Arise Sheffield! | Issue 9 | Spring 2026

EDITORIAL & THANKS

Beth Craggs, Editor

Comfort can be the enemy of growth.

Around this time of year, a special group of people emerges onto the streets of Sheffield. They rise from the comfort of their homes, wrap up warm, and step outside. They trust that time spent on the streets will not be wasted. Even on days when they can’t see the destination – or even the next step in front of them – they keep pounding our city’s pavements. They believe in the process. They have faith in a better future.

Who am I talking about?

Runners, of course! But also you – Arisers.

Thank you!

A wise friar once said, “A saint is simply someone who says yes to God, and never stops saying yes.” As Arise celebrates its fifth birthday, I’m struck once again by how many of you have faithfully and perseveringly been saying yes to the call to arise together in prayer for our streets. For five years, we have prayed for every street in Sheffield – even when at times it felt like we couldn’t see the road ahead. Now, as a city, we believe we’re being invited to go one step further: to arise together and offer the Gospel to every home in Sheffield.

This is a big mission. It will take the Whole Church to reach the Whole City.

But it all starts with one yes from you. Within this edition of Arise! magazine are stories of Sheffielders like you, who said yes to God – and found themselves in unexpected places: a seat beside a suicidal man; an assembly hall full of primary school children; a job working with dogs.

As you read, consider this simple question: what is God asking you to say yes to today?

And if you’re not sure, try prayer-walking – taking a walk with Jesus around your neighbourhood. As you look, listen, and love your community, you might just be surprised where He leads you.

Thank you to you, for reading this magazine, and the whole Arise community for being the inspiration for every article in this edition. Thank you also to this edition’s sponsor, the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer: please head to page 70 to find out more about their special invitation to you this year. Thank you in particular to our dedicated Arise Supporters - both individuals and churches - who give so faithfully to grow citywide prayer and mission. And, thank you to everyone who worked so hard to bring this edition to life:

Writers: Andrew Blench, Gill Briggs, Candida Calvert, Beth Craggs, Phillip Dolby, John Ford, Joanne Gilchrist, Rachel Hall, Michelle Heritage, John Hibberd, Giles Holloway, Roger Hoyle, Brian Reece, Viki Seithel, Mike Simms, Chris Watson, Ben Woollard. Interviewees: Gill Briggs, Pippa Fletcher, Kenny Larsen, Latifah Makuyi, Dave May, Rhoda, Matt Richens, Andrew Stennet, Ben Tanner, Jon Watts, Nigel Williams. Designer: James Kirk. Local photographers: Ben Elliott, Giles Holloway, Mike Simms, SL Photo & Film Unsplash photographers: JW, James Coleman, Jametlene Reskp, Jeremy Thomas, Jo Leonhardt, John Price, Kelly Sikkema, Markus Spiske, Onur Kurt, Robert Visual Diary, Tamara Govedarovic, Jack Sharp. Advertisers: Hope UK, Intentional Life Coaching, Pray for Someone, South Yorkshire Chaplaincy and Listening Service & Blokes. Church Supporters: All Saints Ecclesall; Antioch Community Church; C3 Hope; Central URC; Church on the Corner; Emmanuel Church; Network Church Sheffield; Oughtibridge Parish Church; RCCG - Victory Assembly; Rock Christian Centre; Spa View Community Church; St Gabriel's, Greystones; St John's, Owlerton; STC Sheffield; The Well Sheffield.

JUMP-START

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you."

Isaiah 60:1 (NIV)

ARISE:PRAY:GO

Arise Sheffield is a city-wide movement uniting churches from across Sheffield, with a shared heart to help everyone in Sheffield hear and respond to the good news of Jesus. We believe it takes the whole Church to reach the whole city, and as believers pray, serve, and share the Gospel together, we’re longing to see Sheffield transformed.

Through seasonal campaigns like Arise:March and Arise:Go, we’re equipping and encouraging thousands of everyday Christians from over 100 churches to Arise, Pray, and Go on mission together.

Start your journey with us today: join the Arise community at www.arisesheffield.org/join

In 60 Seconds... WHAT IS ARISE:MARCH?

Since 2021, over a thousand believers from across Sheffield have been arising together each March to prayer-walk every street in our city, using the Arise:March Prayer app. Rotherham and the Peaks and Dales are now prayer-walking with us too. Join in this year to look, listen and love as you prayer-walk your local area. Every step you take in prayer brings you closer to the Father’s heart for Sheffield.

New for 2026!

Our prayer-walking app is now available on your App Store! Search ‘Prayer Walk App’ on your device’s store to download it for free today, or use the QR codes below to go direct.

Or, if you prefer, you can keep using the no-download version by visiting the link below anytime you like: sheffield.prayerwalk.app

Your favourite moments of Arise:March 2025

"Sharing the gospel by the cross with other Christians." James

"Being able to pray for someone I met who had significant health needs. Jean

"Discovering that other Arisers had prayer-walked similar routes to me at similar times." Dave

"Seeing a neighbourhood that is really on my heart lit up in gold on the app!" Sarah "Talking to a neighbour about what I was doing." Helen

LOOK, LISTEN, LOVE:

Prayer-Walking Through Arise:March

LOOK:

Noticing God at work

God is always present — but are we paying attention?

The journey of Arise:March begins with something simple and powerful: looking. As we prayer-walk, we ask God to help us see our communities through His eyes.

What draws your attention as you walk— children laughing, a bustling café, or someone sitting alone—can become a quiet invitation to notice both the beauty of God’s creation and the places aching for His healing. When we slow down and look with intention, gratitude rises for what is flourishing, and prayer stirs for what needs renewal. Ordinary streets become places of encounter as we praise God for His goodness and intercede for the people who live, work, and pass through them.

This year, joining Arise:March is easier than ever. New for 2026, the Prayer-Walk app allows you to record your route in real time, turning each step into part of a shared picture of prayer across our region. What begins as a simple act of looking becomes a visible sign of faith, unity, and hope.

How to LOOK on your prayer-walk

Ask God to show you what He sees

Turn what you notice into prayer and praise

Track your walk on the Arise app

“I will meditate on your wonderful works.” Psalm 145:5

LISTEN:

Hear God & Others

After we look, we listen - to God, and to the people He

loves.

Prayer-walking is not a monologue. It’s walking with Jesus, being attentive to His voice and open to the needs around us.

While eating at a local restaurant, I asked our waiter if there was anything I could pray for. He shared that he was hoping to find a new job. Later, he returned to our table, visibly moved. “I just wanted to say how much it meant that you prayed for me,” he said.

Moments like this often come quietlybut they matter deeply.

As you prayer-walk this March, stay attentive. You might sense God highlighting a place, a scripture coming to mind, or an opportunity to speak with someone you meet. When prayer needs emerge, you can share them through the Arise Prayer-Walk app, empowering others across the city to pray too.

What begins as a simple conversation becomes part of a shared cry to God.

How to LISTEN on your prayer-walk

Quiet your thoughts and ask God to speak

Ask others if you can pray for them

Share prayer needs through the Arise app

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

LOVE:

Prayer in Action

Looking and Listening lead us to Love - putting prayers into action.

This Easter season, love might look like sharing an Easter egg with a Gospel message, inviting someone to a church service, or offering a simple word of encouragement. It can also show up in everyday kindness - helping a neighbour, supporting a local business, or offering a smile.

These small moments communicate something powerful to the people in our communities. It tells them, “We see you; you matter; you are loved.”

This year, Arise Sheffield is again partnering with 4 Points to help believers share the Good News simply and naturally. Through practical tools and training, acts of kindness can become moments of connection that gently point people to Jesus.

You can record steps of faith and love on the Arise app, encouraging others as we move together.

How to LOVE on your prayer-walk

Share your faith

Help a neighbour

Encourage others through the Arise app

“A new command I give you: Love one another.” John 13:34

EVERY STEP MATTERS

We continue to Arise each March because we believe that prayer can change everything. As you walk with Jesus, you carry His light into streets, workplaces, and neighbourhoods, and you might also find opportunities to be His hands, His heart, His feet.

This March, as part of Arise Sheffield 2025, take the step. Walk alone or with others. On your daily routes or as a Lenten addition to your prayer life. Pray for the people and places you see, and for anything God puts on your heart. Be ready to love boldly.

So, where has God placed you?

And how will you respond?

Let’s LOOK, LISTEN, and LOVE as we pray for Sheffield - one step at a time.

Start your journey today:

Sign up to the Arise community and we’ll send you your link to download the Prayer-Walk app for free, giving you everything you need to get started and join the movement this March.

www.arisesheffield.org/join

PRAYER WALKING WITH JESUS

Prayer walking is a simple act. It is slow. It is ordinary. It rarely draws attention. And yet, it is quietly bold.

Each time we step out of our front door to prayer-walk, we are choosing to place our bodies on the streets of our city and say, Jesus, you lead. We will walk with you. We are declaring that this city does not belong to us, but to Him. That these streets are not neutral ground. That God is already present, already at work, and inviting us to join Him.

Prayer walking can also feel weak.

In a world marked by pain, injustice and urgency, it can seem almost offensive to suggest that walking and praying could make a difference. What could possibly change through something so small?

And yet, five years on, we are still walking. Because we believe nothing is wasted. Because God delights in obedience. And because again and again, we have seen him use these quiet steps to soften hearts, open doors and inspire change.

A faithful yes from a whole city

As I look back over five years of Arise:March, what stands out is not scale or spectacle, but faithfulness. Faithfulness from individuals who have prayer-walked the same streets year after year. Or who find the unprayed areas to stand in the gap.

Faithfulness from churches who keep inviting their communities to slow down and pray locally. Faithfulness from Christians across traditions, streams and denominations saying, we might not agree on everything, but we can agree on this: praying for the City God has planted us in as we walk around it is a worthy use of our time.

That is why we prayer-walk.

Through Arise:March, tens of thousands of prayer-walks have taken place. Streets have been covered again and again, not as a box ticking exercise, but as an act of love. From busy city centre streets to quiet estates, from the edges of the city to the surrounding villages and the Peaks, people have chosen to pray where they are.

Many have told us how prayer-walking has changed the way they see their neighbourhood. How they notice people more. How offering prayer has become more natural. How they feel more connected to their local area and to other Christians across Sheffield. For some, prayer-walking has been made accessible in seasons of illness or limited mobility. For others, it has become a shared practice for small groups, families and churches.

by Ben Woollard

Ben Woollard is CEO of Together for Sheffield. With his wife Amanda and their three daughters he’s part of the community at The Well. When he’s not out prayer-walking he loves paddleboarding, wild camping, and reading about inspiring people of faith.

Many traditions, one walk

The way we walk tells a story about who we are, and about what we are learning from one another.

The way my pentecostal friends prayer-walk reminds me that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and that prayer on the streets is never merely symbolic.

The way my contemplative brothers and sisters prayer-walk reminds me that Jesus fills all things everywhere, and that as we walk, we are not bringing God into a place, but awakening ourselves to his presence.

The way prayer partners and prayer groups prayer-walk reminds me that following Jesus is not primarily an individual pursuit. We walk together, submitting our steps to our sovereign King, learning what it means to be his body in the city.

A small offering, faithfully given

Five years can feel like a long time to us.

Five years of choosing to step out and pray. Five years of Arise:March. Five years of walking the same streets, sometimes wondering if anything is changing.

And yet, in the eyes of heaven, five years is barely a moment.

It is five out of five hundred thousand.

