District News – 30 January 2024

This Week's News

Sad News

We were sorry to learn of the recent death of Pat Lancaster, widow of the Revd Peter Lancaster who died in 1985, in the Sheffield Circuit. Her funeral will be on 15 February at 11am at Grenoside Cremation North.
Our thoughts and prayers are with her sons David and Richard and their families at this time.

Life on the Breadline Exhibition

Opening Night -Friday 9th February 6-8pm

Highfield Trinity Methodist Church, Sheffield, S2 4UR
We are delighted to be bringing the Life on the Breadline Photographic Exhibition to Sheffield and Barnsley this Lent. Our aim is to start conversations: to hear and amplify voices of people with lived experience of poverty, to create space for people to tell their own stories, and to reflect on how we should personally and collectively respond to what we are hearing.
We will be joined at our opening evening by two of the lead researchers from the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University: Dr Chris Shannahan and Dr Stephanie Denning. They will outline the research and we will talk about our contexts and what we believe could change.
Please do let us know if you will be able to join us, so we have a rough idea of numbers for catering Katrin Hackett, the District Administrator – admin@sheffieldmethodist.org

Methodist Chaplains

As a District, we want to support our Methodist chaplains. If you work as a chaplain in the life of your circuit (voluntary or paid) could you please contact McCauley Key (mccauley.key@nhs.net) with your name, email address, and job title, to receive chaplaincy reflections/news and to be invited to celebration events, where we recognise the hard work that you do in your context.
If you know a chaplain in your Circuit who we could support, please encourage them to get in touch.
Please get in touch by 14 February, so we can start to plan an event to celebrate this aspect of ministry.

Cliff College's new MA Theology and Mission programme

Cliff College is an evangelical learning community which is rooted in God's Word and Spirit, for the purpose of equipping God's people for practical ministry and cutting-edge missional engagement.
Their new MA Theology and Mission* programme, available from September 2024, equips students to explore missional theology and practice in depth, to inform and enhance their own engagement in the work of God's Kingdom. Students can choose from a variety of units including biblical studies, chaplaincy, Methodist and Wesleyan identity and leadership, alongside core Missional Theology and Missional Theology in Practice units.
This course can be studied either online or at the College campus in Derbyshire, full-time or part-time. Bursaries and funding are available for those in lay and ordained ministry posts in the Methodist Church. Applications are now open: find out more and apply here.
*subject to approval from the University of Manchester

Easter Offering 2024

This year the Easter Offering 2024 service tells stories of people standing for justice, persisting in the face of setbacks and taking up the challenge anew as circumstances change. Some stories show how people now have hope because justice has 'rolled' into their lives.
Let Justice Roll offers churches, circuits and districts a celebration of God's just purposes across the wider world. It includes the dedication of the Easter Offering, all of which goes to the World Mission Fund of the Methodist Church in Britain, supporting and working with over 100 Partner Churches and organisations around the world.
You can order your printed Let Justice Roll resources, including your collection envelopes, from Methodist Publishing https://www.methodistpublishing.org.uk/features/easter-offering-2024.
Details of the Sheffield service led by Methodist Women in Britain should follow soon.

A Methodist Way of Life

A new series of service outlines to help embed A Methodist Way of Life in your church and community has been created. Filled with notes for a talk or sermon; creative activities and discussion questions for all ages; and all in editable Word documents so you can pick and choose the bits that work for you and make it your own. PowerPoint slides featuring helpful images are also available. More information can be found here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/mwoloutlines/

SPECTRUM – Reflect Conference

Monday 13th May, 2024 – Wednesday 15th May 2024

Each of us needs space and time to reflect, time to get away and share with people and relax with people in a totally different context. The Reflect Annual Conference offers this opportunity. There are always inspirational speakers exploring in depth an issue that is developed into the Explore study material. There is time to relax, be inspired and challenged over a period from Monday late afternoon to Wednesday lunch time.
The Annual "Reflect" Conference is held annually at the The Hayes, Christian Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire DE55 1AU
The theme of the 2024 conference is What Role for the Remnant Church?
SPEAKERS:

• Michael Wakelin Executive Chair, Religion Media Centre, Former Head of BBC Religious broadcasting and a Methodist Local Preacher
• Elaine Lindridge Minister, Newcastle District Initiative for New Places for New People

The full cost is £155 full board.
Email the conference organise for more information: Rob Hufton on robhufton@icloud.com

District Office updates

District Safeguarding update

Following requests for churches, we have created some draft role outlines for a variety of church roles. This is not exhaustive, and we would welcome any feedback, additions and other comments. The file is called "Safer Recruitment – Draft Role Outlines" and is a Word document. This means you should be able to copy and paste from it into your own role descriptions.
It can be found on this page of the District Website: https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/what-we-dosafeguardingsupport-for-circuits-churches.html
If you would like a copy emailed to you, please contact Katrin in the District Office.

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

Methodist Statistics for Mission

With less than 24 hours to go, I am delighted that there are only 4 churches who have yet to submit their statistics. Thank you all for engaging in this.

