District News – 14 September 2021

This Week's News

Transforming Mission – Barnsley Holiday Club

Linda Stammers, Children and Families Support Worker in Barnsley North East, Ellie Peet a Lay Worker in Barnsley South and Revd. Ben Scrivens, along with a small army of volunteers arranged a holiday club which served over 40 children and young people within the three areas of the Circuit.

The team entertained, shared bible teachings, played games and generally had fun with all who attended the holiday club.
Read the full story here: Barnsley Holiday Club

All We Can and Y Care International: Working together to transform lives.

From 1 September 2021, All We Can and Y Care International began a formal partnership – combining efforts to tackle poverty, inequality and injustice in some of the world's most vulnerable communities.
Read the full story here: Y Care and All We Can

Ministers pension deficit – district contribution

Your District Leading Team considered the urgent pension reserve appeal when it met last week. The team agreed a contribution of £26,000 which will reduce projected district cash reserves to three months spend, the minimum permitted under our reserves policy. Every church council and circuit meeting should prayerfully consider what they can contribute towards the £45m target before the 31 December deadline.
Further information is available at https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/finance/pension-reserve-fund/

3Generate update

It's not too late to think about bringing a group to 3Generate in October, there's lots of flexibility built in so you can book tickets and pay later than usual. Do take a look at our brand new video for 2021 which presents 3Generate in a nutshell – watch it here on 3Gen TV on YouTube. Share this with your children, young people, their families and households as well as your wider church community so they can be excited and full of anticipation for all that 3Generate holds this year!

Contact Jonathan Buckley (jonathan.buckley@sheffieldcircuit.org.uk) or Neil Harland (mission@sheffieldmethodist.org) if you are considering taking a group, as we are arranging district coach travel.

Sight Loss Sunday

October 17th 2021, from Torch Trust

20% of your local community experience sight loss. Many find it impossible to attend or contribute to church life. Break those barriers down by taking part in Sight Loss Sunday and encourage blind and partially sighted people to participate in your church.

Be part of the solution on Sight Loss Sunday, October 17th 2021.

Find out more at sightlossfriendlychurch.org.uk/slsunday

District Safeguarding Update

Advanced Safeguarding Training

Thank you to everyone booking onto the online training sessions. In one week, we've gone from cancelling to nearly full sessions.

Did you know that almost one in three women aged 16-59 will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime? ( Office for National Statistics ) Domestic Abuse is happening in families who attend church. Ask yourself – would you recognise the signs if someone in your congregation was being abused? Would you know what to do with your concerns?
Training equips us to stand up for our friends and neighbours, so if you know your role requires the Advanced Safeguarding training please don't delay, click here to book your place.

Scam Warning – continued

There is a scam which has been doing the rounds for a few months. It emerged in the Wales Synod this week but has occurred in at least one other of the North West districts over recent months.
There is a useful link to a Church of England warning, posted in February this year, which explains the details of the scam. Email Scam-Beware!
The situation in Wales last week was almost exactly the same as described in the article, with two church members being targeted. Luckily, they had circulated a warning before the second one occurred but unfortunately, they failed to prevent the victim of the first scam from parting with quite a lot of money.

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.

Events

New Places for New People Hub

28th Sept : 7-8.30pm

An evening for anyone doing, starting, thinking or praying about New Places for New People.

• Stories of New Places beginning
• Pioneers share testimony of their call
• Join the New Places movement
• How the Methodist Church will support you

Join us on zoom by registering at https://cutt.ly/QQ5VEZS

Lay Workers Network

Friday 8 October

The Lay Workers network is for all lay employees within the Yorkshire Plus Learning Network region (Sheffield District; Yorkshire North & East District and Yorkshire West District).They hold regular gatherings to share in good practice, both on Zoom and physical meetings.Book to join the next gathering here: https://211008laycop.eventbrite.co.uk

Positively Rural – Wellbeing

Friday 15 October – 1-2.30pm

Positively Rural is an online community hosted by the Yorkshire Plus Learning Network, but open to anyone of any denomination involved in rural ministry, including volunteers, lay workers and clergy.

The next session is with Alison Selward and Elizabeth Clark talking about rural isolation and introducing Rural Table Talk
To book your place and obtain joining instructions, follow this link: https://211015positiverural.eventbrite.co.uk/
Registration deadline: 12 October

Whirlow Spirituality Centre

An introduction to our autumn book group

Sunday 26 September – 7pm
All are welcome at this free introductory session with Simon Cocksedge, co-author of Seeing Differently: Franciscans and Creation. We will be looking at the text together (online) on Monday evenings from 25 October.
Details and bookings here

Climate workshop

As wild fires and floods rage across the globe, many of us feel like helpless onlookers, wondering "Where is God in midst of this crisis?" Jo Musker-Sherwood will lead this session on 29 September to help us discern our place. Details here.

Simple Quiet Days

Back by popular demand. We will host one day face-to-face in October and another online in November. Details and bookings are here.

Farmers Harvest Thanksgiving

Sunday 17 October at 2:30pm

All are welcome to this years Farmers' Harvest Thanksgiving at 2.30pm on Sunday 17th October in the main store ring at the Agricultural Business Centre, Bakewell, DE45 1AH.
We welcome the Bishop of Derby, the Rt Rev'd Libby Lane as our guest speaker as well as Bel Canto and St Anne's Choir from Baslow to lift our worship, and Derbyshire Poet Philip Holland will creatively capture the farming year as we continue to thank God for His provision and care in these challenging times.
There is free parking. The venue is well ventilated and whilst Covid safe measures will be in place we are asking people to also take personal responsibility for attending.
For more information please contact Rev'd Alan Griggs on 07710 088972.

Job Vacancies

Missional Property Enabler (part time)

Sheffield Methodist District

Please share news of this important new employed district role with your contacts.
The missional property enabler will encourage, support, advise and equip our churches and circuits to make their properties fit for mission, as part of our strategy for resourcing mission: For Such A Time As This. Using excellent interpersonal skills, technical expertise, professional networks and understanding of contemporary Christian mission they will work with volunteers, lay staff and ordained ministers to:

• Create welcoming community spaces
• Reduce property burdens facing volunteers
• Develop innovative models of premises management
• Reduce our carbon footprint

Further details at https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/recruitment/vacancies.html

Sheffield District Methodist Ministers' Housing Association (SDMMHA)

The association established in 1951 currently has 10 properties within the Sheffield District to accommodate retired Methodist Ministers, Deacons, lay Missionaries and their widows or widowers.

We are looking to invite new members to the Committee to help us move forward and are keen to include people with property or financial experience which would be particularly welcome.

We are interested in hearing from anyone who would like to join the committee and I would be happy to have an informal conversation with anyone looking for further information.

If you are interested or know of someone who may be, please contact the Secretary: Peter Metcalf (telephone: 01904 492783 or Email: metcalfs@freeuk.com) for further details

Other News

Hope and Anchor

Hope and Anchor – co-hosted by President of the Conference Sonia Hicks, members of the Evangelism and Growth Team, and other special guests – explores faith in an inclusive, fun, nonjudgmental way. It features people from Britain and across the world who are taking faith outside of the box, addressing challenging questions and preconceptions with intelligence, loads of laughter, and interactive participation with an online audience.
For more information on Hope and Anchor click here

CLC Bookshops

Looking for new resources – why not visit CLCBookshops.com? They have a great range of books, CDs, DVDs and more...