A single breath in the long story God is telling in this city. A small chapter in a much bigger narrative of prayer, faithfulness and mission that stretches back generations and, God willing, will stretch forward long after us.

The way we prayer-walk matters.

The way my evangelist friends prayer-walk reminds me that we are the feet that bring good news. That prayerwalking tunes our hearts to notice people, to listen well, and to be ready to offer prayer, kindness or an invitation to a better Kingdom.

The way my prophetic friends prayer-walk reminds me that presence changes places. That walking into overlooked or difficult areas with Jesus can shift atmospheres, spark new initiatives and open unexpected conversations.

Over the years, we have heard story after story. Estates where prayer-walking has led to deeper relationships. New mission initiatives emerging after people committed to pray the same streets consistently. Churches discovering a renewed love for their local area. A simple practice in Sheffield quietly inspiring other cities to begin prayer-walking their own streets..

It is a wisp of incense, rising as an offering to God. It is a small jar of ointment poured out at the feet of Jesus. And yet it is a worthy offering.

Because God is not impressed by size, but by surrender. Not by speed, but by faithfulness. Not by noise, but by obedience.

An invitation to keep walking

So whether this is your first Arise:March, your second, or your sixth, the invitation remains the same.

Surrender again.

Surrender to walking with Jesus. Surrender to praying where you live. Surrender to looking carefully at what God is already doing in your streets. Surrender to listening for his voice and loving the people you pass each day.

Let us be a city that says yes to showing up imperfectly. Yes to celebrating when God moves in power. Yes to waiting patiently when fruit is not immediately visible. Yes to trusting that God is at work, even when we can't see it.

Prepared for what God is doing

Recently, someone said to me, a little cynically, that the quiet revival we are seeing among young adults has nothing to do with Arise. That it is happening nationally anyway.

In one sense, they are right. God is always the great causer. But I see it differently.

I believe God, in his wisdom, saw what was coming. And in his kindness, he began preparing our city ahead of time. Not so that we could claim credit, but so that our hearts might be more unified, more prayerful, more attentive and more ready to walk with Jesus and help others walk with him.

Arise was never about being the cause. It was about being ready. A people already prayer-walking when the moment arrived. And so we keep walking.

Quietly Faithfully Together

Because nothing is wasted. And because Sheffield is worth praying for, one step at a time.

The Future ARISE

Pioneering in a global prayer and mission movement

Thanks to you, Arise:Sheffield has been calling believers across Sheffield and beyond to rise up and pray together each March for five years. What’s next? Arise Team Leader Giles Holloway shares a vision for the next five years of citywide prayer and mission with Arise.

by Giles Holloway

Thank you for Pioneering

I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the Arise team into the next five years, supporting you in your journey of unified prayer and mission. Arise is part of Jesus’ global prayer and mission movement led by the Holy Spirit and shaped by the church. Along the way we have been influenced by world events (e.g. a pandemic) so I’d be a fool to predict the future, but I am excited by a sense of where Jesus is leading us next.

Looking Back

When I first met with Together for Sheffield’s CEO Ben Woollard to propose the idea of a citywide prayer strategy powered by a prayer-walking app, we had no idea where it would take us. We didn’t yet know that government advice during the second lockdown would be a daily walk and that digital communication would become the preferred medium. Thanks to the thousand believers who rose up across Sheffield, the Arise Prayer-walking App became a symbol of unity even while we could not gather in person, and the testament to the power of prayer.

Looking Forwards

Now, as I link with city leaders in the UK and the US I see a pattern emerging. I recently received an email from the Houston Church Planting Network who have adopted a very similar prayerwalking strategy during Lent. The director declared: “Movements are born when unified, urgent prayer meets bold gospel proclamation.” I couldn’t agree more; Jesus is bringing us together locally, regionally and globally like never before to become the united church that Jesus prayed for. He doesn’t simply want us to pray for Sheffield to be transformed; He wants us to be part of the answer to those prayers as well!

Equipped to Serve

Last year we developed the Equip 1000 programme to support the whole church of Sheffield to reach the whole city of Sheffield for Jesus. As our ears have welcomed the news of the Quiet Revival, of openness to prayer, Jesus and the Bible, it has been a joy to hear of many other initiatives teaching people to share Jesus with non-believers. Jesus is using his church to equip everyone to serve in His mission. But equipping alone is just preparation; he also empowers us to go and tell others - through the gospels he has given us a clear strategy of finding the person of peace within each neighbourhood with whom we can make disciples

Arise:Go

To help us reach every man, woman and child with Jesus by 2033,, we will be adding a new Arise season this year: Arise:Go. We will be dedicating the summer season to sharing the gospel when the weather is warmer, the days are longer and opportunities abound. Like every Arise season we want to cover it in prayer and offer a seasonally appropriate gospel giveaway to help ordinary people to share Jesus simply wherever God has placed them.

The Gospel Delivery Project

During the Arise:Go season we will be supporting you and your local church to go door-to-door across your local area, offering a beautiful copy of the Gospel of Mark to every home. Launching fully in 2027, this June we’re working with churches in Parson Cross and Hackenthorpe as we develop the delivery app, the group training, and the Gospel material. Through the Gospel Delivery Project we hope to love our neighbours well, by sharing the gospel and inviting them to connect with supportive church communities in meaningful ways that nurture faith and raise new disciples.

Pray with Mission in Mind

Finally, this may all sound exciting or even daunting, but praise God that Jesus promised to pray for us and to empower us through his Spirit to accomplish the task (Acts 1:8).

As you set out to pray this March, do so with Jesus’ mission in mind, knowing that He will give you “every place where you set your feet” (Joshua 1:3) and that you are preparing the ground for the seed of the gospel. (1 Cor 3:6)

SHAPE SHEFFIELD’S FUTURE

Imagine a Sheffield vibrant with prayer, where every street and home is touched by the Gospel. A gift from you can help make this vision a reality.

At Arise, we long to see every person in Sheffield come to know Jesus’ love. To achieve this, we coordinate events and create resources to help believers rise up together in prayer and mission.

Like you, we long to see every person in Sheffield come to know Jesus' love. To achieve this, Arise coordinates events and creates resources to help believers rise up together in prayer and mission.

Becoming an Arise Supporter provides vital funds to sustain and grow this ministry, so that all believers can witness first-hand the ways that God is at work in Sheffield.

Becoming an Arise Supporter provides vital funds to sustain and grow this ministry, so that all believers can witness first-hand the ways that God is at work in Sheffield.

Plus, all Arise Supporters receive their own printed copy of every edition of Arise! Magazine, delivered directly to their door.

Plus, all Arise Supporters receive their own printed copy of every edition of Arise! Magazine, delivered directly to their door.

BECOME

TODAY AT www.arisesheffield.org/yes

LEAVE A LEGACY OF

WITH ARISE

When you write your Will, you choose the final chapter of your life story.

Shape the faith of Sheffield for future generations by including a gift to Arise Sheffield in your Will. It’s a simple yet powerful way to make a lasting difference: a statement of your values and your vision for Sheffield.

NEWS FROM THE CITY

Seek First unites 400 Sheffield believers in worship

This January, Seek First gathered believers from churches and communities across Sheffield to start the year in prayer and worship together. Here’s what Nick Phoenix and Gill Briggs - part of the organising teamshared:

“Seek First was a beautiful diversity of His people present, as approximately 400, from a wide variety of church expressions, gathered with no other agenda than to seek Him first. We were marked by the weightiness of His glory and beauty throughout the day, as we journeyed from the outer to inner courts, from worshiping on the streets, in the crypt and culminating in the cathedral. From moments of reverent awe, to lament, to repentance and longing for consecration, to joyful and undignified celebration of Jesus, we gathered around the presence of Jesus in silence, sung worship, and bread and wine. His presence became a sanctuary of healing and refuge for the weary, scarred and marginalised.

“It was a joy to join in with God’s mission of what Jesus has already been doing throughout January, in awakening His church to their first love, through prayer and consecration. All glory and honour to King Jesus!”

Candles and Carols draw 330 Christmas shoppers into St Marie’s Cathedral

Believers from St Marie’s Cathedral - supported by their youth group as well as Christians from other church traditions - spent an encouraging afternoon inviting shoppers to come inside the church to spend time in prayer and adoration. Organiser and Arise Champion Candida Calvert shared this:

“As part of the Arise Advent season, St Marie’s put on their fourth Beacon of Hope mission event, where shoppers were invited to come into this Cathedral church to speak to Jesus and to light a candle.

“We had a small army of volunteers helping us with this event – 20 young volunteers and 40 adult volunteers in total. Outside

the church we had carol singers and the street team handing out gifts to shoppers in the city centre, and inviting people to come in. Inside, we had people on hand to extend a warm welcome, and live praise and worship music to adore Jesus.

“Almost all of us have moments or stories that touched our hearts. Mine was when a boy around eight years old came in with his ‘unchurched’ family. As I told him that he could talk to Jesus about anything that was troubling his heart, he gave me a serious nod. Knelt before the altar, with his face full of wonder, he talked to Jesus for about ten minutes! It was so beautiful to see, and I prayed for his family – with tears in my eyes – as he did so.

“That Advent afternoon, we welcomed over 330 visitors and 241 candles were lit and laid at the feet of Jesus. We would also like to give special thanks to Margaret from Antioch Community Church, who came to help us with the carol singing!”

TOP TIPS FOR PRAYER-WALKING WITH KIDS

by Joanne Gilchrist

Joanne Gilchrist has lived in Sheffield for over ten years, ever since her husband took a role at The Oakes Holiday Centre. She has three fabulous daughters who inspired her to create the God for Kids app, and write the Animals of Eden Valley books. She works for Scripture Union's Mission Resources team, has a graduate certificate in Theology, Ministry and Mission, and loves singing, cross-stitch, and Christmas!

Whatever Gets You Out the Door...

This is the hardest bit so think: what motivates you? Quality time with your family? The coffee shop where you plan to finish? Whatever gets you out the door...

Prepare the Kit List

Grab your kid’s prayer-walking card from Arise and a pen. Ideally, get a white-board pen so that you can wipe-clean the card and re-use it. Maybe pack a few Haribo for motivation! And some for the kids too.

Prepare the Kids

Before you start, look at the back of the card and talk through the different things you want to look and pray for. Just like a scavenger hunt!

Be Creative

The prayer-walking card might not work for your family at all so here are a few pickand-mix ideas you can use for inspiration:

When you see a post-box: pray for those who receive letters.

When you see a grit-bin/sand-box: pray for the road workers’ well-being and for good stewardship of creation.

Look up other blessings from the Bible like Philippians 4:19 or Psalm 23.

You could bring grass seeds or water from these places as symbols of God caring for these places.

You could walk one street in silence so that you listen, instead of talk. See if you can hear what is on God’s heart for that place.

Look for seven things in each colour of the rainbow, to thank God for: a purple bus, a yellow sun etc.

Practise the Blessing

Practise the ‘call and response prayer’ on the card before you start so that when you spot someone you want to bless, your kids know what to say. “May God bless you and keep you” and your child knows exactly what to say next.

Pray

For little ones it might be enough to simply pray “God bless you.” Some kids might love the predictability of the call and response prayer but others might prefer a more chatty one. On the whole, children model their parents, and will pray in the style they’ve seen. It doesn’t need to be loud or even (possibly) school. Give them space and see what they come up with. Silent prayers are ok too.

Keep It Simple

...and let your child surprise you. If you fill your prayer-walking with too many things, you might forget to actually pray! The prayer-card is more of a prompt to help facilitate prayer. It’s not a to-do list. So don’t get too hung up on getting it right. Do allow space to pray.

