News articles for 2010 Click here to view news articles for: 2009 Lichfield lifts Church Times Cricket Cup 3 September 2010 The Lichfield Diocesan Clergy Cricket Club has lifted the 60th Church Times Cricket Cup; beating Bath and Wells in a closely fought contest. Read More »   “‘Just War’ is contradiction” says bishop 1 September 2010 The Bishop of Wolverhampton has used a pastoral letter published in parish magazines across the Diocese to call into question the notion of a “just war”. Read More »   Archdeacon of Salop to retire 31 August 2010 The Archdeacon of Salop, one of the most senior priests in the Diocese of Lichfield, is to retire at the end of January 2011, at the age of 69. Read More »   Diocese welcomes 26 new lay ministers 31 August 2010 The Bishop of Lichfield will licence 26 new lay ministers during a special service in Lichfield Cathedral next week. Read More »   West Midlands’ Clergy prepare for cricket cup final 27 August 2010 Priests and Bishops from the Diocese of Lichfield are preparing for the final of the Church Times Cricket Cup which takes place next Thursday (2nd September 2010) at the prestigious Walker Ground in Southgate, north London. Read More »   Appeal court gives go-ahead for improvements to historic Staffordshire church 3 August 2010 The Court of Arches, the appeal court for Ecclesiastical Law in the Church of England’s Province of Canterbury, has given the go-ahead for improvements to one of the Midlands’ most historic churches. Read More »   Church welcomes appeal court stage ruling 3 August 2010 The Vicar of an historic Staffordshire church has today welcomed the decision of the Court of Arches to grant permission for the installation of a staging platform or dais after its original application was rejected by the Lichfield Consistory Court. Read More »   Church of England tells Apprentice Vicars: “You’re hired” 3 August 2010 Two young “Apprentice Vicars” in the Black Country have progressed through the Church of England selection procedures and will be starting theological college in September ahead of possible ordination as deacons in three years time. Read More »   Lichfield Diocese sends 15 people to “Vicar Schools” 3 August 2010 Some 15 people from the Diocese of Lichfield will begin studying in September after being selected to train for the ordained ministry; and almost half of them are 35 or under Read More »   Bishop Says Relax! (and make time for God) 3 August 2010 The Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury has called on Christians in the Diocese of Lichfield to take stock, count their blessings and relax. Read More »   Three plead guilty to Stoke Minster roof lead theft 2 August 2010 Three people have admitted the theft of metal from the roof of Stoke Minster when they appeared at Stoke on Trent Crown Court this morning. Read More »   Archbishop of York to visit Stoke-on-Trent 23 July 2010 The Archbishop of York, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr John Sentamu, will visit Stoke-on-Trent today as part of the city’s centenary celebrations. Read More »   Church Schools defended as Wrockwardine Wood CofE Junior School celebrates 180th anniversary 8 July 2010 Church schools have been defended by former government minister Frank Field MP as he attended celebrations to mark the 180th anniversary of Wrockwardine Wood Church of England Primary School in Telford, Shropshire. Read More »   Cannock’s Chadsmoor district given official parish status 7 July 2010 The Bishop of Wolverhampton will tonight consecrate St Aidan’s Church in West Chadsmoor as one of two Parish Churches for the new parish of Chadsmoor. Read More »   Young Black Country adults to celebrate Malaysia church anniversary 7 July 2010 A young composer from Wolverhampton is one of five young people from the Black Country chosen to represent the Diocese of Lichfield later this month at celebrations in Kuala Lumpur to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Diocese of West Malaysia. Read More »   Lichfield progress to Church Times Cricket Cup Final 6 July 2010 The Diocese of Lichfield has progressed to the final of the Church Times Cricket Cup for the first time in the competition’s 59 years after a narrow victory over Chichester yesterday. Read More »   Lichfield Diocese makes strategic appointment to ‘transform communities’ 5 July 2010 A Gloucestershire Vicar has been selected by the Church of England’s Diocese of Lichfield to help transform communities in the Black Country, Staffordshire and the northern half of Shropshire. Read More »   Priests and Bishops head to Oxford for Cricket Cup Semi Final clash 1 July 2010 Priests and bishops from the Church of England’s Diocese of Lichfield head to Oxford’s Magdalen College on Monday (5th July) for a Semi-Final match in the Church Times Cricket Cup. Read More »   Church of England seeks Vicar to 'gather disciples' for new Telford Church 30 June 2010 The Church of England’s Diocese of Lichfield is looking for a priest to serve a thriving and growing area of Telford in Shropshire; which currently doesn’t have its own church. Read More »   New Vicar’s dual-role to encourage new minority ethnic Anglican priests 30 June 2010 A new vicar, licensed last night to serve the parish of St Philip in West Bromwich, has been given a dual-role of encouraging more minority ethnic Anglicans to consider a calling to the Priesthood of