Britain’s Black Friday shopping event fires the starting gun this weekend. Whatever the razzamatazz surrounding it, it can be quite a headache. With deals screaming out, I often end up with massive FOMO. What if I miss out?
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‘Wear Your Faith Fortnight.’ Christians across South Yorkshire are being encouraged to wear a symbol of their faith for the two weeks either side of Halloween. People sometimes say that faith should be a private matter. That is to misunderstand the very nature of the Christian faith.
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Meeting two guy friends for lunch. we greeted each other in the way most natural to us: we hugged. Connection is key. It stops things getting between us. You can make someone’s day with a simple touch, or, if it’s possible and appropriate, a warm hug.
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Why do so many young people still flock to university? It’s the human drive to improve oneself, to learn, to discover. Sheffield has a simple, safe, homely feel. It’s been my home for 30 years.
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This week my church waved off 21 teenagers to join thousands of others in a national Christian youth festival. As I waved my teenagers off, I was so grateful for all youth providers in our city investing their time and wisdom into the next generation.
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Americans this week are going big with their Fourth of July celebrations. What does freedom really mean,a dn why do you want to be free anyway?
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“What are you doing this weekend?” “Oh, I’m mountain-biking from Chatsworth to Sheffield.” You guessed it, we’ve hit the peak charity fund-raising season. What motivates a person to raise money, or volunteer previous time and energy, on behalf of others?
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I’ve been thinking about headlines. There’s a buzz about them, but headlines are superficial, they rarely tell the whole story.
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I flicked through the pages of The Sheffield Star this week, and if I’m honest, my heart sank. But a newspaper that only printed good news stories wouldn’t be telling the whole truth.
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I’ve been thinking this week about unsung heroes. What would you and I chose to mark, to celebrate as worthy, within our own Sheffield region?
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There are congratulations and celebrations in the air around Sheffield. So who, or what has top place in your affection and attention?
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I’ve been thinking this week about donkeys and kings. It’s strangely appropriate as the Christians in our region prepare to mark the annual festival of Holy Week, which culminates in the Easter weekend.
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You probably noticed it was the Budget this week. The saying goes: ‘money makes an excellent servant, but a terrible master.’ I wonder how you and I view money, or experience its effects?
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As Easter approaches, something unusual is underway which is unifying our city in a new way. Prayer. The Arise Sheffield initiative is inspiring thousands of followers of Jesus from across 100+ churches to walk along, and pray for, every single street in our city.
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You’d be forgiven for thinking happiness comes from chocolate, flowers and heart-shaped greeting cards. Actualy, the roots of Valentines season lie deep in something that every human heart seeks and needs : love.
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In many ways the Bible proverb is true, “there is nothing new under the sun.” This worries me as our region and nation embarks upon yet another year of austerity, and tough times.
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Word of the year 2022 is the most alarming: “permacrisis” defined as “an extended period of instability and insecurity.”
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I wonder, have you stopped to hear the message of the carols? Lots of adverts this year mention “the magic of Christmas” but magic isn’t real. It is an illusion. The Christian message is that Jesus came into our midst,
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Believe it or not, it’s that time of year when advent calendars become a big thing in many people’s homes. So what is really behind advent?
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Confidence, initiative, teachability and tenacity. These words may sound like clues to a crossword puzzle, but in fact they are the goals of a ground-breaking youth employment scheme taking shape in Sheffield.
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