In Shape

Winter 2014 : Issue 14News and Stories For Your Church

ContactsIn Shape is edited by:Liz Hudson Keith CousinsMike Harrison Barry Hill Andy Rhoades

e-mail: inshape@leccofe.org The Diocese of Leicester administration and Leicester Cathedral Tel 0116 261 5200The Office of the Bishop of Leicester Tel 0116 270 8985 melaine.freeman@leccofe.org

Diary Dates should be sent todiomail@leccofe.org or entered at www.leicester.anglican.org/events by Monday 5th January Inclusion is dependent on space available.

Signup to Diomail at http://ow.ly/k6OhN

Commercial advertisers are invited to call for current rates. The inclusion of an advertisement in this publication does not constitute any endorsement of a product or service by either the editors or the Diocese of Leicester

lives and communities transformedworship in a way that renews and inspiresself-giving service to the communitybeing rooted in prayerconfident and sensitive evangelismlifelong Christian nurturethe welcome of newcomersbecoming child friendlycelebration of people and places

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In This Issue3. Bishop’s Letter4. Engaging with the story of all stories5. King Richard III and Us6. Making A Difference - Lutterworth Foodbank 7. What Christmas Means To Me8. Pioneer Development Workers9. Redeeming Our Communities10. Discovering Jesus Through Asian Eyes11. Nurture for the Journey12. Emily ‘the ‘ Walker13. Garden of Life Opening14. leicester.anglican.org/announcements15. leicester.anglican.org/events16. The Interview: Chris Webb

This is the magazine of the Diocese of Leicester (The Church of England in Leicester and Leicestershire) and is published three times a year.

The themes of In Shape are centred around the nine marks of mission identified in the diocesan vision “Shaped by God” (see list to the right)

Cover Image: From the Christmas Celebrations at Holy Apostles, Leicester, see p4 for more.

The vision of Shaped by God is of flourishing mission in the four hundred established and new Anglican churches of the City and County, with each church growing in the number of followers of Jesus, in the depth of that discipleship, and in the effect that our faith has on the world around us.

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Bishop’s Letter

A welcome to Rosy

After more than fifteen years as the Bishop of this Diocese, I seem to be developing a habit of looking back over a decade and a half and marvelling at the extraordinary generosity of God. The gifts we have received in the Diocese continue to be showered upon us, and as I am repeatedly being reminded, there seems to be no end to the variety of ways in which God continues to stretch us, challenge us and encourage us.

This is not to say that the Christian life is not demanding and that in many of our parishes it is hard work for many people to maintain our churches and sustain a vibrant pattern of church life. But the encouragements are there for all of us to see.

A couple of months ago we heard the announcement of a major grant (over £800,000) to our Diocese to employ Pioneer Development Workers to train and equip leaders for Fresh Expressions of churches across the Diocese. Without doubt the work of our department of Mission and Ministry has put this Diocese at the leading edge of this work in the Church of England and confidence in what they are planning has clearly been expressed by this decision of the Church Commissioners. The long term impact of this initiative has enormous potential for the growth of Christian communities in our Diocese.

At the same time, there has been an enormous burst of energy and creativity in and around the Cathedral as the events surrounding the re-interment of Richard III draw near. What an astonishing gift this discovery has been, and it is being followed by generous giving by so many people who are wanting to ensure that when Leicester is in front of the world’s media next spring, our Christian communities have an opportunity to express what we believe about life, death and resurrection.

And the more routine work of building our parish life goes on, not least through our Growth Fund and the rich variety of projects and initiatives which are now being funded in every part of our Diocese.

As if this was not enough, we continue to receive gifts in the form of talented people who want to come and exercise a ministry amongst us. Amongst the most recent of these is our new Deputy Warden at Launde Abbey, Chris Webb, who is beginning to get around the Diocese and will have a particular role in helping us deepen and grow our spiritual lives. He will be working with the Mission and Ministry Team and providing training and resources in prayer and the spiritual life to those parishes that call upon him.

Hi! I’m Rosy Fairhurst and I started work at the Cathedral as Canon Chancellor in September.

It’s Chancellor as in an educational role, rather than too much to do with exchequers. So I’ll be looking after education, discipleship and formation for the Cathedral congregation, the visitors and seeing what I can contribute across the Diocese, working alongside the Mission and Ministry Team. Obviously one of the challenges and opportunities will be working with visitors in the light of the reburial of Richard III in the Cathedral, an area which Alison Adams has already been making huge strides with.

I enjoyed very much setting up and running courses at St Martin in the Fields, and getting small groups going there. My work at The Grubb Institute also involved developing leadership conferences for Christians which I’m still evolving and will be running one in November. Most recently, I have been exploring developing new monastic communities, both in the East End and on a Winston Churchill Travel Fellowship in the USA. I look forward to discovering the communities that are springing up around the Diocese, encouraging them, and seeing how the existing Cathedral community, with its long rooted rhythms of prayer and mission, might be able to develop its life.

