As we celebrate Palm Sunday with donkeys coming to church, I am struck again of the difference a few days makes. From the celebratory cries of people recognising Jesus as their long awaited king to the cruel cries to kill Him such a short time later.
As we start Holy Week, I wonder who Jesus is to you and who He is to your friends, your family, your colleagues, your neighbours?
This week we have many church services, events and opportunities to help people meet with and know Jesus. I wonder who you could you invite and who you could be praying for to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour this Eastertime?
Rosie Blackett
From the Curate
My first acquaintance with All Saints Ecclesall was during the Sheffield half marathon in 2016. I still remember appreciating the water station and kind volunteers who kept me going during the race. On Sunday, 5000 runners will pass our church. Each runner will be thankful for the encouraging support of spectators, and the refreshment provided by those in the church family who give out water.
The Christian life is often described as a race, one which involves dedication and focus. Hebrews 12.1-2 urges us to ‘run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.’ Along the journey of faith, the encouragement of others, and refreshment of the Spirit’s living water helps each of us to fix our eyes on Jesus. As we continue through Lent, and head towards Easter, may we focus on Jesus, knowing he has gone before us and encourages us each step of the way. May each of us find ways to encourage, and refresh, others we know in our wonderful church family.
And if you are watching, or helping, with the half marathon on Sunday, look out for 11 members of our church family who are running: Matt Daft and Jess Williams, Pete, Alice, and Sam Evans, Will and Clare Hague, Edward Hattersley, Simon and Rebecca Oatridge, and Sarah Wittams-Howarth. I’m sure we would appreciate your support… and some water!
Simon Oatridge
From the Vicar
Sheffield is a large village, so I am often told and frequently, and happily, experience with various networks of friendly contacts.
“It’s a small world” too and one often on our minds thanks to ease of travel and rapid communication access. This past week for me has seen connections with Nazareth, Kenya, Mexico, Bulgaria, Lesotho, Nepal and Lanzarote! I could extend the range even further when we consider the mission partners that we support. Whilst the world might be a smaller and more well connected place – anyone who notices a change in weather should, I think, be minded to think of the global climate emergency. It is also, for some, a lonely and disconnected world where community and healthy relationships matter even more.
I am thrilled to notice an increase in activities amongst our church family away from Sunday, occasions for meeting up during the week and the sense in which our All Saints family could be a place of community for many in our local area.
Thank you for supporting our Friendly Stop initiative, our Alpha course, the start of Dad’s breakfast and we hope the Coronation Lunch on Sunday May 7th (after the 11am service ) to name but a few. I am planning now a presentation for our Annual meeting (on the evening of Wednesday May 24th – do come!) to enable the many open doors that we have at All Saints to be used effectively to share God’s love.
The All Saints staff team join me in wishing you every blessing as you prepare to celebrate Easter with us. May the Risen Lord bless your travels and local connections in His name
Revd Canon Mark Brown
From the Associate Vicar
This Lent has taken on a new and special meaning for Caroline and myself as we await our first child. Each of our morning readings on Sunday mornings have had a question like, ‘How long, O Lord?’ or a statement like, ‘As the watchmen wait for the morning, so I wait for you’. The theme of waiting for God’s timing is implicit in the Psalms. There is the assumption that there are good things for those who put their trust in God. But also, that we can’t know when God will bless us. This is true for Lent, and waiting for a baby. Waiting can still be a good thing!
Hopefully our little baby girl won’t be many days away – we look forward to introducing her to you all over the coming weeks.
With love,
Revd Roland Slade
From the Operations Manager
Hello all,
I thought I would take this opportunity to update you all on the progress being made with a number of estates (aka buildings) projects we have underway in and around the church.
We are in the process of getting approval from the Diocese for the repair and replacement of new lighting in church so that we can improve the lumens on some of the gloomier areas in the building.
We are also working on how we repair the damage to the plaque on the side of the tower, we haven’t been able to progress this during the winter months as the materials needed would not have worked well in wet weather, this will be a spring/summer job.
The water damaged plaster in church has been removed and we are now beginning a series of tests to establish the best plaster to use to replace it once all of the salts have dried.
