District News – 29 April 2025

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

Sad News

The funeral of Clive Taylor will take place at Piccadilly Methodist Church, Swinton S64 8JZ on Monday 12th May at 11.15am and there will be refreshments at the church following the committal at the Crematorium (at 12.30pm).
Because Clive is widely known and his home church is a small building, They are asking that if you would like to attend please could you let Revd Andrew Fox (revdocfox@gmail.com) know so they have an idea of the numbers attending. With support from Cliff College they hope to live stream the service.

Cliff Trek 2025

Cliff College has created a highlights video of Cliff Trek 2025, you can watch it here
https://fb.watch/zgsZWt56x2/ – can you spot some familiar faces from our district in there?
It was great to work in partnership with Cliff College for a week of walking, worshipping, witness and allowing the good news of Jesus to be shared.
Thank you to all our churches who hosted the trek, offered hospitality and facilitated the worship. We hope everyone who took part felt uplifted and inspired.

MWiB Date for your Diary

Quiz on Tuesday May 27th in the Narthex St Andrews Psalter Lane.
From2.30pm -4pm with several rounds of quizzing plus scones cakes and tea and coffee.
This event is open to all genders-husbands are particularly welcome. It has been suggested that people arrive from 2pm to have a look round the church which is one of the country's most beautiful Methodist churches (now of course an Anglican Methodist LEP)
For those wanting to use public transport, there is a half hourly bus service along Psalter Lane, the 218, between Sheffield Interchange and Bakewell.

3Generate 2025 tickets are ON SALE NOW!!!

Join us for an even bigger weekend of faith, fun and worship this October, as 3Generate returns to the NEC in Birmingham!
We're delighted to announce 6 new venues this year – including the Orb Stage for larger worship and performances, Sound Studio for jamming and music making workshops, and The Lounge for those in School Year 11+, offering a chance to go deeper into many of the topics discussed over the weekend. Keep an eye out for more information on other new venues in the coming weeks!
See the link below for all the info you need, and the ticket purchasing page. Make sure to read through the information as there have been changes to our safeguarding/DBS processes since last year:
https://www.3generate.org.uk

Ebor Lecture – 21 May 2025

From Silencing to Strength: Addressing Spiritual Abuse and Abuses of Power

You are invited to attend the forthcoming Ebor Lecture by Lisa Oakley (From Silencing to Strength: Addressing Spiritual Abuse and Abuses of Power) on Wednesday 21st May 2025 (from 7-9pm) in York Minster (which will also be streamed online, so can be attended remotely).
Prof Lisa Oakley (C.Psychol) SFHEA (Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy) acted as a core participant in the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse and chaired the national working group for child abuse linked to faith and belief. Her research interests are primarily focused on safeguarding in faith contexts, including the development of an understanding of spiritual abuse and how to create healthy safe cultures.
Full details, including booking a place, can be found here: Ebor Lecture – 21 May

New Chaplaincy Unit at Cliff College

Foundations: Exploring Chaplaincy will be available in October 2025. It is an online unit taken over 15 weeks, using Cliff College's online learning platform.
In Foundations: Exploring Chaplaincy, students will be introduced to key perspectives and skills for engaging in the ministry of chaplaincy and will have the opportunity to reflect on their own developing vocation in this area.
Full details here: https://www.cliffcollege.ac.uk/courses/foundations-units/foundations-chaplaincy

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.

Action for Children

Celebrate Action for Children Sunday

We're looking forward to celebrating Action for Children Sunday with you on the second Sunday in July. But you can hold a special worship service for Action for Children whenever you like. This year's theme is 'Driven by love, we take action for children.'
The Action for Children Sunday newsletter and worship booklet are now available on our website. Just visit actionforchildren.uk/faithFR and scroll to 'Action for Children Sunday'. The worship material includes Bible readings, hymns and real-life stories of how church donations help children.
We'd also welcome your feedback. So, please email karis.kolawole@actionforchildren.org.uk.

Honouring our Heritage

Our Honouring our Heritage campaign is just round the corner, to celebrate the legacy of our rich history. This year we will be shining a spotlight on our wonderful home collection box holders. If you have a story to share, we'd love to hear from you! What's your earliest memory of your home collection box? Did your parents do it before you? Please get in touch at giftsinwills@actionforchildren.org.uk

District Officers' Updates

District Safeguarding Update:

Working with volunteers under the age of 18 years.

Guidance from Kate Little, Safeguarding Casework Supervisor (SE) and Meg Prowting, Children & Youth Officer
We have recently had a number of enquiries relating to teenagers wanting to volunteer. Should a child under 18 want to volunteer for any church project you are working on, here are some things to consider:

• Because the volunteer is classed as a child themselves, there would need to be an "appropriate adult" who would be responsible for their welfare.
• An adult over 18 should be present all the time they are volunteering, so they are never left alone in sole charge of any aspect of the project.
• A consent form should be signed by the child's parent or guardian giving permission for them to volunteer.
• The parent/guardian should also be asked to provide appropriate details like emergency contacts, medical needs etc.
• When you are completing the overall risk assessment for the activity, you should mention any volunteers under the age of 18 and specially consider which activities they will be undertaking.
• You should aim to obtain 2 references for anyone volunteering. Who acts as referee would depend on the context in which the young person is volunteering. For instance, if they are known to the church then it would make sense for the minister or youth worker to write a reference. However, if they are offering to volunteer through a scheme like Duke of Edinburgh and are not previously known to the church then a reference from a teacher would be the most obvious.
• If they are going to be working with children or vulnerable adults, they may need to undertake some Safeguarding training. Depending on the age of child, you need to consider whether the Foundation module is appropriate or whether individualised bespoke training would be more appropriate to ensure they know how to recognise abuse and what to do (i.e. report). This could be just by way of a thorough and appropriate safeguarding briefing by the event organisers.
• You can apply for an Enhanced DBS certificate (if the role is relevant) for anyone over the age of 16. If the volunteer is under 16, this is not an option.

