The Leeds District

Revd Dr Liz Smith, Chair of the Leeds District

The Leeds District is one of variety and of surprises, embracing the vibrant regenerated Leeds city centre, with its emphasis upon culture and commerce; local communities which delight in their ethnic and cultural diversity; the distinctive characteristics of Harrogate and Knaresborough to the north and of Wakefield towards the south of the district, of Dewsbury in the south west and Pontefract in the east. Around the edges of the district, especially in the Pateley Bridge and Otley and Aireborough circuits, we can also boast some breathtaking landscapes and all the challenges and opportunities of rural living. The district has approximately 145 churches, in 18 circuits, with a total of 8,500 members. There is currently considerable energy and enthusiasm engaged in reshaping both church premises and styles of ministry with renewed vision for the twenty-first century.

The Methodist presence within the district includes Oxford Place Methodist Centre in the heart of the city, which affords office space to a number of charitable organisations, and from where chaplaincy to the neighbouring Crown Court has been developed. The Oxford Place Children’s Centre celebrates its silver jubilee this year, a project supported throughout that time, in finance and in volunteers, by the women of the district, currently through Women’s Network. The University Chaplaincy is also linked with Oxford Place, through the Methodist chaplain. Leeds has two rapidly expanding universities with a total of approximately 60,000 students, focused chiefly in one quarter of the city. Other chaplaincy work undertaken in the district relates to hospitals, prisons, and Leeds United Football Club!

There is considerable commitment to working ecumenically wherever possible, and we have a number of Local Ecumenical Partnerships and sharing agreements within the district. West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council draws us together especially as church leaders, across the spectrum of Christian traditions represented in our communities, and enables us on particular occasions to speak with a united voice. (See the district website, www.leedsmethodist.org.uk for details of the statement on Asylum Seekers made on Ash Wednesday this year.)

The note of hospitality, central to our welcoming of those from many countries of origin seeking to rebuild their lives in safety, is extended in warm and open Yorkshire-style to all who visit the Leeds Methodist District.

The Sheffield District

Revd Vernon Marsh, Chair of the Sheffield District

The Sheffield District is in South Yorkshire, north Nottinghamshire and north east Derbyshire.   It embraces the city of Sheffield (the fifth largest in England); the major population areas of Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham; the towns of Chesterfield and Retford; and much of the Peak District, including Hathersage and Bakewell. There is a strong civic tradition in all of the major towns and deep regional roots.

We have 9360 members in 225 churches and 17 circuits.  Our people are deeply engaged in exploring what it means to be the Church in our time and context.

With a long history as an international provider of steel and coal, much of the area has been affected by industrial decline; and people, communities and local authorities continue to work hard, with significant success, to enable regeneration.  The churches have been deeply involved in this process, through individual commitment, local church projects and the work of 'Together for Regeneration', an ecumenically based project supporting faith-based regeneration activity across the area.

There are multicultural communities in many parts of the district and a number of our churches are in partnership with nationality or language based congregations.

The area includes some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain and has some excellent parks. Sheffield is built on the valleys of five rivers, and even where there is a concentration of housing and industry, you are never far from the fields and hills.

Sheffield has the Crucible and Lyceum theatres, together with a major international concert series at the City Hall.  There are rock and folk music venues across the area and thriving activity from small village festivals to every form of drama, music and art.  Sport thrives across the region, not least in the major arenas and training facilities in the Lower Don Valley.

The West Yorkshire District

Revd Peter Whittaker Chair of the West Yorkshire District

Todmorden Edge Farm was the site of the first circuit meeting in the Methodist Church ever! It is currently within the confines of the West Yorkshire District, as is the city of Bradford which contains a fast growing and youthful population of South Asian origin and Islamic heritage. We are a district of valleys, towns, dales and proud local communities.

The district is divided into 19 circuits and these split into four geographical areas: Bradford; Calderdale; Kirklees; Craven and the Dales stretching approximately 80 miles from north to south and with an area of some 1400 square miles. If you have not spent time in this area and have the idea that it is all cloth caps and mill chimneys then you couldn’t be more wrong! From “Emmerdale” to “Last of the Summer Wine” country there are many wonderful places to visit.

On the edge of the district is Bretton, the home of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, with the Yorkshire Mining Museum only a short drive away. The town of Huddersfield is home to the only Central Mission in our district. The present building was opened in June 2000 as the Methodist Conference gathered in the town.

The theatres and concert halls of Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax are locations for tours of national orchestras, ballet and theatre companies. Brass bands are a tradition in this area and there are some excellent choral societies and amateur operatic and dramatic groups.

