Arise Sheffield! | Issue 4 | Spring 2023

Sharing what God is doing in Sheffield

SPRING 2023

Your copy FREE

"WHAT'S THE POINT OF RELIGIOUS FAITH?"

Surprising responses from a class of Sheffield school-children

"ARE YOU HERE FOR THE SPIN CLASS OR THE ALPHA COURSE?"

The new gym that puts God at the centre

"IF GOD COULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU TODAY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?"

A few years ago, a church hall in South-West Sheffield was about to be sold off. But a few local Christians believed that God wasn’t finished with the church hall, so they got together to pray. For a while, it seemed like nothing was changing, but that group continued to pray. Thanks to their prayers, the building was reclaimed and restored, and now hundreds of believers gather there each month to praise God.

I wonder if the story of Sheffield might be like the story of this building. Some of you might have heard about the religion results in the recent census. Less than half of those who live in Sheffield now profess to be Christian. It might look like we’ve lost Sheffield. But, maybe you believe that God

EDITORIAL

Beth Craggs, Editor

isn't finished with Sheffield yet. What can we do? Let's get together to pray. It might not happen straight away, but we know God wants to see everyone in Sheffield restored to relationship with Him, so let's continue to get together to pray. Through the

prayers of just eight people, God changed the story for one church hall. Imagine what could happen if 1800 people got together to pray for Sheffield this March.

Let's Arise together and see what God has in store. Find out more on pages 4-9.

Introducing...

Fiona Walton

Spring 2023 Guest Editor

I was born in Leeds, but have lived in Sheffield most of my life, attending school and University (Biblical Studies) here. I have attended my local church STC (St Thomas' Crookes) for about 40 years. I have 3 adult children and a lovely little grandson. My chocolate Labrador, Chutney and I love all the places there are to walk in and around Sheffield. In the holidays I enjoy refreshing my soul walking long trails. Recently I have been writing 90 Bible Studies for Bible Society's Open the Book teams – studying the passages has really helped me to feel closer to Jesus.

Thank you!

First and foremost, thank you – the Arise community – for inspiring this magazine. Special thanks also goes to Worship.Works for sponsoring this issue of the magazine, to each of our Arise supporters, and to everyone who has worked so hard to bring this edition to life:

Arise! Spring 2023 edition thanks sponsor Worship.Works for their generous support.

Editor: Beth Craggs. Guest Editor: Fiona Walton. Writers: Tim Abbott, Nike Adebajo, Nick Allan, Joanne Bibby, Candida Calvert, Emma Cobbold, Beth Craggs, Phillip Dolby, Joanne Gilchrist, Jonathan Haigh, Rachel Hall, Giles Holloway, Roger Hoyle, Nick Law, Andy Lawley, Jon Leach, Mel Lewis, Leonie Martin, Derek Pamment, Jonny Price, Tim Renshaw, Hannah Sandoval, Billie Thaw, Heather Waller, Fiona Walton, Helen Ward, Pete Wilcox, Ben Woollard. Contributors: Becky Greene, Katie Hardy, Christopher Longbottom, David Patton, Louise Rainford, Rebecca, Phil Roberts, Dean Thorpe. Magazine sponsor: Worship.Works. Advertiser: The Station Gym. Cover image: Jake Fields. Additional Photography: Ben White, Ben Wicks, Benjamin Elliott, Bewakoof.com Official, Dakota Corbin, Georg Arthur Pflueger, Hans-Peter Gauster, Harrison Qi, Helena Lopes, Joe Woods, Josep Martins, Kevin Mueller, Leonard von Bibra, Marek Piwnicki, Mark Stuckey, Maxime Bouffard, Resul Mentes, Ruvim Noga, Shane Rounce, Towfiqu Barbhuiya, William Navarro Designer: Ben Ashworth. Proof-reader: Roger Hoyle.

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WHAT IS ARISE:MARCH?

Since 2021, over a thousand believers from across Sheffield have been arising together each March to prayer-walk every street in our city, using the Arise:March app. Each step moves us closer to the future God has for Sheffield. Together, lets:

our local areas in prayer, using the special Arise:March app. The streets will glow brighter with every blessing.

DISCOVER

COVER RECOVER

the prayer needs in our local areas, and share them with Arisers through the app.

the true meaning of Easter for Sheffield, by giving Easter cards and Easter eggs to our neighbours.

Visit www.AriseSheffield.org and click ‘Join In’ to become part of the Arise community today. Keep an eye on your inbox for your invitation to the Arise:March Launch event, your link to the prayer-walking app (when it goes live on 1 March), and other tools to help you make the most of March.

– YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENTS OF ARISE:MARCH 2022 –

“Getting to chat to some of the locals while I prayer-walked.”

“God drawing me closer to those I was praying with as I walked.”

“Delivering Real Easter Eggs to my neighbours, and the conversations that followed.”

“Prayer-walking from different locations in Sheffield on Good Friday and meeting at the city centre cross to sing and pray together.”

“Feeling that I was part of a larger community who prayed and cared for our city even though I didn't meet them.”

“When the pouring rain stopped just as we set off!”

“Finding out, through the app, that someone else was praying near me.”

“Being led to talk and pray for someone”

“The joy of going for a walk with Jesus around my local area”

COVER

1–31 MARCH 2023

Are you ready to take the next step?

Your faithfulness and fidelity in prayer for Sheffield is making a huge difference. This year, Arise invites you on a journey that could transform the way you see Sheffield, and your calling as a believer.

Since 2021, over 1,000 believers from more than 100 churches across Sheffield have been arising together each March to prayer-walk every street in our city, mapping our prayers using the Arise:March app.

With everything that’s happening right now - in the world, in the UK, in Sheffield - our city needs our prayers more than ever. By joining in with Arise:March, we’re able to do something together that none of us could do alone: bring every single street in our city before the Lord in prayer. Because we are not the answer: He is.

As we prepare to prayer-walk together for a third year in a row, let’s reflect on the purpose that God has for each and every one of us. He could have placed us anywhere, at

any time in history, but we are here, in Sheffield, in 2023, being invited to rise up in prayer. Could it be that we are here for such a time as this?

New for 2023, we will be able to share local prayer needs with other Arisers through the Arise:March app, so that each of us can pray more specifically for the needs of others while we walk. And, streets now glow brighter with every blessing, which means that we can map routes that have already been prayer-walked, as many times as we like.

In the next few pages you’ll find how to discover the prayer needs in your area, and how you can help recover the true meaning of Easter for those in your community. Here’s how to join in:

1. Click ‘Join In’ on the Arise website (www. AriseSheffield.org): you’ll receive invitations to events, prayer-walking tools, andon 1 March - your link to the Arise:March app.

2. Cover your area in prayer: mark out time in your

calendar to enjoy a prayerwalk regularly during March: try starting with just once a week.

3. Meet other believers: join an organised group prayerwalk to pray for specific areas of the city - keep an eye on your inbox for news about walks taking place near you.

4. Discover the prayer needs in your own area: share them with other Arisers through the Arise:March so we can lift up these needs together in prayer.

Unable to prayer-walk?

Email hello@arisesheffield.org to request an ‘Arise where you are’ pack.

Not sure about using an app?

No problem! The Arise:March app works on any computer, tablet, or smartphone: all you need to do is click the link in your email when you receive it on 1 March.

Every step we take in prayer brings us closer to the future God has for Sheffield. Let’s journey together this March and find out what God has in store.

DISCOVER

How to the prayer needs in your local area

Giles Holloway is the leader of King’s Centre. He has a passion for seeing Sheffield transformed into the prosperous, creative and beautiful city it is called to be through its people coming to know how prosperous, creative and beautiful they are as God’s children. He focuses on getting others praying, sharing their faith and caring for their community. He is very fortunate to have a wife and three wonderful kids and when the weather is right he can be found riding his bike around the peaks or hitting a golf ball in the vague direction of the green.

As part of Arise:March this year, we’re preparing not only to cover our streets in prayer, but also to discover the prayer needs in our local areas. So, how do we do this?

Prayer is a two-way conversation with God –listening to Him and talking to Him. So, when it comes to

praying for our city, it helps to listen to what God is saying about your local area, as well as talking to him about it. It also helps to listen and talk to the people in your community in order to get a more accurate picture of the needs. Since my appointment at King’s Centre four years ago, I’ve been trying to have this two-way conversation with God about the needs in our area of Nether Edge. Here are a few approaches that have helped me discover prayer needs in S7:

Make a roadmap

Plan some prayer-walk routes with a map, and pray before you set off, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal any pictures or words that may bring you spiritual insight into your area. I find this works best when you know less about an area, as your mind is less conditioned by what it already knows.

On my very first prayer walk in Nether Edge, I printed out a map and highlighted a circular route. We prayed for some insight before we set off. The Lord gave me a picture of a London taxi cab and the verse from Joshua 1:6 “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess

all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.” As we started the prayer-walk, a London taxi cab pulled up alongside us; I looked up to see that we were standing on Joshua Road – I kid you not! Since then we have specifically focused our prayer and service in this part of S7.

Research the area

Research your local area, finding out about its history and development over time, as well as about significant events, buildings and people in the area. You could also take a look at the latest census data, which is incredibly revealing and offers mapped data by each postcode and ward. When we moved into the area, I looked up ancient maps on Google and found that the area which we serve used to be just fields with names. They are still noted today – King Field (close to King’s Centre), Broadfield, Lowfield and Highfield. Then a member of our congregation came to me with a picture of three sheaves, which he thought represented three harvest fields. This gave us a sense that we needed to look East from the “King’s field” in our mission activity.

Pray for institutions

As you prayer-walk, stop at significant landmarks and buildings to pray for the institutions which operate in the area. For example, you might want to use the Arise Prayer Prompt card to pray for religious, health, education, government, and business institutions in your area. You can download and print a prompt card from the Arise website by typing ‘Arise Prayer Prompt’ into your browser search bar.

Look around

As you prayer-walk, take notice of the housing, parks, gardens, and types of shops, and let them give you insight into the wealth of the area, as well as the hobbies, local pride, ethnic and socio-economic mix etc.

The more I prayer-walk S7 the more I become aware of themes that tie different parts of the community together. For example, the graffiti in the area often focuses on environmental issues; there are a lot of posters in the windows of homes announcing protest marches in town; and there are an unusually high number of ethically-motivated shops. This tells me that people are passionate about the state of the planet and are willing to be proactive to do something about it.

Talk to people

Engage with local people and simply ask them about their prayer needs. I like to ask, “If God could do anything for you today, what would it be?” I have only ever had positive responses

to this question, as people are amazed that you would take the time to bless their neighbourhood. This may even turn into an opportunity to pray with them.

Last Summer, Nike Adebajo and I spent several weeks asking this question to people in our area. We were constantly encouraged by people’s openness to prayer, and the Gospel too. An hour or two spent talking to people always resulted in at least one in-depth conversation. From there we tried to connect them with a relevant, local Christian contact like a toddler group, foodbank or café, or sought to meet up with them again.

Set up a survey

You may prefer to be more systematic and organise a community questionnaire. You could ask multiple choice questions, such as “On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate community safety in this area?”, and you could also ask more open questions, such as “What are the most significant issues that you would like to see addressed in this community?”

At King’s Centre, members of our church stood outside our local convenience shops and asked passersby to answer a survey like this. As a result, we had over 100 in-depth conversations with folk who knew that we had taken their ideas seriously and that the church cared about the community. We then put that data into charts and used them to inform our prayer the following Sunday, as well as our future plans.

Meet the needs

This two-way conversation with God about the needs of our area has helped shape our actions. At King’s Centre, after praying and seeking we were in a much better place to start serving our local area. A number of us began volunteering with a small charity working with ethnic minorities and asylum seekers in the community, and as a result we gained an even more in-depth awareness of the needs of the community. In part because of this, we’re launching a new Foodbank and Connect Café in partnership with S6 Foodbank. We have also partnered with other charities – some Christian, some not –to provide a connection point for building community, and a range of services including English classes, debt advice, parenting classes, youth work, Shelter, Citizen’s Advice – not forgetting a good cup of tea and the offer of prayer. It feels like, thanks to God’s guidance, we’re really being salt and light in our community, which is very exciting!

Go further afield

We’re now looking to connect with other believers in our area. I have begun to invite believers from other local churches to pray together. I’ve just met our local Labour Councillor and our Member of Parliament to discuss the needs of our local area with them. We’re hoping to gather key stakeholders, faith leaders and civic leaders in the community to start a wider conversation into the next steps for prayer and action in S7.

Our journey doesn't end with covering the city with prayer, and discovering local prayer needs: it's also about recovering the true meaning of Easter for Sheffield.

Alongside our prayer-walking and discovery of the prayer needs of those around us, we also have the opportunity to share the Easter message through acts of kindness, outreach and more. And with all that prayer supporting our actions, let’s step out in faith and love those around us.

Too often, the hope and joy of Easter is hidden among the Easter Bunny trails and novelty chocolates. Children hunt for eggs without realising that what’s really missing is the true meaning of Easter - Jesus’ love and sacrifice, death and resurrection. Let’s work together to recover the real message of Easter for our communities this year by introducing them to the One

RECOVER

the true meaning of Easter for Sheffield

that will truly satisfy.

Arise is partnering with Churches across Sheffield to make Easter cards and Eggs available for you. You can use these to invite people to church services and events, or simply to share a positive Easter message with a neighbour. If you like, you can hand these out with ‘Real Easter Eggs’ (a Fairtrade chocolate egg that includes the story of Jesus’ resurrection). Hundreds of believers have given out thousands of Real Easter Eggs since Arise started in 2021 because it’s a simple way to build deeper relationships within a community. Arisers have used the gift of eggs to help them connect with neighbours; children have given them to school friends (which has opened up great conversations with parents); churches have built relationships with local schools and nurseries.

New for 2023, churches across Sheffield are uniting behind a city-wide banner display (design below) letting the people of our city know that their local church is praying for them, and featuring an invitation for passers-by to share prayer requests. The Arise Easter card will build on the same design and message.

Ask your church leader this weekend how your church plans to share their cards and eggs. If you’d like to give out cards and eggs, but can’t access any through your church, email hello@ arisesheffield.org and we’ll try to help.

Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of those around us, and see our city transformed. Let’s cover Sheffield in prayer, discover the needs of our community, and recover the true meaning of Easter this season.

YOUR ARISE:MARCH CALENDAR

Keep an eye on your inbox for more details and booking links for each of these prayer and mission events for Sheffield:

WEEK 1

SAT 25 FEB · 7pm

Arise:March Launch

Evening

at Sheffield Cathedral

Join believers from across Sheffield at the Cathedral to celebrate the growth of citywide prayer and mission with Arise. Tickets are free but places are limited: book now at https://bit.ly/RSVP-Arise

WED 1 MAR

Let’s start our month of prayer-walking!

Check your inbox for your link to the upgraded Arise:March app.

WED 1 MAR · 8pm

Prayer for South-West Sheffield

on Zoom

Join Rachel Hall and Giles Holloway to pray over Zoom for the needs of South-West Sheffield.

WEEK 2

SAT 4 MAR · 9am–4pm

Joined Up Conference

at Victoria Hall

Workshops and talks for everyone involved with children and young people: schools, chaplains, youth workers, parents, and more. Tickets cost £15 and include lunch: book here: https://bit.ly/book-joined-up

TUE 7 MAR · 8pm

Prayer for North-East Sheffield

on Zoom

Join Rachel Hall and Giles Holloway to pray over Zoom for the needs of North-East Sheffield.

WEEK 3

MON 13 MAR · 8pm

Prayer for South-East Sheffield

on Zoom

Join Rachel Hall and Giles Holloway to pray over Zoom for the needs of South-East Sheffield.

THU 16 MAR · 7.30pm

Ignite at The Megacentre

A meetup for Christians in the workplace, organised by Worship.Works. Enjoy free pizza and refreshments, meet other Christians, and be inspired to represent Jesus in your workplace.

Tickets are free: RSVP at www.worship.works/Sheffield

WEEK 4

SAT 18 MAR · 9.30am–4.30pm

Myriad Church

Planting

Taster Day

at The Well Open to all denominations/ streams and ‘owned’ by none, this is for anyone who feels called to start a new church community but hasn’t yet worked out what that looks like and how to go about it. Those who have recently started a new church community (e.g. within the past 12 months) and need training and support are also welcome.

Tickets are free: reserve your place at https://shorturl.at/biTV3

TUE 21 MAR · 8pm

WEEK 5

THU 30 MAR · 7.30pm

Arise:March Celebration at Wilson Carlisle Centre & Livestreamed

An evening of prayer and praise to mark the end of Arise:March 2023. Let’s meet together to pray for Sheffield city centre, share stories from our month of prayerwalking, and praise God for all the ways He’s been working in our city this March.

FRI 31 MAR

Final Arise:March prayer-walks!

WEEK 6

HOLY WEEK

Time to give out your Arise Easter cards and Real Easter Eggs!

FRI 7 APR

Group Prayer-walks to the open air Good Friday service

Groups will be prayer-walking from locations around Sheffield to meet at the city centre cross for a short open-air service.

for North-West

Prayer

Sheffield on Zoom

Join Rachel Hall and Giles Holloway to pray over Zoom for the needs of North-West Sheffield.

