3Generate is the Methodist Youth Conference that takes place inside the NEC Birmingham every October, attracting around 1,600 people from all over the Connexion.

This year we linked up with other groups from our District, camping with young people from Calderdale Circuit and spending time with a larger group from Aire and Calder Circuit. This already gave us the feeling of being part of something so much bigger than we can provide in one Circuit alone. Looking at the sea of tents inside the NEC, it was so clear to see how 3Generate attracts people from all over the Connexion.

This year the programme was again full of interesting talks and activities, with lots of time to worship, learn and have fun. A new addition to the programme was Dragons’ Den, where young people could come with their ideas on how to help engage their peers with the church. Two of our young people had the idea of creating internships at Circuit level, even creating a model of their new intern. The result of this idea meant they got to spend some one-on-one time with some of the most influential members of the Connexional team, including Trey Hall, Director of Evangelism and Growth for the Methodist Church.

Our new preaching plan for Summer 2024 is now available online.

To see who will be preaching in the local churches please head to the preaching plan page using the button below.

Aged 18-25? Wondering what to do next and wanting to explore what God has for your future? Join us here at Cliff College to invest in intentional growth and training, alongside practical opportunities to share your faith and impact the world around you.

​If you are feeling stressed or under pressure right now it is not necessarily a bad thing.  Healthy stress keeps us motivated and looking forward.  Emotions tell us there is an unmet need deep within and prompts us to go and satisfy that need.

The problem comes when we are stressed more often than not, and it becomes ‘normal’ to feel uncomfortable much of the time.  I used to think, when I get older, I won’t be stressed any more and things will fine, I just need to get older…  Well, that didn’t work!  In fact, stress, anxiety, and depression can be like unwanted passengers who sit on our bus, who don’t pay their fare and take up someone else’s seat.  Age does not insulate us from anxiety or stress and nor does it dilute strong feelings. Here are a few simple techniques to deal with strong, unwanted emotions.

1. Name what you are feeling.  If you are in a situation where you are feeling big emotions like frustration or anger or fear for example, say to yourself, ‘I am noticing the emotion of feeling stuck’ or ‘I’m noticing there is fear around right now’ or ‘that encounter has left a feeling of anger’.  If you find yourself saying, ‘I’m noting I am angry’, try flipping it away from yourself to, ‘I’m noting there’s anger around…’ The words we use make a difference.

2. Reassess what’s going on.  We are good at mind reading what someone else is thinking and it is a necessary skill if we want to get on with friends and family.  The trouble comes when we try to understand what someone else is thinking from our own point of view.  Instead, reassess the situation and consider how the other person might see this situation. For example, someone says they will meet you at the café and pay back the £20 they owe you, but they don’t show up.  Instead of thinking, ‘they aren’t going to pay me back.  I knew I shouldn’t have loaned them money’ try looking at it from their point of view. ‘They borrowed the money in the first place because they didn’t have enough to get by.  Maybe the circumstances haven’t changed’.  Or ‘maybe they need the money for their daughter’s school shoes for the start of term’.  Just take a different perspective and see how that new view changes how you feel.

3. The helicopter ride.  Imagine you are lifting off in a helicopter and you can see a much bigger picture, not just yourself below or the situation that is facing you but other circumstances which might help to put your situation in perspective.  Simply, ask yourself ‘just how important is this issue that’s facing me right now in comparison to the bigger picture?’

4. On the big screen.  Imagine you are watching yourself on the big screen at the cinema.  Watch yourself in the tricky situation that’s causing you big emotions just like you would at a cinema and create some distance from all that’s troubling you.  Just watch yourself on the cinema screen from the back of the auditorium and notice after a while how strong your emotions are now.
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These simple ways to navigate life’s troubles are all designed to lower our stress levels, calm the mind, and directly affect a part of the brain we need to be in control when things don’t go according to plan.  Try them out and see how you feel after a few days practising them and let me know what did and didn’t work for you. 
Rev Tim Moore
Tim is one of our ministers who teaches mindfulness and wellbeing

​Assistant District Safeguarding Officer for the Yorkshire West and Yorkshire North & East Methodist Districts

​The Methodist Church is committed to ensuring its churches are safe spaces for all. We work hard to ensure compliance with legal requirements, develop good practice, provide effective training and give professional advice on individual cases. We have an exciting opportunity to join our team to work alongside the District Safeguarding Officers (DSOs) across the Yorkshire West and Yorkshire North & East Methodist Districts.

