I felt called to this role
I was born and grew up in Sheffield and moved away to study and work. I qualified as a solicitor and returned to Sheffield. I worked in law for a number of years before re-training to work in post-16 education. I worked in further and higher education and have a passion for widening participation. It was whilst working in education that I felt called to ordained ministry – but it took me quite a few years before I accepted the call! I was ordained in 2021.
I had been doing my curacy for the last three years (across three churches in Barnsley; Ardsley, Darfield and Great Houghton) and I wanted to stay in the Diocese of Sheffield. I wanted to use my parish experience, but in a wider context.
The job has been absolutely brilliant so far. Hannah Sandoval, who is currently on maternity leave, did a cracking job with doing the handover. The Church House team have been very welcoming and it’s just been a really good opportunity to work with so many amazing people across the Diocese.
I want to share people’s stories and testimonies
I really enjoy meeting loads of people and working alongside people, wherever they’re at. It’s been an absolute joy to get out and about in the Diocese, meeting clergy and church leaders to see how the Lights for Christ materials can be developed, for their tradition and context..
You’ll be seeing lots of Lights for Christ messaging in the coming weeks!
The next big event I’m focusing on with Lights for Christ is Wear Your Faith Fortnight (21st October-3rd November) and then there will be some advent and Christmas messages My key aim is to try and help as many churches across the Diocese over the next year as possible. I’m really conscious that time can be short in parish life, so I want to try and make the Lights for Christ resources as easy to use as possible.
The beauty of the resources is that they can be easily adapted to different traditions and different contexts. I’m really excited about working with people to use those resources creatively. I’ve been chatting with some church leaders already about introducing Lights for Christ into sermons as well as parish vision days and away days and retreat days.
No day is the same
My day to day role involves working with clergy and other church leaders to see what help I might be able to offer, but also working alongside Church House staff and wider staff to see how Lights for Christ can complement their work.
It also involves making the diocesan strategy understandable, accessible and real to people in their everyday lives. We all live busy lives and I think using the resources can make you stop and truly reflect on your own relationship with God and what that looks like in your own life, whether you’re at home, school or work.
Get in touch if you want to learn more about Lights for Christ
If you are a church leader and are interested in getting together to have a chat over coffee, then get in touch: christine.moorey@sheffield.anglican.org
We’ve got lots of resources including workshops and retreat days, it would be wonderful to chat about what Lights for Christ might mean to you and your congregations.