Scan the QR or visit https://bit.ly/ Arise-March-Calendar to download your printable version of the Arise:March calendar.

‘For Such a Time as This’

As most of you may be aware, the word ‘God’ does not occur even once in the Book of Esther. Not once. The only other book in the Bible in which that is true is ‘the Song of Songs’: but that is a collection of poetry and somehow the omission is less startling there.

Bishop Pete Wilcox was appointed Bishop of Sheffield for the Anglican Diocese of Sheffield in 2017. He is married to novelist Catherine Fox they have two adult sons, two daughters-in-law and three grand-daughters. Bishop Pete is a fan of all ball sports, and follows the fortunes of Newcastle United especially closely.

Esther is the story of a Jewish woman who became the Queen of a Gentile nation at a time when her people faced the threat of a severe persecution. In that context, the absence of any reference to God is really surprising. There’s also no reference to temple or sacrifice, to prayer or Sabbathkeeping, to kosher food laws or circumcision. Fasting is the only ‘religious’ activity which gets a mention (4.16).

The name of the Feast of Purim (9.26-32) serves to reinforce the fact that God doesn’t say or do anything directly in this book. ‘Pur’ means ‘dice’ or ‘lot’: so the feast of Purim is ‘the Feast of Chance’ or ‘the Festival of Coincidence’. Perhaps Purim refers not only to the casting of lots in 3.7 and 9.27, but to the whole string of unlikely coincidences in the text: Esther just happened to be beautiful and to be chosen as Queen to Xerxes at just the time when the Jews were in danger; Mordecai just happened to overhear a plot to kill the king; the king just happened to be sleepless one night and to ask for a bedtime story; he just happened to hear the story of Mordecai’s finest hour, just when the threat to the Jews was at

its most severe; Haman just happened to enter the court at precisely the wrong moment, so that he ended up honouring the one man he didn’t want to. And so on. But there is no doubt that God, in spite of his apparent absence, is still the chief actor in the drama. He is not named. He does not speak or act. He is not even said to be influencing events. But his hand is at work behind these coincidences, for those who have eyes to see it. The nearest we get to any declaration of faith is that assurance by Mordecai to Esther that if she remains silent, help for the Jews will arise ‘from another source’, coupled with his suggestion that she has been placed in a royal position ‘for such a time as this’ (4.14). Mordecai has

faith in the providence of God: he trusts that however absent God may seem, he is in fact shaping history and fulfilling his purpose for his people and for individuals.

A Jewish commentator has written about Esther: ‘God may not reveal himself openly, his Word may not be spoken, his Face may not be shown; but under the veil of coincidence, he fulfils his will for his people’. As Arise:March 2023 unfolds, and we seek to be the agents of God’s coming kingdom in the city where God has put us, for such a time as this, let us trust, with Mordecai, in the unfailing providence of God, in the God who is always at work, fulfilling his purpose, even when it is hidden from our eyes.

where we are SERVING GOD

We asked a few believers at The Well to share how they serve God through the situation in which He has placed them. Professionals and parents, working in finance, ministry or the charity sector, each of them has a unique story about how they are working with God.

Dean Thorpe

“I own and run a firm of financial advisers operating mainly in the Yorkshire and Derbyshire region. Whether I’m dealing with clients or my team, I do my level best to hold fast to Christian principles. That could mean being transparent and honest about a challenging situation, encouraging people to take action to move them closer to where they want to be or simply providing time and lending an ear to genuinely listen to someone needing to talk and share. I’m a volunteer trustee of 3 Christian charities using my time and talents to ‘give back’ to the communities that these charities seek to connect with.”

David Patton

“My wife and I have three children and so family life can often get very busy. Each day during our evening meal, we come together and during the course of the meal, we pause and think about the events from our day. We then take it in turns to share what we are thankful for from our day. This daily rhythm is a great opportunity to connect with each other and share the events of the day, but also to acknowledge and express our gratitude for where our lives have been graced by the Father in our day.”

Rebecca

“I work for a charity which serves children and families across South Yorkshire. God has been speaking to me about what leadership looks like in the workplace as a Christian. My drive to work involves praying over my colleagues, often alongside worship music which fuels me up (whilst trying to avoid the embarrassment of

other drivers at traffic lights thinking I'm passionately talking to myself!)

I seek His creativity for strategic meetings, pray peace, clarity, creative vision for my senior leadership team. I seek to be a manager and colleague of integrity, love, gentleness, patience (the fruits of the Spirit).

I try to discern what the Holy Spirit is doing, the Spirit's breath over my workplace. Working as I do alongside exceptionally caring people, the harvest feels plentiful but trust takes time. Friendships with colleagues come first. They observe. They watch. They build a base of who I am, my credentials. I watch and wait for where God is moving in their lives (as often He's already been doing something in them/questions they've pondered about life) and try to discern when to speak and what to say. I try to be authentically me, whilst aware of my professional boundaries as a manager.

People are hungry but often turning to other forms of

'spirituality'.

Believe me – I'm not perfect by any means! All I know is I try to see my workplace as heaven meeting earth. My daily aim is not to get lost in the busyness of work but try to be continually grounding myself, coming back to the present of 'Father, where is your Spirit moving today and where can I join in?'“

Becky

“I work part time and have two small children. I love to look for opportunities to share Jesus' love, kindness & honour in the everyday. For me at the moment, this is at: playgroup, kids’ parties, school, in the park & with neighbours and work friends. And it looks like love through: giving encouraging words from the Bible, sharing prophetic encouragement, asking Jesus where lost things have gone, praying together for a miracle, cooking dinner for a friend who is stretched, sharing His great story, my story or beautiful things I've seen Him do. Chats are usually broken, sleep deprived and often interspersed with potty trips, snacks and “big feelings” as well as glimpses of God’s immeasurable everlasting love.”

Christopher Longbottom

“The idea that work and home life are so different and distinct always felt strange to me – why can't we live radically for Jesus throughout it all? Is work/life balance just a human construct? I try

not to approach work this way; I'm part of running two companies in Sheffield and I bring my whole, Christ-filled, self to work. They get the whole me and as leaders we get to set the culture. We've seen employees come to faith so there must be something in it. I consider my staff friends and family – some might find that weird, but why draw a distinction just because it's work?”

“I’m married with two daughters aged 9 & 11 and employed by a local church reaching and connecting families and children with the Good News. My heart is to share God’s love with all and I’m passionate that my family know how loved they are, as well as the many that I meet and connect with each week. 'Have you prayed about that?' is a common question that we ask each other in the home and I love how my girls will ask me this too. This question helps all of us to invite God into all areas of our lives, from searching for lost things, to the challenges we face. I am quick to make sure we say Thank you to God when prayers are answered, especially as we are a family that often asks Jesus to help us find things and He is so faithful and kind to us and once we have prayed we now all expect to find it.

Another habit that I have introduced especially since becoming a mum is that I often listen to sermons and other online Christian

teaching and worship while I am cleaning the house or preparing meals. As I listen, the Holy Spirit regularly brings to mind others to pray for and who I could bless by sharing the teaching that I have been blessed by.

We also started listening to UCB – a Christian radio station – in the car and at home. It is great to listen to a variety of worship music, join in with prayer and hear from others during the day and whilst driving. This sometimes opens up interesting discussions with the kids too.

Another habit that we practise regularly is listening to each other at meal time using the ‘High and Low’. ‘High’ meaning, what is a good thing that we are thankful for, and ‘Low’, the opportunity to share any challenges or difficulties we faced during the day. This a good tool that includes everyone around the table and opens up each person’s day. We can then thank God for the High and invite Him into the Low. I also intentionally doing this during meals with the girls and their friends when they join us around the table and all children around our table have been very open to share with each other.

I am eager to learn from others so Parenting For Faith (parentingforfaith.brf.org. uk) resources and Facebook Live events have also been very good in providing tools and ideas for my own parenting journey and a great place to signpost others to, alongside Care for the Family (careforthefamily.org.uk).”

ARISE:MARCH

STORY!

My goodness! I think she’s got it. What a great answer! We often feel like we don’t know enough about our own faith, let alone other people’s so we keep stumm. But that girl’s answer is totally authentic and doesn’t require her to know anything other than her own personal relationship with Jesus, whilst remaining open to learn from others. Essentially, she is doing what every good missionary is taught. Listen and hear the other’s story and then communicate your own story. By doing that you value them and their culture for what it is and you develop an understanding of

their context to help better communicate yours.

Stories are game-changers.

There is a great little quote from Ivan Illich, Austrian philosopher and Roman Catholic priest, who as a child was forced to flee Vienna with his family during the Second World War. He was once asked what was the most radical way to change society; was it violent revolution or gradual reform? He gave an unexpected answer – “Neither!” he said, “if you want to change society, then you must tell an alternative story”. I think this applies to changing individuals, too. Jesus told an alternative story of redemption to the Jewish people in the first century. Jesus was also a master storyteller who used parables to change the way we think and act. The four gospels are simply stories about Jesus told by individuals who were impacted by Him.

Evangelists are simply people who naturally tell Good News (evangelion) stories. Stories change lives!

So, what story do you tell them?

Obviously it depends on the context, but essentially you are communicating who Jesus is and what He has done for you. We see this model of witness in the gospels – “Come see a man who knew everything about me” (the Woman at the Well, John 4); “All I know is that I was blind but now I can see” (healed blind man, John 9). It’s really powerful to hear ordinary people with ordinary lives talking excitedly about an extraordinary encounter with an extraordinary Jesus. It doesn’t require that we read tons of books or know loads of theology; it simply requires us to tell of what he has done and what he is doing in our lives. (“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony”, Rev 12:11)

How did Jesus do it?

One great example is Jesus’ encounter with the Woman at the Well.

First, and most importantly, Jesus got started by taking time out in a busy day to be available. Without time for conversation we have no chance. I was recently shown up by Peter Dunn (from the Yorkshire Baptist Association) who is a master in this sort of thing. He came round my house for coffee and I introduced him to my plumber. In all my running around I had simply talked

the plumber through all the tasks I needed him to complete, and left him to it, whereas Peter came in and just started taking the time to make conversation with him. Within a few short minutes, Peter knew more about this man than I did.

Second, Jesus engaged with the woman on her level and heard her story He didn’t let social norms and cultural barriers stop him from crossing dividing lines of gender and race to talk to her about the issues that concerned her. He noticed that she was socially excluded. He heard that she was concerned with differences between who was considered holy and who was not. He heard that she was keen to receive spiritual water.

Thirdly, Jesus wasn’t afraid to have spiritual conversations. He listened to her and when the time was right he used the link of water to move from physical thirst to spiritual thirst. He didn’t force it, however. Jesus was in constant conversation with the Holy Spirit who revealed to him a word of knowledge to get her attention. We can all listen to the Holy Spirit as we talk to people; that way we are more likely to say something which unlocks a deeper level of conversation of spiritual significance and communicates God’s love.

Finally, Jesus told the big redemption story. When the woman asked Jesus about where God should be worshipped, he replied with a totally different paradigm about worshippers not

engaging in this temple or that religion but in spirit and truth. We all need to be able to articulate God’s ultimate plan of redemption to the whole human race (1 Timothy 2:3-6). We may have the opportunity to do that in one go, perhaps with the help of a simple image or tract (I like using the 3 Circles approach – check out the 3 Circles videos on the ‘No Places Left’ Disciple Making Movement channel on YouTube), but often we get to do that a bit at a time focusing on one element which they need to hear – for example, that God accepts us as we are and we don’t need to earn His approval.

Do it your way!

God has given us all our very own story of redemption which no one knows better than we do. People can argue with your theology or your moral values, but they can’t argue with your story. You are the only person with your particular story and he’s placed you in this time and space with this particular person and conversation – so you need to be confident to do it your way. However, I do know that the more I share, the more articulate I become, the more I am in tune with the Holy Spirit, the more I am able to unlock the spiritual potential within every conversation. Don’t forget you are not brow-beating or intellectualizing, you are simply sharing faith simply as you go about your day and the rest is up to Jesus to open the door for your message.

Katie Hardy

Interview with Katie Hardy

EVANGELIST

INTERVIEW WITH AN As told to Phillip Dolby

How long have you lived in Sheffield?

I’ve lived in beautiful Sheffield for 34 years. Love it!

What do you love about the city?

so I ask to be filled up every day with that love so I can give it away.

Are there things you find yourself saying as you communicate faith to others?

Katie Hardy is the Partnership Coordinator for Together for Sheffield’s employment programme, Ascend. She has grownup twin sons, and lives in Middlewood with her husband Chris. Together, they share a passion for bringing the love of Jesus to people on the margins in Sheffield. She runs a Community Interest Company (CIC) called The Promised Land and their mission is to love people back to life through community.

Where do I start? I love the friendliness, how green it is, the real sense of community...

Where are your favourite places in Sheffield?

Rivelin Nature Trail holds a special place in my heart and of course Our Cow Molly!

When and how did you come to faith in Jesus?

I was 30, running from God, partying hard and one night I couldn't deny Him any more, so I got on my knees, repented, and gave Him my life.

Tell us your testimony in fewer than 7 words. He never leaves me nor forsakes me.

What are you most thankful to God for?

Such a hard answer as there are so many things! I’m thankful for Jesus, the Holy Spirit, how He’s redeemed my life, how He wants to partner with us.

Where and how do you share your faith with others?

I try and share it wherever I am by showing them love. We love because He loved us first,

I think encouraging others is important. A kind word, especially in these extraordinary times, goes a long way and opens the way to share His love for others.

Is there a particular story of leading someone to Jesus or communicating the gospel that you remember fondly?

I remember a service where we washed everyone’s feet to show them how much Jesus loved them. It was so moving.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to learn how to communicate the Good News with confidence?

Spend time with Jesus in the quiet place and be yourself. We all have different gifts, ask Father how He wants you to do it.

What is one thing you could recommend to help followers of Jesus become bolder in their faith?

Be filled with Him every day and follow His lead.

What is your dream for Sheffield?

To see hurting people whole and full of His joy!

FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

Former winner of England’s Strongest Man Phil Roberts shares how he found true strength in Jesus, and his plans to grow a mission field at the newly-opened Station Gym in Manor.

“The day I nearly lost my leg was the best day of my life,”

Phil tells me. Phil was a police officer in Woodseats before he quit to train full time for Strongman competitions.

He won the title of England’s Strongest Man in 2017, but that wasn’t enough. Phil was competing in the 2019 finals for Britain’s Strongest Man when it happened. “I was at Sheffield Arena: there were 10,000 people watching me live, and even more watching the broadcast from home.” During one of the final challenges, Phil dropped a 160kg concrete ball – an Atlas Stone – onto his leg,

shattering the bones. He was stretchered out of the arena and straight to hospital, where a medical team spent the next two weeks trying to save his leg. While he was there, he had a chance to reflect on his life, his choices, and the Christian faith he thought he’d left behind.

“As I lay there in hospital, I realised I'd spent all my life trying to quench my

thirst for Jesus, and I was searching for peace and joy. I had tried everything: drugs, alcohol and the rest: nothing would satisfy me for long. Even my training: at that point, lying in hospital, I realised I'd been building my life on something that can be taken away from me in a snap of a finger. And I thought, ‘This is not the way to live.’”

For years, some friends of Phil’s had been bringing him to a Christian Vision for Men retreat in Lanzarote. In previous years, Phil had refused to let himself open up to the messages being shared, but this time it was different. “I just said, ‘I'm gonna give Jesus a go: I've

got nothing left.’ That was the best thing I ever did, and I’ve never looked back. I’ve just tried to strive faster and further for God now.”

Now, Phil and his Christian business partner Tom have opened the Station Gym –the largest independent gym in Sheffield – on the impoverished Manor estate. I visited the gym in January –just before opening day – to find out more.

Tell me more about your vision for the Station Gym; why do you have a heart for Manor?

“I was brought up in Fulwood, but my heart has always been with the working classes and the poor areas in Sheffield. I just love them so much. I

love the weird and wonderful people that are there.

“I am a big believer in revival. I want to see God work in the lives of hundreds of people in the Manor, and to see the difference it makes when Jesus is shared in a community like this. I've given Jesus my mustard seed - the Station Gym - told him it's his job to move the mountain.

“So what we're doing with the Station Gym is we're demonstrating that we love the people in Manor, and we want to give them the best facility that they can have. Because we want them to start believing in themselves, starting to build up their self esteem, and I pray that this will start a change in many

peoples’ lives.”

There are thousands of believers across Sheffield who are looking for ways to live their faith more authentically at work. How do you make God the centre of your work at the Station Gym?

“For me, putting God at the centre of my work means putting love at the centre of my work. If I’m not enjoying my work, then I can almost guarantee that it’s because I’ve forgotten to put love at the centre of what I’m doing. But once you do this, things will change. So the first thing to do is pray, give God your work, and ask Him to make love the centre of your work. My business partner Tom and I are both Christians, so we pray together, and we say, ‘God, this is not our business. This is Your business.’ You know when Moses says, ‘If you don't go with me, Lord, then I don't want to go at all’? We've come to that conclusion: if God is not in it, we do not want to be there.

