District News – 01 December 2020

This Week's News

"#GodIsWithUs"

This Christmas we are spreading the message of hope that God is with us.
2020 has been a year like none of us has seen in our lifetimes and during Advent we are reminding everyone that God is with us.
Visit www.findingourhope.co.uk to read and watch inspirational stories from around the world explaining how God has been with us during 2020.
These stories will be shared each day on social media and as a District we will be sharing our stories of how God is with us. https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/p/news/news-stories/god-is-with-us.html
A Christmas advert is also available to watch and share https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up70WpsTUyE
If you'd like to take part and support this Christmas campaign visit www.methodist.org.uk/christmas to find out more and download your resources.
If you'd like to share a story of how God is with us please email comms@sheffieldmethodist.org.

Christian Aid carols have gone to Youtube!

Every year, during the first Saturday in December, Sheffield city centre rings to the sound of carols as church groups from all over Sheffield sing in relays all day to bring some Christmas joy to the shoppers and raise vital funds for Christian Aid. This year we had to be creative so we have moved to Youtube. But you won't get just one day of carols this year – we have set up a Carol Advent calendar! If you subscribe to our Youtube channel Advent Carols, Sheffield 2020 (click on the link to find out how; it is free..) you will be sent a notification to listen to a carol /carols for every day from the 1st December right up until the 24th. So you can treat yourself to a carol over breakfast, coffee break, lunch, tea....or whatever time suits you as we prepare to celebrate Christ with us. There is a carol for every musical taste, ranging from a Christmas rap to the more traditional carols from church choirs and performances of some of Sheffield's local carols.

There is also a link to donate to Christian Aid via our Justgiving page or you can go straight to the Justgiving site and search for Advent Carols, Sheffield 2020. The carol singing normally raises approximately £1000 for CA funds so let's see if we can beat that during the most 'unusual' Advent in living memory!
Youtube link https://youtu.be/0tVvw5kPmKo
Just giving link https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sheffieldca-adventcarols

MWiB – 2020 Emergency Distcretionary Support Fund

Methodist Women in Britain is pleased to announce a '2020 Emergency Discretionary Support Fund' set up to help churches that have incurred unexpected expenses over the past few months. Single discretionary grants of up to £200 may be awarded to those churches facing additional unforeseen costs to assist their work and witness during lockdown and going forward. If you would like to apply, please contact MWiB giving full details of how this grant would be used and whether you have already raised your own funds towards it. Please ensure that full bank details are included.
Apply by post to: MWiB C/o Touchstone, 4 Easby Road, Bradford BD7 1QX
or by email to: finance@mwib.org.uk.

Safeguarding Update

Katy Spencer-Maddon (District Safeguarding Officer for Yorkshire North and East) is running another Train the Trainers update session, via Zoom, for current safeguarding trainers who need complete their 4-yearly refresh. Katy has a number of spare places and has kindly offered them to trainers in the Sheffield District. The session will take place on Tuesday 15th December: 1pm to 3.30pm. If you would like to book on or have any questions about the course please contact Katy directly by emailing spencer-maddenk@dso.methodist.org.uk or call 07596 515021.

Please note that I am on annual leave from Monday 30th November to Sunday 6th December. If you have any safeguarding concerns please speak to your Circuit Safeguarding Officer or please contact Katy Spencer-Maddon (details above) who will be covering for me.
Many thanks
Alison Hill – District Safeguarding Officer

Book Recommendation

Revd Brian Tebbutt (father of Revd Dr James Tebbutt) has a new book – Pastor John. This represents the distillation of his theological and pastoral experience and insights in a study of the first four chapters of St John's Gospel. More information can be found in the flyer here: Pastor John

Save the Date(s)

10 – 16 May 2021
Next year five Districts will assemble to bring you a week of online events that will be Big, Bold and Exciting!
We are excited about this joint venture – and we hope you will be too!!!

Events

Hope & Waiting

Poetry and photos about and inspired by the Steel City form the online Advent exhibition at Whirlow Spirituality Centre this year. Enjoy an ambient film that contains the work or enjoy them individually. With heartfelt thanks to artist Adrian Scott.
Visit the Exhibition

Church Action on Poverty

Sheffield Church Action on Poverty Group would like to invite you to their AGM which will take place on
Wednesday 16th December 2020 at 7pm.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic , it will be held online via Zoom.
Our keynote speaker is Niall Cooper, Director of Church Action on Poverty .
Niall will tell us about ' Dignity, agency and power: Building a movement to tackle poverty together' and he will share some of the thinking around Church Action on Poverty's new vision and strategy.
Please let us know if you intend to join the meeting by responding by email to : briony.broome@hotmail.co.uk
Please also let us know if you think you need any help in order to be able to attend via Zoom.
We look forward to seeing you on the 16th December.
thank you and best wishes,
Briony Broome
Secretary,
Sheffield Church Action on Poverty Group

