Dear
Friends,
As
you may realize the period since the end of June has not been easy for
Christine and myself.
One
minute we are gearing up to staying here for four more years, the next we
are agreeing to move to solve a problem in a neighbouring circuit.
Normally
ministers know by the December or January their new destination. So
we have had quite a rush to do everything involved in moving house and
starting a new job.
My
five years in Mickleover have been really enjoyable. I
have got to know many wonderful people.
I
will take away fond memories of my time with you.
It has been a real privilege to be alongside people at important
stages of their lives, some of which have been very sad times.
There
have been many successes. New
ventures have really taken off such as the Activity Days, the Hinckley
Visits, the Happy Hens picnics.
It
has been really good to be involved with a church which has such busy
premises. The times when the
building is empty have often felt quite strange.
I will long remember the queues for the Baby Clinic, the Tweenies
group and the various youth groups.
People
of all ages use our premises and it has been a real joy to get to know
many of them.
I
have enjoyed making links between the church and the community, especially
with our Primary schools. Mickleover
is very fortunate to have such excellent providers of primary education.
More recently there has been a growing link with our Bus Drivers as
the last two magazines have shown . A
copy of the last issue was delivered to one driver and he was seen reading
it.
So
on September 8th I begin my time as Superintendent of the Belper Circuit.
My welcome service is on that evening at 7.30 at Duffield Methodist
Church (all are welcome). I
shall be responsible for six churches - Duffield, Openwoodgate, Street
Lane, Marehay, Denby Bottles and Cross o'th Hands, while taking overall
responsibility, with one colleague, for the twelve churches in the
Circuit, which stretches from Duffield to Ambergate.
It
is interesting to note how rivers have played a part in my ministry. My
first Circuit had the Medway running through it.
Since
then it has been the Derwent that has linked the other three Circuits in
my ministerial career.
Life is often compared to a river.
In one place the river is peaceful and calm.
May
the blessing of Jesus Christ go with each one of you.
Stuart
and Christine Radford
Letter from the
Ministers from September onwards
Dear
Friends
We
were all stunned to hear that Stuart and Christine were being moved to the
Belper Circuit and that the move was imminent.
We all wish them well; our loss is Belper’s gain.
Our task, by that I mean all of us, is to recognise what actions
need to be taken and to respond in whatever way we can.
Pat and I have offered to assist the circuit by providing help at
Mickleover.
On
more than one occasion I have been mistaken for the caretaker when on
church premises without a dog collar.
I suppose ministers are caretakers but so for that matter are we
all in that we take care of the church, one another and the community
around us.
We
sometimes hear a government described as a caretaker government, which
usually means that they are not going to be around long.
Pat and I are going to be taking care of the Mickleover Church
until a replacement for Stuart is appointed in the next round of
stationing.
I suppose in modern terms we would refer to this as a job share.
We hope we can rely on the help and support of everyone as we try
to keep the church’s momentum going.
The
first priority for Pat and I will be to do the things that others are not
able to do, particularly so that some of the contacts and projects that
Stuart has supported do not feel abandoned.
We hope you will join us in looking for ways in which we can share
together in maintaining and developing the ministry of this church in this
community.
This year is a challenge to each of us.
One
or the other of us will be in the church office each morning, probably
Monday to Thursday.
Fuller details will be made available in early September.
With
all good wishes,
Rev
Ted Ager
Deacon
Pat Moore
