Gathering

Glastonbury is the largest festival in the world with 135,000 people gathering this year.  The Killers, Stormzy, Kylie Minogue, and The Cure were some of the acts on the Pyramid Stage. Not forgetting Sir David Attenborough hailing plastic ban at the festival.

However, Glastonbury opening night witnessed a culture-changing moment because Stormzy was the first British black solo rap artist to perform on the Pyramid Stage. Langa Methodist Church Choir, from Cape Town in South Africa, opened proceedings on the Pyramid Stage on Sunday morning. Thousands of people gathered to sing Stormzy’s famous song ‘blinded by your grace’ with a gospel choir turning a rock festival into an unforgettable church service, and people gathered and everyone sang. This is truly inspiring and undoubtedly prophetic. Stormzy and the choir took the gathering to church!



Another major gathering took place the same week called ‘The Methodist Conference’. The Methodist Conference meets annually in June or July. Conference is a gathering of Methodists that discuss the direction of the Methodist Church of the future. The ordination of new ministers is a highlight of the Conference week. Ordination is linked inseparably with ‘Reception into Full Connexion’. When received into Full Connexion ministers (presbyters and deacons) enter a covenant relationship with the Conference. 



Barbara Glasson and Clive Marsh are, respectively, President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference 2019/20. This year’s presidential theme is ‘So What’s the Story…?’ The theme is meant to initiate storytelling across our Church in the year ahead. We want to encourage you to engage in a ‘Year of Testimony’ for the connexional year 2019/20. We gather together to share what Jesus is doing in our everyday life. What is your story? 



Koinonia is a Greek word meaning communion, joint participation; the share which one has in anything, participation, a gift jointly contributed, a collection, and a contribution. It identifies the idealised state of fellowship and unity that should exist within the Christian church, the Body of Christ which is demonstrated in Acts 2 when the early church gathered in homes. This was their story and we have a story to share too.

In response of gatherings churches I minister at have held Alpha Course, a course called Talking Jesus, bible studies, and Thy Kingdom Come prayer stations. The launch of Messy Church at Muswell Hill has been successful with a good number of families from the community gathering to engage with activities demonstrating that Messy Church is truly intergenerational. We continue to be part of Citizens UK and hosted a stop knife crime meeting. Last weekend a major gathering took place in London called 'Pride'. 50 years ago the Stonewall Uprising gave birth to the Pride Movement and this year around 1.5 million people took part in London Pride. Helen and I joined Christians at Pride for a prayer breakfast at St Annes Soho.  


The community is stronger when we gather together. 

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