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# MMHS

Providing homes for retiring Methodist ministers

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://mmhs.org.uk/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [How to deal with doorstep scams](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/how-to-deal-with-doorstep-scams/) - We’re working around the corner and noticed a loose tile on your roof. We’re in your area, and it’s a special price for today. I’ve just done a job for your neighbour. We’ve got material leftover from another job. How often have you heard such statements? Sometimes it’s hard to tell if the salesperson is
- [A time to recharge?](https://mmhs.org.uk/roof-n-roots-digital/1/) - Are you an unpaid carer? Is someone caring for you? If so, you must read on! I’m delighted to announce a new MMHS wellbeing initiative for our ministerial residents. We’re launching a respite and care grants programme for unpaid caregivers, and for those receiving their care. There are two types of grants. You can apply
- [Help when a global fuel crisis hits home](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/help-when-a-global-fuel-crisis-hits-home/) - Heating and eating costs may be going up – but so, too, is the level of support for those of us who need it. Here is a quick rundown of help that is available, as we all face the challenge of rising fuel and food bills. 1 Power companies Our first port of call should
- [Stay warm in spring](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/winter-warmers/) - Spring is here at last - but chilly evenings can still be challenging for MMHS residents. Concerned about the deep impact of cold conditions, we’ve located some Government and Met Office recommendations to help keep you and your home warm. Tackling the question head on - what temperature should your rooms be in winter -
- [A handy guide to your home service](https://mmhs.org.uk/rnrfeb2026/2/) - The latest version of the Residents’ Handbook is now available – the essential resource for all ministerial residents. Download your copy here or phone for a printed copy on 020 3848 6020.
- [Grants that work for your garden](https://mmhs.org.uk/rnrfeb2026/3/) - If our gardens serve as a ‘Natural Health Service’ – as senior physician Sir Muir Gray calls it – they might well benefit from additional investment. We would like to remind those of you with gardens that the Methodist Church’s Fund for the Support of Presbyters & Deacons (FSPD) generously offers a gardening grant of
- [Stop and think to beat the scammers](https://mmhs.org.uk/rnrfeb2026/4/) - Scammers are constantly creating new ways to catch us off-guard. To help you steer clear of their evolving strategies, MMHS plans a series of articles sharing our views on ways to protect ourselves from this threat. Charity supporters are being targeted through a relatively new phenomenon, cybersquatting. Cybersquatting is where scammers register domain names similar
- [How to wrap up your home repair](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/how-to-wrap-up-your-home-repair/) - Don’t let home repairs become a drain – let MMHS take the strain. You can even claim the cost if the job is MMHS’s responsibility. For repairs costing less than £250, all you have to do is arrange the job and give MMHS the contractor’s invoice for reimbursement. To make the path to repair run
- [How to adapt your home](https://mmhs.org.uk/friends-family/adapt-your-home/) - As a responsible landlord, MMHS is committed to assisting residents to obtain aids and adaptations, where they are required. MMHS sets aside an annual budget to supplement resources available from local authorities. Examples include – additional grab rails, replacing a bath with a shower and provision of a downstairs WC. Full details can be found
- [Residents' Handbook](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/handbook/) - Welcome to the revised version of the MMHS Residents' Handbook. Click here to download a copy.