Don’t Stress if (When) It All Goes Wrong

With kids, this is pretty common! So don’t worry too much if your prayer-walk is short or your kids melt down. You can always try again next time.

Finally…

Prayer-walking with your kids isn’t meant to be another burden for busy parents. It’s simply a wonderful way to support your kids to grow their relationship with God and your community - so try it with your kids and you might be surprised what blessings unfold!

Step Up

Attempt great things for God; Expect great things from God.

As a teacher of young people, here's

the message of

the Pray

for

Someone project as a familiar storyline, so that we can all relate to this real-life situation.

Dare to believe God loves you just as you are.

You are the main character, and you have a problem that you want to resolve:

Someone you care about is really struggling. Their sufferings are too big for you to deal with only - mental health, physical illness, the pain of broken relationships and addictions. You are desperate to do something about it. It’s not right that they are suffering, it’s a real injustice.

Your Prayer Story also has a villain. His role is to steal, kill and destroy. The root cause of their suffering is probably Enemy Action.

You need a guide to enable you to tackle this problem: Jesus Christ….

The name above every name: his life, death & resurrection have defeated sin & sickness.

Jesus gives you a plan:

God is calling you to pray, because he wants you to be involved, and to partner with him.

Be available - make room for God in your week.

Jesus taught you to dream big, to see things through the eyes of faith.

'Your battle has become my battle'.

He calls you to action:

The greatest power that God has given to any individual is the power of prayer.

You spend a lot of time telling God how big your mountains are. Now you should spend more time telling your mountains how big your God is.

The weapons that we fight with have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Colliding

with the problem.

The end results:

God moves in their life, bringing them his peace and comfort.

You aim higher in prayer and believe for full healing and salvation.

Your enjoyable prayer times lead to inward transformation through fellowship with Jesus, giving meaning & purpose to your whole life.

About us

The Pray for Someone Project began 19 years ago when I was sitting with my 9 year old daughter Livvy, watching her receive firm blows to her chest and back from her mum, Sarah. Livvy’s illness, Cystic Fibrosis, meant that her lungs were clogged with mucus, functioning at 55% of expected levels, and she was taking 60 tablets a day to combat this and diabetes.

God used this emotional experience to kick-start my determination to see what God could do for her, and I soon found the perfect place to pray - a long, gentle jog in the countryside near where we live.

19 years later, Livvy is a happy Christian with a strong faith and an amazing witness to her family and friends that, with all of life’s problems, God’s love is more than enough to transform us.

Every single lung infection that she has had (eg. Pseudomonas, Achromobacter), has been healed by Jesus through prayer, and fasting when it was serious.

3 years ago, God showed me that it was time to share what I had learnt, and The Pray for Someone project began, with this perfect Bible verse as its banner:

On those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned. Matthew 4:16

John & Sarah Ford. James & Livvy Morris

CHURCH LEADERS REACT

'The Quiet Revival' Report

Across Sheffield, churches are seeing a new season of growth. Research is showing that this is an exciting UK-wide trend. We asked a few local church leaders to share what they’re seeing in their communities, and how they’re responding to this new openness.

Church attendance

in the UK has risen sharply since 2018,

especially among young adults—most notably young men. Overall attendance has grown from 8% to 12%, and among young men it has jumped from 4% to 21%.

1 in 5 young men now attend church regularly!

Where have you seen the most encouraging signs of this quiet revival in your community?

Ben Tanner: I have to say that what we are seeing here in Totley fits remarkably well with this picture of the Quiet Revival. I honestly cannot remember another season in ministry quite like it. People are simply turning up.

Two locals were on their way to the gym and had a strong sense that they ought to come to church instead, so they did. A young man arrived having become a Christian elsewhere and wanting to get stuck in straight away. Another person found his way to church after starting work in a Christian school. He has since been confirmed and is really flourishing in his faith.

Last month we baptised two people, including someone

in their seventies who had been in and out of church life for years but met Jesus in a fresh way through one of our courses. We also confirmed seven adults, all of whom either came to faith or rediscovered it over the past year.

What has really struck me is the depth of interest people are bringing. They are not looking for something diluted or soft around the edges. They want to know what the Bible actually says. They want to be stretched, and they are surprisingly open to searching pastoral conversations very early on.

Pippa Fletcher: We are absolutely seeing the fruits of the Quiet Revival at St Vincent’s Mission Hub. We have 20 people in formation at the moment to be either baptised or confirmed into the Catholic Church at Easter.

A good chunk of these are young men in their late teens or early twenties.

Our student nights are booming and they are also starting a Bible study of their own accord (totally their idea) and committing to do the Bible in one year. Something else I have observed is how many young people in our community are really desiring the more traditional expressions of church, they desire the liturgy and the quiet contemplative prayer and want things to feel sacred and holy, with many of them expressing their love of Latin to me!

Gill Briggs: During the past few years there has been a growing hunger for God both in and outside the Church. We have hundreds of students and young adults praying and worshipping overnight. Their only longing

is to seek the presence of Jesus, and be consecrated to Him with every part of their lives; while consistently working together to ensure adoration of Him is expressed from across all streams of His Church.

There is a hunger for more prayer and to live and walk in the holiness of God, with mission and justice flowing from this place.

We're experiencing growing discipleship groups in public spaces, such as cafes, and as they meet regularly, people are gathering in and wanting to join in, already longing for God and space to meet with Him.

I have noticed across the body of Christ there is hunger for more of Him. A desire to go deep and broad, with a discontent for superficiality and nice answers. Often, not wanting or needing results from what they are doing, but just wanting to join in with who He is; His mission and His justice.

Giles Holloway: I have found the research uncanny since the national stats, found from quite a different form of questioning, completely back up my anecdotal experiences sharing Jesus every Thursday 2–3pm on Fargate. Over the last year I have naturally begun to focus on men (18–35), students and internationals. All of these groups have been very open and very happy to listen.

Yesterday I spoke with a physics student for around 30 minutes about evidence for God. This is not an uncommon length of time. Often this leads to prayer and follow-up. Many young people don’t know a Christian, so this is really needed.

Dave May: That is so interesting, Giles. I am not out on the streets all the time like you are, but I am having some similar conversations with other dads at the school gate and at various things our kids go to.

The other day someone asked me why we had moved to Sheffield and I explained that we moved to plant a church. We had a great conversation about Jesus, faith and church. We invited them to our Christmas service and hopefully they might be open to Alpha in the new year.

For us at Emmanuel Sheffield, we had started to see some of these signs even before the Quiet Revival report came out. In the space of just over a year (Easter 24 to Easter 25), ten people were baptised. Seven of the ten were young men, and only two came from churchgoing families.

For context, we are not a big church and we had only ever seen a couple of baptisms a year before this. We haven’t had any since the summer. What has continued, though, is that we regularly have people coming from nonchurch backgrounds – not

loads, but a steady stream. Some are coming back, joining midweeks, and a few are giving their lives to Jesus.

Often they have been invited by a friend in the church, but we also have some coming who say things like, “We felt drawn to try church.” One young guy shared how, in a low moment, he prayed and felt that God gave him a hug, and knew after that he had to find a church.

Why is this happening? I think the simple answer is that God is doing a new thing. He is moving and drawing people to himself. Beyond that, I think there is a lot of disillusionment among young people.

Jon Watts: Leading a church in a Muslim-dominated, multicultural, deprived community means that statistics and survey results such as the Quiet Revival don’t have the same resonance in our community. It is very unlikely that evidence of the Quiet Revival would be observable locally.

However, over the summer we baptised eight people – seven teenagers, seven of whom were young men, plus a 78-year-old Alpha convert. The proportion of young men was highly unusual for us, and we have more waiting to start the baptism course in January.

It is not easy to discern whether these statistics are evidence of the Quiet Revival or not. We simply praise the Lord that the baptisms are clear evidence of God at work through the power of the Holy Spirit in young men today.

Why is this happening? I think the simple answer is that God is doing a new thing. He is moving and drawing people to himself. Beyond that, I think there is a lot of disillusionment among young people.

Gill Briggs: We have seen a significant number of Muslims from across the city of Sheffield, encountering Jesus as "the man in white" in their dreams or in their homes and being transformed by Him. After these encounters they are seeking places to be discipled and worship Him, but are facing persecution in their local areas.

What have you noticed about people in your church who bring friends and family along? Do they have any tips to share about doing this well?

Giles Holloway: Many are interested, but the timing and reason need to be right. For young people the root of the interest is often curiosity, as they have never been to church and the stereotypes are very different from the reality.

I am not always convinced that a Sunday service is the best next step. With friends, I often find Alpha or Bible Discovery in a small group more comfortable and more natural.

Ben Tanner: To be honest, I am probably a bit biased here, because over Christmas we had a really encouraging couple of weeks with inviting people along. Attendance

at our Carols by Candlelight more than doubled, and we ended up with nearly 600 people. Many were invited by friends and family, and some came to the first service and then brought friends to the second the following week.

Sometimes we overthink it. Just saying, “You should come to my church,” is a simple phrase that opens the door. People notice a genuine, loving community, and it is often easy to invite others once they have experienced it.

Pippa Fletcher: We are also seeing a new level of confidence among our students. They are bringing friends to Catholic Society nights on Tuesdays, including Mass and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. They are not embarrassed to invite friends to something that feels more “churchy”.

The report found that 31% of people would attend church if invited by a friend or family member. 31%

I have noticed, though, that across the country there is still growth needed to help young people have confidence to explain the gospel or pray with people themselves, rather than just inviting them along.

As we step into the Arise: March prayer-walking season, many of us will be offering prayer to people across the city. With this research showing that most non-churchgoers would actually welcome prayer and that many people (young adults in particular) see faith conversations positively –what would you want to say to encourage Arisers to reach out with confidence?

Gill Briggs: We have witnessed more people asking for prayer, at times without being asked during Worship on the Streets and each week when we are out

on the streets and in parks. We have more people coming in off the street to join in prayer and being transformed in His presence, through encounters with Him. Street Prayer is growing through people being discipled after initially being prayed for on the street.

Giles Holloway: would encourage people to take the risk of offering prayer to non-believers, either in

response to what they share about their lives or through a proactive prompt. On the streets this often comes out of simply chatting.

If there is nothing obvious to pray for, we sometimes ask, “If God could do anything for you today, what would it be?” That usually opens an opportunity, and very few people refuse prayer, regardless of age, religion or background.

How have the findings from The Quiet Revival report changed the way you feel offering prayer and sharing your faith over Arise:March?

63% of 18–24-yearold non-churchgoers would welcome prayer from a Christian friend, 63%

PRAYER IS MY

Lifestyle

People with a Passion for Prayer: an interview with Sheffield intercessor Lydia Moyo

How long have you lived in Sheffield?

I’ve lived in Sheffield since 2004, so 22 years. What do you love about the city?

Having been to different places and cities in England and across the UK, I really love the people in Sheffield. They are very friendly, very open, and they genuinely want to connect.

You don’t walk around and go to the shops without someone saying hello. When I first came and started working for Cadbury’s, everyone would say, “Good morning, love.” And at first you think, wow! but then you see the sincerity behind that word love. It’s not careless. It really means, “We accept you.”

That warmth is something I’ve always loved. Sheffield feels welcoming, and that really matters to me.

Do you have a favourite Bible verse that shapes your walk with Jesus?

There are many scriptures I love, but one that has really stayed with me is from John 14, where Jesus says:

“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.”

