has almost reached completion and now further work begins, to use the findings of this initiative to develop our missional and strategic thinking within the terms of 'Our Calling' in an open and inclusive way.
Worship: we offer contemporary and more traditional services offered against a backdrop of moorland, coastal, post-industrial and market town contexts; the diversity of worship reflecting the range of ages and ways of worshiping God — Power Praise, People's Praise, Encounter, Kidz Praise, Wesley Guild to name but a few examples. A highlight of the Esk Valley's yearly worship is the Christmas Eve service at Danby where if you arrive late it is standing room only.
Evangelism: we encourage small group discipleship, expressions of 'Messy Church', Alpha, Life-Groups, and 'Open the Book' in Schools (steadily growing) to give just a flavour of what we are doing. The work of our Lay Workers in East Cleveland and Guisborough continues to bear fruit through holiday clubs, low key acts of worship and service. There are those multitude of ways in which people seek to share their faith by their presence in daily life supporting food banks, outreach to asylum seekers and refugees and being a presence within community life.
Learning and caring: happens through such things as Wesley Guild (Esk Valley), discipleship opportunities, Bible Study (great 50 days study groups) and opportunities to learn about the wider church such as the visit in March by Margaret and Colin Gardner mission partners in the Gambia.
Service: takes place through the many acts of fund raising for organisations beyond the life of the Church in our own context; in two different parts of the circuit hospitality was offered for sporting events, during the past year: The East Cleveland Grand Prix (refreshments at Guisborough) and Redcar Triathlon (which gained national recognition for the second year running). Then there is our growing involvement within Redcar Racecourse chaplaincy.
All this reflects a rich and varied Circuit evermore seeking how we can be better placed to serve our present age.
John Henry
Superintendent