District News – 4 November 2025

This Week's News

Faith Over Fear Sunday Resources

We have been recording materials and making social media graphics for use as part of the Faith Over Fear district wide witness.
You can find the find the videos on a youtube playlist
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-XPpJod_i6f7l7JXFBBfdTcZoeqcFzaJ
and all materials can be downloaded from the district website
https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/home/faith-over-fear-sunday.html
Once each video or image is ready it is being uploaded and all will be there by the end of the week. Thank you for your patience and we hope you find the resources useful.

Listening skills training with Dame Evelyn Glennie

Tuesday 11 Nov 2025

We have a few tickets remaining for our listening skills training next week with Dame Evelyn Glennie. Please do book in as soon as possible if you are able to attend https://buytickets.at/sheffieldmethodistdistrict/1870468
Dame Evelyn Glennie's remarkable career as the world’s first full-time solo percussionist has given her a unique perspective on how to listen effectively. This challenges us to enquire into our own culture of listening. What would it mean not only to listen better to others, but to develop the faith to truly listen to ourselves? To listen unselfishly, avoiding external distractions, developing new capacities that enhance our most important relationships.

Common Ground Awards

funding for refurbishment of community spaces

Government funding of up to £10,000 is available for a short period to support improvements to or refurbishment of community buildings (such as churches) which play a key local role in creating community cohesion and creating social capital. Potentially this is a helpful source of funding with access to other support and networks for churches that can demonrate wide connection with and listening to their neighbourhood.
More details at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-ground-award-prospectus
Please let Neil Harland, Mission Enabler, know if you apply, so we can network applicants from across the district mission@sheffieldmethodist.org

Hurricane Melissa Emergency Appeal

All We Can is responding to Hurricane Melissa in partnership with the Methodist Church in Britain.
We are working closely with our regional partner, the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas (MCCA), to ensure that funds raised are directed to where they are most needed. MCCA is working on co-ordinating emergency relief efforts across affected communities in the region.
This is the link to the appeal page: https://www.allwecan.org.uk/appeal/hurricane-melissa/
They have also produced resources for churches to use, which are linked at the bottom of the appeal page.

Remembrance Season

Bakewell Methodist Church has made a creative display in gratitude of the sacrifices made on our behalf for lasting peace. These include a Tree of Remembrance; Silhouettes in the style of "Standing with Giants" and a Peace Area. The display is open 10am to 2pm until Tuesday 11 November

Peak Wesley Way News

After a busy summer packed with pilgrims, we are glad to welcome some quieter months in our seasonal calendar. Some weeks we had bookings with pilgrims starting their journey on foot every day of the week. We are delighted to share that we had 50 groups booking with us this year coming from all over the UK, Ireland, Scotland and some even travelled here to walk this path from the US and Canada. The hundreds of pilgrims included families, friends, solo pilgrims, ministers on sabbatical, church groups and people with no church connections. They ranged from seasoned walkers and pilgrims to a group completing a “Couch to Camino’ walk in preparation for the Camino de Santiago.
Read more about what is taking place in their autumn newsletter here

Metal Methodist Service

Saturday 15 November 3:00 pm

The Metal Methodists are meeting for chat, worship and a cuppa on Saturday 15 November 2026.
The meet up starts at 3pm St Paul's Methodist Church, on Green Lane in Dronfield.
All welcome!

Celebrating Chaplaincy

Wednesday 28th January 2026 – 7pm-8pm – Online

Register now for the annual Celebration of Chaplaincy with the President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference. Join with the president and vice-president as they link their theme of Our Story, Our Song to the work of chaplaincy.
Register here for your place.
Each year at the celebration, we share videos from a range of chaplains relating their experiences to the theme. We'd love to receive yours. So this year, tell us your story, your song. If you had to choose a song that speaks about your calling as a chaplain, what would it be and why? (It doesn't have to be a religious song!). Videos should be about a minute long and make sure the sound is clear. Send your videos to chaplaincies@methodistchurch.org.uk. We look forward to receiving them!

