District News – 27 October 2020

This Week's News

District Safeguarding Update

When a safeguarding incident occurs it's not uncommon to panic, forgetting everything you ever learnt from training courses. Your response though needs to be carefully considered in order to support the victim and to intervene in the most appropriate way.

On the new District website, in the safeguarding section, we have created a page entitled ' Responding well to incidents '. The page contains all the information and links you will need to respond well to any incident. We have provided links to the Safeguarding Policies, Procedures and Guidance documents and have provided the page numbers so you can find the information you need quickly.

We have listed all the things you will need to make a note off and we have also provided some examples of when an incident needs passing to the minister and the District Safeguarding Officer.
As ever if I can be of any help please email me at safeguarding@sheffieldmethodist.org and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Thanks, Alison Hill DSO

Sad News

We were sorry to learn of the death of Eileen Wragg. Eileen was a Returned Mission Partner who had spent 15 years int Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe., returning in 1985. She was a Local Preacher in the Sheffield Circuit.
Eileen was a lady of great faith; she will be greatly missed by her family and church family at Woodseats. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.

Hybrid Worship

The Yorkshire Plus Learning Network team is looking forward to hosting our next regional webinar on the 5th November, 1pm-2.30pm. The focus of the webinar is 'Hybrid Worship', facilitated by the Revd Sean Adair and others. If you would like to find out more about the webinar please click the following link:
https://youtu.be/r0Kqa-LGC7g

To book onto the webinar please use the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrd-iqpjwiG9VkKuWn9-fvXRQyy3P3oySc
Please note that bookings will close 72 hours before the start of this event to allow time to organise the discussion groups.

Date for your Diary

The proposed date for the next online Regional Retreat day is Wednesday 10 March 2021 – to be led by Nick Helm, formerly of Whirlow Spirituality Centre in Sheffield. This will be open to all presbyters, deacons and lay workers in the Yorkshire Plus Region.
You can register for a place via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckc-GrpzIoEtUas_ZfmNg5EwJLHTDQHES7
Please note that bookings will close 72 hours before the start time.

3Generate Elections

This year's 3Generate elections take place from 21st November 2020 and will remain open for a whole month. We're keen that as many children and young people as possible, from across the Methodist Church, are able to participate. They have the opportunity to elect the Youth President for 2021/22 as well as their 3Generate representatives for the coming year.

In order to vote children and young people need to be registered. There are some simple steps to make this happen:

• Children and young people aged 8-17 years old can be registered only once by either their group leader or parent/carer.
• They need to be registered by 15th November via this link:

https://eventsfeedback2020.typeform.com/to/lS3YiH

• Elections open on 21st November for a limited period.
• All those aged 18-23 years can register to vote here:

https://methodistchurchlondon.myiknowchurch.co.uk/form/load/U1Urb2FwOEY5NkE2elB3YThySmlMSGMxMC9sb09wWWoyanE5dS9XdG96ZFppSWU3RWRvdFp2N1pPK1BM.
Keep an eye on the Methodist Young Adults facebook page too.

Events

We welcome details of any events going on across the District, or beyond. Send details to the District Office to include them in a future newsletter

Regional Webinars

Hybrid Worship

5 November – 1pm to 2:30pm
See above for details of how to register for this webinar.

Future Webinars:

27 January 2021 – Transformational Leadership:

introducing six core practices essential for seeing transformation in the local church, with Dr Nigel Pimlott, Learning & Development Officer for East Central Region.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsc-igqjssHNXS-xzmGNXO98x56-AXehtP

23 February 2021 – Being an Inclusive Church:

ensuring no-one needs to ask 'Am I not a Methodist too?' with Bevan Powell, Connexional Equality Diversity & Inclusion Adviser.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpd-iqrTkvEtRFRi3MNN1rMwu8WEUrI-HK

Bookings will close 72 hours before the start time

Training and Learning Opportunities

Learning about loss and remembrance

This time of year is one of reflection and remembrance and seems particularly poignant this year, when many people have lost loved ones and been unable to grieve in the usual ways.
COVID 19 has resulted in us all losing things: contact with family and friends; jobs; activities and hobbies and a myriad social events which make our lives worth living. Loss of any kind involves grief and remembrance.
Materials which were mentioned on a previous newsletter could help in learning how to remember and reflect; they can be downloaded here:
https://www.sheffieldmethodist.org/lib/F512771.pdf

You may have missed the Webinar on Loss, given by Rev Debora Marschner and John Haywood, earlier in the autumn. This was really well received and there is an opportunity to re-visit it by watching the video here: Dealing with Grief

Methodist News

Tiered lockdown and its impact on churches

The Revd Dr Jonathan Hustler, Secretary of the Methodist Conference, has published a statement on the tiered lockdown and its impact on churches.

Read the statement here.

Updated guidance (20.10.2020) can be found here.

Worship for global mission

Two new sets of liturgies and resources have been crafted to reflect our passionate Methodist commitment to global mission.
There is no set date for Global Relationships Sunday so the worship materials offered by the Global Relationships Team can be used at any point in the year. In 2020/21, materials explore the theme taken for their presidential year by Methodist President the Revd Richard Teal and Vice-President Carolyn Lawrence. They have been inspired by the last words of John Wesley: "The best of all is, God is with us".
The theme for 2020's JMA Commissioning Service is 'additional needs', and is entitled "Each One of us is Wonderful". An order of service is accompanied by a worship resource pack, which can be used when it best suits you. It includes a Scripture Card, suggested hymns and prayers, a PowerPoint presentation and Talking Points, all aimed at raising awareness of additional needs and how your church can be more welcoming to all.