- [‘I love being a chaplain’](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/i-love-being-a-chaplain/) - A meal and MRI scan opened up a new world for retired headteacher Eileen Simmons (pictured). She’s since become an Anna Chaplain, specialising in the spiritual care of older people. Twenty years ago, Eileen and her husband were dining with friends. One of the group asked if soup was on the menu. She was told,
- ['It's all been a gift'](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/its-all-been-a-gift/) - Born and bred amid the coal and iron fields of wartime Derbyshire, young Kathleen Fountain played darts at the miner’s welfare. In the future she’d face much more challenging targets amid the clipped lawns and carpeted corridors of Westminster. Kathleen came from the village of Calow. When she later became a peer of the realm,
- [The media world, my parish](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/the-media-my-parish/) - The media world was his parish. Society tenant Eric Blennerhassett was ordained as a Methodist minister – but swapped pulpit for production studios. TV and radio became his ‘district’ for more than 20 years. BETTER WORLD Born in 1921, Eric was brought up in a Methodist home at Erdington, Birmingham. Imaginative teachers showed Eric the power
- [Joy to the world](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/joy-to-the-world/) - For the cost of a cup of coffee, bucketfuls of hope have been poured out for hundreds of children in Kenya – thanks to Joy Murphy’s family. But the road to Africa has been a rocky one for them. Joy lives in a Housing Society property at Aylesbury. It’s a big, beautiful bungalow with a
- [Nev the Rev is a time lord](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/nev-rev-time-lord/) - Dr Who returns to the nation’s TV screens this spring. But the housing society already has its own ‘time lord’ in Revd Neville Pugh. However, Peter Capaldi needn’t worry. Nev’s powers are strictly making grandfather clocks. Stepping through the side door of his garage in North Wales is like entering the Tardis. But the doctor’s time
- [How Pat crossed the line](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/crossing-the-line/) - Pat Billsborrow was just eight when she heard the divine voice say, ‘I want you’. She was standing in Durham Cathedral, by the black line where medieval women could not cross. No one else was there. Growing up, she failed her O Levels. ‘That’s alright,’ her dad told her, ‘you can get married.’ But an
- [The making of Barrie](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/the-making-of-barrie/) - The family aren’t too far away, the local Methodist church is close, and it’s a nice walk to Pizza Express. Home is down a quiet lane, tucked away from the city roar. Dragonflies dance on the pond full of ornamental fish in this semi-rural idyll. If you tire of gardening, potter in the shed that
- [The Book Of Mary](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/the-book-of-mary/) - An MMHS resident has published her life story – and she’s giving profits from her book sales to us! One More Step Along The Golden Thread is Revd Mary Randle’s home-grown, humble and heart-warming account of growing up with a disabled parent, working in prisons and social services and becoming a Methodist minister. Sales have
- [Lister’s liturgy for life](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/listers-liturgy-for-life/) - His surname sounds almost like a famous Hungarian composer. So maybe it’s expected that MMHS resident and Board member Revd Glynn Lister would be a most musical fellow. He is a key part of the team behind our 70th anniversary worship resource. Glynn compiled the act of worship and thanksgiving – ‘to produce something simple
- [Mannie cried freedom](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/mannie-cried-freedom/) - Emmanuel Jacob was just 12 when he saw the rallying call on a bridge in Clairwood, Durban. ‘Free Mandela,’ the grafitti said. ‘It started me thinking about something I had never given thought to before,’ said Mannie, now 68. Mannie grew up in an Asian community in South Africa under apartheid. His was a happy
- [Trek to treasure island](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/treasure-island/) - Childhood on a remote Welsh island prepared Gwenda Watson for a future life of mission. She went from living in one of Britain’s smallest island communities – to helping husband Victor run one of the country’s biggest Methodist churches. Born in 1930 at the Welsh village of Cwm-y-Glo, ‘valley of coal’, Gwenda contracted polio at
- [‘Comedy brought me to church’](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/comedy-brought-me-to-church/) - Comedy brought Joyce Barrass to church. Her spiritual journey took her from playing in a bomb crater – to teaching in one of the highest cities in the world. Now an MMHS resident, Joyce was raised in a Methodist family at the Yorkshire mining village of Bolton-on-Dearne. Her father was head porter at the train
- ['It felt like coming home'](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/it-felt-like-coming-home/) - Norman and Jan Hooks found peace with their past - and a future together. Norman grew up amid fierce religious division in Northern Ireland. Jan had to work through issues from her childhood. Yet they both found healing from each of their own ‘troubles’. The couple met at Cliff College in 1969. Jan was brought
- [How Meryl beat the lockdown blues](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/how-meryl-beat-the-lockdown-blues/) - Meryl Bedford was one of millions hit by lockdown loneliness. She was desperate to do something to lift her spirits, being without her regular visits to husband Derek, who was suffering from dementia. Derek’s nursing home closed its doors on 11th March 2020, the start of the first lockdown. Praying about her isolation, Meryl had
