METHODIST CHURCH

          As members of the world-wide Methodist Church we are called to worship, learning and caring, service and evangelism. The "service" aspect asks us to be good neighbours in the community, challenge injustice and use our resources to support the Church in its mission in the world.

          At Pickering Methodist Church we have links in many parts of the world through our members here. For several years now we have been involved, financially and through prayer, with Flying  Mission, first in Botswana and now in Zambia, supporting Diane & Bryan Wilson & their family. Diane was a pupil at Lady Lumley's and her parents are members here. The work and witness of Flying  Mission is expanding, particularly at the moment in partnership with "Mercy Fliers", a Mission group that takes specialist doctors from Europe and Southern  Africa into rural hospitals for specialised surgeries. They are now being transported to these remote areas by the pilots of Flying Mission. Those based at FM are also very involved in their local community in Lusaka, especially with children's work.

          A more recent link, through another of our members, Tony Leeming, is with The Messengers, a small Christian charity whose aim is to support and encourage Christians in the restricted lands of South-East Asia, especially tribal or minority groups. In partnership with Asian ministries Bibles are printed in the tribal languages, and delivered, training is provided for pastors and evangelists, school building projects are financed and material support given to the families of Christians who have been imprisoned for their faith. When you are reading this, Tony will again be travelling with The Messengers in Thailand and Myanmar (Burma) to visit persecuted Christians, while others will be planning to visit the remote border regions of Bangladesh, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Yunnan province of China. A third link is yet to be made. In April three of our young people and one of their leaders will be flying, with approximately 100 members of other Christian youth groups linked through Urban Saints (formerly Crusaders) and Amor Ministries to Mexico, to put their Christian faith into action by helping to build houses in a rural community. They have been busy fund-raising for several months to pay for this, and all are aware it will be very hard work - and a life-changing experience. We look forward to hearing all about it when they return! Meanwhile, life here in and around the church continues to be busy. Look out for the date of another Fun Day for Junior School-age children during the week before Easter. Our services and other events such as Cinema are always advertised outside the church. We look forward to welcoming you whenever you are able to join us.

Gill Freeman.