District News – 27 May 20265

This Week's News

ONE Opportunity Programme

Calling all 16-23 year olds, could you be on our interns from September?
Applications are now open for the ONE Opportunity Programme 2025/26.
Up to ten interns can be selected to for a paid role of three hours per week to create and deliver a project which enhances the mission and life of the church.
Find out more about this exciting opportunity and how to apply on our website.
https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/what-we-do/children-and-youth/one-opportunity-programme.html

Calling Justice Seekers!

An "Act Now, Change Forever" mass lobby of Parliament is being planned for Wednesday 9 July. It is organised by the UK Climate Coalition and supported b y all the major NGOs and bodies such as South Yorkshire Climate Alliance. The aim is to remind MPs that the vast majority of people in the UK are looking to them for leadership on climate change. Are you, or someone from your church, ready, with others from your constituency, to arrange to meet your MP in Westminster?
To register go to https://www.theclimatecoalition.org/act-now-change-forever. Please let Jenny Carpenter jennyc106@btinternet.co.uk know your name and your Parliamentary constituency if you intend going in person. It would be great if each of the South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and North Notts MPs received a delegation calling for vital funding to communities hit hardest by climate change; reduction in energy bills; secure transition to green jobs; a fairer future for all; restoration of biodiversity. Eco churches especially should be rising to this challenge!
Jenny Carpenter (Justice Seekers)

Urban Theology Union

Invitation to UTU's Doctoral Seminar

Please join UTU's Doctoral Seminar on Tuesday 3rd June 2025 from 11.15am for thoughtful presentations on topics that challenge as well as inform.
All welcome at UTU, Lower Hall, Victoria Hall Methodist Church, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JB
The presenters are Andrew Jenkins, an Agricultural Engineer who has worked for over 40 years in rural development in South and Southeast Asia, and Rob Hoch-Yidokodiltona exploring the question: Christendom, until recently, had been a "good enough" home for people of faith. But we stand at a crossroads. We see our congregations undergoing multiple losses (fewer people, fewer young families, aging leadership, and fewer people entering full-time ministry) and perhaps we live in a society where we feel like resident aliens, belonging but not really. What does it mean to become new when we face decline from multiple directions?
Can you please confirm your attendance by emailing the UTU office (office@utusheffield.org.uk)

An invitation to The Born Stroppy Online Book Launch

Details on the poster.
You can view the book here: https://www.book2look.com/book/mghW4O1bC9
or buy it here: https://ruthweston.co.uk/books/
Ruth is a trained liberation theologian, a community organiser, and a birth activist, with intensive experience of living in deprived areas such as Bradford. I have been privileged to read early drafts of her remarkable and stimulating book, which is part autobiography, part activist manual, part spiritual journal; through it she provides a remarkable insight into a mature, creative activism that is beyond cynicism. Although this is a book about childbirth in contemporary Britain and the struggles of mothers -- and needs to be read by anyone involved in midwifery -- it is germane to all those who see themselves as activists in totally different arenas. Ian Duffield

Methodist Women in Britain Quiet Day

Tuesday 10 June 10:00 am

Methodist Women in Britain (MWiB) are inviting you to a Quiet Day atGreen Moor Methodist Chapel. Chapel Lane. Green Moor. Sheffield. S35 7DX.
If you haven't been to one before, or haven't been to a MWiB event before, do come and join us – it's open to ALL women in the District (in other words it's not a club you have to join!)
Come and have a day away from it all in the beautiful surroundings of the village of Green Moor. There will be space for prayer, quiet, creativity, fellowship, support & friendship. Please bring your own lunch, and walking shoes if you'd like to explore the village. Please contact Pam Meek or Deacon Annabel if you'd like to know more, and let Pam know you're coming!

Sheffield Intergenerational Forum

Thursday 26th June at 11am

SCCC are excited to welcome Marilia Pavlou to their next meeting. Marilia is Intergenerational Development Officer at Apples & Honey Nightingale CIC. Please have a look at their website, and come along to hear Marilia talking about their longstanding intergenerational project Apples and Honey Nightingale
If you would like to tell them a bit more about your intergenerational project at their meeting in June, or you have a question you'd like to ask the group, please could you fill in this form (it's very short!)
They are meeting via Microsoft Teams this time, hopefully this will be easier for everyone to access.
Meeting ID: 374 300 821 973 8
Passcode: JR6Gb3zz

Events

Edward Rogers Memorial Lecture

Thursday 5 June, 3.15pm

Join us either in-person or online for the Edward Rogers Memorial Lecture: on the theme The Spirit that Crosses Borders given by Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño on Thursday 5 June 2025. The lecture title is The Virtues of Compassion, Mercy & Justice Must Shape the World We Will Live In.
Full details including how to book a place, can be found here:
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/wesley-house/the-spirit-that-crosses-borders/e-bvjooy

