District News – 17 November 2020

This Week's News

Safeguarding News

For Septembers District Safeguarding Newsletter I focused on online safety. Since the stay-at-home guidance was issued, Childline has seen a 11 per cent increase in the number of counselling sessions about online sexual abuse, from an average of 207 sessions per month before lockdown to an average of 230 sessions per month since lockdown began (NSPCC). This issues is not going away and as children continue to have to access their education online the reality is the situation is only going to get worse.

The NWG in association with The Marie Collins Foundation has produced two in-depth guides about online sexual abuse; one for parents and one for professionals. You can find more information here: marie-collins-foundation-mcf-and-the-nwg-network

In the Guide for Parents you will find information about what online harm is and ways you can effectively help and support children.

The Guide for Professionals has been developed to address the challenges professionals face when working with issues of online harm and young people. It contains information about what online harm is, the specific issues facing young people, and ways professionals can effectively engage with young people and their families.

As always, I'm here if you need to discuss this or any subject relating to the safeguarding: safeguarding@sheffieldmethodist.org.uk or please call 07483 362 735.

Many thanks
Alison Hill
District Safeguarding Officer

New books from Pam Webster

Rev Pam Webster from our Derbyshire North East Circuit has written two new books. "Voices Through Mark" journeys through Mark's gospel from John the Baptist to the plot to kill Jesus. "Voices Through Lent" begins with an Ash Wednesday appraisal of our lives in the light of the Ten Commandments. Both suitable for personal reflection and worship. Further details at Pam's blog https://pamsperambulation.com/2020/11/10/new-book.

The Methodist podcast and the Metal Methodist

If you have listened to this week's Methodist podcast, you will have discovered that the Metal Methodist is in fact a superintendent minister within our district, and have heard how he is using the Methodist Way of Life to create Christian community with metal and rock music fans. The Metal Methodist leads worship daily on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/metalmethodist and twitter https://twitter.com/metal_methodist . You can find the weekly Methodist podcast on the Connexional website or your usual podcast app.

KnownValuedLoved fundraiser

'Over the Summer, and with the Autumn and then Winter looming, I decided to grow my beard through till Christmas and then shave it all off to raise money for a relatively new Charity I'm a Trustee at called KnownValuedLoved (KVL). Over the weekend one of my brothers sent me some Beard Ornaments which I tried out at home, and will be wearing in pride whilst out and about in December...

KVL provides education opportunities for children and young people in countries affected by conflict, and have started doing some work in the Middle East over the last few weeks. The beard – and full head of hair – will be coming off on Christmas Day. If you'd like to sponsor me, you can do so at www.totalgiving.co.uk/jbsantabeard or by texting BEARD to 70450 to donate £5.
Thank you :)
God Bless
Jonathan Buckley

Alternative Advent calendar

Traidcraft Exchange has launched The Injustice Advent Calendar – billed as "24 days to change the world".
They call it the Advent Calendar that matters. Take part, and every day until Christmas Traidcraft Exchange will send you an opportunity to stand up for justice in a simple way.

The rules are equally simple: it will always be free, and it will always take less than five minutes to complete.

So you may be signing petitions, sending short emails, perhaps texting a friend... but you won't be giving any money and you won't be losing hours of your day either.

Find out more and sign up to take part at: www.traidcraftexchange.org/injustice-advent-calendar

Hybrid Worship

If you missed the webinar – you can watch it again here.

Events

Ministry with Older People webinar – staying in touch : staying engaged – 1 to 2:30pm Wed 25 Nov

• Are you part of your church's ministry with older people?
• Is covid forcing you to work out new ways to respond to the practical, social and spiritual needs of older people?
• Are you concerned by the prospect of a winter of isolation?
• Would you like an opportunity to speak with others asking the same questions?

This webinar is for anyone – volunteers, lay workers, ministers – involved in ministry with older people. We will share stories, hear from a panel of speakers including Chermayne Bennett (MHA Live at Home Manager, South Yorkshire & Bassetlaw), and speak about what we can do.
Register for this event here https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkdu6opzkvG9FxhBA9gMn3qUyoObmhkyho – bookings close 24 hours before the start time.
Contact admin@sheffieldmethodist.org with any registration queries
Hosted by Sheffield Methodist District – open to all

Advent Exhibition and events with Whirlow

Spend time with A Sheffield Advent: Hope & Waiting, an exhibition of photographs and poetry from Adrian Scott.

Two Zoom Quiet Days will be led during the film exhibition, which will use photos, poetry and music tenderly showcasing wounds and stories about and from the city.

On 2 December, take inspiration from Mary's story as well as the exhibition. On 5 December, focus more closely on the imagery and poems.

The days cost £10 each and feature input and inspiration as well as plenty of time and space to 'be'. The virtual exhibition will be launched on 1 December. Details of all are here.