“Then secondly, Tom and I pray, ‘Lord, change our hearts, so that we want to share you with everyone.’ That doesn't mean that you have to go up to someone and say, ‘Right, sit down, I need to tell you about Jesus.’ Instead, you show the fruits of the spirit: love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. Then, when people ask what it is that’s different about you – because they will see that you're different – you can give that glory to God. Even the atmosphere of the Gym feels different as a result, and people have really noticed

it. They’ve asked, ‘Why does it feel weird here? Why is it so nice?’ I told them, ‘It’s because we pray for you all.’

Are there any other differences in the way you’re running the gym?

“We’ve made space for a community room within the gym, next to the spin studio, and we’ve invited groups of Christians to hold prayer meetings in this space. God’s drawing a lot of Christiansfrom all different walks of life and lots of different churches - to pray here. We first met one couple while they were prayer-walking outside the gym last March with Arise! We’re also hoping to hold lots of Alpha courses in that room throughout the week, so that people can invite their friends to a familiar space to learn about Jesus. I recently went on an Alpha course myself with a couple of friends, and was struck by how fantastic it was, and I felt God put it on my heart, saying, ‘You can use

this, you can do Alpha in your gym.’

As we prepare to prayerwalk Sheffield with Arise:March, what can the Arise community pray for you, for the Station Gym, and for people in the Manor?

“For us, the project at the Station Gym has been scary from the start. It’s been like a roller coaster. I know I’m secure - God’s keeping me safe - but that doesn’t stop it from being scary from time to time.

“Please pray that people will have the courage to come to the Station, that they will see God’s love and kindness in the Station Gym, and ultimately, that they will be saved. And that all the Christians at the Station would be on fire for Jesus, that they will be strong and courageous in sharing God’s love.”

Find out more about the Station Gym at www.

thestationgym.co.uk

FAITH AT HOME NEVER GIVE UP

Joanne Gilchrist has lived in Sheffield for 9 years, ever since her husband took a role at The Oakes Holiday Centre. She has three fabulous daughters who inspired her to create the God for Kids app and write the Animals of Eden Valley books. She founded the charity Ruach Resources in 2019, has a Graduate Certificate in Theology, Ministry and Mission and loves singing, cross stitch and Christmas!

Can you recall any ‘faith at home’ moments from when you were a child? Did you say grace before a meal, listen to Jesus-songs in the car or read with a grown-up from a children’s Bible?

My dad would get me to memorise Bible verses. A big part of me enjoyed it but another part of me pushed him away and once, when he came to teach me the verse of the week, I hid behind the sofa. Perhaps, looking back, I was experiencing a kind of spiritual warfare or maybe it was simply a childish mood swing. Whatever it was, I wanted him to try again, to press on and not give up on me. Even though I couldn’t have been more than six years old, I was devastated when, after the one time I hid away, he never tried again. Fast forward twenty-odd years and I’m the one with two small children and very little time to myself. My favourite time to worship God at home was while hanging

out the laundry because those were the only few minutes of spare time I could snatch. Even now, I really love hanging out laundry on sunny days.

When my kids were little, any kind of ‘Faith at Home’ activity just seemed like one more chore for a harassed parent to add to their endless ‘to do’ list; until the day my friend Ange gave me a set of ‘Jesus cards’ for Christmas. Ange had an intimate, deep relationship with her Father God and especially missed her quiet times once she started a family. Her solution changed my life.

She told me that she tried to find ways that she and her children could spend time with God together. It wasn’t a chore to her, it was life. She embraced the stage of life she was in and found a way for it to enhance her relationship with God, rather than put it on a back-burner for a day when she had more time. She would use these simple cards

to share a story about Jesus –there were actions for the kids to act out on the card and a simple prayer at the end. Then, she said, they’d take turns to choose a song about Jesus and even though it was a kid’s song, she’d worship God with the same enthusiasm as the kids. She encouraged me to do the same.

I tried a few times to use the cards but in the end, I found a different way that worked better for our family – I found an activity-devotion book for kids that we would read and complete after our bedtime story. This book became the inspiration for my app, God for Kids, which is now my full time ministry. Creating faith at home resources has become my passion.

Those Jesus-cards found a new life, ten years later, when Covid struck and we needed something for ‘church at home.’ Ange’s simple model became our lifeline and we’d spend Sunday mornings choosing worship songs on YouTube – from ‘Jesus you’re my super hero’ to ‘Amen’ by For King and Country. Even if the kids didn’t sing along or do all the actions, the simple fact that they chose the song meant something.

For me, Covid gave me the chance to put some ‘faith at home’ habits into place

that I’d always wanted, but previously struggled to maintain. Covid lasted so long that the habits have stuck! We have tried lots of different things – books, apps, YouTube videos, simply reading the Bible, memory verses, story books like ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’, dinner table talk cards. Some things work better for one kid than another, some things work for a while but then become stale so we change tack. Sometimes the kids engage, sometimes they don’t, sometimes I’m frustrated at their stinking attitude, sometimes I’m glowing at a thoughtful prayer they pray. It’s a really mixed bag. But instead of trying to find the ‘One Thing’ that will transform our lives, I try to embrace the mess because I am determined not to give up.

Queen Esther risked her life to stand up for her people and we consider her a hero. It is risky, this faith at home business. We don’t want to feel like a failure or make our kids hate us – or hate God –or have to put up with the resistance again and again and again. You’re also making yourself incredibly vulnerable. (I once cried because I was trying to worship to my favourite song while my 10 year old made fun of my choice.) But I believe it’s

worth the risk.

Somewhere deep down, even on their bad days and sad days, I believe my kids value these moments of worship or prayer or devotion together or, at the very least, I believe they will value them one day. I am encouraged by the testimony of people like Derek Prince who rejected his religious upbringing only to come back to God in later life and give thanks for the dozens of Bible verses that were ingrained into his brain. Even if it was decades later, those early years of investment from his parents laid a foundation for his life-long ministry as a Bible teacher.

The six-year-old me couldn’t explain why she was hiding behind the sofa instead of learning her memory verses, but she knew she wanted her Dad to try again, to not give up. There is a spiritual battle for our children and it is not for them to recognise that and overcome it when they’re so young – it’s for us as parents and carers to fight for them. Even if fighting means just trying again. (Even Esther took three attempts.) It’s ok if you don’t feel like you ever ‘do it right’ or land on the perfect rhythm, because this is your time as well as their time and it is well worth the risk.

FAITH AT WORK WITH

I’m Tim and I am the CEO of the Archer Project, which is dedicated to working with homeless adults to end their homelessness.

I am a Christian and being a Christian is important to the way I do my job. I work with many people who do not believe in God, or who follow other faiths. Many are wonderfully talented people whose aptitude, dedication and intelligence I admire enormously. My faith has changed the way I work: I believe it has made me better at doing my job, but I would never claim that my ‘better’ is better than those talented people around me.

My faith has grown and it looks different to me compared to the faith I had when I was younger and I believe that my weaknesses and failings and wrongdoings are an important part of that growth, especially as I’ve thought about accepting and supporting others.

Most days start with Morning Prayer at around 6.15am. Most days. My life needs pattern. I feel out of sorts when I lose

the pattern. Usually that happens when I get too tired or too busy. Arguably they are times when I need my morning prayer time the most. But that’s life. It’s through morning prayer that the Benedictus has become a prayer I associate with my job.

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The average age of death for people who have experienced homelessness is low. Life on the street – and, for that matter, life as it is experienced by people moving away from homelessness – has too much that is akin to survival. It is often dark and it needs the bright light of a new dawn. My heart rises as I hear the promise of God’s light and I sense a whole load of people and circumstances and trust that God sees them too.

I’m deliberately conscious of my faith at work and my work has also shaped my faith. There are many examples. One came from noticing how much we use ‘us’ and ‘them’ language. “We have offered support but he just doesn’t respond.”

The separation allowed an assumption that ‘we’ have acted reasonably and ‘he’ is the one preventing progress. If I look at the problem differently, without us and them, we all have something more to do to make things work. Passing the buck isn’t allowed.

Driving home made me realise the same applied to the rest of my life. I was irritated by bad drivers. I was right and they were wrong. We naturally blame the other. It is easy to throw stones until someone says, “Let him who is without sin throw the first stone.” Suddenly we have to think of a different way of doing things. And the outcome? Well, I reflected on how I would want me to treat me if I was homeless and walked into the centre where I work. Standing in the shoes of others, or doing my best to do so, changes the way I see issues and problems.

Last year I spent 14 days homeless. It was an incredible experience which underlined the same need to avoid quick judgements about people. I blogged each day and you can find my reflections on my Facebook or LinkedIn pages. I don’t speak about God but I believe God’s influence on me is in every post.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

- Ephesians 4:4-6

Reverend Derek Pamment is the Lead Chaplain for South Yorkshire Police, and an Associate Priest in the Sheffield Diocese. Email Derek at modernisation@ btopenworld.com

ON THE FRONT LINE STANDING

There are few people in life who stand on the front line more than our police services. The challenges are immense, and I admire their professionalism and courage.

One of my favourite scriptures is the simple statement in Joshua 1.9 which is often summarised as “Be Bold, Be Strong”. The actual verse reads; “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” This for me is at the heart of Police Chaplaincy.

Together with a small team of volunteer chaplains we are there to listen, to support and to encourage officers, staff, and their families across Sheffield and throughout South Yorkshire. We are there for all staff regardless of faith and it is always a privilege in chaplaincy to walk in their space, to be a Christian presence. For me as a Christian minister within the Anglican Church, to be a light in what are sometimes very dark situations is an immense privilege and one that underpins my church ministry. Increasingly our police officers and staff are shown little respect and like many public services, they face ever-growing demands with limited resources. We often judge the police only on what we see and not the immense - often unseen - effort that now goes into tackling cybercrime, fraud, domestic violence, mental health crisis and more. I don’t know why it is that our officers and staff are not respected. What a difference it would make if we all adopted the Great Commission to love our neighbour as ourselves. On reflection, I love the poem from Adrian Plass. It starts

When I became a Christian I said, Lord, now fill me in, Tell me what I’ll suffer in this world of shame and sin. He said, Your body may be killed, and left to rot and stink,

Do you still want to follow me? I said Amen – I think. It ends as follows, Are you man enough to follow me, I ask you once again?

I said, Oh Lord, I’m frightened, but I also said Amen.

Many officers do not know what they will face at the start of a shift and these otherwise ordinary human beings will be frightened; and yet they serve us day in and day out. That demands our prayers, our care and our support. My vision for South Yorkshire Police is to grow the team so that we can have a regular presence in each station across the four Districts of Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster and Sheffield as well as a strong multi-faith element. Anyone interested in Chaplaincy, bold enough to serve, and who can give at least a couple of hours each week can contact me. I would love to explore volunteer chaplaincy with you.

BUILDING A COMMUNITY

As Mansfield Road Fire Station, our building used to serve the community It will do so again as The Station Gym

While we are Sheffield's largest independent gym, community is at the heart of everything we do Not only do we offer state of the art resistance, strength and cardio equipment for our members, we also have an onsite café accessible to the public and community space available for meetings, training and other events

Whether you ' re an elite athlete or an absolute beginner, we are confident we'll have what you are looking for We can't wait to see where you fit in with us!

WHAT WE OFFER

A friendly environment for you to train no matter what your goal is

Extensive range of machines and weights

State of the art cardio kit

A variety of classes included in membership

Monthly memberships starting at £37.99

Discounts for students, over 60s and frontline staff

Café for members & non-members to enjoy

Support, hope and belonging in Sheffield SAFE FAMILIES

Interview with Joanne Bibby

Joanne Bibby is a Family Support Manager at Safe Families. She has lived in Sheffield for just over a year, and attends Antioch Church with her family. In her spare time she loves getting out for a walk in the Peaks with her family, exploring the coffee shops in Sheffield and cooking up a healthy meal when she gets the kitchen to herself.

Safe Families is a national charity that offers support, hope and belonging to improve the lives of local families. They link children, young people and families with local volunteers who can offer them help and support, and they have recently started operating in Sheffield. We asked Family Support Manager Joanne Bibby to tell us more.

Hi Joanne! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’ve been working for Safe Families for just over two years now as a Family Support Manager. I feel completely privileged to work for such a great organisation and with the families we meet, and I love that the Safe Families staff are encouraged to pray together and encourage each other in our faith.

How long have you been living in Sheffield?

We moved to Sheffield as a family last December and we absolutely love it here. We feel that we have barely scratched the surface of things to do and places to explore, and we love that Sheffield feels like a small town even though it’s a big city. We attend Antioch Church, in the city centre.

What has been bringing you closer to God lately?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the idea of resting and retreating, of following Jesus’ invitation to come away and rest for a while, and building rhythms of rest and Sabbath into my busy schedule.

What is Safe Families?

Safe Families is a Christian charity that works together with churches to mobilise

church members and train and support them to make an impact on local people’s lives. We want to see thousands of local Christians offering hope, belonging and support to their community’s most vulnerable children, families and care leavers.

Over 1,000 churches and community groups have already partnered with Safe Families to mobilise 7,000+ volunteers across the UK. Safe Families hold the responsibility for training, safeguarding, financial matters and the timeconsuming paperwork which allows churches and church leaders to focus on building relationships.

This year we expect to equip volunteers and churches to support 2,000 families, so they no longer feel isolated and are being supported to stay together and thrive.

What inspired the project?

Safe Families is inspired by the church! We see the way so many churches reach out into their communities and we want to make that as easy as possible for everyone to engage with.

What is Safe Families doing in Sheffield at the moment?

We love Sheffield and are so glad to be working here. We

have a partnership with Steel City Schools and they have asked us for help supporting families they have identified as needing some family friends to help them overcome the challenges they are facing.

What does a typical day at Safe Families look like for you?

Our day often begins with staff prayer to give our days to God, then I’ll be heading out to meet a new family, to get to know them and tell them about the support we offer. After that, I’ll catch up with our volunteers, introducing them to families or doing a review to see how support is going. We work closely with local authorities and schools, so often my day will involve speaking to them and giving them updates.

What have been some high points in your work in Sheffield so far?

We introduced a very isolated mum of four girls to a wonderful volunteer who was able to meet up with her regularly. They went out for walks and coffee together, which mum really looked forward to. The volunteer was also able to access a community fund at her church which helped mum get a new washing machine and bunk beds for the girls. Mum had

been hand washing all of their clothes for months so you can only imagine the difference it made!

How has the local Christian community responded to Safe Families?

We have been so encouraged by the response from churches in Sheffield. We have worked with 15 churches and have trained 38 people as Family Friends.

How can Christians in Sheffield support the project, both now and in the future?

Anyone wanting to get involved can respond in all or one of the following three ways:

1. Volunteering as a Family Friend, providing friendship and support to adults and children who are isolated and alone. This might be taking a parent, who would usually struggle to get out of the house, for a coffee and a chat; or taking a child/children to play at the park or hosting those children in your home whilst a parent is hospitalised or needs a break for a day or two.

2. Giving financially – as a one-off or regularly

3. Becoming a prayer partner and receiving regular prayer requests.

How can people contact you to find out more?

To find out more or to sign up to complete an application form to become a volunteer, you can visit https://safefamilies.uk and click on the ‘Join Us’ button, or call 03334 141488.

is at the core CO-WORKING WITH GOD of who we are

Mel Lewis recently joined the team at Worship.Works, where her role as Engagement Manager includes supporting church leaders, workplace Christians and students to access resources for serving God through work. She also serves on the leadership team at a local church where she loves to equip Christians to understand the Bible and apply its truth to their daily lives.

Have you ever heard someone say that retirement is like a perpetual holiday?

Whenever someone says that, I immediately picture a Corona commercial set in a sunny beach destination. You know, that image of uninterrupted blue-sky; sun-kissed skin; drink of choice in hand as you spend endless days lounging around at rest. Sounds divine, right?! Don’t we all long for such a work-free lifestyle?

For me, that illusion was burst recently upon hearing a comment that there is only so much sitting around a person can do before they become restless in their restfulness. Tired of doing nothing? Can’t be true! But, after pausing to consider the reality of not working, it dawned on me that life without work would indeed become restless. It would become dull. Void. Frustrating. And lethargic for the soul.

That’s because in our design as humans – at our very core – is a NEED to work. As part of God’s created order, we were gifted with the joy and pleasure of working with and for God, stewarding the responsibility of taking care of the world in which we live (Genesis 2:15). He intentionally wired us in such a way that life is experienced more fully when we are engaged with work.

The word ‘work’ can have a negative connotation – that

thing we survive Monday to Friday purely to earn a wage so we can ‘truly live’. But let’s reframe that. Work is better defined as ‘any activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.’ So then work includes the stay-home parent raising children, the volunteer at a charitable organisation, the church leader faithfully serving their community, or someone pursuing their professional career. And everything inbetween!

At Worship.Works we are convinced that work is good. That a purpose-filled output is healthy for us humans. That contributing positively to our world is a God-given mandate. And we would take it one step further, as sons and daughters of God, to say that we express worship to our Creator when we work. When we engage in work we honour God for what He has placed within us (our talents, gifts, skills etc) and we fulfil part of what it means to be created as humans. We work firstly for God, which is why we hold Colossians 3:23 as our key verse:

‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the LORD, not for human masters’ (NIV).

