District News – 06 December 2022

This Week's News

District Digital Advent Calendar

On our social media channels you may have seen our digital Advent calendar. Each day we open a new door to reveal a video of a bible reading, a prayer, stories or reflections showing how There Is Room for everyone this Christmas. Each Circuit has been invited to create videos for us to share as we journey through Advent and onto Epiphany together. Thank you to Barnsley Circuit who are leading us through week 1 of Advent and to Sheffield Circuit for guiding us through week 2.

You can find the videos here

• Facebook @SheffieldMethodist
• Twitter @SheffMethodist
• Instagram @SheffieldMethodist
• Youtube @SheffieldMethodistDistrict

Each week there will be a new playlist allowing you to re-watch the videos. You can find week 1 here
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-XPpJod_i6eZhKa1-7Udplc_oOO7Opat
and week 2 here https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-XPpJod_i6f9j3DvXADytbO_BFPyB6qe

We'd love it if you could share what we have created and also tell us what you think? Comment on our posts, give us a like, share the videos in your church services or gatherings.

God for All feedback

God for All is about the Methodist Church taking steps deeper into the Gospel, towards a Church that is more evangelistic, justice-seeking, inclusive, and growing. In the third year of this big Connexional commitment, the Evangelism and growth team are seeking feedback from people holding a wide spread of roles within the life of our church about your experience so far. There is an online survey and selection of online focus groups (places are limited so please only book on if you are definitely able to attend and holding a relevant role)

Warm Spaces – early learnings & final prompt for grants

We will be holding "early learning" Zoom discussions for churches running warm spaces in the next few days (2pm Wed 7th, 10am Fri 9, 7:30pm Mon 12th).
Contact Neil Harland mission@sheffieldmethodist.org if you would like to join but don't have log in details.
Please also contact Neil if you are planning to open a warm space, but haven't yet applied for a £500 grant.

An Advent mini "at home" Retreat

A Christmas gift from Whirlow Spirituality Centre

The wreath is hung on the door, the chapel is festooned with greenery and the decorated houses set to remind us that light shines in the darkness. Amidst the joy of planning, parties and preparation, overwhelm can creep around the corners this month. We want to help you find that breathing space, to reflect and contemplate the meaning of the season through the noise.

Our weekly Reflective Communion and Space to Be gatherings, Quiet Days and poustinias are there to support and encourage, but if you're reading this from afar, or circumstances prevent you from attending in person, our mini at-home retreat gives you a little taste of what we offer. We hope and pray what we offer is a blessing to you, and hope to see you soon.
https://www.whirlowspiritualitycentre.org/our-christmas-gift-to-you

Talking Climate Justice

Sheffield Christian Aid committee have arranged a 'Talking Climate Justice' event for the evening of Sunday 22nd January 2023 at 6.15pm at Victoria Methodist Church, Stafford Road. Please do come along to hear about how you can get your church involved in taking action for climate justice. Feel free to bring along anyone else from your church who might be interested. It would really help us to plan the event if we knew how many to expect; you can book in 2 ways – either by using the details on the poster or by using this Eventbright link.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/talking-climate-justice-tour-tickets-474199121337
Alison Trezise (Chair of Sheffield CA committee) jandatrezise@virginmedia.com

District Officers' Updates

Statistics for Mission

Well done to Derbyshire North East Circuit who have a 100% submission from their churches on the statistics for mission site, with Barnsley and Trinity Circuits very close to finishing.
If your church has not yet updated it membership numbers and average attendance, can you please encourage the relevant person to do so as soon as possible.
To help with this you can Download a Guidance Manual here
and Download Paper Form (if you are not able to complete online) -send a copy into the District Office, Katrin can then update your entry.
Please get in touch with Katrin in the District office (admin@sheffieldmethodist.org) if you have any questions or problems with this.

