Inspired by the Church of England’s recent report, Rooted in the Church and after working alongside parishes over the past couple of years, the Diocesan Missioners for Youth and Children’s Ministry have been moving towards developing intergenerational ways of being church. So the Gen2 Team has been formed to encourage parishes in mission and ministry…

Downing Street announced on Wednesday 1st November that The Queen has approved the appointment of the Very Revd Chris Dalliston as Dean of Peterborough. Chris Dalliston is currently Dean of Newcastle, a post he has held since 2003. During his time at Newcastle he has overseen significant improvements in the Cathedral’s facilities for visitors and…

Most of December is in the Advent season. The Christmas season begins on Christmas Eve and runs for twelve days, or forty if you count up to the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, as I like to do. Of course, there are preparations to be made, and many (too many?) carol services, in the…

Church Urban Fund is inviting churches and communities to take part in the Advent Sleepout Challenge to help people struggling with homelessness and marginalisation. Groups across the country are being encouraged to give up a night’s comfort to support the Advent Sleepout Challenge 2017, a national sponsored event taking place for the third time to…

It was announced on 1st October that Bishop Donald has appointed the Revd Canon Sarah Brown as Canon Missioner, a full time residentiary post at the Cathedral which she will take up in January 2018. Sarah is currently Team Vicar of Daventry with special responsibility for Braunston, Welton and Ashby St Ledgers and Rural Dean…

How’s your memory? When I want to be sure that I remember something, I write it on my hand. Then later on I glance at my hand and see the word “John”. John who? What about John? Where am I meeting John (whoever he is)? When am I meeting John … and why? It’s not…

Article from Peterborough Cathedral “I am very sorry to report that Canon Tim Sledge has withdrawn from the post of Dean of Peterborough for personal health reasons. I hope that you will join me in wishing him well. The selection panel will reconvene in the next few weeks and a further update will have been…

26 April – 4 May 2018 Following in the footsteps of Jesus Several years ago I went to a seminar at Lambeth Palace held to encourage pilgrimages to the Holy Land. The then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was asked ‘what is a pilgrimage to the Holy Land?’ His answer has stayed with me and…

By Becky Wills Over the Bank Holiday weekend, an intergenerational group representing the Diocese of Peterborough enjoyed a sun-baked time at Boughton House near Kettering for the annual Greenbelt Festival of Faith, Arts and Activism. Greenbelt Festival is a unique melting pot, where discussion, thinking, creativity, listening and openness are celebrated. The Children and Youth…

This autumn, as many return to work or education having enjoyed at least a few weeks’ summer break, I am reminded of this famous and beautifully crafted prayer; Jesus, Master Carpenter of Nazareth, who on the cross through wood and nails did work our whole salvation, wield well your tools in this your workshop, that…

By John White Each year on the second Saturday in September, the Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust organises a sponsored ride and stride to raise funds to help preserve churches in Northamptonshire. Cyclists and walkers seek sponsorship for visiting churches. Half the money raised goes to the church nominated by the cyclist or walker and half…

What is mission? The word is used to cover so many aspects of church life, in fact almost everything we do, that it can become almost meaningless. That is why I sometimes prefer the word Growth, which at least we can see and measure. So in this diocese we encourage parishes to have Growth Action…

By Yvonne Desroches Children, staff, parents, governors and members of the community in Burton Latimer, all came together to welcome Bishop John to St. Mary’s CE primary academy on June 29th 2017, to join in collective worship and to bless the recently installed cross. It was when members of the School, community, and church came…

On the 24th and 25th June the cathedral hosted two joyful ordination services. Bishop Donald ordained ten people as deacons to serve in parishes throughout the diocese and eight people as priests to continue serving in their parishes. At both services, the sermon was given by the retreat conductor, The Revd Dr Emma Ineson, Principal…

Earlier this summer I had the privilege of spending a few days at the beautiful Launde Abbey with our new deacons and priests on retreat preparing for their ordinations. We were inspired and very sensitively led by Canon Emma Ineson, Principal of Trinity College Bristol, who also preached at the services in the Cathedral. The…

