October 2015
Minister`s Monthly Musings
Ponte Sant`Angelo
Methodist Church Rome
“I look upon all the world as my parish.” John Wesley
Minister`s letter:
Angela and I took a day trip to EXPO15 in Milan recently. We caught the first train out of Termini and arrived home at midnight exhausted from the heat and the crush of crowds. But we very much valued the experience, not least being reminded through the theme of FOOD of our responsibility to give thanks to God for the variety of the gifts of his creation and for the challenge for us to be stewards of God`s creation, through sustainable development and the harnessing of science to minimize global warming and climate change which cause such disruption to the lives of nations and peoples particularly in the sub-Saharan tropical regions and the Pacific islands.
The pavilions of the different countries we encountered reminded us of how rich in resources many of them are which we enjoy on our supermarket shelves – rice, and chocolate and coffee, and many other fruits and vegetables and staple goods. Some countries made a real effort to relate to the theme of the EXPO and not merely to use the occasion to build showcase pavilions encouraging tourism and investment. Some of the smaller nations of the world deserve our support through aid and development in their efforts to conserve resources and increase their home grown food. We enjoyed some slow food (cheese) from Italy and France and were reminded of the efforts to provide alternatives to factory farming and the uncontrolled disposal of waste and rubbish.
The Pope has reminded us of these imperatives in how we take care of creation in his encyclical Laudato Si. Since the 1st September in this Creationtide we have been focussing on these issues in our prayer and preaching. As we conclude on this day, the feast of St Francis, let us regard this not as the end but the beginning of a renewed and sustained response to the changes of relating our Gospel of Life to life for God`s world.
Yours in Christ, Pastor Tim
Worship - Forthcoming services :
worship at 1030am on Sundays will be led by
11th October Pastor Tim: visit of Rotterdam School
18th October Pastor Tim and Rev Dr Robert Gribben
25th October Pastor Tim
1st November Pastor Tim: All Saints Day Communion
8th November Pastor Tim
15th November Pastor Tim
22nd November Pastor Tim
29th November Pastor Tim and Rev Gareth Powell CHURCH ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY and the beginning of our 60th Anniversary year
Gareth Powell is the recently designated Secretary of the British Methodist Conference, having previously been its Assistant Secretary. He has held a university chaplaincy role and serves on ecumenical committees.
Ecumenical
Pastor Tim is attending the Synod of the Council of Bishops meeting in the Vatican to discuss The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and the Contemporary World as the World Methodist Council nominee to be a Fraternal Delegate (ie. ecumenical observer). This lasts from 4th to 25th October, with sessions for six hours a day. Urgent messages can be left by text on 331 4233164 as I shall only access emails once a day in the evening. Please pray for the work of the Synod.
Church Council
We met recently. Among the main points discussed were:
Projects during our anniversary year: One to improve seating (new chairs) and sound and vision facilities in the church/balcony and hall. The other to benefit an overseas cause – details and costings of a disabled project in Ghana to be considered.
A Church Outing to Ecumene to be arranged for April/May?
The Church Annual General meeting to be held on Sunday 22ndMay at the end of a shorter service.
Next Pot Luck lunch to be on 25th October.
It was agreed to allow the continuance of the use of the rooms on the ground floor for a school to teach Italian to migrants for six hours a week.