archdeacons’ visitation news

Spring 2020 - issue 10 Ringing the Changes... Pete, writes... Between Christmas and New Year, I spent some time reading an extraordinary document published ...all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord over 20 years ago: ‘Diocese of Sheffield – The Diocesan Strategy 1999-2004 – A Consultative as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into Document (November 1998)’. Reading it helped the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this me to see that the challenges we are facing in the diocese are not new – they were clear to the comes from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 authors of this report even in November 1998. Among other things, the report speaks of the need Winston Churchill once said, “To improve is and Katie as our to reduce the number of stipendiary clergy, radically to change; to be perfect is to change often.” new Diocesan Secretary. We have completed review the parish system, plant new congregations, and undertake a diocesan-wide audit of church buildings. I wonder if he had been reflecting on Paul’s a deanery planning consultation, scoping second letter to the church in Corinth! new mission areas for the deployment of It was a prophetic document – it could have been written last year. But many of its recommendations We live in a world of change, not least in Oversight Ministers, and are about to begin were never implemented – perhaps because there relation to the urgent need for us to act in the first appointment processes in line with was not enough of a sense of urgency to tackle what response to the growing climate emergency. these plans. We have grown our prayer really are difficult challenges. But at the start of this We also belong to a changing Church that community and launched our ‘Lights for new decade, we can no longer delay. must adapt from inherited patterns if we are Christ’ resources. And we have celebrated Meanwhile, the task of a Churchwarden hasn’t got to have a relevant and sustainable witness in myriad of new ways of engaging in worship easier! In fact, compared to the responsibilities involved future generations. The old adage, ‘constant and outreach as we have responded to in this role 20 years ago, the administrative burdens change is here to stay’ has perhaps never unparalleled national restrictions. have got heavier, and in many of our congregations the pool of volunteers has grown smaller and older. seemed more apt! Change is exciting, but change can also So, yours is a tough task and I want to express loud and I wrote the above opener to this column in be challenging, and I’m only too aware clear how grateful I am to you, especially in the face mid-January, in order to meet the publishing of the strategic role that you inhabit as of the changes before us, for your readiness to bear the load. ‘I thank my God every time I remember you, deadline ahead of the May Visitation Services. churchwardens and the unavoidable constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers Believe it or not, I also wrote these words: additional burden being placed on you at for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel ‘who knows what unanticipated changes will this time. Thank you! Thank you for being from the first day until now.’ (Philippians 1.2-3) have taken place between me writing and willing to serve in such a time as this. I wrote these four paragraphs above before Lent and you reading this!’ Who indeed! Even though Thank you for the sacrifices you make in therefore before the COVID-19 pandemic had really we had heard of COVID-19 by the start of fulfilling your role. Thank you for the care taken hold. The impact of ‘lockdown’ is profound on all the year, it was still seen as a distant virus you give to the people of God in your of us in our personal lives, on our individual wellbeing, particular to China, and none of us could place. To reassign another well-known for our churches and congregations, parishes and possibly have anticipated the extent of its phrase from Churchill’s day, ‘your diocese deaneries, and for the diocese as a whole. The financial implications of the current crisis mean that the issues impact across the globe. I’m writing this needs you!’ I identify in the first three paragraphs are likely to update on the 1st June, more than 9 weeks become more pressing; and by the same token, the into an unprecedented lockdown that is only task of a Churchwarden to which I refer in the fourth now beginning to be relaxed. None of us paragraph has become all the more demanding. But, can predict the future or the lasting impact by the same token, I am all the more grateful to you of this crisis. for all that you are doing – on behalf of Sophie, Bishop-designate of Doncaster, Archdeacon Malcolm, As followers of Jesus, however, we are able Acting Archdeacon Javaid and myself: THANK YOU! to face uncertainty and embrace change, confident in the faithfulness of God the Father and the transforming work of the Produced and printed by Holy Spirit who is shaping into the very likeness of Christ. COVID-19 aside, we have already embarked on significant changes as Malcolm Chamberlain a diocese. We have welcomed Sophie as our Acting Archdeacon Archdeacon of Sheffield new , Javaid as our new of Doncaster and Rotherham