Saltaire village, a World Heritage site, recalls the life and work of Titus Salt, industrialist, philanthropist, and Christian whose experiment in industrial community changed lives.  A themed Weatherspoons pub in Brighouse is a former Methodist church, named after another industrial reformer from this area, Richard Oastler.

The district has a non-church based project in Bradford, the Touchstone Centre, located in a four storey end-terrace Victorian house close to the university and very near the city centre.  It is in a residential area where most of the neighbours have Asian backgrounds or are students.  The work of Touchstone includes Faith to Faith work (helping Christians around the city understand more about their neighbours of other faiths), city centre work (engaging in and with political, economic and civic structures in and around the city), higher & further education chaplaincy work (to the University of Bradford and Bradford College), spiritual development (weekly prayers on Thursday lunchtime, a quiet room, theological reflection hour on Tuesdays etc), ecumenical activities, training opportunities and much, much more.

Also in Bradford is the Blenheim Project, Bradford and West Yorkshire Methodist Housing Ltd, sheltered temporary housing for women with or without children.  This has been a project in this district for more than 25 years.

At Beamsley near Ilkley, much of the Methodist church premises have been converted into the Beamsley Project, providing holiday accommodation for disabled visitors and their carers.

The Methodist chapel at Conistone, a beautiful village between Kettlewell and Grassington in Wharfedale, was converted to a self-catering residential centre sleeping a maximum of 24 guests.  The hostel is available to hire and is looked after by a management group.

A varied district, industrial, commercial and rural with a distinguished past, a vibrant present, and exciting possibilities for the future.

The York and Hull District

Revd Stephen Burgess Chair of the York and Hull District

The York and Hull District is one of the larger geographical districts in Methodism and, until the London mergers, had the largest English circuit in Hull (West).  The district encompasses the three cities of York, Hull and Ripon.  York, the historical northern capital of England - Eboracum - has connections with the Emperor Constantine, Vikings, Guy Fawkes, Margaret Clitherow,  and is the home of Dame Judi Dench.  The history of Hull brings us into contact with Andrew Marvell, William Wilberforce and William Clowes and in modern times with John Godber (Hull Truck Theatre Co) and Ripon, the oldest city in the UK, with St Wilfrid, Lewis Caroll and Wilfrid Owen. 

The ecclesiastical history of our region is tremendous and you can walk the hills, moors and dales and feel very close to the Synod of Whitby at Whitby Abbey, Caedmon at his cross, the monks at Fountains Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey, Bylands Abbey and with Christians of all denominations in modern day churches with long traditions, like Selby Abbey and the Cathedrals of Ripon and York, and Ampleforth Abbey.

In many ways the district is a microcosm of England with its long coastline, large rural areas, its industrial centres and major tourist industry.  From the flat plains of Holderness and the Vale of York to the Wolds and the heather clad moors, the scenery is breathtaking.

In Scarborough you will find a historic spa town, one of the first English seaside resorts, the home of Alan Ayckbourn and with connections to the Brontë sisters and Charles Laughton.  If you want to go a little further north you find in Whitby not only the story of Captain Cook but Dracula too!  He has become a recent tourist attraction.  Further south there is Robin Hood’s Bay, Bridlington and many smaller seaside resorts with a wealth of smuggling tales to tell (we weren't always as law abiding as we are now!).

Today, our communities struggle with the problems which beset the farming and fishing industries whilst rising to meet the demands of the modern world in providing huge gas storage facilities and better communications networks.  As we welcome you to Conference in our district we invite you to a place where you can walk the paths of the monks as they set out to found Fountains Abbey or where you can drive across the Humber Bridge, an amazing piece of modern architecture; to a time and place of beauty and quiet contemplation on the Moors and in the Dales or a visit to our vibrant, lively, never sleeping cities.  It is a district of contrasts and complements, the pride of cricket and rugby.

Working ecumenically in the district is a big priority and there is plenty of opportunity both around the two Cathedrals of York and Ripon and in the rural areas where declining populations demand innovative solutions from their Christian communities.  We work especially closely with both the Church of England and our new covenanted partners the United Reformed Church to provide a Christian presence wherever possible.

Those who were born here and those who have moved to our district feel a great pride in being privileged to live in such a beautiful place, but above all it is the tradition of Yorkshire hospitality which binds us together, welcomes the stranger and strives to offer the best we possibly can to our friends and visitors that makes this a very special place to be.  So welcome to the York and Hull District.  We hope you will find time to get to know us amidst all the business of Conference.