District News – 13 February 2024

This Week's News

Life on the Breadline Exhibition

Listen again to BBC Sheffield for an interview about Life on the Breadline, the exhibition at Highfield Trinity Methodist Church. Kat Cowan visited the church and spoke with Pioneer Minister Nick Waterfield and exhibition researchers and creators Chris Shannahan and Stephanie Denning from Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations. Fast forward to 2:18:00 to hear all about it.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0h5pqvm

Other events

Ask the Panel – Responding to the Breadline: what needs to & what can change?

Friday 16th February 7-9pm
A rare opportunity to put your questions about UK poverty in 2024 to an an expert panel of speakers, or just to come and listen to an informed and challenging live debate.
What traps people on the breadline? Which voices are not being listened to? What do our institutions and civil society need to do differently? How could change happen?
Our highly respected panel includes David Bussue, Service Director, SACMHA Heath & Social Care; Shelly McDonald, Project Development Manager, National Energy Action; and Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council, Cllr Fran Belbin.
We welcome questions in advance – which can be submitted in the checkout form.
https://buytickets.at/sheffieldmethodistdistrict/1132116

Inter Faith Forum -Faith Responses to Poverty: learning and listening in our multicultural city

Thursday 22nd February 7-9pm
https://buytickets.at/sheffieldmethodistdistrict/1132170

Lent – Unbound Love

The Methodist Church has created a Lent campaign called Unbound Love based on Charles Wesley's famous hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (Singing the Faith 503) talks about Jesus as 'unbounded love' – a kind of love that cannot be contained, that works in our lives and in our world to free us and heal us. Unbounded Love is the theme of the Lent campaign of the Methodist Church in 2024 – holding together our commitments to be a justice-seeking church, and a people who experience and proclaim the good news of God's uncontainable love.
https://www.methodist.org.uk/.../unbounded-love/

District Communications Officer, Sam Roberts has created some social media resources which can be found here for circuits and churches to use during Lent.
Lent – Unbound Love Resources.zip
They will be shared on the district channels from Sunday 18th February.

3Gen Volunteering Launch!

Volunteering for 3Generate opens today!
This year we need to grow the team by 25% and want to encourage everyone in Methodist churches to consider getting involved!

There are three prime ways in which people can serve as part of the event – through a care, help or engage team – so finding a role that fits shouldn't be too hard!
Depending on your skills, experience and gifts, which of the following teams best suits you?

• Care: night stewards, youth support, village hosts, team lounge hospitality, additional needs/accessibility team
• Help: reception, registration and stewards
• Engage: working in a range of venues across site that cater for a variety of passions and interests, including The Arts Centre, The Theatre, The Rec, The Health & Wellbeing Centre and many more.

Here's Jude Levermore sharing why volunteering matters: https://youtu.be/iWCUqrTfEBU
Check: www.methodist.org.uk/3Generate for further information.

Crosspool: centered in the community

"We are a community that has a desire to get involved and support the community in any way we can, no conditions, no strings attached. Faith and love in action."
We sat down recently with some of the team at St Columba's Church and Stephen Hill Methodist Church in Crosspool to hear how their outreach work has made an impact locally.
READ MORE

Events

Stations Of Lament – Exhibition

Wednesday, February 14,-Sunday, March 24 at Whirlow Spiritualty Centre, Sheffield S11 9SY

The Stations of Lament explores in colour and cloth the theology, experience and potency of lament. Each station interprets an aspect of lament with themes of weeping, confusion & chaos, protest, comfort, truth-telling, desolation and emerging hope. Each station can stand alone but is also an integral part of a journey. Prayer and theology guides are provided. The exhibition is open to experience in your own time and way when the Chapel is open and not in use for services or other events. Please contact us if you would like to arrange a time to visit to ensure that access is possible.
The exhibition is free, but donations to support the work of Whirlow Spirituality Centre are welcomed.

Taize Prayer for Lent

Thursday 22 February 7:00 pm -St Andrew's Psalter Lane Church, Sheffield S11 8YL

Come and join us in church at 7.00 pm every Thursday in Lent, starting 22nd February, for this time of quiet singing and reflective prayer.
The service lasts about 30 minutes

Stations Of Lament Concert

Saturday, February 24, 2024 – Whirlow Spiritualty Centre, Sheffield S11 9SY

A concert in response to the themes of the Stations of Lament exhibition including vocal music by Tallis, Gibbons, Elgar and others. The Steel City Clerks are the adult singers of Steel City Choristers – an exciting and innovative choir of children and experienced adult singers€singing in the cathedral tradition.
Tickets (£5) available here: https://www.whirlowspiritualitycentre.org/whats-on/lamentconcert

New Christian Communities gathering

10am – 1:30pm Saturday 24 February

Our next gathering for anyone involved in leading a new Christian community will be on the morning of Saturday 24 February, concluding with lunch. The Metal Methodists will be our hosts, and Rev Dr Martyn Atkins (writer on evangelism, former Principal of Cliff College) will be our guest speaker.
Leading or birthing a new Christian community can be a joyous but also exhausting and isolating experience. This morning is an opportunity for you to spend quality time with our growing network of people following similar callings. Register your free place at https://buytickets.at/sheffieldmethodistdistrict/1096686

and finally...

Racial Justice Sunday

Revd Dr Inderjit Bhogal, Past President of the Methodist Conference and Founder of City and Church of Sanctuary, shares a prayer to mark Racial Justice Sunday on the 11 February 2024. This year, Racial Justice Sunday explores the movement of people from their homelands to the places they now call home.

Migrant God, unbound and free from borders, your presence spans the universe.
In all our travel and travail, you are the constant companion of all, in you is our eternal rest and refuge.
In Jesus who had nowhere to lay his head, you reveal yourself taking sanctuary among us.
We behold you still in the face of all who are uprooted from their homes by war and weather, persecution and poverty.
We bless you for their courage and resilience in seeking justice, freedom and sanctuary.
Grant them safety in all their trail and turmoil.
Be the shelter of their lives and souls.
Enfold in your peace those who have died on the way.
Give to us all compassion and the capacity to listen and learn as people share their stories of their search and struggles for safety.
Strengthen us as we work together to build communities and congregations of warm welcome, protective hospitality, and sanctuary for all.
Bless us all pilgrims together, here we have no abiding city, bring us where you want us to be.
In the name of Christ.
Amen.