Pastoral Care
General
SAPLC has a team involved in and committed to developing pastoral care, with staff and many others reaching out and offering care to both church members and the local community.
Before the pandemic, a weekly dementia café, the Tuesday Café, was opened in church in March 2018; this was a great success and clearly met a need in the community. The café reopened in March 2023 and is hoping to attract new members.
Although many of our activities remained closed since March 2020 the Knit and Natter Group of people from the Church and the community which met weekly in Shirley House for a crafting session was the first to resume. Clergy and members of the congregation once again provide voluntary support at MHA Southcroft Retirement Living with Care which is situated next to the church.
The ECC hope that a new team of volunteers can be found to reopen the Parent and Baby group which has been so much appreciated over the years.
Church Links
Church Links leaders have continued to maintain contact with their group members.
There have been two Links meeting in person this year: one in July with Gareth and the other in January with Naomi. A review of the church membership was conducted following the response to members to complete updated GDPR forms We have been pleased to allocate new members to Links groups, but also sadly to record that we have lost touch with a number of members, particularly among our original young people who have moved away from Sheffield. Methodist Membership tickets were distributed in January.
Judith Roberts
March 2023