District News – 13 June 2023

This Week's News

Sad News

We were very sorry to learn of the death last Thursday of Eileen Hoyle. Eileen was a former Mission Partner in Zambia and East Nigeria for 10 years, returning in 1967. For many years she lived in the Sheffield Circuit as a member of Stephen Hill church, before moving in 2019 to be nearer to her niece.
We hold all who knew Eileen in our prayers.

Steps towards a Justice Seeking Methodist Church?

7pm Thursday 20 July

Join us on Zoom for an evening of reflections hot off the press from Methodist Conference, led by Jenny Bywaters (one of our Conference representatives) and Rev Phill Borkett.

What positive changes could conclusions from the Walking with Micah consultations bring to our churches? How will articulating our Connexional principles for justice and five key national priorities for justice bring focus? Dare we fully live out the suggested practices for doing justice and being just? What can we do locally to facilitate this?

What else was discussed and decided to encourage, equip or disquiet seekers of justice? We expect early impacts of the Justice Dignity & Solidarity strategy and matters of justice in Israel/Palestine to be on the agenda.
https://zoom.us/j/91435552097?pwd=aEprTHpTU1RJdzFVaUFmYkJ4QUR5UT09

Urban Theology Union

Certificate in Theology and Discipleship for Mission 2023-2024

Join our 23-24 Cohort for the CTDM to participate in

• scholarly readings of Mark's Jesus movement led by the founder of UTU, Rev'd Dr. John Vincent
• sharing of stories in faith journey, evolution, change and discovery
• perspective building through liberation theologians, including Black liberation and Indigenous theologians.
• gain insight from guest speakers who are embedded in mission provide practical insight into what works,
• how to adapt, and how to flourish as a Kingdom Community.
• Our 15-sessions culminate in student led plans for local mission.

ENROLLING NOW!
https://utusheffield.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CTDM-23-24-Flyer-Form.pdf

District Officer's updates

Learning & training grants

We will unfortunately be unable to offer Learning & Development and Ministerial Development Review grants after 15 August. We will continue to draw people's attention to the growing range of free and low cost learning opportunities available from Methodism and other organisations, subsidise Learning Network regional retreats, and promote other sources of funding.
Grants are available to support Methodists, lay or ordained, planning to study a taught Masters or a research degree in a theological subject area. The deadline is 22 June. Further details are available at https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/learning-and-development/scholarships-and-funding/

Simplifying procedures consultation

One of the themes of our district strategy for resourcing mission is Simplifying Procedures – the more efficiently and effectively we can arrange the necessary administration and governance underpinning our work, the more time and energy we release for mission, ministry and discipleship. There will always be processes we must and want to follow, and we can't remove all barriers to a perfect system in one go. But it feels important to gather an understanding of common challenges and successes so that we know where to target effort to make life simpler. In particular Neil Harland mission@sheffieldmethodist.org is keen to hear your:

• Successes – something that you have found way to simplify that others might be able to learn from
• Concerns – procedures/ processes/ administrative tasks you are wrestling with – something that takes up a lot of time and it feels there must be a better way of approaching it
• Challenges – things that you are required to do, but you struggle to see the value from

Events

Labyrinth Quiet Day

Saturday 22 July

Judith Jessop returns to Whirlow to lead a Labyrinth Quiet Day entering into rest and relaxation, holidays and journeying, with the help of walked and hand-held labyrinths.
Cost: £20
For more information and to book a place click here.

Exploring Digital

Saturday 30 September, 10am to 3:30pm

A day online exploring the digital world for Methodist Churches and communities.

Join together with Methodists from all over Britain for a special digital gathering. Learn from key individuals who've mastered the digital world on how to connect and share the Gospel online. The event will feature insightful keynotes, group discussions and an expert panel. Don't miss this chance to enhance your church's online presence and explore faith in the digital era!
Where: Online, so you can join wherever you are.
Cost: We are providing this day free of charge.

We'll be sharing further information about speakers, topics and resources closer to the event. Register for your free place now to avoid missing out and join us on Saturday 30 September for a day of exploration into the digital world and the opportunities it holds for the Methodist Church.

