Lent Talks 2026 starting Thurs 5th March – Christianity in Britain

Come and join us for four great speakers on thought provoking topics around the theme of ‘CHRISTIANITY IN BRITAIN – MOVEMENTS AND INFLUENCERS AND THE VALUES THEY GAVE US’

Date and TimeSubject and SpeakerVenue
Thurs 5th March
7.30pm
FROM THE SHEPPARD-WORLOCK STORY TO THE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TRADITION – Christian Witness in an Age of Unravelling
with Jenny Sinclair, Founder & Director of Together for the Common Good SEE MORE ABOUT Jenny
Lister Hill Baptist,
Brownberrie Ave LS18 5PW
Tues 10th March 7.30pmJOHN WESLEY’S METHODISM– a movement for the 21st Century
with Rev Leslie Newton, Chair of Yorkshire North and East District of the Methodist Church SEE MORE about Leslie
St Mary’s School Hall, Broadgate Lane, LS18 5AB
Tues 17th March
7.30pm
A TRIO OF VICTORIAN PHILANTHROPISTS: Barnardo, Carpenter and Stephenson.
with Andy Lloyd, Social Work consultant and former Head of Department at Leeds Trinity University SEE MORE about Andy
Central Methodist Church,
Town St, LS18 4AH
Thurs 26th March
7.30pm
THE INTERFAITH MOVEMENT –
‘A South African Christian and a Bangladeshi Muslim reflect on each other’s faiths and values, after a decade of community work and partnership in Inner City Leeds’
with Rev Heston Groenewald, vicar of All Hallows Church, and Abdul Hannan, Councillor for Headingley & Hyde Park
SEE MORE about Heston and Abdul
St Margaret’s Church,
Church Lane, LS18 5LA

Everyone is welcome to come – the more the merrier!

Jenny Sinclair

Jenny Sinclair is Founder and Director of Together for the Common Good (T4CG), a Christian charity dedicated to spiritual and civic renewal. T4CG resources Christian leaders and churches across all denominations, as well as schools and charities, to read the signs of the times and play their part for the common good. Drawing on Catholic Social Thought, Jenny writes and speaks about the vocation of the church in society, and is co-host of Leaving Egypt, a transatlantic podcast exploring what it means to be God’s people in times of unravelling.  Daughter of the late David Sheppard, Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, Jenny was received into the Catholic Church in 1988. You can see more about T4CG and Jenny’s work HERE

Rev Leslie Newton

Leslie is currently Chair of Yorkshire North and East District of the Methodist Church in Britain, having previously served in the Barnsley, Bramhall & Wythenshawe and York Circuits.  Leslie was born and raised in Lancaster, his faith nurtured in a local Methodist Church and prior to ministry he trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant. His book ‘Revive Us Again’ explores how the founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, achieved extraordinary impact across the United Kingdom and beyond; he has recently published a second book ‘Church Unbound’. He is married to Gill, also a Methodist Minister, and they have a daughter Laura. 

Andy Lloyd

Andy has been involved with children and families work for more than 40 years in a variety of different roles, including as Head of Workforce Development and Change at Leeds City Council. He also previously led the Department of Children, Young People and Families at Leeds Trinity University. He is currently a consultant supporting improvement work in children’s services for a Manchester borough. Andy lived in Horsforth for 30 years, but moved to Whitby 6 years ago. He has been married to Fiona for nearly 40 years.

Rev Heston Groenewald

Heston was a youth worker in Cape Town, South Africa before moving to London and  commencing ordination training in the Church of England. He has been at All Hallows Church in Leeds for over 10 years and counts it a privilege to be working at a Church which includes and celebrates marginalised people and people of different faiths. He says: ‘Hyde Park is a fascinating multi-cultural and multi-faith neighbourhood. Our near neighbours include three mosques and a mandir, and we regularly work (and party!) with friends of various faiths across the city.’

Cllr Abdul Hannan

Abdul is a Councillor for Headingley and Hyde Park ward serving the people of North West Leeds. He has a degree in Youth and Community, and worked as a Youth Work Manager for many years, supporting and encouraging young people to pursue their ambitions. He is now the Centre Manager at Cardigan Community Centre, a vibrant hub of activities seeking to build a stronger community and prioritise the needs of those affected by a lack of opportunity.