For me, it’s like a guarantee from Jesus – an assurance that’s unquestionable. It’s almost like a challenge too: you haven’t asked – just ask! But the key is understanding that it has to be in His name, connected to His will, so that the Father is glorified.

That scripture fuels my passion to pray for the city, to pray for my family, and to pray for souls - because I know those prayers bring glory to the Father. It’s like Jesus saying, “Go for it.” Like telling a child, “Go into the shop and pick whatever you want - I’ll pay.” It’s incredible!

What has God put on your heart to pray for Sheffield?

For a long time, I prayed for the Christian voice to be loud enough to be heard in the city. That’s why I believe Together for Sheffield is such an important part of the puzzle.

Isaiah 60 is really at the heart of this – “Arise, shine, for your light has come.” If we confess Jesus as Lord, we carry the glory of God. His light shines on us - but we have to arise. We have to take a stand and be willing to let that light shine through us.

My prayer for Sheffield is that Christians would not allow the voice of the enemy to silence them, but would arise knowing that the One who is in us is greater than the one in the world. We carry a light that penetrates darkness. Our weapons are undefeatable - we have the King of kings on our side.

So I pray that we would say, “I’m not ashamed. I will not be silent. I will rise and shine wherever I am.”

What do you believe would happen if Christians walked in that confidence?

Prayer has to be at the centre of everything. Anything that happens in the Kingdom of God is influenced by prayer.

If Christians arise and take a bold stand in accordance with God’s will - powered by His Word and the Holy Spirit - it will influence everything in the city. There would be a real shift, because Christians are praying and living out the character of Jesus.

Change doesn’t start big. If there’s a problem in the nation, it starts in a county. If it’s in a county, it starts in a city. If it’s in a city, it starts in a locality. And if it’s in a locality, it starts in a household.

“If Jesus prayed, then I need to pray too.”

So when Christians walk faithfully in their homes, communities, schools and workplaces, they influence others - often without even realising it. God works behind the scenes. We find favour with Him, and with people.

How does prayer shape your daily life?

Prayer is my lifestyle. I pray everywherewhen I wake up, before I sleep, in the shower, in the car, in the kitchen. Prayer is a constant conversation with my Father.

Before meeting you today, I prayed and said, “Lord, let me say what You want me to say. This is about Your Kingdom.” I pray for my children constantly - before exams, before decisions. Prayer is always my first port of call. I honestly don’t know how I could do anything without praying.

Anything that happens in the Kingdom of God is influenced by prayer.

Do you also have set times of prayer?

Yes, that’s very important. Growing up, my mum was a widow raising seven children, and she had a specific place of prayer. When she went there, we knew something was going to happen - there would be an answer.

That stayed with me. I wake up at 5am every day to pray. That time is just me and God. My children know not to interrupt it unless it’s an emergency. It’s my private space with Him.

Your public prayer life is empowered by your private prayer life. That’s where the real you comes out before God.

Have you had an answered prayer that encouraged you recently?

Recently, I needed to decide whether to take on a family mentoring referral that I felt completely unqualified for. My first reaction was to say no - I didn’t have the skills or experience.

But as I prayed, God confirmed clearly that I could do it. On my first visit, a child who was known to be very difficult responded to me with gentleness - even sitting on my lap. The parents were shocked. And in that moment, the Holy Spirit said to me, “You can do it.”

It reminded me how often we write people or situations off. But when we work under the leading of the Holy Spirit, God does things beyond what we imagine.

How would you sum up what you’d like to say to everyday Christians about prayer?

Prayer is the basis of everything we do as children of God.

But don’t just pray - pray powerful, effective prayers. Pray in line with God’s Word and His will. Speak His promises. Pray in the Spirit and tap into His wisdom.

God doesn’t promise to answer every prayerbut He does promise to watch over His Word to perform it. So pray His Word. And enjoy prayer. Let it become your lifestyle.

by Rachel Hall

Rachel is the Prayer Ambassador at Arise. She is on the interim leadership team at St Philips and also works 1-1 with teenagers in schools. She enjoys a dog walk and a good cafe!

"Prayer changes everything."

Lydia Moyo is the Director of Manna House - the charity arm of Sheffield Community Church where her husband Anderson is Senior Pastor. Together they have three children: one young adult and two teenagers. In her spare time she loves listening to worship music, and cooking. Speak His promises.

Wayne Leigh AN INTERVIEW WITH EVANGELIST:

From street preaching to café conversations, Wayne believes the gospel is for anyone, anywhere.

Wayne Leigh, 60, has lived in Sheffield all his life. He is Managing Director of stationery company Jott Europe Ltd, which specialises in promotional pens and notepads. He lives in the Longley area of the city and is married with six children – five boys and a girl.

by Philip Dolby,

Philip Dolby is a freelance journalist, editor and PR consultant, based in Sheffield. He is passionate about the media industry and wants to use his voice to speak up for the least, the last, and the lost.

What do you love about the city?

Sheffield’s city centre, the people, the architecture, the restaurants and my favourite place is Bradfield.

When and how did you come to faith in Jesus?

I came to faith in Jesus Christ in 1992 in my car whilst driving to Devon.

Tell us your testimony in fewer than 7 words

Lost and broken and Jesus revealed Himself.

What are you most thankful to God for?

I am thankful for salvation.

Where and how do you share your faith with others?

I speak to anyone here, there, and everywhere. I also do street preaching outside the City Hall and in cafés.

Are there things you find yourself saying as you communicate faith to others?

I use many analogies. One of my favourites is: you can clean the outside of the body, but how will you clean the inside?

Is there a particular story of leading someone to Jesus or communicating the gospel that you remember fondly?

I don’t see me as leading anyone to the Lord. I simply present the gospel with love and passion and the Lord does the rest!

I remember driving past a pub called the Greyhound in Attercliffe one late evening. The Lord compelled me to drive back and speak to a man sat outside. I really didn’t want to, but I knew it was what the Lord wanted.

I approached the man with a greeting but he swore at me without a glance. I could see he was disturbed and so I persisted, enquiring if there was anything I could do for him.

He eventually invited me to join him round a wooden bench. He soon began to tell his story of a childhood in orphanages and various foster parents. He had a friend who was closer than a brother and they had been allowed to stay together their whole childhood to young adulthood.

Want to be more confident about sharing Jesus with others?

Check out Equip 1,000, a free, short, practical and local training course to help you reach out with confidence. Find out more at: www.arisesheffield.org/equip-1000

He eventually told me he was going to commit suicide after drinking some more because he had betrayed his closest friend in a deeply painful way. What came next was overwhelming love, compassion, and wisdom as I watched the Lord do the rest. It was a miracle watching the man cry and laugh with clear forgiveness and freedom washing over and through him. He stood to his feet and told me he was going straight to his friend to confess and accept the consequences. I watched him run off, almost skipping, with tears of joy running down my cheeks. What advice would you give to someone who wants to learn how to communicate the good news with confidence?

My advice is seek Him with all your heart and when you receive a revelation, step out of the boat and share it.

What is one thing you could recommend to help followers of Jesus become bolder in their faith?

Spend time with Jesus in prayer and read the words of Jesus in Matthew 5, 6, and 7 for as long as it takes.

What is your dream for Sheffield?

To see as many of the 600,000 population saved as possible.

ARISE:MARCH

“My favourite moment was the prayer-walking morning I organised around Lodge Moor on 22nd March, with St Luke’s Church as our base. I divided the parish into five areas, each taking about an hour to walk, and prepared maps, routes, suggested stopping points like the school and local shops, plus Scripture and blessings to pray as people went.

We began together in St Luke’s Church Hall with a short time of worship before splitting into five groups and heading out. As each team returned, we shared refreshments, stories of people we’d met, and the prayers we’d been able to offer. It became a beautiful time of fellowship and connection.

The most exciting part was seeing five different churches represented. Every core element of Arise was present that morning: unity, prayer, and evangelism as we witnessed to those we encountered. It was a truly joyful and encouraging day.”

LILLIAN MILLER (ARISE CHAMPION FOR ST LUKE’S)

ARISE:HALLOW

"I’d like to share about our wonderful and blessed light party we had in Hackenthorpe, hosted by Clive & Rosie from Crown of Life Community.

I approached the house, a light box was in the window with lights: “No tricks, Just Treats, Follow The Light" - and they did!

I joined a 10-year-old apprentice evangelist Aanaiya, dressed as an Angel she gave out around 20 treat bags provided by Arise while I played some Christian songs in the hallway. We enjoyed hot dogs and homemade soup while we shared testimonies and had lots of fun. It was a truly blessed evening. Thank you Arise Sheffield!"

SUZANNE, HACKENTHORPE

SHARING JESUS SIMPLY

EQUIP 1000

A year ago, Equip was little more than training notes on a page, names on a spreadsheet, pins on a map, and gospels on a desk. Twelve months on, over 400 everyday believers have been trained to share Jesus simply (including ten equippers). Ten churches have hosted the course. Thousands of gospels – and tens of thousands of 4Points prayer tracts –have been given away.

From Coy to Confident

felt nervous about sharing Jesus, so I invited her to pair up with me.

Almost immediately, we met two students. I asked them to guess what the symbols

The greatest encouragement comes from the many stories of salvation that have followed.

At our first train-thetrainer event in the city centre, a woman called Sam approached me as we prepared to head out onto the streets to put theory into practice. She admitted she

on the 4Points meant. As usual, they thought the heart represented love and the cross represented Jesus, but they were unsure about the rest. That gave me the opportunity to explain the gospel simply and clearly.

Afterwards, I asked whether they wanted the superabundant life that comes from following Jesus. Both said yes.

To our amazement, they read the simple prayer of confession on the 4Points tract and invited Jesus into their lives there and then. Using the QR code, we were able to help them connect with C3 Hope Church, which neighbours their estate.

Encouraged by this experience, Sam went on to gather a team at her own church, Greenhill Methodist, and deliver Equip training sessions to the whole community.

From the Few to the Many

Similar stories began to emerge from ten other hubs across the city: Pitsmoor, Hillsborough, Parson Cross, Hunter’s Bar, the City Centre, Park Hill, Nether Edge, Upperthorpe and Greenhill. As the year unfolded, I was delighted to hear that one of the hub leaders had been appointed as an evangelist on staff.

Alongside this, many other initiatives flourished: Healing on the Streets, Jesus at the Door training, Invite Sundays, Evangelism Boot Camps and the Send initiative. Each played a part in equipping and empowering believers to share the gospel boldly in their own contexts.

With 4Points gospel banners appearing on buses and outside churches, supported

by cross-city Alpha courses, a culture of confident and competent witness is beginning to grow across Sheffield.

Mission to Multiplication

Equip training emphasises how mission naturally leads to multiplication, and one story illustrates this particularly well. Rebecca Rea-Ryan attended Equip at Greenhill in March and later invited me to take the training to Worksop in May.

In the meantime, Rebecca shared the 4Points with a woman outside Aldi in Dinnington. As part of her seeker journey, this woman decided to attend the 4Points training herself, where I met her during the coffee

break. Before she had started an Alpha course or joined a local church, she had already been trained to share the good news of Jesus that had so captured her heart. Now that’s discipleship with multiplication at the forefront!