There is much more that I could say. I marvel that far beyond my capacity to imagine or plan these new things, the Holy Spirit of God brings the church to places and opportunities that we could not have imagined for ourselves. What God wants for us is to know the breadth and extent of His love and to respond with gratitude and wholeheartedness. I hope and pray that we will all make a journey in that direction during this autumn season and in the weeks that lead us to Christmas.

worship in a way that renews and inspires

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No Room at the Inn….Alison Booker, of All Saints in Keyham, writes, “It’s a familiar part of every nativity play! For those in the Coplow Benefice and especially in the village of Keyham Christmas Eve brings a fun twist because our Crib Service is held at The Dog and Gun, our local. (Pictured above)

Usually we are in the marquee outside but there was a year when the weather was more like Noah’s tale than the Nativity and our friends at the pub kindly moved us and our Vegetable and Fruit Nativity indoors! This is just one of the ways we find to tell the story of that first Christmas and to share the Good News of God’s presence with us in interesting and creative ways that always involve a good deal of ‘audience participation’, a little heckling as well as a great deal of laughter and celebration.

For us finding room at the Inn to tell the story of God coming to be with us, where we are, as we are in a way that allows people to experience the joy of the Gospel is a really wonderful experience.

Each year we hope for more and more people to come and join us on Christmas Eve and enjoy the good news of Christmas – not to mention the hot chocolate and goodies that The Dog and Gun provide for us when we’ve finished!”

Seeing the wood for the Trees – or how one or two matter!Pip Berry, from Holy Apostles in Leicester, writes, “With the support of a grant from the Near Neighbours Fund, we were able to open our Christmas Tree and Crib Festival at Holy Apostles on four weekdays to 600 children from the local Infant and Primary Schools and the Hindu Sathya Sai School. (See front cover photo)

Children from different cultural backgrounds, over 25 different languages are spoken in the schools, contributed craft work and decorated Christmas Trees, and heard the Christmas story as they moved around the church. The accompanying adults ,there were lots because of the high ratio needed for the age of the children!, proved to be a captive audience and a number of conversations developed about the Christian faith as parents and helpers shared in mince pies, shortbread biscuits and coffee offered by church members.

To be the church in the community in this easily accessible way led to a small number of families saying they wanted to be part of the church. Those who expressed an interest are invited each month to our informal Breakfast service. One mum now brings her daughter to the church-sponsored Beavers group. No, there’s

not a huge rush to join us …. but if such an event can help even one or two to think about the Christian faith, then surely it is worth it. Didn’t the shepherd leave the 99 and go out of his way to find the one……?”

Card CompetitionSusan Leighton, from St John’s, South Croxton, writes, “‘South West Framland Group of churches, comprising of 17 churches, and with local Methodist churches, distribute a printed A5 Christmas card listing all the services/Sing Christmas/Messy Church events in December, inviting all villagers to attend. In 2013 the four local primary schools were invited to join in a competition to design the front cover of the Christmas card. (The Headteachers were contacted in July, and this was followed by a letter and personal visit from a reader in September, and the designs were collected before October half term.) There was excellent participation by the children, and there were many favourable comments from those who received the card. Attendance at the Carol services in many villages continues to increase, and all the card designs were on display in local churches near the schools, so parents could see all the designs. The designing of the card certainly strengthened the ongoing relationships between the schools and churches.’ “

Engaging with the story of all storiesAs we prepare for Advent and Christmas, three churches share stories of how they engaged with the story of the first Christmas in new ways…

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the welcome of newcomers

Some churches have historical links with Bosworth Field, through events at the time or memorials to families who fought there. These may be Tudor or Plantagenet connections. For others it will be just the knowledge that people worshipped in the same building in 1485, using similar prayers (albeit still in Latin) and even hearing the same bells. Harnessing this history may trigger a renewed local consciousness and could bring more visitors in, both with consequent opportunities. A tomb - a window - a war memorial…. there are many ways to connect heritage with faith. Are the visitors tourists or pilgrims?

King Richard III will be reinterred during the week before Palm Sunday. Communities may wish to gather together to mark the occasion, and here is an opportunity for the Church to take a lead. On

Palm Sunday King Richard’s journey will be over; but we, the Church, will gather for the entry of the King into Jerusalem. This juxtaposition and its spiritual potential is apposite; the project team will be considering how best to support your churches in making the connections and travelling with the threads. There will be liturgies, prayers and other materials available, both for that moment and more generally.

Finally, consider the prayer attributed to King Richard, and also his Book of Hours, poignant in its survival. The prayer is not merely tea towel or bookmark material, but communicates a heartfelt plea and an expression of enduring faith. Food for thought. ‘Hear me, in the name of all your goodness……you made me from nothing and redeemed me out of your bounteous love and pity’.

Alison Adams

We shall shortly rebury a King! Merely to say that, or even mention King Richard III produces strong reactions of all shades, and animated discussions about relevance to our mission. But the story has spiritual matters at its heart and we should not neglect to identify it as such.

The whole process of reinterment, along with discussions and internet chatter about ossuaries, tombs, burial rites and re-interment lead us into consideration of mortality, death and the hereafter. The journey which King Richard’s bones will finally make will speak of reconciliation and peace. When he is finally re-interred, the world will hear of faith and hope in resurrection, and see an incised cross on a raised tomb facing towards the great east window of the Cathedral, depicting our Redeemer. Visitors seeking the tomb will be guided by displays linking faith and spirituality with the King Richard story, not least through the use of Biblical texts.

