Puddleducks will cater for 0 - 5 year olds. The highly qualified staff team will help to develop their individuality and maximise their potential. The staff are committed to enthusiastically delivering high quality care and learning opportunities in a safe and stimulating environment to maximise the potential of each individual child placed under their wing.

Puddleducks is a Social Economy development at Belfast Central Mission.  For more info go to http://www.puddleducksnursery.org/.

CONTENTS - February  2012

FEATURES

Occupying Theology - Jon Hatch considers the Occupy Movement......16
Interview with mission partner Pat Jamison........17
Christian Healing by Alan Meara......................12
Celebrating the Covenant.........22
Treading softly on broken dreams - Fiona McAuslan .......24
Return to Zimbabwe and Beyond by Tim and June Dunwoody .......26

REPORTS
Whiteabbey NCD Journey by Andrew Cunningham ....... 5
Cafechurch in Letterkenny - John Purdy reports ....... 9
Mission in Edenderry, Portadown by David Clements ....... 12
South Dublin Inter-church Outreach - Alan Morris reports ....... 13

REGULARS
President's Letter.......6
Comment - Sheelagh Montgomery....7
Lay Leader's Column.....7
What do Methodists' Believe? Helen Boland on alcohol and social drinking....10
Letters to the Editor......11
Interview with Courmacsherry Lifeboat crew member Colin Bateman - Anne Hailes .....18
Methodist Women in Ireland.....30
Depment of Youth and Children's Work.......32
Sunday Readings - Gillian Kingston .....34
Bible Study - Shirley Alexander.......36
Obituary ..... 38
Media - Jim Rea....42
Ed-lines - Ed McDade.....42

Methodist Newsletter

You can buy the Methodist Newsletter at:
No 9 Resource Centre , 9 Lennoxvale, Belfast
The Good Book Shop , 61-67 Donegall Street, Belfast
National Bible Society , 41 Daswon Street, Dublin 2

Price for a single copy: £1 (NI)  €1.25 (RoI)

Individual Subscription:
£19.00 within UK, €37 (RoI)
£29.00 (Europe)  £40.00 (Overseas Airmail

CONTENTS - January 2012

FEATURES

REPORTS

Hallowe'en - with a difference....6
Junior Ministers' Conference 2011........11
Container Help for Bethesda Project....91
Plenary Meeting of IICM.............24
Visit to Tearfund projects ....27
World Mission Conference 2011...29

REGULARS
President's Letter.......4
Comment - Peter Mercer....5
Lay Leader's Column.....5
Letters to the Editor......9
Ecology Matters - Alan and Helen Shiel.......15
Tribute to Jimmie Wilton - Anne Hailes.. ...20
What do Methodists Believe? - Heather Boland......25
Methodist Women in Ireland.....28
Department of Youth and Children's Work.......30
Sunday Readings - Gillian Kingston.....32
Obituaries........35-36
On the Shelves - Sam Campbell.....37
Bible Study - Shirley Alexander.......38
Reviews - Richard Clutterbuck ...40
Media - Jim Rea....42
Ed-lines - Ed McDade.....42

Methodist Newsletter

You can buy the Methodist Newsletter at:
No 9 Resource Centre , 9 Lennoxvale, Belfast
The Good Book Shop , 61-67 Donegall Street, Belfast
National Bible Society , 41 Daswon Street, Dublin 2

Price for a single copy: £1 (NI)  €1.25 (RoI)

Individual Subscription:
£19.00 within UK, €37 (RoI)
£29.00 (Europe)  £40.00 (Overseas Airmail)

Rev Ian D. Henderson

President of the Methodist Church in Ireland

When we were children, we were frequently asked by adults, "What do you want for Christmas?" But now that we have grown up and become adults ourselves, that question does not seem to be as important for us. As the apostle Paul said of himself "When I became a man, I put away childish things."

But during the years of the boom, it seemed that anything we wanted we could have, whether we could afford it or not.  Now with the economic downturn, we have all have to grow up a little, especially in our spending habits and perhaps in the process reduce the level of selfishness in our thinking.

Is it not time as mature adults to ask ourselves, "What do we need - really need?"  And perhaps more importantly to ask, "What do others really need that they won't be able to afford?"  Perhaps we can give some thought and help to what others in our community might need, even if it is only to offer friendship, support and a listening ear to those who are on their own.

The message of Christmas, through the birth of Jesus, is "God is with us!"  It is the message of "peace on earth, goodwill to all".  The nations and people of the world still need to hear that message.  Have a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Pictured after the Ecumenical Prayer Service for climate justice are (from left): Dr Dermot Lane, President of the Mater Dei Institute of Education and PP of Church of the Ascension of the Lord, Balally, Alan Shiel, Methodist Rep, Frank Hughes, organist, Helen Doyle, Wesley College choirmisstress, Robert Cochran, Methodist rep, Rev Anne-Marie O'Farrell, harpist, Gavin Harte, environmentalist, Gillian Armstrong, Religious Society of Friends rep, Helen Shiel, Methodist rep on Eco-Congregation Ireland, Owen Lemass of Holy Cross, Dundrum, Sr Catherine Brennan, chairperson of Eco-Congregation Ireland, Rev Lorraine Kennedy-Ritchie, Presbyterian rep, and Pamela Sheil of Whitechurch parish

Dr Dermot Lane, President of the Mater Dei Institute of Education, was speaking at an Eco-Congregation Ireland (ECI) service that took place in his parish church - The Church of the Ascension of the Lord, Dublin. Robert Cochran represented the Methodist Church in Ireland at the event held on 1st December.

