News from Circuits and Churches
Tamworth and Lichfield Circuit: Fun in the Sun
Leyfields families joined in a massive day of celebration at St. Andrew’s Street Party in June. The event, to celebrate 60 years of the Thackeray Drive church, was highly successful with attendees enjoying a range of activities from the stalls around the garden. We had: Rainbows and Brownies; St John's Ambulance; Rooted Community Church; Tamworth Family Hub; Tamworth Castle; St Andrew's Methodist Church; Fairtrade; and The Jo Cox Foundation.
Entertainment included Jemma and Emily the “Show Girls” – An Abba tribute act, The Rock Choir and many more. Children got their faces painted and got stuck in to a range of craft activities. Drinks and cakes were available indoors served by Rooted Community Church, as well as indoor entertainment including two organ recitals. The whole day was filled with joy and community spirit!
Living Hope for Creation: Black Country Methodist Circuit Celebration Day 20 June 2026
Our Black Country Methodist Circuit Celebration Day, Living Hope for Creation, brought together people of all ages across the circuit for a day filled with worship, learning, creativity and community. It was wonderful to see such a great turnout, with churches coming together to celebrate our faith and explore what it means to care for God’s creation.
The day began with worship that centred on God’s love for the whole creation and our calling to be faithful stewards. Throughout the day there was a real sense of hope, curiosity, and enthusiasm as people took part in a wider range of activities.
We were delighted to welcome Helen Stephens from A Rocha UK, whose keynote talk encouraged us to reflect on the environmental challenges we face while reminding us that Christian hope is active, practical and rooted in God’s promises. The presentation was both thought-provoking and challenging, prompting conversations that continued after the session has ended.
People had the opportunity to engage in Bible conversation, a science workshop, creative crafting and hymn writing, while our marketplace offered plenty to explore including Fairtrade products, book and jigsaw swaps, plant and seed exchanges, food bank donations, and practical energy advice with Green Doctors. It was encouraging to see so many people sharing ideas, learning from one another, and discovering simple ways to make a difference.
One of the greatest joys of the day was its inclusive atmosphere. There was genuinely something for everyone, regardless of age or experience, and it was a pleasure to see people chatting across churches, trying new activities, and encouraging one another.
During the afternoon worship, I was able to share the wonderful news that the Black Country Circuit has been awarded Eco Circuit status by A Rocha UK. It was a moment of real celebration, recognising the commitment of churches and our circuit to care for creation as an integral part of everything we do. The announcement was warmly received and provided fresh encouragement to continue this important work together.
As people left, there was a real sense that this was not simply a one-day event but the continuation of a journey. It provided inspiration to continue conversations alive within our churches.
We are grateful to everyone who helped organise the day, led activities, staffed the marketplace and came with open hearts and minds. Special thanks again to Helen Stephens from A Rocha UK for inspiring and encouraging us.
A wonderful day of celebration, challenge, encouragement and hope.
Stephen Allen – Environmental Lead, Black-Country Methodist Circuit
Beckminster Methodist Church 1926-2026
This year, Beckminster Methodist Church is celebrating 100 years of witness, worship and service to our community, to the various circuits and districts we have been part of.
During the course of our Centenary Year, we decided to stage a series of events which enabled us both to look back on a glorious past and to look forward into an uncertain future. Beckminster has been a thriving, popular church, boasting, in the 1970’s, the second largest membership in the Connexion. Now, with just over 100 members, we remain a committed worshipping community which is home to many outside organisations, the administrative centre of Wolverhampton Circuit and Wolverhampton Inter-Faith; we also provide a hub for Wolverhampton Fair Trade.
Before the year began, members of our Craft Group had produced a beautiful board, commemorating 100 years of Worship and Service, which is fixed proudly in the sanctuary for all to see. Around the Church Hall visitors can see world events in the decades since the church was built. A commemorative plaque has been donated by a local funeral director, which is fixed by the Church Entrance close to the blue plaque commemorating the life and service of Rev Brian O’ Gorman, Conference President 1969-70, who worshipped here until his death.
In planning our year we chose to invite preachers who had been influenced by Beckminster in their younger years and then pursued careers here in Wolverhampton or elsewhere. Some became presbyters, not all; some remained resident here; some are now in other areas of Britain; one lives in Norway and another in Canada. So far, we have been moved and inspired by the messages they have brought and their personal testimony to the influence of Junior Church, Questors Youth Club or individual members of Beckminster in their spiritual journey. We also were fortunate enough to host the President of Conference on a Sunday in May: he preached to a congregation consisting of members from the 4 churches in our hub, plus another local Methodist Church, whilst members of another church in our Circuit took advantage of our live stream to use it for their morning worship. This was followed by a Bring and Share Lunch, enabling members to enjoy further fellowship with not only Rev. Richard Andrew but also the two joint District Chairs for our new enlarged West Midland District. Our Centenary Weekend recently comprised a community event on the Saturday and on Sunday morning our worship was led by our splendid minister, Rev Paul Nzacahayo, followed by a hot meal in the Church Hall. On Centenary Day itself, Wednesday 10th June, a short service was held in church at 10am, led by our minister, followed by refreshments including birthday cake and a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday Beckminster” led by our long-standing organist Johnny Pearson.
Of course there have been other events. In late March we invited as many guests as we could to a service followed by a tea for all who had been married at Beckminster over the years. Almost 150 people were delighted to come and join in a celebration of an event which in some cases was relatively recent but in other cases happened many years ago. Once again, we had guests from all parts of the UK. On Saturday 20th June we are having an organ recital when the community is invited to join us in enjoying the sound of our excellent organ. Later in the year we shall participate in Wolverhampton Heritage Day and engage in a local Treasure Hunt. On two occasions we have displayed publicly many items from our considerable archive for all to examine, stimulating enormous interest.
We have also attempted to raise funds to improve the condition of our premises, through re-decoration, improving A/V technology, re-flooring church hall and coffee bar and updating toilet facilities. Initially we had hoped for contributions from Circuit and District on the condition that we raised roughly one third of the cost ourselves. In the event, we have already completed re-flooring and A/V improvements, raised funds through our Centenary Appeal amounting to £36,000, completed bids to various possible benefactors and remain hopeful that many of our plans will come to fruition.
Our Centenary Year has been faithfully recorded, with ample illustrations, in a blog which has been lovingly compiled by Graham Lloyd, one of our members, and is available for all to see. Of course, it is not yet fully complete: the year is still in progress. We look forward to more visiting preachers who will teach us more about the Beckminster that was and , we hope, point us towards a future that is to come. It will end, officially, in December when our District Chair, Rev Rachel Deigh, will lead our morning worship.
We are, at Beckminster, so grateful for all that is past, but we are also keen to share in the future of Methodism in Wolverhampton and beyond. We formed a Hub by the name of Crossways Methodist Church and are proud to have joined successfully with our neighbouring Methodist churches at Springdale, Wombourne and Cranmer. In the Circuit we are already exploring possibilities in the next decade. One of our longstanding House Groups was named “Open Way” and we remain, as always, open to new ideas, new expressions of Faith and a future in which “we trust Him for all that’s to come”.
John Ashwood – Steward