Circuit
Loughton Methodist Church is one of 12 Methodist churches clustered into what Methodism calls a Circuit and there are many such circuits throughout the whole of the British Isles. The 12 churches which make up London Forest Circuit are a supportive, interdependent network within the London District of the national Methodist Church.
Forest Circuit stretches from Leyton (London E10) in the South of the Circuit to Loughton (Essex) in the North, with churches also in Leytonstone, Walthamstow, Wanstead and Woodford. We are aptly called Forest Circuit because the ancient Epping Forest also winds its (sometimes narrow) way through the Circuit – a wonderful resource for everyone!
Although the ministers are appointed to the Circuit as a whole, they are given pastoral responsibility for one or more of the individual churches and the Circuit is overseen by a Superintendent Minister.
Just as each individual church has a leadership team composed of the Minister, Stewards and a representative Church Council, so the Circuit has a leadership team composed of the Ministers, Circuit Stewards and Circuit Treasurer, who are responsible to the Circuit Meeting which has representatives from all 12 churches and which oversees the life and work of the circuit as a whole.
Each of the 12 churches, like LMC, have their visions and dreams for how they will be a Christian presence in their area, through worship and action in the community, and each of them have to deal with the everyday running of premises.
Because we do not have one minister per church, the Circuit depends on its lay preachers and worship leaders to prepare and lead worship in different churches - and it is a strength of Methodism that we get to know each other through this sharing of gifts and in meeting together regularly for combined circuit services. It is also a strength that each church plays its part in supporting the other churches, whether financially or in other ways.