The service was organised to pray for the UN climate summit taking place in Durban from 29th November to 9th December. Over 100 of the worshippers signed a letter, which was then sent to Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan, asking him to act in the interests of the world's poor and the earth when he represented Ireland at the summit.

Dr Lane said that we needed to realise that the current economic crisis was largely the outcome of a market-driven capitalism which had "little regard for the rhythm of nature, unaware of the limited resources of the earth, unmindful of the integrity of creation".

It could no longer be "business as usual with a little tinkering around the edges". Instead, there must be a radical restructuring of international economic systems - a restructuring that must include reference to the primary economy of the earth's eco systems and natural resources.

"The reason why structural reform of the modern economies is so necessary is because market-driven capitalism is premised on the principle of growth, of unlimited growth, and we know as environmentalists that there are limits to growth, and there are limits to growth because there are limits to the resources of the earth," he said.

"Until we recover some of the spirit of the pre-Enlightenment economy, rooted in nature and anchored in the earth, unless we can get in touch with the wisdom inherent in the rhythm of creation, it is unlikely that the current economic crisis will be resolved,"

The theme of the service - 'Discerning the Holy Spirit in the life of Creation' - was chosen "out of a deep conviction that we will never save the planet, that we will never heal our broken world, unless and until we connect with the Spirit of God given in creation and revealed in Christ. It is largely the neglect of the Spirit, the removal of the Holy Spirit from life, the evacuation of the Spirit out of creation that has taken place over the years, that has landed us in the current environmental crisis."

Lane said that, rather than an anthropocentric worldview, or even a bio-centric one, what was needed was "a theocentric universe" and "a rediscovering of the Spirit of God as the source of life, as the dynamism driving the evolution of life, and as the power holding everything together and sustaining life on earth."

The service was organised by ECI, an inter-denominational project that encourages churches to take an eco approach to worship, lifestyle, property and finance management and community outreach, Balally Environment Group and Three Rock Churches' Environment Group (TRCEG). TRCEG is an ECI initiative that sees seven churches, including Dundrum Methodist Church, working together on environmental issues in South Dublin.

"Now, more than ever, it is essential to act and pray to prevent runaway climate change," said ECI chairperson, Catherine Brennan SSL. "Our abundant and beautiful planet, God's creation, is in peril today from climate change. This wounded earth, the peoples of the developing world and future generations are most at risk.

"We need to reflect on the need to live in more sustainable ways and for a renewed theology of creation. We earnestly pray, too, for wisdom, courage and compassion for our world leaders as they meet for the crucial summit in Durban."

Environmentalist Gavin Harte gave a reflection on climate change and music was provided by harpist, Rev Anne-Marie O'Farrell, and the choir of Wesley College Dublin, RTE All Island School Choir of the Year 2011.

CONTENTS - December2011

Centenary of Methodist Church Building in Killarney....12
First term in Edgehill - meet the students......16
Good health to your church....20
Celebrating faith in Co Clare.....21
Interview with Rut Wilson......24
The Bigger Picture: ethical photography....27
In praise of Christmas Carols.....28
Actions speak louder than intentions....29
A New Perspective on Rest.....34

REPORTS

Wesley College Past Pupils' Dinner.....5
Methodism and the Orange Order....8
Victims' Commissioner in Downpatrick.....9
General Committee Report........10
Lay Witness Celebration Day......14
Fivemiletowm Prayer Room....26
Edgehill Christian Writers' Group....30

REGULARS
President's Letter.......6
Comment - Julian Hamilton....7
Lay Leader's Column.....7
Letters to the Editor......10
A Day in the Life - Heather Johnston.......15
Interview with the Rev Dr John Parkin - Anne Hailes.. ...18
Department of Youth and Children's Work.....22, 33
Methodist Women in Ireland....32
Bible Study - Shirley Alexander.......35
Sunday Readings - Gillian Kingston.....36
Ecology Matters - Alan and Helen Shiel....37
Obituaries........38
Review - Dudley Levistone Cooney....39
On the Shelves - Sam Campbell....40
Review ....... Stephen Skuce......40
Media - Jim Rea....42
Ed-lines - Ed McDade.....42

Methodist Newsletter

You can buy the Methodist Newsletter at:
No 9 Resource Centre , 9 Lennoxvale, Belfast
The Good Book Shop , 61-67 Donegall Street, Belfast
National Bible Society , 41 Daswon Street, Dublin 2

Price for a single copy: £1 (NI)  €1.25 (RoI)

Individual Subscription:
£19.00 within UK, €37 (RoI)
£29.00 (Europe)  £40.00 (Overseas Airmail)

• local people making a difference to their com munities
• scenes of cultural events or traditions
• people from Ireland and other countries being together
• scenes of everyday life
• unique, beautiful or spectacular natural landscapes, flora or fauna
  

WDRC wishes to stimulate thought on how we take photos and how we represent other peoples and how they live. WDRC is a signatory to a Code of Conduct on Images and Messages and therefore asks any submissions to fulfill the spirit of the code i.e. respect, dignity, fairness, solidarity and justice. Above all we want positive images. The ‘best' will appear in the Newsletter.

Full details and more information on the Code of Conduct on Images and Message:

How to submit your photos Images must be in digital format. Email to wdrc@irishmethodist.org by 27th January 2012. Each image must be accompanied by your name, email address and church and also a 30 word ‘explanation' of your positive image.