Words of Grace: Living Hope in the Diocese of Sheffield

"The priorities for the Diocese resonated with my own heart. For me, ministry is about loving God and loving people." The Bishop of Doncaster, the Rt Revd Sophie Jelley, is on today’s episode of the Diocese of Sheffield podcast. Bishop Sophie discusses: ✝️ Being consecrated and installed as a Bishop during a pandemic ✝️ Working with the Church Mission Society and serving at Uganda Christian Univer...

“The coming of the Kingdom of God is where I draw my sense of hope” The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox, is our guest on today’s episode of Words of Grace. This episode features Bishop Pete talking about: ✝️Spending some of his childhood years in India ✝️ His conversion experience at the age of 13 ✝️ Why joining the Diocese of Sheffield was an easy decision ✝️ Treatment for cancer...

“That was the moment when I really felt God was calling me to be ordained” Oversight Minister for The Redhouse Partnership Stephen Gardner is our guest on Words of Grace this week. Stephen shares stories on: ✝️ His background in Engineering before ordination ✝️ Training to be a Reader and then a Vicar ✝️ His passion for helping the poorest communities ✝️ Explaining a moment in his life where he fe...

“Churches which start new things are also revitalised and refreshed themselves” Mission Development Adviser John Marsh features on the Words of Grace podcast this week. John talks about: His teaching background Training for ordination alongside Karen Colley, Phil Barringer and Julie Bacon Encouraging New Congregations in the Diocese of Sheffield Missional Pathways Instigating ‘cool’ music at Dioce...

Revd Debbie Coyne (and Aslan the dog!) feature on the podcast this week. Debbie was licensed to the Rivers Team in Rotherham in January of this year (2023), having served as the Priest-in-charge of the Benefices of Alne and Brafferton in the Vale of York.  Debbie discusses: Growing up in a faith-filled and ministry household Working with nursery and primary-aged children who have special educ...

"How can we empathise with our brothers and sisters from different ethnicities if we don't understand their pain?" Today's episode is a Black History Month special featuring Revd Anesia Cook, Vicar of the Parish of St Peter and St Oswald's, and the Bishop's Adviser on Black, Asian and Minority Anglicans. In a powerful testimony, Anesia talks about: ✝️Why being non-racist isn't enough; we need to b...

"Every single Christian has a calling for God" Diocese of Sheffield DDO and Director of Vocations Dan Christian talks about his role and opens up about his faith story on today's episode. Dan oversees the Vocations Team supporting those who sense that God may be calling them. As part of that role, he works with those exploring a call to ordination as the Diocesan Director of Ordinands. In this epi...

Development Day special! Mission Development Adviser John Hibberd talks Ben and Paul through the upcoming plans for Development Day (Saturday 7 October). This episode features: ✝️ The youth focus on Dev Day and why it’s important ✝️ The mixture of onsite and online talks for Saturday ✝️ John’s background as a Dawkins-style scientific atheist before coming to faith ✝️ The conversations which drew a...

‘You have to trust the spirit will lead you in the right way, as you listen to the scripture and listen to the spirit. It’s a real joy to be preaching here.’ Curate in charge of Heeley Parish Church, Revd Amy Hole, is our guest on the podcast this week. Amy talks about: ✝️ Growing up in Liverpool and Cambridge ✝️ Her background in law before ordination ✝️ Her calling to preach ✝️ Teaching Greek an...

‘It’s been the best ten years of my life working here’ The Diocese’s Director of Communications LJ Buxton is the guest on the Words of Grace podcast this week. LJ talks about: ✝️ Her Methodist upbringing and how it’s influenced her ✝️ A calling to serve the Diocese and the role of communications in doing that ✝️ Working with different bishops in her time here ✝️ Seeing change in the Diocese over t...

The Diocese’s Strategic Programme Director Alex Shilkoff joins Paul and Ben on the podcast this week. Alex talks about: ✝️ Choosing to be baptised at the age of 9 and her faith journey through life ✝️ How her role helps to encourage and empower others in the Diocese ✝️ Her Jewish heritage ✝️ The importance of social activism in tackling inequality ✝️ Choosing between the Stoke and Sheffield accent...

‘If people are pursuing truth, eventually they’re going to meet God’ Revd Dr Tim Gill is Vicar at St Mary’s Ecclesfield and Priest in Charge at St Mark’s Grenoside, and joins Paul and Ben on the podcast this week. Tim discusses: ✝️The passage in Matthew’s Gospel that brought him to faith ✝️His ministry in parishes in Yorkshire and Liverpool ✝️ Changing his views over a PhD thesis he composed ✝️ No...

‘I’m a failed atheist’ Director of Focal Ministry Revd Dr Sally Myers joins us on the Words of Grace podcast this week, talking about her journey from being an arch sceptic to a follower of faith. Sally talks about: ✝️When she ran her own business ✝️Theological education and ministry formation ✝️ Her ordination ✝️Lecturing at Bishop Grosseteste University on atheism ✝️Focal Ministry Hosted on Acas...

Vicar of St Matthew’s Church, Father Grant Naylor, is the guest on our latest Words of Grace podcast. He talks about: ✝️Growing up in a mixed household of Catholicism and Protestantism ✝️The impact of his upbringing in Liverpool ✝️ Congregation growth at St Matthew’s Carver Street ✝️His ordination journey ✝️His interests of boxing, horseracing and Everton Football Club Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...

This week’s Words of Grace podcast features Lights for Christ Enabler Hannah Sandoval. She discusses topics on: ✝️Her background as a Teacher of the Deaf ✝️Visiting Christian communities and encouraging Lights for Christ ✝️The personal rules of life in our everyday lives ✝️Balancing work and rest ✝️Which film helped her to pass her driving test Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor...

Our first guest on the Words of Grace podcast is Amanda Barraclough, the Rector of St Mary’s Sprotbrough and Dean of Women’s Ministry. In this episode Amanda talks about: ✝️When she first came to faith ✝️Defying the doubters about ministry ✝️Her ordination journey ✝️If she’s a fan or not of ‘Shine Jesus Shine’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our introductory episode features Ben and Paul outlining the purpose of the podcast and some of the upcoming guests, along with their own testimonies of faith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.