District News – 21 February 2023

This Week's News

St Andrew's Psalter Lane Church 25th Anniversary Appeal Launch -- Emergency Spire Repair

St. Andrew's Psalter Lane Church, the parish church for Nether Edge and Sharrow, is celebrating 25 years of life and witness as a joint Anglican-Methodist congregation.
But our 1930, Grade II listed building is under threat. The spire needs urgent repair before another winter causes more damage.
We have raised £60,000 and are applying for grants from heritage, conservation, and church funds.
But we need your support to raise the final £25,000. If we are lucky enough to raise more, as an Eco-Church we will prioritise further reduction of our carbon footprint.
Our 25th Anniversary Appeal for Emergency Spire Repair launches on Sunday 26th February!

See www.standrewspsalterlane.org.uk/spire-appeal/ to find out more.

Sad News

You may recall that Muriel Peacock died on 18th January. Muriel was a long-standing Local Preacher, the wife of the former Superintendent & Supernumerary Minister, Revd. John Peacock and Sheffield Circuit minister the Revd. Philip Peacock's mother.
The funeral service will be on Friday 10th March, 10:30am at the South Chapel, Grenoside Crematorium followed by a service of thanksgiving at 11:30am at Wisewood Methodist Church. The service from Wisewood will be live-streamed and the link for the service will be available nearer the time. Please contact Revd Jill Pullan (jmpullan03@gmail.com) for details of this.

Arise prayer-walks in March

Christians across Sheffield are being invited to cover the city in prayer this March to help connect with the needs of people living there.

Arise:March runs throughout the whole month, with a launch event taking place on Saturday 25th February at Sheffield Cathedral. The Arise:March prayer app is web-based, which means that anyone with an internet connection can access it on any device: mobile, tablet, laptop, or desktop. It goes live on Wednesday 1 March, and everyone who's signed up to the Arise Community will receive a link to the app first thing that morning.
An app has been developed to coordinate the efforts of everyone taking part, which creates a map of the routes that have been prayer-walked. The more a street is prayed for, the brighter it will glow on the app. This year people will also be able to upload the prayer needs they have discovered to the Arise:March prayer app so others can join in prayer for those needs.

Watch the Arise:March 2023 video here.

Reflect Retreat

17th – 19th October 2023

Praying Without Words
For many there is a strong desire to cultivate an inner life of prayer, it has always formed an essential part of the Christian tradition. Many also long for silence and stillness. Where does this desire, this longing originate? How might it be fulfilled? A retreat provides a good opportunity to explore and experience 'praying without words', bearing in mind there are no experts, just explorers

We shall explore the way of 'praying without words' as taught and practiced in the Hebrew Scriptures (OT), by Jesus and the early church (NT), through the early century mystics to present day. Whether this is your usual practice, or you are just venturing on this path of discovery this retreat could be for you.

This is not a totally silent retreat; however, space and time will be offered to enter into and experience prayer of silence, and we shall respect each other's space as appropriate.

Download the booking form here: Reflect Retreat Booking
Reflect is the national Methodist retreat and spirituality movement open to all.

Building Multi-ethnic Churches

Many inner city churches are becoming much more ethnically mixed as more Methodist Christians move into the country from elsewhere, or other minority ethnic Christians find a home with us.
Although we all hold John Wesley's theology at our core and Charles' hymnology, the culture of the World Methodist Church is quite varied.
How can a White majority congregation welcome people of colour into our churches and begin to work together with them to create a truly multi-ethnic church ?
The Baptist Union – especially in London – has made good progress on this, and this helpful Report, shares their learning.
Successfully Building Multi-ethnic Church
A report on the conference organised by the Baptist Union to explore the challenges and opportunities can be read here: https://cte.org.uk/successfully-building-multi-ethnic-church/

Events

'Aspects of Iranian Muslim Life

Thursday 2 March – 7pm – Rose Hill URC, Chesterfield

Another visit from Dr Chris Hewer who comes from a background in Christian theology, education, Islamic studies and inter-faith studies and has worked in the field of Muslims in Britain and Christian-Muslim relations since 1986, first at the Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at Selly Oak in Birmingham and from 1999 to 2005, as the Adviser on Inter-Faith Relations to the Bishop of Birmingham.

Faith Rooted Community Organising

An introductory course to the core practices of Faith Rooted organising

31st March – 2nd April 2023 (bookings close 1 March)

Who is it for? People beginning a new Christian community. This training is for people who want to develop, or are already nurturing a new Christian community within their circuit or district. Ideally, we would like people to come as a team (at least two people from each team with a maximum of four).
More information including how to book here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/organising/

Positively Rural – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in a Rural Context

Wednesday 26 April at 1pm

God for All: Rural Churches for All.
How do rural churches engage with Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work?

Rev Jill Marsh (Inclusive Church Officer for the Methodist Church) will be with us to think about these questions as we aim to reflect God's inclusive love for all people in our own local communities.
As usual, there will be space to discuss the issues raised in smaller groups.

Register here: https://PositivelyRural230426.eventbrite.co.uk
Bookings close 3 days beforehand
Positively Rural is an online community hosted by the Yorkshire Plus Learning Network, but open to anyone of any denomination involved in rural ministry, including volunteers, lay workers and clergy.

Regional Retreat for ministers and lay employees

The next Regional Retreat for presbyters, deacons and lay employees is at Wydale Hall in North Yorkshire from 9-11 May 2023. You will see from the flyer that there will be opportunity for reflective walks, long and short, led and self-directed, in the beautiful grounds of Wydale Hall and the surrounding countryside. Why not start the year by booking yourself into what promises to be an enriching time of refreshment and renewal!?
Full details including how to book your place here: https://YP-230509-retreat.eventbrite.co.uk

District Youth Day

Saturday 25 March

Join us on Saturday 25th March 2023 at Hesley Woods for a fun day of workshops, worship and on-site activities. This event is for anyone aged 8 -18, but they must attend with Youth Leader/Minister.
Full details including how to book here! https://230325-youthday.eventbrite.co.uk

Lay Employees Retreat

5-7 June 2023 at Wydale Hall

Lost, Found, Reclaimed
Over time things change – but is that always for good?

Lost, Found, Reclaimed takes as its starting point "The Lost Words" book, written as a response to the removal of everyday nature words – among them "acorn", "bluebell", "kingfisher" and "wren" – from a widely used children's dictionary, because those words were not being used enough by children to merit inclusion.
In this retreat we will be exploring some of the things that have been lost; what might we want to reclaim or rediscover; but also what new things have we found that aid our work.

Register link: https://20230605LayRetreat.eventbrite.co.uk before 3 April (places are limited)