Equip 1000 exists to help regular believers become confident and competent in sharing Jesus simply. We provide training that make everyday conversations about faith feel natural rather than daunting. If this could benefit your church, email Giles to find out more.

giles@togetherforsheffield.co.uk

PRAYER-WALKING YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

Look: around what is God bringing to your attention as you prayer-walk? Ask the Lord

Listen: what passages of Scripture come to mind as you walk? Pray them over

You can turn your walks into prayer-walks in any way you like. Download

Love: those around you, what are the prayer needs in this area? Open the Arise

Five years of citywide prayer

5

I’ve had the privilege of being the Arise Prayer Ambassador since 2020. As Ambassador, I help to discern where God is leading us in prayer, to facilitate gathered times of prayer, to ensure Arise has a connected sense of prayer and mission, and that every Arise season is covered in prayer.

Since 2020, it has been wonderful to witness and be part of the growth of passionate committed prayer for our city across many believers in Sheffield. The Holy Spirit has been leading us and empowering us to pray and to be increasingly confident that God’s kingdom is near and the harvest is ripe. As we pray, our courage to share Jesus with others grows too.

2020: Praying for the city

During Covid, we began with regular prayer Zooms for different spheres of our city; education, business, health care, justice system, council, schools etc. We released regular prayer points for the spheres and enjoyed praying with those believers from different streams and denominations.

2021: Prayer-walking every street

Arise:March was launched in 2021 and for the last five years we have prayer-walked hundreds of the streets of Sheffield multiple times each year. It has been fantastic to join with other Christians to take ownership of praying for our areas and neighbourhoods. Postcode prayer groups have started and a beautiful increasing sense of unity is being seen across the city.

2022: Praying on the hilltops

In 2022, one member of the Arise community sensed that we should pray on all the hilltops in Sheffield. So over the course of a year we averaged a hilltop prayer gathering every month or so. We had powerful times of prayer

on the hills and we also got to share the gospel with someone seeking God up at Parkwood Springs. As we looked across each view point, we prayed for the homes, schools, businesses, hospitals, and churches that we could see. We would highly recommend going to the hilltops and praying over the city from different view points. It grew our love for the city and our desire to pray for her.

Your invitation: join us over Zoom or on a group prayer-walk this March

During Arise:March, we have three prayer Zooms for us to share testimonies throughout the month, encourage each other in our prayer-walking and pray together for different postcodes of the city. These are always special times of connection and prayer across the churches. Don’t miss out - find the times and dates of March 2026 prayer Zooms on page 64.

It has been a joy to see group prayer-walks grow over the years in different areas during March. Anyone can organise one and Arise is happy to promote these group prayer walks so others can join to pray together. Contact nicky@ togetherforsheffield.co.uk to promote your prayer walk.

Prayer through every season

A group of us from different churches also felt led to cover Arise in prayer through all the Arise seasons; Hallow, Advent, March and now Arise Go. These monthly Zooms throughout the year are a place to pray for the city, for Arise initiatives and for us, as believers to step out in mission. We pray for God’s kingdom to be established through all believers in every season and for many to turn to Jesus. We’d love to see you there! Make sure you’re signed up to Arise emails to receive reminders each month www.arisesheffield.org/join

by Rachel Hall

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF THE Gospel

Arise Go is an invitation for you - and your church - to be part of the next chapter of God’s story for Sheffield.

For the past five years, thousands of Christians have prayer-walked their local streets through Arise:March. Together, we’ve been faithfully preparing our city’s soil as we’ve prayed for homes, schools, and streets across Sheffield. Arise:Go is the next step in that shared journey: moving from prayerful presence to personal invitation, from walking past homes to knocking on doors and sharing the Gospel.

Arise:Go is resourcing local churches to make a personal, prayerful connection with every home in their community. You know your streets. You already carry them in prayer. Arise:Go simply comes alongside you with a beautifully presented Gospel, shared vision, and practical support - so together we can offer God’s word face-to-face, as a gift, to all 250,000 homes in Sheffield.

This summer we’ll be piloting this multi-year project. Churches in Parson Cross and Hackenthorpe are preparing to offer the Gospel to 10,000 homes this June. Could your neighbourhood be next?

You don’t need to be an expert evangelist. What’s needed is willingness: to Arise, Pray, and Go, and to trust that God has been at work long before we arrive. Some doors will open just briefly, others more deeplyall of them matter.

As you prayer-walk this March, remember that we’re praying for every home, asking God to prepare hearts to receive the Gospel when Arisers knock on the door.

Would you like your area to be the next chapter of the Citywide Gospel Invitation? Contact: giles@togetherforsheffield.co.uk

Can you help us reach every home in Sheffield with the Gospel through a financial gift? Contact ben@togetherforsheffield.co.uk

Beyond Expectations

A prayerful spring has been followed by a fruitful autumn

Christians from all denominations across Rotherham Metropolitan Borough stepped out in faith to prayerwalk as many streets in the area as possible during the month of March.

This was the first year of Arise Rotherham, inspired by a visit from the Arise team in Sheffield. From the outset, the initiative was marked by unanimous support, sparking a new depth of

'Prayer

of 2117 miles. That’s as far as Denver Colorado, travelling in a straight line! Some walked 100 yards, others 100 miles. The efforts of 245 people registered on the prayerwalking app add up. It was beyond all we could have imagined at the launch on 1 March. Adrian Dexter, senior pastor at Liberty Church, said in the final week:

‘With over 96% of the Borough soaked in prayer,

changes the world, and it changes us - which is why

I'm

so excited about Arise:March.

It's

a brilliant opportunity for the church to both come together and be sent out, to pray for God's transforming love to work amongst our neighbours, and across our town'

united working among the churches. March proved to be a genuinely exciting month, seeing the number of participants grow daily.

Rev Matt Stone of Stag Community Church wrote at the beginning:

On Friday 4 April we gathered to give thanks to God that 97.1% of the roads in this area had received prayerwalkers at least once, a total distance

we are believing for a spiritual climate shift to take place over these beautiful hills and valleys.’

So, have we seen fruit from all this prayer? I believe we have. At the end of August, a large group of churches joined together for an afternoon at Manvers Lake, where 54 people were baptised.

by Rev John Hibberd

John is the Mission Development Advisor for Rotherham in Sheffield Diocese and oversees the Diocesan Prayer Community. He worships at St Francis Bramley.

In October, there was a confirmation service at Rotherham Minster (an event, where adults and young people affirm their baptismal promises to follow Jesus). This involved 41 confirmations and 5 baptisms, the largest such event by far in the past decade.

Coincidence? We don’t think so, which is why we’re preparing for Arise Rotherham 2026. If there is a ‘quiet revival’ going on, we want to remain part of that. What is the best way to do that? The consistent story down the ages is that intentional prayer for church growth must be our priority.

THE LORD IS AT WORK

Prayer, Gospel, and Hope

Across Peaks & Dales

Something good is happening across our nation. The Name above all names is being lifted high, many are hearing, believing, and committing their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ for the first time. Church leaders are becoming serious again about prayer and the gospel.

Recently, I had the privilege of being with Ben Woollard, CEO of Arise Sheffield, in Rotherham. We witnessed church leaders from different denominations unanimously agree to partner with Arise in 2025. There was no long debate and no delay — just a resounding “yes” to running Arise:March in Rotherham.

This moment stirred memories from my own journey. Around 1979, shortly after I came to faith, a small group of us began meeting for an evening of prayer at church. Not long after, a leader asked, “How long will this last?” Attendance dwindled, and by the time Mission England arrived in 1984, many of us were still carrying a quiet cry in our hearts: how long, Lord, until more hear and believe?

That longing was captured powerfully in Graham Kendrick’s words from 1987:

O Lord, you stand appalled to see, your laws of love so scorned, and lives so broken

Have mercy, Lord. … Forgive us, Lord. … Restore us, Lord. … Revive your church again

In January last year, that same cry took new shape as Seek First was held at Sheffield Cathedral. People from across denominations gathered for worship, prayer, Scripture, and communion.

Then in June, we gathered again — this time outdoors at the amphitheatre behind Sheffield Train Station — to worship, pray, and hear God’s Word proclaimed.

Among those who joined us were Rebecca and Sean, intercessors from Worksop, and Aaron from Hope Valley, who opened the worship. Within months, Rebecca shared how five churches had issued a joint call to prayer on Castle Mount in Worksop.

Around 150 people gathered, including friends from Peaks & Dales and Bolsover.

Peaks & Dales is a very different context. While we have seen three churches in Sheffield and Rotherham experience over 100 public confessions of faith — with 99 baptised in just three months — the number of active churches across the Peaks & Dales is much smaller, with many churches closed or closing.

Much has changed over the last fifty years. Many villages now have high numbers of second homes or holiday lets. In places like Castleton, the majority of houses are occupied by non-residents. Young people often find it hard to stay, leaving to study or find work elsewhere. What remains is a visibly ageing population — all precious in the sight of God.

Yet God is clearly at work here too.

Arise Peaks & Dales continues to call people to prayer and to take hold of gospel opportunities. With around 15 million visitors to the Peak District each year, we are out on the highways and byways, sharing hope wherever doors open. A number of us are also linked with Good News for Everyone (formerly Gideons), supporting both the Sheffield and Buxton branches. The Buxton branch in particular would warmly welcome new friends and supporters.

Our prayer is that the good work begun in Sheffield will be communicated and championed across the Peaks & Dales — that the Name of

Jesus will be lifted high, that God will become our central focus, and that this will be clearly witnessed by those around us.

We also pray that those coming to faith will grow into maturity in Christ, equipped to reach many others. Please pray especially for our young people, our ageing communities, visitors to the area, and our farming community.

are walking into churches searching for a better way in a lost and chaotic world. Churches are growing, and we are seeing people, especially young people, arrive with the big questions of life.

I would love to hear from church leaders across the region. We have already witnessed new believers’ testimonies and baptisms at Trinity Church in Buxton, and we are hearing of others.

Encouragingly, the Derbyshire Farming Chaplaincy has seen numbers double at their monthly prayer and devotional gatherings at the Bakewell Agricultural Centre. At a recent farmers’ harvest celebration in the Cow Shed between Millers Dale and Tideswell, hundreds gathered to pray, sing, hear testimonies, and share food together.

Yes, the numbers may be higher in the city and in Rotherham — but the Lord is at work here too. People

by Brian Reece

Brian lives in Hope Valley and is the area coordinator for Arise Peaks & Dales (www.arisepd.org). If you’d like to discover more, email Brian at info@arisepd.org

He Leads Where

FOLLOWING JESUS AT WORK WITH SUPPORT DOGS

by Viki Seithel

Viki Seithel lives in Sheffield and works in fundraising and events at Support Dogs, where she gets to combine her love of people and pups on a daily basis. Before that, she was part of the team at Arise – you may have seen her running an event or read her emails! She’s married to Brett, and together they are passionate about helping others explore faith, co-leading a small group designed for their not-yetChristian friends to discover Jesus in a relaxed, fun way. When she’s not working or hosting, you’ll most likely find her outside – preferably with her golden retriever, Lottie, in tow. She loves Jesus, dogs, coffee and community. Here she shares how she lives out her faith in her workplace.

Since my career began, I’ve found myself in hospitality and communitybased roles. Starting as a barista in my teens (welcoming people with good coffee!), then training university students to share their faith during my time at Fusion Movement.

I launched my own weddings and events business in 2019 and later oversaw events and communications at Arise. My work life has always revolved around people finding home, community, and ultimately, hope in Jesus.

More recently, I’ve moved from more obvious Christian ministry to working with Support Dogs, a Sheffieldbased charity that trains assistance dogs for autistic children, adults with epilepsy, and people with physical disabilities. While the days look a little different now (seeing new dogs every day being one big change!), one thing remains consistent: the need for Jesus and for hope in Sheffield.

What have you noticed about differences between faith-based and secular workplaces?

