District News – 07 February 2023

This Week's News

Sad news

Following the notice last week about the death of the Revd Alan Sproson, we can now share that the funeral will take place on Friday 10 March at 1pm in Mosborough Methodist Church, followed by a committal at Brimington Crematorium.
We continue to hold Jean and the family in our prayers.

Ecumenical Accompaniers

The World Council of Churches via the Quakers are recruiting for their next cohort of human rights monitors. They call them Ecumenical Accompaniers, or EAs for short.
EAs spend three months in Palestine and Israel witnessing and monitoring human rights violations and standing in solidarity with local peace activists. When they come home they give talks in their local communities and advocate for an end to the military occupation of Palestine.
EAs need to be flexible, hard-working, physically and emotionally robust, open to hearing from different perspectives, and able to represent the programme in a professional manner. No previous monitoring experience is required. Your expenses will be paid and a living allowance provided.
For more information, please contact Jenny Bywaters (jlbywaters@aol.com) who was and EA in 2013 and happy to speak to anyone who may be considering applying.
To apply click here.
The closing date is Thursday 9 March 2023, 5pm

Kitchen Equipment on offer

Greenhill Methodist Church have a corner sink unit, table and dishwasher that is surplus to requirements (see photo). No price attached, although a donation would be welcomed.
Please contact Geoff Flower (geoffandlindaflower@gmail.com) or call him on 07741 416703 for more information.

National Methodist Youth Brass Band

Saturday 11 February at 7:30pm

Emmanuel Methodist Church, Barnsley are delighted to be hosting the Youth Brass Band. Entry free (no tickets) but donations on the day would be welcome.

I AM Mark

10 March, 7pm, Central Methodist Church

On Friday, March 10th, starting at 7pm, Central Methodist Church are delighted to host Stefan Smart's dramatic performance of the Gospel of Mark.
Over two acts, each lasting approximately 50 minutes, Stefan takes the audience through the whole account of Mark, starting with the appearance of John the Baptist and ending with the events that follow Easter.
Suitable for everyone, we hope the event will be an opportunity to invite family and friends to hear the Gospel in a truly accessible way.
Tickets are priced at £3 to allow multiple purchases and are available either from the Cornerstone Bookshop at Central itself, or online.

Bible Month

The Learning Network team are particularly looking for churches to act as hubs for the forthcoming training day on 11 March. You can find out more about what is involved here: Host a hub guide
Use the EventBrite link to sign up: Bible Month Training

District Office Updates

District Gathering

Twice a year the District invite retired ministers and widows/widowers of ministers to a gathering for fellowship and food. These had to be cancelled over the last couple of years due to Covid, but they are starting up again.
Last week about 20 gathered at Hallcroft Methodist Church in the Trinity Circuit and enjoyed a good lunch as well as time to catch up with old friends.
Our thanks to Hallcroft for hosting this event. The next one will be in the Peak Circuit in August.

Safeguarding Update

Advanced Training Module

There was to have been a face-to-face training session on 23 February, but this has had to be cancelled due to insufficient registrations. There are still spaces on the remaining face-to-face and Online training sessions, but they do have a minimum number of attendees to make it viable.
More information can be found here

Understanding Eligibility in the Faith Sector (online learning event on 15 Feb 2023

NSPCC Learning has partnered with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to organise a learning event on DBS checks in the faith sector in England and Wales. The event includes information on different levels of DBS checks and aims to support faith-based organisations with fulfilling their safeguarding requirement. The event will take place on 15 February 2023 online.

The Free online 90-minute training session will cover:

• the benefits of faith-based organisations working with DBS
• the different levels of DBS checks available
• eligibility, and when an employee or volunteer is eligible for a check
• the meaning of 'regulated activity' in the faith sector
• the DBS Update Service and its benefits
• DBS checks forming part of the overall safer recruitment approach

This learning event is suitable for anyone working with a faith-based organisation who would like to know more about DBS checks and what their organisation needs to do to fulfil their safeguarding requirement.

Find out more: Understanding eligibility for DBS checks in the faith sector:

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
Many thanks
Alison Hill -District Safeguarding Officer.

Sheffield District Justice Quilt

We are starting to get contributions to the Justice Quilt. It isn't too late to let Katrin in the District Office know if you or your church group are planning to make some. The finished squares need to be sent it by 10 March to allow time for assembling.

