| |
 | Called to Preach: |
| Dr Michael Price | |
| Janet Sweet | |
| Tom Taylor | |
| Charlie Bensley | |
| Jack Burton | |
| 150 years in words and pictures |
| Reflections on reading the Bible by Judith Lieu |
| A Vision for the future by Godfrey Talford |
| What's Special? by Alex Blackmore |
| Greetings from the Presidents |
| 150th Anniversary Walk |
| Bible Studies by Peter Barber |
| LPMA Homes |
| Anniversary celebration items for sale |
This magazine is published to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of LPMA (the Local Preachers Mutual Aid Association) in the year 1999. It offers a glimpse into the History of the Association, recorded in the book, Confidence in Mutual Aid, which was written by a past President of the Association and launched at different venues around the country in the Autumn of 1998.
Some of the present members of LPMA, Local Preachers who, between them, occupy 70% of the pulpits in British Methodism each week, share their testimonies and the Association's General Secretary offers some inspiration for the future. In its pages there is a record of a few of the national events of the Celebration Year but space does not allow a mention of the many local and District Celebrations which have taken place.
This year also sees the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the opening of the LPMA Home in Westcliff which will take place just a week after the special LPMA 15Oth Anniversary Service at Wesley's Chapel in October.
A number of special items have been produced for sale this year in aid of the Association and full details are on the back cover of this Magazine.
Perhaps the most significant, after the History, is the Limited Edition Commemorative Plate. Only 250 were produced and the inscription on the back reads:
This plate was produced to celebrate the first 15 years of the work
of the Methodist Local Preachers Mutual Aid Association. The Bible confirms the central place of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in acts of worship conducted each week by Methodist Local Preachers. The hands represent the fellowship between preachers and the caring ministry carried out by the members of the Association, which is offered to people in their own homes and through Residential Homes and Sheltered Housing Projects. The hands also represent all the men and women, elderly or in need, who receive care.
As Editor, I hope that all those who read this Magazine, now, in this 150th Celebration Year and in the future, will thank God for the work of the Methodist Local Preachers Mutual Aid Association.
I hope, too, that they will acknowledge the work done by all who were responsible for establishing the Association and who have served it in the past, those whose work keeps it going today and all those who, through it, will serve their fellow Christians into the third Millennium.
Ros Peedle
LPMA Honorary Secretary
Thanks go to the many people who have contributed to the production of this special Anniversary issue:
To those who have allowed us to publish the testimony of their Call to Preach as representatives of all those hundreds of men and women who, week by week, preach the Word of God from pulpits throughout the Country
To those who have written study materials, as representatives of all those who write and publish in order that preachers can continue to learn and be dynamic in their preaching
To those whose photographs have been published in this Magazine, particularly to Derek Byfleet, and to Rev Ronald Hoar who has drawn the cartoons.