I recently hosted a graduation event for all the qualified partnerships from the last year, and it felt strange not to pray with the team beforehand. This is ingrained in Christian culture and was a noticeable shift for me.

My team at Support Dogs are open, kind people. They love the dogs they work with and the clients they serve, and they’re curious about people from all walks of life – including Christians. While a prayer meeting wouldn’t have been appropriate for this event, I reminded myself that I lead with the authority and peace of Jesus, taking moments throughout the

While the days look a little different now (seeing new dogs every day being one big change!), one thing remains consistent: the need for Jesus and for hope in Sheffield.

event to pray over the space.

I may be the only Christian on my team (that I know of!), but I’m never alone when the Holy Spirit is with me.

I have also experienced firsthand that the answer to the prayer, “thy Kingdom come”, extends to all sectors. We need Christians in every area of the workplace to see Kingdom in Sheffield. At Support Dogs, we serve some of the most marginalised in our city, offering a new start to those that society often misunderstands. I can imagine Jesus spending time with them, offering them a second chance and a way through difficulty – and sometimes this comes in

the form of practical support, a listening ear and a wagging tail.

Across the years, I’ve worked with people of all faiths and none. I’ve seen the fruits of the Spirit in both, as well as the challenges of being human. Whether in a faithbased workplace or not, we all need Jesus – every day, every hour, every minute. I need His grace for myself and others, wherever I work.

Do you have any stories about answered prayers at work?

Before starting my new role, I prayed that there would be another Christian at Support Dogs. A few weeks in, having not met anyone who shared they were a Christian with me, I prayed again on my way into work. Later that day, Janet* walked in with a slightly crazy chocolate Labrador who bounded up to me.

Janet is one of our foster carers, looking after dogs in training, and had just taken on Maya, a rehomed pet destined to become an assistance dog. As we talked, she shared she was a Christian, part of a church in Lodge Moor, and passionate about dogs – just like me!

Janet is one of our longeststanding volunteers: the heartbeat of Support Dogs, always ready to welcome someone new (often with Maya’s wagging tail!). I’m so thankful to have met her.

* not her real name

Quick-fire tips for bringing Jesus to the workplace:

Compliment people, honestly.

People love to be encouraged, and in a busy work environment, this is often missed. Take time to notice the things you appreciate about others, and tell them.

Ask people about their worldviews and listen intently.

Chances are, they’ll do the same back to you. Community can be built over honest conversations – allow yourself to be genuinely interested in other people, over lunch, in shared car journeys, or when making coffee.

Rethink reputation.

We can often perceive having a reputation negatively. Since starting my new role, I have a reputation that I am proud of: a slightly wholesome, Jesus-following, almost-30 girly who loves crafts, coffee, and dog cuddles. Build a reputation you love and allow others to run with it.

Learn more at supportdogs.org.uk, including their new National Centre in Sheffield, the impact of their work, and ways to get involved.

Hope UK Sheffield, part of Christian drug prevention charity Hope UK, is looking for enthusiastic people who are interested in training to be volunteer drug educators. The training is fully accredited by Open College Network and is cost-free to trainees. Our volunteers are crucial to our work. Could you be one of them?

Find out more and download an information pack at hopeuk.org/volunteering or contact Andy (Sheffield Project Worker) for a coffee at a.lawley@hopeuk.org

“BE READY FOR Anything ”

CHURCH, COMMUNITY, & THE JOY OF SCHOOLS OUTREACH

Beth: Kenny, thanks so much for chatting. To start, can you tell me a bit about yourself and Christ Church Walkley?

Kenny: I’m the Associate Minister at Christ Church Walkley. We planted the church around 13 or 14 years ago as a joint effort between Christ Church Central and Christ Church Fulwood. I’ve been involved since the very beginningfirst as a ministry trainee, then on fulltime staff for about eight years now.

We’re a small-to-medium church, so I end up doing a bit of everything. My wife and I live locally and we’ve got three girls, who have all attended local schools, so we’re very much embedded in the area.

Beth: That long-term presence really matters in a place like Walkley, doesn’t it?

community events, local businesses, fairs, and things like fun days in the park.

Kenny: It really does. From the start, our aim has been to be a church in the community, not just one that happens to meet here. That includes schools, but also

Many people in our church live locally, which makes a huge difference. People see us around. They get to know our families. So when we knock on doors at Christmas or invite people to something, there’s a familiarity that helps build trust.

Beth: Has that helped schools feel more at ease with the church?

Kenny: Definitely. There was some understandable nervousness: “Who are you? Why are you here?”

But over time, being visible and relational has really bridged that gap. Once people know you’re sticking around, anxiety drops.

Beth: How did your links with local schools begin?

Kenny: We’ve got several primary schools nearby, and we wanted to build relationships - to serve, meet people, and explain what Christians believe. There wasn’t a grand strategy; it grew piecemeal as opportunities arose. Early on, we were renting premises, so schools quite rightly had questions about who we were. What made the biggest difference was when a long-serving Christian teacher asked if we’d help run an after-school club. We said yes, and that opened doors.

Beth: One “yes” led to another?

Kenny: Exactly. That club built relationships with staff, which led to RE lesson Q&A sessions, assemblies and Christmas visits - step by step.

Having someone inside the school vouch for us was massive. I’ve also found in some schools the staff feel more comfortable with me when I wear a clerical collar, so I’ll often put that on when I’m leading assemblies.

Beth: What kind of schools are you working with now?

Kenny: A real mix. We work with several primary schools. There’s a Roman Catholic and a Church of England primary school, as well as a non-religious primary school. There’s also a Christian 4-16 school too.

best for each school. We try to align our assemblies with the RE curriculum of one of the schools which means we can serve them well and then reuse the material across all the schools. It makes the workload manageable!

Beth: That’s a great tip.

Wonderfully unpredictable questions children ask about God.

In every school we do halftermly assemblies, and then various other things depending on what works

Kenny: It really helps. And relationships outside school hours matter too. We’ll bump into staff at community events, for example when people from the church went to sing carols in the local pub. Those personal connections make a difference, especially when sensitivities come up.

Beth: Were there any barriers along the way?

Kenny: The church has been really supportive, which helps. Faith-based primaries – Roman Catholic and Church of England - are usually very positive.

In non-faith schools, we’re careful with language. We’ll say, “Christians believe...” or “The Bible says...” rather than assuming shared belief. That builds trust, especially in RE Q&As.

Beth: So patience is key?

Kenny: Absolutely. If you build a good reputation with one school, word spreads - staff talk, and they move between schools. The first “yes” is always the hardest. After that, doors tend to open more easily.

Beth: What does schools work look like for you now, week to week?

Kenny: In brief: We run a weekly after-school club at one school. All ages are welcome, but in practice it’s mostly Year 1 to Year 4 who attend, and a mix of Christian and non-Christian children.

We lead assemblies in most schools once per half term, with extra focus at Christmas and Easter.

In one school, we do regular RE Q&A sessions. Pupils write questions during their RE unit, then fire them at us for about 40 minutes. We might do that two or three times a term.

Beth: Those Q&A sessions must be interesting! Do you get some fun questions?

Kenny: All the time! Communion, baptism and the trinity always generates questions. You can end up in very deep waters very quickly. We also get dinosaurs, creation, and science questions like, “Is God pushing the earth around the sun?”

Kids merge learning from different subjects in wonderfully imaginative ways.

And you have to be careful at Christmas - Santa comes up a lot! Sometimes they muddle timelines too, like thinking the baby Jesus born at Christmas is only three months old when he dies at Easter. But those questions show they’re really trying to piece the gospel story together.

Beth: Is it all down to you, or do you work with a team?

Kenny: Thankfully, no - but it is a small team. Because this all happens during the school day, most of our church

family are working or caring for young children.

Usually it’s me, our minister Pete, and a couple of others. There’s also a practical efficiency to it: once you’ve planned an assembly and set up the props, it makes sense to deliver it a few times while it’s fresh.

Beth: Does it take a lot of time to prepare?

Kenny: The first time, yes. But we’re very fortunate. One church member has years of children’s and youth work experience and a literal stash of “bags for life” full of props and tried-and-tested scripts. We adapt things to suit each school. Once you’ve built a bank of material, preparation gets much quicker.

After a few years you can come back to the same assembly as all the children who saw it before have moved on up.

The after-school club largely just runs off a multiyear schedule now and the Q and A sessions don’t require any preparation – you just turn up and hope for the best!

Beth: What encouragements have you seen from all this?

Kenny: With children who attend the club regularly, we sometimes see real engagement with the gospel. A few have asked for Bibles because they didn’t have one. One child even asked her grandma to start taking her to church.

More broadly, children come away with a positive sense of Christians and church because they’ve enjoyed the interaction. That carries over when we bump into them in the park or on the school run - and suddenly you’re chatting with parents too.

With staff, you can see nervousness turn into more openness. They are always listening in to all the interactions with the children.

For our church family, it keeps us outward-facing. It reminds us why we’re here in this particular community. Seeing God at work is hugely encouraging.

Beth: What advice would you give to a church thinking about schools outreach for the first time?

Kenny: Don’t be afraid. Start by checking connectionsparents, governors, teachers, teaching assistants. See what other churches are already doing; sometimes there’s a gap where something used to happen and could be picked up again.

We prayed about this for a long time - and still do. Don’t underestimate how God can open doors you never thought would open.

Be practical too. Send polite, occasional emails explaining who you are and how you can help.

Sometimes you hear nothing. Sometimes someone replies months later. Schools are busy places so you just need to be persistent sometimes.

Expect both joys and challenges - but overall, it’s been a real blessing.

Beth: Any final thoughts?

Kenny: Schools work can be joyful and yet invisible to much of a congregationespecially if people don’t have children in those schools. So we keep it visible: we pray for it on Sundays and at monthly prayer meetings, so it doesn’t become “that thing Kenny and Pete do.” It also builds long-term relationships. Some parents first met us at our toddler group; years later, they’re happy to send their children to the after-school club because they already trust us. That means when we invite families to things like a Scratch Nativity or holiday club, they are more likely to come.

by Beth Craggs

Beth Craggs has been part of the Arise team since it began in 2021. As she works on this magazine she's surrounded by boxes because she's soon moving to S10 with her husband, four kids, and cat.

The Sound of Worship

by Mike Simms

Mike joined the Arise team in October last year and is a member of St Thomas Church Philadelphia. In his spare time he likes songwriting, cooking and doing jigsaws.

Mike Simms catches up with Latifah Makuyi and Matt Richens about their churches' collaboration on a worship album launch.

When God moves in Sheffield, what does it sound like?

In a recent conversation with a friend, we talked about how every move of God seems to find its own sound - music that gathers people and churches together.

Worship

Whether it was the Gregorian chants that unified worship across Europe with its simplicity, the hymns sung in a common language instead of Latin in the protestant reformation, the worship songs set to well known traditional folk tunes of the Wesleyan era or the expressive, improvisational, Spirit focused songs from the Pentecostal and Charismatic revivals.

Something is stirring in Sheffield. Stories of salvation, more baptisms, people walking into churches simply because they felt they should, and even strangers stopping in a cold Christmas market to hear about Jesusall of it points to God on the move. The question is: what will it sound like?

Just before Christmas, I sat down with them to talk about the sound of homegrown worship, their journeys, and why collaboration across churches matters.

What is your story of being involved in worship?