By Revd Paul McLeod Inside the north door of our parish church lies a large blue box into which local people anonymously donate food supplies that are regularly taken to Towcester Food Bank. Abthorpe has been contributing to our local food bank since it first opened in 2012. When the February contributions were weighed our…

Founded by Christian dairy farmers in 1988, Send a Cow works hand in hand with Africa’s poorest families. Through a proven package of training in farming, gender equality and money management, we help them see the riches in their own land. We also provide livestock and tools, working alongside families for three years to help…

The first of June to the 7th was National Volunteer Week. It was a time to celebrate all of those people who give their time and skills as a volunteer in Peterborough Diocese. Without you so many things would not happen at all. So a huge Thank you to: Church Wardens, Treasurers, Lay Pastoral Ministers, Children’s Workers,…

In June we ordain new deacons and priests for the diocese: always a thrilling and encouraging time. In September we license lay ministers; this year we are expanding that into a Festival of Lay Ministry. Three great occasions at the Cathedral each year, celebrating ministry, ordaining, commissioning, sending men and women out into God’s harvest…

Bishop Donald was in Korea to join the consecration of the new Bishop of Seoul Diocese, Peter Lee, which took place on 25 April 2017. While there, Bishop Donald met with the Youth Club from St Bede’s Church in Daehakro. They took him to visit the ancient city wall, Hanyangdoseong, at the top of Mount…

This summer the people of Cotterstock, a little village near Oundle, are celebrating the completion of an exciting project to refurbish the bells and bell frames in their church. This has been possible due to fundraising by and generous donations from villagers, a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Peterborough Diocesan Guild of…

Archbishops highlight the place of faith in British life Faith has a central role to play in politics and this general election, say the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. In a pastoral letter to the parishes and chaplaincies of the Church of England, Archbishops Justin Welby and John Sentamu urge people to set aside “apathy…

This month sees the ordination of a new group of deacons and priests in our Cathedral. There is a national shortage of clergy, and some of our recent parochial vacancies have taken longer to fill than is ideal, so we rejoice that men and women of all ages, and not least some younger men and…

Mums were surprised by the gift of bouquets of spring flowers in Uppingham Market place on Friday 24 March. This floral offering, an early Mothering Sunday gift, was to help launch the ten days of events that the churches of Uppingham and Belton plan for May. How does it launch the festival? Mothering Sunday is…

Responding Well to Domestic Abuse: Policy and Practice Guidance Church communities are being urged to address the issue of domestic abuse and raise awareness of its impact on adults and children. The updated practice guidance and policy from the House of Bishops, published today by the Church of England, encourages churches to become places of…

By Chris Gledhill When you say the word Parish you often say Church next – not quite the experience for us at Gleneagles Church! We were established twenty-seven years ago by the Wellingborough town centre parish of All Hallows to serve the growing community in the Gleneagles estate and surrounding area. On 1 May 2013…

This year the whole of May falls within the great 50-day Easter season. The revival of that whole period between Easter and Pentecost as a celebration of Christ’s resurrection is one of the best features of the modern church calendars. It is not just on Easter Day that we can shout, “He is risen indeed.…

You are invited to STARBURST 2017 on Saturday 13 May 10am-4pm at All Saints’ Primary School, Northampton NN2 7AJ. Tickets cost just £10 each and you can find all the details, including booking, at: www.peterborough-diocese.org.uk/news-and-events/events/details/1848 We are also offering a strand for junior leaders aged 10-13.  We only have 12 places available for them, all…

On Tuesday, 28 February The House of Lords debated North Korea and its disregard for international law.     They spoke of the threat to international security by their use of VX, the toxic nerve agent used to assassinate Kim Jong-nam, and the recent missile tests in violation of UN Security Council.  Of equal concern is…

Canon Roger Knight is walking through five parishes to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease to commemorate the anniversary of his wife’s death.  He will be walking between his current parish and through the five parishes he has served in. He feels strongly about Motor Neuron Disease (MND). “There is no cure or treatment and…

