District News – 09 November 2021

This Week's News

Office News

Katrin has returned to working in the District Office (rather than from home) most of the time. Visitors are welcome, but there is a new system for access in place. Entrance is still via the Chapel Walk entrance (between the City of Sanctury and Samaritans shop). All visitors are asked to report to the Reception desk.They have a policy of asking all visitors to say where they are going and visitor passes are being used to help with building security, so please follow their instructions. There is a one-way system which is clearly signed.The door to the corridors are normally kept locked, there is a bell next to the light switch which will ring in our offices.
The kettle is always on – between 10 and 1pm.
Katrin will be away next Tuesday-Thursday, so there will be no Weekly News next week.

John Peacock

John's funeral will be on 12 November at Wisewood. Due to Covid restrictions the venue is already at capacity with family and friends attending. Please hold them all in your prayers on the day.

Remembrance Poppy Trail

Killamarsh Methodist Church has been using it's roadside garden for worship and mission during the pandemic. They are taking part in the Killamarsh Poppy Trail for Remembrance this year and this is the splendid efforts of our Cake and Craft ladies, many thanks to all involved.

Safeguarding Conference 2022

Following a similar pattern to this year's conference, three on-line events are being planned for next year's Conference.
The theme chosen for the Regional Safeguarding Conference this year is based on the Theology of Safeguarding Report that was received by Methodist Conference 2021. The full report can be found at www.methodist.org.uk/media/21753/conf-2021-27-the-theology-of-safeguarding.pdf

Tuesday 1st February 2022 – 10.00am-11.30am

Tim Carter, Director of Safeguarding, Methodist Church
Session – All are welcome
The first session has the title of "All are Welcome". We hope the session will draw out some of the challenge this welcome offers us in the church, and how we can recognise the need for a good understanding of appropriate boundaries in all aspects of church life and ministry.

Wednesday 2nd February 2022 – 7.00pm-8.30pm

Revd Helen Cameron, Chair of the Northampton Methodist District
Session – Power in the church
The second session has the title of "Power in the Church". It is hoped this session will draw out some of the challenges of looking at who holds power, when this needs to be challenged, and how we can recognise harmful power in relationships and our church life and ministry.

Thursday 3rd February 2022 – 1.30pm-3.00pm

Revd Leslie Newton, Chair of the Yorkshire North and East Methodist District
Session – Forgiveness
The third session has the title of "Forgiveness". It is hoped that the session will draw out some of the challenges of looking at forgiveness in the context of safeguarding and our church life and ministry. The Theology of Safeguarding Report will be a starting point for the presentation.

More information, including how to register to attend, will be coming soon.

Advance notice – Lent retreat

28th Feb – 4th March 2022, St. Oswald's Community, Sleights.
Silent and Individually Guided; facilitators Jacky Stride and Joy Adams from Whirlow Spirituality Centre.
Cost £350 full board. (grants may be available from the Learning & Development fund )
Email events@whirlowspiritualitycentre.org asap to indicate interest

Prayer Writers needed

The Methodist Prayer Handbook has prayers for every day of the year in a 31-day prayer cycle and is written by the Methodist community as a great resource for worship, shared or individual prayer.
Could you write a prayer for the 2022/2023 Handbook, or perhaps share one you have used in worship recently? The theme is 'The Greatest Commandment' (based on Matthew 22:37-39 and Acts 2).
The deadline for submission of prayers (and photos) is Monday 10 January 2022. For more information and submission guidelines please visit the Methodist Prayer Handbook page of the Methodist Church website

District Safeguarding Update

Supporting your Church Safeguarding Officer – session 1.

On Tuesday 19th October I held the first session for Church Council Members and Church Safeguarding Officers. We looked at the basic expectations in the model church safeguarding policy and considered practically ways council members be able to offer support. I recorded the session for people unable to attend on the evening. The link to this recording is now on the District website, as is a simple documents showing the policy areas covered and questions council members can reflect on. Please click here to access both.
I'm sorry if you had booked on but been unable to access the session – I will make sure this doesn't happen in future.

Whilst a number of people had sent their apologies the eight Church Safeguarding Officer, present on the night, were dishearten to see that no Church Council Member attended the session. We collectedly reflected on the lack of understanding regarding safeguarding and the disappointment we felt that, all but one church, showed any interest in supporting their safeguarding officer. I know that more people are booked onto future sessions but I would like to encourage council members to recognise that your support is wanted and needed.
The link above can be used to access the booking details for the other sessions in the serious, with Session 2 taking place on Wednesday 17th November at 7pm

Updated Connexional forms on the Methodist Church in the UK website

Two of the forms on the website have been updated following amendments to the text around the GDPR retention requirements.
Key Holder Declaration – Form D (methodist.org.uk) – Form D Updated Oct 2021
Volunteer with Vulnerable Groups – Form A (methodist.org.uk) – Form A Part 1 updated Oct 2021

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.

