Words of Grace: Living Hope in the Diocese of Sheffield

"Everything changed in my life; I realised at that moment I had had an encounter with God." Revd Dr Hannah Patton, Priest-in-Charge of St John’s Goole, is on the Words of Grace podcast today. Hannah discusses:  Processing grief and building each other up  The gospel opportunities she had from growing up in a Bed and Breakfast  Her experience of a prophetic word when staying with fri...

"What brings me hope is my Christian faith and the love God has for me through Jesus Christ".     Captain Canon Mike Reeder, liturgical chaplain to the Bishop of Doncaster, joins Ben and Paul on the podcast today.   Mike talks about:   His calling to serving others and sharing what brings him hope His chaplaincy at St Luke’s Hospice Overcoming an ordination rejection 2006...

"I remember this feeling of truth and understanding of seeing the world through a different set of eyes. It was like a child had discovered his long-lost father waiting for him with open arms". Graham Sandersfield, Learning Development Manager for the Diocese of Sheffield, is today’s Words of Grace podcast guest. Graham talks about: ✝️ His upbringing in Sunderland and coming to faith as an ad...

Ben and Hannah Grist are on today’s Words of Grace podcast for a joint episode. Ben is a Curate at St John’s Goole and Hannah is the Diocese’s Ministry Experience Scheme Coordinator. Hear more on: ✝️How Ben and Hannah first met ✝️How Hannah recommitted to God following a retreat ✝️Ben’s curacy in Goole and God’s presence in the local community ✝️How the MES project works and Hannah’s passion for i...

"Through daily walks with God your faith grows stronger; finding more about him through the circumstances presented to you" Retired police officer and member of All Saints Ecclesall, Barry Byles, is on today’s Words of Grace episode. Barry discusses: ✝️ Asking God for help and coming to faith as an adult ✝️ His calling to service with the police ✝️ Being up front about his faith whi...

Fr Stephen Edmonds, Associate Archdeacon for Doncaster and West Doncaster, is on the Words of Grace podcast today.   Stephen talks about:   ✝️ Experiencing Charismatic and Methodist fellowship before feeling drawn to the Anglo-Catholic tradition ✝️ Working in local government in the North-East ✝️ His call to the priesthood and the upheaval that brought ✝️ His love of singing and its impo...

Revd Chris Tufnell, Priest in Charge of Oughtibridge Parish Church, is on the Words of Grace podcast today, talking about:   ✝️ His background in politics, with South Yorkshire Police and as a carer ✝️ Initially battling against a calling to ordained ministry ✝️ His curacy at Christ Church Fulwood and leading a graft to Oughtibridge ✝️ The outreach work that Oughtibridge Parish...

"I get to worship God as part of my job – I love it!" Rachel Ridler, Youth, Children's and Families Worker at St Lawrence Church, Hatfield, joins Paul and Ben for our 60th episode of Words of Grace.   Rachel talks about: ✝️ Her career in fundraising and working for the Teenage Cancer Trust ✝️ God guiding her through setbacks with redundancy and house moves ✝️ Leading the Hatfield He...

Revd Will Gowers, Curate at Christ Church Pitsmoor, is on the Words of Grace podcast today.   Will shares stories on:   ✝️Growing up in a faith-based environment in Ecclesall ✝️His acting background, including the Guildford School of Acting ✝️Periods of struggle with mental health ✝️Initially pushing back against a calling to ministry ✝️Life in Pitsmoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...

"I don’t know how I’m holding onto God, but I know God is holding onto me." Megan Morris, LGBT+ Advisor to Bishop Pete, joins Paul and Ben on the podcast – talking about: ✝️ How her role developed ✝️ The importance of not putting God in a box ✝️ The need for transparency in churches ✝️ Her faith journey from childhood ✝️  Urging people to listen to one another: words...

"No matter how difficult life can be, or how much we feel lost, there’s always God waiting for us to take us back in". Revd James Gould, Curate at St Francis Bramley and St Leonard’s Thrybergh, joins Paul and Ben on the podcast today. James discusses: ✝️Dealing with criticism and hurt on his ordination journey ✝️How moving to Sheffield changed his life ✝️The moment he felt encouraged to be ordaine...

"When I read the gospels - when I read those stories of Jesus and his teachings, he went to where the mess was in life" Revd Dr Beth Keith, Associate Vicar and Liberal Theologian at St Mark’s Broomhill and Broomhall, joins Paul and Ben on the podcast today. Beth talks about: ✝️Her strong sense of calling to ministry as a child ✝️Hearing God’s “Yes” when the church said “No" ✝️Youth work...

