District News – 29 September 2026

Stories from across the District

People's Emergency Briefing film

Hathersage Methodist Church

92 people attended a community screening of the 'People's Emergency Briefing' film about the climate crisis on 24 September in Hathersage Methodist Church.
This 50 minute film is being shown in churches, community halls and workplaces across the country. Introduced by naturalist Chris Packham, it shares hard-hitting evidence about the ways that the climate and nature crisis will impact on the British way of life. The film is designed to be shown to groups with discussion afterwards, and the organisers have provided comprehensive guidance on hosting a screening.Hathersage Methodist Church worked with their local climate action group (Hope Valley Climate Action) to organise their screening, and the publicity and follow-up effort. There was such a lot of interest from local residents that the church realised they would need to screen the film in two rooms simultaneously, to fit everyone in. The local MP and ward Councillor also attended and joined the discussion.

Visit nebriefing.org to find other film dates coming up in your area. There is also plenty of guidance on hosting a screening, including specific guidance for churches who are looking to show the film as part of a church service, or as a community event.The Eco group at Hathersage Methodist Church would be happy to share tips for other Methodist Churches based on their experience of hosting a screening of the People's Emergency Briefing film – contact hathersagemethodist@gmail.com

Central Methodist Church Welcomes Rev’d Leslie Griffiths

Sunday 11th October

Rev’d Griffiths is a member of the House of Lords and two of its select committees – the Ecclesiastical Committee and the Constitution Committee. They have just produced a report on "The Rule of Law" and are currently putting together another report on the “Resilience of our Democracy” The importance of these subjects In these troubled times, needs no emphasis, and it is encouraging to know that a Methodist is so closely involved. Rev’d Griffiths also chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Haiti and is a member of the delegation from the UK parliament to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Although Revd Griffiths is well known nationally and internationally , we welcome him to our pulpit where he wishes to be known as "Leslie Griffiths, Methodist preacher.
All Welcome

District Updates

EDI is not the same as DEI

You may have heard reports on the news and social media of people dismissing equalities legislation as unfair to the majority population. Also, some people are using the letters DEI rather than EDI for the UK, and this is not helpful or accurate.
The tendency to dismiss equalities recruitment policy as unfairly favouring minorities, has mainly come from the USA, and arises from a key difference between UK EDI and US DEI policies.
That key difference is that UK Equalities legislation and processes do not allow competed for appointments to be given in preference to someone from a minority. The post must be given on merit to the candidate who scores highest on the Person Specification requirements.
So, Positive discrimination in favour of disadvantaged candidates is illegal in the UK, most recently restated in the 2010 Equalities Act, but allowed in the US.
The only time a minority candidate can be specifically appointed in the UK is if the nature of the post requires it – a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR).

Read more here

Pause for Thought Media Training

Excellent media training session in the district this week. It was a pleasure to welcome Michael Wakelin from the Religion Media Centre to Victoria Hall to share his expertise about how to write and present a Pause for Thought on BBC Radio 2. Youth President Gracie also joined in the training, so it was great to welcome her to the district before she heads off to 3gen at the weekend.

Hopefully you'll be hearing some familiar voices on Radio 2 soon.

Regional Officer for Safeguarding Update:

News from the Connexional Safeguarding Team

Domestic Abuse webinar with Sally Hope – 25 November 2026:

On 25 November 2026 at 11.00am to 12.00 noon, Sally Hope will present a webinar on the issue of domestic abuse which is common in our churches and church communities.
Writer, trainer and recovery practitioner, Sally Hope is the author of Always Hopeful, an eleven-week recovery programme for Christian women who have experienced Domestic Abuse.
A survivor herself, Sally spent several years working in a women's refuge facilitating recovery programmes and coaching women to rebuild their lives free from abuse. She recognised the lack of support for those women who had experienced spiritual abuse as part of the domestic abuse and so developed a peer support programme that, with training, can be delivered by any church or ministry to support Christian women to make sense of their faith in light of their experience of abuse.
Sally now trains others to deliver Always Hopeful as well as writing books, recovery resources, and articles about issues related to faith, feminism and domestic abuse.

Advance Registration is essential

Faith Security Training:

I’ve just been talking to someone who was speaking very positively about the Faith Security Training (FST) programme offered via the Government / Home Office.  The programme provides free security awareness training to faith communities across England and Wales
The training supports places of worship and associated faith community centres to strengthen their security knowledge, improve preparedness, and reduce the risk and impact of hate crime and other serious incidents.
The programme is funded by the Home Office and delivered by specialist and faith community instructors through CDS Support.  There are several delivery options.
Read more on the Government website: Faith Security Training

DBS Workshops:

DBS Update Service information session:  To support the new guidance, The DBS are also holding a FREE information session which can be booked via the below Eventbrite links:

• Thursday 15th October – 1pm-2pm – Click to register

Understanding eligibility for DBS Checks:  The DBS are holding 2 Disclosure Eligibility workshops

• Wednesday 14 October at 13:00 – (wait list)

• Tuesday 24 November at 13:00

Book on Eventbrite for Eligibility workshops

If you ever have any safeguarding questions or concerns, please give me a call on 07483 362 735 or email me at hilla@methodistchurch.org.uk

Many thanks

Alison Hill

Net Zero News

Christian Environmental Mobilisers course

ARocha (the organisation behind the rapidly expanding Eco Church network) have places remaining on their brand new Christian Mobilisers Course.

Over six monthly online evening sessions this course will equip you with biblical foundations, as well as leadership, influencing and action planning skills, to inspire others and mobilise meaningful environmental action in your church, workplace, university or community. Whether you’re taking your first steps in leading others or are already inspiring change, this course will help you grow as an effective and faithful environmental leader by enhancing your leadership, mobilisation and self-care skills.

