District News – 14 May 2024

This Week's News

Faith, Hope and The Journey – Cornerstone, Chesterfield

Episode 8 of Faith, Hope and The Journey is now available to stream. In this episode we hear from Angela Walker from Cornerstone Christian Bookshop and Coffee Shop at Central Methodist Church, Chesterfield, Derbyshire North East Methodist Circuit. Not only does it offer a great cuppa, snacks and god books, it's also dementia friendly, it's a Derbyshire Safe Place and thanks to its volunteers offering a warm welcome and a listening ear, it's also, over the years, grown into a community with regular visitors. Listen to find out more on our website or through your usual podcast provider.
https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/podcast.html

We are starting to work on series 2 of our podcast, if there's a story you'd like us to explore please email Sam Roberts, District Communications Officer at comms@sheffieldmethodist.org

Springs Dance Company

At Springs Dance Company we have been bringing joy through dance and connecting churches to their communities for more than 45 years. This year we have two fantastic but very different performances available for churches to host.

A Time to Mourn, A Time to Dance was created after the pandemic, and offers an opportunity to reflect on grief, human connection and joy. This uplifting show is available from September to October 2024.
Journey of the Magi is our much-loved, family-friendly, festive frolic, made to bring laughter and cheer in the run up to Christmas. Now booking from 22nd November to 22nd December 2024.
Follow the links above to find out more.

Methodist Women in Britain (MWiB)

Sheffield District

On Sunday June 2nd at 3pm there will be an Easter Offering Service at Totley Rise Methodist Church. Everyone is welcome, Do come and make this a successful time to celebrate the work of World Mission.

MWiB are holding a Quiz evening at Stafford Rd Victoria Methodist Church on Friday June 7th 6.30pm for 7pm followed by a buffet. Jenny Carpenter is hosting the Quiz. Come along and make this a successful evening donations will be for our MWiB project Roundabout and Street Pastors.

Green Christians – help wanted

Green Christian will be at The Cliff Festival, again this year.

Green Christian will have a stall there all weekend, and is running a workshop on Saturday 25th. We would welcome more volunteers for the stall, particularly on Sunday 26th and Monday 27th May. It is hoped volunteers will stay on the stall, greeting, talking about Green Christian and offering resources to people who are interested. Two hours on the stall would be a great help and volunteers will be offered free entry for the whole festival to enjoy the great vibe, and see other stalls or attend seminars, for part of the day they volunteer.
If you think you can help on one of those days, please contact Catherine: Catherinefish@greenchristian.org.uk, Tel 07507 111 189

Action for Children News

Action for Children Sunday

Action for Children Sunday is on 14 July and the theme is 'Justice for vulnerable families'. We would be delighted if you can hold a special service to remember our charity on that date or another one. Resources for all-age, children and young people services will soon be on our website here: actionforchildren.uk/faithFR

New quarterly online forum

On 10 July, we are launching a quarterly online forum for Methodists and other church supporters to hear first-hand about our work and how their support makes a difference. In just under an hour, you can hear interesting updates from our staff who work in frontline services, young ambassadors, and fundraisers. You will also be able to sign up to take part in our petitions and give us direct feedback.
Sign up to get invitations to each forum: https://forms.office.com/e/y2701CkN5e

Honouring our Heritage

Join us in June in honouring our heritage by looking at how our residential homes have changed over the years. A lot has changed since 1869, but our ambition – to give children safe and happy childhoods – shines just as bright. Alongside learning about our history, you can enjoy four Bible reflections on the importance and impact of legacy gifts on your own or within a group.
We're blessed to have such loyal and generous supporters stand with us, making our work possible – especially Methodists. So, we are also launching an exclusive offer for you to write your will for free.
All the information will be online here: actionforchildren.uk/heritage

District Office updates

September District Gathering – survey

We are starting to plan for the next District Gathering taking place on 14 September at The Crossing, Worksop. We would really value your thoughts on what you would like to see included – to make this a really valuable event to attend.
There is a short online survey which we would love for as many people as possible to complete – whether they have attended a gathering in the past or not!
https://forms.gle/FR1yVAMfehEh6tKr5

Employment Q&A Drop-in days

1-1 Employment Advice With The District Employment Advisor

If you are an Employee or an Employer in the Sheffield, (Darlington or Yorkshire North & East) Districts of the Methodist Church, and if you have an employment or workplace question or concern, you can book an in-confidence conversation (by Zoom) with Andrew Crawford, District Employment Advisor.
There are two dates available. If you follow the link on your preferred day to get tickets, the time slots are the tickets you pick.
Tuesday 4 June – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/Tuesday-employment-conversation
Wednesday 5 June – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/Wednesday-employment-conversation

District Safeguarding Update: Changes to the Foundation Module training.

