With God's help I will – care for myself as I support others

Spring District Gathering

With God's help I will – care for myself as I support others

Saturday 20 April from 9:30am at Victoria Hall Methodist Church, Norfolk Street, Sheffield

Join us for a day of learning, sharing and worship with a buffet lunch provided. It will provide an opportunity for you to renew existing connections across the District and to meet new people.
Register here

Within the District Gathering we will hold the life of Methodism across our district in prayer, renew our relationship with our wider Connexional church, and make any formal decisions required of us as a district – the work of the representative synod.

Revd Nel Shallow, a pioneer presbyter in the Yorkshire West District, will lead us in learning more about the importance of caring for ourselves. We will be exploring different ways of engaging our senses for wellbeing, and also hope to hear stories from around the District.

The afternoon will have four workshops (which run twice):

1. Embracing change – a survival guide for circuits and churches – Led by Neil Harland (District Mission Enabler) and Revd Romeo Pedro (Superintendent, Sheffield Circuit).
We know that many of the ways we do and resource Christian community need transformational change. And yet even small tweaks to established practices can feel painful, draining and divisive. This conversation will draw on learnings from intentional programmes of change and renewal from within and beyond religious contexts, sharing some practical tips and suggestions for going deeper.
Neil has worked at the heart of organisations undertaking rapid and at times enforced change in corporate, charitable and church settings. Romeo has 31 years of experience on leading conversations about change. He is passionate about non-linear and inclusive change management models.

2. Taking care of our mental health by following in God's footsteps – Led by Tim Jansen.
This workshop will look at what mental health and wellbeing have to do with our Christian identity. This workshop proposes a combination of theological and the psychological and a practical response that we will practice together.
Tim studied mental health nursing and social psychiatric studies at the University in Arnhem and Utrecht in the Netherlands. Tim now works for the NHS as a chaplain on the acute mental health wards and as the Sheffield circuit mental health coordinator. Tim is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor and often speaks about mental health and Spirituality.

3. Responding to Community Trauma – led by Mike Long
Exploring the response of the faith community to the Grenfell Tower fire in both the short and the medium term, and particularly by the local Methodist Church, and lessons that can be gained from that experience.
Revd Mike Long is a Methodist Presbyter based in London. At the time of the Grenfell Tower fire, he was minister of Notting Hill Methodist Church. Mike is a trustee of Action For Children and chaired Shelter's 2019 "Commission on Social Housing".

4. A Scriptural Self Care Wheel- led by Revd Nel Shallow
Drawing inspiration from 'love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind' we will be creating a simple reflective diagram of a Self Care Wheel whilst wondering how we can love our neighbours as we love ourselves.
Nel is a Methodist Pioneer Presbyter in the Airedale Circuit and a Board Member for ArtServe. Alongside more traditional ministry of four Methodist congregations and an LEP, she project leads two community shops and an NPNP church plant in Keighley. She is also the minister with oversight of the Fresh Aire digital community.

Registration will close on Friday 12 April at noon