www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters Lights for Christ is something for people Released as Lights for Christ! of all ages. When they gathered, in January, at Breathe Deep our annual Youth In the ’s baptism service many churches give the Development Day, around 300 young newly baptized a candle and commission them with these words, people were encouraged to create their own “You have received the Light of Christ; walk in this light all the days of personal rule of life. They lit candles and your life. Shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father.” took a personal rule of life card filled with suggestions about how they might live as Lights for Christ. The Lights for Christ receive Christ’s Light as his friends; Lights for Christ is something for all initiative is a key part of walk in Christ’s Light as his followers and; the Released strand of churches. With the help of the London re flect Christ’s light to those around us. the revised Diocesan Institute of Contemporary Christianity Strategy. Through it we A five-week course, ‘Shining as Lights’, has (LICC) groups of churches from across are seeking to release been written for use in small groups to help the diocese have been coming together in followers of Jesus people reflect on these three aspects of their a learning hub where, together, they think across the diocese, discipleship and consider what changes God about the small changes they can make in encouraging each of is encouraging them to make in their lives as the lives of their churches in order to help Lights for Christ us to live out our calling and play our part in the they seek to be . (The course more people to live as disciples of Christ in whole mission of God wherever we are. can be found amongst the resources on the the whole of their lives. Ten churches from a LightsforChrist website.) To support Lights for Christ, a special website, range of contexts across the diocese came lightsforchrist.uk, has been created and filled together for teaching and support as they with resources to help us as churches and took part in the first hub in 2019/20. A new individuals including stories of how people from hub is just beginning. across the diocese are being Lights for Christ. Introducing Lights for Christ, Bishop Pete In one of those stories, Jon, a former paramedic said, “What we hope is that it will help us who is now a gardener and landscaper, says move in small steps to be Lights for Christ, “When I work, I always have the mind-set of shining more brightly in God’s world.” working on a garden that belongs to Jesus”. We hope that all of our churches will find ways to The website has resources to help people join in and help us all to become Lights for create a personal rule of life which can help Christ. them to live more effectively as Lights for Christ and grow in their relationship with Him. We are Mark Wigglesworth encouraged to reflect on how we: Mission Development Adviser (Released)

In the autumn, Bishop Pete and Bishop Sophie plan to join with each of our paired Renewed: 2020 update... deaneries for events that will include Bible teaching and some creative prayer stations Jesus was praying in 1,000 members by the end of 2020 – no around the Lights for Christ themes of a certain place. When small feat: a matter for prayer in itself! receiving, walking in, and reflecting the light. he finished, one of his The COVID-19 lockdown radically altered our At the time of writing, we do not know if these disciples said to him, plans for Thy Kingdom Come in 2020. But will be actual physical gatherings or ‘virtual’ ‘Lord, teach us to pray’ experience gained since mid-March enabled events. We hope to be in one place, but we (Luke 11.1). There is us to still have a rich mix of individual prayer thank God that prayer can happen anywhere; no journey richer and and online prayer events. In many ways, a more profound than social distancing cannot impede it! virtual prayer network of several hundred the exploration of prayer. Prayer is an essential foundation. How will people began to come into its own during this Clearly, for Jesus, it was an absolute priority and it you pray for your church and diocese this difficult period. Since the lockdown, a new stands at the heart of our diocesan strategy too. year? daily 7.30am prayer gathering in the 2025 We are building a prayer community across Prayer Community Facebook Group draws John Hibberd the diocese of (at least) 2025 people, who people from across the diocese. Mission Development Advisor (Renewed) will pray personally for the growth of the church and meet for prayer events. In 2019, membership broke through the 500 mark and we held 19 prayer community events. It is clear that many others use the prayer bookmark but just haven’t got round to signing up; if that’s you, why not commit to this in 2020? You can find out more at https:// www.sheffield.anglican.org/renewed and a link to sign up. Becoming a signed-up member of the prayer community is definitely worthwhile; you receive a weekly email update with prayer themes and three Bible reflections, which really helps to sustain you on your spiritual journey. Our hope is to have at least promotionalContains We have donated more material than £325,000 to churches around the UK Trust130 is a special promotion to increase our support to local churches and their communities. It was initially introduced as a one-off giving programme in 2017 to celebrate and thank our church customers for trusting us over the previous 130 years. Do you need

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Taking a sabbatical in 2021?

