DISCIPLE

Renewing the Church in Word and Deed

Forty members of the Launceston Methodist Circuit of churches have recently completed the Disciple Course which consisted of a programme of 34 chapters - each of which lasted a week.

For each person there were daily readings from the Bible, prayer and study. On day seven people met together in a group to take their study further forward, learning from each others discoveries in God's word.

This extract of a letter from a group leader at Leyland in Lancashire reflects the experiences of other churches throughout the Connexion:

"In the 1998/99 DISCIPLE group led by Revd Andrew Turner and myself, this is what happened after Session 33 when we considered what skills or abilities we might use in God's service:

• One lady began Foundation Training; is now candidating for the Ministry and has led DISCIPLE in her own Circuit.
• Another began Local Preacher Training; has been accepted for Foundation Training and now hopes to candidate for the Ministry.
• One man has become a Church Steward.
• Another has become a Youth Club Leader and Treasurer for Preston Youth for Christ.
• One lady began a one-year course in Guided Prayer and also became an Alpha leader.
• Another person became Prayer Secretary.
• Two joined a Cancer Research Campaign Group.
• One lady became my co-leader on the next DISCIPLE group and is now Senior Steward.

We have just completed the 1999/2000 group and:

• One man has felt called to work with International Aid and is going to the Ukraine - our first missionary journey!
• One is training to lead DISCIPLE groups.
• Three people plan to lead housegroups.
• One has taken a role in the 2001 Stewardship team.
• Four, who belonged to a music group, are now forming a Worship Ministry Team in the church.
• One of those four will train as a Worship Leader.

Please don't let anyone say DISCIPLE is a waste of time or money. It's the best thing Methodism has done in the last decade. DISCIPLE has had, and is having, a powerful influence on the whole life and thinking of our church.

To God be all thanks and praise!"