Methodist Women in Britain
Bringing women together to know Christ and to make him known. Encouraging, equipping and enabling women to serve God in the church, the Community and the world. Connecting women in Britain with women world-wide.
We have two Network (MWiB) Groups in the Church.
Afternoon Network meets in the schoolroom at 2.30pm on Tuesday afternoons, fortnightly, from September to May, with a varied programme of Speakers and fellowship afternoons. During these sessions we have different topics to think about and enjoy and, as expected, each meeting ends with a cup of tea!! Members are encouraged to take part. Two or three times during the year we meet with the Mothers Union.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON Programme Beginning September 2017
| Sept 19th | Opening Meeting – Welcome Back with Rev Andrew Robinson |
| Oct 3rd | F Harvest Thanksgiving |
| Oct 17th | Fellowship with Mothers’ Union at Town Hall, 2.00pm |
| Oct 24th | Clare Cuthbert |
| Nov 7th | Arthur Noble & Joe Tregoning |
| Nov 21st | June Anderson |
| Dec 5th | F ‘Celebrating Advent’ |
| Dec 19th | Christmas Dinner |
| Jan 9th 2018 | Judith Wright |
| Jan 23rd | Lesley Hopwood |
| Feb 6th | Vanessa Johnson |
| Feb 20th | |
| March 6th | |
| March 20th | |
| March 27th | Easter Communion with Rev Andrew Robinson |
| April 17th | |
| May 1st | |
| May 15th | |
F denotes Fellowship when we ask members to contribute items on the theme.
Thursday Morning Group
This group meets monthly in members’ homes beginning at 10.30am and for those who wish, there is a time from 10am for coffee and a chat! The hostess is responsible for the content of the morning.
For more Details please see church notice boards or weekly notices
THURSDAY MORNING PROGRAMME BEGINNING OCTOBER 2017
Coffee and Chat from 10:00am
| Oct 19th | At the home of Sandra Thompson, 7 The Paddock |
| Nov 16th | At the home of Ann Keene, Appleton House |
| Dec 14th(Christmas) | At the home of Christine Ridgeway, 6 Crowood Avenue |
| Jan 18th | At the home of Dorothy Mair |
| Feb 15th | |
| Mar 15th | Dorothy Agar, Lunch Out |
| Apr 19th AGM | At the home of Carole Myers, 17 Scottowe Crescent, Great Ayton. |
Some of these details may be subject to change, please see church notice boards or church notices
DISTRICT PRESIDENT’S INDUCTION DAY at Stokesley Methodist Church TS9 5DQ on Thursday 12th October from 10.00am - coffee will be served from 10am & at 11.00am Rev Ruth Gee will lead our worship for the President’s Induction. Please bring your own lunch – drinks will be provided. The afternoon Service starts at 2.00pm & the speaker will be June Anderson.
DISTRICT ADVENT DAY SERVICE on Friday 24th November at Zetland Park Methodist Church, Redcar TS10 3AU. Coffee served from 10.30am – Service at 11.00am followed by Soup & Roll Lunch. If you would like to go & need a lift, please see Helen Weighell.
MINISTERACRES OVERNIGHTER - Friday/Saturday 9th/10th March. The Facilitator for this weekend of fellowship will be Deacon Myrtle Poxon.
QUIET DAY - on Monday 26th March at St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Stockton TS19 8JX. Coffee will be served from 10am with activities starting at 10.30am. Please bring your own lunch (drinks provided). Facilitator: Rev Ruth Gee
SUMMER AFTERNOON - on Friday 18th May at 2.00pm. Venue: Bishop Aukland Methodist Church DL14 6EN Speaker: Rev Sue Richardson Afternoon tea will follow the service.