Peak Circuit Service

with special guests David Juliano and Jorge Acevedo from USA

Sunday 1st June 2025, 6:30pm, at Bakewell Methodist Church
The Peak Circuit will be welcoming special guests, David Juliano and Jorge Acevedo, from Florida , USA, at their Circuit Service on Sunday 1st June, 6:30pm Bakewell Methodist Church. David will be preaching and Jorge a testimony. Both David and Jorge are visiting the UK and undertaking the Peak Wesley Way.
David is lead pastor at Sebring Methodist Church, Florida, U.S.A, ( https://www.firstsebring.org ), and is a respected and gifted pastor and teacher. His sermon, entitled "An Unfinished Task", will take inspiration from Dr. W. E. Sangster's book "Methodism: Her Unfinished Task."
Jorge founded a multi-site church called Grace Church in the Fort Myers area of Florida ( https://www.egracechurch.com/ ) . He now undertakes a teaching and mentoring role, particularly for pastors seeking to develop new forms of church, especially multi-site churches ( https://www.jorgeacevedo.com ) . Jorge will give a short testimony to the goodness of God.
"This promises to be an exciting, stimulating and rare opportunity to share worship with two experienced, Godly, mission-minded Methodist pastors" (Rev'd Martyn Atkins).
All are welcome to join us.

The Spirit and the Church: Community-Forming Power

Saturday 7th June 10-12.30

Totley Rise Methodist Church (Sheffield) invite you to join them for a morning of exploring the work of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, led by Dr Ben Pugh, lecturer at Cliff College. There will be two sessions, the first one asking the question, how is community formed? And the second session asking, how is community grown? We will discover that there is far more to these two simple questions than meets the eye.
For further information please contact Rev Phill Borkett,revphillb@outlook.com.

National Day of Street Worship (Pentecost Weekend)

Saturday 7 June 12:00 pm

This summer, Worship On The Streets, along with other UK-based street worship ministries, are hosting the annual "National Day of Street Worship". The event will take place on Saturday 7th June, (Pentecost weekend), where they are encouraging Christians and churches to go into their villages, towns, or city centres at 12pm to sing or play the "The Blessing" out in public as a united declaration of God's love over the UK, followed by a time of street worship for as long as they like. Last year, 34 groups took part around the UK, 7 of which had never done street worship before.
If you would like to join in with the National Day of Street Worship in your own village, town, or city, please could you fill out this form so that they can stay in touch with everyone who is taking part: https://forms.gle/NoTtVNZ9AF4oBFYD7.
If you would like further information about Worship On The Streets, or the day itself, please email Aaron at info@worshiponthestreets.co.uk.

Living Stones Open Day

Saturday 21 June

You are warmly invited to Wesley House's Open Day 2025 in which we will explore the theme of Living Stones. The day will include the last public service in the College chapel, tea and a series of reflections on the life of the College past, present and future as we give thanks for all that the Jesus Lane site has made possible and set out in faith towards the future.
As catering is provided can you please register if you are able to join us. For further information and to register visit – https://livingstones.eventbrite.co.uk

Faith in the City@40

Saturday 12 July

2025 marks the 40th Anniversary of the publication of the influential report of Archbishop Runcie's Commission on Urban Priority Areas. Much has changed over 40 years, but issues of urban poverty and injustice have not disappeared, and there are few signs that Churches and other Christian activity are flourishing in such places. Indeed there are signs that neither government nor church are making them a priority for action and investment, and that people living there are increasingly feeling left behind.
This conference, one of a series of events across the country, is a chance to reflect on the theology and practice of urban mission, then and now. There will be input from leading practitioners who were involved in the 1980s, and those who are leading mission and church activities today.
It will be of interest to anyone who lives and works in the inner city, or on social housing estates. We hope it will encourage and inform, and be a catalyst for a renewed movement to develop Faith in the City and hope in urban churches and communities.
Keynote Speakers
Alan Billings (one of the original Archbishop's Commission Members)
Sarah Small (Head of the Eden Network)
Book your place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/faith-in-the-city-40-north-tickets-1224760715269

Northern Retreat October 14th-16th 2025

Let Nothing Disturb You – the spiritual wisdom of Teresa of Avila

A contemplative retreat in the North of England, led by Revd Judith Jessop, Chair of Reflect.
Minsteracres Retreat Centre is a spiritual place providing hospitality. It is a Christian place of prayer with a resident community of Roman Catholic Passionist priests and lay people. The retreat centre is set in a beautiful 110 acre estate in the North East of England.
Reflect has been part of the Methodist Church for nearly 50 years. It is part of the national Retreat Association
Cost £250 Contact Rev Sandie Exley-Watts, sandie@exleywatts.me.uk, 07719 925019, for more details.

And finally ...

A prayer of adoration

You are the One, the Holy One,
who looks on all you have made, with love.
You gaze at me, and your faithful kindness overwhelms me.

I fall silent before you, my words stalling,
as my heart breaks open and pours out my thanks, my delight in you.
The more I gaze back at you,
the more I see through your eyes;
I am born again in your devotion to your creation.

Let my words fall before you,
but grant me the words and the acts of love
you long for me to have for your world. Amen.
Kerry Tankard, District Chair, Yorkshire West District