District News – 30 June 2026

Stories from across the District

Arthur Rank Rural Roadshow

Well... What a fantastic first Rural Roadshow for The Arthur Rank Centre, meeting with church and charity leaders across Derbyshire and beyond at Bakewell Methodist Church.
Around 40 joined together to meet together, share their stories of mission and ministry in the area, and meet colleagues across the denominations.
We were blessed with Worship on the Woman at the Well, and the Well dressings of Derbyshire led by Revd Carole Marsden from Cliff College, an overview on the breadth of the work and mission of The ARC, with input from Sarah Hulme (The Methodist Church Rural Officer), Trisha and Matt. This was followed by such poignant input from Howard Petch CBE, who shared tremendous insight on Leadership in the rural church, followed by excellent insights on the challenges facing Farmers and those in Agriculture.
Our thanks to the church for hosting, to those from around the area who joined together, and to Westhill Endowment for their superb support for the Roadshow.
Derbyshire Rural Chaplaincy

Hathersage Methodist Church @ Gala

It's Hathersage Village Gala from 4 to 11 July and Hathersage Methodist Church will be joining in the fun! We'll be displaying the traditional Well Dressing at the bottom of the church drive and look forward to hosting the outdoor Well Blessing Service on Sunday 5 July at 6pm. We'll also be running a Messy Church stall on the Gala field on Saturday 11 July with fun activities for all the family. Gala brings extra visitors to the village and the church will be open every day for people to drop in. And if you're passing through, do stop and admire the church's entry to the Scarecrow competition.

District News and Updates

Art of Welcome grant – Greenhill

Greenhill Methodist Church in Sheffield will be working with uniformed organisations and their community Munch Club to create a mural and freestanding gallery. This will begin with meeting people in the groups they are already part of, but also with invitation to a series of workshops to help people explore more deeply how they can use art to express themselves. Art of Welcome builds on Greenhill already having set a priority of not just thinking of church as doing things for the community but instead to "get to know you too".
To find out how your church can create its own Art of Welcome go to https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/theartofwelcome.html

Annual District Database check

Every year I try to check that we have the correct contact details for relevant office holders in churches and circuits. In the past this has involved sending out about 700 emails asking for a response to confirm that the information is correct, or to let me know of any changes. This is very time-consuming as almost half of those emailed need at least one reminder, many taking several weeks before finally responding, usually after a phone call.
This year I am trying something a bit different. I have sent a form to (hopefully) at least one representative from every church, asking for them to identify the key office holders, and use that information to complete an online form. It would be really helpful to have this information by the end of July.
If no-one from your church received the email, the online version can be found here: 
https://forms.gle/SHvh1ZVjAZiTmbQT6
This is a Google form, but you do not need to have a Google (or Gmail) account to complete the form.

Host an Eclipse Party

£500 grants now available

There will be a solar eclipse across the UK on Wednesday 12 August, the last before 2090. Methodist churches are encouraged to use this as an opportunity to host eclipse parties – opportunities to invite local communities to come together for a once in a lifetime shared meaningful experience, during which we can gently and appropriately share something of the good news of Jesus.
Excellent comprehensive guidance on how to plan and organise an eclipse party – and details of a webinar briefing on 28 May – is available online at https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/evangelism-growth/practise-evangelism/day-of-outreach/
A simple application form for a £500 district grant is available here: Eclipse Grant Application

Regional Officer for Safeguarding Update

Import notice for DBS verifiers

DDC have written to give us advanced notice that they are carrying out upgrades to their hardware on Saturday 11 July and Sunday 12 July.  This means that the server and systems will be completely offline and inaccessible.

The scheduled periods of maintenance and potential intermittent downtime are as follows:

• Saturday 11th July – 8am to 2pm (Portal unavailable)
• Sunday 12th July 8am to 2pm (Portal unavailable)

District Safeguarding Review 2025-26

A reminder that the deadline to complete the annual Safeguarding review is the end of July. Currently we have received 11 submissions, from about 150 churches. Last year a few got in touch after the deadline to ask if they could still submit – this will not be possible. The forms will close to allow time for the results to be collated and feedback given.

Please note that it is supposed to be a quick snapshot of knowledge, not an exercise in ticking all the boxes. If you can't answer some of the questions, that is absolutely fine – don't waste time hunting out information, but be honest about where you are now. Completing the review will help us know what additional support needs are required.

As ever, if you have any questions or concerns, please give me a call on 07483 362 735 or email me at hilla@methodistchurch.org.uk
Many thanks
Alison Hill

Other News

SCCCC invites £100 pledges for Big Give appeal

We’re thrilled to share that local charity SCCCC is once again taking part in The Big Give Christmas Challenge – the UK’s biggest and most impactful online matched-funding campaign. This year, we’re raising funds for our vital project: No One Should Feel Alone Here.
Too many older people in our community are living in isolation, cut off from support and meaningful human connection. Loneliness harms mental and physical health, reduces confidence, and diminishes quality of life. Many go days or weeks without seeing or speaking to anyone.
Our Good Neighbours Scheme will recruit, train and support more volunteers to provide regular befriending visits and calls to older people experiencing isolation in Sheffield and Doncaster. These consistent, trusted connections offer companionship, emotional support and practical help. By building relationships over time, we help people regain confidence, reconnect with their community, and feel valued, supported and less alone in their everyday lives.