We have just installed two new notice boards on the Ringinglow Road and Ecclesall Road South entrances so we can display posters and share the good news of the work we are doing here at All Saints.
There is always a lot to manage at All Saints but it is encouraging to see progress in so many different areas. If you have any questions about any of the above, or anything to do with the building or operations of All Saints, please don’t hesitate to contact me via the office.
Many thanks
Stephanie Osman
From the Vicar
Dear Friends,
This month sees the conclusion of Allie and I being welcomed and settled in the Vicarage for just over two years! Thank you for all your love, support and prayers! A full two years with the negotiating of covid rules (remember them), the changes to the ministry and administration teams (some 20 comings and goings of staff), the gradual, paced re-entry and re-gathering of life after covid (if life can ever be normal in a church!). I am delighted to see small steps for increasing lay ministry and gifts being used. So now, as Lent begins, so too does our Friendly Stop and very important Connections evenings (full details of both can be found on the Notices Page). Numbers are never the main thing, yet a small but significant increase in our electoral roll and gathering confidence in our four Sunday services, thanks to the new emerging leadership teams, is encouraging. We thank God for these and other blessings, for being part of a welcoming and caring Christian Church family.
Alongside these blessings, I am conscious that this month has seen a significant shift and change in the church’s official teaching and prayers for homosexual partnerships. The possible direction of travel is a cause of serious concern for wider issues of Church unity. There is still much to be clarified and indeed fully authorised (nothing has yet been changed or agreed). I have briefed the PCC as fully as possible and with their encouragement, once more details from the National church have been revealed this summer / autumn, we will have further discussions. I simply wanted you to know I am fully aware of all the details and complexities of the debate and if you would value a conversation, I would be most happy to oblige.
I sense and feel sure that All Saints would wish to continue to be a welcoming and friendly community to everyone in Christ's name. Do please pray for the wider church and its guidance given to Parish Churches like ours. We will update you as and when we can.
With my prayers for your own Lenten journey.
Revd Canon Mark Brown
From the Wardens
It doesn’t seem two minutes since Christmas and here we are hurtling towards Lent and the wonderful time of Easter. It is good to see increasing numbers at our Sunday services and there are lots of other good things to look forward to. The three Connections events (on 1st March, 15th March and 29th March) will bring guest speakers to All Saints, focusing on various aspects of our faith. A great way to gain new perspectives. Partly overlapping with these will be 3 lunchtime organ recitals, featuring two of our ASE organists. We hope you will come along, bring a friend, enjoy the music and a time of fellowship afterwards.
There will of course be a full programme of services across Easter itself, as we celebrate our resurrected Lord.
There are many ways to engage with life at All Saints and we encourage you to join us. You'll get a warm welcome, whatever the event.
Alison, Richard and Sue.
From the Parish Safeguarding Officer
I wonder if like me you were able to join the youth-led service last Sunday evening. It was such a joy to join in worship led by our young people and learn from them, how they have used different approaches to develop their prayer life. Likewise, it is such a joy at the 11am service to see an increasing number of children join Rosie to learn about Jesus’ love for them through different activities. As a church we are blessed by Rosie and Cam’s dedication and enthusiasm for sharing the gospel with the children and young people in our church family. We are also blessed by their commitment to safeguarding our children and young people. As well as completing safeguarding leadership training themselves, I work with them to ensure that all our volunteers who help out with children and youth activities have also completed safeguarding training and have a clear DBS check. This means that we are well placed to create a welcoming and safe environment for all our children and young people.
So may I extend a big ‘thank you’ to our many volunteers who play such a vital part in our children and youth ministry. Your commitment to safeguarding is a wonderful blessing to our church family.
In Proverbs 31:8, we are encouraged to ‘speak up for those whose voices are not heard’. So I would like to invite anyone who has a question or a concern about safeguarding our children and young people to speak to Rosie, Cam or myself. As a church family, we all have a part to play in ensuring that our church is a safe place for all.
And if you didn’t make last Sunday’s youth service, do think about coming along next month. I think you will be encouraged in your faith as you witness the enthusiasm of our young people leading our worship.
Kate Gerrish, Parish Safeguarding Officer