District News – 11 August 2026

District News and Updates

District Gathering - Methodist on Mission

Saturday 12 September

Everyone is welcome to this free event, whether you are coming for the first time, have attended previous District Gatherings, or are a member of our Synod. It will be a day of learning, sharing and worship with a buffet lunch provided as we offer an opportunity to renew existing connections across our District and meet new people.

The focus, following the feedback from previous gatherings, is aimed at exploring discipleship and scripture through a number of different lenses:

• Missional – What might God be inviting us to do?

• Pastoral – How does this connect with people's lived experience?

• Exegetical – What did this mean in its original context?

• Homiletical – How might we communicate this message today?

• Prayerful – What is God saying to me?

• Visual/Imaginative – What do we notice, imagine and wonder?

Our hope is that this will demonstrate the richness of Scripture and encourage participants to appreciate the different ways we can read the Bible together.

Book your place here

Conference Representative Nominations

Nominations are now being invited for those wishing to attend Methodist Conference of 2027 as a representative of the Sheffield District . Conference runs from 24th June for Presbyters and from 26th June for Deacons and Lay representatives until 30thune 2027.

If you are a member of the Methodist Church in the Sheffield District and are interested in attending, please complete a nomination form (click below).The closing date for nominations is Tuesday 1 September.

Conference nomination form

District Leadership Team – Nominations 

Membership of the District Leading Team (DLT) includes two elected representatives from the Representative Synod to serve for a maximum of 3 years, with the option of being re-elected for a further three years. Due to recent changes, there is a vacancy for one representative from the District Synod. 

If you are a member of the Methodist Church in the Sheffield District and are interested in applying for this place, please complete a nomination form (click below).The closing date for nominations is Tuesday 1 September.

DLT Nomination Form

Regional Officer for Safeguarding Update:

Important DBS Update for Anyone Working with Children:

Action Required Before 1 September 2026

From 1 September 2026, changes introduced by the Crime and Policing Act 2026 will affect who is considered to be carrying out Regulated Activity with children.

The key change is that supervision will no longer be taken into account when deciding whether a role is Regulated Activity. This means that some people who were previously able to work under supervision without being in Regulated Activity may now fall within the new definition.

Who is affected?

In churches and other non-childcare settings

Volunteers and paid workers who teach, train, instruct, care for, or supervise children will be in Regulated Activity if they do so:

• Once a week or more, or

• On 4 or more occasions within a 30-day period, or

• Overnight between 2am and 6am.

This applies whether they are supervised or not.

What does this mean for churches?

This change is likely to affect those involved in children's and youth ministry, including activities such as:

• Children's groups

• Youth groups

• Messy Church

• Other regular activities involving children

What you need to do

We strongly recommend that every church reviews its local arrangements before 1 September 2026.

In particular, churches should:

• Review all roles involving children to identify any that may now meet the definition of Regulated Activity.

• Identify anyone who previously worked under supervision whose role may now fall within Regulated Activity.

• Ensure that everyone carrying out Regulated Activity, including existing volunteers, has the appropriate Enhanced DBS check with Children's Barred List check.

Please do not assume that existing role assessments remain correct. The removal of the supervision rule means many churches will need to revisit their local safeguarding arrangements and DBS requirements.

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

Many thanks
Alison Hill

Solar Eclipse

Is your church taking part in the solar eclipse Day of Outreach tomorrow? We would love to hear your stories! Please send in any photos and stories of the day to our communications officer, Sam Roberts (comms@sheffieldmethodist.org)

Welcomes

We have said our farewells to those moving out of the District; now we welcome those ministers joining us for the first time: Naomi Kaigi and  Gift Chanakira starting in the Sheffield Circuit, and Adam Woodhouse, a URC minister joining the Trinity Circuit . We hope the moves go smoothly and look forward to their services of welcome. May they all know God's blessing as they move into these new phases of work.