- [How to push through the pandemic](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/how-to-push-through-the-pandemic/) - Making masks from knicker elastic, telling Groucho Marx jokes, sharing ‘worship workout’ YouTube clips, cooking Bali-style on Zoom, trampolining for charity and recording a song a day are among the ways people have been coping with the Covid crisis. Such pandemic adventures are revealed in a new A-Z called Lockdown: Lexicon & Legacy. More than
- [How to face your fear of computers](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/how-to-face-your-fear-of-computers/) - Computers would leave him cold. Now Revd Derek Lund is warming to them – thanks to the creative collaboration between MMHS and tech support group AbilityNet. This 86-year-old Society resident was about to pack in his PC. Then Roof ‘n’ Roots dropped on his doormat. Derek read the story about our new initiative and phoned
- [The wonder of Derek](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/the-wonder-of-derek/) - Mixing Wesley with Presley sounds like the work of a clever DJ. But it’s just what MMHS resident Revd Derek Aldridge did in becoming chaplain of UK fan organisation Strictly Elvis. Derek was all shook up when he retired – as this nationwide network of Elvis devotees became his parish. Brought up in Cardiff, Derek
- [Ambushed by God](https://mmhs.org.uk/stories/ambushed-by-god/) - Martin Swan used to be a driver for the State Department of America. That meant he drove for past US presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr on their UK visits. His life took the equivalent of a sharp handbrake turn after disturbing dreams in the early 1990s. ‘I was in bed asleep
- [Pastor sounds out Jesus people](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/pastor-sounds-out-jesus-people/) - MMHS resident and prog rock podcaster Revd John Simms reviews When Jesus Met Hippies by Andrew Whitman (Malcolm Down Publishing) For a child of the 60s – who came to faith in the 70s – this book was an interesting and nostalgic read. The author and I share a similar story – raised in a
- [Weigh up your wellbeing workout](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/weigh-up-your-wellbeing-workout/) - A cut-out-and-keep calendar of creative activities has been published in the latest edition of Roof ‘n’ Roots to boost residents’ wellbeing. Written by gardening charity Thrive, this ‘journey of wellbeing’ offers a variety of easy-to-do daily activities, spread across a month. Suggested tasks range from simply listening to bird song to potting up a plant
- [Call for an older people’s champion](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/call-for-an-older-peoples-champion/) - A campaigning politician and the charity Independent Age have called for a champion to represent older people at national level. MP Jo Gideon of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Ageing and Old People said a pensioner ‘tsar’ should be appointed to help pull two million older people out of poverty. She joined Independent Age at
- [New app offers help in older age](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/new-app-offers-help-in-older-age/) - A free app that aims to help people prepare for older age pressures is being tested in southern England, according to infotec.news East and West Sussex councils are leading the pilot scheme for the Life Transitions software that can be installed and run on electronic devices. The app is supported by the Government’s UK Research
- [Free day out for your family](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/free-day-out-for-your-family/) - Fancy a free day out with the grandchildren this spring? Then claim a National Trust family pass worth £25-£35, says the MoneySavingExpert website. A staggering 75,000 free e-tickets have allegedly been released. They can be claimed on the Daily Star, Daily Mirror and Daily Express websites. MoneySavingExpert warn these free tickets are usually very popular.
- [1,000-mile trek by 2CV to fight MND](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/1000-mile-trek-by-2cv-to-fight-mnd/) - Using B roads and just a compass, charity worker Matthew Hollis has driven his rusty but trusty Citroën 2CV from the east coast of England to the west coast of Ireland to boost the fight against Motor Neurone Disease. Matthew, who works for Motor Neurone Disease Association, made local and national headlines last month (April)
- [MMHS makes a splash at Leeds Dock](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/mmhs-delights-at-leeds-dock/) - Scores of attendees visited the spectacular new MMHS stand at the 2024 Methodist Conference, held at Royal Armouries in Leeds Dock this summer. 'Your future home could be with us at MMHS,' said the stand's slogan. 'We've housed retiring ministers for more than 75 years. Let's start a conversation.' Of course, people took us up
- [Your voice could change ‘transport landscape’](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/your-voice-could-change-transport-landscape/) - If you – or anyone in your family – has experiences of disability access, you could have the chance to change the transport landscape. That’s the view of Damian Joseph-Bridgeman, inclusivity advocate and board member of the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat). His comment was reported in the latest Independent Living newsletter. More than
- [Celebrate – and snap – your garden!](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/celebrate-and-snap-your-garden/) - If you have a favourite plant or a tranquil spot you enjoy in your garden, why not share a photo of it with the wider world? Gardening for health charity Thrive are looking for images and stories for each month to be featured in their upcoming 2025 calendar, What Gardening Means to Me. And here
- [Concerned Christian mums rock](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/concerned-christian-mums-rock/) - MMHS resident and prog rock podcaster Revd John Simms reviews God Gave Rock And Roll To You: A History Of Contemporary Christian Music by Leah Payne (Oxford University Press) Like many other retired Methodist ministers – from singing hymns in chapel to attending festivals – music has always been an important part of my life.