the Church of England. Read More »   Church Security put under spotlight by BBC’s Crimewatch Roadshow 29 June 2010 The security of Britain’s churches will come under the spotlight tomorrow (Wednesday 30th June) when the BBC One programme Crimewatch Roadshow broadcasts live from the Church of St Gregory the Great in Wednesfield. Read More »   Black Country welcome for House of Commons’ Chaplain 29 June 2010 The Bishop of Wolverhampton has warmly welcomed the appointment of a former Black Country priest as Chaplain to the House of Commons. Read More »   New director to lead diocesan conference centre and retreat house 28 June 2010 Shallowford House, the Lichfield Diocesan conference centre and retreat house, has a new director. Read More »   Lichfield Diocese to “Put Parishes First” pledges new chief executive 27 June 2010 The Chief Executive and Diocesan Secretary of the Church of England’s Lichfield Diocese is re-organising its central support and administrative staff to ensure that ‘the diocese’ is putting parishes first. Read More »   Bishop postpones service for World Cup match 27 June 2010 The Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury has postponed a church service so parishioners can watch this afternoon’s World Cup clash between England and German. Read More »   The body of Daniel Hastelow is exhumed and reburied 25 June 2010 The body of Mr Daniel Hastelow has this morning been exhumed and reburied in a new grave at Walsall Wood Churchyard. Read More »   Bishop calls on churches to follow MPs communications example 24 June 2010 The Bishop of Wolverhampton has called on churches to follow the example of MPs and would-be MPs by issuing well-produced colour leaflets telling their parishioners all the ‘good news’ stories happening in their parishes. Read More »   Finances “in good shape” for Church of England in north-west Midlands 24 June 2010 The Diocese of Lichfield is financially “in good shape” to come through the global financial crisis, but in a message Diocesan Synod, finance director Jonathan Hill will warn the diocese will need to consider its priorities and make changes in the future Read More »   Church Times Cricket Cup Quarter Final - Photo record 22 June 2010 A selection of photos from the Church Times Cricket Cup Quarter Final which saw Lichfield beat a combined Carlisle/Blackburn dioceses team Read More »   West Midlands’ clergy take easy route to cricket cup semi final 22 June 2010 Priests and bishops from the Diocese of Lichfield are through to the semi final of the Church Times Cricket Cup for only the second time in its 59-year history. Read More »   48 new clergy ordained to serve north-west Midlands 18 June 2010 - Lichfield Diocese hits “younger ordinands” milestone as Cathedral welcomes its first woman priest Read More »   West Midlands clergy take on Carlisle/Blackburn for Cricket glory 17 June 2010 Priests and bishops from the Diocese of Lichfield will take on a combined Carlisle & Blackburn dioceses team on Monday in the Quarter Finals of the Church Times Cricket Cup. Read More »   Historic Staffordshire church takes platform case to appeal court 10 June 2010 One of the most historic churches in Staffordshire today asked the Court of Arches for permission to install a platform or dais between the nave and platform after the original request was rejected by the Lichfield Consistory Court. Read More »   Anglicans, Catholics & Methodists join House of Fraser for wedding fayre 8 June 2010 Members of three City Centre churches in Wolverhampton will join forces with Beatties department store, part of House of Fraser, this weekend for a wedding fayre in the city’s St Peter’s Collegiate Church. Read More »   Appeal court to decide over Staffordshire church dais plan 8 June 2010 An historic Staffordshire church is to ask the Court of Arches for permission to install a staging platform or dais after its original application was rejected by the Lichfield Consistory Court Read More »   The New River Community Church - Photo Archive 7 June 2010 A selection of photos as the Bishop of Shrewsbury launches the new River Community Church to serve Lawley and Lightmoor Read More »   ‘Godless’ Telford gets new church with promise of more to come 6 June 2010 A town, once described as the most Godless in Britain, has a new church today with a promise from the Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury that more new churches will follow. Read More »   Bishop celebrates birth of new CofE church in Telford 5 June 2010 A new Church of England congregation in Telford, Shropshire, will receive official recognition this weekend when the Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury calls in to celebrate the birth of the River Community Church. Read More »   Stafford's new bishop's whirlwind tour 3 June 2010 Photos of Geoff Annas, and his wife Ann, as they tour the Stafford Episcopal Area. Read More »   Shootings in West Cumbria 3 June 2010 Church leaders in Cumbria have released this statement and special prayer for their communities following the terrible events of 2 June 2010. Read More »   Appointment of Stafford’s next bishop welcomed 2 June 2010 The appointment of the Revd Canon Geoff Annas as the next Bishop of Stafford has been welcomed by senior church leaders. Read More »   Southampton Street Pastor to be next Bishop of Stafford 2 June 2010 A Southampton priest, who