Here you can find all the latest news from the Diocese of Bristol.
News and updates
I looked back and realised
First published 27th March 2015One day I looked back over the previous few weeks and realised.Having grown up in a non-churchgoing family in the Midlands, church was not something that impinged on my life at all until we moved to Bristol in my late 20s. Peter, my husband, had been
Ascension
First published 20th April 2015Ascension Day is one of the main Christian Holy Days. It celebrates the human body of Jesus (God the Son) going up to heaven to join God the Father 40 days after the Resurrection.
Isra and Mi'raj
First published 20th April 2015These are the Muslim celebrations of the Prophet Muhammad's 'night journey' from Mecca to Jerusalem on an amazing horse and then up to heaven.
Pentecost
First published 20th April 2015Pentecost is celebrated 40 days after Easter when Christians remember the descent of the third person of the Trinity - the Holy Spirit.
Shavuot
First published 20th April 2015Shavuot, also called 'The Feast of Weeks', is the Jewish festival celebrating the time God gave Moses the Torah - the biblicalbooks ofGenesis, Exodus, Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy.Information on how Jews celebrate
Trinity Sunday
First published 20th April 2015The Trinity is the key idea of Christianity - that God is revealed in the three persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.Teaching the Trinity Collective worship resources
Discerning your vocation: God's calling
First published 24th April 2015Sunday 26 April 2015 is Vocations Sunday. Revd Nicola Stanley reflects on how we might discern a call to ministry, and importantly how we can might help others recognise their own gifts.
My Wild Crafty Cathedral
First published 5th May 2015On Wednesday 27 May, Bristol Cathedral will host Crafty Cathedral a fun day for children and families to get arty and creative during the half term holiday.
Podcast: interview with Bishop Mike
First published 11th May 2015There is an issue with the morality of all pornography but while there is pornography for so-called consenting adults, don't be fooled into thinking that children will not access it online.
Disability Sunday 2015
First published 11th May 2015Disability Sunday is a fantastic opportunity for us to highlight issues around disability and to encourage what it means to be a truly welcoming Church.
Ecumenical prayer of disabled people
First published 11th May 2015Thanks to Auriol Britton for supplying this ecumenical prayer of disabled people.
Yate away day for people with learning disabilities
First published 11th May 2015On Saturday 9 May at St Nicholas Family Centre in Yate, Prospects ministry groups from across the west came together to celebrate Jesus resurrection with a day of workshops and celebrations.
Bishop Lee swaps washing feet for washing dishes
First published 31st March 2015Its a great way to show that Christians are not afraid of getting their hands dirty in the service of others and demonstrating what loving your neighbour really means.
Bishop Mike licenses new church centre
First published 11th May 2015At a special celebration service on Sunday 10 May, Bishop Mike dedicated and licensed a new church centre in Stoke Gifford for public worship, marriages, baptisms and funerals.
Parties in the park
First published 11th May 2015In the last couple of years,Churches Together in Greater Bristol (CTGB) have helped set up three city-wide gatherings in the open air, under the banner of Together for Bristol.
Join the Churches' Mutual Credit Union
First published 12th May 2015The Churches Mutual Credit Union is up and running and you are invited to join.As a credit union, our members have a 'Common Bond'.
Bishop's Letter: Science, faith and the resurrection of Jesus
First published 2nd April 2015Bishop Lee describes the place the resurrection holds for him as a scientist and disciple of Jesus.
Bishop Lee's Chrism Eucharist sermon
First published 25th April 2014On Maundy Thursday (17th April), Bishop Lee spoke at the Chrism Eucharist in Bristol Cathedral.
Parish Giving Scheme launched across Diocese
First published 19th October 2017The Diocese of Bristol is now offering churches the opportunity to join the Parish Giving Scheme.
Buckets in the rain?
First published 26th November 2014It was very recently reported that cathedral congregations are on the up and that mid-week services have doubled in a decade.
Uganda in Verse
First published 2nd November 201317 people travelled to Uganda with a group from Bristol West Deanery in October 2013.
Mission Areas receive national funding
First published 20th January 2017The Diocese of Bristol has been successful in its application to the Church of England's Strategic Development Fund for 950,000 in support of its Mission Areas programme.
Youth and Children training responses
First published 22nd May 2017Earlier this month, a number of people took part in The Key, a training session run by Dan Jones, Youth and Children's Adviser at the Diocese of Bristol.
Le Tour de Lee - Day 9 Church Stretton to Gloucester (73 miles)
First published 15th July 2014No time to post yesterday evening as it was a day of transition.