To help schools engage, a group of us drew spider diagrams around the discovery of King Richard’s remains and the proposed re-interment. These were both amazing and profound in exposing just how connected all of this is to life and death today. Drawn up into different curriculum areas, the most fertile and complex spider diagram was that covering Religious Education and Ethics which, perhaps, is a small indication of just how thought-provoking it might be for a church to engage. The nature of authority - the status of human remains - good or evil and by whose standards - Church and State - battlefield ethics - there are many such questions and issues. The King Richard III team is developing resources along these lines, including a Lent course. The whole project is of huge interest to so many people: why not use it as an entry point to enable folk to dig below the surface, to go beyond ‘did he/didn’t he kill the princes?’ and, in so doing, make connections with faith?

Christenings: a ministry for the people of God

Saturday January 24th 201510am-4pm St Martins House, Leicester

This training day is for everyone who is interested in welcoming and supporting families as they begin a lifetime of exploring faith. Why not bring a group from your church?

The day will give some of the key findings from the national research with families, share good practice and explore new resources. The

day is mainly for parishes taking part in the pilot phase of the Church of England national Christening project, but will also be of interest to other parishes (although please note the resources will still be in the pilot stage so not available immediately).

For further details see the Mission and Ministry Events Programme or contact Louise Warner, louise.warner@leccofe.org or Barry Hill, barry.hill@leccofe.org

To book mmbookings@leccofe.org or telephone 01162615317

King Richard III and us

Christian Bookshop

Opening Times:9am - 5pm Mon -Fri

9.30am - 4.30pm Sat

St Martins House7 Peacock Lane

Leicester, LE1 5PZ

t: 0116 261 5222www.christianresourcesleicester.com

enquiries@christianresourcesleicester.com

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self giving service to the community

energy to begin a foodbank. But through our involvement in the Lutterworth and Villages Foodbank we are meeting and displaying God’s love to hundreds of people. In the Summer of 2013 vague conversations about a local foodbank came to a head as members of a number of local organisations gathered to discuss the need in our area. St Mary’s Church Lutterworth took the role of lead organisation and a number of individuals committed to get things off the ground.Since the launch of the Lutterworth and Villages foodbank in January, we have given away 3,000 meals – this amounts to well-over 3 metric tonnes of food.

In Lutterworth and the surrounding villages there are now more than two-dozen drop-off points – in schools, churches, businesses and community hubs. Regular donations continue to stream in from individuals and local business, giving us a steady supply of in-date food to distribute to those in need.Food is distributed by our team during two-sessions each week: on Tuesdays and Fridays. Clients come with vouchers – issued by one of our 72 trained referrers, working in 26 different agencies. Our work is growing by the week and we are covering an increasingly wide area.

What next?

It’s great to have this opportunity to feed the hungry and we’ve built some wonderful relationships with Foodbank clients and volunteers. The church is having an impact on

If you and every member of your church were to disappear tomorrow – would the local community notice? And if they did, would they be glad to see the back of you or would they say ‘we’re really going to miss them’. Or to put it another way:

What impact does your church have on its community?

It’s easy for us (and perhaps especially for the Church of England) to develop a ‘welcome’ approach to outreach and evangelism. We value our churches and have benefitted hugely from our part in them and we’d love others to come and join us.

Many PCCs are working hard to improve their church buildings: adding kitchens and toilets and being careful stewards of our beautiful heritage. There are great initiatives, like the Everybody Welcome course, to help us to open our church and make them more accessible to others.

This is great for those who come to us, but what about those who would never consider darkening the doors of the church. How will we reach them? How can we help them? Everyone needs Jesus. We want everyone to hear about Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World, and we pray that all would come to put their faith in him. As a church we have to decide how to use our resources to help everyone on their own journey of faith.With that priority in mind, it may seem inconsistent to commit so much time and

Making A Difference - Lutterworth Foodbank

our community - both in Lutterworth and in all those places where churches have come on board. This autumn we are launching a Debt Advice Centre with Christians Against Poverty, we are running an Alpha Course and planning a weekend of outreach events - praying that God would use our efforts in his great plan to save the world through Jesus.

Lutterworth Foodbank is a partnership of local organisations and churches, led by St Mary’s Church Lutterworth (Registered Charity 1134507). We welcome all partners to join in our work.

We are supported by the Trussell Trust – a Christian organisation which supports and resources a national network of foodbanks across the UK.

For more information, please visit our website www.lutterworthfoodbank.org

Charlie Styles

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lifelong Christian nurture

We asked three In Shape readers to share their Christmas memories and what is the heart of the festivities for them…

Grace, writes, “My Christmas has been the same every year since I was born. Waking up in the night to check for presents, getting up with my brothers and waking my parents up at 7 followed by breakfast, present opening, church then dinner with family. It’s a day with my family, most probably my favourite day of the year. The excitement and atmosphere makes Christmas for me alone. But I think sometimes because of this I can actually forget what the real meaning behind Christmas is. Even though the same story has been taught to me since as long as I can remember. Each year the importance of Christmas seems to be more evident to me, but what I have always known is that God made himself to be like me so that he could die for me one day and forgive my sins. It’s often easy to forget because of the busyness of life what an amazing thing happened that Christmas. Christmas to me is a day for of awe, excitement and happiness at what an amazing gift I have been given. Not the presents my parents brought me but my gift from God, that I will never forget, but cherish.”