- [Northern centre to boost older people’s health](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/northern-centre-to-boost-older-peoples-health/) - MMHS residents from Lincolnshire to Yorkshire will be interested to know a Centre of Excellence for Frailty has been launched by the NHS to support the care of older people across that region. And its impact could spread much further afield. Some may think this is yet another standard initiative to get things up and
- [Older people want to ‘chase life’, says survey](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/older-people-want-to-chase-life-says-survey/) - Older people feel they have a lot to give and ‘the world needs to wake up to that’. They want to be ‘out there chasing life’. Those are just some of the comments compiled in the first of a series of pioneering surveys into what it means to age in Britain in 2024. The New
- [Go global for disabled people](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/join-global-movement-for-disabled-people/) - Hosting art shows, spearheading accessibility campaigns and sharing stories are just some of the ways to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December 2024. The day highlights the importance of equality, including accessibility, for people with disabilities – and celebrates the achievements of people who live with physical or mental challenges. The
- [How to find a fun festive event](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/how-to-find-your-ideal-festive-event/) - It can be anything from a craft fair to carols round a firepit. Do you want to find out about festive events in your area – or publicise one you helped organise? If so, then you might find Community Christmas useful. This is a free directory of festive events and activities taking place across the
- [New manual helps Long Covid sufferers](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/new-manual-helps-long-covid-sufferers/) - A new resource has been launched to help those struggling with the effects of Long Covid – which affects nearly two million people across the UK. The 65 for 65 Long Covid Recovery e-book has been created by physiotherapist Robin McNelis and psychology student Bella MacDonald. Bella launched the 65for65 challenge to raise awareness for Long
- [How to create a dementia-friendly home](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/how-to-create-a-dementia-friendly-home/) - Avoid stripes and patterns on the floor, contrasting colours can make things easier to see, and use coloured toilet seats in the loo and plain crockery in the dining room. Those are among the vital pieces of advice offered in a publication called Creating A Dementia Friendly Home, issued by the Northern Health and Social
- [SPRING 2022](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/spring-2022/) - A 'chance' social media encounter alerted us to the rising phenomenon 'Metal Methodist' - Revd James Morley - and we discovered he's son of one of our residents, Revd Barrie Morley. James created a prayer service on the web that became 'church' for many in the pandemic. We interviewed 'dad and lad' and got the
- [BEST OF ROOF 'N' ROOTS VOL 1](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/best-of-roof-n-roots-vol-1/) - After nearly three years of lockdowns, postponements and virtual events, the Methodist Conference returned to being a real happening - and we were there! We sent a team to run an exhibition stand and share stories of our work. Our display featured a special 'Best of...' edition of Roof 'n' Roots – and the publication
- [AUTUMN 2022](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/autumn-2022/) - A cool, gentle breeze greets us with the mystical flavour of the season on a fine autumnal morning. There's nothing quite like it, is there? We try to carry that similar sense of comfort and hope as we publish the autumn edition of Roof 'n' Roots – your very own MMHS news publication. Here are
- [WINTER 2022](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/winter-2022/) - It's been a long cold season indeed. We hope to offer you a heart-warming read with the winter 2022 edition of Roof 'n Roots. Here are just some of the hot articles: the 101-year-old local preacher; the 89-year-old wing-walker; the award-winning producer who creates our podcasts; how to unlock doors to a calmer mind and
- [SUMMER 2023](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2023/) - Summer is here! And finally we've been enjoying a bit of sun. Okay, it might still rain occasionally. But generally, the temperature is up a little. That's good news. To boost your spirits even more, a brand new edition of Roof 'n' Roots is out! Here are just some of the main features: the skiffle
- [AUTUMN 2023](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2023-2/) - The golden hues of the season greet us, even if it's cooler and wetter. So we all need a bit of inspiration and encouragement. There's plenty to enjoy in the latest edition of Roof 'n' Roots. Here are some of the heart-warming stories: how to create community with folk music; the story behind our 75th
- [WINTER 2023](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2023-2-2/) - 'Tis the season for hibernation! While you hunker down and make yourself cosy and warm on these winter nights, here comes the latest Roof 'n' Roots to keep you company. And these are the articles to help you make the most of this time: meet our board chair Revd Alan Taylor who's 75 in our
- [SPRING 2024](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2023-2-2-2/) - Spring has finally sprung! While you still wait for the weather to change, enjoy some heart-warming stories in the latest Roof 'n' Roots. Here's the key content to help you usher in the promise of spring: meet the high priest of prog Revd John Simms; practical advice on how to make the most of your
- [BEST OF ROOF 'N' ROOTS VOL 2](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-special-2024/) - Our journey is complete. We finished our 75th anniversary celebrations with a second volume of The Best Of Roof 'n' Roots. A limited print edition was distributed at the 2024 Methodist Conference, and the PDF has since been made available to download. Scores of delegates were interested to see this latest compilation of residents' stories.