Events

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Course

Have you ever considered becoming a Mental Health First Aider? We are delighted to be able to offer the opportunity for you to complete the 2 day MHFA adult training course online. At the end of the course you will be a Mental Health First Aider, equipped to listen to and to be better able to signpost people to the help they need for their recovery. For more information about the course visit: Become a Mental Health First Aider MHFA England

Course dates: 29th November, 2nd December, 6th December and 9th December 2021
Time: 7pm – 9.30pm
Cost: £50 (RRP £300 – the course is subsidised by the Methodist Church)
Registration deadline: 19th November, 2021
Please note that by booking you are committing to paying for a place, attending all sessions and completing pre-course learning. We are limited to 16 places for each course and anticipate it being booked quickly. The invoice will be sent at a later date.

Please contact Revd Carla Quenet for further information: quenetc@methodistchurch.org.uk / 07772 979670

Urban Theology Union AGM

20 November – 2pm

City wires and networks – how Christians navigate them
For our AGM on 20th Nov 2021 we are privileged to have the opportunity to link to Baltimore in Maryland, the city where the challenging series The Wire was set, to look at how Sheffield and Baltimore tick as cities and how Christians have engaged with their complex communities.
Gwen Brown, a community organiser in Baltimore will talk with Rev Julian Sullivan, who spent many years as Vicar at St Mary's Bramall Lane in the multi-faith socio-economically deprived Broomhill area of Sheffield.
Together they will reflect on how their faith affected the way that they engage in tough urban ministries.

This is a launch event to develop a new course helping those in full-time lay or ordained ministry navigate their way around inner urban settings, that UTU will run in 2022.

Please RSVP to Jill in the office indicating whether you will be coming to the meeting by Zoom or in person (email to office@utusheffield.org.uk)

Re-imagining discipleship

Are you interested in exploring how to bring intentional discipleship growth into your community? Would you value space and time for reflection and conversations with others asking the same questions you are?
Join Andy Fishburne and Abi Jarvis on Wednesday 12th January 9.30am – 4pm for a day at Cliff College, exploring how ideas like discipleship pathways and A Methodist Way of Life can help us to re-engineer our churches to grow in discipleship together.
Visit the Eventbrite page for more details and to book your free place.

A Retreat for Local Preachers

Reflect are offering a retreat from Friday 13th May to Sunday 15th May 2022. The event, organised in association with the Local Preachers' office will be of particular interest to Local Preachers.
It takes place at beautiful Launde Abbey in Leicestershire and is entitled A Moment of Celebration. The retreat will be led by David Middleton, an experienced leader of retreats and a Local Preacher in the Ely and Newmarket Circuit. The cost is £225 and more details and a booking form can be found at the Reflect website here. .(grants may be available from the Learning & Development fund )

Vacancies

Church & Community Support Worker – closing date extended

St Columba/Stephen Hill, Sheffield

• Do you have excellent administration skills but long for a role that involves meeting and connecting with people?
• Do you have a passion for helping local churches and communities find common ground in helping each other?
• Do you enjoy working in a varied team of employees and volunteers towards a shared goal?

If so, please consider applying for this newly created role at St Columba Anglican and Stephen Hill Methodist Churches, Crosspool, Sheffield.
The churches are looking to appoint a Church & Community Support Worker for 16 hours a week for a fixed term until 31 December 2023. We can offer flexible hours but do require some evening and weekend working.
Please click here to visit our website and download Job Description and Person Specification.
To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter to: Clare.Fowler@stcolumbacrosspool.org.uk. For any enquiries please contact: Clare.Fowler@stcolumbacrosspool.org.uk.
Closing date for applications is now Monday 22 November 2021 . Expected interview date w/c 29 November 2021.

Part Time Interim Families and Community Co-Ordinator (Maternity Cover)

at Wesley Hall, Crookes, Sheffield

Wesley Hall is a dynamic welcoming community-focused Methodist Church. We are looking for someone with the passion and expertise to work with us in developing our mission and ministry to children aged up to 11, building on the success of existing children and youth programmes and providing the necessary specialist expertise not currently available within the congregation.
As our families and community co-ordinator you will be:

• Enthusiastic and expert in the organisation and leading of activities for children and families
• Committed to building community, working in partnership with groups and individuals, including beyond the church congregation
• An enabler of the ministry of others
• Confident in when and how to share our Christian faith
• A builder of pastoral relationships with people from a wide range of backgrounds

Part time: 22 hours per week
Salary: Up to £13,600 per annum (£24,740 full time equivalent) at £11.90 per hour,
plus option to join contributory pension scheme

The start date for the role will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role will be a fixed term appointment of 12 months, with possible 6-month extension.

There is no deadline but applications will be assessed as they arrive and we reserve right to close the vacancy at any point.

For information and applications, please contact Matt Irons 07582 855 409 or matt.irons@wesleyhall.org.uk.

There is a genuine occupational requirement that the post-holder be a practising Christian.

Other News

Derbyshire Rural Chaplaincy

The DRC is really excited to be launching its own new website. Please do have a look by clicking on the link below:

www.derbyshireruralchaplaincy.org.uk

Do let us know what you think!

Thought for the Month

The Thought for the Month of November is kindly provided by the Chair of the DRC – David Legh. May his excellent reflection on 'pilgrimage' be inspiring and an encouragement to you and do feel free to share it amongst your network.