We’re joined today on the Words of Grace podcast by Revd Will and Revd Gill Briggs, speaking from St Stephen’s Church, Netherthorpe. Hear Will and Gill talk about:   ✝️Their upbringing in Australia and how they first met ✝️How the love of Jesus shone through during a serious illness for Gill ✝️What brought them both to Sheffield ✝️House of Prayer and 24/7 Prayer ✝️How they consider Sheffield...

"People can seem far off – like I was – but God can change a heart in an instant. That’s the good news that we live with and the joy of salvation that we get to share." Curate in Charge of Christ Church Hackenthorpe, Claire Welch, is on the podcast today, talking about: Her upbringing in East London and her powerful encounter with Jesus as a teenager Working with people in some of the poorest comm...

"So much is beautiful and rich about a community like this, but it does feel very ignored and downtrodden. Doing what we can to help people to thrive in their lives is exactly why I felt called to a community like this" Oversight Minister of St Leonard’s Arbourthorne, Revd Lucy Sablan, is today’s podcast guest. Lucy talks about: ✝️ The original history of St Leonard’s as a pub ✝️ Startin...

"Toddler groups are some of the absolute shining lights of what we do as a church" Oversight Minister of St John’s Owlerton, Joy French, is today’s podcast guest. Joy talks about: ✝️ The empowering experience of her upbringing ✝️ Her passion for mental health and families ✝️ St John’s as a focal point in the community ✝️ Her recent appointment as Chaplain to the Lord Mayor of S...

We’re joined today on the podcast by the Bishop of Bolton - The Rt. Revd Dr. Matthew Porter. Bishop Matthew was ordained in the Diocese of Sheffield in 1996 and served at Christ Church Dore and St Chad’s Woodseats, and discusses on the episode: ✝️His new books as part of his ‘Art of’ series: ‘The Art of Giving’ and ‘The Art of Journalling’ ✝️Describing himself as ‘a follower of Jesus and a leader...

Happy 50th episode of the Words of Grace podcast! Ben and Paul take a look back at some of their favourite episodes, delve deeper into their own faith journeys and talk more about the process of putting the episodes together. Words of Grace launched in August 2023 and we’ve been delighted at the response, grateful for the stories shared and encouraged by plans for the future. Thank you for listeni...

"I couldn’t imagine myself being anywhere else" Revd Andy Poultney from St Paul’s Wordsworth Avenue joins Ben and Paul on the podcast today, talking about: ✝️ Starting new things at Parson’s Cross ✝️ His re-licensing as an Oversight Minister and what it means ✝️ Growing up in a Baptist household and his calling to faith as a teenager ✝️ Serving in youth ministry ✝️ His favourite musical artis...

“There’s further to go and there’s more to be done on this journey” Dean of Women’s Ministry Amanda Barraclough and Fr Chris Bishop are on today’s special episode looking ahead to Saturday’s event at Sheffield Cathedral; ‘Celebrating 30 years of women priests’. As part of the planning team for the event, Amanda and Chris discuss with Ben and Paul: Why it’s important to reflect as well as to celebr...

Revd Lucy Sablan, Oversight Minister at St Leonard’s Arbourthorne/Norfolk Park, and Revd Amy Hole, Curate in Charge at Heeley Parish Church, are on the Words of Grace podcast for a special minisode today. Reflecting on their journey to ordination and helping to encourage others, Lucy and Amy also look ahead to the special celebration event of women priests this Saturday at Sheffield Cathedral. You...

"Christianity isn’t an exam to be passed but a relationship to be lived. There is a sense that we’re always learning."   The Venerable Malcolm Chamberlain, Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham, is today’s guest on the podcast.   Malcolm discusses:   Growing up in Leicester and the moment he decided to be a follower of Jesus Working for a year with the Church Mission Society in Pesh...

"The work I’m really focusing on is raising up young leaders in our diocese, who have opportunities locally in their own churches and across the diocese." Children and Young People’s Adviser Mike North joins Paul and Ben on the Words of Grace podcast today. Hear Mike talk about: Growing up in the Baptist church during his childhood in Wiltshire Becoming a youth worker in York and the impact that h...

"God has always surprised me! My life story is that I have always ended up in the place or role where I never thought I’d find myself." The Venerable Javaid Iqbal, Archdeacon of Doncaster, is on the podcast today. Javaid discusses: Being the first member of his family to have a formal schooling His upbringing in Pakistan before moving to various roles in the UK Being a BAME vocation champion and w...

From Buenos Aires to Thurnscoe, we're treated to a double bill on the podcast today! The Rector of St Helen's Thurnscoe, the Revd Sarah Maughan, recently hosted the Bishop of Argentina, the Most Revd Brian Williams. Bishop Brian and Sarah both took time after a community event to speak to Ben and Paul about: Bishop Brian's journey to ordination and the moment he became a Christian Sarah's journey...