The Revd Preb John Baines RIP
Published: 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.
News
Key appointment moves Church’s Stoke Revitalisation into next phase
Published: 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.
Pope Francis RIP
Published: 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
Published: 25th March 2025Bishop Michael has appointed two Assistant Archdeacons of Lichfield. They will take up these temporary roles from Wednesday 26th March.
Seeking the Kingdom - on foot
Published: 25th March 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.
1700+ Church: One Holy Catholic and Apostolic
Published: 5th 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
Published: 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
Published: 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.
Conclusion of the Makin Review Four-Step Process
Published: 25th February 2025The Church of England's National Safeguarding Team has today announced the conclusion of the work to review all clergy under the authority or oversight of the Church of England who are criticised in the Makin review, published in November
Interim Directors appointed
Published: 24th February 2025The West Midlands Racial Justice initiative has announced the appointment of The Revd. Canon Douglas Machiridza and The Revd. Dr. Sarah Hayes as its new interim Co-Directors, following the departure of The Revd. Dr. Evie Vernon at the end of last year.
Diocese’s new CEO is ‘inspired appointment’, bringing banking and church wisdom
Published: 11th February 2025The next Chief Executive Officer of Lichfield Diocese is to be Mrs Sam Rushton, the Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Lichfield, has announced. After a career in retail banking and most recently, in the leadership team of the Diocese of York, she brings to Lichfield the skills that will help maintain and develop the culture of teamworking and collaboration among diocesan staff and structures.
Appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury: Public Consultation
Published: 10th February 2025The process for the appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury is underway and, a key part of this is the extensive consultation exercise that will close on 31 March. Wherever you are based, your views matter.
Safeguarding reminder
Published: 1st February 2025We take all reports and allegations seriously. If you or anyone you are in contact with, want to talk to someone independently, you can call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or email safespaces@victimsupport.org.uk. There are other support services available.
Celebrating 200 Places of Welcome in Shropshire
Published: 27th January 2025Christ Church, Wellington welcomed Strengthening Communities to its early morning Place of Welcome to join in celebrating, with tea, toast and yes, a celebration cake, the 200 Places of Welcome supported by Lichfield Diocese.
An afternoon of appointments honouring service and dedication
Published: 27th January 2025Bishop Michael recognised ten people for their contribution to the life of Lichfield Diocese during Evensong at Lichfield Cathedral on Sunday, 26 January. Bishop Matthew gave the award of the Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism, awarded by the Archbishop of Canterbury to Robert Mountford, Ecumenical Officer for Birmingham, the Black Country and Staffordshire.
New Archdeacons for Walsall and Salop appointed from Oxford and Manchester
Published: 15th January 2025The Revd Canon Elizabeth Jackson is to be the next Archdeacon of Walsall and that the Revd Nick Watson is to be the next Archdeacon of Salop
Wednesbury welcomes Canon Ben
Published: 14th January 2025Cathedral appointment supports Wednesbury parishes.
Have a calm, bright and joyful Christmas
Published: 21st December 2024Christmas Message 2024 from the Rt Revd Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Lichfield
Caring Community Carols
Published: 23rd December 2024St Mary’s Church in Uttoxeter was one of just fifteen locations around the country chosen to host a royal carol service earlier this month. The services, supported by The Royal Foundation, complement The Princess of Wales’s ‘Together at Christmas’ service at Westminster Abbey, celebrating love, empathy and community spirt.
£2million church repairs on knife edge
Published: 9th December 2024Uncertainty over a government grant scheme that has run for over twenty years and could end in weeks is threatening completion of more than £2m of repairs to a Hanley church.
Racial Justice and Bishop Selwyn… what we can learn from history!
Published: 9th December 2024Bishop Michael recently hosted the first Selwyn Lecture since before the Covid 19 pandemic, based around three perspectives on racial justice. The final one, offered by the Bishop of Lichfield, drew on his recent brief sabbatical in New Zealand which afforded him the opportunity to study the ministry of the Rt Revd George Selwyn, first Bishop of New Zealand, and the 90th Bishop of Lichfield, after whom these lectures are named.
A village remembers the day the dump went up
Published: 28th November 2024Staffordshire communities were at the heart of the largest explosion in the UK. And a link via a vicar's trainset.
Teacher’s mission in Stoke via China and Sri Lanka
Published: 25th November 2024Alex Wolvers, who currently works within the Education Team at Lichfield Diocese, will lead the work of ‘Encounter,’ the first of two key appointments planned in the seven-year programme to revitalise the Christian presence in Stoke on Trent funded by up to £5.9m by the Church of England.
Safeguarding every Sunday
Published: 14th November 2024The resignation of Archbishop Justin this week is a stark reminder of just how important our safeguarding practice and policy is in all our churches. The Lessons Learnt Review into the horrific abuse by the late John Smyth is a reminder of the lifelong effects on victims and survivors, and we pray for them.
Resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Published: 12th November 2024The Rt Revd Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Lichfield, has received the news of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation this afternoon with sorrow, acknowledging that the Archbishop has acted honourably in resigning.
New cash can fuel Stoke churches' new chapter
Published: 11th November 2024Newly announced funding of up to £5.9 million (£5.1 million is conditional) from the Church of England will be spent by the Diocese of Lichfield on revitalising the Christian presence in Stoke on Trent, largely among younger communities across the city.
Independent review into Church’s handling of Smyth case published
Published: 8th November 2024To the best of our knowledge none of John Smyth’s victims has come forward from within this diocese, but anyone at all who is affected by this news is encouraged to use the support services offered (click for contacts and the report).
200 Places of Welcome offer friendship, chat and free refreshments
Published: 8th November 2024Over two-hundred Places of Welcome are now supported by the Diocese of Lichfield across the Black Country, Staffordshire, Stoke-On-Trent and northern Shropshire - that’s one in four of the Places of Welcome within the national network created by Church Urban Fund and Near Neighbours across England and Wales.
A new lease for life
Published: 6th November 2024The village of Ellastone in the Staffordshire Moorlands is celebrating this week as a partnership between the Diocese of Lichfield, local residents and businesses brings major benefits for the community with improvements to the village playing field.
Assisted Suicide
Published: 5th November 2024The bishops of the diocese have written to clergy and Readers about the Terminally Ill (End of Life) Bill, now before Parliament, unequivocally expressing their concerns about the Bill and setting out an alternative: