Good News Stories

New Cathedral Toddler Group Flourishes

Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 10:40

The Sheffield Cathedral Toddler Group opened 23 February 2012 after several months of planning and preparation. We meet every Thursday morning, in school term time, in the 1554 Gallery at the back of the Cathedral 10.00am – 11.30am. The Gallery is bustling with activity and life. The group is for parents, grandparents and carers with children from birth to school age. It is run by a team of volunteers including Mothers` Union members.

The Dean and Chapter have been very supportive. We gathered a team of volunteers, including MU members and young mums, from the Cathedral congregation and we had several planning meetings. We applied for grants and had fun choosing the equipment and toys. The aims of the group were decided and various policies written. The group was publicised in the back of the Cathedral and in the city.

We lay out the room with different activity areas. We have an area with gym mats and baby toys; a garage and road mats; duplo bricks and mat; a home corner with toy kitchen units, a dinner set and play food; a table with puzzles; a table with an art/craft activity; and a box with books. We serve refreshments half way through the session with MU members helping on a rota. Every session ends with a singing time.

On the first morning we had no idea who would come. The first week of opening we had four children. The numbers steadily grew and by week five we had eighteen children which was wonderful.

Lots of prayer has gone into this new venture and we are looking to see what the Lord has in store next. If you are a Carer with pre-school children you are most welcome.

Christ is Risen indeed: Creativity and Growth in Easter Services

Last Updated on Monday, 14 May 2012 10:59

This Easter saw the churches in Wadworth and Loversall explore creative ways of celebrating Christ’s passion and resurrection. A labyrinth was set up during Holy Week to help worshippers journey through Christ’s passion. At one all-age service, congregants’ hands were anointed with perfume as a sensory meditation on Jesus being anointed for burial.

Christmas 2011

Last Updated on Tuesday, 31 January 2012 15:08

Churches around the country have told stories of increased attendances at Christmas services this year and the stories we’ve heard from within Sheffield Diocese seems to confirm that trend here.

Around 30 churches have shared their stories with Mark Wigglesworth and around 75% of these record increases in attendance, not only from last year (which was low due to snow), but many also compared to figures for the last 3 or 4 years.

St. Mary’s Handsworth saw their annual Christmas Eve crib service double from last year’s attendance up to 139 people. Church Warden, Anne Palmer, puts this increase down to new people coming through their fresh expression children’s groups, Messy Church and baptismal families.

Christchurch Hillsborough and Wadsley Bridge have seen steady growth at their Carols by Candlelight service over the past 5 years. This year the attendance peaked at 182 compared to 56 in 2007, and they have continued to see increased attendance in January.

St. Mary’s Tickhill decided to move their Carol Service into the week before Christmas and saw the attendance quadruple – despite being in an interregnum!

Holy Trinity and St. Oswald’s in Finningley started a Christmas Eve Christingle service in 2009 and were pleased that 100 people came. This year has seen that number more than double, to the point where they cannot fit anymore in their buildings!

St. Mary’s Walkley had the ‘good problem’ of running out of Christingles at their Christmas Eve service as they had an extra 30 people through the doors including twice as many adults as last year.

These stories are only the tip of the iceberg as many more churches saw increases year upon year throughout the Diocese including All Saints Woodlands who took part in Premier Radio’s carol singing World Guinness Records attempt. It is also encouraging to hear the number of churches who took the carols out to the community by singing in local pubs and around the parish. After introducing carol-singing in the local pub last year, St. Gabriel’s in Greystones had to return for 2 sessions this year, both of which saw their ‘local’ bursting at the seams. The congregation of St. Mary’s Bramall Lane were touched when out carol-singing: a local teenager directed them to sing outside the house of a lady who had been recently widowed, who listened from her doorway with a smile.

A number of churches have reported this trend continuing into the New Year and St. Francis, West Bessacar are just one of the churches who have seen their average weekly attendance continue to stay higher than last year into January.

Behind all these numbers are individuals who chose to attend church over the Christmas period and had the opportunity to be touched by the good news of the birth of Jesus Christ. One such individual attending the crib service at St. Luke’s Hospice was touched enough to feel she had found God again and this was significant in her final weeks of life. Let’s hope and pray that many more who attended were touched in similar ways.

Do send your stories from Christmas to Bishop Steven’s Research Assistant Hannah Smith: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The 3:15 Community is a growing project All Saints Woodlands started in Highfields village

Last Updated on Friday, 06 January 2012 12:02

Highfields is a village in the parish of All Saints Woodlands. It previously had it's own place of worship, but after it's closure in 1979 there had been no regular worship in the village. Some members of All Saints were keen to re-establish the Church's links into the village.

After much prayer, in January 2008, the 3:15 Community was launched in Highfields Primary School. The name was inspired by the start time of their service (3:15pm on a Tuesday afternoon) and from John 3:15. Each Tuesday they have a simple 45 minute, which engages all ages with songs, a simple Bible reading or reflection and crafts or activities. Although attendance has been slow to grow from its initial group of 8-10 members, the Community was determined to stay for the long-haul.

The 3:15 Community had a key part to play two years ago when there was a disastrous house fire in Highfields. Rev. Stephen Gardner and the members of the Community were able to provide support for those dealing with these tragic circumstances. In intervening couple of years, the 3:15 Community has grown in significance in the village, with numbers growing, relationships forming and some seeing this Community as their primary Church.

Rev. Gardner will be looking to see the Community have a wider impact for good in the village in 2012.

Rotherham Ecumenical Alpha emerged out of the monthly Church Leaders prayer breakfast for churches across Rotherham

Last Updated on Friday, 06 January 2012 12:02

Rotherham Ecumenical Alpha emerged out of the monthly Church Leaders prayer breakfast for churches across Rotherham. In the end, 10 churches from across Rotherham and from a number of Christian denominations took part including Rotherham Minster and Rev. David Bliss. Different Ministers led the sessions for each week to give participants a taste of the variety of churches in the area.

The course was held in a central venue, the Carlton Park Hotel and saw many participants attend after hearing the course promoted on local radio. Around 50 people attended the course each week including around 20 who had no previous church connection and so are exploring the faith from a fresh perspective.

One of the organisers, Adrian Dexter, was enthusiastic about the cross section of people who attended, from homeless people through to professionals. He observed a real sense of community growing among the participants who enjoyed building relationships with one another.

Rev. Bliss is exploring the possibility of running another daytime Alpha course in the city centre early this year - watch this space!