Welcome to the Diocese of Sheffield

The Diocese of Sheffield was formed at Pentecost in 1914, by the division from the Diocese of York. It covers most of the County of South Yorkshire, with a small part of East Yorkshire, one parish in North Yorkshire and one in North Lincolnshire – an area of almost 576 square miles.

Snippets

Designed and edited in the Communications Office, this internal professional bulletin of information and news goes out every month to all clergy and workers across the Diocese. Snippets has recently been revamped, and is a great way for workers across the Diocese to find out more about what courses, events and training events are taking place. Click here for Snippets.

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Ordinations 2009

Please remember to pray for those to be ordained deacon in Sheffield Cathedral by the Bishop this Sunday 5 July: 6.30pm

Christopher James Betson - Cranmer Hall, Durham to serve in the parish of St James, Anston

Hilda Ruth Isaacson Yorkshire Ministry Course to serve in the parish of St John the Evangelist, Deepcar

Gina Louise Kalsi - Yorkshire Ministry Course to serve in the parish of St Stephen, Netherthorpe

Michael William Peter Reeder to serve at the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul, Sheffield

Monica Rosalind Sutton - Yorkshire Ministry Course to serve in the parish of St Cuthbert, Fir Vale

Richard James Walton - Yorkshire Ministry Course to serve in the parish of St Peter, Warmsworth

Please also pray for those to be ordained priest in Doncaster Minster by the Bishop of Sheffield on Sunday 12 July at 10.30am

Margaret Baker - serving in the parish of St Cuthbert, Herringthorpe

Laura Claire Betson - serving in the parishes of All Saints, Aston cum Aughton with Holy Trinity, Ulley

Katherine Jane Francis - serving in the parish of St Mary the Virgin, Sprotbrough

David William Fry - serving in the Heeley and Gleadless Valley Team Ministry

David Gough - serving in the parish of St John the Evangelist, Park

Richard Adrian Heard - serving in the parish of Christ Church, Hackenthorpe

Peter Wilfred Hibbs - serving in the parish of Great Snaith

Edwin Harry Steele -serving in the parish of All Saints, Ecclesall

DIOCESAN DEVELOPMENT DAY 2009 - Date for your diary

WORSHIP CHANGES LIVES 2
Saturday 3rd October 2009
9.00 am to 3.30 pm
at Philadelphia campus, Gilpin Street, Sheffield

Click here for more information...

Legacy Initiative

An Initiative is being launched in the Diocese to promote the writing of wills and leaving of legacies amongst church members. The principal objective of the Initiative is to raise awareness amongst church members of the good sense of getting their affairs in order by writing a will. The second goal is to make clear what benefits a legacy can bring a church by making something possible that otherwise could not be achieved and therefore encourage people to think more positively about writing their church into their will.
Click here for information...

How To Use The Sheffield Diocesan Web site

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Events

News

The Bishop's Letter

June 2009

“If only. . .”

This month Bishop David writes:

We all play this game, consciously or subconsciously, - and perhaps many times every day! “If only this were different. . .” or “If only I hadn’t said that. . .” or indeed “If only I had said that. . .”! Perhaps for most of the time it is something that comes and goes and we rapidly forget. But there are times when it is more serious – and some “If onlys” live with us for a long time, perhaps for the rest of our lives. And that can be very tough indeed.

I write this in the week after Pentecost - the gift of God Himself in the Holy Spirit. And for Church people there can come times when we wish that “If only Jesus were here”. Before Pentecost, indeed before the death and resurrection of Jesus there was a certain instance (and probably many more) when the first disciples wished that. After the moment when Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John, the rest of the disciples were stuck – they couldn’t (according to the boy’s father) heal his son. And Jesus came and did it. Marvellous! (see Luke 9, vv. 37-43)

But the disciples (helpless in that situation) after Pentecost are portrayed differently. Perhaps they still often wished “If only Jesus were back” but nowhere are we told that. Still very ordinary men (and women) they got on with the job – in the strength and support of God Himself, the Holy Spirit.

The same is true for us. At our Confirmation we were prayed over, that we would “daily increase in the Holy Spirit more and more”. Daily!! Surely here lies the key. In the ordinariness of day-to-day life - Monday as well as Sunday, July as well as January, we daily increase – every day and receiving more.

We may have to live with some serious “If onlys” – for that is life. But that gentle yet powerful presence of God, renewed and refreshed every day is what is promised us. God with us. As Paul says, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” Or as we say in the Communion Service, “The Lord is here! His Spirit is with us!”

+David