District Youth Day

Join us on Saturday 25th March 2023 at Hesley Woods for a fun day of workshops, worship and on-site activities. This event is for anyone aged 8 -18, but they must attend with Youth Leader/Minister.
Full details including how to book here! https://230325-youthday.eventbrite.co.uk

Events

Methodists at Pride networking evening

Wednesday 15 February 2023, 19:30 – 20:30

Are you a Methodist who engages in Pride? Or considering organising a presence at Pride for the first time this year? The Evangelism and Growth Team would love you to come along to a networking event on Zoom. The evening will be a time to share stories, ideas and good advice about the ways we might seek to engage well in Pride events. We'll also be launching a 'Methodists at Pride' new video for LGBT+ History Month, as well as a pack of resources to support Methodists who wish to engage in Pride missionally.
Click here to register

Frontline Gathering

11-12 March – Cliff College

• Are you aged 18-30?
• Interested in exploring what it means to live, tell, share faith in all sorts of contexts and places?

Join us for Frontline and explore with other young adults – ask questions, share learning, bring challenges. Whatever your experience or confidence level, you are welcome.
https://www.methodist.org.uk/frontline

Bible Month Training Day

Saturday 11 March 10am to 3pm

This will be live broadcast from Salisbury Methodist Church. We want to make this a day not just of learning but also of fellowship. We're encouraging circuits and churches to gather all those involved in facilitating Bible Month, so that you can enjoy the live broadcast together and take advantage of the opportunity to discuss and share what you're learning and how it might land in your context.
Full details including how to register can be found on the EventBrite page: BM23-Training.eventbrite.co.uk
The 2023 30 Days with Revelation Booklet is out and available to purchase now from www.preachweb.org

Learning the art of OutoftheBox

17 March 2023 from 9am

OutoftheBox uses story and play for personal and community wellbeing. Our storytellers create brave relational space to breathe, trust, listen, feel, wonder, play and love. OutoftheBox stories are in use in a range of settings, including schools, care homes, workplaces, community groups, families, therapeutic settings, chaplaincy, spiritual accompaniment and faith communities.

Courses to learn the art of OutoftheBox can be found here and a grant of £100 towards the cost is available for people in the Sheffield area.
To book the course in March https://forms.gle/QPREgiM7XLNE267e8
To find details of other courses https://www.outoftheboxtraining.org/events

Methodist Women In Britain (MWiB) conference

14-16 April – Swanwick

This year's Swanwick Conference's key note speaker is Pam Rhodes. If you would like to attend and enjoy a weekend of fellowship and catch up with friends do come and join us.
All are welcome.
Full details including how to register can be found on their website: www.mwib.org.uk

Vacancies

UTU Trustee

The Urban Theology Union ( https://utusheffield.org.uk/ ) is entering a new phase in its journey of delivering courses and supported study of relevance to Christians and others who wish to explore the contextual relevance of Jesus' teaching in urban settings.

We need new volunteer Trustee/Directors to oversee and help shape our work as it develops.
We meet 5 times a year, on a weekday evening, plus the AGM (currently a Saturday afternoon in November), and all our meetings are now online. Additional time will be needed between the Board meetings for those who take on a specific portfolio. As a learning organisation we will provide mentoring and guidance for people who want to develop their skills.

For more information about UTU please contact Jill Wagg, Administrator, office@utusheffield.org.uk or to talk informally about what is involved, contact Erica Dunmow, Chair of Trustees at ed.chair.utusheffield@gmail.com

And finally ...

A prayer for the tragic events in Turkey and Syria

God of time and space, we cry to you for your children – our neighbours – in southern Turkey and northern Syria, following the earthquake that has devastated hundreds of lives. Only they and you know what it is like to experience such trauma in the middle of the night.

We give thanks for the aid that is already being given and for the promises of help that have been made by many nations.
Comfort, we pray,

• those who are trapped in collapsed buildings;
• those who have lost loved ones;
• those who wait for news and
• those digging through rubble to save others.

Grant the gift of hope so that those caught between life and death know that you are with them and that others are ready to support them as they seek a future that overshadows the experiences of today.

We ask this in the Name of Jesus, who endured so much for love of them.
Amen.

Prayer written by the President of the Conference, the Revd Graham Thompson.

Christian Aid has launched an appeal to help those affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.