The Methodist Church has been developing and increasing its safeguarding policies and structures since the early 1990s. During this period, it has sought to learn from the experience of those who have been hurt and abused in the Church, as well as develop safer ways to work with those who have offended against children.
A number of measures mean that the Church's safeguarding structure is unrecognisable from 10 years ago. The measures include the training and safer recruitment of all relevant staff and volunteers; an improved awareness across the Church about what it means to be a safer organisation; and the resourcing of professionally employed district and connexional officers.
A key element of our approach is that we regularly review and update our training programmes and as such a new, updated version of the Foundation module should be released in the summer of 2024, ready for delivery in the new Connexional year.
Therefore, I encourage all existing trainer to take time to reflect and pray about whether they wish to carry on delivering the course. I sincerely hope that people do feel call to carry on as trainers but equally I feel people should give themselves permission to stop if that is what they wish to do.
Train the Trainer sessions will be held in the summer, ready for the role out of the new course in September 2024.
To ensure trainers are Safely Recruited we will be asking the circuit leadership teams to confirm they are happy for named people to deliver training in their circuit – ie the circuit will be providing the reference required in the 12 Steps to Safer Recruitment.
I will be emailing circuits and existing trainers to explain more, but in the meantime, I ask that people reflect on their personal involvement and seeks God's will as to the role they will play in the future.
As ever, if you have any questions or concerns, please give me a call on 07483 362 735 or email me at safeguarding@sheffieldmethodist.org
Many thanks
Alison Hill -District Safeguarding Officer

Events

Bakewell area Asylum Seekers and Refugees Network

Annual get-together on Saturday May 18th at 10.30am.

A gift for a refugee – free coffee and cake for you!
This is an open invitation to all who are concerned about the plight of so many asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. The Bakewell Refugees Network will be holding its annual get-together on the morning of Saturday May 18th from 10.30 to about 12.00. Everyone is warmly invited and if you can also bring a concerned friend or relative we should be delighted.
This year's venue will be held, café-style, in the Bakewell Friends Meeting House which is located just behind the Methodist church in Matlock Street, Bakewell. Access is through the Methodist Church car park or more directly via Chapel Row, the narrow road alongside the Methodist Church. Note that the only parking at the Meeting House will be for those with blue stickers.
You are invited to bring with you, if possible, a small gift which will be included in one of the Welcome boxes offered to new refugee arrivals at the Upbeat Communities charity in Derby.
Upbeat tell us that useful gifts would be toiletries (especially men's body spray, shower gel, hand cream, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, ladies' pads, shampoo), stationary (especially notebooks), long lasting food items (especially instant coffee and teabags), hats, gloves and socks (all new) and playing cards. Other gifts might be a coffee voucher (eg. Costa or Starbucks), a key ring, a game, a child's small toy, a candle, a decorative bookmark, a useful kitchen item such as a wooden spoon, tin-opener etc. ......and a gift of money to the Upbeat charity, hello@upbeatcommunities.org, is always welcome!

Vacancies

Administration and Order Fulfilment Assistant

We seek to appoint an administration and order fulfilment assistant to provide administrative support in the GB Support Centre and assist with GB Trading order fulfilment.
This role is based at the GB Support Centre, Cliff College, Derbyshire. The normal hours of work are 35 each week.
To make an application send an up-to-date CV with a detailed covering letter outlining your interest in the post by email to jess.gill@gb-ministries.org.
Closing date 23 May 2024
Full application pack can be found here: Administration and Order Fulfilment Assistant, Girls' Brigade Ministries

And finally ...

A reflection on Ascension Day

I have been reading about Stephen, the first recorded Christian martyr, in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles chapter 7. vv 55-56. The manner of his death has moving echoes of Calvary. We read that he looked beyond the scene of violence and hatred and gazed into a heaven that he deeply believed in and cried, "Look, there is a rift in the sky; I can see the Son of Man standing at God's right hand". Then as the stones rained in on him he dropped to his knees and cried aloud : "do not hold this sun against them".
This is what Stephen saw through the rift in the sky--a vision of Jesus, the humiliated,
Crucified, endlessly loving Son of God, at the very centre of the universe.
n our church we have a huge, glorious, modern, stained glass window, called 'the New Creation' window. When the winter or summer sun shines through it, it is stunningly beautiful and reflects its colours across the chancel floor.
Each Wednesday I sit with others at our mid week eucharist in a semi- circle around the altar beneath this window. In worship I often lift up my eyes to this window in all its light and colour, and just gaze momentarily almost transfixed by it.
When, in the creed, we say " He ascended in heaven", I am not trying to conjure up a picture of the levitation of Jesus, but declaring that the ultimate Ruler of all things, in whose hands we are, has the mind and heart of Christ. Then, looking into that wonderful coloured glass window, with my eyes screwed up, helps me to see in my imagination just a glimpse of Him in all His glory, now at the heart of things, and where His love is forever triumphant. It is my own Ascension window.
I may not always be in what we call "the mood" to worship, be it on a Wednesday morning, or a Sunday, but I can tell you, it makes all the difference to spend a few minutes each week gazing into that window, which is for me my "rift", an opening into heaven.
What I see there, is the reigning love of Christ, the ascended Lord, and I emerge with a new perspective on our troubled world , a new confidence in a God who cares, and a new desire to reflect this love of Christ to others.
Mike Wildgust, Supernumerary in the Sheffield Circuit

A prayer that we might see the hidden treasure in our communities

Loving God,
help us to see the hidden treasure in our communities.
People who quietly go about doing wonderful things that make a difference, yet not seeking the limelight.
Our churches are made up of individuals who tirelessly try to show your love to others, and so bring hope and help to people in need.
Often these 'hidden treasures' are the catalyst behind a new project that encourages others to try something different.
We bring them to you in gratitude for their selfless giving of themselves, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Amen.
Aileen Fox, local preacher, Central Norfolk Circuit