Viv Frogatt, writes, “ ’It’s nearly Christmas now’ chirped my six year old Grandson (above) as we were on our way to buy him some new school shoes for the start of autumn term. My reaction? Well, after an adrenaline rush as I narrowly avoided swerving into oncoming traffic, I settled into deep anxiety. All I could think about was the amount of work to do, the decisions to be made, the events to be

organised and the people to be pleased. The burden felt very heavy. ‘Surely this isn’t what Christmas is all about?’ I screamed inside. I needed some wise advice – so where better to go than a six year old? Well, obviously presents figured quite highly on his list of what Christmas means, but I was surprised to hear how much he valued spending time with family that he couldn’t see very often, sharing hospitality and food. I wonder what I can learn from that. Maybe, rather than worrying that my Christmas tree baubles aren’t symmetrical, my mantelpiece isn’t bedecked in sumptuous homemade garlands and I haven’t made my own bread sauce, I could concentrate on giving quality time and attention to people and relationships - starting with my relationship with Jesus.”

Jackie Bullen, writes, “Christmas has been an important time for me for as long as I remember but I thought it had changed over the years as I grew up, left home, had children of my own and then trained for ministry. However, on reflection, I have realised that the one constant has always been the celebration of this very special day with other people sitting around a table and eating a meal. A meal lovingly, carefully and generously

prepared by those and for those we love. The people around the table have changed from year to year, the table has been in a different house, town or even country. New people have joined us, some left us, others just not able to be there on that day or at that time and for several years I was part of a team who cooked a Christmas meal for

homeless and lonely people in a church in Coventry and ate there with them. Christmas means making an effort to be with people, to provide hospitality and being with others celebrating the birth of the one who ate with sinners and showed us how to love our neighbour.”

What Christmas means to me

Grace looking at the Christmas cards that her and her brothers had sent to Raziki in Tanzania who they sponsor through the charity Compassion

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lives and communities transformed

Developing Pioneers: three new faces…

Just before the summer, Leicester was one of a handful of dioceses successful in a national funding bid to further develop mission. Over £800,000 has been given by the Church Commissioners over five years, towards the cost of realising our diocesan vision of seeing over three hundred maturing, growing, fresh expressions of Church in 2030.

With nearly all of these new churches being led by team of volunteers from the local parish, the money has helped us advertise and appoint three full-time Pioneer Development Workers for the next five years. Their role is to offer support, training and development for, what by the end of the five years will hopefully be around 300 licensed lay Pioneers (we have around 20 at the moment).

The vision we believe God has called us to (as supported and endorsed by Diocesan Synod in 2010) is unique in the Church of England in two ways.

The size: To see as many mature fresh expressions of Church as we have parish churches (313) and the means: That most fresh expressions of Church will initially be lead by teams of lay, volunteers.

But it isn’t just pie in the sky – since 2010, this vision has borne fruit already in the encouraging speed of growth in the number and variety of new forms of church, with them currently making up just over 10% of worshippers in the Diocese.

Jonathan Dowmanjonathan.dowman@leccofe.org

(Learning and Teaching)“I love imagining new

possibilities and I’m looking forward to learning where God is at work in our communities

and seeking how we can make pioneering and fresh expressions part of the life

blood of our churches.”

Mads Morganmads.morgan@gmail.com

(Developing Practice)“In my new role as PDW I am

really looking forward to taking the knowledge that I have from my experiences

with young people in our Diocese so far and developing

these experiences in a much “larger pond” “

Almost 2,000 people are part of around 70 fresh expressions of Church (such as Café Churches, Network Churches, some Messy Churches, New Monastic groups, Mission Shaped Communities, interest or need based Churches). The number of those part of a fresh expression has grown by 300% in recent years, the vast majority of new people either joining a

Church for the first time ever or after a period away from a worshipping community. The Spirit of God is living and active amongst us!

And so to the new Pioneer Development Workers, who start around now. They will each do the same core role of discerning, supporting, training and accompanying Pioneers and

Do contact each Pioneer Development Worker, starting on November 4th, to see how they can help and serve you in being part of this vision. Their direct phone numbers will be announced soon but in the meantime they can be contacted through the switchboard 0116 261 5200. For questions on their ministry as a whole, contact barry.hill@leccofe.org or on 0116 261 5335. Please do pray for them as they start and more importantly for all that God is doing and will do in this exciting area.

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Matt Pittmatt.pitt@leccofe.org

(Research)“I’m looking forward to

being involved in seeing communities flourish

across our Diocese as God brings hope, love and life.”

the fresh expressions of Church they lead but each will also take the lead in an area of speciality (one in Learning and Teaching, one in Developing Practice and one in Research). Each will also be based for some of their time in a specific fresh expression or group of fresh expressions of Church.

Together they have considerable experience in doing, seeing and helping others be and do. We trust they will be a significant resource in serving the Church in Leicestershire.

Barry Hill

We had over 30 local organisations represented on the evening including Leicester City Council, Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue, Futures Unlocked, Restorative Justice Initiative Midlands, Christian Police Association, Street Pastors and Castle Park Solicitors.

How will you build on these links going forwards?ROC were very helpful in facilitating the evening and providing a summary report of the table discussions. We’re also still meeting with some of those who came to the evening, plus Voluntary Action Leicester. There is so much still to read, pray over and consider until we reach a point of deciding which initiatives we feel that we can develop and deliver. When we get to that point, we’ll be putting together plans and teams of people who each have it on

their heart to get involved in Kingdom service and then Trinity Hall will become our new ROC Centre.

