MUCH that is associated with the Christmas season in the church as well as outside it has been so by long and loved tradition. Sometimes, however, churches like other groups feel the need for something a little different, something fresh.
Last year Edna Kingston wrote Christmas Voices, a set of 10 short monologues based on the experiences of some of the people mentioned in the Christmas story.
Each of these concludes with a prayer. Now Jill McVitty Ostbert has set the prayers to music for singing by choir and congregation.
She says: "The music is not primarily to be seen as a performance. The arrangements are written, on the whole, so as to enable an audience or congregation to feel that they can be part of the music immediately. Christmas Voices has an appeal for people of all ages.
This year Edna Kingston has written another set of monologues, called Nativity Voices. This has been done in a simpler style, and is suitable for children's worship. Either or both of the sets may be had through the Worship Development Officer at Aldersgate House, University Road, Belfast, BT7 INA.
The New Year comes closely after Christmas, and is a time for looking to the future. An important feature of the future of the church is the recruitment and training of new ministers.
In this respect, the church has always laid first stress on vocation. But what is a vocation, and how does it come to an individual? How does somebody respond?
These will be some of the questions to which answers will be offered at a residential weekend gathering in Childhaven, Millisle, Co Down, on Friday and Saturday, January 25th and 26th.
Ministers and students in training for the ministry will share their experiences with all who are interested.
Entitled "Exploring Ministry", the weekend is being organised by the church's Board of Examiners, the Home Mission Department and Edgehill College.
Details may be had from the college which, during reconstruction work on its own building, is located at Fisherwick Church Halls, 4 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DJ.
The Methodist Relief and Development Fund has issued a new resource pack designed to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS, which is said to be the worst crisis ever to have faced the people of sub-Saharan Africa.
The pack indicates the global implications of this crisis, and seeks to encourage local churches to support the work of the fund and its partner organisations in assisting sufferers, and helping local communities to understand the issues.
The president of the church, the Rev Harold Good, will be visiting the Birr, Tullamore and Athlone Circuit tomorrow.
On Monday he will visit Gurteen College to meet the staff and students there. On Sunday and Monday, December 16th and 17th, he will visit Kilkenny and Carlow, where he has strong family connections.
On December 18th, he will share in a Christmas Carol Service at Methodist College in Belfast.
Tomorrow morning the service of worship broadcast from RT╔1 will be led by the Rev Noel Fallows and members of the congregations in the North Dublin Circuit. This circuit has churches at Clontarf, Sutton and Skerries.