THE NEWSLETTER OF THE DIOCESE OF SHEFFIELD 04 SPRING 2016 Happy Birthday to Coffee shop 1554 What makes a the Mothers at Sheffield church school Union... Cathedral... distinctive.... See page 4 See page 8 See page 12 Welcome from Bishop Steven Over 250 young people aged 11-18 gathered together on a cold Saturday in January for our third annual Breathe Deep day. They came to St Thomas Philadelphia, with their leaders, diocese at the moment, I’m never short of things to say. from all across the Diocese. Together we were exploring There are so many stories of life and growth. But one of my faith and the rhythm of life with God. The number of young favourite things, if I’m honest, has to be the new work we are people involved has more than doubled since our first day in beginning to do with children and young people and families. 2014. People love the day together and are keen to bring Together we are helping the next generation discover faith in their friends. Jesus Christ. We worshipped together. We explored Scripture. This year I When I was 12 years old, I was on the very edge of the life of spoke about living our whole lives in the rhythm of the two my small, local parish church and set to drift away from faith. great commandments Jesus gives: loving God and loving our If I had, my life would have been very different. One person neighbour as ourselves. There were workshops on prayer, on in that parish was determined to do something. She had no going deeper with God, on service, on transforming God’s qualifications but she started a small youth group for me and world. All through the morning the young people text in just two other teenagers. Over time she went on training questions on anything to do with life and faith and, just before courses and involved others. Through that group (and at a lunch, I try and answer them. We eat together (Subway – a Diocesan event), I found faith and God found me. Jean still big highlight). Each year this part looks a little more like the prays for me and for the others involved in that youth group feeding of the 5,000 as small groups of teenagers gather more than forty years later. across the conference room (there are no chairs so everyone sits on the floor). We now have funding and support available for churches to grow families and children’s and youth work again. We have Over lunch the huge inflatables arrive and the first part of the excellent training courses to help people who want to start afternoon is given over to some serious fun and games. Then something take the first steps. We’ve already booked the it’s worship again, the results of various competitions, some date for our fourth Breathe Deep day on 28 January next filming for the music video of the day and the chance to be year. If there is nothing happening in your parish for young still, to reflect and to collect a holding cross to take away to people, the place to begin is prayer. If you can’t help remind us of the theme of the day. yourself then pass this edition of Network on to someone You can catch a flavour of what happened on page 10 and in who might be able to make a new beginning. Let’s do what the various videos made on the day on we can to help young people in every community to www.breathedeepday.info rediscover faith in Jesus Christ. When people ask me what’s happening in the parishes of the @steven_croft 2 NETWORK | WELCOME THE NEWSLETTER OF THE DIOCESE OF SHEFFIELD THE DDIOCESEIOCESE Contents Issue 04 OOFF SSHEFFIELDHEFFIELD Page Page 04 10 Doors will be opened for the first time for the 250 young people from churches all over Joined Up Conference for youth, schools, South Yorkshire gathered to breathe deep, to children’s and families workers. think, to have fun and to discover God. Page Page 05 13 Local communities throughout the UK will be What makes a church school distinctive? We planning celebrations for Her Majesty the find out with guest writer Huw Thomas, Queen’s 90th birthday in June this year. Director of Education. Page Page 08 14 After being asked for many years where the In 2015, it was the turn of the Sheffield coffee shop is, visitors to Sheffield Cathedral, Diocese team to visit Germany. now receive a positive answer. If you are interested in contributing an article in future editions of Network please email communications@sheffield.anglican.org or telephone the Communications Team on 01709 309100 . Network is copyright © of the Diocesan Board of Finance, a company limited by guarantee and registered in England (No. 196087). Registered charity No. 245861. Registered address: Church House, 95-99 Effingham Street, Rotherham, S65 1BL. CONTENTS | NETWORK 3 Happy Birthday to Mothers’ Union! This year will see Mothers’ Union mark 140 years of faithful Christian outreach to families of all faiths including families with no affliation to the church. Since 1876, when Mary Sumner first brought together parents in her own parish to build their confidence in bringing up their children, it has grown to an organisation of over four million women – and men – in over 80 countries of the world. Why celebrate 140th, rather than wait for 150th? In the Old This year over 500,000 people will benefit from Mothers’ Union’s Testament of the Bible, in the first book of Samuel, there is the support for family life. Many more will know the support of its story of Samuel marking an unlooked for victory against the membership without any tally being taken. mighty Philistines by erecting a stone between Mizpah and Shen, naming it “Ebenezer” meaning “stone of help” as a permanent There has never been a more challenging, or more exciting time reminder of the leading and guidance of God “Thus far has the to be part of Mothers’ Union. The hope is to train more members Lord helped us”. to help more families; to encourage greater outreach across those countries and communities where family life is under greatest Over the past 140 years, Mothers’ Union has faced, and will threat. To do this help is needed. continue to face, many challenges. Family life is under increasing pressure and the call on resources is higher than ever. But the To find out how you can help Mothers’ Union mark 140 years of Union can look at how it is meeting these challenges and say, like faith in action contact the Supporter Care line on 020 7227 0620 Samuel, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.” or email [email protected] Joined Up Conference Unlocking On Saturday 12 March the doors will be opened for the first time for the the treasures Joined Up Conference for youth, schools, children’s and families workers. of St Laurence St Laurences Church in Adwick-le-Street has It offers a chance to join with others to share ideas and learn new ones in this interactive finished a major re-ordering of its church. The day conference in the heart of building is now more welcoming to visitors, especially schools, children and groups. This Sheffield. It will be held at St Marys has been achieved by reordering an aisle of Bramall Lane, Sheffield from 9.30am. the church to provide toilets and kitchenette A booking fee will apply but this also and space for children’s work, group work and hospitality. The project has been includes lunch. supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund The keynote speaker will inspire, which has granted £99,950 to enable this encourage and challenge project to come to fruition. Now the project hopes to encourage more delegates to consider ways to research into the history of the church. better serve young people and Called "Unlocking the Treasures of St. children. There will also be 15+ Laurence", it focusses on four stories which workshops on a variety of issues are unique to St Laurence. These four stories are based around: hermit and spiritual writer to choose from and resources Richard Rolle; Robert Parkyn, priest of the available to purchase. church from 1541-1569; the tomb of James Washington; and a Cholera outbreak in 1832. If you are a youth worker in a When St Laurence was asked in 256 AD to church, a volunteer children’s present the church’s treasure to the Roman helper, a schools worker… authorities, he did not show the gold and whatever avenue you minister silver and fine carvings but he presented the people. The treasure is also in the people in, this day will provide you with who have lived, worked and worshipped in a real boost of energy for what Adwick and found inspiration and meaning you do and why you do it. in Christ. 4 NETWORK | NEWS Communities set to celebrate The Queen’s 90th birthday Local communities throughout the UK will be planning celebrations for Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday in June this year. Many parish churches will be joining in with the celebrations by organising festivals and exhibitions over the weekend of 10-12 June 2016. The Church of England’s ChurchCare website is providing a virtual map of events and offer tips on themed celebrations, a helpful checklist on how to involve community partners as well as publicity opportunities. Church schools have been taking part in a competition to design a logo for the campaign.