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.

Computer Skills Audit

Most people nowadays will be using computers as part of the life of the church, but how well do you use the technology? We have created a short form to try and gauge what software is being used, for what purpose, and if you would like to be able to do more with what you have.
https://forms.gle/k5hS5zY4sGonTmsC6
If there is enough interest, we will explore putting on specific training, so do complete this if this is something that would interest/benefit you (or your church/circuit).

Events

Christian Aid Week

Christian Aid week is rapidly approaching (11th to 18th May) and the Christian Aid website has a wealth of resources to help your church celebrate this annual fundraising event which raises millions for the poorest people in our world. The focus for this year are two inspirational women, Aurelia and Amelia, who live in Guatemala.
Of particular interest to busy preachers and worship leaders are the excellent Worship resources which include background information, full speaker /preachers' notes, editable orders of service, power point presentations and prayers for both all age worship and more traditional worship.
Here is the link: htt ps://resources.christianaid.org.uk/uk/resources/christian-aid-week
Alison Trezise
Chair of Sheffield Christian Aid committee

Repair Café at St Andrew's Psalter Lane Church

Saturday 10 May 10:00 am

The St Andrew's Psalter Lane Church (Sheffield) Eco Group will hold a Repair Café on Saturday 10th May in church. Volunteer repair people will be on hand to make small repairs and teach people how they can do these themselves, with the aim of reducing waste by re-using and recycling items that would otherwise be thrown away. Please come along with your wonky stuff and get it fixed!
Refreshments and lunches available. There will also be a Fairtrade stall selling a range of fairly-traded products from around the world.
No charge for repairs, but any donations, and profits from the refreshments, will be in aid of Christian Aid Week.

Admin networking

Thursday 22 May from 9am

Join the UCAN group for a a time of prayer, resource-sharing, and encouragement in your ministry. Whether you're a UCAN member or not, you're welcome to connect with fellow church administrators in your area. Light refreshments will be provided.
Venue: "The Furnival" 199 Verdon Street, Sheffield S3 9QQ
As well as the usual chat and updates, we will spend some time looking at Excel spreadsheets, sharing our experiences and "what works for me!".
Let us know you are coming by booking in here: https://ucan.churchsuite.com/events/qmrv48pb

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.
In 2004, Bishop Carcaño became the first Hispanic woman to be elected to the episcopacy of The United Methodist Church, the second-largest Protestant denomination in the USA. Throughout her ministry she has been a consistent advocate for the rights of the poor, the marginalized, and the excluded.
Her lecture will highlight how forced migration continues to inflict great danger and death to many around the world. With some exceptions, countries where migrants land are becoming increasingly hostile towards the migrant. While people of faith and good will continue to work in their communities to welcome the migrant, and to reform unjust immigration policies, the forces of religious and Christian nationalism and political authoritarianism bring further harm to migrants and communities. Given that migration will not cease in our lifetime, how we live together with migrants will depend on our commitments to the virtues of compassion, mercy and justice, and a spirit of welcome to migrants who come our way.
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

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.

Open Farm Sunday

8 June 2025

Reconnect with your local food producers-dig out your wellies & head for a Sunday – afternoon outing to a farm.
Open Farm Sunday is an opportunity to discover the crucial work farmers do producing food, nurturing nature, and protecting the environment for future generations. Sign up to visit a local farm & have the opportunity to talk with farmers, hear their stories and discover how they are working for a more sustainable future whilst producing food you can trust.
Why not organise a visit & invite your eco-church/ social justice group, toddler group families, warm space users, uniform groups, food pantry team...
For further details and to find a local Open Farm, please visit Homepage – Open Farm Sunday

Sitting Down Service for Rev. J. A Letts

3pm, Sunday 13 July at Hathersage Methodist Church,

The Peak Methodist Circuit warmly invites friends and colleagues of Rev'd Julie Letts to her Sitting Down Service on Sunday 13th July, 3pm, at Hathersage Methodist Church. This will be followed by light refreshments in the church hall. Please do join us in celebrating and giving thanks for her ministry, and to wish her well in the future as a supernumerary minister.
To assist with catering please can you confirm your attendance and number in your party before Monday 23rd June by email to: admin@peakmethodistcircuit.org

And finally ...

A prayer that we see the world through God's eyes

If we see the world through your eyes, Lord,
then we see a vision of our world as your love would have it:
a world where all who are weak are protected and none go hungry;
a world where your riches of creation are shared for everyone to enjoy them;
a world where mutual respect is expressed between different races and cultures and harmony descends;
a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love.
Give us the inspiration and courage to build it how you see it Lord!
That all may praise together and the only power exerted is the power of your love. Amen.
Gwynn Bamford, supernumerary deacon, Bromsgrove and Redditch Circuit