Leicester West Methodist Circuit Men’s Shed Project
New Parks Men’s Shed was set up over a couple of years from 2022-24 by the Leicester West Methodist Churches to improve the health and well-being of men in particular struggling with mental health, isolation or low confidence in New Parks. (further info on the New Parks Methodist Church tab)
The New Parks Men’s Shed/Community Garden is based at New Parks Methodist Church, on the corner of Battersbee Road and New Parks Boulevard
Our OPENING HOURS are: Tuesdays and Fridays (9.30am to 12 noon)
We have tidied up the garden and yard area next to New Parks Methodist church, have relocated and rebuilt and equipped a large shed as a workshop.
Some of the volunteers have said that their mental health and wellbeing have been greatly helped by being involved.
We provide a practical space where things can be made or repaired or undertake gardening projects.
We also offer a social space for a tea and a chat.
Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or want any further information.
Telephone: 07378287684
E-Mail: newparksmensshed@gmail.com
Facebook: New Parks Mens Shed
We hope to expand this benefit to more in the community who attend in the future.
Other mission activities across the Circuit Churches
Leicester West Circuit 1 year Mission Plan 2025 to 2026
Mission Enabler’s Report April 2025
Mission Enabler’s Report Oct 24
Mission Enabler Report Sept 2023
Consider the lilies of the field …
Circuit Mission Enabler Report – Spring 2022
Consider the lilies of the field …
Parts of our planet are dying; poisoned by chemicals, choked by rubbish, deforested and devastated by agriculture and industry. Greta Thunberg memorably said “I want you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is.” Christian faith appears to be dwindling as well – in the UK at least if you judge it by Church decline.
But the Good News is that we believe in a Creator who clothes the lilies in greater finery even than Solomon. Jesus therefore concludes that we need not worry as God will provide for us in abundance, both our physical and spiritual needs. What we need to do he says is ‘seek first the Kingdom of God … and all these things will be given you as well.’ (Matthew 6 v25-34)
You may have observed that if nature is given a chance, areas of waste ground can sometimes bounce back surprisingly quickly with great vigour – what has been called ‘Rewilding’. The Creator who gives nature so much power to thrive also renews people through the power of love, in you and me. God’s Kingdom is one where everyone is welcome to make their home in safety.
Where we can let’s get out in our communities and model what God’s inclusive Kingdom looks like – caring for people and the planet which is our home!
Watering, pruning and weeding
In the Methodist Church Evangelism and Growth strategy ‘God for all’ we ask two questions as we go forward, ‘Holy Spirit would you give us a picture of the future?’ and ‘Holy Spirit would you show us what to let go of?’ We pray for wisdom to focus our energies on what gives life to us and our communities – sharing what we have, showing kindness to others, being forgiving, standing up for justice, so that the Holy Spirit ‘Rewilds’ the Church giving us new vigour and growth.
Seeds and green shoots
- It is a great comfort to me that I feel like I am meeting friends wherever I go because of the warm welcome I receive. St. Andrews Glenfield Road East have a Community Coffee morning on Tuesdays from 10 till 12 that Is quite busy these days with homeless, unemployed, as well as Church folk coming along to chat and share in a safe and inclusive environment. I have met people from Iran, Poland and Hong Kong; all seeking friendship.
- Men’s Shed is a charity that gets men and women together to make and repair things as well as benefiting from making new friends and the wellbeing that provides. I have begun talking to people in the community of New Parks about setting up a Men’s Shed in the patch of outside area formerly used by the Preschool at New Parks Methodist Church before they closed. It’s just an idea at the moment but has met with enthusiasm so far and could help the Church further serve the needs of the community.
