From our Network President - Jane Dixon

I am thoroughly enjoying my travels around different chapels in the District as Network President, finding it an immense privilege and real joy to visit so many lovely faithful ladies in their various groups – I am seeing all the evidence to support the fact we truly are a Scripture reading, worshipping, praying, serving people.
I have been on three two-night retreats:
Minsteracres in February with District Younger Women: ‘Deal or No Deal’ led by Deacon Myrtle Poxon, former Vice-President of Conference, married to future President of Conference – Myrtle, ever the entertainer, led us in serendipity (fun multi-choice Bible study), and on the Saturday night we burnt off energy line dancing in the ballroom.
Minsteracres in March with District Network: ‘The Call Of The King’ led by Rev Jeff Thomas from North Shields – Jeff, ever the mystic, led us in silent centring prayer (no good for a wordy person like me!), and on the Saturday night I entertained during my first President’s hour with ‘the tale of my nightdress’.
Swanwick (Hayes Conference Centre) in April with Connexional Network: ‘Quiet Spaces, Sacred Places’ led by Connexional Network President Pam Turner and her team – I met 210 ladies from all around the Connexion.
I have responded to thirteen invitations to speak (speaking every week) at:
Allendale – Mam & I are made so welcome and always have a grand night at the Wesley Guild, followed by good conversation and discussion over the supper table eating Elsie’s cheese scones.
Stocksfield – sang three new hymns I didn’t know from Hymns & Psalms selected by Women’s Fellowship president, and met lady who had lived in Shetland – Mam and I never cease to be amazed by the number of people who have connections with Shetland Isles as we travel around.
Morpeth – Mam and I enjoyed a very generous lunch beforehand as guests of Gwen at a table set for a queen (embroidered tablecloth & best china) – tour of new church before meeting ladies of the Women’s Fellowship who had all just consumed lunch in the church hall (and no-one fell asleep as I talked!).
Annfield Plain – Women’s Fellowship Rally – great organ – we loved the roll call at the end where ten church groups each stood and sang first verse of a hymn before we joined in – followed by a fantastic Methodist tea for the ecumenical gathering.
Trinity Gosforth – Women’s Fellowship still meeting in the Bulman Centre awaiting completion of their church premises – over thirty ladies attended, a thriving group with great pastoral care: the flowers were divided up from the meeting and taken out to those who could not be present.
West Moor – ‘you do the lot, exactly as you like’ I was told - it was a pleasure to lead their Network Meeting Easter Service: I quickly recruited five willing volunteers on the day to read five short passages of Scripture from the Gospels, I picked my favourite Easter hymns, and they loved my stories (all done and dusted in 45 minutes).
Robert Young Crawcrook – a lovely cosy meeting room and modern kitchen – enjoyed a tour of their massive church and church hall – we had great fun talking ewes, tups, tailing, scanning, lambing, warming up, topping up, adopting, butting and grading.
Blyth Central – a newly built modern church, fantastic premises, all alarmed – almost forty ladies came – again a fun night.
Harton – I travelled through an inch of slush to this church tucked away in a residential area, but buzzing with activity (stalls and tea tables) as I arrived to speak at the Circuit Easter Offering Service, guest of Rev Judith Baldry with whom I spent time as District Representatives to Methodist Conference in Blackpool last year.
Trinity Church Gosforth – I met Pastor David & Lorna Bedford in entrance café and promptly requested a tour of their newly opened £3.25 million re-development (they were there for ballroom dancing taster lesson in sports hall upstairs; various rooms downstairs had weight loss and life empowering classes but no takers; there was bridal gown display in church which had a baptism-by-total-submersion pool under the stage)
Birtley – this was a pie and pea supper for my President’s Project seating over fifty members of the church – I was not sure my after-dinner speech was appropriate for the ten men present including the minister, but they roared and laughed.
Denton Burn – over fifty ladies made an enormous amount of noise and travel from as far afield as Hexham, Corbridge, Wylam and Washington every week for this weekly Tuesday Club which is celebrating it’s fiftieth year – they assured me ‘once you join you never want to leave’ (and they booked me there and then for next February).
The Glebe, Washington – a modern church, 31 years old, full of light and life, drums and cymbols, where we were treated to a fantastic afternoon tea (Mam appreciated the warmed-up sausage rolls) – the ‘thrift shop’ (second hand, run by members) off the large hall is open Tuesday and Thursday mornings serving tea to all who drop in, and last year donated £2000 to the church.
Of course I have had six meetings to chair and attend:
District Network Committee at Brunswick – I altered the format of this meeting so it is not a repeat of Executive – we started with roll call where everyone stood in circuits (two representatives and any number of guests) and introduced themselves, fifteen minutes of opening worship, an hour of reports with opportunity for discussion, then Christine Wilson, our Area Three Network Rep reported on Regional and Connexional matters and closed with hymn and prayer.