As we approach Holy Week I’ve been reflecting upon film versions of Jesus’ death. (These notes were written just after this year’s Oscars’ ceremony). In particular, my thoughts have been drawn to Mel Gibson’s controversial film “The Passion”. It caused a huge fuss amongst the “chattering classes”, but was a huge commercial success. Why did…

Following on from the very popular series of Roadshows in 2014, Bishop Donald would like to invite you to the 2017 Roadshows. Bishop Donald said: “I believe that God cares passionately about his church and that he wants it to be alive and joyful; to grow and flourish. The purpose of the Roadshows is to…

The church of St Lawrence, Long Buckby has a beautiful building, beautiful rooms, useful for many things. The vicar of St Lawrence, Revd Graham Collingridge, felt it needed to be used more. The PCC had been looking for ways to engage with the village, so the idea of using the building for events seemed logical.…

The Church of England Foundation for Educational Leadership will provide leadership development training for those holding key roles in education, and is a major intervention by the Church in the education sector. In advance of the launch, it has announced the names of the four trustees of the new charity: · Professor Joy Carter DL…

From the Bishop of Peterborough The first day of March: St David’s Day, when the Welsh celebrate their great patron saint. A teaching, preaching, doctrinally orthodox, church-planting bishop. Three cheers! (And he was Welsh.) This year the first day of March is also Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. As I have written before,…

Amid the worry of the low UK rankings in science and mathematics, Bishop Donald brings a voice of concern for educational pressure on the young in the House of Lords on 13 December. In the discussion of the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings, Lord Nash, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for…

Peterborough Diocese is bucking the current trend for other Dioceses across the country. While many are losing numbers of clergy, with Bishop Donald’s plan we are growing in clergy numbers. Also, where the national average numbers for givers are down, in Peterborough Diocese those numbers are up. Nationally, the number of individuals who give to…

Free Church Database Management Training and Free Church Website Development Training In collaboration with Church Edit, Peterborough Diocese is running an iKnow Day which will give parishes a chance to see how an iKnow system can help them with databases/ rotas/ donations etc. This will be at Bouverie Court on 15 February. iKnow Church Admin…

Come to the Bishop’s Bible Day This year the theme is The Old Testament for the church and the world today. The day for anyone who uses the Bible; in their ministry, in church, in school, at work, in the community and at home. There are two talks from Bishop Donald, and a choice of…

Launde Abbey, the Retreat House of the Dioceses of Peterborough and Leicester, has a new warden, the Venerable David Newman, currently Archdeacon of Loughborough. The Rev’d Canon Helen Newman will also be joining the staff of Launde in a new role of Chaplain. David and Helen have both worked in the Diocese of Leicester for…

The Bishop of Peterborough writes 2016 was a year of surprises. You might feel that we could all do with a bit more stability in this New Year. However, I doubt that we can bank on it. I’m pretty sure you can expect a surprise or two. But I’m not going to make any predictions.…

The Bishop of Brixworth writes “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie ….. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” By the time you read my words, the result will be known. It would be fair to say that “hopes and fears” could well describe…

From the Bishop of Peterborough November: all the harvest festivals are over, Halloween too, and the October half-term break; the clocks have gone back, and we are into deep autumn. Cold, windy, raining, darkness encroaching on the day from both ends. The golden browns turning into leaf mulch on the grass and the pavements. November:…

The Bishop of Brixworth will be attending, and has invited local churches to join him at the Communion Service on Sunday 28 August (10:30am), when Archbishop Justin Welby will be answering questions put to him by young people. For more information and to book tickets visit the Greenbelt website: www.greenbelt.org.uk/local-church-offers/. Tickets for the service are…

Families and individuals will be attending the Sunday morning service at the Greenbelt festival on Sunday 28th of August, where Archbishop Justin will be answering questions put to him by young people. For more information and to book tickets visit the Greenbelt website: www.greenbelt.org.uk/local-church-offers/ Tickets for the service are free for us who live in…