New circuit for Methodist churches

The former circuits in Biggleswade, North Bedford and South Bedford and Ampthill have merged as part of the new circuit, which came into effect last Thursday.

The Reverend Andrew Hollins, superintendent minister for the North Bedfordshire ciruit believes the merging of the 32 churches will benefit ministers and worshippers alike.

He said: “The Methodist Church regularly looks at how it operates nationally, and it has to be said that on a national level attendances are falling.

“This is not so much the case in this area, but the church decided a couple of years ago that it would look at the structure of its circuits and what changes might need to be made.”

Mr Hollins, who became superintendent of the former circuit in Biggleswade a year ago, has pastoral responsibility for Trinity Methodist Church in the town and also for Methodist churches in Moggerhanger, Upper Caldecote and Cardington. Before the new circuit was introduced he had responsibility for churches in Sandy and Beeston, before these were changed for Moggerhanger and Cardington.

He added: “The objective with the new circuit is for the three circuits to pool our resources.

“For example we have two youth workers who are not ordained ministers who can work around the whole circuit now.

“It gives us a lot more flexibility generally, especially in terms of our ministers and those of other churches that we work with.”