Data Protection Annual Checklist

The checklist is now online for churches and circuits to complete, showing that they are complying with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). You can access it here: 25 Sheffield – Data Protection Annual Checklist 2024. As with previous years, this is a Google form. You do not need a Google account to complete the form, but it will ask for an email address so that your responses can be sent back to you.
There is guidance to help you fill in the checklist, which can be found here: https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/resources/data-protection/gdpr-annual-checklist-guidance.html. This page also has a version which can be downloaded and printed out, to be used when completed the actual checklist.
To help support churches in this, I have set up three drop-in Zoom sessions. They will be held as follows:

• Tuesday 6 February at 10am
• Wednesday 7 February at 1pm
• Wednesday 7 February at 7pm

It is the same Zoom link for all three, as I will be covering the roughly same material each time.
https://zoom.us/j/98078068829?pwd=ZG9uUTZuWUdoeVFTMW1LMitlRk50QT09

If there is something specific you would like to know, please email me in advance with your questions.
Katrin Hackett – District Administrator and Data Champion

Events

Lent guided retreat day

10 February 2024 – Cliff College

Join us for a retreat to reflect on the season of Lent. This guided day retreat will start at 10am (arrivals from 9:45am) and finish with an evening meal at 5:30pm. The day will include a mixture of guided sessions and space for individuals to pray, reflect and spend time listening to God. The cost of £40 per person covers lunchtime and evening meals, refreshments throughout the day and all retreat materials. Bed and breakfast at Cliff College is available to book separately for the Friday and/or Saturday nights.
Book at https://www.cliffcollege.ac.uk/.../lent-retreat-2024

Administrators/Office based workers!

Thursday 15 February starting at 9am

Join the South Yorkshire UCAN Local Group, as we gather to pray, share resources and encourage each other in our ministry!
Our next meeting is on Thursday 15 February when we will be looking at Churchsuite and Planning Centre – How? Why? What? Stephanie (Operations Manager at All Saints) will be demonstrating how she makes use of Churchsuite and Planning Centre to organise Sunday services, maintain databases, create events and manage bookings.
If you already use Churchsuite and or Planning Centre come along and bring some of your top tips to share with the group. If you don't, but want to know more, come along and learn something new, and if neither of those apply you can still come along and spend a morning with your fellow Admins to have a nice cuppa and a chat!
Our hosts will be the Sheffield Circuit office, The Furnival, 199 Verdon Street, Sheffield S3 9QQ. There is a small carpark below the building, and you can usually park on the street as well.
Arrive from 9.00am for a 9.15am start. As usual, there will be some pastries, fruit, tea and coffee for breakfast.
Sign up here if you would like to come: members and non-members both welcome! https://ucan.churchsuite.com/events/boijqenf

New Christian Communities gathering

10am – 1:30pm Saturday 24 February

Our next gathering for anyone involved in leading a new Christian community will be on the morning of Saturday 24 February, concluding with lunch. The Metal Methodists will be our hosts, and Rev Dr Martyn Atkins (writer on evangelism, former Principal of Cliff College) will be our guest speaker.
Leading or birthing a new Christian community can be a joyous but also exhausting and isolating experience. This morning is an opportunity for you to spend quality time with our growing network of people following similar callings. Register your free place at https://buytickets.at/sheffieldmethodistdistrict/1096686

Lament Quiet Day

24 February – Whirlow Spirituality Centre

Led by Louise Carr, you will join a group exploring the themes of the exhibition together, but also with time and space to engage with the stations in your own way. Participants are also invited to book a place at the concert which will immediately follow the Quiet Day.
More details can be found here: https://www.whirlowspiritualitycentre.org/whats-on/lamentquietday

National Methodist Youth Brass Band concert

Saturday 24 February – 7pm

Chapeltown Church as part of our building 30th Anniversary, are delighted to be hosting the concert. It is free to attend but with seats limited please go to EventBrite to book your seat : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/national-methodist-youth-brass-band-concert-tickets-760292173357
Come along – It will be a great evening!

Vacancies

Sheffield District Chair.

Closing Date: 12 noon on 19th February 2024

The Nomination Committee is seeking nominations for a Chair of the Sheffield District for appointment in September 2025 for an initial 6 year appointment.
Full details can be found on the Methodist Church website : https://www.methodist.org.uk/.../jobs-around-the-connexion/

And finally ...

From the Methodist Prayer Handbook

God in hiding, waiting in the dark, blowing over the formless void, speak a word of light and life, we pray, and make something out of this nothing once again.

God hidden in plain sight, divine treasure to be found in seeds and soils, yeast and dough, birds and trees, hunger and thirst, enemy and neighbour, bread and wine, open our eyes, give sight to our blindness and make us to see you once again.

God hiding in me like water, underground rising, seeping out, bursting out, pouring out, come Holy Spirit come and make me full to overflowing once again.
Mark Slaney, District Chair, Scotland District