Reflect online Quiet Morning

COVENANT

16TH January 2021 9.30am – 12.15pm
At the Annual Covenant Service, the Methodist people are invited to renew their Covenant relationship with God.
'The emphasis of the whole service is on God's readiness to enfold us in generous love, not dependent on our deserving. Our response, also in love, springs with penitent joy from thankful recognition of God's grace.' (Methodist Worship Book)
We shall spend the morning in guided reflection and quiet exploring the spirituality of covenant and our relationship with God.
If you would like to attend please e-mail Gill Dascombe chair@reflectretreats.co.uk
*Numbers are limited to 24, but in the event of oversubscription, another Quiet Day can be held on 20th Jan. Please indicate if you would be available for the second date, if required.
More informaton on the flyer here: Covenant

Training and Learning

Learning

Still looking for ideas and resources to use in a COVID-19 context Christmas?

Here are some on-line links to inspire you with practical ideas, worship materials and home-based activities to make sure Christmas can be celebrated in creative and COVID-19-safe ways:

Methodist Church materials: God is with us
https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-faith/worship/advent-and-christmas-2020/

Anglican Church materials: Comfort and Joy
https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/preparing-advent-christmas-2020-comfort-and-joy

Baptist Union Advent and Christmas Resources:
https://www.baptist.org.uk/Groups/352351/Advent_and_Christmas.aspx

Messy Church Resources:
https://www.messychurch.org.uk/resource/summary-christmas-resources

Lay LeadershipSkills

Monday 22 February 2021

Join the Learning Network Yorkshire Plus Team for a day exploring leadership for lay people working in the Methodist Church: youth; children; family; and community leaders; class leaders; lay missioners; and local pastors.

We'll be exploring the themes of:

• Leadership styles and skills
• Leading meetings
• Managing volunteers and Encouraging participation
• Team and group dynamics

Register in advance here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUofuGgrjMsGtY7LFyYHa7gVvtaRin7cza9
Bookings will close 72 hours beforehand

Job Vacancies

Human Resources (HR) Officer (Part Time)

Sheffield Methodist District and Yorkshire North & East District

Our HR Officer will:

• lead the HR advisory and administrative function for the Districts, and their constituent churches and circuits, which together employ 250+ staff
• provide expert collaborative advice for ministers and line managers on all employment matters
• efficiently prepare and process employment paperwork, releasing line managers for mission
• combine excellent interpersonal skills, technical knowledge and attention to detail

Our aim is that support provided to employing bodies will enable all lay staff to flourish in their roles, consistently exceeding statutory and Methodist requirements
25 hours/week, £14/hour plus contributory pension scheme, home-based
Contact Neil Harland mission@sheffieldmethodist.org 07483 308008 for application forms and details.
Closing date for applications: Mon 7 Dec
Interviews on or around Thurs 17 December

Training Team Leader

Church Army are currently looking for a Training Team Leader to lead our team who offer training to evangelists to prepare them in becoming Commissioned Evangelists. It's a brilliant team, we're blessed with growing numbers of evangelists training with us and we're resourced for that growth.

More information can be found on www.churcharmy.org/jobs and on the poster here: Training Team Leader

News from Outside Organisations

Important news from CLC Bookshops Sheffield

Here is an announcement from the CLC Executive Team that has both good and sad news.

The GOOD news is that from Wednesday 2nd December, CLC Bookshops Sheffield will be open from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday, so you can come and make up for lost time in terms of Christmas shopping! If more convenient, contact us with your enquiries and orders for collection or delivery. Keep a look-out for more updates as Christmas approaches.

The SAD news is that a very hard decision has had to be made. The bookshop will close permanently on Saturday 16th January due to declining sales for some years. An explanatory sheet will be available from Wednesday onwards at the bookshop and it can be requested by sending an email to sheffield@clcbookshops.com.
We are aware that many of our customers in your churches are not on social media and don't have email. Please make them aware of both updates rather than assuming they already know or that someone else has told them.
Thank you for your understanding, custom and support.

Methodist News

Methodist Podcasts

This week Digital Content Officer Oli Morriss interviewed Matt Beckingham, the director of the National Methodist Choir of Great Britain (and member in the Doncaster Circuit)!
https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/news/podcasts/the-methodist-podcast-episode-44/