This month Bishop Lee invites us to major on hope in Advent.
In the season of Advent, Church tradition encourages Christians to turn their gaze to the wrapping up of history as we know it. To give attention to the four last things: heaven, hell, death and judgement. The readings set for Advent usually include [...]
Some of you will know about this small 15th century cottage, next to Westbury-on-Trym parish church, which has been open as an ecumenical house of prayer since 1991. Others may only be vaguely aware of its existence, or may never have heard of it. With its beautiful Quiet Garden and distinctive ‘prayed-in’ feel, it is [...]
Here’s how you get to the important Countdown to Copenhagen The Wave in London on December 5th! It’s shaping up to be a huge event with thousands of people from across the UK preparing to flow through the streets of London in support of a safe climate future for all. See www.the-wave.org.uk or Christian Aid’s ‘The [...]
An article in last week’s Financial Times, headed ‘Vicars’ pensions under threat as church is seduced by equities cult’, is misconceived and fails to take adequate account of the scheme’s relative age compared to other schemes, says Dr Jonathan Spencer, Chairman of the Church of England Pensions Board:
“The scheme concerned is responsible for paying pensions [...]
To: Licensed Lay Ministers, Incumbents, PCC Secretaries, Acting Dean, Area Deans, Warden of Readers
6 November 2009
Dear colleagues
Licensed Lay Ministers (Readers) and their Expenses in the Diocese of Bristol.
I am writing as Chair of the Council for Licensed Lay Ministry (Readers Council) to provide you with our Diocesan Policy guidelines for the remuneration of [...]
The latest edition of the Diocesan Newsletter is now available.
For articles, events highlights and the monthly housekeeping information for PCCs and Clergy, please visit:
Newsletter page >>
Download the newsletter direct (PDF) >>
A series of talks at St Mary’s Olveston. The Talks are at 7.30pm, each telling their own story, followed by questions, wine and refreshments. Come and prepare for Christmas!
Olveston: view map
Tuesday, December 1st,
ON A WING AND A PRAYER
The founding of the world’s first children’s hospice—what led up to it and what followed
Sr Frances Dominica
Sr Frances [...]
Unfortunately due to the low number of bookings for this event I regret to inform you that it has been cancelled. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this has caused.
Event: Church and School – Together
Date: Tuesday 3rd November 2009
Time: 10am – 4pm
Venue: St Peter’s Church, The Green Room, Church Lane, Kington Langley, SN15 5NJ
Mustard Seed grants of up to £5,000 are available to faith groups that are involved in social action in the community; the grants can support new ventures, or help groups to develop existing work to improve the level of provision. Thanks to a recent high-value donation to the Mustard Seed programme, we now have additional [...]
Dear Colleagues,
SWINE FLU: STATEMENT FROM THE ARCHBISHOPS TO THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS
At the end of July the Department of Health advised us that the pandemic had reached the stage at which ‘it makes good sense to limit the spread of disease by not sharing common vessels for food and drink.’
In the light of this we [...]
The Cycle of Prayer for October is now available via our Cycle of Prayer webpage.
“Prayer is the test of everything;
prayer is also the source of everything;
prayer is the driving force of everything;
prayer is also the director of everything.
If prayer is right, everything is right.
For prayer will not allow anything to go wrong.”
Theophan the Recluse (1815-94)
Visit [...]
Dear friends in Christ
You will have heard by now about the ‘Blue Wave’ rally which is happening in London on 5 December and the coaches which have been organised.
Churches, congregations and Christian relief agencies are in the forefront of drawing attention to the need for action in response to Climate Change. The rally – [...]
There are times when heaven touches earth. St Michael’s is a small inner city church, on a Hill at the end of a housing complex. Just after Easter three of us got together and talked about what could we do for this years community Art Event. Was it flower arranging or something bigger? [...]