combines his parish role with a chaplaincy to the Mayflower Theatre and a Street Pastor in the south-coast port city, is to be the next Bishop of Stafford. Read More »   10 Downing Street: Suffragan See of Stafford 2 June 2010 The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Geoffrey Peter Annas, Vicar of Southampton Thornhill St Christopher’s, in the Diocese of Winchester to the Suffragan See of Stafford Read More »   Lichfield beat Birmingham in Church Times Cricket Cup match 24 May 2010 The Diocese of Lichfield has beaten its neighbouring Diocese of Birmingham this evening in a first round (group stage) match of the 2010 Church Times Cricket Cup. Lichfield made 210; while Birmingham were all out for 155. Read More »   Diocese says farewell to Bishop of Stafford ahead of retirement 24 May 2010 Civic dignitaries joined bishops, clergy and laity from across the Diocese of Lichfield and representatives of other faith groups in north Staffordshire this weekend to celebrate the ministry of the Rt Revd Gordon Mursell ahead of his retirement Read More »   Birmingham and Lichfield battle it out for Midlands’ cricket glory 24 May 2010 Priests and Bishops from the Church of England Dioceses of Birmingham and Lichfield will battle it out against each other on the Cricket field today in a match which is likely to decide the winner of the West Midlands’ heat of the Church Times Cricket Cup Read More »   Heath Hayes finally gets vicar and parish church – after 108 year wait! 20 May 2010 St John’s Church in Heath Hayes, Cannock, was officially consecrated last night as the Parish Church of Heath Hayes, and the Revd Leah Vasey-Saunders was inducted as the church’s first Vicar, some 108 years after the church was built. Read More »   Fairtrade thieves target Black Country church 20 May 2010 Thieves in the Black Country stole a stock of Fair Trade chocolate bars, teas and coffees when they broke into a Black Country church this week. Read More »   New Shropshire group is aimed at tourists 14 May 2010 A new group has been launched in Shropshire to ensure historic churches play their part in the local tourist industry. Read More »   Church Metal Thefts - four charged 13 May 2010 This is a Staffordshire Police press release Read More »   Bishop defends Town Council prayers 11 May 2010 The Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury has today strongly defended the right of a Shropshire town council to say prayers before its meetings as an independent councillor seeks to get the practice stopped. Read More »   Stage set for key July debates on legislation to enable women to be bishops 8 May 2010 The Church of England has today published the 142-page report of the Revision Committee that has been considering in detail the draft legislation to enable women to become bishops in the Church of England. Read More »   Bishop: “MPs motivated by public service might restore trust in Government” 26 April 2010 The Bishop of Wolverhampton has offered a fresh perspective on the MPs expenses scandal, by suggesting “the light of disclosure has revealed something of a halo around a good number of honourable members" Read More »   General Election Constituency Hustings 21 April 2010 Churches throughout the Diocese of Lichfield are organising election hustings; many of them on an ecumenical basis. Read More »   “All citizens should vote” – Bishop 16 April 2010 - Churches advised not to invite BNP to election hustings Read More »   Archbishop of Canterbury to make extended visit to Lichfield Diocese 16 April 2010 - Walsall, Telford, Stafford and Stoke on Archbishop Rowan Williams’ itinerary Read More »   Consistory Court orders exhumation of Danny Hastelow 6 April 2010 The Lichfield Consistory Court has today ruled that the body of Mr Daniel Hastelow, mistakenly buried in a reserved grave in Walsall Wood Churchyard, should be exhumed and reburied elsewhere in the churchyard. Read More »   Easter in Jerusalem 4 April 2010 Gavin Drake, the director of communications for the Diocese of Lichfield, has spent the weekend in Jerusalem and reports here on how Christians have been marking the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the City where it happened. Read More »   Easter Pause for Thought 4 April 2010 delivered by the Rt Revd Mark Rylands, Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury, on BBC Radio Shropshire Read More »   Staffordshire Christians raise £250,000 for overseas aid 30 March 2010 Christians from many different denominations throughout Staffordshire have raised more than a quarter-of-a-million pounds for the overseas aid and development charity Christian Aid over the past five years. Read More »   Bishop of Shrewsbury’s Easter Letter 30 March 2010 This is the text of a pastoral letter from the Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury, the Rt Revd Mark Rylands, published in parish magazines across the Diocese of Lichfield in April. Read More »   Danny Hastelow: Decision due next week on possible exhumation 29 March 2010 The Lichfield Consistory Court has reserved its judgment in a case to decide whether the body of Mr Daniel Hastelow, mistakenly buried in the wrong grave in Walsall Wood Churchyard, should be exhumed Read More »   Tributes paid to industrial and economy chaplain 27 March 2010 Tributes have been paid today to the former leader of the ecumenical Black Country Urban Industrial