Derbyshire Farmers' online' Carol Service

Sunday 6 December

The Derbyshire Rural Chaplaincy and Rural Action Derbyshire are preparing to celebrate the annual High Peak Livestock society carol service. We normally gather for the carol service in the main store ring at Bakewell Livestock Market; however, given we cannot sing and we certainly couldn't socially distance the 6 to 700 people that normally come together for worship, we are pre-recording the service from farms and fields across Derbyshire this year!

We welcome a foreword from Alastair Sneddon (Senior Partner Bagshaws LLP), poetry by Philip Holland, Bel Canto and St Anne's Church Choir from Baslow, Youlgrave Brass Band will lead our carols, and Rev'd Alan Griggs, the Lead Rural Chaplain will be sharing a reflection. The service will also include beautiful images of Derbyshire provided by Sophie Wilson photography and others.

The service will be available to watch from 2.30pm on Sunday 6th December. To find the service, search for 'Derbyshire Farmers 'online' Carol Service' in Google, or you will find the video to watch on Rural Action Derbyshire's website at: https://www.ruralactionderbyshire.org.uk/farmers-online-carol-service-2020

For more details, please contact Rev'd Alan Griggs on 07710 088972 or email: a.griggs@ruralactionderbyshire.org.uk

Joined Up Conference

Bookings for the Joined Up Conference in March have gone live!

The day is aimed at anyone involved in youth, children's or schools work; it's on Saturday March 6th and will be online and free. We have Krish Kandiah, Mark Russell and Susie Mappledoram as key note speakers and a variety of different workshops.

More information, and to book, at www.joinedupconference.com

Training and Development

Farming Help

The Derbyshire Rural Chaplaincy has organised a 'Zoom' training event on Wednesday25th November 2 – 4 pm and we welcome Andrew Critchlow ,the NFU's County Advisor and Sarah Tomlinson from the TB Advisory Service.

The training will bring us up to speed with the latest concerns facing the agricultural community in Derbyshire, and nationally, and how we can support the farming community. Given the sensitive subject material, the training is only open to people who can confirm they are members of Farming Help organisations and / or clergy and other authorised church leaders given their central role in supporting farmers in rural communities.

Email Louise Latham – louise.drchaplaincy@gmail.com for details
of how to join

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

News from Outside Organisations

Church Action on Poverty

Living Wage raised

The Living Wage was updated this week. The new rate is £9.50 an hour (£10.85 in London).
This is a good time to remind everyone that the Minimum Wage premium introduced by the Government in 2016 is not a Living Wage, despite being labelled as a 'National Living Wage'. Churches are still committed to pay the real Living Wage, which is considerably higher and has been calculated to allow people to afford a miniumum acceptable standard of living.

TASTE

I trust that you are all continuing to keep safe and well. I pray that we will all continue know God's presence and protection, especially as the lockdown continues to be eased.

Please find here the November 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.
Ben Udejiofo
Chief Executive
TASTE

Methodist News

Methodist Women in Britain

We are working on a more 'printer-friendly' version of the newsletter, which we hope will be available very shortly.
The Call to Pray is already available to download from the MWiB website (www.mwib.org.uk), and the Newsletter and Prayer Diary will be on the website shortly.
Also newly published is the Annual Review for 2020-2019; this will be on the website shortly, and is available in hard copy. If you would like some hard copies, please email communications@mwib.org.uk with your name, postal address, and the number of copies required. P&P is free, but if you wish to make a donation to MWiB you can do so via the Donation button on the website.

Methodist Prayer Handbook

The theme for the Methodist Prayer Handbook 2021/2022 is 'a place for all'.
A Place for All – No one was excluded from Jesus' table and eating with him was a sign of the kingdom of heaven and an invitation to meet God and to be transformed. We recognise that we do not always offer such generous welcome or listen to the voices on the margins.

As the Church strives to be God's people in a world changed by a global pandemic, we invite prayers of thanksgiving and intercession, penitence and resolve that, with God's help, we may recognise and repent of our exclusivity, and that then we may be reconciling, open to all and ready to listen to all voices equally. Together, we pray to become a more inclusive and diverse Church, creating communities of greater respect and compassion.

In addition to prayers on the theme of the Handbook, we invite prayers of thanksgiving, adoration and confession and prayers on the themes of justice, times of life and times of day and the comforting presence of God for the opening pages of the Handbook.

Prayers must be no longer than 120 words.

Please also email photographs that will help to bring our theme to life. Photographs with people in are particularly welcome. Photographs should be sent in their original size. Please provide a caption and state where the photograph was taken.

The deadline for submission of prayers and photos is 11 January 2021.
The exception to this is prayers and photos from schools. For schools only the deadline is 29 January.

Please send contributions to: prayerhandbook@methodistchurch.org.uk. Please also provide your name, postal address and how you would like to be described.

Before sending contributions, please read the full submission guidelines at: www.methodist.org.uk/prayerhandbook