District News – 11 November 2025

This Week's News

Sheffield District MWiB Programme

Here are the dates for future events being organised by the Sheffield District Methodist Women in Britain (MWiB).

11th December 2025— Christmas Carols/Lunch
Venue: Mosborough Methodist church at 11.00am
Tickets from Carol Wignell £12 . Carol Wignell to lead. Rev. Michael Brown to play.

26 March –Afternoon tea and stalls
Venue: Bents Green Methodist Church at 2.00pm.
There will be a stall for Africa’s Gift’

10-12 April — Swanwick weekend.
Keynote speaker—Caroline Godfrey (ex Vice President of Conference). Full details to follow, or visit the MWiB website

20th May 2026 — Quiet Day
Venue: Green Moor Methodist at 10.00 for 10.30am
Leader Deacon Annabel Terry. Bring your own lunch , Drinks provided.

July 2026—District day
Venue: Hoyland and Birdwell Methodist Church at 10.30 for 11.00am.
Leader—CoChair of MWiB, Olive Ruzvidzo. Bring your own lunch. Drinks provided

Spiritual Growth and Transformation

• Are you looking for more in your faith?
• Or feeling called to walk alongside others in their journeys of faith?

This course offers a programme of prayer, listening and reflection through which participants are supported in drawing closer to God. It has been a turning point for many, in their own lives and in their support of others. It also forms the first part of the Diocese’s programme for authorised Spiritual Accompaniers. It is happening from March to July 2026 and this time it’s partly online with 14 Wednesday evening sessions on Zoom plus three Saturdays at Whirlow and a weekend retreat at Ilkley.
The closing date for applications is 1 December 2025. The total cost is subsidised at just £200.
For more information, including dates, and a downloadable leaflet, see https://www.sheffield.anglican.org/learning/courses/spiritual-growth-transformation.

Jane Austen 250th Anniversary
@ The Book Room, Hathersage Methodist Church

2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of writer Jane Austen in 1775. She is one of the best-loved novelists in the English language. Her novel Pride and Prejudice includes a crucial plot-twisting visit to Derbyshire, with a character declaring ‘There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire’.
Throughout November, The Book Room (the second-hand bookshop in Hathersage Methodist Church) will be marking the anniversary with a display of books by and about Jane Austen. All books are available to buy, and there will also be other themed activities in the church including a Jane Austen jigsaw.

Beyond the Rubble

Friday 28 November – Christchurch, Pitsmoor S3 9AW

Join Amos Trust for their Beyond The Rubble: Steps of Hope UK Tour — a powerful night of music, dance, poetry, film and conversation that celebrates Palestinian culture and resilience.
Led by Dr Abdelfattah Abusrour and a group of young dabke dancers and musicians from Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society, based in Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem, together, they bring the heartbeat of Palestine to stages across the UK with their new production Anfaas (Breaths) — stories of loss, love and defiant joy, told through rhythm, movement and music — Beautiful Resistance in action.
All proceeds will support their Christmas Appeal, funding Alrowwad’s work in the West Bank and trauma support and education for children in Gaza.
Book here: https://app.donorfy.com/form/M1ZI3YVCZ8/2025sheffield

Christmas Festivals across the District

We are hearing about a lot of different events taking place across the District. Here are some you may be interested in.

• Harworth (Doncaster) Christmas Tree Festival – 4-6 December – featuring trees decorated by local schools, groups and businesses
• Hasland (Derbyshire North East) Christmas Tree Festival – 25 November to 6 December
• Emmanuel (Barnsley) Nativity Festival – 29 November, 10am – 4pm – an invitation to view many different models of Christ Jesus' Nativity from different countries or locally made by community groups around Barnsley
• Bolsover (Derbyshire North East) Angel Festival – 14-20 December – An Angel Trail through Bolsover hosted by 50 shops displaying paper sculpted Angels.
• Plus Christmas Fayres and Concerts

These are all great opportunities to showcase your church, and something to invite non-church friends along to. If your church is hosting something, do let us know so we can help spread the word.

What to expect Christmas Morning in Sparrow Pit (Peak Circuit)

It's 5am, the alarm goes off, Christmas lights switched on, big coats at the ready, Father Christmas has visited and some seasonal weather too.
By 5.30am a choir has assembled – a bit croaky at first but we manage 2 verses of 'Christians Awake' at 5 locations in the village. A final rousing anthem outside the Chapel at 6am and 25 or so hardy souls troop in with a number of bright eyed and bushy tailed children. We are proud that our Christmas Morning service has probably taken place every year for well over 150 years. For anyone checking, during the Covid years, a sturdy little choir sang outside well socially distanced!
Although our Chapel was built in 1892, the Methodist fellowship here is much older. A strong local tradition has it that David Taylor of Sheffield visited a farm house in nearby Barmoor in 1738. A class meeting was formed and there is evidence that it continued there for over 50 years before moving to a building on the site of the present Chapel. Records from the 19th century include that, in 1845, John Hallam, the famous 'Blacksmith of the Peak', celebrated his last Christmas on earth by "passing a little company through the village and awakening the cottagers with a well know carol to salute the happy morn". Anne, one of our members is a direct descendent of John Hallam.
Do come along this year and join the fellowship and fun.
Expect some rousing music – the carols (including the Sparrowpit version of 'Peace O're the World') go on way after the tea and biscuits!
Long may the Christmas worship and tradition here in Sparrowpit continue.
Hilary Batterbee