Mission (BCUIM), during a meeting of the Lichfield Diocesan Synod. Read More »   Bishop of Lichfield defends place of Christianity in public life 27 March 2010 The Bishop of Lichfield has defended the place of Christianity in public life; and warned that “the secularisation of our country is in danger of happening step by step without proper debate.” Read More »   Wedding promotions and funding for rural parishes on Synod agenda 26 March 2010 Members of the Lichfield Diocesan Synod will discuss wedding promotions and the funding of rural parishes when they gather tomorrow at St Paul’s Church, Longton Hall. Read More »   Lichfield Cathedral to be part of Staffordshire Hoard’s Mercian Trail 25 March 2010 - Exclusive film preview of Saxon Gold: Finding the Hoard, on Friday night Read More »   Churches mark the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ 22 March 2010 - Donkeys, marches, breakfasts, palm crosses, foot-washing and concerts around the north-west Midlands Read More »   Shrewsbury Abbey gets new Vicar 22 March 2010 The Revd Paul Firmin, currently Vicar of St Mary Extra in Pear Tree, Southampton, is to be the new Vicar of Shrewsbury Abbey Read More »   Diocese makes Fairtrade progress 10 March 2010 The Diocese of Lichfield is edging closer to being able to apply for Fairtrade Diocese status after an additional 38 churches declared they had registered as Fairtrade Churches. Read More »   Wednesbury gets a new vicar 24 February 2010 A Black Country church which has been without a vicar for more than two years after its previous incumbent left for a post in Staffordshire, is to get a new vicar. Read More »   Bishop appeals for cash to help people with disabilities 23 February 2010 The Bishop of Lichfield has launched his annual Lent Appeal with a plea for Christians in Staffordshire, the northern half of Shropshire and most of the Black Country to dig deep to help people with disabilities. Read More »   Wolverhampton priest questions clergy training process 9 February 2010 A Black Country priest, working as a Pioneer Minister in Wolverhampton, has questioned the way the Church of England trains its clergy. Read More »   Former Wolverhampton curate is Bishop of Portsmouth 9 February 2010 A former Wolverhampton priest, the Right Revd Christopher Foster, has been appointed as the next Bishop of Portsmouth; it was announced this morning by 10 Downing Street. Read More »   New Group aims to welcome tourists to County churches 9 February 2010 A brand new group of people is coming together in Shropshire aimed at encouraging a better welcome for visitors to the County’s historic Churches. Read More »   Bishop of Stafford considers ‘leaving home’ in letter to churches 6 February 2010 The Bishop of Stafford, the Right Revd Gordon Mursell, has used a pastoral letter in February’s Parish Magazines across the Diocese of Lichfield, to consider the consequences of leaving home. Read More »   Faith leaders unite against racist English Defence League 21 January 2010 Faith leaders from the main religious groups across Stoke-on-Trent have today made a united stand against a proposed protest by the racist English Defence League which is expected to take place in Stoke on Saturday. Read More »   Dean of Lichfield welcomes recommendation on Cathedral Funding 20 January 2010 The Dean of Lichfield Cathedral has today welcomed a recommendation from the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts that cathedrals should receive direct funding from Government. Read More »   Unwired for sound 19 January 2010 Church joins campaign for compensation for organisations “evicted” from special events frequency Read More »   Prayers for Malaysian Christians at start of world mission work 9 January 2010 Prayers were said for Christians in Malaysia this evening as a fourth Christian church in the south-east Asian country comes under attack in two days. Read More »   Being involved in God’s mission is like being Dr Who - only it’s real! 9 January 2010 - This is the text of a homily delivered by the Bishop of Lichfield, the Right Reverend Jonathan Gledhill, at a service this evening in Lichfield Cathedral to welcome and licence the Revd Philip Swan as new diocesan director of world mission. Read More »   From Nassau to Mossley: Bahamas priest moves to Black Country 8 January 2010 An Anglican priest is swapping the heat and long white sandy beaches of the island paradise of Nassau in The Bahamas for an inner-city parish in the Black Country. Read More »   Bishop reassures clergy over bullying in Church of England 7 January 2010 The Bishop of Lichfield has today written to all clergy in his diocese following media reports about alleged bullying in the Church of England. Read More »   Bishop launches recruitment drive for young priests 6 January 2010 - "England needs more young vicars" Read More »   Bishop's call for younger priests 6 January 2010 The Bishop of Lichfield has launched a campaign for more younger priests in the diocese. Jonathan Gledhill wants 50 per cent of Ordinands to be aged under 35. Read More »   Bishop praises emergency services after Shrewsbury explosion 4 January 2010 The Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury has today praised the county’s emergency services following yesterday’s major explosion in Shrewsbury town centre which injured 12 people. Read More »   View News Articles for: 2009