One Voice - in partnership with Northampton Methodist Church & Methodist Church Northampton District

You take up a new stationing and then within a short space of time are invited to become Acting Superintendent. This has been the case for the Rev David Spiers, so we thought it would be interesting to hear how he approaches the role, what it is teaching him and the various sources of guidance and support he is blessed with.

With so much change in the air, how does the church remain a constant, yet embrace positive and helpful change?

Also

Dr Mark K Olson is a regular contributor to the Methodists Online group in Facebook and is a scholar of all things John Wesley. He's also written books and has some of the most detailed resources when it comes to Wesley. Direct from California, you'll hear Mark discussing the tensions John had with his brother Charles, why he developed the beliefs he did and how Methodism can grow further into the role of being a "voice for the voiceless".

Northamptonshire is quite rightly seen as the saviour of The Greenbelt Festival. It's a festival of arts, faith and justice held annually in England since 1974. Greenbelt has grown out of an evangelical Christian music festival, with an audience of 1,500 young people into its current form, a more inclusive festival attended at its peak around 2010 by around 20,000, including Christians and those from other faiths. Someone who has seen more festivals than most is the BBC's Martin Heath and I'm pleased to say that he's on hand to talk about his experiences and memories of it.

The podcast stays in the great outdoors for our other conversation - hear about the coffee "extravaganzas" held by Lois Leeson and family in her garden. If you haven't been part of one, you're missing out.

Where do you stand on Facebook? Love it or loathe it, the network has become a way in which faith can be discussed, spread, questioned and celebrated.

Mark Stennett is one of the team behind the group Methodists Online. It's a really popular group, with 6,000 members. There are serious debates on there, virtual coffee mornings and a regular dash of humour. Have a listen to him talking about the way Facebook has been a force for good in Methodism.

Also

Who isn't familiar with the principles and themes in Chariots of Fire? Well you might have seen the film, but how well do you know the wider story of its' key figure?

Rev'd Romeo Pedro has been such a force for good; change, comfort and to so many, he has been a friend. This September (2022) it's time for him to seek new challenges and a new home in Sheffield. This is the episode for an outpouring of the difference he's made, the big questions that so frequently are unanswerable and how feels about the reality of not being able to lay down long term roots.

We're also ready to educate when it comes to everything from South Yorkshire dialect to the Namibian bri !

Another equally peripatetic group of people are the immensely committed and inspired Sportsreach - founded in 1997 by Graham Stamford, they do some amazing and transformative work in schools all around the world. 

How does sport bring us closer to Jesus? Listen to one of the co directors Sue Marsden and all will be revealed.

You can also hear a unique recap of the most recent coffee morning for Christian Aid - we have a report from one of the "waiters".

It's been 2 years since the methodist church of Northampton started this podcast. In that time, there's been such a rich depth of guests and talking points.

Celebrate with us and revisit some of the wonderful contributors who've told their story to One Voice.

We're really pleased to that the second half of the episode is given over to Michael Wadsworth from the Learning Network. Michael talks so eloquently about the unordained and how they're vital to the work of the church.

It'd be great if you could leave us a review on the podcast app you use - we'd love to hear your feedback and guest suggestions.

David Hallam is a television critic for The Methodist Recorder. For his weekly column, David sits through all manner of entertainment, documentary, reality and drama shows. But can any of it do harm? Can the programmes broadcast into out homes have the effect that Mary Whitehouse warned against? It's a very revealing listen, in which he talks about the challenges to his own faith and taste and what the medium tells us about society and culture. He also speaks about the tone and style he adopts for the column and why it's vital to be opinionated.

In our customarily global approach, our second guest is the Brazilian Minister Rev Dr Paulo Bessa, now of the Stoke Newington Circuit. It's a revealing conversation that walks us through the health of methodism in his home country to the challenges faced by the church in London. Human Rights, racism and mental health issues are some of the issues Paulo sees in his community - keep listening and you'll see how he approaches his fascinating and challenging role.

Fill in the blanks. Love is......

