The Consultative Conference of European Methodist Churches meets once every three years. In 1996 it met in Belfast, when one of those who addressed it was the president, Mrs Robinson.
This year it meets in Hungary from September 8th to 12th. The venue will be a Catholic conference centre at Manreza, near Budapest. Speakers will include Dr Erhard Busek of Austria, the Reformed Bishop of Debrechen, Gustax Boleskei, and Dr Neil Richardson, of Wesley College, Bristol.
Bible Studies will be led by Bishop George Irvine of the KwaZulu-Natal Coastal District of the Methodist Church of South Africa. The theme will be "Christ Before Us - the Shape and Mission of the Church in Europe in the next Millennium."
Up to now attendance at these consultative conferences has been limited to those accredited by their national Methodist Churches. In a new departure, this year's conference will welcome all those who wish to come, and who are willing to meet their own expenses.
Details may be had from the secretary, Pastor Wilfried Nausner, Wielandgasse 10, A8010, Graz, Austria.
The Methodist Women's Association in the midlands and southern district of the church is holding its 40th annual weekend conference at Ocean View, Tramore, on April 24th and 25th. Mrs Gillian Kingston will lead the exploration of the theme, "What, Lord? Me!" Mrs Kingston is convener of the church's Faith and Order Committee, and a member of the Joint Theological Working Party with the Church of Ireland.
On the Sunday morning the members of the conference will share in worship at St Patrick's Methodist/Presbyterian Church in Waterford city.
The largest annual event for women in Ireland studying Christian spirituality is Focusfest, which meets in Coleraine and attracts more than 3,000 women. This year the dates are June 11th to 13th, and the principal speaker will be Ms Reona Joly.
There will be seminars on various aspects of devotional life. Information may be had by telephone from Belfast (01232) 471100.
Autumn Soul is an annual event for young people which has been held at Hamilton Road Methodist Church in Bangor for several years. It has grown so popular that this year similar events were planned elsewhere.
There was one in Enniskillen in February, and another is to take place in Newtownabbey Methodist Mission on May 1st and 2nd. Even though they are happening much earlier in the year, they keep the familiar name Autumn Soul, but with an added explanation, Autumn Soul on the Road.
A recent issue of the Methodist Recorder reported English reactions to the weekend in Dublin when the Irish Methodist Association of Youth Clubs took over Wesley and Alexandra Colleges to accommodate their British counterparts. Of a very successful weekend one 16-year-old member of Chandler's Ford MYC in Hampshire, Steven Hatfield, said that it was an exciting experience, and regretted that it was only a weekend.
Sixty other British participants had their stay extended for 24 hours when their ferry sailing was cancelled owing to high winds. They had no complaint about the extra time in Dublin.
This summer about 60 members of the Methodist Church in Ireland will spend three weeks in Uganda, assisting church projects there. The participants are of all ages. A recent report from the Bible Society in Kampala says that the hostilities on Uganda's borders with Congo and Sudan have given rise to an increase in Christian inquiry.
Tomorrow morning the president of the church, the Rev David J. Kerr, will be the preacher at Jennymount Church in Belfast. In the afternoon he will be at Darling Street Church in Enniskillen to commission the Rev David and Mrs Rhoda Nixon.
Mr and Mrs Nixon are going as mission partners to Zambia with their two children, Christopher and Samuel. The preacher at this service will be the Rev Dr Norman Taggart.
On Sunday morning, April 25th, Mr Kerr will preach in the Belfast South Circuit, which includes the churches at University Road and Lisburn Road. In the evening he will be at Cavehill Church in Belfast. On Thursday he will visit the Irish School of Ecumenics, and the Methodist Church in Kilkenny.