District News – 15 December 2020

This Week's News

Office news

The District Office will be closed from 23 December until 2 January so next week's mailing will be the last one of 2020.

Christmas is NOT cancelled

Litton Methodist Church have built a life-size stable in the chapel garden on the village green as part of their Christmas outreach. The stable isfilled with all the characters of the Nativity.
They had a lighting-up of it last Sunday when they played carols throughout the village. The stablewill be lit up each day from 4.00pm to 10.00pm so people can visit andtake a look.

District Safeguarding Update

IICSA Updates

You may well be aware of the recent IICSA reports on the final Church of England and Catholic hearings? Members of the Safeguarding Connexional Committee have been considering these.
We are awaiting the IICSA report into the Religious Organizations hearing that the Methodist Church was part of, and then, of course, there will be IICSA's overall final report at some point next year to consider.

In light of this, Rev Jonathan Hustler, Secretary of Conference wrote an article with the headline 'Rethinking how we speak about God and the nature of God's World ' , which was published in the Methodist Recorder earlier in the month, where he reflects on safeguarding in the Methodist Church in the light of the IICSA investigations into religious organizations.
Agreeing standards for DSO work is in the Connexional safeguarding team work plan for this year and the Safeguarding Committee will be looking at proposals for wider auditing of safeguarding work across the church at their next meeting. All of these developments will assist us in preparing for the IICSA findings.

Events

What events are taking place in your church or Circuit? We would love to help you publicise them! We just need at least 10 day advance notice.

Whirlow Spirituality Centre

A taste of the year to come, ...

The months ahead are far from certain, and we try to embrace that uncertainty! We are planning onsite and online events. Do keep up to date via the website and use our weekly reflections if they are helpful: What's On
We will offer a Whirlow-style service on Christmas Day.

Our first Space to Reflect of 2021 will be a Covenant service.Join us for communion in the chapel.

Please book your place so we can keep to capacity.

Learning and Development Opportunities

Growing Through Conflict

Thursday 25 March 2021

A one day workshop to consider how conflict works in ourselves and in our church community, and develop some simple tools to transform situations of tension and conflict.
To book your place email Rob Glassonbury (NWMannNetwork@gmail.comand include:

• Your postal address
• Your Circuit or denomination if not Methodist

For more information contact Brec Seaton:seatonb@methodistchurch.org.uk

There are just 8 places available for the Yorkshire Plus region.

Job Vacancies

Principal's Personal Assistant – Cliff College

The College is embarking on Vision 21, an exciting and dynamic vison that sees the College develop as a Global Centre for Evangelism and Missiology. At this exciting and challenging time in the life of the College the College's Principal is seeking a Personal Assistant to work alongside him in the development and implementation of Vision 21. This is an important responsibility for the Principal and the role of Principal's PA will be key in supporting and enabling him in this role.
In this full-time role we are looking for someone who:

• is a confident and effective communicator
• is a good organiser and has a good eye for detail
• has experience of working in a similar role
• has the ability to manage small projects
• is willing to play an active role in the life of the Cliff College community

If this is for you then please contact Kathryn Young for more information or download the job and application details from our website at www.cliffcollege.ac.uk/news-events/hiring-principal-pa
Salary: £26-28,000 per annum
Closing date: 12 noon on Monday 11 January 2021
Interviews: Wednesday 27 January 2021

Volunteer Opportunities

The Methodist Church Fund for Human Need is looking for a volunteer treasurer.

The Treasurer has responsibility for the financial management of the Fund and has regular day-to-day contact with the part-time Administrator and liaises with the Chair and the Grants Officer responsible for the allocation of emergency payments.
The trustees intend to introduce a new accounting system which will better facilitate the administration of the Fund and are seeking a person who possesses the necessary expertise
and experience to advise on and implement this project.

For further information please contact the Chair, the Revd Roger Cresswell – 01543 473433 / FHNchair@gmail.com by 28 February 2021.

News from Outside Organisations

CLC Bookshops

Have you ordered your daily reading notes yet?

Don't forget to order your daily reading notes for the new year! You can develop a deeper
relationship with God through these daily devotionals, so why not take a look at the selection on their website : CLCBookshops

TASTE

Please find here the December 2020 Prayer Points for TASTE (Transfer of Appropriate
Sustainable Technology & Expertise).

I pray that you will find much
to encourage you and fuel your prayers.

Thank you for your faithfulness
in praying for us please do continue to remember us, we can't do what we do
without your prayers.

May I take this opportunity to
wish you all a very Happy Christmas and God's presence throughout 2021

God Bless you

Ben Udejiofo