Redefining Rest
Last Updated: 14th August 2025Apparently, Summer = Rest and relaxation. Two things most of us need more of according to Helen Scheven in this month's Chad Blog.
News
Inner peace amidst dementia
Last Updated: 12th August 2025Finding deep peace in Tettenhall Church – the building, hymns & liturgy
Road to Gold Eco Award through closed churchyard
Last Updated: 4th August 2025On the way to gaining an Arocha Gold Eco Church award a Shropshire church may have struck more than one ‘pot of gold’. Oxon Parish Church, Shrewsbury, has been awarded ARocha’s 99th and Lichfield Diocese’s second Gold Eco Church Award.
30th Anniversary of the Ordination of Female Priests
Last Updated: 31st July 2025Lichfield Cathedral hosted Lichfield Diocese's celebration of the 30th anniversary of the ordination of women as priests. Here is the Bishop of Shrewsbury's sermon.
Blue Coat Primary, Walsall, opens its SEN Ark
Last Updated: 22nd July 2025The Blue Coat Infant and Junior schools, Walsall opened its own Special Educational Needs (SEN) unit, The Ark. Bishop Tim and Dorothy Buchanan MBE, a distinguished former Blue Coat Governor cut the (blue!) ribbon together to open The Ark.
Bishop Sarah's sabbatical
Last Updated: 21st July 2025Bishop Sarah has been offered a sabbatical by Bishop Michael and has accepted. She will be away from 1 October 2025 to 12 January 2026. Here is more information and whom to contact during that time.
New deacons: how they were called
Last Updated: 9th July 2025Our eight new deacons for 2025, ordained on 28 June, look back at how they were called and offer pointers to those who think ordination (or another calling) might be for them.
Dementia-friendly Cathedral visit
Last Updated: 3rd July 2025Tour adaptations to accommodate people living with dementia
Happy birthday to Stoke-on-Trent!
Last Updated: 30th June 2025After marking 100 years of a city and 900 years of a village church, Bishop Matthew asks whether anniversaries and commemorations also asks questions too about the present and the future.
Making Memories
Last Updated: 17th June 2025As we enjoy a week of sunshine, Revd Jeremy Oakley muses on Making Memories in this month's Chad Blog - specifically those made on youth camps at the diocesan outward bound/retreat centre at Dovedale
Next Steps: Living in Love and Faith
Last Updated: 8th June 2025Following a discussion at May’s Bishop’s Council, this statement provides an update about the informal discussions in July’s Diocesan Synod requested by the National LLF team and the appointment of a new LLF Champion to offer support to parishes. The discussions will not go ahead in July and their form or whether they are scheduled for November’s Synod will be considered with input from the new LLF Champion.
Appreciating the present moment at Rushall Memory Café
Last Updated: 23rd June 2025Community connections and cake – “not just for people with dementia”
The Revd Phillip Johnson to be new DAC Chair
Last Updated: 30th June 2025The vicar of Eccleshall brings a broad palette of skills and experience to the 'planning permission' part of caring for church buildings.
Clergy pensions: proposals for enhancement
Last Updated: 22nd May 2025Church of England Pensions Board Investments has made known proposals for significant improvements to the Church of England Funded Pensions Scheme (CEPFS). If implemented, they will represent a significant step forward.
House of Bishops statement on Gaza
Last Updated: 2nd June 2025This morning, the House of Bishops agreed and published the following statement about the situation in Gaza:
“Enjoy every minute of them, with what you’ve got”
Last Updated: 19th May 2025Our Dementia Action Week prayer, affirming presence, thankfulness & love
Pop goes the atmosphere
Last Updated: 16th May 2025Reader and diocesan environmental officer, Dr Jan Firth listens to ice, celebrates the Eco Church Awards received in the diocese in this month's Chad Blog
The Revd Preb John Baines RIP
Last Updated: 12th May 2025Bishop Michael was sorry to learn of the sudden and unexpected death in service of the Revd Preb John Baines and has written a brief tribute.
Are You a Participant or An Observer?
Last Updated: 1st May 2025In this month's Chad Blog, Bishop Tim digs lessons from the farmyard and the late pope.
Key appointment moves Church’s Stoke Revitalisation into next phase
Last Updated: 28th April 2025An experienced youth worker, now trained and ordained, is to take up the second of two key roles in Lichfield Diocese’s £5.9m project to start a new chapter in the church’s story in Stoke on Trent. The Revd Alan Gault, currently Planting Curate at St Luke’s, Blackburn will become Stoke’s Resource Church Leader based at All Saints Joiners Square.
Stop to move forward
Last Updated: 23rd April 2025The world is a busy place. And Our lives at church can be no different and it can be hard to find the time, or the energy to stop and think about anything, let alone our ‘calling’. We all have one. Even serving coffee is one. Helen Scheven from our Vocations team writes on slowing down and taking stock during Easter week in our latest Chad Blog.
Pope Francis RIP
Last Updated: 21st April 2025On learning of the death of Pope Francis, the Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Lichfield, has made a statement.
Assistant Archdeacons of Lichfield Appointed
Last Updated: 31st March 2025Bishop Michael has appointed two Assistant Archdeacons of Lichfield. They will take up these temporary roles from Wednesday 26th March.
'Book of Prayers' through dementia
Last Updated: 6th April 2025Sharing the story, ordering your copies
On the way to paradise
Last Updated: 18th March 2025Manchester to Lichfield... it's a start for Revd Canon Nick Smeeton, our newish Strategy Programme Director, as he contributes his first Chad Blog
Seeking the Kingdom - on foot
Last Updated: 28th April 2025From 3 - 12 April, as part of his Lenten Observance, Bishop Michael will be walking though all four archdeaconries of Lichfield Diocese. On each of these ten days he will stop in the evening to join a parish for prayer and Bible study. He will take as his subject one of the ten goals in the Diocesan Strategy, ‘Seeking the Kingdom’ on each day.
Three clergy elected, filling General Synod vacancies
Last Updated: 24th March 2025Elections concluded last week for mid-term vacancies in this diocese's General Synod clergy representatives.
1700+ Church: One Holy Catholic and Apostolic
Last Updated: 26th March 2025Lichfield Cathedral's Lent Course is available online, week, starting on Ash Wednesday with Bishop Michael.
Silver Eco Award for Lichfield Diocese’s Offices
Last Updated: 5th March 2025Following an exhaustive process, including an assessment of direct and indirect emissions, St Mary’s House, Lichfield Diocese's offices in The Close, Lichfield has been awarded environmental charity ARocha’s Silver Eco Award.
Spirit of St of Chad lives on in medal recipients
Last Updated: 5th March 2025The significant contributions that seven people have made to their communities and the diocese were recognised on Sunday at a special service of Evensong in the cathedral where Bishop Michael presented them with the St Chad Medal.