Ecclesiastical’s Ministry Bursary Awards provide financial support for members of the clergy taking extended study leave, and we are now accepting applications for sabbaticals taking place in 2021. You can find out more about the Awards, check the eligibility criteria and apply on our website. Find out more: www.ecclesiastical.com/mba Parish 2

Regional winners 1

Risk Advice Line Show your We know that managing the risks associated with church premises can 4 Our Movement be a demanding responsibility. That’s support! why we offer a Risk Management Advice for Good awards Line. Whenever you need information The first stage of our Parish Pixels competition about managing risk, and can’t find what Ecclesiastical has always believed in you are looking for on our website, our is complete. supporting the experts are here to help. Congratulations to our nine Regional winners. 3 causes that can make We also have a preferred supplier Now our judges would like your help in deciding a positive difference network of market leaders in their to people’s lives. chosen fields offering a range of risk the overall National winner. Please ‘show your That’s why we work closely with the management products and services support’ for your favourite entry by voting online at: communities we serve to tackle the available at preferential rates. issues that are important to them. www.ecclesiastical.com/parishpixels 6 Call our Risk Management Advice Line We recently launched our Movement for Good awards for 2020 – a programme 0345 600 7531 or email us at: designed to give £1million to charities.1 [email protected]. These awards are a way of recognising Please have your policy number to hand Vote now and supporting the efforts of these when you call. The line is open from dedicated men and women – people who 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday devote their energies to changing excluding Bank Holidays. people’s lives for the better. 5 We’ve opened up the awards to exempt charities so are delighted that churches can be nominated for a donation – don’t Information at 1 Scotland 5 West Midlands forget to tick the exempt box on the St Cuthbert’s: Like the ice St Luke’s: The St Luke’s registration form. your fingertips family has been sparkling appears to break the window, More details about the awards we are a beautiful church in a like a diamond at the centre More than ever, it’s important to feel 7 programme can be found on our website of the community of informed. Please also feel reassured broken world doing our best to at: www.ecclesiastical.com/ Kingstanding for over 80 years, that we continue to be here for you. live as Jesus commanded. movement-for-good shining out the love of God for all to see. 1 Please note, anyone can nominate but only eligible charities We are updating our website regularly 2 North East can win an award. Go to the website address above to view with the latest COVID-19 advice. The the full Terms and Conditions. St Stephen’s C of E Church: website is also a fantastic source of 6 Wales We are a church family that is information from safety to security and St Teilo’s: A place for quiet open and active every day to grants to outreach, plus our products reflection. and services. support our local community through the beautiful chaos of 7 Eastern 9 Find out more at: life and help people to discover St Paul’s: www.ecclesiastical.com/church the love and grace of God. We are open every day of the week, welcoming For our latest COVID-19 statement 8 all, offering space, time and please visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/ 3 North West hospitality to our local church/coronavirus Freedom Church: We may community and beyond. not have our own church building and we may live in 8 South East an area of deprivation, but we Parish Church of St Stephen: Do we have up-to-date believe that it doesn't matter Inspired by the angels, our choir where you meet to worship fills our beautiful building with contact details for you? God, as long as you meet to uplifting music to worship If you need to update us on changes worship God. the Lord and feed our souls. to names, email addresses, phone numbers and changes to PCC members, 4 East Midlands 9 South West you can do this by calling our team on St Stephen’s: We will not be All Hallows: We celebrate 0345 777 3322 beaten by metal thieves! our faith joyfully. Another million pounds to support church youth work Another million pounds is being made available by Allchurches Trust – owners of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group – to support churches and Funeral plans Christian organisations to connect with young people.