PRESIDENT’S EVENING - on 12th July at 6.00pm. Venue: Normanby Methodist Church TS6 0LX
MWiB Darlington District Projects September 2016 to August 2017: The Samaritans & the MS Therapy Centre, South Bank
From September 2016 to August 2017 the District MWiB will be raising funds to help The Samaritans in the North of England and the MS Therapy Centre on Skippers Lane Industrial Estate, South Bank. These two were chosen by secret ballot, from the proposals received from the different Circuits in the District at the District Committee meeting in February 2016.
The Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide, throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, often through their telephone helpline. The name comes from the Biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, though the organisation is secular. Every six seconds, somebody contacts the Samaritans. Ten times a minute, the Samaritans can help someone turn their life around. That’s a privilege, and a huge responsibility.
They offer help around the clock – they’re there for people when they need help, which could be any time of day or night. People can talk to a Samaritan for as long as they like, as many times as they like. They don’t rush, interrupt or push anyone out of the door. They let people lead the conversation at their own pace. There’s no waiting lists, and no assessments. All conversations are confidential – they don’t pass on what people tell them, not even the name of someone that calls them. For some, it’s the only place they can turn to without fear of repercussions. For others that might worry about burdening friends or family, the Samaritans offer a safe place to turn. The Samaritans don’t skirt around issues, and they’re not afraid to go into deep and difficult areas. Sometimes just having the acceptance from someone that what they say won’t be judged is enough to help people open up, and is such a relief to them. The Samaritans also visit people locally. They don’t just wait for people to get in touch with them – they make sure as many people as possible know who they are and how they can help them. The Samaritans reach 228,370 people a year in schools, hospitals and the homeless.
Samaritans operates a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline that responded to over 82,000 calls in 2015 with staff comprised of unpaid volunteers who go through intensive training in order to provide a professional service. Our fundraising will help Samaritans continue to run the 24-hour crisis response hotline, “Survivors of Suicide” support groups, suicide prevention education and awareness programs, and ongoing community outreach initiatives that provide much needed care and support to thousands of individuals every year.
THE MS THERAPY CENTRE, MIDDLESBROUGH
Multiple Sclerosis is a long term disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS consists of the brain, spinal cord, and the optic nerves. The nerve fibres of the CNS are surrounded and protected by a fatty tissue called myelin, which helps nerve fibres conduct electrical impulses around the body. Myelin not only protects nerve fibres, it also makes their job possible, so when either myelin or the nerve fibre is destroyed or damaged, the ability of the nerves to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain is disrupted. In MS, myelin is lost in multiple areas, leaving scar tissue called sclerosis, which is where the disease gets its name. This damage to myelin and/or the nerve fibres produces the various symptoms of MS. It normally manifests itself in people between the ages of 20-40, although with modem technology, MRI scanners, it is now possible to detect MS at a much earlier age. There are over 50 independent therapy centres across the UK. The first was founded in Dundee in 1982, and since then many more have been set up by people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their carers, with the original motto: ”self-help is our way of action”. This means that every person who uses a Centre has taken the decision to take personal charge of the management of their symptoms. More than 15,000 people use the MS therapy centres each week, but there are estimated to be at least 100,000 people with MS in the UK, so many more people could benefit from the services provided to manage their symptoms.
Each MS therapy centre is an individual charity which relies on dedicated volunteers and donors who give freely of their time and money to help people with MS. Many centres receive some funding from local NHS boards, but most are reliant on donations and fundraising activities for their income. They receive no government funding and have to rely on fundraising to continue to be able to help people with MS. Our contributions will make a big difference.
NEXT YEAR:
If you have a favourite overseas charity that you would like the District to support the following year, 2018/19, proposals need to be sent to Helen Weighell, District MWiB Secretary, with details, by February 2018.
Helen is currently Secretary for the Darlington District MWiB.
The Darlington District covers areas of County Durham, Cleveland and North Yorkshire. District “Network”, now MWiB, is very strong and active, with the opportunity to meet together at least 8 times during the year made up of full days, half days and two residentials. District Committee meetings are extra.
June Anderson is the President for the Darlington District MWiB.