Monthly Message

There has been much talk and there have been many meetings about the reorganisation of the Sheffield West circuit. So what is going on and how will it affect us?

OUR NAME will change from Broomhill Methodist Church and we shall become THE BEACON AT BROOMHILL. This was a joint decision by democratic vote after a lot of discussion. Thinking about it afterwards I realise just how appropriate it is for us with our beacon light in the tower.

THE BEACON will have four congregations as now, and three sites as now, but there will be ONE CHURCH for legal, administrative and financial purposes.

Our bit, The Beacon at Broomhill, joins with The Beacon at Crookes Valley, The Beacon at Hallam and The Beacon at Stephen Hill. All four congregations will be represented on the Beacon Church Council. There will be one secretary, one treasurer and one bank account.

The hope is that this will free up energy for the work of the church, and free up diaries from too many meetings! The smaller congregations particularly will benefit from the arrangement and only one lot of paper work will be needed where we now need four.

As far as the day-to-day life of the congregation is concerned, we shall still have a service at 10:30am on Sundays and regular Holy Communion; we shall continue to work in partnership with Churches Together in Broomhill and Broomhall; and we are still part of the Sheffield West circuit. The churches in the northern part of the circuit also become one church and still have to choose their new name. Walkley Ebenezer and Wesley Hall have decided on Wesley Ebenezer.

Tim Bradshaw continues as minister of The Beacon, and will be joined by the newly-appointed Deacon Jan Miles who will share the work with him. Tim also remains Superintendent of the circuit.

As one (confused) person once said, ‘There will be nuts and bolts to iron out’ – but we are working to ensure that the changes on September 1^st go smoothly.

Josie Smith

[On 2^nd May we elected representatives to the Beacon Church Council]

This information was last updated June 2010.