Monday 12 April 2010

The Future of British Methodism - Singing the faith

Various reports in the Methodist Recorder over the last few weeks portray the Methodist Church in this country as in decline and facing a very uncertain future. Wesley College – the once proud training institution of many past Methodist ministers set to close. Breakout - the somewhat poor relation of London Weekend – likely to finish. If the Methodist Church joins with the Church of England it would appear we would be subsumed.

All this paints a very bleak picture indeed.

But amidst the gloom there is a little ray of sunshine. Because the Methodist Council has decided that that the new authorised hymnody" will be called "Singing the faith".

So as the Titanic of Methodism slips beneath the waves we can turn to our new hymn book and sing "Nearer my God to thee". Except me. As I will turn to all the other hymns books I've already got and sing the songs and hymns from those!

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2 comments:

  1. David Hughes13 April 2010 at 09:31

    Salisbury Anglican diocese is next month holding a conference called 'Steps to Future Church'. The main speaker is Stephen Lindridge: Senior Methodist Minister - Fresh Expressions. I'll be interested to hear what he says about Tubestation, Polzeath Methodist Church's Fresh Expression where I (as an anglican ordinand) spent my training placement. Don't go hunting icebergs just yet!

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  2. Revdgray26 April 2010 at 04:00

    Thanks David.

    Some of us are manning the pumps to make sure the ship doesn't go down!

    Thanks for signing up to follow my musings

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