Here’s where you come in
To unlock the power of matched funding during the Big Give Christmas Challenge (public phase 1st – 8th December 2026), we need to secure £3,500 in pledges by pledges by 5pm, Friday 28th August 2026
We’re asking key supporters like you to please consider becoming a Pledger.
A pledge is a promise to donate a minimum of £100 (or more) which will be used to match public donations during the campaign – effectively doubling the impact of every donation made.
Your pledge will also help us qualify for additional matched funds from a Big Give Champion – potentially doubling our matching pot!
Make your pledge today via this quick form:
https://community.biggive.org/s/pledge?campaignId=a05WS00000FuuriYAB
Deadline: pledges by 5pm, Friday 28th August 2026
Please note: funds aren’t collected until after the campaign (between 8th December 2026 – 15th January 2027), and you only pay what is needed based on the donations received.

Golden Jubilee of the Ordination to the Priesthood of Bishop Ralph Heskett CSsR

Congratulations to Bishop Ralph as he celebrates his fiftieth anniversary of ordination on Friday, 10th July. He will preside at Mass at 11:30am at the Cathedral Church of St Marie. This will be a wonderful opportunity to give thanks to Almighty God for the priestly ministry of Bishop Ralph but also to thank him for the twelve years of his ministry as Bishop of the Diocese of Hallam

Leadership Year for young adults

Do you know any 18-30 year olds who want to grow as a leader?
The Leadership Year is an exciting opportunity for 18-30 year olds in the Methodist Church who want to invest time in developing their leadership abilities. It is aimed at those who may just be starting out in a leadership role, or who are wanting to be involved in leadership, either within or outside of the Church. It includes 3 residential weekends (Nov, March, July), an option to meet with a mentor and being part of a small group. It is a chance for young leaders to meet with other young adults, to reflect on what it means to be a Christian leader (in church, secular workplaces, and local community) and to develop characteristics needed for self-aware, visionary, resilient leadership. There are 12 fully funded places available.
All details and application form are here.
Applications close on 20 Sept.

Single Friendly Church Week

27 September – 4 October 2026    

For one week, churches, leaders, and individuals across the UK are coming together to say clearly: single people at every stage of life are welcomed, valued, and included here. Whether you're never married, divorced, widowed, or a single parent, you belong at the heart of this community, and not on its edges.
Find out more here: 

Upcoming Events

Sheffield Christian Aid Night Hike.

For an ideal mid-summer evening walk, try this year’s Sheffield Night Hike on Saturday 4 July! It's a 9-mile countryside walk, chosen by local volunteers to make an interesting dusk till midnight adventure. Starting at Hathersage Methodist Church (check in at 7.30pm), all you need are some good boots, a torch and bring a friend if you can!
Come and join us to raise vital funds for Christian Aid’s work to tackle global poverty and injustice.
Find out more and register https://sheffieldnighthike.org.uk/

Rooted – Cultivating and Tending the Fruits of the Spirit

Saturday 11 July

A retreat day to come, cultivate and tend to your garden, check your fruits and join in the shared work of discipleship.
Set in the lovely village of Calverton, Rooted is a day of retreat and reflection for women, created to gently nurture faith, deepen trust, and strengthen fellowship.
Together, we will explore the Fruits of the Spirit through Bible study, conversation, and activities, with plenty of space to breath and relax. This is not about getting everything 'right', but about noticing – where is God is already at work? Where are the tender buds of growth? What needs my care and attention today?

Find out more and book your place

Office workers' gathering

Tuesday 14 July

The next Gathering for all those involved in church administration will be held at Cemetery Road Baptist Church, Napier Road, Sheffield.
This is a great time to meet up with others in similar roles, to share experiences and good practice and to offer support and encouragement.
It is organised by the UCAN (UK Church Administrators Network), but is open to all.
To help with the catering, we do ask you book in so we know how many to expect:
Book here

Vacancies

Youth Worker wanted

Bents Green Methodist Church are looking for a Youth Worker to maintain their successful clubs for primary-age and secondary age children and to play an active part in supporting and developing other activities for young people, families and the wider church community.
This is a part-time vacancy, 20 hours a week to be worked flexibly.
For more information and an application form email johnwilkins73@gmail.com.
The deadline for applications has been extended to midday on Monday 6 July.

And finally ...

A prayer that Christ be the Light of the World in our time

Creative and radiant God,
your strong and sure light
is never overcome by darkness.
May it be so in this our time.

Jesus Christ, the Light of the World,
in your mercy and grace
you surprisingly said to us,
“You are the light of the world.”
May it be so in this our time.

Spirit of light and love,
kindle in us fresh urgency
to love and serve the human family,
to be amazed by creation and to care for it well,
to pursue justice and offer mercy,
to rejoice in receiving and sharing grace.

In confidence and hope, we pray. Amen.
Hope Morgan Ward, UMC Council of Bishops