Our approach as an organisation is to encourage believers to consider

themselves as ministers (servants) of God sent into a work environment to represent Him to colleagues and clients by living in a way that demonstrates His love and shines His light. The term we use for this is Workplace Ministry. Just as a minister in a church context would seek to be led by God’s Spirit to fulfil their role in serving their people, workplace ministers are taught to intentionally and prayerfully partner with the Spirit in the momentby-moment experience of fulfilling their job roles and responsibilities. Through this process we become coworkers with God – achieving His plans and purposes through the work we do, in order to impact the world around us and establish His Kingdom on earth. Worship.Works supports church congregations and Christian professionals by teaching these Biblical principles and sharing testimonies from workplace ministers that have seen God at work through them in their work context. Plans are coming together for a training workshop in Sheffield this March. If you would like to find out more or to speak with one of the team about how Worship.Works can support you or your organisation, please email mel@worship.works.

Jonny is Church Army’s Church Resource Officer, working to develop resources and tools that help churches across the UK and Ireland do mission and evangelism well. He is a father of three energetic boys, and when not running around after them can be found cycling the roads of North Yorkshire.

MARKS MISSION of

When we think about how we share God’s love with others, we can quickly become paralysed by how big the task feels, or how intimidating the idea can be.

Well, to help you share the Good News with those around you, we have a few encouraging ideas for you.

Sharing God’s love with the world around us is not quite as big a task as it first seems. In the 1990s, a group of theologians in the Church of England did some deep dives into mission, evangelism, and all things faith-sharing. They spent time looking at

the Bible, praying together, and reflecting on it, and developed a series of ideas to help flesh out what it means for Christians to be involved in Mission in the world today.

Gone was the idea that mission was something that happened on the other side of the world, or that it was what young people did with their summer holiday. Instead, what emerged were Five Marks that together give a sense of what matters to God, and separately give Christians a framework for action in the world.

Here are their ideas:

1. Tell

To share by word the good news of Jesus Christ. We don’t have to share the gospel with an altar call every time we speak of faith but we should be ready to speak about why we find Jesus fascinating, why we have said ‘Yes’ to Him, and the difference He has made to our lives. Peter said that we should have an answer ready, when asked, for why we follow Jesus; we can all speak with authority about our own life and story, so let’s be confident in that.

2. Teach

To teach, baptise, and nurture new believers. In Matthew 28, Jesus instructs his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, and this commandment applies to us as well. As part of this, we should try to help others who are intrigued by Jesus to learn what it means to follow Him. We might feel that doing this is to impose on others, but if we recognise that no one has this worked out and we are teachable as well, then we’re all learning together. Or, as the Bible puts it, we are iron sharpening iron.

3. Tend

To respond to the needs we see around us with loving kindness and service. This boils down to being kind and helpful. That might seem easy, but it really isn’t. There is so much going on in the world: people are stretched thin and exhausted. When people feel like this, their kindness for those around them dries up and the world becomes a harder place to be. Jesus talked about placing a lamp on a stand for the whole house to see; we can be that lamp. Our churches can be places of kindness and love, and we can be the sort of people whose first reaction to the world around them is shaped by love.

4. Transform

To transform unjust structures of the world. This seems like it’s one for the hardcore believers, the social justice warriors among us. But we can all be a part of this, through the consumer choices we make, the charities we choose to support, and by choosing to engage in the political process. Our money and our

vote are valuable tools – for us in the UK at least. Let’s use them to make a difference for the better.

5. Treasure

To safeguard creation and renew life on earth. We hear a lot about this at the moment, and understandably so. It’s worth noting, though, that this is part of our work in the world and not something we should be involved with simply because it’s trendy. The Bible tells us that we are here to be good stewards of creation. When we do this, human life, animal life, and plant life all flourish and multiply; a shorthand the Bible uses to show something that is close to God’s heart.

When writing about Christians’ role in the world, Tom Wright uses a beautiful image; we are to reach forward into the Kingdom of God and pull a piece of it back into the here and now. The Five Marks of Mission can help us do that. I wonder how they will help you share God’s love with those around you in the weeks and months ahead?

SURE FOUNDATION The for our times

to this treasure.”

Revd Dr Nike Adebajo is a Regional Minister with the Yorkshire Baptist Association and supports Baptist churches in South Yorkshire and Huddersfield. She is a co-instigator of the Sheffield prayer movement emPower, and also of the Sheffield Leaders in Prayer community. She lives in Whirlow with her husband Ade. She enjoys gardens (not gardening), coconut chocolates and crochet, and supports Arsenal Football Club.

In the midst of the turmoil that prophet Isaiah experienced and saw as God gave him the opportunity to see into Judah’s future, we find this incredibly encouraging gem of a verse:

Isaiah 33:6:

“He [The Lord] will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key

There’s so much happening around us right now – cost of living crises, our health and social care system at breaking point. On the global stage: there are wars, environmental challenges, persecution of Christians and much more. Sometimes it can feel that the very foundation of our life is being rocked.

A couple of words from this verse that could speak to us: ‘foundation’ and ‘times’.

A foundation, the unseen part of any building, is the first layer of a structure that provides a stable base for the superstructure. A welllaid foundation has strength, durability, longevity and resilience.

Just as every building has a foundation, all eight-billion people on earth are building their lives on a foundation: success, relationships, jobs, self, beauty, intelligence, voluntary work, philanthropy, achievements, ministry, physical prowess, academic qualification, hobbies, etc. While all these are important aspects of our lives, God’s gifts to us to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17), they were never meant to be the foundation of our lives. They are not resilient enough.

At the end of Matthew 7, Jesus distinguished between building a house on the sand and on the Rock. When the rains came, the flood rose and the winds blew, the house on the sand was in great peril. Not so for the house built on the Rock. It stood firm.

Isaiah 28:16 says:

“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.” (NLT)

Other translations say whoever believes will not “waver, falter, be disturbed, panic, be disappointed, worry”. This is a word picture of what God wants for us, His children.

So, what is this foundation? We find in scripture that this foundation is a Person.

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

(1 Corinthians 3:11)

“And the corner stone is Christ Jesus himself.”

(Ephesians 2:20b NLT)

The start of a new year is a

good time to reassess your foundation. What are you building your life upon? Are you building on the firm, tested, precious, safe-to-buildon foundation, or have any of these good gifts God has given us to enjoy slowly but surely displaced the Rock?

The second word I’d like to highlight is “times.” The Greek language has two different words for time: one is chronos, that quantitative measure of time experienced in the inexorable passing of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, and the seasons coming and going: spring, summer, autumn and winter.

But there’s also kairos, qualitative time, Godordained times. One helpful way for us to figure out, with God’s help, what kairos time we might be in, is using these figurative categories others have identified: Wilderness, Waiting, Winning and Warring times.

What is most encouraging is that our Saviour who took on human form and “moved into the neighbourhood”

(John 1:14 MSG), had His own seasons of kairos and so is able to identify with us, whichever season we’re in.

Wilderness season

In life’s wilderness season, things can be lonely and dry: the full life that Jesus came to give to us might seem distant and out of reach.

The word wilderness reminds us of Jesus’ experience in the wilderness in Matthew 4. Whilst not the same as the figurative wilderness season, nevertheless, we can learn

from it. Just before this, at Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:17, the Father affirms His love for the Son; “And a voice from heaven said ‘This is my Son whom I love, with him I am well pleased.’” If you are going through a wilderness experience, follow Jesus’ example by choosing to believe in the Father’s love for you and allowing yourself to be held in and by Him.

Waiting season

The waiting season can feel long, especially when we have no idea when what we are waiting for will manifest – that new relationship, ministry, job, the person you love becoming a follower of Jesus, a prodigal returning home, a promise coming to fruition. The temptation is to take matters into our own hands (Sarah and Abraham come to mind) or to give up. We can learn from our Saviour who also had a waiting season. On more than one occasion, he had to tell people that his time had not yet come (John 2:4, 7:8). For Him, doing the will of God included waiting for God’s timing. His heavenly Father was the sure foundation for His waiting time.

Winning season

In Jesus’ winning time, things were going so well; hordes of people were flocking to Him and many put their trust in Him, becoming His disciples. However, He didn’t let the success of the time get to Him. John 6:15: “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”

And we know what He does when He goes to a mountain by Himself. He goes to connect with His Heavenly Father in prayer. He didn’t allow Himself or His focus to be swayed in this season. Similarly, we also have seasons where we achieve success, receiving accolades or acclaim from people. Do we follow His example, keeping our focus on the Giver and not the gifts?

Warring season

Warring seasons can be times of opposition: it feels like nearly everything is going wrong, there might be conflict on many fronts. Jesus too went through this season, especially with the Jewish religious leaders. Even though He was doing the will of the Father, they literally hounded him to death. But we see that Jesus did not lose His focus but stayed firmly rooted in His Father’s love. Whatever season you might be in right now, remember that we have a high priest who understands and sympathises with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15). Listen to these words from Scripture reminding us of this wonderful strong, firm, tested foundation upon which we can build in any season of our life:

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:10). He is indeed our sure foundation for such a time as this.

How to hear God Pete Greig

Book Review

Roger Hoyle worships at All Saints Totley. He has been a lay preacher for over 60 years, and he is part of the Prayer Ministry Team for Sheffield West Filling Station.

The sub-title of the book is ‘A simple guide for normal people,’ and the front cover has a comment by John Mark Comer: ‘The best book I have ever read on the most important thing you will ever do.’ On the back cover we read, ‘This is a book to make faith come alive by turning prayer into a real, conversational relationship with the God who speaksmore than you know.’ In a way, there’s no need to write any more in this review!

Throughout the book we are delving into the lovely story

of the walk to Emmaus as recorded in Luke chapter 24. Pete Greig quotes another theologian, who describes the story as ‘a wonderful, unique, spell-binding tale’ and ‘a model for a great deal of what being a Christian, from that day to this, is all about.’ One powerful thing about this book is that the author is so honest about his own failing to hear God’s voice: he reckons to have been suffering from fundamental problems with the very notion of God speaking to him either supernaturally or in any consistently conversational way. And then, in a couple of hundred pages of humorous wisdom, he draws us into his discovery that God does actually speak, in Jesus, in the Bible, in prayer, in prophecy; we hear God’s whisper in dreams and in creation.

‘Toilet-cleaning blues’ and ‘Finding your Eli’ and ‘Happy Eater’ are just three examples of many intriguing subheadings scattered through the chapters giving stories of how the very practical advice has worked out in the author’s life and in the life of people

who have been part of his 24/7 prayer experience.

The last chapter of this exciting, life-changing book urges us to ‘Listen and follow Jesus… say ‘yes’ to his Word in the Bible… But it also means saying ‘yes’ to his whisper day by day in more particular and personal ways… learning to discern that still, small voice telling me to turn left at the end of the street, listen to my kids, wear the blue T-shirt, put £57 in the offering, sort out my attitude, take a day off, call my mother, share my faith, shut my mouth, pay attention to a certain word in the sermon, pause and pray.’ And when we have read the book and responded to it, we shall say, like those two disciples who walked to Emmaus and invited Jesus into their home, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked?’

Called & Gifted

CHARISM AND MISSION DISCERNMENT

Candida Calvert

Candida is a busy wife and mother, and an activated disciple at St Marie’s Cathedral (with a special interest in Children and Families Ministry). She is a freelance business consultant, with a background in psychology, who works with Catholic schools. She has lived in Sheffield for the past 32 years. She loves cooking, dancing, and walking her dogs - Betty & Frankie.

Candida: So Anne-Marie, let’s start with a bit of an introduction: who are you and what do you do?

Anne-Marie: Thanks Candida. I am a Catholic wife, mother & grandmother, and I’m also the Deputy Leader of the Called & Gifted Charism & Mission Discernment Process in the UK.

Called & Gifted, as a discernment process, was brought over from the United States by the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth in 2014. We were living down there at the time, on the south coast of England, and I became involved very early on. I knew that Called & Gifted was such good news that it had to spread far and wide! It seems that this is God’s Plan too. We finally moved back up north to Sheffield in 2021, which is my husband and children’s home city, and this – rather wonderfully – coincided with Called & Gifted being given the permission and tools to deliver the programme nationally for the first time. All praise be to God!

Candida: We can talk more about the discernment process itself later, but let’s start by focusing on the title: Called & Gifted. When I first came across Called & Gifted – which is how you and I first met, actually – I instantly loved the idea! But who exactly is called? And what do you mean by ‘gifted’?

Anne-Marie: We are all ‘called’ to be in relationship with Jesus, and when this relationship is nurtured, it grows. We nurture this relationship through prayer, scripture, sacraments, fellowship, listening to God’s promptings in the heart, and trying to respond in love to God’s holy will. God’s will for us is our calling – our mission, if you like – and He wants to collaborate with us on that. But it is not easy to discern God’s will and that’s where Called & Gifted can help. Because God has not left us to our own devices; He has gifted us with particular charisms to enable us to be successful in our calling. And through the

process of responding to our calling, we become more and more who we were created to be.

If we had to rely simply on our talents, skills and hardwork, the thought of ‘mission’ would be very daunting indeed for most people…. But knowing that you are equipped with God’s giftsthe charisms - it can become very exciting!

Candida: So… talk to me about the gifts, then – the charisms. What are they, and how do they work?

Anne-Marie: Charisms are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, through which the Holy Spirit can flow to people and situations in remarkable ways. We are talking of supernaturallyempowered gifts here – gifts that bring about fruits that are way beyond our natural talents. When you see these manifested in your community and workplace, it’s awesome! God then becomes not just someone to take out on a weekend when you go to Church; He is there in your life, collaborating with you, and bringing about wonders through you.

Candida: That idea always blows my mind! But I know that people can struggle with the ‘super-natural’ element of it. Can you say more?

Anne-Marie: God loves us; He made us in love, for love. Charisms are manifestations of that love.

When Jesus walked the Earth, he was constantly teaching and prophesying – with

spectacular results. So, there are charisms of Teaching and of Prophecy. Jesus was also a complete wonder-worker, pouring out healing grace wherever he went; and there are two specific Healing charisms.

In fact, Called & Gifted have identified a total of 24 charisms, all of which are arranged in different categories to describe what they do. So, you have the Healing charisms, but you also have the Nurturing charisms. Then there are the Organisational charisms and the Communication charisms. There are also Creative charisms, charisms of Understanding, and so forth. Candida: Do people generally just have one charism, or can they have more?

Anne-Marie: Often people have more than one charism - a charism tool box, if you like. In fact, our charism mix is often an excellent clue as to what our mission calling is all about!

But when we discern charisms, we always start by selecting just one and taking it into prayerful, real-life experimentation. Charisms leave us feeling energised and joyful, or peaceful and fulfilled. We often find that it is other people who more readily recognise the charisms before we do, often subconsciously calling them forth from us.

Once you are confident with one charism and have learnt how to discern, usually another charism starts blinking on the radar, inviting exploration.

Candida: What would you say to anyone who may be thinking this doesn’t apply to them?

Anne-Marie: Well, I have listened to hundreds of ordinary people’s stories, and I find it is simply about helping people to uncover and recognise the ‘extraordinary’ within. The God of Surprises often reveals Himself in the most amazing ways as people start to intentionally discern! For some, it affirms what they have always suspected, but have not been able to define or understand. For others, it is a real journey of discovery; discovering the gifts they simply had not known they had. For many, it’s a combination of both those things.

Candida: Personally, I was someone who was experiencing a very strong calling, but I couldn’t find anyone who was prepared to help me understand that – until I came across Called & Gifted. Finding you and the team was a massive relief to me! How can an understanding of your charisms help you discern your own personal, God-given mission?

Anne-Marie: If you know which charisms you have, you are more easily able to discern what situations these will be effective in. And that, in turn, helps you to recognise when God is presenting you with certain situations or people, that are literally calling forth these charisms from you.

As you go deeper into discernment, you also become more aware of how

your charisms work with other people’s charisms, especially those we are called to work with for the benefit of the Kingdom.

Equally, you will also feel more confident about stepping back or saying no, without guilt, to situations that require charisms you know you do not have, but someone else does!

Candida: That is certainly something I’ve noticed on my Called & Gifted journey. It’s been as much about learning what to stop doing, as it has been about discerning what my mission is and how the Holy Spirit likes to work through me. Even if it means stopping ‘good’ ideas! I’ve come to realise I don’t want just good ideas anymore; I want the God ideas. His way is always so much better than my way.

Anne-Marie: Absolutely! There are so many needs all around us that we can easily become overwhelmed, and many people suffer from burn out, trying to meet those needs in their own strength.

God does not want to see His sons & daughters burn out. Discerning what to say yes and no to is really important. And when we collaborate with Him in the right way, He makes those burdens really light and joyful!

Candida: Another important aspect for me has been to discern my mission field – exactly where I am being called to work. If we think about the world as God’s vineyard, and that as Christians, we are all called to work in a particular part

of that vineyard, it’s actually really important we get that bit right. But the world is a big place! What advice can you give people about that?

Anne-Marie: There are clues to where God is calling you to work.

One really important clue is “What bothers your heart?’ If you are not deeply bothered, there will not be enough love in your heart to be moved to act. Another clue is, “Where do you feel the most joy?”.

When we are working in the right mission field, there will be a sense of it being the ‘right fit’. You will experience

everything just flowing, and you will get really positive feedback from others that takes you by surprise.

