Cliff Mission is something that the College has done since its foundation, over 100 years ago. It is out of our desire and calling to reach all people for Christ that we go, but it is also a fantastic opportunity to put some of our theological training and ideas into action in a very practical way! It comes as a welcome break to most of the students, to get out in the surrounding communities and help people both spiritually and practically. The way we do our mission has changed over the years but our goal is still the same, to love and serve people in practical ways, and to share Jesus Christ with them.

This year we have 6 teams going out on mission. Four of those teams will be staying in Sheffield and surrounding areas, and the other two teams will be in Telford which is down in Shropshire. Who the teams are helping will vary greatly. A couple of the teams are going to help churches in their current ministries, improve activities within the communities and give some practical ministry training. The other teams are going to help local churches start new outreaches which will then carry on after the team is gone. Some of the activities that the teams will be involved in will be; gardening, litter picking, karaoke night, family days, tenpin bowling, walking, film night, discussion night, café church and pancake evening.

As you can see from the list, a lot will be going on over the next couple days, so please be praying for Cliff College and our students as we go out into churches and communities to help equip people for the gospel, and to spread the life saving message of Jesus. Without God going before us and sending his Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of people we will be reaching, our plans and strategy will be powerless to do anything. So please pray that God will send his Holy Spirit before us and work in the lives of the people we will meet and share Jesus with!

Stephen Skuce's New Book!

Faith Reborn considers the place of faith and mission in a rapidly changing Ireland. The decline of institutional Christianity is re-read through a western post-Christendom paradigm. The decline of this institutional form of belief creates a unique opportunity for Irish Christianity to be reborn as a movement. Signs of this happening are considered and a potential, albeit very radical, way forward is articulated.

While of clear relevance to those interested in mission and Christian faith in Ireland, this book gives an example of applying current missiological, emerging church, post-Christendom thinking and cultural analysis to a particular context to seek to understand what is happening, discern where God is leading and develop forms of church that made sense and are missionally effective in this new context.

That's what we encourage children to have isn't it? A fanciful thing which must eventually be given up in order to live in the 'real world'. But what if imagination is more than that. I am convinced our imagination is a God-given capacity to perceive 'things not seen' (Hebrews 11) with our physical senses. When our imaginations are captivated by the Spirit, we are given eyes of faith to see through the veil of our immediate circumstances, to see the presence and activity of God in our lives. If I am right, then the imagination is not a flight from reality, but the very means by which we know what is the most real of all.

It is in our imagination that we escape conventional thinking, entertain new possibilities for our lives, and explore alternative worlds. It is the ability to see and anticipate the future, giving rise to our longings and aspirations, our hopes and fears. The imagination is where our dreams are formed, the driving force behind changing the reality we have for the reality we dream about.

Having a 'sanctified imagination' is another way of talking about how the Spirit opens the 'eyes of our heart' (Ephesians 1:18) to understand the things of God, and to make them the centre of our attention. It is through a sanctified imagination that the Spirit imparts the dreams and visions of God's future for our lives, our churches, and our communities (Acts 2:17).

But the imagination is also a place of 'spiritual warfare'! Our world is full of stories and images that would colonise our thinking with false promises of health, wealth, and happiness. In many ways, being a disciple is about struggling to envision the future that God has for us, guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, in the midst of a world that competes for our imagination.

At Cliff College, we are committed to helping people develop a sanctified imagination - to discover God's dream for their lives, and equip them for the task of faithful discipleship in contemporary culture. One way to think about mission is to have our imaginations shaped by God's future for the world, so that we can see how it is breaking into the present, and how we might join in what he is already doing. Evangelism, then, is the Christian task of working with the Spirit to help others see the reality of God and enter into his kingdom of love, joy and peace.

Can you begin to imagine what your future looks like in God's hands? Do you want to have your imagination stretched, to envision what God can do in your life, in your family, in your church, or your community? Then you might consider a course at Cliff College, and join all those over the years who have been inspired to greater things in God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20).

-Phil Meadows

Director of Postgraduate Studies

The start of a new academic year is always an exciting time at Cliff College as returning students gather to resume their studies after a summer break and as new students join the community for the first time.

This year there are a number of new faces among the Cliff College staff, including myself as Principal. Rev Dr Martyn Atkins, our previous Principal, has been appointed General Secretary of the Methodist Church. His new role will be a challenging one and at the College we will continue to remember Martyn in our prayers.

Some of you who are visiting our website will be very familiar with College and will have studied here or visited the College often. Some of you will be considering a course of undergraduate or postgraduate study or visiting this website for another purpose. Whatever your reason for visiting this site, I would like to offer you a warm word of welcome and say I look forward to meeting you personally should you decide to visit us or to study with us.

As I am new to the Cliff College staff, I have been asked to take this opportunity to introduce myself to all who visit our website.

I was born in Swindon in Wiltshire and became a Christian during my teenage years. I studied Biochemistry at the University of Surrey at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and was awarded my PhD in 1982. During the course of my research studies I felt the call of God to offer for ordained ministry in the Methodist Church and, after being accepted I was sent to study at Wesley House in Cambridge.

As a Methodist Minister I have served for five years in the Barking and Dagenham area of London as a minister of two local churches and as an Industrial Chaplain, in Verwood in Dorset for eleven years as minister of three local churches and for the last seven years as Chair of the Cornwall District of the Methodist Church.

I am married to Joy who is a primary teacher with a particular interest and expertise in teaching music. Our two children Anna and Steve are also teachers. Anna married Luke in July of this year and they will be living in Nottingham for a year while Luke completes his training as an architect. Our son Steve is teaching in Slough where he has just completed his first year in that post.

It is a very exciting opportunity to be part of the team here at Cliff College. I believe that it is a place with a tremendous heritage, an exciting present and a significant future. As you explore the pages of the website you will find out more about the rich variety of courses that Cliff College offers and of all that makes Cliff a very special place where we seek to honour the name of Jesus and to equip the church for the task of mission today!

I hope you find the information you need in these pages, but do please contact us if you would like to visit us or if you would like more information.

God Bless,

Chris Blake