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St Margaret’s Church in programme even if they have received Aspley, Nottingham, has a £7,000 Growing funding from Allchurches in the last two Lives grant to develop its ‘Bee family’ years, as long as it is for a different project. programme – an after school community The programme is also open to cathedrals. group aimed at young families who live on You can find out more at: the local estates. www.allchurches.co.uk/growinglives With demand for grants still high, Allchurches has decided to continue the Car insurance Growing Lives programme into 2020, making another million pounds available. St Margaret’s Church tailored for the in Aspley, received a Allchurches Trust chairman, Tim Carroll, “ clergy said: “Our Growing Lives grants programme supports a wide range of projects with Ecclesiastical Insurance Services offers young people at their heart. It’s always £7,000 inspiring to read about the innovative ways extra tailored motor insurance to the grant to develop its clergy, with benefits including business in which the organisations we fund are use (relating to the church), no direct working together to meet local need and ‘Bee family’ programme... charges, no administration fees for realise the power of young people to changes to the policy, and up to £500 strengthen community.” cover for church goods in the car. Our Clergy Motor Insurance isn’t ” available through price comparison Keeping in touch sites or online, because we think it’s More than ever, it’s important to keep in touch. We hope that you, important to speak to you so we your church and community are well and finding new ways to understand your specific needs. stay connected. Give us a call today to find out more. We send updates and useful advice by email once a month. Call: 0345 450 9396 If you or anyone else in your church would like to be added to www.ecclesiastical.com/church/ the list, please visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/signup. If you no car-insurance longer wish to receive them, you can unsubscribe at any time. This work will support that of Churchwardens to ensure all our activities and mission, both Diocese Sustainability Bid inside and outside our buildings, are safe for all. Feedback from church leaders in Well the world is looking quite different from when I originally previous consultations will help to inform this wrote this article in January! work. Do sign-up for the e-bulletin on the diocese website and follow social media to Of course, there has been a lot of adapting online. Deanery work on future clergy keep up to date with useful resources and and adjusting in the central diocese deployment has been completed and thank encouraging news. functions as there has been in the parishes, you to those of you that have contributed to Alex Shilkoff and we are starting to reflect on how the thinking through that important planning. Acting Strategic Programme Director, pandemic will change our mission context. The diocese has been invited by national June 2020 However, even though some of the strategic development work has paused whilst we church to be a trailblazer for a new have responded to the pandemic, we have Transformation Fund, set up to support organised ourselves so that this important diocese like ours that have identified the work still keeps moving. need for changes to enable mission to flourish into the future. In February, we The pandemic provides challenges but also were awarded an interim bid to support our an even greater impetuous to deliver our 3R work which includes money for 5 stipendiary strategy – Renewed, Released, Rejuvenated clergy for 5 years in key locations where – and reach more people with the Good there are opportunities for growth and some News in word and deed across our diocese. resource to temporarily release capacity of Many aspects of the strategy are already in certain Church House colleagues to do more motion and developing well; the pandemic detailed planning work. The Released strand has even given the Renewed strand a boost will be progressing over the summer and that as more people have joined the online prayer work is focussed on how to support churches community and our Centenary Project and in meeting the necessary compliance and Resourcing Churches, in the Rejuvenated buildings obligations to free up as much strand, are growing connections with people resource as possible in parish for mission.