Regional Retreat – The woman at the well

The next Regional Retreat for presbyters, deacons and lay employees will be held at Wydale Hall from 20-22 May 2026.
Donna Worthington (Retreat Leader) will be leading our time together when we will explore: The Woman at the Well: an invitation to journey to the well, to Christ the Living Water. Donna is an experienced retreat giver trained in Ignatian spiritual direction, labyrinth walking and storytelling.
More information and booking details can be found via EventBrite: https://260520RegionalRetreat.eventbrite.co.uk
Bookings close on 23 December

Are you pondering the future of your local rural churches?

Struggling to lead through a season of great change?

Why not join us on the Rural Mission & Ministry Course

• 6-8 Feb 2026 at Cliff College, S32 3XG
• 19-20 May 2026 at Yarnfield, ST15 0NL

Come and gather with other ecumenical rural leaders to explore what community, mission, evangelism & leadership can look like in rural contexts.
For further information & to book, please visit: https://arthurrankcentre.org.uk/ruralministrycourse/
£250 bursary for Methodists – please contact Sarah Hulme, rural mission & ministry officer via hulmes@methodistchurch.org.uk for further details.

Events

Activity Risk Assessment Training:

Thursday 6th November 2025 @ 7.00pm

The District Safeguarding Audit, completed by churches and circuits in June and July, highlighted an issue with Activity Risk Assessments.
The expectation that activity risk assessments should be completed for activities aimed at vulnerable groups is not just a Methodist one but is grounded in UK legislation. We understand that this might seem overwhelming to those putting on events and activities, so have produces some some resources for people to use, to make the writing of risk assessments less daunting.
These will be explored and explained in an online training session on Thursday 6th November @ 7pm..
So we know who to expect and where they are coming from, could you please book in via this link : https://251106riskassessment.eventbrite.co.uk
Bookings will close at mid-day on Thursday!
The session will last for a max of 1 hour and this will include opportunity to discuss the resources and ask questions etc.

Hospitality and Sanctuary for All

Come and join us at Holy Rood House in Thirsk from Friday 28 – Sunday 30 November for our Advent Retreat 'Hospitality and Sanctuary for All' led by the Revd Inderjit Bhogal OBE.
Inderjit was the Founder of City of Sanctuary (UK) and was awarded the World Methodist Peace Award in 2018 as someone who has made significant contributions to peace, reconciliation and justice. His message is so simple: “Be human, be hospitable, challenge
hatred and hostility”. The weekend will include talks, discussion, creativity, prayer and space to rest and reflect.
For further information please see https://www.holyroodhouse.org.uk/Groups/426712/Events.aspx
or email enquiries@holyroodhouse.org.uk

Vacancies

UTU needs a new Treasurer

We do need a new treasurer to support is in our work. Andrew, our current treasurer, is retiring from the role at the AGM (8th November) after about 20 years of service, overseeing a number of major transitions.

He writes, “The task will be so much simpler as we transition to a more agile and simpler form of working. The major decisions of selling properties and closing the office have all now been taken and we can now focus on developing new areas of work. The budget is now more streamlined, less complicated and supports UTU as we enter a more sustainable period.”
The key tasks are
1. To oversee the financial management of UTU by reviewing information periodically prepared by our administrator. This may involve viewing our online Quick-books accounts and online account with Unity Trust Bank.
2. To be the second authoriser for online payments with Unity Trust Bank and counter signatory for our Lloyds Bank Account.
3. To have a good knowledge of spreadsheets.
4. To provide financial reports to Trustees and keep financial projections under review.

Andrew will offer support and guidance as and when needed to ensure that the new Treasurer can settle in.
Please contact him on andrewcrowley03@talktalk.net to express and interest.

And finally ...

A prayer that we might gently make space to discover the treasures which are right where we are.

Ever-present God,
you are always with us,
in every face we meet,
in every moment that waits to be noticed.

Forgive us when we drift through our days on autopilot
Scrolling through our phones, hurrying, half-listening,
missing the quiet treasures you set before us.

Help us to pause,
to see the holiness within the ordinary,
to be present to those around us and to our own hearts.

Open our eyes to the grace hidden in each conversation,
each small act of kindness,
each glimpse of goodness that reminds us of you.

May this week bring us back, again and again,
to the sacredness of the present moment,
where you always dwell.
Amen
Vicky Atkins – Sheffield District Chair