Regional Officer for Safeguarding Update:

Responding to anti-migrant protests

The Communications Team published an important article on the website on 24th September – What can we do? – The Methodist Church Responding to Anti-Migrant Protests outlining actions that churches can take to prepare themselves for dealing with possible challenging and disruptive activity associated with projects that church members may be involved with or providing in support of asylum-seekers and refugees.
This resonated significantly for me because of a query I received a few days earlier in relation to the shootings at the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis where school children from the Annunciation School were shot while they attended a mass. A student, interviewed in relation to the shootings, had responded that schools in the US regularly practiced for possible live-shooting incidents at school but this was not a practice followed by churches. I was asked what, if anything, we, The Methodist Church, might do in such circumstances. We are fortunate in the UK that shootings of this nature are very rare; our firearms laws are, in most respects, very effective and this would not be seen as a likely scenario that church members would require to prepare for. However, as the recent attack on the Synagogue in Manchester illustrated, we might be moving in that direction.
The What Can We Do? document, while focusing on the responses to anti-immigrant protests, provides useful directions for precautions that church congregations can take to prepare for and respond to difficult and challenging situations. I would urge you to read the document and think about how you and your church might prepare for something that you fervently hope will never happen. The safety of church members and visitors and, indeed, anyone that we welcome to our churches, is in our hands and being prepared for the unexpected is more likely to lead to a safer church. If you need advice in this respect, contact your Regional Safeguarding Team or the Connexional Safeguarding Team, we are here to help.
Donald Urquhart, Connexional Policy and Quality Assurance Manager
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

Events

Global Day of Action for Climate Justice

Make your Christian concern for the planet public.

Saturday 15th November
Assemble: Devonshire Green (S1 4GT) at 11am
Bring banners, placards etc.
Look out for the District's Justice and Peace flag.
After the rally share in free drinks, hot soup, songs and crafts in the Lower Hall, Victoria Hall and meet climate campaigners to find out more about ongoing local action. See the poster for full details
Jenny Carpenter (Justice Seekers)

Metal Methodist Service

Saturday 15 November 3:00 pm

The Metal Methodists are meeting for chat, worship and a cuppa on Saturday 15 November 2026.
The meet up starts at 3pm St Paul's Methodist Church, on Green Lane in Dronfield.
All welcome!

Understanding Islam

Saturday 22 November – St Peter's Ellesmere

Understanding Islam: the First Steps; a study day led by Dr Chris Hewer, helping us begin to explore what Muslims believe, a journey into understanding Islam from its own perspective.
Chris Hewer is a Christian who comes from a background in Christian theology, education, Islamic studies and inter-faith studies. He has worked in the field of Muslims in Britain and Christian-Muslim relations since 1986, including 6 years as Adviser on Inter-Faith Relations to the Bishop of Birmingham.
9.30 am – arrivals & refreshments.
The session will run from 10:00am to 3.30pm
To book, or with any queries, contact Rev Liz Wills, johnandlizwills@gmail.com or 01142610732

Vacancies

Finance and IT Manager

Unlock – resourcing
growth & discipleship for Urban Christians Location – Station Road, RotherhamSalary – £4,973 annually for part time post
Hours – 7 hours per week
Start date – 1st quarter of 2026
Responsibilities – To establish and maintain effective finance management systems with appropriate external support, to establish and maintain effective IT systems for a small office.
Details from: – Unlock,
15 Station Rd, Rotherham, S60 1HN / 01709
380 318 / office@unlock-urban.org.uk
Closing date: – 30th November 2025

And Finally ...

This week the Chairs of Districts are meeting in Yarfield for the start of the Stationing Matching process. They would value your prayers as they seek to resource our Circuits and match our friends and colleagues with places where they can truly thrive.

God of all people,
you call us to serve in our own unique ways
each with gifts and skills to offer in your service
and for the good of your people.

Help us to work together like the body of Christ
equal yet different,
connected in the precious ways that make us whole.

As we think about resourcing our churches and communities,
give us imagination and courage,
to be creative, to think freely and widely,
to see new possibilities where old patterns no longer fit.

May your Spirit guide us in grace and hope,
that together we might build something that is life giving,
for the sake of all your people.
Amen.
Vicky Atkins