Candida: Receiving feedback is an important part of the Called & Gifted discernment process, isn’t it? Why is that?

Anne-Marie: Surprisingly positive feedback from others helps you to know that they are receiving God’s provision through you. That feedback often describes the characteristics of the charism in some way, such as the clarity they have received (charism of Teaching), or amazing insights they’ve received from talking to

you (charism of Wisdom). Or they may even unknowingly name the charism they have received!

Candida: Yes, I’ve noticed that; people are always telling me how encouraging they find me… I never used to pay much attention to feedback, but I’m very attentive now. I’ve noticed that when people receive something through a charism, it has always been a big deal to them – and so they have wanted to share that, hence the feedback. It’s amazing, really: the Holy Spirit really does reach the parts we humans can’t ordinarily reach! So how can you tell the difference between your own efforts, and the Holy Spirit’s?

Anne-Marie: Let’s look at an example: music. Music is a particularly interesting charism to reflect on, as not all those who have a talent for music have the charism, and not all those who have a Music charism have reached a high level of musical training. But the difference can always be ‘felt’ by the audience!

The one with talent can bring pleasure with a good performance, but it is only the charism that brings the Holy Spirit into play; and then people will feel deeply moved in some way, and it can even provide healing. People may be moved to tears, or they

may feel so uplifted that they are walking on air.

Of course, where there is natural talent, well-practised skills and a charism at play, the Holy Spirit really can have a field day!

Candida: Indeed! We went to an Advent service recently, and I’m sure their soloist had a Music charism. My eyes welled up and my heart soared with the sheer beauty of her song, and I noticed a few other people dabbing at their eyes too. It literally was the stand out moment of the whole evening, for sure.

But what about if someone is pursuing a direction at odds to God’s plan for them; so, pursuing one of those ‘good ideas’ rather than a ‘God idea’? How can people learn to recognise when they are heading in the wrong direction?

Anne-Marie: Ah, yes… Feelings of frustration, boredom, heaviness, toil and weariness are all clues that you may be heading in the wrong direction – or simply operating under your own strength You may simply observe that nothing much is happening, over and above what you would expect from the pure effort you have put in; so, no awe and wonder!

If you find yourself in that situation, you may need

to change tack or find the person with the right charisms to work alongside.

Candida: Fabulous – thank you; that’s been really helpful. Now let’s talk a bit more about the Called & Gifted Process. Where has it come from?

Anne-Marie: Called & Gifted was developed by Sherry Weddell in the States, who – with the US team at the Catherine of Siena Institute in Colorado Springs – has a mission to form intentional disciples of Jesus Christ, by empowering them to understand their unique gifting, or charisms. The discernment process first came to England in 2014, following Bishop Philip Egan’s invitation to Sherry Weddell to come over and train his people. A core team in the Diocese of Portsmouth –that’s Bishop Philip’s Diocese – then became licensed to deliver Called & Gifted, and we have been teaching and accompanying people on their charism journeys ever since. Then in 2020, against all the odds and with a backdrop of Covid lockdowns, we were given permission by the Siena Institute to take Called & Gifted out across the UK.

Candida: Who exactly is eligible to do this programme of discernment?

Anne-Marie: All adult Christians, of any denomination – who are in a personal relationship with Jesus – are both eligible and very welcome to journey with us. You do need to be 18 years of age though.

In fact, 3 years ago the wife

of a Christian, herself at that time a Buddhist, asked if she could join her husband in discerning gifts. Now usually our understanding is that these gifts only manifest in a person who has been baptised, yet it appears that God is not limited even by the sacraments - as we soon discovered! During her discernment & experimentation period with Called & Gifted, I asked to whom she was praying; imagine my delight when she replied “The Sacred Heart of Jesus!”. Within 2 years she was baptised and confirmed into the Catholic church, and is now using her Administration charism within a Christian Ministry.

Candida: Wow – that’s an amazing conversion story!

So, what does Called & Gifted actually involve? How long does the discernment process take?

Anne-Marie: The whole process takes about five or six months from beginning to end, but there is a lot of flexibility with that. And that process is broken down into three stages.

Stage 1 is the teaching stage, and that is delivered as a total of five hours of online videos, accessed on Siena’s Institute learning platform. You have six months to complete that. Some people do that in just a

week, but most people take five weeks. A few take three months or more to complete; it really depends on people’s personal circumstances. Stage one also involves completing a ‘Gifts Inventory’ of 120 questions – also online – to start some initial sifting of potential charisms.

Stage 2 is the one-toone charism discernment conversation with a trained facilitator. This usually takes just over an hour, and happens via Zoom. During Stage two, the facilitator acts as your sounding board and guide, and helps you unpack your story. Together with the Gifts Inventory results, the facilitator prayerfully guides you in selecting just one charism to take to experimentation.

Stage 3 is where you start to experiment and discern what the Holy Spirit is showing you in day-to-day life. Individuals are supported by coming together on four separate Zoom meetings, spread over a three-month period, with their facilitator and with other fellow discerners. Each Zoom is about ninety minutes in length, and creates the opportunity for personal testimonies to be shared, and charisms to be better understood – with the help of the others present.

Candida: As you know,

I went through Called & Gifted in 2021-22, and I have absolutely loved doing it. I have learnt so much; it’s been an incredibly exciting adventure for me! I am now going even deeper into discernment as I discover the range of my gift ‘tool box’. God’s plan is only being gradually revealed to me, so I have a way to go... But I feel like I now know what I am doing on the discernment front, and I no longer feel alone, scared and lost at sea. It is also truly wonderful to feel connected and a part of the nation-wide Called & Gifted community!

So, final question Anne-Marie: if anyone is interested about finding out more, how should they go about doing that?

Anne-Marie: Well, first port of call is the Called & Gifted website which people can explore; this gives lots of information including video and written testimonies; a webstore and pricing; and all the relevant contact details. Or, simply email me –especially if there is a group of you who would like to embark on Called & Gifted together. We can talk things through.

To find out more Called & Gifted (UK) - https:// www.calledandgifted.org.uk

Or email: amfletcher@ portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

A Myriad church planters for Sheffield COULD

YOU BE ONE?

Nick is the joint-Senior Minister of The Well Sheffield, and their 2021 church plant The Well at Woodseats. Over the past 12 years he has overseen the planting of dozens of missional communities and is passionate to empower people to share Jesus, build community and be disciples. In 2020 he published ‘The XYZ of Discipleship:

Understanding and Reaching Generations

Y & Z’

“Oh, I could never do what you do!” People often say this to me, when I tell them that I’m a church minister. Even some of my friends from my own church shudder at the idea. They could be carrying loads of responsibilities in the home, workplace or school, yet when it comes to church, they somehow feel disempowered or put-off.

In reality, it does not feel like a ‘job’ to me, it is a vocation which I love, something which I feel God has called me into and equips me to accomplish with His abundant grace, and the help of my church family and team. I didn’t begin life as a church minister. I followed God’s winding path in

Are you, or people you lead, interested in church planting? Looking for inspiration and support to begin a new micro-church in your particular context? Sheffield’s collaborative church planting Hub launches Summer 2023. Visit https://shorturl.at/biTV3 for more.

obedience, and I pursued the passions He laid on my heart, and I played to the strengths of my personality and gifts.

How do you feel about the idea of church planting?

If you’ve read this far, perhaps you feel a spark of excitement at the idea of helping to begin a new community of faith, who follow Jesus’ ways together and seek to introduce others to the same. You don’t have to be a superhero to lead a church. I’m certainly not. God plants the seeds of His kingdom into each of us, and gifts us with His creativity and abilities. In the New Testament church we see all kinds of normal, everyday folk taking on the leadership and discipleship of newly planted microchurches. Like Lydia, the wealthy tradesperson who opened her home in Philippi (Acts 16), or Barnabas, the young adult sent from Jerusalem to plant and lead the church at Antioch (Acts 11).

We all believe in church growth for the sake of the gospel, and Jesus loves his church in all its forms. The local church is still the primary tool of God to reach our region, where our contexts are all different. We are free to reimagine church together for the unique context and challenges of our 21st century. We need more communities of faith in the years to come, led by a variety of folk called by God, in strong relationship with other churches.

“At least potentially, every believer ought to be considered a church planter and every church should be thought of as a church-planting church”

(Alan Hirsch, author and church planting coach).

Are you beginning to think differently about church planting?

A collaborative church planting course for the Sheffield region

Launching Summer 2023 is training and support to help predominantly lay-led churches to be planted in our region.

Open to all denominations/ streams, a collaboration of experienced church planters in Sheffield and nationally will invest in people who are pursuing the mission of God with a vision and intention to

begin new communities of faith for their contexts.

If you are an existing church leader, you may know of gifted potential leaders but you don’t currently have the capacity or experience to train them. This Hub exists to train leaders from your midst, under your oversight, so they can be effective in your context.

What does ‘church plant’ mean?

It means a team, with leaders, creating a cohesive community of faith with outreach at its heart, which reflects the Biblical markers of ‘church’ in a culturally appropriate way, dependent upon its local context. New churches will be in good relationship with existing local ones, and often connected to national networks/denominations.

It could be smaller groups and missional initiatives away from traditional buildings and Sunday services. Equally, it could be the renewal of historic models of church to be missionally fit-for-purpose in the twenty-first century.

Who is it for?

This is for anyone who feels called to start a new church community but hasn’t yet worked out what that looks like and how to go about it. And for those who have recently started a new church

community (e.g. within the past 12 months) and need training and support.

We require that the person and their application are supported by an oversight minister.

You’ll join with a number of other teams to form a learning community that will explore the tools and capacity you need to establish new church communities. These churches will look different, be connected to different church streams, but share the same DNA consisting of devotion, discipleship and mission.

When?

Taster event Saturday 18 March 2023 at The Well Sheffield. Open to all those exploring church planting: come as an individual or with a team. Meet the course hosts and see if this is suitable for you.

Visit here to register your interest (no obligation): https://shorturl.at/biTV3

More information

The Hub host is Revd. Nick Allan (Baptist Minister, The Well Sheffield) in collaboration with Revd. Tom Finnemore (Anglican Rector, STC Sheffield).

Contact: Nick Allan info@wellsheffield.com 0800 599 9060

Connect with the Community

Arise is on your favourite social platforms: search 'Arise Sheffield' on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to join in.

IMAGES OF DISCIPLESHIP

In the Diocese of Sheffield, we’ve been using the idea of being Lights for Christ to help us think about how we live out our faith in the world. All followers of Jesus have this common calling – to reflect Christ’s light to others – regardless of tradition or church background.

Hannah Sandoval is the Lights for Christ (Discipleship) Enabler for the Diocese of Sheffield. She is also a teacher working with Deaf children. In her spare time you might find her playing her harp or in one of the many rock climbing gyms in Sheffield.

Our hope is that this image of light is a familiar and useful one for people to take to heart; to carry with them as they go about their daily lives. God is calling us to be lights wherever we are – even in the areas of our lives that we think are mundane or unimportant. But there are plenty of other images in the Bible that can help us to understand more about living out our calling to be disciples of Jesus. It may be that one image in particular resonates with you or feels especially relevant during this season of your life. I invite you to prayerfully consider the images and Bible verses below: is there an image that helps you to understand your own journey of discipleship in a new way?

Herald

In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isaiah 40:3

Perhaps you see yourself as a herald – announcing the coming of God’s kingdom and preparing the way for something bigger than yourself. Like John the Baptist, your words and actions show that you are not the main event – Jesus is! Like a signpost, you point the way to Jesus in all you say and do.

Messenger

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor… to set the oppressed free…

Luke 4:18-19 (from Isaiah 61)

Maybe you have a gift for communicating clearly and can use this to be a messenger of the good news of Jesus. Perhaps you feel particularly called to share the hope that Jesus brings with people who are oppressed and marginalised.

Drink Offering

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

Philippians 2:17

It could be that in this season of your life, following Jesus feels particularly costly. Perhaps there is sacrifice involved in what God is calling you to do at the moment. Be encouraged –such offerings are not wasted. Like the woman at Bethany, who anointed Jesus before his death by pouring out expensive perfume, those who serve God at personal cost are doing a ‘beautiful thing’ (Mark 14:6).

Ambassador

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

2 Corinthians 5:20

Perhaps the image of being an ambassador is a helpful one for you –maybe you see yourself as a representative of Christ in your workplace, your home, your group of friends or in your sports club. A foreign ambassador represents the government and interests of their country (an earthly kingdom), but we are called to be representatives of God’s Kingdom and the love on which is it founded.

Shepherd

Tend my sheep. John 21:16

It could be that you have a gift for leading and caring for God’s people. Perhaps, like a shepherd, you live and work closely with your flock, and love them for all their charms and eccentricities. If you have been given a position of responsibility and authority, look to Christ as your example – follow the way of the Servant King.

The Bible is full of other metaphors and images that relate to discipleship – the ones outlined above are just a small selection. During Wear Your Faith Fortnight last year we saw the importance of symbols for encapsulating and communicating ideas of faith – is there an image from the Bible that you can carry with you, either as a physical symbol or a recurring theme in your mind, that will act as a reminder of the life to which you have been called?

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WHIRLOW SPIRITUALITY CENTRE

Leonie Martin

Chesterfield-based freelance writer and poet Leonie

Martin worked in project management for 21 years before a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis drew her towards a new, Christ-centred way of life. Her passion lies in helping people draw closer to Christ in daily life through Ignatian Spirituality and accessible forms of creative writing. She facilitates Writing for Wellbeing workshops in community settings and is currently writing a reimagined life of Saint Lidwina of Schiedam (1380-1433).

You can contact Leonie at leonie.martin@me.com

Leonie: It’s good to chat with you today, Joy, in such a beautiful, peaceful setting here on the edge of Sheffield. For those who haven’t heard of Whirlow Spirituality Centre, can you tell me a little about its backstory?

Joy: It’s a pleasure to welcome you! Whirlow Spirituality Centre at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit is a successor to Whirlow Grange Retreat and Conference Centre. When the former centre closed in 2014, it looked as though a precious spiritual resource for Sheffield and surrounding areas would be totally lost. Thankfully, a collaborative partnership was formed between the joint owners of the present buildings and land and the PCC from All Saints Ecclesall. I have had the privilege of being Chaplain since 2015.

Several members of the former community are still actively involved in various ways, along with many new faces too, as more people discover us and find spiritual sustenance here.

Leonie: One thing that really strikes me on this sunny day is a sense of intentional space and light. Could you tell me about the vision behind the centre as it exists today, and the spirituality underpinning this?

Joy: Whirlow Spirituality Centre is truly ecumenical –though we value our Anglican foundation, and I just happen to be an ordained Methodist minister. Inspired by the Christian virtues of faith, hope, and love – with Christ always at the centre – we see denominations as irrelevant. This faith, hope and love is demonstrated by reaching out to offer a place of safety, space, and stillness to people of any faith and none. Our aim is

to offer generous hospitality and sanctuary, mirroring the generous hospitality of God, being aware that Christian contemplative wisdom and practices support transformation, and inspire loving action.

We discover, repeatedly, that it is in times of stillness and silence that the Holy Spirit mysteriously works and transforms us to have more of ‘the mind of Christ’. My personal message for people, wherever they are on their spiritual journey, is to never underestimate the importance and value of contemplative prayer – the prayer of silence, where we intentionally sit in the presence of God, not necessarily saying anything, just being.

I truly believe that churches, as well as individuals can be transformed by giving room to God’s Spirit in this way. Personally, having suffered from occupational stress and depression in the past, I have found that it is contemplative prayer which has renewed and restored me. If I hadn’t been able to nurture this contemplative side of my Christian faith, I could be in a very dark place now.

Leonie: Many readers might resonate with this spiritual and psychological struggle you have shared, especially in these ongoing times of social and economic upheaval. Would you like to say a little about Whirlow’s ministry, facilities, and events?

Joy: Our ethos is to offer a safe, sacred place of stillness, and prayer. Since 2015, we

have developed a rich and diverse programme of prayer and retreat events drawing from a breadth of Christian traditions. These include led quiet days, days of retreat, workshops on different ways of Christian praying and wisdom, and applying our faith to topical social issues, including climate change, the marginalised, and financial hardship etc. We hold regular times of reflective worship and prayer. Our weekly Reflective Communion service draws up to thirty or more people from across the city and beyond, seeking a quiet space in a busy life.

We are fortunate to have around eight ministers from different denominations who are drawn to offering contemplative worship. Every first Sunday of the month there is a time of contemplative input and reflection (Space to Reflect) led by a small team of Whirlow regulars. Then we have Praying Without Words monthly, online on the third Thursday of each month. Post-Covid, and with

everything else that’s happening in the world including financial hardship and climate change, we are finding that more and more groups and individuals use this place for prayer. We have beautiful Chapel of the Holy Spirit, a Lounge, a Spirituality Library, and various prayer spaces, including two ‘Poustinias’ (Prayer Hermitages) in the garden, and a quiet room – all these are booked regularly by individuals, including church leaders from a variety of traditions, as a safe and peaceful space – just to be and to pray.