What can you say to encourage others who are thinking about trying something like this?We organised the evening because we know we want to serve Leicester, but we were just not sure what to do. This evening certainly helped us understand where the needs are and, importantly, showed the wider community that we were ready to listen to them, love them and serve them. Running a ROC Conversation is a great way of bringing people together for the improvement of each and every community. It’s also a way of showing your congregation that there are plenty of things they can do to reach out to those outside church and serve them, rather than simply waiting for them to arrive on the church doorstep!

Each month the Diocesan Growth Fund gives away quite a number of mission focused grants. Here it’s part-time administrator, Luke Fogg, interviews one successful applicant about what the grant funded and what the outcome is so far:

Why did Holy Trinity Leicester hold a Redeeming our Communities evening?How does a church connect with their local community? That question is often easily answered in an urban or rural setting, but in a city centre it often feels as if the rules are a bit different. There is so much already going on in Leicester and, despite having a desire to serve the city, the question remained about how. Holy Trinity already runs Triangle (a ministry for the homeless and vulnerably-housed on Friday evenings) and Trinity Money Advice (a debt counselling service available for all), but we knew that we wanted to connect with and serve the city of Leicester better.

We have just bought a new building – Trinity Hall – to resource our current activities and give us some space for growth. More importantly though is that Trinity Hall represents “neutral ground”: a space which we can use for serving the community and city around us.

We partnered with the organisation Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) who have worked up and down the country with several other churches, helping them establish better links with their local community and setting up new ministries that addressed an established need in the area. After talking ROC’s founder, we decided to host the ROC Conversation in order to bring together key people from across the city to learn more and celebrate what is already going on and, find out the gaps in service provision from which we could create a clear plan for the development of new ministries within the new centre to serve others in the city around us.

Can you give some examples of which local organisations attended the event?

Redeeming our Communities

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from South Asia. But as the clip on the good book website (www.goodbook.co.uk) says ‘it’s also a helpful course for people of other Asian backgrounds”. The booklet looks at sixteen frequently asked questions and seeks to give clear answers to those that are often asked. It also seeks to offer away forward in dialogue and friendship. At its heart, the course is about friendship evangelism and this must be done with openness and sincerity. Someone once said to me evangelism is always about offering Jesus with an open hand. The sixteen questions that are asked are about Christianity from a South Asian perspective. Here are some of the questions that are addressed:

◊ Is Christianity a Western religion?◊ Isn’t it better to follow the religion of your

family?◊ Would I have to leave my family and culture

to follow Christ?◊ What do Christians mean by calling Jesus

the Son of God?◊ Does God favour men over women?◊ Why are so many Christians not like Jesus?

For me it’s a course that will give each participant increased confidence in the Good News of Jesus, God’s Son. So even if you don’t give the booklet away to an Asian friend but

confident and sensitive evangelism

Over the summer a new course exploring Jesus for those in Asian heritage contexts was published. We asked new Warden of Evangelists and Loughborough Vicar, Keith Elliot, to review it for In Shape. He writes, ‘Having read “Jesus through Asian eyes” I found it a good and helpful booklet. Not having done much comparative religion since leaving college in Birmingham some time ago it was a good refresher revisiting the fundamental beliefs of the Asian communities of Leicester and further afield.

I found it to be informative and engaging, paying respect to people of other world views and beliefs. It was helpful to find out about the diverse background of the writers and that a number of them have themselves come from Sikh, Muslim and Hindu traditions; and the questions that they ask are ones that they themselves were asked by family and friends when they became Christians. There are also testimonies from others about their conversion to Christianity. I personally found their personal stories helpful it made the questions real and fresh knowing that they are questions born out of their experience.

The course is laid out in easy and manageable sections spread over an 8 week period. It is easy to understand and grapples with many of the frequently asked questions by people

read it yourself, I’d suggest that it would be best done in small groups. You may like to invite Asian friends along “asking them to come along to a new course the church has put together and you’d like to see if the course rings true within their culture”. I found it beneficial as a Christian to reflect upon the questions themselves. I also found it valuable in helping me to understand the kind of questions being asked by other cultures and how I might go about answering them when I next have tea with my Hindu neighbour.’

Discovering Jesus through Asian eyes

Members of both our clergy and laity took part in a day’s advanced training in social media recently. Funded by the National Church, seven delegates from across the Midlands met at St Martins House Leicester for the day in October.

The Church of England uses the strapline “A Christian presence in every community”. But on social media channels like Facebook and Twitter that voice is under represented. Anglican Voices aims to redress that inbalance.

The course is run be Communications experts , including Nick Clarke with years of knowledge and experience of working in Diocese.

This year the project has trained over 100 people from across the country to use social media more effectively. The project continues in 2015.

If you would like to be nominated for a training place, contact Liz Hudson, Director of Communications. liz.hudson@leccofe.org

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becoming child friendly

A letter in the last August edition of the Church Times was entitled ‘Secularisation appears to be accelerating’ and was an observation by a member of the clergy of a general lack of interest in faith and specifically mentions a dramatic drop in baptism requests as well as for Church weddings and funerals.

This observation may of course be different in other communities but perhaps highlights the importance of nurture for those who do show an interest in faith and approach the Church for christening (baptism) and confirmation. Many churches find it difficult to maintain contact with families if they decided not to continue to come to Church after their baptism service and a quick and unscientific poll of our own deanery showed a variety of approaches to nurture the faith of those who requested infant baptism which ranged from very little to

a thought through process.