with the project bid and 2020 will see Rejuvenated... them embark on a program of numerical and discipleship growth, the establishing of new congregations, and re-ordering congregations, there are planned to be of buildings. The ultimate aim is to create 25 in each Archdeaconry and 25 in thriving churches in geographically church schools. strategic locations which will be able to In September 2019, Revd John Marsh resource other churches in their areas in was appointed to work in the Parish mutual flourishing. Support Team with specific responsibility By the end of 2019, churches in our for the Rejuvenated strand and his post diocese had already responded to the is funded by the Church Commissioners call in the vision to establish eight new Strategic Investment Board through a congregations of varying kinds and at successful bid for Strategic Development varying stages of development. John has Funding for Resourcing churches. been working with these churches and John’s main focus is two-fold, the other churches which self-identified in development of Resourcing churches MAP 3 as being willing to start something and the establishing of 50 new new. Missional training has been congregations across the diocese. organised and the first of two, two-day (This article was written before the outbreak The 25 new congregations in church courses has been completed, led by of the coronavirus.) schools are being supported and Bob and Mary Hopkins who have vast resourced by Clynt French and the experience of church planting in Europe The overall strategy diocesan education and youth teams and the UK. In all, 16 churches will have of Sheffield Diocese including help from Centenary Project committed to this training and the falls into three Workers. There are currently three church subsequent membership of Learning broad categories: schools which have new congregations Communities by the summer and we are Renewed, Released with a further three envisaged this year. looking for a further eight or nine to join and Rejuvenated. by the end of 2020. The Rejuvenated The Resourcing churches that are strand is concerned specifically funded by the Strategic Churches which would like to explore with missional activities; specifically, Development Funding are Rotherham starting a new congregation or missional with developing 12 resourcing churches Minster with St Paul’s Masbrough and activity but have not yet done so can across the diocese and with starting 75 St John the Evangelist in Goole. These contact John by email john.marsh@ new congregations. Of these 75 new churches now have teams in place in line sheffield.anglican.org challenges and opportunities it brings. I have loved my years in Durham and will greatly miss The Diocese of Sheffield the people of the North East in both diocese and cathedral. The Northern province has leadership team become ‘home’ and it will be a great privilege to continue to minster here and serve God through The Diocese of Sheffield has seen a number of changes in its his church and wider community.” leadership team over the past six months. Speaking about the licensing, Javaid said: “It is an exciting opportunity to serve the church and the people of South Yorkshire and East Riding at this time of significant challenge not least because of COVID-19. I praise God and am enormously thankful for the most generous welcome I have received from new colleagues and the wider community. It will be a real joy to learn new things and form new partnerships and friendship to help our communities flourish, albeit from a distance at this stage. I pray and long for the time when we will be able to meet in person, worship and minister together.” On 27 April, Katie Bell, the new Diocesan Secretary and CEO to the Diocesan Board of Finance also started in her role. Katie joins from working with The Salvation Army, firstly as the Director for Business and Administration in the Yorkshire Division, and latterly supporting , Bishop-designate of Doncaster the strategic development of the three divisions in the Leeds Service Centre Region. In December 2019, Downing Street and Principal Commissary to the Bishop of announced that the new Bishop of Doncaster Sheffield’ in a virtual Zoom meeting by the was to be the Revd Canon Sophie Jelley. Then, on the same day. Her on the 9 February 2020, the Rt Revd Dr Pete consecration will take place at a later date. Wilcox, Bishop of Sheffield, announced the On Saturday, 16 May, the Bishop of Sheffield, appointment of the Revd Canon Javaid Iqbal as licensed the Revd Canon Javaid Iqbal as the the new Archdeacon of Doncaster. new Acting Archdeacon of Doncaster, also via At the time of her appointment, Sophie was the a virtual Zoom meeting. New colleagues, family Director of Mission, Discipleship and Ministry in and friends joined safely from their homes. the , and Canon Missioner Despite the circumstances, the licensings at . Canon Iqbal was a Team were both happy occasions and a service of Rector in the parishes of Aldenham, Radlett welcome and celebration will take place for and Shenley in the , both Sophie and Javaid at where he had been since 2013. when it is safe to do so. Both posts had been made vacant by the Speaking at the time of her appointment, Katie Bell retirements of and Steve Sophie said: Wilcockson in 2019. “I am delighted to have been invited to become All three new starters are settling into their Canon Sophie Jelley should have been the next Bishop of Doncaster in the Diocese of roles in the best way they can, given the consecrated a Bishop at on Sheffield. I so look forward to getting to know unusual circumstances. Conducting business 25 March 2020. However, due to the closing the people of South Yorkshire and East Riding via many of the newer technological methods of places of worship, the consecration and to working with Bishop Pete and his team. that we are now becoming so familiar with. has been postponed. Instead, Sophie was I have sensed a strong call from God to this role You can find their contact details and fuller licensed as ‘Bishop-designate of Doncaster in this particular place at this time with all the biographies on www.sheffield.anglican.org

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