DEAR LEADER
From Giles Holloway
I wanted to share an update on the Gospel Delivery Project
This is a ambitious city-wide initiative that aims to place a Gospel of Mark into every home in Sheffield by 2033, reaching approximately 250,000 homes and 600,000 people with God's Word.
Over the past year, the Arise Sheffield has brought together an outstanding group of volunteers, ministry partners, consultants, donors, and church leaders to develop the vision, resources, systems, and partnerships needed to launch the project's first pilot phase.
Following extensive planning and preparation, the pilot launched in June 2026, with 70 trained volunteers reaching two areas of the city covering approximately 7,000 homes.
The purpose of this pilot is not simply to distribute Gospels, but to establish and test a scalable model that can be expanded across Sheffield over the coming years in partnership with local churches and denominations.
The project includes several key elements:
Gospel:A hand delivered Gospel of Mark
A beautifully designed edition of Mark's Gospel featuring photography from across Sheffield, testimonies from local people, invitations to explore faith, and information about local churches.
View the publication ⬇
Training:Sharing the Bible Simply Training
A new discipleship training programme developed in partnership with a national missional discipleship
charity, equipping ordinary Christians to share Scripture confidently, engage in faith conversations naturally, and invite others to encounter Jesus through the Bible.
View the publication ⬇
Follow-Up: Church Connection
Every Gospel package includes a bookmark, follow-up flyer, and information designed to help people connect with local churches and take their next steps in exploring faith.
Website: God Loves Sheffield
The project is supported by an outward-facing website that connects people with local churches, faith-exploration opportunities, outreach initiatives, and wider mission activity taking place across the city.
Visit: www.godlovesheffield.co.uk
Strong Foundations for Future Growth
The pilot has benefited from significant volunteer mobilisation, generous financial support, professional project-management expertise, and collaboration across a wide range of church traditions and denominations.
Together, these partnerships have enabled the team to develop robust systems and logistics that provide a strong foundation for future expansion.
Assuming the pilot demonstrates the effectiveness of the model, the vision is to begin expanding into additional areas of Sheffield from 2027 onwards. This will create opportunities for churches across the city to participate in reaching their own local communities through volunteer teams, prayer support, local follow-up pathways, and strategic partnership.
We would greatly value your prayers as the pilot launches and would love to begin conversations with church leaders who may be interested in exploring how their congregation, network, or denomination could participate in future phases of this city-wide mission.
Together, we have an opportunity to place God's Word into every home in Sheffield and invite hundreds of thousands of people to encounter Jesus through Scripture.
Grace and peace,
Rev. Giles Holloway
Arise Sheffield Team Leader