The first session is coming up soon on 7 October, so please share promptly with anyone who might be interested.

Further details and registration at https://arocha.org.uk/christian-environmental-mobilisers/

Other News

Methodist Women in Britain

World Federation Day 2026 to be held on 17th October at Stapleford Methodist Church, Nottingham NG9 7EA from 10am to 4pm. No booking required just turn up with your packed lunch for a day with worship, guest speakers, workshops and witness. Parking is available at the church and Stapleford Methodist Church is on a bus and tram route. We look forward to seeing you there.
Rev Jenny Pathmarajah has written about the WFMUCW World Assembly. Her article can be read here.

Next years MWiB Conference at the Swanwick Conference Centre takes place Friday 9th – Sunday 11th April 2027, cost £210 per person. A deposit of £100 secures your place. Booking will open on the MWiB website on Friday 6th November 2026. Conference theme: Arise and Shine – Wellness.

Finally a reminder that we still have 2 vacancies on our new Board of Trustees. We are looking for a Lead Trustee Events and a Lead Trustee People & Volunteering.
Please email communications.mwib@gmail.com if you would like to know more or to talk to someone about these roles.

Black History Month

Each October Black History Month provides an opportunity to recognise, celebrate and better understand the contributions, experiences and history of Black people in Britain.
You can find resources from CTBI, including a sermon by Richard Reddie, Director of Justice and Inclusion, here.

Vacancies

Part-time Administrator

Rotherham & Dearne Valley Circuit

The Rotherham and Dearne Valley Methodist Circuit seeks to employ a self-motivated, methodical, and highly organised Circuit Administrator to provide administrative support, maintain accurate records, and assist the Superintendent Minister. The part-time role is for 12 hours/week and is based at Broom Methodist Church. Closing date – 5 October

Full details here

Upcoming Events

Reparative Justice: A Conversation Across the Methodist Church 

Saturday 10 October 11am – 3pm

Methodism is proud of its involvement in the ending of the transatlantic slave trade. On his death bed, John Wesley read the autobiography of prominent abolitionist Olaudah Equiano, who had strong links to Sheffield (expect to hear more about this next year). But the true story was a lot more complicated.
How could the Methodist Church respond to its historical links to the transatlantic trade in enslaved African people and their ongoing impact today?
Join us to explore the history, discuss its legacy, and help shape the Church's future response. 
Learn more, listen, and share your views. Book your place at: Reparative Justice: In person event – York Tickets, Saturday, October 10 • 11 AM – 3 PM | Eventbrite

Sheffield District MWiB

Annual Service of Dedication

Thursday 16th October 2026 at 11.00am
Victoria Stafford Road Methodist Church S2 2SE
Preacher: Rev Liz Wills
Please bring your own lunch – tea/coffee will be provided
Following lunch Roger Thirlwell will give a presentation on Anna Chaplaincy
ALL WELCOME!

The 2026 Samuel Chadwick Lecture

Friday 16 October 11:00 am

The title for this year's lecture is 'A Pentecostal Spirit: reimagining mission with, to and from the edges as a Wesleyan Imperative', delivered by Rev Dr Deirdre Brower-Latz, Principal of Nazarene Theological College.
This year the lecture can be attended on campus at Cliff College or online.
Those attending on campus are invited to stay for lunch.

Anna Chaplaincy: ageing well and how the church can help

A FREE day event to equip and inspire older peoples’ ministry

Wednesday 4 November 2026

9.30am – 3.30pm
Beverley Minster Parish Hall, Minster Yard North, HU17 0DP (NB: limited parking available)
Drinks provided – please bring a packed lunch
To book a free place, use this link
Roger Thirlwell is an Anna Chaplain in Doncaster:  I have been part of the planning discussions, and we hope all who come will find the presentations of interest. (Copies of the Draft Agenda are available today, if interested.) Please contact me if you would like to go so that we may be able to arrange transport. 
rogerthirlwell@btinternet.com

For any other information, contact: annachaplaincy@brf.org.uk

And finally...

A message from the District Chair

On my way to the office this morning, I heard the opening pitch for Andy Burnham’s Labour Conference speech -“Hope comes from honesty.”

Hope surely has to begin with being honest about where things actually are. And that isn’t only a challenge for politicians. I think it is a challenge for the Church too.

Yesterday I came across a line from Kahlil Gibran’s Sand and Foam, written a hundred years ago:
“We often borrow from our tomorrows to pay our debts to our yesterdays.”

It sounds like something that could quite easily find its way into a politician’s speech, but I think it has something to say to the Church as well.
I wonder if we have been borrowing from tomorrow for quite a long time! tomorrow’s people, energy, money, buildings and possibilities, in order to keep yesterday going.
And perhaps we haven’t always been completely honest about that.

I don’t mean deliberately dishonest. More that very human tendency to avoid some of the difficult questions. How honest are we about where we actually are? About what we can realistically sustain? About how much energy we are using simply to keep things going? About the things that aren't working anymore? And how honest are we with ourselves about the future?

Which takes me back to that phrase: hope comes from honesty.

What might hope look like if we were a little more honest?

Hope comes from honesty. And hope is something we practise.

Maybe our task isn't to persuade ourselves that everything will be all right, or to keep everything going for as long as we possibly can. Perhaps it is to be honest about where we are and, from that place, to ask what practising hope looks like now.

It feels to me like a conversation worth having.

Prayer

God of yesterday, today and tomorrow,
help us to honour what has been without borrowing too much from what is yet to come.
Give us courage to be honest about where we are,
wisdom to know what to hold and what to let go,
and faith to be people who practise hope,
here and now.
Amen.

Vicky