Helping people deal with debt
First published 27th November 2014A rising number of Church of England parishes are providing help to people with problem debt, a new survey has found.
#ChristmasMeans 2014
First published 1st December 2014The Church's successful twitter campaign,#ChristmasMeans will be running again this yeargiving congregations and individuals across thecountry a chance to show what Christmas meansto them, with image, videos and 140 characterreflections.To get the bal
Bishop's Letter: Closed doors, open doors...
First published 5th December 2014She laid him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:7 (NIV) I think this is my 38th Christmas as an ordained person!
#ChristmasMeans 2014 : It will all be over by Christmas
First published 1st December 2014During December, different people across the Diocese of Bristol will reflect on what Advent and Christmas mean to them. Here, Rev Dan Tyndall, Vicar of St Mary Redcliffe in Bristol, shares his thoughts.The expectation that It will all be over by Chri
#ChristmasMeans 2014 : Advent reflection: following threads
First published 2nd December 2014During December, different people across the Diocese of Bristol arereflecting on what Advent and Christmas mean to them. Here, Rev Nicola Such, a curate inWroughton, considers how four women'sstories in the Gospel of Matthew set the scene for the sto
Rowan Williams at Bristol climate change conference
First published 5th December 2014Climate change conference challenges churches to change Dr Rowan Williams invites Christians across the region to an important conference on climate change and faith to see how our lifestyles impact on people and planet.
#ChristmasMeans 2014 : In the bleak midwinter
First published 15th December 2014This month we are asking people across the Diocese to reflection what Advent and Christmas mean to them. Here, Dan Jones, Diocesan Youth & Children's Adviser, tells us about his favourite Christmas carol.
#ChristmasMeans 2014 : Happy birthday Jesus!
First published 17th December 2014Our #ChristmasMeans series of reflections continues with this piece written by Steve Jones, aLay Assistant at Holy Trinity Church in Westbury on Trym.For me the season really starts with the fresh Christmas tree being collected and then spending the
A quiet but historic day
First published 19th December 2014The announcement earlier this week of the appointment of Rev'd Libby Lane as Bishop of Stockport is wonderful news for the Church of England and for our wider society.
The challenge of being humble
First published 5th January 2015One of the phrases that comes up reasonably regularly in the bible is The Word of the Lord came to... followed by the name of a person.
A tribute to Carol Stone
First published 6th January 2015She was both loved and valued by her ordained colleagues, but equally was loved by the people she served within and beyond the Church.
Seeking perfection?
First published 24th January 2015My current favourite joke: A chicken farmer is dismayed to see that his favourite chicken has stopped laying eggs. He tries everything he knows to fix the problem but no success.
Revd Austin Thomas 1923-2014
First published 18th December 2014People across the Diocese have learned of the sad death of Revd Austin Thomas
Rome wasn't built in a day
First published 18th December 2014God loves you the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way. (Quote from an ordination service)I fell in love with Jesus at the age of ten, and I have always had a strong awareness of His presence in my life.Approximately 20 years
#ChristmasMeans 2014 : Giving
First published 18th December 2014Throughout December, we are sharing different people's reflections on what Christmas means to them. Today youth worker Ysica Savage shares her thoughts.I remember as a child getting so excited about birthday parties. (Didnt we all?) Especially when i
#ChristmasMeans 2014 : Ssekukkulu… Amazaalibwa…
First published 19th December 2014During December, different people arereflecting on what Christmas means to them. Here,Martha Nakiranda tells us about Christmas in Uganda.I would like to say that everything I do at Christmas is centred on celebrating Christs birth. My mother tongue
#ChristmasMeans 2014 : God in human form
First published 20th December 2014Our #ChristmasMeans seriescontinues today with this reflection by Matthew Rushton from Chippenham. It is loosely based onIsaiah 7, particularly verses 11-14.The world is a complicated place. Some days, it shows off with breathtaking beauty a perfect
#ChristmasMeans 2014: Expect the unexpected!
First published 21st December 2014The Ven Christine Froude, Archdeacon of Malmesbury, brings us our final #ChristmasMeans reflection. Don't forget toshare your thoughts on Twitter on 24 and 25 December using the #ChristmasMeans hashtag!He was born as a babyTo an ordinary teenage girl
Dean's Letter: Epiphany 2015
First published 1st January 2015The Very Revd Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Bristol Cathedral, writes to the Diocese at the beginning of the new year.Just by the Roman Forum there is a marble arch, nearly 2,000 years old.
MBE for first female lay minister
First published 1st January 2015Margaret Williams, who became the Diocese of Bristol's first ever female lay minister 40 years ago, has been awarded an MBE in the Queens New Year Honours for 2015.
