District News – 3 March 2026

Stories from across the District

Pancakes in The Peak Circuit

Bakewell

We had a fantastic time at our Pancake Party, welcoming 56 people alongside 12 brilliant volunteers. It was a joyful afternoon filled with crafts, games, and of course plenty of pancakes enjoyed together around the tables!
Chloe Donoghue shared with the families why Christians celebrate Shrove Tuesday and explained the meaning of the season of Lent — a time to get ready for Easter.
It was a fun, welcoming party and a lovely continuation of the connections made through our recent Nativity Party and family-friendly Carol Service. We’re so encouraged to see these gatherings building community and creating spaces where families feel at home.
Thank you to everyone who came and helped make it such a special afternoon!

Bamford

Children at the after-school Christian club, StoryKeepers, enjoyed pancakes and craft activities as they began their journey through Lent and the Easter story this term. Each week there will be a different kind of food to taste and accompany the story: Pancakes for Lent, Figs for Palm Sunday (also known as Fig Sunday), unleavened bread for the Last Supper, hot cross buns for Jesus’ Crucifixion, and Easter eggs for Jesus’ resurrection. I wonder which they will enjoy eating the most?!

Sad News

We are sad to announce that Rev’d May Gladwin died on Monday morning, 23rd February 2026.
We give thanks for her long ministry, her sensitive pastoral care, her preaching and healing ministry and all the many ways in which she cared for so many people inside and outside of the church.
Some will remember Rev’d May from her time as minister in Bakewell, but others may only have know her in more recent years. We give thanks for her ministry, love and her spirit. We pray for David, her husband, and for her extended family as they mourn her passing.
We continue to hold them all in our love and prayers.
Rev Tim Morris – Superintendent, The Peak Circuit
The funeral of Rev May Gladwin: cremation will take place in Chesterfield at 10.30am, Tuesday, 17 March, followed by a Thanksgiving Service at 12.30pm at Bakewell Methodist Church (Haddon Road, Bakewell, DE45 1EL) after which refreshments/fellowship will be shared in Wesley Hall. All are welcome.

International Women's Day Service in Hathersage

Sunday 8 March 10:30 am

International Women's Day takes place on 8 March each year and is a global day which serves to celebrate the achievements of women, raise awareness of inequality and accelerate action towards a gender-equal world. Hathersage Methodist Church will be marking this with a special International Women's Day service on Sunday 8 March, 10.30am led by Rev Jo Rand. The service will include communion and will feature a hymn originally written by Jo in 2024 to mark the celebration of 50 years of the ordination of women as presbyters in the Methodist Church. All welcome.
Throughout the month of March, The Book Room (the second-hand bookshop in Hathersage Methodist Church) will have a display of books on feminist and women's-history themes, as well as related activities in the church. The Church and bookshop are open every day 9am to 5pm.

Bible Month Hub

Broom Methodist Church (Rotherham and Dearne Valley Circuit) will be a hub for anyone who would like to attend an "in person" training day on Saturday 14 March.
It will run from 10am to 3pm, please bring your own lunch.
Contact Revd Andrew Fox – revdocfox@gmail.com – for more information, or to confirm your attendance.

Dr Chris Hewer talk

Revd Paul King is helping to host a meeting at the Friends' Meeting House in Ashgate Road, Chesterfield on Monday 16 March at 7pm.
Dr Hewer will talk on "How the religions of the Middle East use their scriptures". He is very knowledgeable but also listenable and handles questions graciously.
In the context of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, the topic could not be more relevant.
Contact Revd Paul King – kpaul5539@gmail.com for more details.

District News

Communication Survey

Good communication is important, so we have a short survey to give some feedback on how you access information and to hear your thoughts on what we do, and what we could maybe do better.
Survey

District Gathering

Join us at our District Gathering on Saturday 18th April at Greenhill Methodist Church as we take a look at and discuss Courageous Conversations: Listening to and working with your community.
Everyone is welcome to attend to learn, share and enjoy fellowship with one another.
Book your place here

Other News

South Yorkshire Chaplaincy & Listening Service

Each year, SYCLS hosts Coffee, Cake & Chat, a simple fundraiser where communities come together over a cuppa, homemade cakes, and good conversation, while raising vital funds. This year’s event runs from Sunday, 19-26 April and we’d love for your church to join in! As always, events can take place at any time around these dates if that works better for you.
To take part, contact our Fundraising Officer, Lydia, at lydia@sycls.co.uk or 07943 572650 for more details and materials.
We’d be thrilled to have your church involved!
Bethany Mickleburgh – Communications Officer

Treasurer's Handbook and New Finance Web Pages

The Methodist Church are pleased to launch The Treasurer’s Handbook to help our treasurer’s across the Connexion.
Click here to download a copy.
The Handbook offers clear guidance on responsibilities and compliance, and practical assistance with key financial tasks, helping new treasurers to hit the ground running.