Latifah: I wasn’t brought up Christian. I was born in South Africa, where my dad’s family were Muslim. After moving to the UK, religion still wasn’t a big part of my life. As a teenager, I went to a few Christian camps - mostly for fun - and later started playing drums at a small local church simply because I wanted to play music, with no real understanding of worship. I attended church regularly but wouldn’t have called myself a Christian.

Everything changed one night at a small worship gathering, where I had a powerful personal encounter with God and committed my life to Him then and there. After that, I joined the church worship team and was mentored not just musically, but in the meaning and theology of worship. I began writing songs, reluctantly at first, but they were received well and used in church, which felt really significant. From then on, worship became central to my life. Wherever I’ve lived, I’ve been involved in worship teams, often leading them. It’s become a core part of my purpose and calling, and the most consistent ministry throughout my adult life.

of a worship song I “wrote” when I was about four, with help from someone at churchwhich says a lot about how early music and faith were intertwined for me. Worship, as a conscious expression of devotion to God, really took hold of me during my teenage years through small groups and larger conferences. Those spaces felt like home, and I experienced the power of communal worship in a deep way. When I moved to Sheffield for university, I started attending a Vineyard church near my accommodation and realised that many of the songs that had shaped my faith were written out of that movement. Singing those songs together helped me articulate my faith and connect with God in a way that felt honest and grounding.

Tell me about the recent projects from The Well Collective and Sheffield Vineyard and how the two projects linked up?

Matt: I was raised in a Christian family in a small village in Oxfordshire, and music has been central to who I am for as long as I can remember. My mum once sent me a photo

Latifah: We found that there was a lot of enthusiasm and passion in the student community at The Well and one of the group, Hannah, wrote a song called ‘Clear the way’ which became the title and a starting point for something to grow. The students put out a call out to some people, including me, to come together and craft some more songs to really reflect where we are as a church and to focus on what we want to be singing about and praising God for in our specific community. So, we began a year-long process of getting together to read scripture, to pray and to see what came out. The focus

wasn’t on trying to write a song from a musical perspective but from a place of listening to what God had put on our hearts and trying to express that. The songwriting was very intentional in terms of setting time aside but it was a very free process. Once we had the solid bones of the songs then Bami and I would work on crafting the arrangements to flesh them out ready for recording. Then we were ready to go.

How did these two projects cross over?

Latifah: Well, both Matt and I work in recording studios, Matt is at Fox Den in Kelham Island and I have been working with Chris Wilkinson at Balcony and so when we were in the studio doing our albums we ended up being around for each other's session.

Matt: Yeah, then we were both helping to record a big band and Latifah was saying that they were planning on doing a worship night to launch the album and asked if I knew anyone who could be a warm up act and I said we would love to do it! So Latifah took it back to the guys at the Well and they graciously agreed to have us. In the end the night ended up being more of a 50/50 split rather than a warm up and a headliner.

Latifah: Which I think was the right way. It makes sense that it was that way. It was a really great opportunity to celebrate and encourage another church’s project and get people in the same room. We tried to find a neutral venue but we couldn’t so it was at The Well.

Matt: It was all just very natural and I have been thinking and heard people talking recently that it’s all just about friendship. I love strategy, I love big vision but it just happened simply and even happened at all really because of friendship. Both of our projects would have happened separately but the reason why it joined together was because we are friends in reality.

Latifah: Yeah, the two projects look and sound different but the shared vision of being a local expression and an example of the sound of songs written by local churches for local people. Both groups enjoyed putting in the effort and we wanted to celebrate it, so why not do something and do it together and it was a lovely evening.

Every move of God seems to find its own sound.

How would you like to see homegrown worship grow in the next few years?

Matt: The invitation to God’s Church has always been to respond to all of who he is, his power, his beauty, his kindness, his grace, all of it. I think to respond to all of who God is in our actual language is powerful. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t sing songs already written by someone else from a different context but there is always an invitation to bring a new song. Not because new is better but because in a way it is more relational. Local worship from local local churches is always the invitation. That doesn’t always mean song writing but in reality most churches' central way of bringing adoration to God is through sung worship so a new song is a good place to start. When I am songwriting I start by writing what is the thing that I need to say to God, then think what does my small group need to say and sing it with them. Then there is what does my church need to sing? In my experience of meeting people who have written songs that we are all singing across the country and beyond, when they are writing they aren’t thinking big they are thinking small. Does this song work for the person standing next to me at my church? Not, can the UK sing this song?

Latifah: I think for some, maybe smaller, churches there is that one person who has that vision and drive to create songs and to bring out the song or the voice of their local context but being the only one can be difficult. What I would love to see in the future is a space for people to connect where they can bring their ideas to a group that are of the same mindset and vision. A place where they can be in a creative, worshipful, intentional environment and leave supported, encouraged and empowered to make something happen. For all three of us here we have benefitted from small versions of this and have been able to bring our own songs to our churches.

Matt: Yeah, it is that feeling of being released that lets you sing that song for the first time. Once you start then you can begin to invite that culture of singing with your local context voice. It is vulnerable but when we get comfortable with being vulnerable with our own offering then we will see more people start to bring a bit more. So I would say if that is you then just start, just go for it.what came out. The focus

So if God is moving in Sheffield, perhaps the sound we are being invited to listen for is not one loud, dominant voice, but many local ones rising together. Songs shaped by friendship, by prayer, by scripture, and by the everyday lives of people who are learning how to worship God where they actually are. The sound of this moment may not be polished or uniform, but it will be honest, relational, and rooted in real communities. As churches across the city continue to write, sing, and listen, maybe this is what revival sounds like: ordinary people offering their own words and melodies back to an extraordinary God.

Come and join a mindful discussion group for blokes, exploring some of life’s big questions. We’re a collective of blokes, some Christian, some not, who value honest conversation and community. We run groups in three locations across Sheffield. Please contact the group or visit the website for more details: www.blokes.org.uk

A YEAR ON THE STREETS

Giles Holloway interviews the ‘Go Fishing’ street evangelism team about the highs and lows of sharing the Gospel on Sheffield High Street.

Nigel Williams is one of Sheffield’s most prolific evangelists. Having survived a horrific childhood, he found Jesus while serving time in prison. Through much prayer and discipleship he has been enabled to overcome addiction, self-harm and mental illness. He now spends

much of his time witnessing to others on the streets of Sheffield, telling them about the man who saved his life: Jesus. He’s grown a team of evangelists, which he calls “Go Fishing!”. Arise Team Leader Giles Holloway has spent a year supporting and learning from the team, and has been so impressed by their commitment, braving all seasons and weathers to share the gospel on the streets twice a week. Here, Giles asks Nigel and two of his team - Andrew and Rhodamore about their experience and some of their favourite moments from the past year of mission.

Why do you share Jesus on the Streets?

Nigel: Jesus has saved me. He’s healed me of addiction to drugs, drink, nicotine, self harm, biting my nails, suicidal thoughts, chocolate (!) and He’s given me a family and a purpose. Why wouldn’t I want to share about the Jesus who did all that? for about eight years now.

Andrew - I guess ultimately we want our lives to be aligned with His word and we see in the Great Commission that we have an instruction from Him to share the gospel with all of creation. As such, with the gospels and Acts as the model, we can see that a

lot of the times the gospel was shared outside where people were. Not only this but once you see one person respond it creates a hunger for more; you realise that God uses the method of talking to people on the streets and then you feel a responsibility to be out again, knowing that it can make a difference in someone’s life.

Rhoda - I share Jesus on the street firstly because of the love I have for Jesus, appreciating Christ’s sacrifice and love. Secondly, because of the multitude that are yet to be saved and who are currently living in the bondage of sin.

What do you love about street evangelism?

Nigel - I just love evangelising; I’m in my element in a crowded street - it’s who I was called to be.I love reaching out to people who don’t know how good God is. I love to give and the best gift that anyone can give anyone is salvation.

What do you find hard about sharing Jesus on the streets?

Rhoda - The weather is cold at times, but I’m used to it!

Andrew - It can be hard when it feels like there is no one responding. It feels like you are saying the same things as the days when you see fruit but for some reason you

Can you share your favourite moment from last year?

Andrew - My favourite moment was meeting someone only a few hundred metres from the doors of our church. We were able to share the gospel and pray with them, and they were later thankful that we helped them connect with God again. I think the beauty to me is that there are people who are hungry for God right on our doorstep and we just need to go and talk to them.

seem to be finding hard ground. You just need to trust that you have good seed and that breakthrough will come eventually.

Andrew - I love the unpredictability of it, it feels like anything can happen. There is something beautiful when you meet someone and they say they have recently been starting to think about God.

Rhoda - Seeing people coming to know the Lord, and praying for people, is a great privilege.

Nigel - I find it hard before I go out on the streets, because I get nervous so I call on my many prayer contacts to get them praying for me to overcome this. Sometimes we encounter opposition from people who are worse for wear and they shout but we bless them and move on.

Rhoda - I met a lady on the street last year who I invited to our church. Meeting her was a great blessing and she has since joined my church. She has been able to use her gift as a singer and a children’s teacher.

Giles - I met a lady who gave her life to the Lord there and then. She said she had been looking at starting to go to church. Using the 4 Points prayer tract with the QR code, I helped her find a local church. Later that year the church pastor rang me up to say that she had begun attending and had decided to get baptised at Easter!

Nigel - On New Year’s Day 2026, I led a neighbour to Jesus. When I prayed for him the Holy Spirit moved him and he cried like a baby. The next week he went to a tattoo parlour and had Psalm 91 tattooed on his neck - I kid you not!

Unity in Prayer:

How God Is Drawing South-East Sheffield Together

What began as strangers around a table has become a growing movement of prayer across postcodes.

In April 2023, Christians from across Sheffield gathered in Sheffield Anglican Cathedral for the launch of the Arise Sheffield Easter season. Tables were arranged by postcode, something that at the time felt like a simple practical decision. We now believe it was a clear leading of the Holy Spirit.

As we sat at the S2, S12, S13, and S20 tables, we looked around and realised something surprising: many of us had never met before. Even though some lived on the same estates and attended churches within the same postcode areas, our paths had never crossed.

As we worshipped and prayed together that evening, there was a strong sense that this was not the end of something, but the beginning. God was doing something new, drawing His people together in unity.

Not long afterwards, we began meeting regularly in the home of Philip and Frances Ireson in Stradbroke (S13). Around every six weeks, we gather to worship and pray together for our churches, church leaders, and the neighbourhoods of S2, S12, S13, and S20. Our prayer is simple and bold: that God would revive His Church and bring many people to faith in Jesus.

Along the way, we have seen many encouragements and answers to prayer. We have also been aware that we are engaged in a spiritual battle, and our meetings often involve deep intercession and spiritual warfare for our area.

As we have grown together, we have developed a deeper understanding of the challenges and contexts faced by each fellowship represented.

To help us pray more intentionally, we bought an Ordnance Survey map of South East Sheffield and marked every church we are aware of enabling us to pray in a focused way.

In addition to our regular gatherings, we now meet to prayer-walk the streets of our neighbourhoods, asking God to move in power where we live and serve.

Our go-to Bible passage is Psalm 133:

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head...

For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

This verse has become a living reality among us.

We’d love you to join us at one of our prayer meetings. For details, contact Phil on 07882 027473. If you can’t attend but would value prayer for your church or setting, you can send requests to Phil or through our WhatsApp group. All requests are handled in complete confidence.

By Andrew Blench

Andrew has lived in Sheffield since 1984. He attends Spa View Community Church in Hackenthorpe, S12. He is chair of trustees for two local charities, a governor at his local primary school, leads on the teaching programme in my church and is regularly involved in various aspects of ministry. In addition, he is a Life and Leadership Coach who wants to see all people benefit from coaching, not just those in corporate worlds. He loves singing and is currently looking for a new choir to join.