Yorkshire Churches Day

Saturday 16 September

Yorkshire Churches Day (YCD) is a chance for every place of worship in the county to open up and showcase the amazing history and heritage found inside their buildings.
It is a day to tell stories and bring to life the variety, beauty, history and sheer wonder of Yorkshire's churches, chapels and places of worship. The aim of the day is to encourage everyone to visit their local church even if they have never stepped foot inside a church before. It will be a day for those who are curious about history and heritage of their local surroundings.
This year we are running YCD in partnership with Heritage Open Days (HOD). This is England's largest festival of history and culture, when thousands of people come together to celebrate their heritage, community and history.
To register, visit the Heritage Open Days website and add details of your church, stating you are opening for Yorkshire Churches Day. The deadline for entry is August 10 2023. Full details on how to register and advice on fundraising events and how to attract publicity can be found on our website. https://www.yhct.org.uk/yorkshire-churches-day/

Regional Retreat

The next Regional Retreat for Ministers and Lay Employees within the Methodist Church will be on 14-16 November at The Briery, Ilkely.
The theme is Creative Journeying and will be led by Donna Worthington. Donna is an experienced retreat giver trained in Ignatian spiritual direction, labyrinth walking and storytelling. She studied Theology at Cambridge, and completed an MPhil at Manchester University. She has written several plays, two of which explored the Lindisfarne Gospels, and Christian contemplative prayer. She has led retreats and workshops examining the Gospels through theatre, dream-prayer and dance-prayer.

• We'll seek to deepen our spirituality, explore different ways of praying, and discover our journey with the divine.
• We'll connect Scripture, nature and creative writing with personal reflection and prayer.
• We'll explore the dreams we carry, aided by the artist Van Gogh. and we'll seek to be held by God just as we hold others.

To book online via EventBrite https://231114CreativeJourney.eventbrite.co.uk Deadline – 12 September (for viability)

Job Vacancies

Building and Community Manager

Broomhill Methodist Centre, Sheffield

The Broomhill Methodist Centre (Sheffield, S10) are actively recruiting for a skilled, gifted and commercially aware Building and Community Manager to work with them for 20-hours a week via a 2-year fixed term contract.

The purpose of the post is to:

• Provide a physical, emotional, and spiritual safe space for organic and new ways of Christian community growth acknowledging the need to be proactive in engaging the community.
• Assume operational charge and to act as development lead of the building at Broomhill Methodist centre, managing the strategic direction of the project to include supporting the growth of commercial revenue, enabling interest through work within the local community, engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders, and providing support with administration, property, finance, and people.

Funding is secure and in place for 24 months and, during this time, the successful applicant will be targeted with increasing commercial income to make both the role self-sufficient and to support the increased costs of running the building after this time.

Full details including how to apply, can be found here: Building and Community Manager – Sheffield S10 – Indeed.com
In accordance with the Equality Act 2010 it is an occupational requirement that the successful applicant for this post is a practicing Christian.

Administrator: Derbyshire Rural Chaplaincy

Salary: £27,852 (full time wage)
Hours: 22 hours per week. Flexible working hours to provide admin cover throughout the week
with occasional weekends and evenings.
Contract: 3 year fixed term contract Including and subject to a 6 month probationary period)
Benefits: Pension and statutory holiday entitlement
Location: Home working, including working out of the Agricultural Business Centre and occasional
travel across Derbyshire, when requ ired.

About the Role

This is an exciting post to support the Derbyshire Rural Chaplaincy team develop new and
existing mission and ministry opportunities that engage with the agricultural and rural community in Derbyshire. The Chaplaincy team seek to be distinctively Christian in their approach and witness
as they support and encourage all current and retired members of the farming sector, in the midst
of the ongoing challenges they face.

Want to know more? Feel free to contact Rev Alan Griggs, (Lead Agricultural Chaplain)
Email: alan@derbyshireruralchaplaincy.org.uk
Mobile: 07710 088972
Website: www.derbyshireruralchaplaincy.org.uk
The application pack can be downloaded from the DRC website
Closing date for applications Monday 17 July at 5pm

And finally...

Refugee Week and Sanctuary Sunday

Refugee Week is happening on 19-25 June and if you like to be involved, you can check and download the resources and campaigns from our website that includes features from the Church of Sanctuary Programme.

Below is the Collect for Refugee Week which you can use for the start of Refugee Week.

Migrant God, free from borders, your presence spans all creation.
You take sanctuary in us, in you is our eternal sanctuary.
We behold you in community with those uprooted from their homes by war, poverty, persecution and extreme weather, especially those who make their way to these shores on small boats.
Be the shelter of their lives.
Bless their courage and resilience in seeking freedom and sanctuary.
Bring us to build cultures of welcome, hospitality and sanctuary for all;
Community where there is conflict;
Compassion where there is cruelty;
Humanity where there is hatred;
Hospitality where there is hostility;
And so, to practice and proclaim hope.
In the Name of Christ.
Amen