As part of the launch, the Finance web pages have been updated to include relevant information for treasurers and as a result, some pages have been moved elsewhere on the website.
The primary changes are:

• Ministerial Grants, Methodist Ministers’ Pension Scheme and Accessing Payslips has moved under Ministries
• Information about PASLEMC information has moved to Employees and Volunteers
• The Financial Accounts and Trustees Report has moved under the About The Methodist Church section.
• The Standard Form of Accounts can be found under Annual Reporting.

Whirlow Spirituality Centre

Join us this Holy Week as we make the Journey of the Cross together.
On Maundy Thursday evening you are invited to join us from 6pm as we share a simple meal (Agape), retell the story of the final night of Jesus’ earthly life and reflect on its meaning for us today. Numbers are limited for the meal, so please book promptly if you wish to attend.
Following our Agape there will be a silent prayer vigil in the Chapel from 8-9pm. Anyone is welcome to join this and to come and go as they wish.
You are welcome to the Chapel on Good Friday at 10am as we reflect on the events of that day using the Stations of the Cross as our focus. There will be hot cross buns and coffee provided following this at around 11.30am.
On Easter Morning we follow in the steps of Jesus’ friends and disciples and gather early in our garden at 6am and light the first candle of Easter in celebration of the resurrection. In hope and joy we will then celebrate together with a reflective communion service. Following this we will share breakfast together.
At Space to Reflect that evening, we will wonder at the Resurrection, focusing on a reading from scripture, a prayer and a sonnet each. You will be invited to move around three locations in the chapel as we shift our focus from wonder to intercession to gratitude.
Bookings can be made on our website and we hope to see many of you as we share this time together

Upcoming Events

Joined Up Conference 2026

Victoria Hall, Sheffield | 9.45AM – 4PM

Come and join us for our 11th conference for children’s, youth and schools workers. Lisa Campbell (from Wonderful Me) is our keynote speaker this year, and we have 15 interactive workshops for you to choose from, and space to reflect on your own or with your team too.
Joined Up is for all those serving children, families and young people in our churches and schools. It is also designed to serve other lay and ordained leaders who want to put children and young people at the heart of all we do in our churches and communities.
Find out more
Bookings close on Wednesday!

Gothic Evening Service

Sunday 8 March at 4pm

The Metal Methodists and Steel City Choristers are joining for a Gothic Evening Service on Sunday 8th March at 4pm. Expect choral sounds, hymns, metal music, laying burdens down and an alternative vibe.
The service takes place at Highfield Trinity Methodist Church on Highfield Place, which is just off London Road in Sheffield. A retiring collection will be taken for Highfield Trinity funds.
All welcome! Please contact Kate on katemetalmethodist@outlook.com for further information.

Bolsover Celebrates 200 Years of Methodism 1826 – 2026

• Launch Service – Sunday 22 March | 10:00am – Led by Revd Vicky Atkins (Chair of the District)
• Exhibition – Monday 23 – Saturday 28 March | 10:00am – 2:00pm – The church will be open daily to view the exhibition, refreshments will be available.
• Concert – Saturday 28 March | 2:00pm – 4:00pm – A special concert by the Staveley and District Churches United Choir, featuring well-known hymns by Charles Wesley. Refreshments will be served, and a retiring collection will be taken in support of Ashgate Hospice.
• Celebration Service & Buffet Tea – Sunday 29 March – Final Celebration service Led by Revd Richard Andrew (President of Conference), followed by a celebration buffet tea. If you would like to stay for tea, please contact Margaret Rowley on 07825 249993 for catering purposes.

Journey to Jerusalem

Bakewell Methodist Church present an Interactive display telling the Easter Story!

The Journey to Jerusalem display takes us through the last days of Jesus’ life: “From Hosanna to He is Risen”.
We see the excitement of the crowds on Palm Sunday and the agony in the garden and on the cross and the joy of the resurrection leading to the truth of the post resurrection experiences that Jesus is alive.
The journey also gives us time for reflection and the opportunity to pray interactively through themes such as justice, peace, love, thanksgiving, healing, families and forgiveness. The display is full of life and colour and hopes to bring the story of our Saviour’s final days to our hearts and minds.
The Easter display “Journey to Jerusalem” will run on Monday to Saturday each week (with refreshments) starting from Monday 23rd March and ending on Easter Monday 6th April 2026.
The times will be 10.00am to 3.00pm
apart from:

• Maundy Thursday 2nd April 10.00am – 12noon only
• Good Friday 3rd April 11.00am – 1.00pm only
• Easter Monday 6th April 10.00am – to 12 noon only

And finally ...

A Prayer for the Middle East

God of love,
As we see and hear the news of the devastating violence wrought upon
and within the Middle East,
we hold your broken world before you in prayer,
We pray for lives lost, for people who mourn, and for those living in fear
We pray for people stranded and in need of safe routes and safe harbours.
We long for peace and pray that those who wage war might exchange weapons for words.
Help us to know how to pray, how to speak and how to act,
that we might remember our call to follow the Prince of Peace,
In whose name we pray,
Amen.

A Prayer for the Middle East