Our New Places for New People pilot in Derbyshire North East has been featured in a new Connexional short video. Filmed last summer it tells the story of how the circuit didn't want to give up on two economically marginalised communities and is now helping people discover Christ for themselves. Watch the video here https://vimeo.com/1000706926
Energy Saving week takes place in January each year and this year from 17-25 January 2025. It is a national campaign to raise awareness about energy efficiency, to help people and organisations reduce bills and reduce their carbon footprint.
Hathersage Methodist Church is marking this by moving their Sunday services from their chapel space into the church hall for the cold months of winter, from January to March. The hall is much better insulated than the chapel space, so is easier to heat, and less energy is wasted. This is part of the church's commitment to protect the environment by reducing energy use. Additional benefits are that the energy bills are lower, and the congregation is warmer on Sundays!
During this period when Sunday services will be in the Hall, the church will be installing ceiling insulation in the chapel space. This is all part of the EcoChurch project in Hathersage, where the church is raising funds to insulate the whole building stage by stage, and get it ready for renewable energy. As well as reducing the church's own carbon footprint, it is a good way to raise awareness in the local community about steps we can all take to reduce energy use and protet the planet. Visit https://www.hathersagemethodist.org.uk/eco-church.html
The Methodist Youth President for 2025/2026 will be Genesis Padgett, a member of Emmanuel Methodist Church near Barnsley.
Genesis has been attending a Methodist Church since they were three, but feels they came to faith at around the age of twelve while attending Cliff Festival at Cliff College, the same college where Genesis is currently studying theology. After the festival, Genesis began volunteering at church, helping serve coffee, undertaking readings and becoming a worship leader. "The more I helped, the stronger I found my faith," says Genesis and so, at the age of 17, Genesis began training to become a Local Preacher.
Genesis, aged 19, was elected by the children and young people of the Methodist Church across the Connexion.
You can read the full story here: Methodist Youth President
This year will be our 10th Joined Up Conference and we're really looking forward to it – we've got some great workshops lined up, and our keynote and worship are being led by Nick and Becky Drake who are founders/authors of Worship for Everyone. The day is for anyone involved in serving children, youth, families or schools in any capacity and we'd love to see you there! For more details, or to book head to www.joinedupconference.com.
The Cliff College site is an ideal space for a retreat – surrounded by God's creation and with a sense of peace and stillness. The upcoming day retreat on Saturday 1 March 2025, a few days before the beginning of Lent, is an opportunity to reflect on the past and to prepare for what the season of Easter might hold. The cost of £50 includes lunchtime and evening meals – book now on the Cliff College website at https://www.cliffcollege.ac.uk/shop/courses/lent-retreat-2025.
The search is on for Britain's best church magazine. Entries are now invited for the annual competition run by the Association for Church Editors (ACE), which is an independent, not for profit organisation.
"Judging from the number of brochures and leaflets that land on our doormats and the array of magazines in newsagents, other organisations still value printed material" says Sally Churchus, Chair of the national organisation, "so we are keen to encourage church editors everywhere".
For the coming 2025 competition, which closes on Tuesday 8th April, awards will be made for any size of magazine using just black and white printing. (Coloured paper is allowed). The Gold Award winner will receive the John King Trophy, a silver baptismal shell to be held for one year, while Silver and Bronze Award winners will receive an inscribed trophy to keep, together with a Certificate of Excellence for display.
Full details can be found on their website: https://churchmag.uk/2025-awards/
A time of reflective worship as part of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. We will focus on the question posed by Jesus to Martha: 'Do you believe this?' (John 11:26). How do we respond to this question today?
This will be an opportunity to celebrate and draw strength and encouragement from the gift of our shared faith. In these troubled and turbulent times, we can take heart from the endurance of that faith and recognise our inter-connectedness and shared humanity.
We are looking for a few more people to join our wonderful team of volunteers at Whirlow!
Ideally, we need to find:
Please do speak to any of the Centre Team if you'd like any further information – there is no expectation to "sign up" if you'd just like to find out more!
A reminder that the deadline to upload the annual membership and attendance numbers is 31 January.
Doncaster Circuit get the Gold Star for completing this (16/16 submitted), with Barnsley a close second.
If you are not able to access the site, you can download a paper version here: https://data.methodist.org.uk/data/methodist/downloads/STATISTICS_FOR_MISSION_2024_Final_Paper_Version.pdf
This should be sent in to your Circuit Office, or to Katrin, who can input the information on your behalf.
The theme chosen for the Regional Safeguarding Conference this year is "Every Story Matters", based on the Justice, Dignity and Solidarity (JDS) strategy which was adopted by the Methodist Conference of 2021.
There are four sessions planned which we hope will draw out some of the lessons learnt and how to apply them in the context of safeguarding and our church life and ministry. We will be using our stories to explore the JDS strategy through the lens of Safeguarding.
You can book on one or more of the sessions here: https://2025OurStories.eventbrite.co.uk
We are holding another gathering for chaplains within the Sheffield District.
Whether you're in a paid or voluntary role, we invite you to join us for a time of networking and sharing.
This is also a time to thank all our chaplains for their hard and valuable work and will take place on Sunday 9 February from 1pm at Central Methodist Church, Aston. We will be joined by Carolyn Godfrey, the Vice-President of the Methodist Conference.
To help with catering, if you are planning to attend this, please fill in this online form by Friday 31 January.
Barnsley Methodist Circuit are seeking to appoint a Project Manage to support the Circuit with a number of Property matters on a short-term, part-time, fixed term contract. The successful applicant will alleviate the current burden of property issues by streamlining the processes to support timely resolutions and help move outstanding property matters toward completion.
The contract is of 8 hours per week for 6 months, to be worked flexibly to fit around any existing commitments that an applicant might have.
They welcome enquiries and applications for this post on an employed or contractor basis.
For more information, contact the Circuit Office – circuitoffice@btconnect.com
The High Peak Partnership of Methodist Churches, a circuit of 12 Methodist Churches which reaches from Monyash to Disley, is seeking a part-time Circuit Operations Manager.
This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated individual to play a lead role in ensuring and facilitating the successful operation of the Partnership. The successful applicant will be responsible for directing, leading and guiding key operational matters of the Partnership, including ensuring the Partnership remains compliant with administration, property management, data protection, and safeguarding regulations, in order to facilitate its mission and ministry.
Hours are 21 per week, based either at a church within the Partnership or home based with one set day based at a church within the Partnership
Salary £19,110 per annum, plus pension scheme.
For further details and an application form, please contact highpeakcircuittreasurer@gmail.com
The closing date for applications is Wednesday, 29 January 2025. Interviews to take place week of 10 February 2025.
Mary sings, "My soul magnifies the Lord".
But how can I make God greater?
Lord of life, in the way I live, move and inhabit my being,
mirror in me your extravagant love and expansive goodness.
Enlarge my soul: to bear witness to human destruction, riven by unspeakable violence.
Enlarge my soul: to rail against relentless consumption, upending the gentle balance of the earth.
Enlarge my soul: to speak out against power-seeking policies, indifferent to hunger and dismissive of need.
May my spirit dance to the intricately woven melody of prayer, praise and protest.
Be ever greater within me, that my soul may magnify the Lord forever. Amen.
Helen Hollands, District Chair, East Anglia District
Registered Charity no. 1129363
admin@sheffieldmethodist.org
0114 270 9990 / 0114 430 0255
Sheffield District Office
Room 47, Victoria Hall Methodist Church
Norfolk Street
Sheffield
S1 2JB