Joint statement by West Midlands church leaders ahead of the General Election

Church leaders in the West Midlands have issued a joint statement ahead of the General Election.

Appointments and Departures

5th June 2024

First female Dean of Lichfield appointed

His Majesty the King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Janet Elizabeth McFarlane, Interim Dean of Lichfield and an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Lichfield, for appointment as Dean of Lichfield.

Church of England holds first West Midlands Racial Justice Board Meeting

The Church of England in the West Midlands has marked a milestone with the inaugural meeting of its Racial Justice Board earlier this month. This pivotal gathering united representatives from Birmingham, Coventry, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, and Worcester to address racism and champion racial justice within the Church, society, and our communities.

Lichfield welcomes a new Strategic Programmes Director

Canon Nick Smeeton has been appointed to the role of Strategic Programmes Director for the Diocese of Lichfield. This is a new and crucial role for our diocese and is funded by the national church, designed to bring life and detail to the implementation of the new strategic framework recently agreed by our Diocesan Synod.

Pioneering Parishes – Creatively Connecting Church and Community

Maybe you have a great idea for how your parish church could connect more with its local community, but you don’t know how to make this vision a reality?

Prayers through Dementia

For Dementia Action Week 13–19 May 2024

Network Engagement and Impact

Across our Dementia-friendly Churches Network, what's working? What's helpful? What's important? A report from Staffordshire University helps us take stock.

Hope and peace for the anxious generation

In a fretful, lonely and competitive digital world, your church, with all its grace and messiness, joys and frustrations, can be a place of hope and peace for the anxious generation.

Regional Racial Justice Director announced

The Revd Dr Evie Vernon O’Brien has been appointed as the Racial Justice Director for the Church of England in the West Midlands. Evie will take up her role in July working with six dioceses – Birmingham, Coventry, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, and Worcester. It is the first collaborative project of its kind in the Church of England.

Appointments and Departures

24th April 2024

Songs of Praise for People Impacted by Dementia

On 23 April Lichfield Cathedral hosted a Songs of Praise for people impacted by dementia with special guests Tony Christie and Lichfield Catheral Choristers.

Speak up and be counted

So often diocesan synods are perceived as boring, dry and bureaucratic. This should not be the case! Rather they should exist to serve the mission of the wider Church, to make strategic decisions, and to encourage the growth of mission and ministry in our diocese.

Sharing each others' gifts for the growth of the church

Lichfield Diocese was well represented at the second Intercultural Church conference, hosted this year by Bishop Martyn Snow in Leicester Diocese just before Easter.

Location, location, location.

After the furore of Holy Week, the joy of Easter Day many will have been out and about, avoiding pranks on 1 April, bank holiday Monday. Bishop Sarah gets away and stays connected

Time Together

The warmth of the atmosphere is what struck me first and foremost as I arrived at Time Together, run by Churches Together in Whitchurch at Bargates Hall beside St Alkmund’s Church. St Alkmund’s has had a dementia-friendly church Certificate since 2018.

Archdeaconry of Salop: A statement from the Bishop of Lichfield

TikTok Vicar in parliament

The 'TikTok Vicar' from Aldridge, Revd David Sims was one of a select group of content creators invited to the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday to join an Easter Roundtable highlighting Christian voices on the platform.

Stoke skyline restored

The church sometimes known as 'the Potters' Cathedral' is in the midst of £2million repair work. The Lord Mayor of Stoke and the Bishop of Stafford were among those who recently climbed to the top of the scaffolding around the tower to look at the recent repairs and admire the view of the city.

The Lenten Journey

Four weeks into Lent, Clare Whitney sees in the saints of old the roots of good Christian habits and principles for ministry resulting from them asking ‘What is it Lord, that you have called me to do?’

Pastoral arrangements in the Wolverhampton Episcopal Area for 2024

Bishop Michael writes with regard to the Bishop of Wolverhampton and Archdeacon of Walsall

Reflections from February General Synod

This February's General Synod meeting in London was held over a weekend - part of an attempt to balance the meetings to aid lay members, many of whom have to take holiday from employers in order to attend.

Appointments and Departures

1st March 2024

St Chad's Medallists 2024

Years of loyal service to parishes, schools and diocese were recognised last night when six medals were presented during a special service of evensong at Lichfield Cathedral with a further two to be presented at a future date.

Giving Up

In the Chad Blog at the start of Lent, Jonathan Hill, Lichfield Diocese’s Director of Finance contemplates an alternative understanding of ‘giving up for Lent’

St Peter's makes the Difference

Pupils from two diocesan secondary schools helped the Archbishop of Canterbury launch a youth version of the Difference course last week.

Archdeacon of Walsall, The Ven Julian Francis to retire

The Archdeacon of Walsall, The Venerable Julian Francis, has announced that he is retiring from stipendiary ministry this spring. His last working day will be Wednesday 8th May 2024.

Pointless achievement for Shropshire curate

A Shropshire curate and her husband are celebrating after winning on the BBC gameshow Pointless.

All Eyes on King Jesus

Telford Minster's worship leader, Harry Thomas Warrell has released a single. 'All Eyes On King Jesus' is the first track from Harry's latest project 'Stumbling Days'.

The banks that flourish

Bishop Matthew has indigestion as we approach the start of Lent