District News – 6 June 2023

This Week's News

District Celebration

We are really looking forward to the annual District Celebration Service on Sunday from 3pm at The Crossing Church and Centre, Worksop. See you there!

Save the Date!

District Gathering, including the business of the Synod, will be on Saturday 9 September at Central Methodist Church, Chesterfield. The theme is "Stepping Out – how do you share Christ's invitation?"
More details will follow in due course, but do save this date in your diaries!

Bible Marathon

15-18 June from 9am

Greenhill Methodist Church is holding a Bible Marathon. From Genesis to Revelation non stop. Come and listen to the Word and offer to read as well.

New Prayers for NPNPs

A new regular monthly online prayer gathering has been launched, to pray for the new Christian communities/ New Places for New People/Church at the Margins movement in the Methodist Church. This will run for 20 minutes, starting at 6:30pm, on the first Monday of each month. Click here to register for log in details to pray with people from across our district and Connexional church.

MHA Sunday – 11 June

Many of our churches will be supporting MHA this Sunday. MHA Communities work in partnership with several churches across our district, offering regular activities, friendship and access to support for older people living in our neighbourhoods. Donations in envelopes with "MHA South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw scheme" written on them will support local lunch clubs and other projects. All other donations will support the national work of MHA. If you would like to explore how your church could partner with MHA Communities contact Kate.Dales@mha.org.uk

Margaret Spooner

There will be a service of thanksgiving for the life of Margaret Spooner at Banner Cross Methodist Church on Wednesday 21st June at 3pm.

District Officers' updates

General Data Protection Checklist

The deadline for completing the checklist was 31 May. Thank you to all those churches and circuits who did manage to make this deadline. Emails have been sent to representatives from all the churches who missed this deadline – the form will remain open for a while longer. Please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns about this.
Quite a few churches returned the Word form, I would really appreciate it if the Google Form could be completed instead, as it will save me having to do this for you. When the Google Form is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email.

Church and Circuit Safeguarding Review

One reason for keeping a deadline of 31 May for the GDPR checklist was to enable churches to then concentrate on their safeguarding review. The link for the online form was sent to the church Safeguarding officer, or point of contact. It is also available as a Word document which can be downloaded here: 2022 Church Review. As with the GDPR return – we would really appreciate it if you would use this to then complete the online version

Events

Sheffield Folk Chorale Concert

Friday 16 June from 7:30pm

The Sheffield Folk Chorale present a special concert at St Andrew's Psalter Lane Church.
Tickets are free but donations towards church funds will be welcomed.
Refreshments available.
Tickets can be reserved here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sheffield-folk-chorale-concert-tickets-623526684097

Positively Rural – exploring the rural-specific contexts of poverty

5 July 7:30pm via Zoom

Join the Positively Rural team, plus guests Deacon Eunice Attwood (Methodist Church at the Margins Officer), Dr Chris Shannahan & Dr Stephanie Denning of Coventry University's Centre for Trust, Peace & Social Relations
Hear more about two research projects – Life on the Breadline & Rural Hidden Hardship Life on the Breadline update – Life on the Breadline (coventry.ac.uk) and how they help inform our local rural contexts.
Join the conversation around rural poverty, the impacts & how we as Christians can respond.
Register here: https://PositivelyRural230705.eventbrite.co.uk
Deadline – 2 July (for administration)

Holy Anarchy

Saturday 8 July

A morning with Graham Adams, author of "Holy Anarchy" (SCM) exploring

• why the "Kingdom of God" is like 'holy anarchy'
• how this shapes our mission as a church.

Graham is an author, speaker and tutor in Mission at Northern College.
Free Admission.
Click on link or contact UTU office for details.
https://utusheffield.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Holy-Anarchy.pdf

Vacancies

We Are Seeking A Chaplain!

Whirlow Spirituality Centre exists to encourage, support and resource spiritual development of individuals and communities in the Christian faith, based at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit.
Applications are now invited for the role of Chaplain, who will:

• oversee the mission of the Centre to provide a place for individuals, groups and churches to explore the Christian faith through contemplative prayer, teaching and reflection
• contribute to the mission of the Centre through the ministry of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit
• guide and develop our vision and ethos of the Centre ensuring that it is a place of stillness, inspiration, hospitality and welcome
• manage the operation and programme of the Centre with Christian spirituality and education at its heart

The post is open to both lay and ordained applicants. It is salaried £33,820 FTE pro rata for 0.8FTE (4 days) £27,056 plus pension.
The closing date for receipt of applications is Monday 12th June 2023, with interviews to be held on Monday 10th July 2023.
Full details here: https://www.whirlowspiritualitycentre.org/blog/newchaplain

Yorkshire West District

Yorkshire West Methodists are currently advertising four vacancies across their District.

• Airedale Circuit – "Pre-Loved" Gathering Pioneer
• Airedale Circuit – "Pre-Loved" Shop Manager
• Yorkshire West Methodist District – Missional Property Enabler
• Aire and Calder Circuit – New Places for New People Pioneer

Full details of all the above can be found on their website here: https://www.yorkshirewestmethodist.org.uk/news-events/vacancies-opportunities

And finally ...

A prayer for God to break through in the life of our churches:

God of love, God for all, your purposes are more beautiful than we can possibly imagine.
Fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Help us let go of all that holds us back.
Open our lives and our churches to new seasons of humility and faith, of change and growth.
Shake us up with the Good News of Jesus and show us the way.
Amen