Praying for Unity in Inter Faith Week

People from all faith groups and none are being invited to a show of unity at Stoke-on-Trent College on Tuesday, 15 November.

Remembering what exactly?

Remembrancetide - misplaced pride, glorifying war and jingoism? Revd Vic Van den Bergh argues for respect, remembrance and resolve.

Readers toast 150 years of service

Almost 200 Readers from across Lichfield Diocese took part in 150th anniversary celebrations of lay ministry at a special service at Lichfield Cathedral.

A Mercian Diocese

"The Diocese of Mercia, this diocese, is a borderland diocese. Living in borderlands is risky business; crossing boundaries generates anxiety; that is why we need a culture, locally of informed risk-taking, and centrally of thoughtful permission-giving. " So says +Michael in his first presidential address to Diocesan Synod.

Bishop's Blog - November 2016

November is the month for REMEMBERING - and this is very much reflected in the life of our Church.

BAME vocations celebration

Over sixty people gathered in West Bromwich last night to hear about the ways people of black and minority ethnic groups can be encouraged to consider vocations in the Church of England.

Funerals - dead central to parish ministry

Fr Ron Farrell enthuses about funeral ministry as a vital part of the life and mission of the Church

Bishop Blends Coffee and Study

New Fairtrade Coffee launched at Selwyn Study Day

TGI Monday shortlisted in national Premier Digital Awards

TGI Monday has been shortlisted for a Premier Digital Award for 'Most Creative Use of Social Media'.

October 2016

Clergy Appointments, retirements and resignations this month

Bishop's Blog - October 2016

Blue Peter and vanishing islands: in Creationtide, we delight afresh at the bounty of God's creation and commit to being good stewards of it. Yet, as I witnessed in the Solomon Islands, we need to act now because our inaction is costing livelihoods and lives. Christian Aid's resources and its 'Big Switch' campaign show how we can make a difference.

Diocese-wide support for Dementia Friendly Churches

A pilot project to help churches provide dementia-friendly services and meetings in northern Shropshire is being expanded and rolled out across the rest of the Diocese.

Bishop speaks out on need to address antisemitism

Bishop Michael, who is Chair of the Council of Christians and Jews, has warmly welcomed the Archbishop of Canterbury's words condemning the 'virus' of antisemitism. At a speech to the CCJ in Staines this week, Bishop Michael said, 'There is a fundamental truth that Jews and Christians hold in common: we are taught, and we believe, that men and women are made in the image of God.'

People flock to churches and towpaths

People from all around the Diocese of Lichfield have been meeting the new bishop of Lichfield, Rt Revd Michael Ipgrave as he has toured the diocese and walked part of the Two Saints Way as part of his 'Season of Welcome'

Shropshire Curate on BBC Radio2

Hodnet Deanery curate Revd Zoe Heming was Fern Britton's guest on Radio 2's Good Morning Sunday this week.

New Prebendaries named

Three new Prebendaries will be installed in Lichfield Cathedral during Evensong on Sunday 13 November.

Bishop's Blog - September 2016

"First and foremost I am a child of God" - a vital reminder to all of us, and a note-to-self for the new Bishop of Lichfield

The start of Bishop Michael's ministry in Lichfield Diocese

Bishop Michael's 'Season of Welcome' begins on Thursday 15 September, culminating in his formal Installation and celebrating a Diocesan Eucharist on Saturday 24 September.

Raising the Roof Fund - success at Bushbury

Image of Revd Ian Poole, vicar standing outside St Mary's church, Bushbury

#NewRevs - 2016 Ordination in Lichfield Cathedral

Eleven new curates were ordained last Sunday in Lichfield Cathedral, marking the end of two or three years of training and the beginning of their parish ministry.

Bishops' plea for post-referendum unity

The bishops of Lichfield Diocese have written a joint letter to be read to parishes in the wake of last week's referendum.

Diocese of Lichfield praised by independent safeguarding Audit

An independent audit of the safeguarding arrangements in the Church of England has commended the Diocese of Lichfield, saying 'The Diocese of Lichfield maintains an impressive openness and willingness to learn in the area of safeguarding. People have a genuine commitment to getting it right and the attitude to the audit was characterised by openness and a lack of defensiveness - everyone to whom the auditors spoke was both keen to learn and improve.'

New LGBTI congregation in Lichfield Diocese

A new congregation to provide an opportunity for worship, mutual support and encouragement for Christians in the LGBTI community is being launched this summer.

It's legal! Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave is Bishop of Lichfield

Wolverhampton vicar represents church at Queen's Patron's Lunch in the Mall

One highlight of Her Majesty's ninetieth birthday celebrations this weekend is the The Patron's Lunch, a streetparty in the Mall on Sunday with 10,000 guests from the 600 charities and organisations of which the Queen is a Patron.

MBE for Lichfield Prison Chaplain

A 15-year ministry as a prison chaplain and voluntary work spanning many years has been recognized by the Queen today in her birthday honours, with the award of an MBE to Jane Newsome. Jane, who served almost all her ministry in the diocese of Lichfield, first as prison chaplain at Stoke Heath Prison, where she was co-ordinating chaplain and then as Managing Chaplain of Swinfen Hall. Both were young offenders' institutions for young men.

St Chad's Church in Shrewsbury becomes the first in the country to sign the Armed Forces Covenant.

St. Chad's Church in Shrewsbury has become the first church in the UK to sign the Armed Forces Covenant. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York signed the covenant in 2015 on behalf of the entire Church of England, but St Chad's is the first individual church to follow their lead.

The Ancient Art of Wiggling for Jesus

Just part of one of the workshop titles being offered at a special day for clergy, readers, worship leaders and all involved in services to explore how to make 'all age' worship truly all-age, and engaging in missional contexts or at services with a high proportion of 'un-churched' people.

Living Well with Dementia

Nearly 50 people gathered at St Andrew's Church Shifnal last month, for the start of Dementia Awareness Week 2016. Rachel Christophers, winner last November's 'Best Resident/Relative Contribution' in the national Dementia Care Awards, spoke on 'Living well with dementia'.

Soul Purpose 2016

Over this past bank holiday weekend, fifty teenagers from the Shrewsbury area took part in the annual event known as Soul Purpose. One of them, Andrew Farrow, reports.