WHO HELPED YOU ASCEND?

Behind every journey into work is someone who helped along the way – could you be that person for a young adult in Sheffield?

Ascend is working in Sheffield to see lives and communities restored through supporting young adults to find purpose and work.

The UK statistics for 16-24 year olds who are not in employment, education or training are worrying, especially in South Yorkshire where it could be as high as 20%!

At Ascend we believe in the potential of every young adult. We contend for their future by connecting them into supportive communities, standing with them through life’s challenges, and equipping them with the tools, skills, and confidence

to thrive in work. As one of our Ascenders puts it “I’m not as anxious as I used to be. Ascend has shown me I can do it!”

This is the reason when God called I left my role as a business leader to invest in the futures of our young people in Sheffield.

When we look back at how we have reached where we are today, it is easy to remember the hard work, long hours and sacrifices we made to get here. And it’s true we need those things to become successful - however we choose to measure success. But I am certain that there is also a person,

or people, who helped you to ascend to where you are today.

As I think back to the start of my career, I remember warmly those people who helped me find my purpose and passion, as well as those who guided me through my first steps into the workplace. I particularly remember Alan, who coached me when I entered my first management position and, unbeknownst to me at the time, was a Christian. He was the one who prompted me to say yes to an Alpha Course!

Proverbs 20:18 in The Message says, “Form your purpose by asking for counsel, then carry it out using all the help you can get.” At Ascend we are passionate about seeing young adults find their purpose and helping them into sustained work.

So, could you share your experience and be that counsel for a young adult struggling to find purpose and work in Sheffield?

From the start of 2026 we have revamped the Ascend training programs and are resolute to our commitment to make youth unemployment history. But we couldn’t do this without your support. Many of you are already praying for our work, and God is answering those prayers as we see lives changed and Ascenders step into their hope-filled futures.

Thank you!

But our work is not done. We are still looking for people who can help by mentoring young adults into work, providing employment opportunities, or supporting us financially so we can expand our reach across Sheffield and South Yorkshire.

With your support, we will see more stories like H’s. H was struggling to find his place in employment, but we saw that he was eager to learn, and had a strong work ethic. He was placed as a volunteer at the Hope Centre and has since moved into paid employment at C3, surrounded by supportive Christians and going from strength to strength.

Can you help?

Pray: Please pray for the young adults, mentors, and employers involved with Ascend, and for the Ascend team.

Volunteer: By becoming an Ascend mentor, you can help people discover what they were made for. We provide comprehensive training and ongoing support.

Employ: Could you open up a role in your organisation for an unemployed young adult?

Give: Your financial support creates more opportunities for young adults to step into work and purpose.

If you could support Ascend, or know a young adult who would benefit from joining our team, we’d love to hear from you. To explore ways you could make a difference, through mentoring, giving or employment, please contact Chris at

chris@ascendnow.org.uk.

by Chris Watson

Chris Watson is Head of Ascend. He has lived in Sheffield for 22 years, having arrived as a student and never left. He is part of Spa View Community Church in Hackenthorpe, and enjoys nothing more than trying to beat Giles Holloway at golf.

SIX MONTHS IN THE COMMUNITY

Eden Lowedges opened its doors six months ago and has quickly become a vibrant hub of support, connection, and opportunity for the community.

Designed with a vision to bless and strengthen the local area, the hub has partnered with the long-established The Terminus Initiative, a charity known for more than two decades of dedicated community work in the area. Together, Eden and The Terminus Initiative run and host a growing range of ministries and support groups that are already making a significant impact.

Among the most popular activities is Little Acorns, a mums-and-toddlers group offering a welcoming space for young families. Kingdom Kidz is an after-school club teaching children the Bible which continues to thrive. Off Script youth club has seen remarkable success, regularly attracting around 50 young people in recent months.

For adults, the hub hosts Blokes Group, a space for men exploring life’s big questions, and Blokes Fitness, a Friday-morning session helping men break old habits and build healthier routines. The hub also offers Hola Spanish, providing free Spanish lessons to the community.

Alongside these ministries, Eden Lowedges Hub hosts a variety of support groups, including bereavement support, addiction support, coffee mornings, and friendship groups—each designed to bring people together and offer practical help where it’s needed most.

After just half a year, the hub has already become a cornerstone of community life in Lowedges, with organisers hopeful that the next six months will bring even more growth, connection, and transformation.

If you’re part of a church or community centre that longs to see this kind of transformation where you are, we’d love to talk. The Eden model thrives in places that want to bless their neighbourhood, strengthen relationships, and bring lasting hope. If you think your community would benefit from partnering with Eden, get in touch and explore what could be possible: info@edenS8.org.uk

Book Review by

Roger Hoyle

Roger Hoyle worships at All Saints Totley. He has been a lay preacher for over 60 years, and he is part of the Prayer Ministry Team for Sheffield West Filling Station.

The Familiar Stranger,

by Tyler Staton

The author of this wonderful book is the pastor of a growing church in Portland, Oregon. He talks about the ‘holy discontent’ he felt at the age of 28, as leader of a successful church in a very tough area of Brooklyn.

On paper everything there was going great: they were financially stable, people were being discipled and baptised and taught how to serve. But he felt that there was a serious mismatch between what he read of the experience of the believers in the Acts of the Apostles, and his own experience. He writes: ‘They seemed like they were having the adventure of a lifetime. I was stressed and exhausted.’

He had read about the visits of John Wimber to the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and the wave of renewal that had resulted. ‘The Spirit moved so profoundly that signs and wonders broke out, and dog-collar wearing, smells-and-bells priests were experiencing miracles as a regular phenomenon. These churches were alive in the same way the Acts church was alive.’

And so, in early 2016 he boarded a plane on a journey to see for himself. The next pages of the book tell how in a miraculous way in London he did ‘see for himself.’ The Holy Spirit was no longer just a series of stories; the Holy Spirit became a personal friend. No longer a Stranger who was Familiar in name only.

The book that results from this experience is a great blend of Bible teaching with real-life illustrations of how the teaching is lived out in the life of men and women who move, as Tyler Staton did, into a close relationship with the Holy Spirit. Part One is headed ‘The Person of the Holy Spirit’; Part Two is ‘Spiritual Experience as Everything or Nothing’; Part Three is ‘Clothed with Power From On High’ and has chapters on Discernment, Prophecy, Healing, Witness, Redemptive Suffering, The Way of Love.

There are some good books that you read only once: this is one to read again and again - and it will get you praying for the author too. Read it and find out why!! And then, you will be eager to tell your friends (and your church leader) about it too.

INTENTIONAL LIFE

Coaching and Personal Development

“INTENTIONAL (ADJ) – PERFORMED WITH AWARENESS; DONE DELIBERATELY, CONSCIOUSLY, OR ON PURPOSE”

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO LIVE AN INTENTIONAL LIFE? A LIFE WHICH IS:

· Aligned with your values

ADVERT

· Lived on purpose Pursuing your individual mission

· Giving a sense of wellbeing and joy

“DESTINY IS NOT A MATTER OF CHANCE; IT IS A MATTER OF CHOICE. IT IS NOT A THING TO BE WAITED FOR, IT IS A THING TO BE ACHIEVED.”

I AM A CREDENTIALLED COACH WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COACHING FEDERATION.

I WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATIONS HELPING THEM TO TRULY LIVE INTENTIONALLY. I DO THIS THROUGH ONE TO ONE COACHING, TEAM COACHING, TRAINING AND FACILITATION.

Lets

ETERNAL WALL

Sheffield, I invite you into something extraordinary…

The ground has been broken for what will become the UK’s largest Christian landmark. Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer will stand in Coleshill, near Birmingham, as a declaration to our nation: that Jesus still answers prayer.

by Michelle Heritage

Michelle Heritage is Chief Partnerships Officer at Eternal Wall.

No ordinary monument...

Towering at 51m, Eternal Wall will be built from one million bricks, each one carrying a living story — a testimony of an answered prayer. When people visit, they won’t just see an impressive structure. They will scan a brick on their mobile phone and encounter a story of hope, faith and evidence that Jesus is alive.

Eternal Wall – double the size of the Angel of the North and the width of Trafalgar Square – will be visible to motorists on the M42 and M6, passengers flying in and out of Birmingham Airport and those travelling on HS2. By the expected opening date of 2028, we have set a target of gathering 250,000 answered prayers. With more than 100,000 submitted and pledged, we still have some way to go.

This is where, you step in!

In partnership with Arise Sheffield, we are inviting your city to lead the way — becoming the first city in the UK to come together in unity to fill its bricks on the Eternal Wall. Not church by church. Not denomination by denomination. But as one city, lifting up shared stories of God’s faithfulness.

Imagine what that says to our nation. A city known not just for its history or industry, but for its gratitude. For its faith. For its willingness to say, “This is what God has done among us.”

Answered prayer is one of the most powerful tools we have. It doesn’t argue. It doesn’t shout. It simply tells the truth. Whether your story is dramatic or quiet, public or deeply personal, it matters. Healing. Provision. Direction. Restoration. Salvation. Moments where God met you in ways only you could recognise.

This is a moment to pause and remember. We’re asking Christians across Sheffield to lean into this together — to create space in services, small groups and gatherings for people to reflect, to testify and to submit their stories.

Our friends at Arise have set a target of 250 answered prayer submissions in 2026. Can your story be one of them?

Have you experienced miraculous healing? Has your marriage been restored when all seemed lost? Is your son or daughter now back serving God after you faithfully prayed for them? Have you seen provision when you thought everything was lost?

Sheffield, you can help lead a national movement. Let’s fill Eternal Wall and make hope visible across the city and the nation. Help us lead the way and as we go to other cities, we can proudly point to Sheffield as the city that first stood and thanked God.

Submit your answered prayer today: www.eternalwall.org.uk/ap/sheffield

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward."

Colossians 3:23-24

SAVE THE DATES 2026

Don’t miss these opportunities to rise up in prayer and mission!

WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH / 12.30-1.30PM / Online

Arise:March Prayer Zoom

TUESDAY 10 MARC / 8.00PM-9.00PM / Online

Arise:March Prayer Zoom

TUESDAY 17 MARC / 8.00PM-9.00PM / Online

Arise:March Prayer Zoom

WEDNESDAY 25 MARCH / 7.00PM-9.00PM / Christ Church Central Arise:March Celebration

FRIDAY 3 APRIL / 10.00AM-1.OOPM / Meeting points across the city

Good Friday Prayer-Walks & Service

MONDAY 1 JUNE / TIME AND VENUE TBC Arise:Go Commissioning Services

MONDAY 6 JULY / TIME AND VENUE TBC Arise:Go Celebration Services

THURSDAY 1 OCTOBER / TIME AND VENUE TBC Arise:Hallow Launch

Join the Arise community today to receive event invites, encouragement, resources and more to fuel your year of prayer and mission.

www.AriseSheffield.org/join

LIGHT UP YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD WITH THE

ARISE:MARCH PRAYER-WALKING APP

Let’s cover our communities in prayer

NEW FOR 2026!

Download the new and improved Prayer-Walk App from your app store and it will record your route automatically!

PRAY

For your streets as many times as you like: they’ll glow brighter each time they’re walked.

SHARE

Local prayer needs with other Arisers - and pray for the needs of othersall through the app.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Start your journey right now: download the free Prayer-Walk app from your app store today!