Some of the other work I have been involved in:
- Leading Sunday services each month to help our ‘Mission’ thinking as well as Circuit Good news sharing on zoom where churches share what mission ventures they are working on
- Attending some of the groups in our churches that invite the general public
- Joining in or helping with events such as Ratby Songs of Praise, Anstey Gala, Glenfield 2020 Vision Prayer Day and Enderby open morning
- Spending time learning about creating community from Sue Steer, a Pioneer Minister in New Lubbesthorpe, a new town being built next to LFE
- Looking into safeguarding on social media with Rosie, our Circuit Safeguarding officer – we hope to provide information to help administrators of church Facebook and WhatsApp groups make our churches really safe places.
- Promoting our Christmas activities and soon our Easter ‘Love is_’ events on our Circuit website – do take a look at Leicester West Methodist Circuit – To celebrate & to share Jesus!
- Meeting Connexional and District staff as well as other Mission Enablers to learn about ideas and resources we could use in our circuit. See: Northampton Methodist District | Mission
Love is_ District wide Mission at Easter.
Just as sun, rain and soil give nature astonishing energies, God’s love energises Christians! This Easter (8th – 22nd April) we plan to be part of a mission across our District showing our communities what Love is_? Ideas in our churches so far include an exhibition (at St Andrews GRE where we will launch the Mission with a Circuit service on Sunday 10th April at 3pm) featuring everything we love from Leicester City Football Club and chocolate to all that weddings and Remembrance Sunday mean to us. Others may be doing some litter picking and giving out hot cross buns and flyers. Please do get involved !
Please contact me and pray for the mission in our Circuit
If you would like to receive more regular updates so that you can pray for the Mission work going on around the circuit then please let me know and I will be happy to send them to you. Or if you have thoughts about something you would love to see happen or people you would like to help in your community then do let me know.
Justin Moulder | Circuit Mission Enabler
Leicester West Circuit of the Methodist Church
Rewilding the Church – Autumn 2021
Christians exploring worshipping God in the countryside
Over the summer I went to my nephew’s wedding service which was held in in Captain’s Wood in Essex. As the couple said their vows I looked up at the tree trunks arching into the sky and I thought how much like the pillars of a cathedral they were and what an excellent, awesome place for such an occasion. Perhaps it’s no surprise then that Christians with a love for the natural world have recently been exploring worshipping God in the countryside with ‘Forest Church’, or ‘Mossy Church’ as they have for families at New Lubbesthorpe.
The Rewilding metaphor for the Church
Did you leave any parts of your garden to grow wild over lockdown? In the late 1990s the Knepp Estate in West Sussex gave up unprofitable farming that was killing the soil and land and started ‘allowing nature to take the driving seat.’ By 2002 there were big changes: the low-level hum of insects, clouds of butterflies and knee-deep meadows of wild flowers. Steve Aisthorpe in his new book Rewilding the Church suggests that at a time when the Church is in urgent need of renewal the metaphor of rewilding offers us hope. Not in the ability of humankind to intervene but in the powers of nature for regrowth. He suggests that the renewal of the Church will likewise come from the inside out. Not so much from our attempts to manage and organise Church life but as we follow Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to reform us.
Just as sun, rain and soil give nature astonishing energies, Christians following Jesus and doing as he does build an amazing, vibrant community of love. Can we focus on our core values of sharing what we have, showing kindness to others, being forgiving, standing up for justice, so that the Holy Spirit ‘Rewilds’ the Church?
What’s going on in your Church and local community?
In my new role as the Circuit Mission Enabler I will be helping churches to develop the good mission work that is already being done and to see if there are any new opportunities to meet the needs of our local neighborhoods.
Around our Circuit there already are: A Music Cafe at Markfield, a friendship group – New Parks, New Friends, Messy Church at Leicester Forest East, Girls’ Brigade services in various churches. There is much more and I hope to share some of it each month or so on our Circuit website for encouragement, prayer and in case you would like to go along!
If you have any thoughts on mission opportunities in your church and community that you would like to share then please contact me.
Justin Moulder
Circuit Mission Enabler
(Rewilding the Church by Steve Aisthorpe is published by St Andrews Press, 2020)