"I had never experienced anything like this before. It was a voice that couldn’t be ignored, calling me to ordination – I remember 30 years on the exact time and place where it happened".

The Revd Canon Toby Hole, Director of Mission and Ministry at the Diocese of Sheffield, makes his solo Words of Grace debut today.

He talks about:

✝️Struggling to fit in at the church youth group he grew up with

✝️God’s call for him to be a vicar – and initially rejecting that calling

✝️Learning more about racism, class divides and homelessness during his curacy in Islington

✝️His calling to Sheffield – and persistence at choosing St Chad’s Woodseats

✝️His love of history

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The Revd Phil Barringer, Team Rector at The Rivers Team, makes his Words of Grace debut today.

Phil talks about:

✝️Serving in the area of his birth and first journeys to faith

✝️Balancing working in the secular world and serving as Team Rector

✝️The makeup of The Rivers Team and the areas it serves

✝️His first calling to ordination and initially being told ‘no’

✝️The missional opportunities for the future across Rotherham

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"Nine days after life-saving treatment, there was a heartbeat. The ectopic was a twin pregnancy. That’s where my faith journey started".

Nicola Adams, Centenary Project Administrator in the Diocese of Sheffield, joins Ben and Paul on the Words of Grace podcast.

Nicola discusses:

✝️ Baby loss and having a 1 in 37 million chance of Hope

✝️ Finding faith as an adult

✝️ Seeing the Centenary Project grow

✝️ Exploring New Zealand

✝️ Being fully involved in her local church following a chance conversation

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"If people are coming to you with questions about faith, they want you to have the confidence to give them a robust answer. Don’t water it down; people respect authenticity and are crying out for it in a very inauthentic world."

Revd Edward Morrison SSC, Vicar of St John’s Mexborough, is on the Words of Grace podcast today.

Ed talks about:

✝️ Growing up in a non-church going family

✝️ Coming to faith aged 18 after attending a Christianity Explored course

✝️ Serving in the University of York’s Royal Naval Unit

✝️ Meeting people where they’re at when communicating the gospel

✝️ How the church can serve deprived communities

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"The birth of Jesus continues to be particularly meaningful for us in times of anxiety and uncertainty."

A Christmas Day message from the Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox.

You can also view the video version of this message on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Merry Christmas from the Diocese of Sheffield!

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Our 2024 Christmas special episode features a roundtable discussion with the following guests:

·The Revd Canon Toby Hole, Director of Mission and Ministry at the Diocese of Sheffield

·Revd Amy Hole, Vicar of Christ Church Heeley with Arbourthorne and Norfolk Park

·Revd Dr Daniel McGinnis, Principal of St Hild College and Assistant Curate at Hillsborough and Wadsley Bridge

The panel discuss:

✝️ The deep faith and convictions of Mary

✝️ What traditions Christmas does – and doesn’t – take from paganism

✝️ ‘Blue Christmas’ and the importance of stressing ‘God with us’ during hard times

✝️ The forgotten people in the birth narrative

✝️ What the birth of Jesus means for humanity

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"At every opportunity, the door opened. It wasn’t a case of planning out what we wanted to do, but being open to where God was calling us."

Dan and Julia Fall – Centenary Project Area Coordinator and Resource Centre Administrator – are on the Words of Grace podcast today.

They talk about:

✝️ How they first met at a Christian youth event as teenagers

✝️ Serving in youth ministry growing up

✝️ How the Centenary Project called them to South Yorkshire

✝️ Expanding the resource centre at Church House

✝️ Featuring on a BBC show and how it helped their spiritual life

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"I really feel God has been so good to me; I’m so thankful the Lord is here and has brought me to Wentworth"

Revd Marie Raffay, Priest-in-Charge at Holy Trinity Wentworth, joins Ben and Paul on the Words of Grace podcast.

Marie talks about:

✝️ Her own decision to follow Jesus as a student

✝️ Reader ministry

✝️ Her calling to ordination in Liverpool

✝️ Her belief that the church is called to make a difference in the world

✝️ Life in Wentworth and how it felt returning home

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