Our well-tended garden invites reflection and relaxation – we are a member of the Quiet Garden Movement – and is used by our neighbours, members of the public as well as users of the Centre. Our location, on the edge of Sheffield close to the Peak District, also means visitors can enjoy many easyto-access walks in local woods and farmlands.

Finally, our facilities are available to hire both by

faith and by non-faith groups. We find that a single booking by an external hirer generally leads to repeated bookings, as these groups value the space and stillness offered.

Leonie: How easy is it for people to access what you are offering, especially in these financially challenging times?

Joy: One of our values is to ‘prioritise those on the margins’ as practised by Jesus. This includes those on the social and financial margins of society. We would not want any group or individual excluded for reasons of financial hardship. Community/inner city projects looking for a place to have ‘time out’ for their staff/volunteers are invited to contact me as we would love to offer our space free of charge; the same goes for individuals.

But those who find themselves on the margins of the church also find their way to us - individuals who have not lost their faith but, for one reason or another, are struggling with what I call ‘inherited church’ and don’t quite know where to go with that.

It is uncomfortable to be on these spiritual margins so another of our values, ‘time and people are precious –neither should be rushed’ is becoming increasingly important, particularly for those who may have been hurt by their institution – we journey with them as they try to find God in their situation.

Leonie: Do you get a sense that after coming here people are better able to find their calling/role within their community, or in some other way, so it doesn’t just stop once they leave here?

Joy: Absolutely. I see one role of Whirlow as holding people in that liminal space of not knowing where to go spiritually, to hold them in loving prayer as they find their way forward. We offer a safe place for people to come and spend time in quiet, perhaps to have a safe conversation without fear of being judged, so that they can begin to discern their next steps – wherever they might be called.

Leonie: Is there anything else you would like to say to those who haven’t yet discovered Whirlow Spirituality Centre?

Joy: I’d like to mention another of our values, which is to walk lightly on the earth. God speaks to us through Christ, and Christ reveals himself through his Word and through creation, so we cannot help but respect and love creation. We are a welcoming, eco-friendly, and high-quality venue to hire. We think carefully about what we use, or do not use, conscious that our decisions will always impact those on the margins. Finally, there is the wellresourced Christian Spirituality Library (1500+ items), open to anyone to browse or borrow, and Whirlow Grange Ltd is a grant-making body, supporting and resourcing individuals and communities in their Christian development. You can find up to date information on all our facilities and how to hire them, plus the latest programme of events and how to book them, on our website: https://www. whirlowspiritualitycentre.org

We look forward to meeting you! Be assured you will find a warm welcome and a place of solace.

Re-imagining City Mission Church FOR A CHANGING CITY CENTRE LANDSCAPE

Jonathan is a Methodist Minister in Sheffield. He grew up in Swinton and he is a proud South Yorkshireman. He has a heart for the people of Sheffield. Jonathan is married to Chris and he has two grown-up girls. He is passionate about sharing Jesus and making disciples in the City that he loves so much.

The centre of Sheffield is changing.

Retail and office spaces are being converted into coffee shops, entertainment venues, restaurants, and residential dwellings. The number of people walking past the iconic Victoria Hall is growing again, and so are the opportunities to offer an invitation to join a City Centre Community of faith. The formerly very traditional Methodist Church has also gone through change, out of necessity to survive the Pandemic. It is now fellowship-based and those who come are encouraged to get involved with the worship. From January we are preparing to become a Church of Sanctuary and we want to welcome people from all nations to join us. Our Sunday evening gathering also reflects this mission ethos that all

are welcome: Oasis Recovery Church is an ecumenical Community supported by the Methodist Church, Salvation Army and the Church Army; it offers the sharing of food, friendship, and faith exploration with people on the Margins of the City. It feels like God is preparing us ‘for such a time as this’ to be ready and confident to offer a wider invitation to a tide of people moving back into the city. A prophecy shared by a member of the church seemed to quicken our hopes and dreams of refreshed city mission: “I feel that God has said that the time of decline has ended, and that growth has begun”.

Over the following weeks other signs that this was God’s timing started to appear. Firstly, a bequest from an elderly member of £150,000. And then an opportunity to take over the shop at 35 Chapel Walk as our midweek outreach centre. Now, instead of being hidden in a room deep within the corridors of Victoria Hall, the ecumenical mission is visible to passers-by. Prayer, fellowship, Bible study and a warm space is now available to all those who cut through Chapel Walk. We are forging new relationships and making our presence

known. Our mission partners are creatively looking to use this space to share Jesus and make disciples. It is a safe space in the heart of the city. And all this dovetails with the Mission statement used by the Sheffield Methodist District, which is, wait for it, “Such a time as this!”

Sam Roberts, our Communications Officer explains; “For Such A Time As This is our strategy for resourcing mission, supporting people to respond to the good news of God's love in Christ using the gifts and talents that God has given them. We know it is easy to be overwhelmed by the challenges before us, to feel powerless or despondent. But we believe that God has made us who we are, has called each of us by name, and will equip us with as much as we need to live out our vocation. We draw inspiration from the Old Testament story of Esther who risked her own life to use the limited influence she had to save her people from genocide. God does not need someone better. There is no need to wait for a more opportune time. God has prepared us and directed our time to be God's agent right here and now: for such a time as this.”

OCTOBER FEST ? MORE LIKE OCTOBER BLESSED !

How St Matthew’s, Carver Street, reached its local community by putting on a beer festival

joy of hosting its very own beer festival – dubbed ‘Octoberblessed’ – which was the first of its kind held in a Sheffield church.

Phillip Dolby is a freelance journalist, editor and PR consultant based in Sheffield. His specialist subjects include: local and national news, politics, the arts, religion and international development. He loves the adventure of working in the media industry and wants to use his voice to speak up for the poor and disenfranchised.

Website: phillipdolby.com

Twitter: @PhillipDolby

The event, which was publicised online using social media and via local real ale groups, attracted over 100 beer enthusiasts on the day, who had the opportunity to sample beers from a variety of Sheffield-based breweries and experience the beauty of the church building.

Breweries offering beers to punters included religiouslythemed brewer Emmanuales, with its cask of ‘England’s Green and Pleasant Land’; Abbeydale brewery with its beer ‘Absolution’; and other

popular tipples from Loxley and Triple Point.

The selection of drinks was varied, and included stouts, pale ales and bitters, all served up in pint glasses to visitors.

The festival was held in the nave of the church and commenced with a recital of the Octoberfest blessing, which is used at the Bavarian festival in Germany every year – so faith was key to the proceedings from the beginning.

Father Grant Naylor, parish priest at St Matthews, said: “We blessed the beer as a sign that God blesses the abundance of creation, as

Sheffielders drinking pints of beer is a regular occurrence in the city centre, so there’s nothing surprising about that – but how about if it’s in a church building?

St Matthew’s, Carver Street, recently had the

we wanted to bring God into what looked like a secular event. It was open to all – but we wanted to name God because He’s the source of our joy.”

Visitors to St Matthew’s, Carver Street, were also able to enjoy hot dogs and listen to live music from a folk band, ‘Big Skies’, who played songs that were perfect to sing along to after you’d had your third pint.

The event started off as a fundraiser, explains church development worker Ian Burgess, but quickly became an evangelistic project where unchurched local people were able to have a positive experience of Christian community.

Said Ian: “It was, in effect, an excuse to throw a party. We wanted to extend a kind invitation to people who wouldn’t ordinarily walk through the doors of a church, and wouldn’t think to.

“What we got to do was give those people dignity and say, ‘You matter – you matter here.’ And that’s an important part of our

witness: showing others they’re loved by God.”

Some Christians might feel a little uneasy about a church associating itself with serving alcohol, but the team at St Matthew’s have a very thoughtful approach to beer and teach good theology on the subject.

Father Naylor said: “I suppose it goes back to Peter’s vision in scripture – that nothing is forbidden. And that’s an important principle for us as Christians. I think we need to be sensitive to the detrimental impact that alcohol can have on people’s lives. But that said, there are many things that can have a detrimental impact on people’s lives if we abuse them.

“We can abuse relationships, sex, other people, chocolate, money. Or we can use them in the right way. In the Catholic tradition we believe that all of creation is made by God and is there to be used in a right relationship within God’s grace.”

“Also,” he added, “We believe that there’s no prohibition against alcohol in scripture. In fact, Jesus turned a lot of

water into a lot of wine at a wedding party and obviously enjoyed life to the full with his people.”

One of Father Naylor’s favourite quotations about evangelism is the words of Pope Francis when he says that, “Christians should not be a people initially seeking to impose new obligations on people, but a people who wish to share their joy.”

He elaborated: “I think that when we become a people who wish to share their joy, that is absolutely infectious because there are a lot of people who are very dissatisfied with their lives, and if they see that in the life of a Christian there is a deep joy, then that is tremendously attractive.”

Secular contexts can also become a Christian missionfield, Father Naylor says, and he personally shares his faith regularly in bars and pubs over a pint of the good stuff. He told Arise: “I think that people open up in different situations. I find that if I go to a bar or a pub and I stand at the bar, often people who stereotypically haven’t gone to church, like young men, will often come and stand next to you because they can talk to you there.

“They won’t arrange a meeting to come and see you face-to-face but they will come and stand next to you at the bar and tell you, oh, my marriage is going wrong, or work is very stressful and I’ve reached rock bottom. They will talk to you in those contexts and I believe the church needs to be where the

Emmanuales Faith, Hops, and Charity

Emmanuales have been brewing beers of biblical proportions since 2014 A.D, spreading the good news one beer at a time. Starting life as a homebrewer, it wasn’t long before friends were asking for my divinely inspired ales such as Jonah and the Pale, Oh Hoppy Day and Ryejoice.

Having obtained the necessary licenses to sell my beers, shops such as Beer Central, Walkley Beer Co and the Industry Tap started stocking them and they became increasingly sought after.

I worked for a church at the time; when I started interacting with people ‘out there’, I quickly discovered that while people are open to God, even Jesus, they don’t want religion forcing down their throats - just beer!

I left the megachurch to start a microbrewery in 2016 after an opportunity arose with The Sheffield Brewery Company, who were looking for a Head Brewer. I struck a deal with them that would allow me to develop Emmanuales, while managing their brewery.

The next few years were a steep learning curve into the world of commercial brewing, with many positive moments. Emmanuales was featured on Songs of Praise with Aled Jones, we poured beers at the Big Church Day Out, ran popular Beers & Carols events, and had our beers go as far as London and Belfast. However, it took its toll on me running two brands and I put Emmanuales on sabbatical until 2019. During lockdown, I invested in equipment and re-set it up as a nano-brewery, which now operates from my cellar.

We were asked to supply a cask for the Carver Street Beer Festival after meeting Fr Grant upon attending mass there one Sunday. Catholicism seems to have a positive relationship with alcohol, so it was a real joy to share my beer there.

people are.”

Father Naylor is also keen to point out that beer brewing is a tradition which has a historical precedent in Christian communities around the world.

He said: “Brewing beer is actually a major activity of many religious houses. Monks brew beer. One of the nearest monasteries is Mount St Bernard in Leicestershire and they brew a fantastic Cistercian beer which is on sale at Beer Central in Sheffield’s Moor Market.

“They also sell Trappist beers from across Europe which are considered the best in their class.”

The beer festival at St Matthew’s was evidently a roaring success on several levels. According to the event’s Facebook group many visitors had a wonderful time, and they went online to express their gratitude for an entertaining day out.

Richard Tattersall said: “I had a great time – loved the vibe of the place and met some lovely people.”

Paul Sellers said: “It was a lovely day and a fabulous event. I can’t wait for the next one.”

Father Naylor can confirm that the ‘Octoberblessed’ festival is going to happen again later this year - and all are welcome to come along.

He concluded: “I saw it as A) a really fun day; B) an opportunity for evangelism; and C) an occasion I really enjoyed. So I think it's going to become an annual fixture here at St Matthew’s.”

Cheers to that.

SPIRITUALLY SAVVY? GENERATION ALPHA

Fiona Walton (A ‘baby boomer’) works for Christians & Sheffield Schools (CaSS). She also teaches and is the Open the Book Training and Development Officer for Yorkshire.

year of the iPad) and 2024/5. They are mostly the children of ‘millennials’. They will be the first generation to all be born within the 21st century and they will be the largest generation in history.

While some of them are yet to be born, others have already entered our education system. For many of those already in school their education and social skills may have been affected by a global pandemic. They have experienced lock-downs and online school.

A ‘generation’ is described as a set of people born around the same time. People in a ‘birth cohort’ have experienced the same historical events, fashions, media, new technologies etc. The idea is that as a group they will generally exhibit similar values, preferences, characteristics, and motivations over their lifetimes.

There has been a lot written about Gen Z, but the latest ‘generation’ to be identified is ‘Generation Alpha’. They are the cohort who were/will be born between 2010 (the

They will have access to more information than any previous generation and will be a very visual generation, they will be connected to their peer group (and therefore shaped by them, for better or worse) across the world, and they will be the most digitally comfortable generation ever. Indeed, many of them will have played or been pacified with phones or tablet devices even while in their prams. It is predicted they will have long lives, smaller families and they will have to work for longer. They will probably do jobs that do not exist yet and they may well have a number

of different employment roles over a lifetime.

So, what might this mean for faith in this next generation?

TO CONSIDER

• Do you know which generation you belong to and ‘your’ characteristics? How might that affect how you serve Generation Alpha?

• Are we prepared for Generation Alpha?

• How will we serve or share our beliefs with Generation Alpha?

• How can we be intentional about connecting with Generation Alpha?

• What challenges do you think Generation Alpha will encounter?

• What are the timeless needs of every generation?

• Do we need to rethink how we share, teach/ present, and parent Generation Alpha in light of their characteristics?

• What should our prayers be for Generation Alpha?

Until recently Tim was the director of CYO, a schools ministry in Colchester that delivered chaplaincy and ran prayer spaces in most of the schools and in both of the FE colleges of the city. He and the CYO team have contributed to regional and national events and Tim has been a member of the Prayer Spaces in Schools national team since it began. He now works for 24-7 Prayer as the GB Team Leader for Prayer Spaces in Schools to inspire and resource people across the country as they help children and young people to explore prayer.

PRAYER SPACES IN SCHOOLS

Until recently, I was the Director of a schools work charity in Colchester where, in 2008, we ran our first prayer space in a state secondary school.

We created it out of a desire to give students a place where they could explore prayer and a relationship with God for themselves, instead of just hearing about it from us talking to them in an assembly or RE lesson. Sanctum, as we called it, was an overwhelming success with students and the school, and in the years that followed was run regularly in most of the secondary schools and both FE colleges in Colchester, as well as in a growing number of primary schools.

Although we didn’t know it at the time, Sanctum was one of a few similar projects popping up that year and as a result I became part of what was to turn into Prayer Spaces in Schools under the leadership of Phil Togwell. So I’ve been involved since the

very beginning.

The vision for Prayer Spaces in Schools is simply to create space for every pupil in every school to have the opportunity to pray. As far as we can tell, they have now been run in about a fifth of schools across Great Britain, and over 1.5 million children and young people have had an opportunity to explore prayer this way.

Since those first prayer spaces were developed, a whole range of different settings have emerged to enable pupils to pray, as people have brought their creativity to bear on the opportunities and challenges of fitting in with the time and space available. Prayer spaces happen in classrooms, halls, outdoors and in libraries; some are permanent places available to people in school throughout the day curated by Christians from the local church who refresh the space with new prayer ideas and sometimes support groups

using the space. Some popup prayer spaces take place in public areas of school to celebrate, remember or respond to events, and some groups have provided prayer activities in a bag for children to take home.

In all of these different ways the essential ingredient is the involvement of Christians from a local church who, by running the space, not only support the school with a significant project that is a real blessing, but also bring the welcome of Jesus into the school and into the lives of the pupils. Far

from struggling to find a welcome from schools, the main challenge we’ve had is finding churches willing to commit to partnering with a school to deliver the prayer spaces.

But running a prayer space isn’t as scary as it might sound. Most of the resources needed are not expensive and may already be available to borrow. People in your church probably have among them gazebos, parasols, fairy lights and coloured drapes which they might be prepared to lend to help decorate a

Quotes from children and teachers engaging with the prayer spaces:

“The prayer space at school was something we’ve never tried before. It was great to see all the children amazed at the space. The children were creative and interacted with the stations. It was lovely to read their thoughts about some of the themes such as hope, light, joy. Some children really thought deeply and spiritually about the subjects. It made it clear to the adults in school that the children have greater concerns or worries about the world than we realised, yet they are also filled with hope for the future.”

Teacher

“I liked the station where we gave thanks for things in our life. It was nice to reflect on people that we take for granted sometimes”

Leenann, 10

"You get a chance to talk to God." Sarah, 10

"You can be honest – express how you feel and not how other people tell you to feel." Alayah, 10

“I enjoyed sitting still and watching the lava lamp. We don’t have a lot of chance to do that because we’re always busy working. It was hard to get into it at first but once I concentrated it was good.” Coby, 9

space. You might only need to buy pens, paper and sticky notes. There are hundreds of freely-downloadable resource ideas on the Prayer Spaces in Schools website and in Sheffield Fiona Walton at CASS has lots of experience of prayer spaces and is available for advice and ideas. The team from Prayer Spaces in Schools is also available to run training days for area groups – just ask. One of the things I love about prayer spaces is the way children and young people discover positive things about themselves, others, prayer and the presence of God in their lives. Two of my favourite activities are ‘Big Questions’, where pupils write the question they’d like to ask God, and ‘Prophets’ where we invite them to think about what God might want to say to their school, town or the nation and then to write this in the form of a letter from God. Their insight and wisdom is always stunning and I love the idea that, in a small way, we have helped them to recognise that God speaks, and He might speak through them.