- [AUTUMN 2024](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/autumn-2024/) - Well, we had our first frost. Then the sun came out and it's been mild ever since! Anyway, we still need some suitable reading material as the days have shortened and the nights are longer. For that reason alone, the autumn edition of Roof 'n' Roots is worth downloading! Here are the key contents... How
- [WINTER 2024](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/autumn-2024-2/) - TV gardener David Domoney gave his support to a four-week wellbeing journey - right where you live! See the winter 2024 Roof 'n' Roots to find out all about it... There's much more than that in this heart-warming issue: how an MMHS resident shared the message of Methodism on the BBC; how you can write
- [SPRING 2025](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/spring-2025/) - MMHS editorial team member Dan is proud of his grandfather - who found fresh freedom through music. Read about the healing power of a healthy pastime in the spring 2025 edition of Roof 'n' Roots... And that's not all in this edition, which is bursting forth with ideas for you and your home: how MMHS
- [Safeguarding](https://mmhs.org.uk/safeguarding/safeguarding/) - As a charitable landlord to retired Methodist Ministers of limited means, MMHS takes seriously the Charity Commission expectation that we ‘must take reasonable steps to protect from harm people who come into contact with [our] charity’. We will follow the Charity Commission Guidelines relating to Safeguarding which include: Ensuring people know how to raise a
- [Don’t take life sitting down](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/dont-take-life-sitting-down/) - If retirement finds you sat in front of your telly or computer for hours on end, break it up! That’s the message from Get Britain Standing - a mass media campaign aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of sedentary working and prolonged sitting time. Launched more than a decade ago, the campaign has birthed
- [Dance and yoga get Loneliness Awareness Week moving](https://mmhs.org.uk/uncategorized/dance-and-yoga-get-loneliness-awareness-week-moving/) - Laughter yoga, swing dancing, shared office lunches and cook-offs are just some of the ways thousands of people have been connecting to combat loneliness. They’ve all been taking part in past Loneliness Awareness Weeks – created by Marmalade Trust to create a more connected society. This year the campaign runs from 9-15 June. Designated chatty
- [Doreen's a hit on the gardening scene](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/doreens-a-hit-on-the-gardening-scene/) - Retired Methodist minister Revd Doreen Hare has become a Facebook sensation after designing a dream outdoor space at her MMHS property. She also celebrates 40 years since her ordination – just as the Methodist Church marks 50 years of ordaining women as presbyters. Doreen caused a stir with one of her first sermons – not
- [How to declutter your home](https://mmhs.org.uk/news/how-to-declutter-your-home/) - As the days grow shorter and the crisp air of autumn sets in, it’s the perfect time to tidy and prepare for winter. Amy Goodwin from Decide to Declutter shares some tips in the autumn 2024 Roof 'n' Roots. You can read the full article in that edition – here's a taster of Amy's article...