The most successful approach seems to be focused on building sustained relationships. This can occur at the wedding preparation stage with a personal vicar to couple preparation and then a similar approach with baptism preparation and then after baptism ensuring that families receive personal invitations to special services throughout the year, including all age services, often delivered by hand, or if this is not possible, by email.

This approach of course needs a willing team and a good system of recording names and addresses, contact numbers and email addresses of those who bring their children for baptism so that any follow up becomes easier.

Some churches will ensure follow up with cards on the anniversary of the baptism

service and one circulated a leaflet after baptism explaining to parents how to pray for their child; where to buy Christian literature, including a suitable Bible; what services to come to and what facilities are available for infants and young children in Church. Others have or would like a Parent and Baby group which provides a sustained contact between families and Church.

Nurturing the faith of those who come for confirmation seems to be more straightforward as they are people who already are part of the Church and have completed a suitable confirmation course.

Feeding these candidates into a nurture course seems to be the most widely used approach and the new Pilgrim courses offer more material for helping candidates in their journey of faith with Christ.

If there is a decreasing interest in faith in our society, it would seem to be even more important to have a welcoming and nurturing environment in our Churches for those who do express an interest in faith through baptism and confirmation.

The new Baptism and Soul Food projects may provide us with better approaches and collaterals for those who show an interest in faith but nurturing and discipleship afterwards is equally important and I suspect our own deanery is similar to many others in having very mixed approaches, perhaps there is the need for another project to help!

Andrew Rhoades

Nurture for the Journey

Leicester Grammar Junior School & Leicester Grammar School are located together on a 75 acre site in Great Glen, offering independent, co-education

based upon Christian principles for pupils aged 3 to 18.

www.leicestergrammar.org.ukJunior School (age 3-10): 0116 2591950 Senior School (age 10-18): 0116 2591900

London Road, Great Glen, Leicestershire LE8 9FL

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being rooted in prayer

Loughborough Endowed Schools

Preparation for Life...

All enquiries: 01509 283700www.endowedschools.org

Preparation for Life...

Loughborough grAmmAr SchooL and Loughborough high SchooLBurton Walks, Loughborough, Leics LE11 2DU

FAirFieLd PrePArAtory SchooLLeicester Road, Loughborough, Leics LE11 2AE

Open MOrning Saturday, 5th October 9.00am - 12.30pm

• Guided tours of the schools• Address by Heads of the Schools• Exhibitions and demonstrations

• Scholarships/financial assistance available at Senior Schools• On site parking on the day

We look forward to meeting you on the 5th October

find out more atwww.endowedschools.org

Earlier this year Emily Walker left her job at Launde Abbey to go on an incredible journey.

Emily writes...’During the Diocesan Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Autumn 2013, we visited the hospital of the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation. Feeling inspired and profoundly moved by this place which enables people with disabilities to integrate into society - albeit a deeply conflicted and constricted society - I decided to use my freedom of movement to raise money for the people they serve in a place where freedom is so scarce.

So, I went for a long walk. Over the course of about 1200 miles, beginning in Lands End and ending in John O’Groats, through landscapes of cliffs, valleys, cities, levels, cow fields, villages, ridges, dales, mountains, lakes, industrial estates, moors, canals, vast empty wilderness, and stormy coastland, £1845.28 was raised.

Many friends from all over the diocese and the UK and further afield generously gave

money, support and time.

I set off at the beginning of May, having only just left Launde Abbey, and didn’t know what to expect, but was continuously surprised by the kindness of strangers: those who found out what I was doing and opened their wallets on the top of a hill, or gave me a free night of camping, or bought me a pint, or just engaged in conversation in village shop or on the side of a precarious cliff. In Strathnaver, in the far north of Scotland, a lady invited my dad and I in for tea and biscuits, just because we were walking past, probably looking tired, and still had 6 of our 23 miles that day to go. In Innerleithen, after buying some fruit, the greengrocer made her next three customers donate £5 each to the fundraising.

I walked alone for most of the time, but was joined, thankfully, for a few days over Exmoor by Rosie (ex Launde colleague), and for the last

two weeks of sparse Scottish wilderness by my dad.

And I learned so much, about the world, and about myself. I learned patience - looking at a view and knowing I had to walk across it and beyond. I learned to overcome tiredness and anxiety because tomorrow is always another day. I learned to live with what I need rather than what I want because in the end I’d have to carry it on my back. I learned that the line between vulnerability (particularly in a small tent!) and resilience is not so clear. I learned what a huge and varied place this relatively small island is. I learned the discipline of writing every night because this unique experience is rarely repeated. And I learned to be grateful for each moment. I also learned to live with tics, and swarms of midges so thick they sounded like bees, and that wild camping is survivable!

I finished on 7th August, and am now working at St Peter’s, Oadby. I’m already planning the next walk, but, honestly, 1200 miles is a once in a lifetime experience! ‘

Emily ‘the’ Walker

13

celebration of people and places

On Saturday 5th July the DIocesan Assembly Garden of Life was held in the newly opened Cathedral Gardens. Hundreds of people from across the county came to enjoy the space and to take part in a moving service of baptism and confirmation.

For more inages from a fantastic day of opening, welcome and celebration visit the Diocese facebook page

www.facebook.com/DioceseofLeicester

leicester.anglican.org/announcementsthe Bishop announces...