FOR REFLECTION

• If there’s a school where I or my church already have a connection, could we offer them a prayer space?

• What’s limiting my ability to offer a prayer space to a local school? Who could I ask for help or advice?

• If I can’t be involved in my local school, could I offer to help another group, to support and learn from them?

Questions The Power of

John Leach is a retired Anglican Minister who continues to teach part-time in theological education and with the Brilliant Club, as well as doing odd bits of consultancy work with churches. He is completing a PhD in Liturgical Studies, loves all things musical, and lives in Sheffield with his wife Chris.

and deliver a universitystyle module on their area of research, ending with an assignment which is marked as though it were a piece of undergraduate work. The pupils also have two visits to universities to meet with students and discover more about student life, and, finally, to graduate from the Brilliant Club in a small-scale ceremony.

And it’s working! The latest research shows that Year 12 pupils who have done TBC modules are more likely to apply to top universities than those who haven’t, by 82% to 63%, and actually to gain places by 56% to 37%.

Rev John Leach asked a class of Sheffield schoolchildren: ‘What’s the point of religious faith?’ Here’s what he learned.

The Brilliant Club is a charity founded in 2011 to try to do something about educational disparity across the UK. Pupils from more disadvantaged postcodes are far less likely to apply for, or gain places at, the nation’s most competitive universities. So PhD students from top universities were invited to go into schools

One seven-week module can significantly enhance the chances for some pupils, and the resultant prospects of employment and even further postgrad research. In 2019 TBC came second in the Sunday Times ‘100 Best NotFor-Profit Organisations to Work For’ list.

All kinds of subjects form the content of modules, from Philosophy to Astro-physics, depending on the interests of the tutors, who design and teach their own modules. But what were the students

in a school in South-West Sheffield to make of me, a theologian researching Liturgical Studies? I decided that liturgy was probably a bit too esoteric, so I put together a module based on the Atheist Bus campaign from 2009 – you remember those adverts telling us all that there probably is no God, so we can all stop worrying and enjoy our lives. I called the module ‘What’s the point of religious faith?’, and the pupils’ final assignment will be to discuss to what degree the buses were giving us a sensible piece of advice. In the school I'm working with at the moment pupils are not told the subject of their module in advance, so imagine their surprise on the first morning to be confronted with an Anglican vicar announcing that he is going to talk about religious faith for the next seven weeks, especially with 50% of the pupils dressed in hijabs!

The first session is about religious faith in general, and is based on some work by two Sociologists called Glock and Stark who attempted to analyse what it actually means to have faith, and

what the ingredients are. Fortunately their work makes sense no matter what religion you are talking about (including, I would argue, atheism, which is just as much a matter of faith as any other religion). Then we move on to ask whether or not it matters which particular faith you follow, or whether all faiths are really worshipping the same god. We look at unsophisticated and sophisticated pluralism, which allows us to critique the generally accepted stuff which is fed to us all the time by Western Liberalism. The next three sessions cover Christianity and the Arts, looking at and listening to works inspired by biblical texts, and asking whether it is a good thing that our society is so enriched by the Christian story. Then we look at Christianity and Social care, studying Wesley and Booth and their impact on British society, again asking whether this has been positive or not, and finally we ask some questions about law and morality, and where they come from if not from God. The question to which we keep returning is ‘Should we actually be more worried if there wasn’t a God?’

The aim of the Brilliant Club is of course to give pupils a taste for university-level study, and I am very aware of good practice for Christians going into schools, as I have enjoyed schools work as a major part of my parish ministry in the past. But because we are helping pupils to think and work at university level, I found that I have been

able to engage in what is actually apologetics with groups of pupils who, by their own admission, hardly ever thought about faith, even if they were cultural adherents to a particular religion. Feedback has been great, and marking the final assignments has shown that pupils have really engaged with the subject matter and found it fascinating. It has given them the opportunity, and the permission, to go beyond the standard caricatures of religion and the taken-for-granted pluralism of our age and to think for themselves.

I have been careful to do two things in my teaching: to tell them that I am only qualified to teach Christianity, and a different tutor would be able with much greater integrity to teach, say, Sikhism. But I am also careful to illustrate what I am saying from faith in general, and to use examples such as Zakat (almsgiving) in Islam so as not to suggest that Christians are not the only people concerned about the poor in our society.

As always, teaching has been a learning experience for me too. I have discovered a general ignorance about religious faith on the part of my KS4 pupils, but, more encouragingly, a great openness to talk about it, after the initial ‘Oh my goodness what have I let myself in for?’. I’m sure they were wary of me to begin with, but I believe that a lightness of touch as well as the ways of handling a multifaith world outlined above largely won them over. They

seemed truly interested in my own experience as a Christian, and the whole class displayed genuine mutual respect.

Above all, though, I have renewed my faith in the power of questioning. Evangelism has traditionally been seen, especially in evangelical circles, as knowing the right thing to say, which is why so many Christians are terrified, because they don’t think they will have the answers. But I have always believed, following Jesus’ example, that it can be better to ask rather than to tell. I have seen this inspire pupils to think for themselves, rather than either ignoring or disagreeing with what they are told by a Christian. To know what questions to ask, such as ‘What makes you think that?’, can be the key which opens people up for further exploration.

The Brilliant Club is a fantastic way to enhance the prospects of pupils from disadvantaged areas, and it is great to be able to use the opportunities to give pupils permission to think beyond the received ‘wisdom’ of our attitudes to faith in 21st century Britain. You can find more details about TBC at https:// thebrilliantclub.org/

TO REFLECT

• “It can be better to ask rather than to tell.” Have you tried using this more enquiring approach to faith conversations? How did it affect the interaction?

The Joined Up Conference

Christians & Sheffield Schools (CaSS) held their first Sheffield conference in 2013. Another followed in 2014. Both were attended by around 150 people; there were keynotes, a range of workshops and fourminute ‘Sheffield Short Stories’ or testimonies.

We were looking forward to going again in 2015, but bookings were low. A fortnight before it was due to happen, I cancelled the whole thing. The reaction was extraordinary!

I received eight pages of texts and messages encouraging me not to give up on it. One email was from the Diocese’s Mike North. He offered to run any future conference with me. We added the Methodists - and more recently the United Reformed Church - to the planning team. Joined Up was born in 2016. God moves in mysterious ways! So, denominations have joined together. Our aim is to encourage, educate, resource, connect and

train those working with the next generation as schools workers, children’s/families’ workers, youth workers, school chaplains or parents. Joined Up thinking. Our joined up thinking has even extended to local churches sharing the conference –last year it was Wesley Hall Methodist & St Thomas’ Crookes (STC). This year, we are meeting in Victoria Hall Methodist and the nextdoor URC church. The day offers a great opportunity to join together as the body of Christ: to network and make friends across the city and beyond.

Joined Up 23 will be our eighth conference (including a 2021 Zoom conference with 450 signed up from across the country). Over the years we have had some wonderful keynote speakers. For example: Bob Hartman (2013); Krish Kandiah (2021); Mark Russell

(2021); Bishop Sophie (2022).

We have tackled a wide range of subjects in our workshops, and we are not afraid to tackle the more gritty side of life. We’ve looked at topics such as Messy Church, Open the Book, and prayer spaces in schools, as well as hosting workshops on youth suicide, loss and bereavement, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), county lines, pornography and more. You can listen to some workshops from previous speakers at www. joinedupconference.com

We have a vibrant marketplace where you can talk to around 15 Christian organisations. And don't miss our popular ‘Short Stories’ slots, in which our speakers are against the clock!

Booking is open now for 2023. Do take a look. Hope to see you there!

Helen is the Family and Children’s Team Leader at St Thomas' Church in Crookes, and also Headteacher of the OFSTED registered nursery that is run by the church. Prior to working at St Thomas', Helen was an Assistant Head Teacher at a Sheffield secondary school, and has over twenty years experience working in education and with families.

I am sure that many of you will have read Charlie Mackesy’s book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. And if you have not read it, then you might have watched the BBC adaptation over Christmas. Throughout this simple story there are many thought-provoking reflections and comments. One of these is when the mole asks, “What do you want to be when you grow up?" "Kind", replies the boy. Over the past two years at St Thomas Crookes, we have been exploring what it means to be a ‘kind’ church, or to be known for our kindness. We have been thinking about what it would look like to bless people across the city for no reason, no strings attached... just simply to be kind.

ACTS OF KINDNESS IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITY

One of the main ways that we have been doing this is by blessing as many staff rooms and teachers as we possibly can every half term. This has predominantly been through providing sweet treats! At Easter we gave away over 4,000 creme eggs – placing one in every teacher’s pigeon hole. In the incredible heat wave this summer, we gifted ice cream parlours to staff rooms (complete with chocolate flakes, sprinkles and sauce!). At Christmas we gave staff rooms a hamper full of goodies, such as hot chocolate, fruit teas, posh coffee, and nice quality biscuits to brighten up a long dark term.

We started small – just with the schools that were very local to us – but this has now expanded to include virtually every school where people in our church work or where children in our congregation attend. In total we have been able to bless 33 different schools across the city in the last academic year.

It has been really encouraging to hear how these simple acts of kindness have been received in schools.

“What a lovely gesture! Thank you so much; that will be a nice way to end what has been the most challenging Covid term for us since the pandemic began!”

“Thank you so much to STC Sheffield for donating ice creams to all our staff. Such a kind and thoughtful gesture. We certainly appreciated and enjoyed them.”

“To all at St Thomas’, a heartfelt ‘thanks’ for our crème eggs! They were very much appreciated and enjoyed.”

On Valentine’s Day last year, we gave every teacher at our local school a bag containing some Love Hearts, a glass heart ornament and a little business card that said, 'You are Loved.' We thought that these would just be put in the staff room for people to pick up. Instead, the Headteacher actually decided to put them out on every chair at the beginning of a staff training session that week to ensure that every single person received the gift as an encouragement and blessing. Our prayer for the coming year is that Headteachers across the city would continue to allow us to bless staff rooms in this way, and also that we are able to maintain connection with a school even if a member of staff or child moves on. We also want to look at ways of 'being kind' to schools that go beyond providing sweet treats, as we know that they face serious financial and budgeting issues and resources are very stretched. Our current thoughts are to provide schools with packs of consumable items such as glue sticks, felt tips and crayons. However God leads us to develop this aspect of our vision to bless the city, we are really enjoying learning more about what it means to 'Be kind to one another.'

Open the Book

even our lives. We enjoy stories as toddlers – asking for them to be read again and again. We still thrive on stories as seniors. Stories are for life.

Fiona Walton is the Open the Book Training and Development Officer for Yorkshire. She also teaches and works for Christians & Sheffield Schools (CaSS).

Our lives are crammed full of stories; our stories, the stories of others, true stories, extraordinary stories, imaginary stories, stories of everyday: we are captivated and learn from them all. We watch them, we read them, we sing them, we gossip them. When we are asleep, we even dream in stories!

Stories are entertaining, but they are also powerful, motivating, memorable and inspiring. We recognise ourselves and our behaviour in them. They have the power to change our thinking, our understanding, our behaviour,

The Bible is packed full of cracking stories about God’s relationship with His people. They introduce us to God: through them we encounter His character, and they are a foundation on which faith can be built. We know that Jesus taught in stories or parables, confirming that stories are one of the most effective ways of communicating.

Open the Book recognises the power implicit in Biblical stories, the impact of bringing the Bible to life and the importance of taking the word to the next generation (Psalm 78): into our neighbourhood primary schools.

“The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood.’

(John 1.14 The Message)

Open the Book (OtB) started in 1999 and since 2013 has been part of Bible Society. It offers primary school children

an opportunity to hear key Bible stories as told by a team of Christians from local churches, who present the stories during assemblies or acts of collective worship. Each presentation takes around 10–15 minutes and can either be incorporated into a wider school assembly, or stand alone. The Bible stories (written by Bob Hartman) and wrap-around introduction, reflection and prayer are all scripted – bringing reassurance to a school – and are approved of by Ofsted. There is a three-year programme of assemblies, all free to primary schools.

My first experience of Open the Book storytelling was about a decade ago in Deepcar, Sheffield. The OtB team were telling the story of Noah in a primary school. There was an elderly man (in his 90s?) doing sound effects with water off stage. There was a rainbow on a screen, a simple boat, and a cast in simple costumes. What I loved most, though, was witnessing a couple of hundred children really

‘Bringing the Bible stories to life.’

enjoying hearing a Bible story and finding it accessible. I was completely hooked on Open the Book in that moment!

Since that first encounter with OtB I have seen and heard that enjoyment replicated and expressed in the comments pupils have made after experiencing an OtB assembly:

‘That was the best assembly ever.’ (Y2 Sheffield pupil)

‘When are the old people in curtains coming again?’ (Sheffield pupil)

OtB teams also have tales of the fun they experience:

‘Hello, God.’ A Sheffield pupil to an OtB team member who had spoken as the voice of God.

‘It was so ridiculously hot in the hall, I used the staff toilet to remove my trousers and jumper before putting on my OtB costume. I couldn’t find my clothes when we were clearing away, so had to go shopping still dressed as an angel!’ (Shared by an OtB team member on the OtB Storytellers Facebook page).

Open the Book is a powerful storytelling ministry, it does not preach or evangelise. Schools therefore welcome OtB in.

Open the Book assemblies are suitable for those of all faiths and none. The Bible’s colossal contribution to our culture (literature, language, art, architecture, and music) means children should experience its stories.

More copies of the Bible have been sold than any other book in history, and yet Biblical illiteracy is probably as high as it has ever been, especially in younger generations. This can mean the stories are unknown

to young OtB audiences –teams have been applauded as the children don’t know how God intervenes in the story or what will happen next – as demonstrated by one pupil who uttered out loud, ‘Uh oh’ when it became clear that Adam was going to offer Eve an ‘apple’. For many pupils, Open the Book might be their only exposure to the stories of God. Seeds are planted.

OtB doesn’t depend on a charismatic children’s worker, who may move on to a different role. It is a team effort – a church can have continuous contact with a school.

OtB ticks boxes for a school, too, in terms of their SMSC (Spiritual Moral Social Cultural) targets and helps meet their responsibility in law to provide collective worship of a ‘broadly Christian nature.’

OtB teams take good news into schools and are good news for over-stretched teachers who now need to take fewer assemblies themselves! They too enjoy listening, learning from and watching OtB assemblies.

If you’re excited about sharing Bible stories with school children and want to have fun with a team dressing up in costume to act/mime a part, perhaps you’d like to be a storyteller and get a team started from your church? Perhaps you can do clever things with curtains, enjoy searching for a golden coat in a charity shop (I was so excited when I found one this week) and you’d like to use your gift of creativity to make props or costumes? Or perhaps you are more of a narrator? If so,

you will be joining thousands of volunteers all over England and Wales doing the same thing.

You honestly do not need to be a BAFTA-standard actor to be an effective OtB storyteller – it really is very easy, and it does not require hours of rehearsal time.

If you would like to know more about Open the Book, I am running a fun, no pressure, have-a-go, one-hour Open the Book introductory workshop at the Joined Up Conference, Sheffield on 4 March at Victoria Hall. Booking and further details at www.joinedupconference. com or contact me to book a training session convenient for you at fiona.walton@ biblesociety.org.uk or fiona. walton@cass-su.org.uk You might like to browse the OtB website at https://www. biblesociety.org.uk/getinvolved/open-the-book.

QUESTIONS

1. Who first told you Bible stories?

2. What difference has knowing Bible stories made to your life?

3. What difference could it make to the next generation to hear Bible stories while they are young?

4. You are talking to a head teacher. How could you justify taking an Open the Book team into his/ her school?

5. Could you be part of an Open the Book story telling team or commit to pray for Open the Book to reach more Sheffield schools?

TO LIFE BRINGING THE GOSPEL

FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN SHEFFIELD

Billie established The Oakes Holiday Centre with her husband Dan in the late 90s. Dan and Billie are both trained as PE teachers and have had many years experience of Christian work with children and young people. They have four children.

Oakes School Camps

The Oakes Holiday Centre in Norton, Sheffield, exists to share the Christian message with children and young people through amazing residential camps.

When we opened in July 2000, we hosted church weekends and open camps throughout the school holidays. Then, in 2001, something unexpected happened……we welcomed our first school group.

We had presumed schools would not want to visit due to our clear Christian teaching; however, we quickly realised that if we used appropriate language such as ‘Christians believe…’ and ‘The Bible teaches…’ then schools would be comfortable with our content.

Fast forward 20 years, and we now welcome around 1000 school pupils each year, which makes up half of our annual bookings. Most of the pupils are from the Sheffield area and the vast majority arrive with very little understanding of the Christian faith. Each day, we have two ‘main event’ meetings, plus the pupils are also encouraged to ask questions during ‘small group time’ with their dorm leaders. Many schools have now been coming for a number of years and it has been a privilege and a joy to build relationships with them as we seek to share about a God who loves them, within the context of a funfilled activity holiday.