Safeguarding Update

Domestic Abuse

The third Domestic Abuse Webinar was held on Thursday 24 November at 10.00 am. The theme was 'The Hidden Victims of Domestic abuse' and with this in mind presentations will include domestic abuse amongst older people, young people and within ministerial families. Speakers included Veronica Gray from Hourglass (Formerly Action on Elder Abuse), Maggie Wilkinson from Broken Rites, and Beckie Wood from What's the Debate.

The President of Conference gave the opening address, Michaela Youngson spoke about domestic abuse and the Methodist Church stance, and the Youth President offered some closing reflections. You can watch the webinar again here

Advanced Module Training

We have added some more dates to the online training for next year, in addition to the remaining face-to-face sessions already advertised.
Full details can be found on the District Website – Safeguarding section: https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/what-we-do/safeguarding/safeguarding-training.html

As ever, if you have any questions or concerns please give me a call on 07483 362 735 or email me at safeguarding@sheffieldmethodist.org

Alison Hill -District Safeguarding Officer

Events

Advent and Christmas

Carols at Tabor with PXI Projects

20 December from 7pm at Mount Tabor, Wordsworth Avenue, S5 8NJ
Carols at Tabor this year will feature the musical talents of Steel City Choristers who will sing some special carols for us as well as leading us in some good old carolling favourites. This year we're also being joined by the Lord Mayor, Cllr Sioned-Mair Richards.
The event is free though we will be holding a exit collection, so come along early to be sure to get a seat and enjoy the evening. Interval refreshments will be available
Free Tickets from Eventbrite :

Lay Employee Community of practice

19 January from 10am

The next online gathering of the Lay Employee Community of practice will be held on 19 January from 10am with the theme "What does Good Employment Look Like?". It will be facilitate by Izzy Milburn, the Darlington District Lay Employment Advisor.

You can register to join here: https://230119-LayEmployeeCOP.eventbrite.co.uk

There is a place on the registration form if you have any specific questions around employment that you would like to be looked at.

Wells in the Wilderness

From the 17th -19th March 2023, come along to Clitheroe for a Local Preachers' retreat.

Led by Barbara Easton, Ex-President of the Methodist Conference, the retreat will be in silence from Friday night to Sunday lunch time and will follow the familiar format of short inputs of approximately 20 minutes, each followed by ample time for private reflection, in the peaceful stillness of the presence of God.

For more information and to book your place, click here.

Vacancies

District Leading Team

We are seeking two lay people to join our District Leading Team – serving, guiding and co-ordinating the life of our district as our trustee body.

If you are excited by the prospect of enabling and inspiring missional change and growth this could be an opportunity to make a significant impact.

The team meets 6 – 8 times per year. We focus on implementation and development of our For Such A Time As This strategy for resourcing mission, and on impactful governance and oversight.

We are most effective when we collectively understand the diversity of current experiences of life at the coalface of mission and ministry across our district, and identify strategic resources and sharing of expertise that can be applied to enable visions to be rekindled, opportunities to be grasped, and barriers overcome.
More information, including how to express interest in this role, can be found on the District Website: https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/recruitment/vacancies/district-leading-team-member.html

Learning & Development Grants Group

We are seeking new people to join the small team awarding learning & development grants on behalf of our district. Helping people become, learn and grow into confident disciples of Jesus is a core part of our mission. One of the ways we equip growing disciples is through provision of grants to access or deliver learning and development opportunities.

Being a member of this group gives opportunity to nurture, equip and support growing disciples through access to learning, and to gain exposure to a wide variety of emerging resources.
More details can be found here: L&D Grants Group

And finally ...

A prayer for Preachers

God of Word and Spirit,

You have spoken through history,
Through the words of prophets and priests,
And have called us to be hearers and doers of your Word.

We pray that in our age,
Your Word may be heard amongst us,
And seen in our living and serving.

Strengthen us by your Spirit,

As we seek your Word for our time,
And proclaim it with confidence and humility.

In the name of the One who is the Living Word.
Jesus Christ our Saviour,
Amen.

from the Local Preachers' and Worship Leaders' News – follow this link to sign up to this and other newsletters from the Methodist Church: https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/news/sign-up-for-newsletters