Ministers’ Letter

Hello Croydon Methodist Circuit Family!

May is one of those rare months where the Church calendar and the rhythm of everyday life seem to speak the same language.

The days grow longer. The sun begins to warm, not just the air but our spirits. Gardens stir back into life. There is a sense—almost tangible—that something is beginning again.

And right there, at the heart of this season, we find Pentecost and Aldersgate Day.

Pentecost reminds us that God did not leave His people alone. The risen Christ did not simply send His followers out with instructions—He sent His very presence. The Holy Spirit, the Parakletos, comes not as an abstract idea but as Comforter, Guide, and Life-giver. The Spirit breathes courage into fearful hearts, clarity into confusion and hope into situations that seem closed and final.

Aldersgate Day brings that same truth down to a deeply personal level. When John Wesley felt his “heart strangely warmed”, it was not the beginning of something entirely new, but the moment when faith became real—alive, present, undeniable. What he had known in his mind, he now experienced in his heart.

And perhaps that is where these two celebrations meet us today.

Because faith can so easily become familiar. We know the words. We follow the seasons. We cherish the traditions. And yet, beneath all that, there can sometimes be a quiet question: Is this truly alive for me?

Pentecost answers: Yes—because God is still giving His Spirit.

Aldersgate answers: Yes—because that Spirit still makes the Divine real to people, here and now.

And May itself seems to echo that message. The light lingers longer. The world feels open again. Before the slower pace of summer begins, this month invites us to notice—to pause—and perhaps even to ask.

What might the Spirit be stirring in us?

What are we being led to seek, to ask for, to knock upon?

Because the promise remains: the door is not closed. The presence of God is not distant. The Parakletos has been given—and where the Spirit is, there is always hope.

So, as we move through this brightening season, may we not only enjoy the sunshine around us, but remain open to the quiet, persistent work of God within us.

After all, May is not just about the world coming to life again.

It may also be the moment when faith becomes real—again.

Kind regards,

Gyula