- [It's the season for a sleep check](https://mmhs.org.uk/friends-family/your-season-for-a-sleep-check/) - Changing the clocks may have sounded the alarm for us all to check our sleep hygiene. In the wake of the spring equinox – when we've just put the clocks forward one hour – information and advice service Independent Living have shared some top tips for a good night’s sleep. Whether we welcome this season
- [How to cope with cost crisis](https://mmhs.org.uk/friends-family/how-to-cope-with-cost-crisis/) - Timely advice on how to tackle the cost-of-living crisis has been issued by charities who work with older people. Tech support group AbilityNet – who already work hard to help MMHS residents and others get online – have produced a webinar that shares hints and tips from experts. Their advice includes outlining free digital tools and
- [Roof 'n' Roots Spring/Summer 2022](https://mmhs.org.uk/podcast/roof-n-roots-podcast-spring-summer-2022/) - Listen to the audio version of our popular news publication Roof 'n' Roots!
- [How to get the most out of your garden](https://mmhs.org.uk/friends-family/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-garden/) - How do you make the most of your gardening space? That question is tackled through a Gardening Club run by horticultural therapy charity Thrive. Delivered straight to your inbox, Gardening Club’s fortnightly email is designed to make gardening accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Easy to follow, simple step-by-step instructions and pictures offer to guide people
- [How ritual removes pandemic 'fog'](https://mmhs.org.uk/friends-family/ritual/) - Restore rituals and make memories – that’s how we can help ourselves recover from the ‘brain fog’ that has bogged us down for the past two years. Psychologists are encouraging us to focus on making plans and experiences as we emerge from this ‘pandemic memory hole’ that has made life become a blur. An article
- [WINTER 2021](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/winter-2021/) - She's a pioneer in mission, ministry and metallurgy. Our very own Revd Joyce Norman shares her remarkable journey from Lowry's Salford streets to South East Asia and back again. There's even more to enjoy in the Winter 2021 edition of Roof 'n' Roots... How our Charles New made the news,When we sent our documents even
- [How to survive a dementia winter](https://mmhs.org.uk/friends-family/how-to-survive-a-dementia-winter/) - Winter brings darker days – especially for people with dementia. But family and friends can light their way. Leading dementia charity Alzheimer’s Society have come up with seven ways to help those living with dementia to feel safe and comfortable during the colder months. 1 Make sure the person is dressed appropriately – people with
- [SUMMER 2021](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2021/) - Trained to cope with an ambush, Martin Swan couldn't find a fast getaway from God. Read Martin's story of how he journeyed from presidential chauffeur to Methodist minister – in the latest edition of Roof 'n' Roots. There are even more reasons to dive into the summer issue of our news publication – which also
- [WINTER 2019](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/winter-2019/) - Revd Richard Teal – a long-serving member of our board – has become President Elect of the Methodist Conference! We're so proud of our Richard, we asked him to share his story. We also discovered that one of our residents, Revd Joyce Barrass, was one of the first UK Methodist mission partners to Bolivia. It's
- [SPRING 2021](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/spring-2021/) - It’s ‘all shook up’ for Roof ‘n’ Roots. Not only does our regular publication have a bold new design, but also it features the Revd Derek Aldridge, who is chaplain to UK fan organisation ‘Strictly Elvis’. That's not all. There’s a little less conversation and a little more action, as each Society resident receives their
- [Summer 2016](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2016/) - While Westminster was rocked by anti-Brexit marchers, a teachers' demo, protests about the Chilcot Inquiry - and as the Queen attended the Somme centenary service - the launch edition of the MMHS newsletter was presented quietly to attendees at the 2016 Methodist Conference. The first issue offered such items as: how a Derbyshire lass became
- [WINTER 2020](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/winter-2020/) - Let's face it. We've all struggled over the past year. We hope you find encouragement and inspiration in the latest edition of Roof 'n' Roots. We do our best to keep you equipped and informed as our much-valued residents! Here are some of the highlights of the Winter 2020 publication: how to make friends with
- [SPRING 2019](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/spring-2019/) - Spring has come! The late great Leonard Cohen said it 'sneaks...into our villages, between our birch trees'. Amid the sights and scents of the season, and in the shade of big, bright, beautiful blossoms, comes the latest edition of Roof 'n' Roots. Here are just some of the highlights: a love story that lived under