• Do you have a knowledge of safeguarding?
• Do you have Training and Quality Assurance skills and experience?
• Are you able to work flexibly and independently?
• Are you open to working in the faith sector?

If so, this post may be for you. Amongst other things, you will be supporting our Safeguarding standards and DSOs by:

• Helping to deliver high quality safeguarding training
• Managing District DBS applications and the District Database
• Supporting Circuit and Church Safeguarding Officers
• Being committed to your own personal development

The terms of employment will include:

• Salary £16,640 (£16 per hour), with enrolment in the Yorkshire West Methodist District’s NEST Workplace Pension Scheme
• 20 hours per week, with flexibility including evenings, and occasional Saturdays (This includes core hours of 9 am to 3 pm on one day per week (to be agreed), which will be dedicated to the work in Yorkshire West District and another day per week (to be agreed), which will be dedicated to the work in Yorkshire North & East District. The remaining hours can be worked flexibly across the rest of the week in agreement with your Line Manager.)
• Home based
• Travel required across the Yorkshire West and Yorkshire North & East Districts.

The geographical area covered by the Yorkshire West District stretches approximately 80 miles from Ingleton in the north to Penistone in the south, and 50 miles from Todmorden in the west to Knottingley in the east. The District is made up of a range of communities and settings, including extensive rural areas, large cities and urban towns, and smaller market towns and villages. Throughout this diverse area there are local Methodist churches of people gathering together as disciples of Jesus Christ to worship God and serve their local communities.

The Yorkshire North and East District includes around 200 churches stretching over nearly 80 miles of the East Yorkshire coast, and across much of North Yorkshire, from Northallerton to Wetherby. The District embraces the cities of York, Hull and Ripon, and includes many rural settings as well as coastal and market towns and suburbs. The District seeks the flourishing of all its members and churches, responding faithfully to God’s call in our many and varied contexts.

Full details and an application pack are available on request from [email protected]

Closing date for applications: Friday, 18th November 2022 at 12 noon Interviews will be held on Thursday, 1st December 2022 at Yorkshire West Methodist District Office, Touchstone, 4 Easby Road, Bradford, BD7 1QX

Appointment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS disclosure

We are all on an ageing journey, albeit perhaps at different stages along the way. As we travel life’s pathway we encounter rich and varied experiences. At times, life can seem bountiful with opportunities, but equally there can be challenges and frustrations too, especially in our later stages of life. Change is inevitable and, if we’re honest, we’re not always very good with change. So how do we age well? What is meaningful ageing?

Research has shown that spirituality plays a positive role in the ageing journey. For some, spirituality will be a part of their religious beliefs, but not for all. Spirituality allows the time and space to reflect on the bigger questions in life, searching for meaning, purpose, value and hope. It can also be used as a way of coping with change and uncertainty.

The role of spiritual care is gradually being recognised for its health benefits, the potential for improved well-being and sense of peace. For example, Marie Curie advocates spiritual care as an important part of palliative care. Though spiritual care is not confined to end of life care. As part of a national strategy in 2016, the charity ‘Meaningful Ageing Australia’ were instrumental in drawing up the Government funded National Guidelines for Spiritual Care in Aged Care.

The charity’s work highlights the importance of and provides practical support for integrating spiritual care into those services accessible to older people, both in care homes and in the community. Their aim is to support those caring for older people to enable them to have a better quality of life. As part of this they created the Meaningful Ageing course, designed to provide people with the skills and knowledge they need to undertake volunteer spiritual care. This can be used in different settings, such as churches, families and for those in residential care homes.

The Circuit staff explored this course together earlier this year, and found it helpful in drawing out some of the questions of how to support others as they age, and as we all age together.

The course follows a series of 8 sessions exploring the following topics through video, reading, reflection, and discussion:
· the ageing journey
· spirituality in ageing
· good communication
· the power of story telling
· dementia
· a new home/a new way of life
· loss, grief, death and dying
· roles, boundaries and self-care

The Circuit would like to offer opportunities to be part of this course as churches and/or individuals. If you or your church would be interested in finding out more please contact me.
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Suzanne Bridges