District Younger Women’s Committee at Whickham – evaluating Minsteracres with Myrtle, filling posts and planning future events (walk and meal, committee meal, induction service of next Younger Women’s President)
Area Three Committee at Wigton Road, Carlisle – Joyce Hindmarch (District Network Secretary) and Betty Whaley (Network News Magazine Editor) came to my house and we travelled together in my car getting to know each other thoroughly – Cumbria District are hosting the Regional Residential Event next year at Keswick Convention Centre Monday 1st to Thursday 4th June with a big Area Day on Wednesday 3rd June for day-only attendees.
District Executive at Brunswick – seven of us delighted in wonderful fellowship celebrating each others gifts, recognising contributions to life of Network, sharing experiences, and organising ground work for future events.
Connexional Day at Elm Ridge, Darlington – seventy ladies from many Districts enjoyed the glorious grounds and impressive Quaker mansion house, now owned by the Methodist Church, with presentations by staff (Jonathan Kerry and Margaret Sawyer) of the current Connexional Team, group work and plenaries as we ‘Together Travel On’. Districts will be required to fund raise for Network funds to support meetings of our annually elected Connexional Network President (including designate and immediate past) with our eight Area Network Representatives - a World Church member (assisting with our Easter Offering money, 5% of which will be for administration, 95% going straight to World Mission) and a member from one of the cluster groups of Internal Relationships in the reconfigured Connexional Team (supporting our annual /bi-annual Womens Network Swanwick Conference) will also be part of the new Womens Network Connexional Team.
Tynedale Circuit Network Committee at West End – lovely, I just sit in as Younger Women’s Representative and Christine Caddy, our re-elected Circuit Network President, runs the meeting – Connie Johnston was thanked for her two years as Minutes Secretary, and Mo Lucas agreed to a short term in the role - it was good to hear of Tynedale Circuit Easter Offering Service at Allendale (which I could not attend as I was at work) with Tynedale’s total of £1813 raised for overseas work.
And then as a Network lady I attend my own meeting, West End Ladies Group where I have relaxed and been educated by Rev Peter Wright and his talk and slides on Portugal, energised by Christine Caddy our speaker at our Annual Ladies Group Service held as Sunday morning worship (Christine, we heard your scrumpled £20 note message first on 24th February before evangelist J. John copied it at North East England ‘Just10’, Gateshead on 22nd April), enthused by Corrine Oliver an actress from Low Fell performing an Easter Monologue (the mother of the thief on the cross), and embalmed by Bomb Cosmetics luxury bath & soap products from along Fore Street Hexham.
Individuals, Groups, Churches and Circuits continue to fund raise for the District President’s Project: The Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund, for which I am most grateful. The money keeps coming in in amazing ways – I met a mother and daughter on Beaumont Street one night going home from work: the fifteen year old daughter handed me £55 for Josie’s Fund from the collection at their monthly Thursday evening Youth Service at High House Chapel, Ireshopeburn – Christine Caddy sent me a £30 speaker fee a W.I. group had insisted she accept, for Josie’s Fund. Christine Turnbull (District Project Treasurer) informs me to date there is £4756 in the account – the final amount will be presented as one cheque on Thursday 13th November at the District Re-Dedication Day at Brunswick. I am selling silver dragonfly jewellery as I travel around with £5 from each sale going directly in to the fund – so far I have sold 67 pieces (that is £335 straight in to the coffers). Audrey Oliver of Haltwhistle has to date crocheted 180 dragonfly bookmarks (in lovely coloured embroidery threads, beautifully tasselled starched pressed and mounted) and I sell these for £2 each – thank you Audrey: a tremendous worker.
One highlight of my term of office so far has been when Network was invited to lead closing worship at Spring Synod at Blyth. Georgie Macadam (District Retreat Secretary) made a 20th birthday cake (proper fruit cake all marzipaned and iced and decorated with Network logo) which was displayed then cut up so everyone ate a piece with afternoon tea. I picked my favourite hymns not in our hymn books at West End (‘Light Of The World’, ‘All I Once Held Dear’, and ‘In Christ Alone’) because it is all powerpoint at Synod, Joyce led prayers, I contrasted passing with permanent, Betty spoke on Network, and we concluded saying the Network Prayer to each other as a blessing:
Encourage, enable and equip us
To serve your people in all things,
To take your light in to all places,
To share your love with all people,
In humility and joy,
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

I continue to work full-time (five days a week) at Boots the Chemists in Hexham, loving every minute of being with colleagues and customers and offering ever more Pharmacy services. We have had excitement at Hexham as I have been winner of various rounds of ‘Best of the Best Pharmacist’ – group level, area level, and regional level, qualifying me to stand as one of five national finalists on stage being photographed with Executive Directors at a very glitzy Recognition Awards Gala Dinner at the Telford International Centre just outside Birmingham. I didn’t scoop the £2000 holiday but I did feel privileged to be ranked alongside such an outstanding and worthy winner from Dorset. And true to my saying ‘You can not go anywhere without being spotted by a Methodist’ – I was spotted sipping tea and eating date and walnut scones in Melmerby Bakery with my colleague Anne and area manager Lynn on the way home by Allan and Brenda Roberts from Corbridge!