District News – 02 March 2021

This Week's News

Items for inclusion in the Weekly Newsletter

We welcome and encourage contributions to the Weekly Newsletter. It is good to hear what is happening in our circuits and churches. To help with consistency, we have produced some guidelines to follow when asking for a item to be included. Whilst they are not rules, your item is more likely to be included if you follow them. They encourage you to remember your audience; remind you to submit in good time; and ask that you highlight the information you would like to appear, rather than expect the administrator to do this for you.
You can download and read the full guidance here: Weekly Newsletter Guidelines

District Safeguarding Update

Pathways Through Dementia

Pathways Through Dementia is a charity, which provides free legal and financial information to support people living with dementia.
Due to the age demographic, it is likely that dementia is an issue which affects many people from our churches.
The pandemic restrictions are difficult for all of us, yet this period may cause particular challenges for carers of people with dementia, who have probably seen their usual respite services cut (e.g. day centres, support workers or care home respite breaks for the person with dementia etc) and who may now be managing with less support than usual. This may result in many carers being adversely affected by stress during the pandemic. We also learnt from our November Safeguarding Adults webinar that the pandemic has led to a marked increase in cases of financial abuse and self-neglect, as well as domestic abuse. Due to the age demographic, it is likely that dementia is an issue which affects many people from our churches.

Pathways Through Dementia focus on helping people to unravel the legalities of the dementia journey such as paying for care, managing finances and welfare benefits. Pathways Through Dementia do this through a one-to-one telephone advice line and also through providing organisations with free interactive information sessions (including via Zoom) with the chance for Q&As.

If you are interested in arranging a free session for your District or even a particular Circuit or Church, please email swilcox@pathwaysthroughdementia.org or telephone 020 3405 5940 and leave a message. This might be something individual churches or Circuits may also be interested in setting up, so please circulate this information to your safeguarding networks.

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.

Daffodil Day 2021

Saturday 6 March at 2.00pm

A Spring Festival Rally will be led online by Revd Tony Miles and Deacon Ali McMillan on Saturday, 6th March at 2pm. Special guests include The Lord Mayor Of Westminster, Pam Rhodes, the President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference, the Methodist Youth President and the President of Methodist Women in Britain The event can be found at www.mchw.live.
See the poster for full details: Daffodil Day 2021

Methodist Women in Britain – Easter Offering

As we will be unable to hold Easter offering services in our Churches this year the contributions to World Mission will miss out.

I invite your churches to consider making a donation to this project by sending a cheque to MWiB Sheffield District to our Mwib Treasurer: Mrs Carole Baker 12 Hemper Lane S8

This would be much appreciated by World Mission.

Pam Meek
MWIB Sheffield District President

Events

Learning Network Regional Retreat

Wednesday 10 March

There is still time to register for the next Regional Retreat for presbyters, deacons and lay employees being held via Zoom.
We are delighted that Nick Helm, formerly of Whirlow Spirituality Centre in Sheffield, will be leading our reflections on 'All Shall be Well?' Life, Suffering and the Love of God with Julian of Norwich'. It promises to be a very enriching experience.
Details including the program for the day are on the flyer here.
It will be free of charge but booking is essential so please click on the link here to register and secure your place by Friday 5 March
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckc-GrpzIoEtUas_ZfmNg5EwJLHTDQHES7

JPIT Green Conference

Saturday 12 June

If you think that the Climate Change Crisis really is an emergency, and that the Church has an important part to play in helping people transition to new ways of living more gently with God's world, then sign up for the JPIT Yorkshire online conference :

-Climate Change Emergency: Resources for a Green Church
-Saturday June 12th, 2021, 9.30am-3.00pm
-Registration via sue.cutting1209@gmail.com

Inspiring keynote speakers to stimulate your imagination, develop your understanding of the Bible and reinvigorate your worship life. Engaging workshops with pioneers who are already bringing together faith and action for a better world.

Revd Philip Bee
JPIT Yorkshire Convenor
We are aware that this event clashes with another being organised with the Sheffield Diocese. More details on that will follow shortly.

Training and Learning Opportunities

8th Annual Preachers' Conference

Saturday 13 November – 3-4:30pm – Free Zoom Event

Save the date for what promises to be an exciting event to discover how different church traditions prepare and deliver the Sunday sermon and what we can learn from another preaching tradition. This is truly an ecumenical event that will be given by our guest lecturer Dr Joe Aldred.
Full details can be found here: Preachers' Conference
To register and to find out more information about this free zoom conference please contact:
Conference Host: Revd. Samuel A Thomas
email: sydenham_ntcog@hotmail.com
Mobile: 07944 496879

Vacancies

Supervision Reference Group

There is currently a volunteer vacancy on the Supervision Reference Group (SRG). All the details can be found by clicking here to view the role description . If you are interested do take a look and if you know someone who might be right for the role then please do pass on the details.

The closing date is 10 April 2021.

News from Other Organisations

Derbyshire Rural Chaplaincy

Thought for the Week
Revd Alan Griggs reflects on the importance of sometimes slowing down! Thought for the week