- [How to celebrate housing ministry](https://mmhs.org.uk/prayer-worship/celebration-liturgy/) - Residents, families, friends and supporting churches can celebrate more than 70 years of ministry with us – thanks to a suite of worship resources produced by members of our staff and board. Communications Manager Clive Price and former MMHS Board members Glynn Lister and Ros Peedle compiled a whole host of materials for simple services
- [How to pray about housing needs](https://mmhs.org.uk/prayer-worship/prayer-guide/) - Pray for those longing for a home – such as the UK’s 320,000 homeless people and 69 million displaced souls worldwide. That’s the message of our resource which raises awareness of housing needs. Octave offers prayers not only for MMHS residents, staff and Board members – but also for carers, homeless people, refugees and housing policy
- [Autumn 2016](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/autumn-2016/) - Just as Jeremy Corbyn told Labour it could climb an 'electoral mountain' to success, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump clashed in the race to the White House and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited a remote First Nation community in Canada, the second issue of the MMHS newsletter landed on residents' doormats. Contents include:
- [Winter 2016](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/winter-2016/) - Brexit looms ahead. Trump becomes Time magazine's 'Person Of The Year'. And the diminishing shape and size of Toblerone will haunt us forever. Yet Roof 'n' Roots retains the same generous dimensions. The winter edition has been produced in time for Christmas, so you have something warm and friendly to read on a crisp, cold
- [Spring 2017](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/spring-2017/) - Sabre rattling over Gibraltar. Mary Poppins being remade. Rising costs of commuting. It's all been a mixed bag of news from the wider world in the recent beautiful spring weather. Thankfully, the latest edition of Roof 'n' Roots offers much more with its heart-warming blend of people stories and practical advice: how Society resident Revd Neville
- [Summer 2017](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2017/) - It's 'happy birthday' to Roof 'n' Roots – as the official newsletter of MMHS celebrates its first year! While the Methodist Conference was getting underway in Birmingham, the Summer 2017 edition was already landing on residents' doormats. Contents include: MMHS board chair Debbie Faulkner reflects on a mandate to serve;how Revd Pat Billsborrow heard a divine call as a little girl;what
- [Winter 2017](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/winter-2017/) - While storms lashed these islands - followed by the worst snowfall in seven years - Roof 'n' Roots has been falling on doormats across the country. Offering comfort and encouragement to our residents, here is a sample of the heart-warming content in our winter edition: how Society resident and author Revd Barrie Tabraham found a
- [SPRING 2018](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/spring-2018/) - After what seems like the longest winter in living memory, we hope spring has finally sprung. But one thing is for certain – the latest edition of Roof 'n' Roots is out! We hope our newsletter arrives like a ray of sunshine, offering comfort and inspiration to our residents. Here are just some of the contents:
- [SUMMER 2018](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2018/) - Summer came with a vengeance! We hope you've been enjoying the warm weather in safety and comfort. Meanwhile, we've been celebrating our 70th anniversary in wild and wonderful ways - including a bumper eight-page edition of Roof 'n' Roots! Here's a look at some of the content: an MMHS resident celebrating his 100th birthday in
- [WINTER 2018](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/winter-2018/) - Christmas is coming – which means the winter edition of Roof 'n' Roots is here! We're rounding off our eventful 70th anniversary year with reading material designed to inform, encourage and inspire you. Here's a look at some of the content: how David and Joyce Millington hosted an MMHS birthday service;meet the man who crafted
- [SUMMER 2019](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2019/) - Whatever happened to summer? Hopefully the sun shines on you as you open up the latest edition of Roof 'n' Roots. There's enough content to keep you enlightened and entertained on those lazy, hazy days. Here are just some of the highlights of our news publication: an island girl who was made for mission;latest news
- [SPRING 2020](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/spring-2020/) - How do you keep in contact amid Coronavirus? One extended family found an answer. Our own correspondent Rachel Dawson shares the story. 'My cousin set up a Facebook family page,' said Rachel, 'a totally new thing for us – but quite easy.' Plus there's more content to encourage you in the latest Roof 'n' Roots:
- [SUMMER 2020](https://mmhs.org.uk/newsletter/summer-2020/) - How have you been coping with the Covid crisis? Meryl Bedford broke the isolation barrier by working her way through her church directory. ‘I thought I should ring the people who are by themselves,' Meryl told us. 'It helps me – and I hope it helps them!' Work your way through this pandemic with vital

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## Categories

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