Revd Patty BaileyAppointed as the first Mission Partnership Convenor of the newly formed Sence Valley Mission Partnership in North West Leicestershire. This is in addition to her existing role and commences with immediate effect. It is for a period of three years.

Revd Professor Richard BonneyAppointed as Co-Convenor of the Southern Edge Mission Partnership for a period of six months. He succeeds Revd Jennie Appleby and co-convenes with John Raven. This is in addition to his existing role.

Revd Prebendary Kenneth TooveyThe death of the Reverend Prebendary Kenneth Toovey on Sunday 1 June 2014. Ken’s ministry was in the Diocese of London and he was Prebendary at St Paul’s Cathedral from 1983 to 1991. He retired to this Diocese in 2010, when he was given the Bishop’s Permission to Officiate. Ken leaves a son and a daughter.

Revd Beryl MorganThe death of the Reverend Beryl Morgan on Sunday 1 June 2014. Beryl’s ministry was mainly in the Diocese of Lichfield until she retired to this Diocese in 2004, when she was given the Bishop’s Permission to Officiate.

Revd Herbert F Fadriquela JrNew Appointment: Self Supporting Chaplain for the Filipino Community licensed to the Holy Spirit Team, Leicester.Current Appointment: Executive Director of IFI-VIMROD (the social development arm of the Visayas-Mindanao Bishops Conference of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente)

Carolyn LewisAppointed Diocesan Director of Education. Carolyn is currently headteacher of Viscount Beaumont’s CE (Aided) Primary school in Coleorton and has also been working as interim head-teacher at Ibstock Junior School. Carolyn will start working for the DBE for two days a week from September, but will take up the post fully in January 2015.

Mr David ReesAppointed and sworn in as Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Leicester.David was educated at St Anne’s College, Oxford where he read law. He was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn in 1994. He practices as a Barrister in independent practice at the Chancery Bar. He was also appointed as a Recorder in 2012.

Revd Nicholas (Nick) Peter GurneyNew Appointment: Vicar of St Mary’s Boulton in the Diocese of DerbyCurrent Appointment: Curate in the Benefice of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Breedon-on-the-Hill

Revd Christopher TaylorAppointed as Interim Chaplain to the University of Loughborough on 2 September 2013, is to now become the permanent Chaplain at the University of Loughborough. I can advise that Chris will be licensed by Bishop Christopher at 5.00 pm on Friday, 10 October 2014 at the University of Loughborough

Revd Bonnie Evans-HillsNew Appointment: Diocesan Inter-Faith Adviser in the Diocese of St Alban’s Previous Appointment: Formerly curate at St Peter and St Paul’s, Oadby and Bishop’s Interfaith AdviserBonnie will continue to hold Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of Leicester.

Revd Kim FordNew Appointment: Priest in Charge of Great Glen with Burton Overy and Carlton Curlieu (Team Vicar Designate in a new Team Ministry with the Oadby Parishes) in the Gartree Second (Wigston) DeaneryPrevious Appointment: Assistant Curate in the Benefice of Market Harborough and The Transfiguration – Little Bowden with Lubenham and Great Bowden

Revd Richard WorsfoldNew Appointment: Area Dean of the City of Leicester Deanery with immediate effectExisiting Appointment: Vicar of The Martyrs, LeicesterLicensing: The Archdeacon of Leicester will present the Deed of Appointment to Richard at the next City of Leicester Deanery Synod on 20 November.

Revd Ian PhelpsThe death of the Revd Ian Phelps on Wednesday, 30 July 2014. Ian was ordained in 1956 in the Diocese of Southwark. His ministry in this diocese included: Rector of Gaddesby with South Croxton and Rector of Beeby 1959-1967, Assistant Diocesan Youth Chaplain and Rural Youth Adviser 1965-1967, Chaplain to the Forces (TA) 1960-1967, Chaplain to the Forces (R of O) 1967-1984, Youth Chaplain 1967-1985, Diocesan Adult Education Officer 1985-1991, Pastoral Assistant to Bishop and Archdeacon of Leicester 1991-1994, Priest in Charge St Margaret’s, Leicester 1992-1994. Ian retired in 1994 and held the Bishop’s Permission to Officiate until 1999.

Revd Stuart J FosterThe retirement of the Revd Stuart Foster, Chaplain to Their Graces, The Duke and Duchess of Rutland on 16 December 2014 at the annual Belvoir Carol Service. Stuart will relinquish the Bishop’s Permission to Officiate on 31 December

Revd Thomas (Tom) RoutNew Appointment: Priest in Charge and Chaplain – Ipswich Waterfront Churches, Chaplaincy of University Campus Suffolk and Suffolk New College in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and IpswichCurrent Appointment: Curate in the Benefice of RothleyLicensing: Tom will be licensed to his new role on 25 November 2014.

Revd Tony LeightonNew Appointment: Master of Wyggeston’s Hospital and Associate Priest of Holy Apostles, LeicesterCurrent Appointment: Curate NSM in the Benefices of the Burrough Hill Parishes and the South Croxton GroupLicensing: Tim’s licensing date will be announced in due course.