Not as easy as you think is it? It's a discussion being stimulated by Mission Enabler Matt Forsyth and his colleagues and they're extremely eager to hear your definitions. Have a listen to Matt talking about his role and personal pathway to faith.

Also

Imagine an upbringing bereft of what most people would classify as normality. A childhood characterised by neglect, malnutrition and abuse. This was childhood for the remarkable Jeanette Walsh. Hers is the ultimate story of resilience and defiance. Placed in a children's home at the age of 6, the experience left such an imprint on her heart that Jeanette went back at the age of 20 to work in one such home. She wanted to help. She wanted to improve lives. Not content with collecting and distributing presents for looked after children and disadvantaged families, Jeanette now has 5,000 Easter eggs in her sights. Can you donate?

The third guest this month is James Blackhall. James is the layworker based at Birstall and Rothley, having been based in the Leicester North Circuit since 2016. With a love of political activism, coffee and cake, James has some telling things to say about acceptance and the way we treat others.

Homelessness. 

It's just unthinkable, isn't it? The notion of being without a home; a place that anchors you is one of most basic requirements as humans. What if you are without one? What if you exist, day to day, in a world that intimidates with suspicion and atrocious weather at every turn? The idea of coping with such adverse and soul-destroying conditions doesn't bear thinking about. One person who has great empathy and insight is Rev Leslie Newton, Chair of Yorkshire North and East District. Alongside his peers and the fervent commitment of young people in the area, he led a sleep out for the homeless, to bring attention to their plight. It's an issue that doesn't just blight communities, but it raises some pretty fundamental questions for the church.

Should it stand against the acquisition of holiday homes? You'll definitely want to hear Leslie's reaction.

Our other equally fascinating talking point is the Mijikenda. Stationed recently in Ireland and temporarily back in Kenya, we hear from Rev Annie Deche, who hails from one of the 9 tribes that make up the Mijikenda people. Each tribe has its own unique customs and dialects of the language, which are similar to Swahili. Annie tells an engaging and inspiring story of how she broke through stereotypes and expectations and became a minister in the Methodist church.

Many of us will have tried ( with varying degrees of success ) to capture our observations and feelings as the last couple of years have played out with all its challenges, adversity and loss. The Rev Romeo Pedro posted something he'd written called "Carpe Diem" and we're pleased to say he reads those evocative words in this episode of the podcast.

From the United Stockport Circuit, Rev Dr Raj Bharat Patta speaks to us from a number of fascinating perspectives. His background links him to the Dalits, seen as the untouchables of India; a subaltern people readily denied access to much of what we take for granted. Raj has researched and written extensively about the caste system, how faith and knowledge link to it and the violence still meted out to them. His story is one of intellectual defiance, ploughing a way for social mobility and not accepting the role that society frequently imprints on the individual.

We also hear from the Pioneer Chaplain for Overstone Gate, Mel Brown and trace the roots of the project to bring greater community cohesion to this new estate. She brings us right up to date with tales of a fun day and how a resident's Shetland Pony stole the show. Mel's energy and life-affirming outlook is an inspiration for the chat - have a listen to some of the brilliant things she continues to achieve.

Father Oliver Coss, Rector of All Saints Church in Northampton and rural dean of Greater Northampton is a man with one eye and the Norman and Saxon history of the All Saints building and another on natty Christmas attire. In this two part exclusive, Oliver picks over the concept of civic pride in Northampton town centre and how, too often, there is a deficit of it. So what part does the church play in debate, rejuventation and how far does that put someone like him in a difficult and uncomfortable position?

You can also hear how the poet John Clare drew inspiration from All Saints and a selection of some of the church's fascinating history, which takes in at least one King.

Also in this episode, Catherine Jones of the 5th Northampton Girls Brigade talks about how they're a bit of a "wandering" group, the ethos of the movement and what young girls both put in and take from this brilliant organisation. You'll also discover the lynchpin character who shares his name with a Tube station.

Finally - we've a short and sweet trip around the world to see how some other countries celebrate Christmas.

From all of us behind the podcast have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.