Bishop's Letter: Addressing the deficit
First published 28th January 2015With Lent in view, this month Bishop Lee turns the spotlight on our vocation to discipleship.A year ago I heard Paula Gooder speak on the subject of discipleship.
Stephen Parsons awarded MBE for service to education
First published 1st January 2015Stephen Parsons, a Director of Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust, has been awarded an MBE in the Queens New Years Honours in recognition of his services to education and the community.
Revd Carol Stone 1954-2014
First published 5th January 2015It was with great sadness that people in the Diocese learned of the death of Revd Carol Stone on Saturday 27 December, following a short battle against pancreatic cancer.
What is mission shaped ministry?
First published 5th February 2015The Diocese of Bristol in partnership with other local organisations is planning a new mission shaped ministry course to start locally in the autumn.
God has taken care of the past and the future
First published 16th January 2015On the day I was baptised, I was in the privacy of my room, speaking aloud to myself saying How do I really know I am forgiven?Suddenly I heard a voice speaking with authority.Do you forgive your father?I come from a broken troubled family with a vio
Youth ministry in Uganda
First published 4th February 2015Diane Paddon, a youth worker from Christ Church Downend, reports on her recent trip to Uganda where she got first hand experience of youth ministry in action.
How accessible is your church?
First published 5th February 2015Our Diocesan Disability Adviser, Revd Alice Kemp, is here to help all churches in the Diocese assess and improve their accessibility, particularly for people with disabilities.
Roofbreakers
First published 5th February 2015Last month the Christian disability charity Through the Roof launched its new Roofbreakers scheme.
Visible Discipleship - launch of Social Justice Network
First published 16th November 2017People with a passion for social justice gathered together for the launch of a new network aiming to teach and inspire them earlier this month.
Punchline preachers stand up for Jesus
First published 12th February 2015Clergy from across the South West took part in a special, one-day comedy workshop at the Christian Resources Exhibition in Exeter.
Supporting church leaders in Uganda
First published 3rd February 2015Bishop Mike led a small team from the Diocese of Bristol to deliver a four-day conference on Christian leadership for delegates from the Church of Uganda in January 2015.
Diocesan Synod Report - Dec 2014
First published 14th January 2015The Diocesan Synod met on 6 December 2014 at Holy Trinity Bradley Stoke and was challenged by Bishop Mike to bridge the gap between what we do in our churches and those living and working in our wider communities.
Shiny, happy people
First published 18th February 2015The first time I went to church... It was full of young people and they were kind of shiny and I felt very threatened indeed. They were clapping and happy and I wasnt happy and didnt want to clap.If I ever came across a Christian, Id be as unpleasant
Keeping children safe online
First published 18th February 2015CEOPs website www.thinkuknow.co.uk is a brilliant resource for children, young people, parents, carers and teachers on everything that is online.
The whole armour of God
First published 20th February 2015I decided to pray and ask God, if He existed why did I feel so down and what did I need in my life to take away all the negativity that was surrounding me?Even though I believed in God, I didn't have any trust or faith in Him, and experimenting with
Faithfulness
First published 21st February 2015But God was not finished with me; he sent a man called Paul to be His physical, supportive presence with me.So where do I begin to tell the story of my faith? I dont remember a time when I didnt go to church, even at the age of 12 I felt called by Go
An eye-opener
First published 23rd February 2015For a fleeting instant I had a feeling of warmth, peace, welcome and belonging. It was so brief that afterwards I wasnt sure I had actually felt it, so I soon dismissed it from my mind, assuming Id imagined it.My wife Wendy joined our local church, S
A tough choice
First published 24th February 2015So we ended up sitting in their service, singing songs that were alien to me, a communion service, body and blood whats all that about? But he preached a message and the message was that in Christ you can have a new start. I thought, I so badly need
The reality of Jesus Christ
First published 26th February 2015A new heartwas given to me and have been following Jesus ever since. That does not mean I am always happy, but day to day I know a joy that no suffering or circumstance can take away.I happened to walk into a church one sunny September morning and he
Changing priorities
First published 27th February 2015I now realise that real faith is a transformation - I now look at everything in a different way.I have always had some faith but I didn't used to really understand what that meant. I occasionally attended church but always felt a bit out of place and
Taking refuge under His wings
First published 28th February 2015Some six years on from diagnosis, the pathology results suggest the cancers are still there, but to me and I am not in some false denial they have just become numbers.I set my heart on becoming a doctor at the age of 12 years. I missed a lot of the
Voices: God's outstretched hand