Revd Colin ReschNew Appointment: Priest in Charge of The United Benefice of Mountsorrel Christ Church and Mountsorrel St PeterPrevious Appointment: Priest in Charge of the Benefice of Stottesdon with Cleeton St Mary, Farlow, Silvington, Middleton Scriven and Sidbury in the Diocese of HerefordLicensing: Colin will be licensed by Bishop Christopher on Thursday 27th November at 7.00pm at St Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel

Revd Janet GasperAppointed as Priest in Charge (NSM) of The Langtons and Shangton and the Welham Benefices. In addition to permission to officiate.

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leicester.anglican.org/events

15

St Margaret’s Church Autumn FairSaturday 1st November - 10am - 2pm. Many stalls. Teas and coffees are available and at lunchtime, cooked meals are served. Admission free.

The Bishops Lay Congress - Joy of the GospelSaturday 8th November - 9.30am-3.45pm at St Martins House. With guest speaker Jane Williams, lecturer at King’s College London and St Paul’s Theological College. mmbookings@leccofe.org for details

Lunchtime Recital St.Margaret’s LeicesterThursday 13th November - 1 pm - 1.30 pm (approx.). Phillip Herbert - Organ. Admission free, tea and coffee provided. For further information please contact either Maureen Belcher 01455 824339 or Kay Harpin 0116 2993241 Also December 11th - Stephen Moore& February 12th - Ian Orr

Loughborough Christmas Tree FestivalThursday 21st November - 21 - 23 November. Children and adults will enjoy 100 glittering Christmas trees at Loughborough Parish Church (All Saints with Holy Trinity) from 10am -5.30pm. A great welcome, refreshments, gift stalls, tombola and a children’s quiz and craft activities. Concerts on Wednesday and Friday evenings.

Fleckney Christmas Tree FestivalSaturday 29th November - St Nicholas Fleckney. Saturday 29th November (10am - 5pm) and Sunday 30th November (12noon - 5pm)

St Margaret’s Leicester Coffee MorningSaturday 6th December - ...with a Christmas Theme 10 am - 12 noon. Many stalls, including a raffle. Admission free and refreshments are available. For further information please contact Janet Bass 0115 2244307 and also January 3rd and February 7th

Our award-winning retirement housing is open and only a few apartments are still available!

Pilgrim Gardens is a warden managed, assisted living complex next to Evington Park, Leicester, with 31 one and two-bedroom apartments for rental or leasehold purchase. Prices range from £115,000 to £145,900.

Call 0300 303 8455, or email pilgrim.gardens@pilgrimsfriend.org.uk to arrange a time to visit. See the virtual tour on www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk

Michelle Hydon, Warden, Pilgrim Gardens, Evington, Leicester LE5 6AL.

Award Winning Pilgrim Gardens

“Christmas Praise!”Tuesday 9th December - 730.pm at Leicester Grammar School. The event will be attended by Christians from the widest cross-section of denominations and church groupings. It is a wonderful Christmas opportunity to invite friends colleagues and relations,

St Margaret’s Church Leicester Carols by CandlelightSunday 21st December - 6 pm. A service of carols and readings in a beautiful medieval church enhanced by candlelight. Light refreshments available after the service.

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16

Chris, where do you come from - where did you grow up?All over Britain. My father and stepfather were both in the navy, so we moved around. I’ve spent most of my adult life in Wales, apart from five years out in Colorado. There have been lots of different influences, and lots of different addresses. But as a result I have friends all over the country and all around the world.

How does your ministry come into the picture?I’ve been a priest for seventeen years now, and ministry is some form has been there right through my adult life. I’ve served in parishes around Wales, spent three years on the Welsh equivalent of the Archbishops’ Council with the spirituality brief, and worked five years in the US as President of Renovaré, a non-profit ministry devoted to teaching and advocating Christian spiritual formation. I’m also a professed member of a new monastic community, the Grey Robe Benedictines.

Sounds like spirituality is important to you?Rightly understood, yes. For some folks “spirituality” seems to mean little more than lighting candles and seeking a bit of inner serenity, but Christians have historically talked about the “spiritual life” as something far more robust, life-transforming, and magnificent. It’s been our way of describing people and communities re-shaped by the grace of God, and we’ve held it out as a huge vision of the whole of life in God’s presence. And that vision grips me.

Would it be fair to say you’re passionate about this?Absolutely. I’ve seen the way a rich, deep Christian spirituality can turn a person’s life around. I watched people come into a far more direct experience of God - through a fresh approach to prayer, or meditation on the Bible, or by entering the silence and space of a place like Launde Abbey - and they’re never the same again. It keeps happening to me too. Being part of that work of God’s Spirit ... well, it’s a rush, a real thrill.

Do you have room for any other passions in life?Plenty, thank goodness! I’ve got a great family; Sally and I have been married for over twenty years and we’ve got four children who make my life very full, but very rich. I enjoy walking in the countryside, especially with Meg, my spaniel. And I love art; I really get a kick out of an afternoon in a gallery. I visited the Musée d’Orsay in Paris last summer and they had to drag me out of the van Gogh exhibition.

What excites you about this move to the Diocese of Leicester?I’m looking forward to being at Launde Abbey, and having the chance to work in a place so beautiful where the ministry is so significant. Also I keep sensing a lot of energy and optimism around the Diocese, which I hope is an accurate intuition - it would be terrific to be part of that! And then there’s Leicester itself: I hear the curry is to die for. What’s not to like?

The Interview

Chris Webb Deputy Warden Launde Abbey & Diocesan Spiritual Advisor

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Chris can be contacted at pray.the.psalms@gmail.com