Recently I was talking with a group of our colleagues about ministry issues. I am of course aware that leadership is not a ‘done deal’ within the Church of England, partly because many people assume that leadership is at best benign dictatorship and at worst, dictatorship plain and simple.
An oft quoted cliché is that the [...]
Ecumenical Conference on the Church’s Ministry of Healing 2009
For: Open to all
Date: Saturday 17th October 2009
Time: 9.45am – 3pm
Cost: £5 payable on the day. Tea and coffee available. Please bring a BIBLE and packed lunch.
Speaker: Bishop Bob Evens, Bishop of Crediton
Venue: Bristol Cathedral, College Green, BRISTOL, BS1 5TJ
Further Info: Please contact Julia Chard 0117 902 [...]
December 3rd – 5th, 2009
Join the national rally to encourage our leaders to take seriously the challenges posed by Climate Change when they meet in Copenhagen in December.
Bristol Diocese, together with other partners, is helping to organise a cycle ride from Bristol and Swindon to London, where we will join with thousands of others in [...]
That You May Have Hope
Munich 12-16 May 2010, Munich is hosting Europe‘s Biggest Christian Festival.
People from the whole of Germany and from all over the world will be gathering in Munich to join together in promoting ecumenism, giving it a human face and advancing co-operation between Christians. 100,000 full-time participants and around 1,000,000 day visitors [...]
Daphne Hardwick from Christ Church Swindon is currently travelling in West Ankole for a month to survey medical provisions in West Ankole Diocese. Please pray for her, and she will post a diary of her experiences in the Diocesan forum while she is there.
Visit the Diocesan discussion forum for the latest from Daphne >>
Bristol’s Blue Wave – 24th October 2009
A Stop Climate Chaos Coalition event to lead into the Blue Wave in London on 5th December (see www.stopclimatechaos.org). Saturday 24th October 2009, 12-1pm – to coincide with the 350 international day of action (see www.350.org) and other Blue Wave events happening around the UK in October. The aim [...]
The Cycle of Prayer for October is now available via our Cycle of Prayer webpage.
“Time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and its
success. Prayer opens the way for God Himself to do His work in us and through us. Let our chief work as
God’s [...]
British church leaders have expressed support for a Climate Change Day of Prayer on 4 October in the run up to the next United Nations climate change summit due to take place at the end of the year.
“I shall be joining Christians from many different churches on 4 October in praying to the Author [...]
The Minister’s promise to “. . . legislate to allow water companies to run concessionary schemes (for churches, sports clubs and youth organisations) so they can get on with doing a great job instead of worrying about unaffordable bills” will be very welcome to many churches, Scout and Guide groups, amateur sports clubs and others. [...]
SWINE FLU: STATEMENT FROM THE ARCHBISHOPS TO THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS
At the end of July the Department of Health advised us that the pandemic had reached the stage at which ‘it makes good sense to limit the spread of disease by not sharing common vessels for food and drink.’
In the light of this we felt [...]
The Big Draw @ Bristol Cathedral, Monday 12th October & Friday 16th October, 9am-3pm
We will be having approx 120 children in the Cathedral on each day, rotating around 4 different artistic workshops. The aim of the day is to encourage children to be creative, inspired by the beauty that surround them in the Cathedral.
We need [...]
This is a short review of the CAP (Christians Against Poverty) money handling course of only three evenings, that was held at a local Church.
The course was run by four people on Tuesday evening 7.30 to 9pm, Pete, Julia, Geoff and Nic and 8 people attended in all. We watched a DVD and heard [...]
The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit was founded over sixty years ago by Canon Ralph Peacey of Bristol Cathedral to encourage clergy (and now licensed lay ministers) in the Diocese of Bristol to make an annual retreat and the keeping of ordination vows. In this Retreat we shall be reading some of the poems of [...]
NEWS from the Church of England – 17.09.09
Make it personal; support the poor by counting your carbon says CofE
Count the cost of your carbon footprint for the sake of the developing world is the message from the CofE’s Climate Justice Fund launched, as the College of Bishops meets in Oxford this week, with support from [...]
