Our concerns
Mission Plan
The vocation or calling of our church is to go out into the world and spread its faith - this is our mission. Jesus gave this commission to us as told in Matthew 28 16-20.
How each church, circuit, district and indeed the whole Connexion does this though, has changed and is still changing. Our grandparents (and possibly even our parents) could not have conceived the idea of Messy Church or Cafe Church - but these are quite common these days. As are other Fresh Expressions of church.
In South Bedfordshire we too are planning and working on our mission. We have held a Listening Day (2025) and a Vision Day (2026) both of which are helping to shape how we move into the future. We are currently looking at more of a Team Ministry for our Luton churches and are in the planning stages of appointing some lay pastors to assist with this and expand our work with our village churches.
Click here for our Circuit Mission Plan
Click here for the report from the Vision Day 2026
Environmental Care
Methodists care about the planet and take responsibility for the planet and its constituent parts, including our partners across the world church, some of whom are more impacted by the climate crisis than we are.
The Methodist Church in Britain was involved in the ecumenical report Hope in God’s Future which guides and calls us to action, drawing on biblical, theological and scientific principles.
We are seeking to become an Eco-Circuit and there is more about that on the Eco-Circuit page.
What can Churches do?
• Hold a Creation-themed service
Resources have been created
by the Craftivists group and are
available through the links below
You could also borrow the Tent of Hope installation as a prayer space
or focus for worship
• Commit to becoming an Eco-church or increasing your award if you already have one
Click here for more information
• Have an Energy Efficiency Survey
fully funded by the District and
begin to consider changes you could make to heating and lighting
Contact Jenny Spouge for details of
requirements
• Take up the occasional challenges or tips the Circuit Eco-Team will post here
Seeking Justice
Methodists care about society and the wider world that we live in. Current affairs and public issues are important areas of work for the Methodist Church. By engaging with politics and society, we live out our calling to love and hope, enabling everyone, and all creation, to flourish.
The South Bedfordshire Craftivist Group uses their craft skills to help work towards social justice. Craftivism is a gentle form of activism designed to create positive change.
Click here for more Craftivist information
Read public policy statements from the Methodist Conference on issues of social justice, learn about current work areas, and how you can get involved in campaigns by clicking here.
Please click the link for the May 2026 issue of Praxis - the Joint Public Issues Newsletter.
Inclusion
As part of their work around Justice, Dignity and Solidarity, the South Bedfordshire Circuit’s Church Leadership Team embarked on an exploratory research initiative to examine Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) issues and approaches.
This resulted in a Racial Justice Strategy for the South Beds Circuit which was launched in September 2021.
Please click here for a copy of the strategy.
EDI policy and practice means that the Circuit, located in a very mixed area, with a variety of local contexts in which we encounter people from a wide range of backgrounds, is committed to just and equal treatment, and how to work in the best possible way.
We are striving to develop and improve Circuit awareness building more diverse and inclusive practices in all activities.
For Prayers and Worship resources linked to EDI, see Worship page