Circuit Pilgrimage stage 3

On Tuesday I was joined by Louise my colleague to walk from Mosborough to Killamarsh via Emmanuel Waterthorpe.

We were joined on route by others but we began with refreshments and conversation.

So we touched on their life as a church, the importance of being welcomed, and so we had a great start to the day. Mosborough has a great parents and toddlers group led by Janet and they have been very supportive of my involvement with a Methodist church in Ghana. So I will be joining them again for a  fun morning and to collect the latest collection of childrens clothes to send to Asebu.

On route we passed the local Church of England  parish church.

We were joined by three knowledgable folk who gave us an understanding of the area and its history.

So we made it to the church of Emmanuel Waterthopre one of the local Ecumenical partnership churches. The church is linked physically to the Junior School and Infant School. Four Christian traditions came together to make the church some forty years ago - United Reformed- Baptist- Church of England-Methodist. 

A warm welcome awaited us as the parent and toddler group was getting set up for the afternoon.we had opportunity to look round the school.

The multi purpose worship space with a baptistry.

They have a wonderful outside classroom 

It must be great to have a lesson inside here .

Or What about this 

A willow classroom space.

So having heard all about the exciting work and possibilities we prayed and moved off ...

Louise and John setting the pace while Janet and I chatted.

Killamarsh  was our final destination.

Oh dear did you put your foot into it Louise?

Inside to have a drink and conversation and again to hear about the diverse ministries the church exercise.

It must have been a good time because we well over run on time....still it was worth every moment to be encouraged by what our churches are doing. 

Now to plan the next stage.

Saturday out with a friend

One of our favourtite places to visit is  the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Today in the sunshine it was again a delight and a group of sheep and lambs could be found resting under a tree. It was a very rural scene.

A very good friend from our days in Leigh on Sea had joined us for the weekend so a good stroll out gave us the opportunity to walk and talk.

The sculptures are always amazing to see and this time the Longside gallery has some quirky ones.

Make of them what you will.

Certainly a contrast to the wonderful scenery all around us.

The bluebells alongside the steps were stunning.

A lot of work is being undertaken to repair and renew the water courses.

It always feels like there is much to see at YSP an ever changing scene as the natural world passes through the seasons.

Is this next picture the church council/ circuit meeting with everyone choosing to leave their heads at home?

 

Circuit Pilgrimage stage 2

It has been a very contrasting day from Saturday when the weather was warm sunny and the world looked wonderful. Today I journeyed from Tinsley to Darnall and onto Handsworth. The final leg was walked in the pouring rain no wonder I walked alone.

Tinsley Church is set in a community that was split in half by the building of the M1 and not surprisingly that barrier can make it feel its on the edge. Having crossed the M1 via the various underpasses which I would not want to do in the dark, a photo of the roundabout hides the reality of the speeding traffic on the road above.

The current infant school where my wife once worked was in fact the site of the original junior school before the motorway. It too will be going as a new school bringing the two current infant and juniors schools physically together is being built on the open green space in the heart of Tinsley. Currently it has the childrens centre but the new school can be seen appearing behind it.

I guess in time the communty will get used to the change and loss of some of the green space. I presume that in time if the school grows more space will be taken up.

Local advice centre before you get to the church.

Still a relatively modern looking building with car parking, a luxury for most of our city churches.

Having arrived I was ready for my first coffee of the day and a warm welcome from the local 's Faith and Jack.

This was a time  to reconnect , to hear the history and current hopes of our community. We concluded our conversation with prayer. Then it was off again to walk to Darnall once more under the M1 and along the very long road. 

I was amused that as I took a photo of the police station a police officer gave me the once over.

So I moved on 

Having left Tinsley a bit late I managed to catch up with some quick walking and made the church at Darnall on time.

This is one of our Local Ecumenical Partnership churches formed  by three Christian traditions, United Reformed , Church of England and Methodist . The place was busy when I arrived with a lunch group in full swing.

 I made it inside before the heavy rain began and the offer again of coffee to keep me going as I chatted to some of the members. Some important community work takes place and it remains a busy church community. It serves in a diverse community whch has changed like so many over the years. The folks seemed in good spirits and willing to work hard. So having listened to their life We prayed and I pulled up my hood and went out into the rain. The suggestion to "catch the bus as its uphill to Handsworth" was not in the spirit of what I am seeking to do. So regardless of the rain I continued on my way with a slighlty faster pace which meant I did the last leg in 25 minutes. No photos on route too wet to stop and take pictures.