Information is circulating via Area Deans and our Diocesan Archdeacon on the subject of a scam currently operating in Bristol:
I have been the subject of two attempts at a scam. One came via the church phone at Knowle (on 9th Sep at 12.50) and the other at the Manse today (15th Sep at 14.21); I [...]
It is very tempting to stick with our favourite parts of the Bible and avoid the parts that are distinctly uncomfortable or even offensive to our understanding. This month Bishop Lee asks us not to rush for our scissors or rubbish bin and allow God to engage with us through those Scriptures which trouble us.
According [...]
Rene Descartes, the 17th century French philosopher famously said, ‘I think, therefore I am’. I would like to argue that the converse ‘I am, therefore I think’ should also be true. Why is it, then that so many Christians seem to be afraid to think deeply about their beliefs and much prefer to park their [...]
Why not run a radio advert inviting people back to church on Sunday 27th September? This brief looks at the resources available, and offers advice and answers to common questions.
Why run a radio ad at all?
With Back to Church Sunday (B2CS) approaching very quickly, now is the time to start spreading the message about the [...]
Pssst… Have you heard..?
Twice each Sunday, probably while you’re at church, Heart Bristol broadcasts a 60-second ’showbiz’ style round-up of stories of Christian and religious news, broadcast as part of a regular commercial break. This broadcast – “God Goss” – also uses breaking celebrity news stories as a platform for exploring spiritual questions, in [...]
There have been six burglaries in the South West in the past few weeks where churches have been entered and their safes attacked. Some elizabethan silverware and other antique items have been stolen from the safes. Other less valuable items have been left indicating that this appears to be a specialist team operating. The areas [...]
Diocese of Bristol | The Bishop of Bristol’s Office
The new Diocesan Strategy for 2010-2015, ‘Releasing the energy’, gives focus to much of our work as a Diocese. As a result, it is important that we are organised in a way that means we can concentrate on our priorities and deliver our core work to a [...]
Creating a successful website for your church
• Would you like some top tips for improving your existing church website?
• Do you want ideas as to what makes an effective church website?
• Are you considering having a church website for the first time?
If any of the above are true then we are sure you will benefit [...]
The Big Draw @ Bristol Cathedral
Monday 12th October & Friday 16th October, 9am-3pm
We will be having approx 120 children in the Cathedral on each day, rotating around 4 different artistic workshops. The aim of the day is to encourage children to be creative, inspired by the beauty that surround them in the Cathedral.
We need volunteers [...]
BBC1’s The Big Questions | Broadcasting live from Bristol | Sunday morning, September 13th
The Big Questions, BBC1’s topical ethical debate show, is now well into its highly successful second series. We’ll be broadcasting again live from Bristol on the morning of Sunday September 13th and we’d like to invite you to be part of [...]
A Retreat with R S Thomas for Priests & Licensed Lay Ministers at Abbey House Glastonbury 16 – 20 November 2009
Conductor: The Reverend Simon Tatton-Brown
The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit was founded over sixty years ago by Canon
Ralph Peacey of Bristol Cathedral to encourage clergy in the Diocese of Bristol to make an annual corporate [...]
We are delighted to report that the cello pilgrimage is going from strength to strength. This year Orlando will play over 30 concerts, and over £15,000 has so far been raised. There are another ten concerts (details on the website above), and to date over twenty churches have asked Orlando to play in 2010.
We have [...]
Willows Councelling Service
Has two training courses beginning in September:
_________________________________________
Introduction to Pastoral Counselling
The Initial Course of the ACC Recognised Programme “The Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes Framework for Counselling” – Level 2
- Are you interested in Counselling?
- Are you involved in Pastoral Care?
- Are you involved with Young People?
- Do you wish to develop Pastoral skills?
If [...]