For more information, please go to www.oakes.org.uk, email bookings@oakes.org.uk, or visit at our next open day on

Saturday, 11th March, 10:30am.

Discover Magazines

In the UK, Gideons are now called Good News for Everyone (GNFE). In Sheffield, we have an active branch, always on the lookout for opportunities to share copies of God’s Word along the highways (schools, hospitals, hotels) and the byways (oneto-one) of life.

Recently, GNFE have developed an excellent resource for primary schools (8-11’s) called ‘Discover’. These are beautifully-produced magazines which tell the story of the Bible in an interactive, age-appropriate way for children. A number of Sheffield primary schools have now received copies. Might your local primary school be interested in gifting free copies to their pupils in Key Stage 2?

For more information about Discover magazines, or the work of GNFE, please visit goodnewsuk.com or email billie@oakes.co.uk

After-school Messy Church at Porter Croft FAITH & FUN

pupils come back to be part of the fun, and parents of all faiths and none interested in exploring the Bible.

At Porter Croft school we have been running a monthly Faith & Fun afterschool Messy Church since the end of 2019. Highlights of 2022 include a Christian circus skills visitor at our outdoor summer gathering, a Christian illusionist at our Tricks & Treats gathering in October – where we had mountains of halal sweets and heard about Jesus as the light of the world –and our Christmas party where we had our resident storyteller who always has us hanging on his every word! We are seeing ex-

No More Knives

The Message Yorkshire is eager to tackle one of our county’s pressing social concerns: knife crime. In the last decade, South Yorkshire has seen some of the highest increases in knife crime in the country.

Bishop Sophie visited in November and got really stuck into our collaborative drumming worship session. It is a vibrant, truly diverse community and there is a real buzz around school about it. The vision is to build a community where families can explore the Christian faith together, with the hope that a group of believers may form.

Headteacher Cath Thomas said, “For our school it’s a really nice way of sharing the Christian faith with a very diverse group of people. There are people at the Faith and

Fun sessions that are of other faiths. It’s really important for us as a community school to reach out to different members of the community and be able to offer this. The sessions are always busy!”

Please do pray for this as we work alongside St Mary’s Bramall Lane to see where God takes us. The team is awesome, please also pray for continued provision and grace. Any help with fundraising is always appreciated – we had over 100 at our last gathering which is a lot of mouths to feed and crafts to supply on a very small budget!

For more information or to talk about how to support us, contact me on 07980 965 482.

The police themselves have stated that this won’t be solved by legislation alone. In an effort to prevent, educate, and evangelize, the Message will be bringing a No More Knives tour to Sheffield in September 2023 to present

in schools and culminate in a concert. This tour requires support and prayer across churches and charities in our area, so if you’d like to learn more, please contact christa.carns@message.org. uk

Andy Lawley is running a one-hour workshop on ‘County Lines’ at the Joined Up Conference at Victoria Hall on 4 March. More details and booking information at www. joinedupconference.com

I am the local project worker for Hope UK in Sheffield. I am also a practising community pharmacist working in a busy supermarket pharmacy.

Hope UK School Pastors

'Sheffield School Pastors’ are a team of ten volunteers from local churches who work to support pupils in Meadowhead School in South Sheffield, as part of the Ascension Trust Charity’s School Pastors Initiative.

Although some surveys report drug use falling amongst young people, the problem of drug abuse is not going away, so this remains an important issue for churches and schools.

Founded in 1847 as Band of Hope, Hope UK is a Christian drug prevention charity with over 170 years of experience in delivering drug prevention education to children and young people. Much of this education is delivered through schools’ PSHE lessons but also via church youth groups and other youth organisations. Sessions are designed to meet the individual needs of the group we’re working with, and to meet the requirements of the

National Curriculum.

Jesus said, ‘The thief comes to steal and to kill and destroy. I have come that they might have life and have it to the full.’ (John 10.10 NIV)

I want to be part of Jesus’ mission by equipping young people to make drug-free choices so the ‘thief’ can’t use drugs to destroy lives. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing young people think about these issues for themselves.

Find out more about Hope UK at https://www.hopeuk.org

We launched in Sept 2019 and have provided support through pastoral care, offering a reassuring and friendly presence to students who may not feel able to speak openly to teachers or parents.

A typical day involves checking in on staff and sharing out any new referrals to the team, then meeting individual pupils to listen, support and encourage them.

We also play games with groups of young people, supporting them to gain confidence socially and have fun!

It is a very rewarding role and we have been welcomed by both staff and students.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

- 1 John 3:1

School Chaplaincy BEING THERE

Chaplaincy does life with people where they are.

It shares the journeys people are on. It is being ‘in the world’ where life is often messy, rough-edged, and conflicted. I believe chaplaincy allows Christians to stand within the untidiness and pain of people’s lives. Hospitals, prisons, airports, shopping centres, police stations, sports teams, universities, fire stations, army, RAF, navy, the Speaker of the House of Commons, cruise ships, and businesses all recognise the value of such a ministry.

St. Martin of Tours (316 – 397 AD) is seen as the founder of Christian chaplaincy. His life is an example of chaplaincy in action. He was mobile, travelling around meeting ordinary people, especially those in need of

help. One day he gave half of his cloak to a poor, cold man. On his death Martin’s half of the cloak was kept as a relic. The guardian of this cloak became known as the capellanus (cappa means cloak in Latin.) Cappelanus eventually became ‘chaplain’ in the English language. Chaplaincy is particularly valued when it comes to serving young people. Like Martin, we need to go where the need is. Over 95% of young people are not in church. They are, however, in school, so to serve, help, walk beside or invest in the next generation we need to be where they are – in schools. School chaplaincy offers an opportunity for us to ‘be there’.

Schools (and parents) are on the frontline with our children and young people, as they face a wide range of challenges. This includes cyber-bullying, sexting, poverty, pornography, cannabis use, broken families, bereavements, exam pressure, friendship rifts, the whole social media culture, anxiety and other mental health difficulties to mention

a few. The statistics around these areas are increasingly concerning. Christians are needed as armour bearers, mentors, listeners, role models and intercessors.

Every school is, of course, unique, and chaplains themselves have different backgrounds and gifts. This means there are several models or types of chaplain. A school chaplain has to work as a guest within a school, this means there are opportunities, limits and expectations. The school chaplain may be the only contact with a person of faith in the life of a student or staff member - this contact needs to be a positive, professional, productive interaction. It is not the chaplain’s purpose to bring about commitment, but a school chaplain is often seen as the public face of God in the largely secular space of a school.

Of course, all school chaplains minister to all pupils of all faiths and none, to staff and to the wider school community (e.g. parents). A school chaplain is the word of God as flesh and blood, journeying

with God and alongside those in the neighbouring community. Headteachers, governors and teachers are under their own pressures, especially around long working hours and problems with teacher retention. Many value a chaplaincy presence in the staff room.

A chaplain may support pupils through loss and bereavement, listen to those who are struggling with their emotional wellbeing, signpost, encourage exploration of what’s meaningful and spiritually rewarding in life, help those in a school community to feel cared for, build a bridge between church and school, speak truth to power, encourage curiosity around faith, foster social action, offer collective worship, mentor, stand with pupils already on a faith journey, and more.

So, Christians & Sheffield Schools (CaSS) has established a school chaplaincy training and resourcing course with the aim that school chaplains feel empowered and equipped to serve well. The course is very practical, including topics such as: understanding chaplaincy; school expectations and boundaries; children & spirituality; characteristics of Generations Alpha and Z; chaplaincy in a multifaith setting; safeguarding; mental health; loss and bereavement; identity matters; self-awareness; RE; self-care; adverse childhood experiences; models of school chaplaincy; collective worship; listening; mentoring, and

more. Each session is run by a different specialist speaker. There is an opportunity to meet and learn from working school chaplains. Here are some of the quotes from people who have attended the course:

"Excellent. High quality presentation and speakers, and a very well-structured course."

"Inspiring and helpful."

"Such breadth and quality of input."

"Hugely informative, real and helpful course."

"I would recommend it."

"I did not put this course together, so I can attest with independence that it is one of the best courses I know," Huw Thomas (Diocesan Director of Education).

Our vision is for there to be a school chaplain linked to every Sheffield School, supporting all who work or learn in them. We have trained 62 school chaplains (mostly from Sheffield) over four training courses, so far. We are also working to establish a Sheffield school chaplaincy community. It is our prayer that chaplains will support each other, be there to call on in times of trouble, share good practice and pray for each other etc.

If you are interested in training as a school chaplain or finding out more, CaSS runs a training/resourcing course during the school Summer Term. (The dates are still under consideration as we go to press.) Contact fiona. walton@cass-su.org.uk if you wish to register an interest.

To get you started, you might like to attend Cherry Mair’s (School Chaplain & Bents Green Methodist Church Youth Minister) one hour workshop, ‘Chaplaincy & Mentoring’ or Huw Thomas’ (Sheffield Diocesan Director of Education) one hour workshop ‘Making Friends with Schools’, both taking place at the Joined Up Conference on 4 March. Booking and further information at www.joinedupconference.com

QUESTIONS

• What do you think school chaplains have to offer a school community?

• Where can you give away ‘half of your cloak’?

• Can you commit to pray for Sheffield school chaplains?

• Can you pray for schools to be open to chaplaincy?

• Consider: are you being called to school chaplaincy?

Seek First draws 400 believers to worship together

It was a significant moment of abandoned worship, adulation, and adoration of Jesus. He was our focus. He was our desire.

On the 28th January, another layer of Worship was added to Sheffield Cathedral where

400 people gathered for Seek First. The place was full with standing room only and all there people were there for one reason alone; to worship and adore the King of Glory. We worshipped and had Communion together and the glory of the Lord was heavy in the room. During Communion when the body gathered together to share in our union with Christ a prophetic cry rang out, 'The Lord is bringing his Children together again!'

Indeed the Lord is! This is His desire in this moment for our City, and so this is our prayer and desire; may He bring us back together, may our unity in Him be realised in our lives and churches.

Keep a look out for future developments on when we will gather together again to enthrone Jesus upon our praises. All for the Glory of our King!

- Jordan Betts, Seek First team

The Family Works receives transformative funding grant

The Family Works, a family support project set up by St. John's Owlerton, has been awarded £250,000 over the next three years by Benefact Trust, in order to grow and support more families across South Yorkshire.

Born out of a longing to see more families thrive, The Family Works supports any family – with children aged up to 18 – which feels they just need a little help to move their lives forward.

The grant from Benefact Trust is transformative for The Family Works, enabling them to make long-term plans to continue to support families in Sheffield. Find out more about The Family Works here: www.thefamilyworks.co.uk/

Arise:Hallow & Arise:Christmas impacting thousands of Sheffielders

Over 4,000 believers across Sheffield and beyond chose to shine in a dark season, taking part in Arise:Hallow last Autumn.

Believers were invited to display their faith for the two weeks either side of Halloween, by creating a window display for Streets of Light, and by wearing a faith symbol with Wear Your Faith Fortnight. Streets of Light trail maps were distributed free of charge to schools across Sheffield, helping families to find positive messages of light, hope and love across

the city. Thanks to the support of generous Arisers, and in partnership with the Diocese of Sheffield, Arise helped provide thousands of free enamel badges to help believers wear their faith. Many participants told us that they’ve kept their badge on their coat ever since, wearing their faith every day. Plans are already beginning for Arise:Hallow 2023: watch this space.

In time for Advent, churches across Sheffield built connections with schools, nurseries, and neighbours

through the gift of Real Advent Calendars (Fairtrade chocolate calendars containing the real Christmas story). Arisers who gave out calendars were struck by how positively they were received: “It surprised us: there were a lot of people who were really receptive, more than we’d imagined.”

As Arisers prepare to cover Sheffield in prayer, and reach out with gifts of Real Easter Eggs and Easter cards, please pray that the seeds planted last Autumn will lead to new growth this March.

Ascend employment programme is changing the lives of unemployed young adults in Sheffield

Ascend is an innovative programme that supports unemployed young adults in Sheffield to find and keep good jobs. Through being surrounded with a network of peers, advocates, volunteer mentors, and trainers, the participants are overcoming barriers to work.

So far, 19 young adults have participated in Ascend since it launched in October 2022. They have been matched with employers who have offered them short work placements; they’ve attended group workshops every fortnight; and some of them have also benefited from a personal mentor.

About a third of the Ascenders have already been offered jobs, and others have found the programme transformative in other ways.

“One Ascender had been estranged from their family for some time, but now that they have routine, and a good rhythm, and a job, they’re reconnecting and spending time together again,” says Ascend Trainer Josh Cutting.

“We’re seeing the Ascenders grow in their willingness to dream about the future, in them thinking that they can achieve more than just an entry-level job, but that they can progress. For young adults whose parents and grandparents are unemployed, this is a huge change. We’re also seeing them really come out of their shells and grow in confidence. One Ascender didn’t speak a word at the first training session, but last week they attended an interview, impressed the employer, and have been offered a job!”

Josh and his co-trainer Nikki Williams have been really struck by the openness of the Ascenders to exploring faith. “We’re having lots of conversations about faith, about Jesus. As we share on the different topics around leadership, teamwork, communication and emotional intelligence, we’re seeing opportunities to share the gospel. They’re also coming to pizza nights with people from churches around the city.”

Please pray for the young adults in Ascend – as well as the whole Ascend staff team – as they continue to journey together.

Sheffield’s young adults urgently need more opportunities. Could your organisation create a parttime, entry-level role for an Ascender? Thousands of young adults in Sheffield still don’t believe they can find meaningful work.

They just need someone to

give them a real opportunity. To find out more about how you could transform the future of one of these young adults, email Katie@ togetherforsheffield.co.uk

Our young adults also need mentors, to meet with them for an hour every two weeks. It makes a real difference

to their progress to have someone give that additional time. Ascend can provide a mentoring pack with guidance and suggested outlines for mentoring conversations. If you’re interested in mentoring a local young adult, contact Cat@togetherforsheffield. co.uk to find out more.

A full-time graduate programme in analytics and research

LOCATION:

Your daily work will be based in a beautiful workspace in Maidstone, Kent.

TERM:

12 months, with great career prospects thereafter.

WORKING HOURS:

Monday – Friday, 8.30am – 5.30pm (40 hours per week).

SALARY:

£25,000 with the opportunity for salary progression within the programme.

2023 START DATES: March and September 2023.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT:

https://worship.works/christian-graduate-internship2023-social-media-analytics-and-research/

After-school nanny

6-10 hours per week

Three lively, chatty children, aged 11, 9, and 7 would love a nanny to collect them from school and have fun with them until their parents finish work. They love games, books, baking, and playing in the garden. A car is essential, a good sense of humour is preferred. Competitive pay. Email beth.craggs@icloud.com to find out more.

COVER DISCOVER RECOVER

Let’s pray for Arise:March 2023

Rachel Hall has been the Together for Sheffield Prayer Ambassador for over three years. She encourages believers across the city to be connected in prayer. She has a passion for unity and the Church coming together to be a blessing for the city. In her spare time she enjoys the beaches of North Wales, and good coffee shops.

As we engage with Arise:March here are some prayers you might like to pray with other Arisers. Cover

As we look to cover the city in prayer this March, God, would You empower us with Your love. Would you give us Your eyes to see Sheffield and give us compassion for the city and its population.

Holy Spirit, empower your Church to pray and to earnestly seek the wellbeing of our city. May all of Sheffield be covered by prayer this March. Mobilise your Church in prayer.

Teach us how to pray Father, and give us expectancy for what will be as a result of our prayers. We want to know You more, God, and to grow in our faith to pray.

Discover

Help us as we offer prayer and look to find the prayer needs in the city. Give us wisdom to know when and how to approach people.

Give us boldness and courage to speak about you, Jesus, and to communicate your desire to hear and answer people’s prayers.

Jesus, let your light shine through the Church across this city as we look to discover where people need you in their lives. We ask that you would mobilise your Church in mission.

Recover

God, would you recover the Easter festival, for your glory. Jesus, may your Church be a beacon of light for many this Easter.

May many hearts encounter the power of your death and resurrection this Easter. We ask for open doors, and your kingdom come. May those suffering in our city be reached as we step out in love.

Finally, God, would You unify Your church in Sheffield. May we be a blessing to our city as we grow together. Unite us in prayer and mission across this city.

Amen.

WORSHIP.WORKS INVITES YOU TO

Meetup for Christians in the workplace

• Meet other Christian Professionals.

• Eat free pizza & refreshments.

• Hear biblical principles for serving God through your work.

• Share tales from the front lines of workplace ministry.

• Pray for each other.

• Set your work alight!

Thursday 16th March 2023

7:30 - 9:30PM

The Hope Centre Bernard Road, Sheffield, S2 5BQ

Be inspired to represent Jesus in your workplace

Learn more or book your place now:

www.worship.works/sheffield

Worship.Works is a faith-based organisation that equips and supports Christians to thrive at work and live a faith-filled life throughout the 9-5. Combining Biblical principles with practical insight, we love to help people uncover everyday opportunities to be a blessing to the teams, businesses, and wider industries they are part of.