Into the shelter of our lovely Handsworth building with its multi purpose worship space and into the cafe meeting room area. Tme again for coffee and conversation including the minister Debora. It was great to hear so many good stories of what is happening there. How friendship being offered is opening up new opportunities to serve people. New housing presents the challenge to engage with new people. The growth of their lunch club that follows on with their work with parents and little ones. It all shows that with a community open to serving good things can be achieved,  and more things beckon to be built on. Not least involvement in local schools and work with the Girls brigade and Boys Brigade which thrive. Our conversation had given me much to share with people in our circuit, and ideas to develop which would mean sharing our circuit resources justly to make a real difference. So a prayer to end with the kind offer of a lift home in the dry. But one final thing. The way they are appreciated in their loving and caring was reflected in a note someone left with a knitted gift just saying how it was all valued. 

Church anniversary

What a great morning I have had.

We had a brunch service to celebrate our church anniversary at Firth Park. 

So with song , prayer , fresh fruit , crossiants , and activities to get people thinking about their lives as Christians. 

What kind of people do we want to be ? What kind of fruit to produce and what gifts have we to do our work with children and young people differently? 

Just a great atmosphere , lots of laughter and interaction. 

We offered all our lives, prayers and gifts on the green material flowing from the cross which has become a symbol of life , a tree that produces a harvest.

Then it had been over to Nethergreen to present a church review to our Beacon Church which has three sites on the city . 

So all in all a good day.

Circuit Pilgrimage stage one

My intention is to visit all 60 plus of our church premises across Sheffield. The hope is to walk from church to church in clusters so gving me and those who might join me a different perspective on our amazing city. When we walk we see things which when in a car are missed or give no time to reflect upon. It is to be a time to give people an opportunity to ask about the life of our shared circuit so clarifying concerns. It means for me an opportunity to see and hear what good things are happening and make connections for our  work together.

So stage one on Saturday took me from Hillsborough to Wisewood to Stanwood.

Hillsborough is in the midst of a major refurbishment which has already opened up what was a pew filled worship space into one that is bright, multi purpose and very useable. 

 

A number of people came along to have a coffee and chat before I set off for our Wisewood Methodist church.

The normal concerns surrounding the size of our very large circuit were raised and the need to retain a sense of belonging to each other. The hopes at Hillsborough, following on from all the yet to be completed building work, is that it can be more than just a place where 'good work ' is undertaken. The Challenge to offer a vibrant and a distinctive contribution to sharing the Christian faith remains a central task for them and the circuit. 

What a day though to start the pilgrimage warm and sunny which makes everywhere look good. Hillsborough overlooks a wonderful park but I headed away up hill with one companion and so in talking no photos. I was struck as always by the volume of housing in our city, the lives we rarely come in contact with, and if we are honest probabley dont even know we exist.

Arriving at Wisewood the church was in full swing with the annual spring clean, the knit and natter group were hard at , well mostly nattering! and an offer of a bacon butty.

Katie their  minister was there to greet us.

There was an excellent spirit and the place had a real buzz. Concerns raised included what will happen when our current outreach worker post ends this summer? Is this an opportunity for the  circuit togive some  assistance so the new pieces of work are not lost, while the local church determines how it can keep it going.

The lovely phrase is succession planning.

 It is vital that when we undertake new work, projects and employ people, we are at the same time giving thought to how we maintain that work when funding ends. Of course new work highlights the fact that as a circuit we may have to stop doing old things so we can do new work. This is never easy as the familiar brings a kind of security even if it leads to decline.

Refreshed from my time with the Wiswood folks I moved on alone. I think the thought of the walk uphill may have put some off.

Back tracking slightly I then cut through down to where the roads go off along the Rivilin  or stannington.

Passing St Mark's ' the church on the hill' I never knew it was there !

You would think you were in the heart of the countryside from this photo but no traffc and housing all around. What beauty is to be found if only we stop and look.

My middle daughter told me not to walk at my usual pace if people joined me. So I  surprised the steward at Stanwood arriving early inspite of the walk uphill.

A chance for important conversation and for me to hear hopes and dreams. The walk ended with prayer and I look forward to stage two going from Tinsley to Darnall to Handsworth. It's going to be different again .