First published 2nd March 2015I realise now that not everyone has to go through a marriage breakdown like me to come to know God - but I do know that if you truly turn to Him, He will be there for you.Id like to think that the hand of God was on me from the beginning. I was born
The big pang theory
First published 3rd March 2015Life was good to me well, until I turned 15. I left home and started this journey of discovery, trying to find the true meaning of our existence. I was born in the 60s and maybe it was something to do with the time did the people that spoke of peace
Swimming in deep mystery
First published 4th March 2015For me, faith is all about asking questions. Its not a kind of house you build and then you move in and there are the walls and the door and it all feels safe. It's much more like swimming and not knowing where the bottom is...its constantly mysterio
A loyal and trusted friend
First published 5th March 2015Because of some past experiences I always felt guilty and not a very good person although I tried hard to be nice and please people. But God knew what I needed was encouragement, love and acceptance.Back in the 1950s most children went to Sunday scho
Rocking the boat
First published 7th March 2015Why would I want to rock the boat? Why would I want to change things now? Why, when everything seemed to be going so well, would I possibly want to consider becoming ordained?It's been a long road to travel, and I won't lie, at times it's been really
World Listening Day
First published 3rd December 2015Perhaps the most important thing we can give each other is our attention Network Counselling and Training is a Bristol based charity, providing low cost counselling and training within a Christian ethos.
Take delight in the Lord
First published 10th August 2014Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heartI am amazed at what God has done in my life since I took the verse from Psalm 37:4 literally.I began to practice it by spending a day just doing what it says, delighting myself wi
One step at a time
First published 12th August 2014Hospital became my second home and I began to question if my trust in God was one I could justifyI was brought up in a Christian family but did not myself go to church or want want to have anything to do with Christianity. That was until I went to ch
A lifelong adventure
First published 18th August 2014I didnt know what was happening. I shed tears of joy; I did not know if I was coming or goingThe progress of my faith in Christ has been a gradual journey over many years.The seeds were sown when I was a small lad of about eight or nine years old. I
Second chances
First published 28th August 2014There seemed to be scepticism about God everywhere and when I went to university I decided that my beliefs where largely inherited and decided to drop church, prayers and Bible reading.God has been a major part of my life since childhood.Sometimes he
Foundation Governor: case study
First published 1st September 2014Sally Sibley has been a Foundation Governor at St. Barnabas Church of England Primary School near Bristol for two years and explains the positive impact she makes to the development of the school and the education of its children.
Cross Tree Centre, Wraxall
First published 3rd September 2014Situated in a beautiful location overlooking the valley, the Cross Tree Centre at All Saints Church Wraxall is available for hire and is an attractive and ideal venue for a parish away day, quiet day or meeting.
Thanksgiving for Frenchay Hospital
First published 3rd September 2014There was a special service of Thanksgiving for Frenchay Hospital at St John the Baptist in Frenchay in July.
Counting church visitor numbers goes digital
First published 1st November 2019Do churches know the number of visitors that pass through their doors?
An 'audacious' community project
First published 3rd September 2014Members of St Michael's Church, Stoke Gifford have been taking a look at their new church and community centre ahead of its dedication next month.
Videos from the Archbishop's Visit
First published 3rd September 2014To help all churches join in and build on the excitement surrounding the Archbishop of Canterbury's visit to our diocese, video footage will be available shortly after his time with us.
Bishop Lee in the hot seat
First published 4th September 2014Bishop Lee will chair his first Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) meeting at the start of October, leading on the Dioceses work in schools and with young people in churches.
Our prayer for the Archbishop
First published 11th September 2014Please join us in prayer for the Archbishop of Canterbury's visit to the Diocese of Bristol this weekend, Friday 12 to Sunday 14 September 2014.
Standing Room Only: videos available for download
First published 13th September 2014We invited 1,000 people to join us in Bristol Cathedral for an event unlike any other.Setup with very subtle neon pink and blue lighting, Bristol Cathedral proved to be the perfect venue for this exceptional evening.
Clergy kids weekend
First published 26th September 2014Over the weekend of 19-21 September, 30 young people from clergy families in the dioceses of Bristol and Bath & Wells travelled to the Devon coast for the 12th Life to the Max.
Seeds of faith
First published 29th September 2014Prayer for me is simply talking to God, and because of that it can happen anytime, anywhere and with anyoneI was just as surprised as my family and loved ones when I came to faith earlier this year. Yet looking back over my life I can see how the see
A story about a nice bloke
First published 1st October 2014To my horror, my wife had started going to church and had decided to become a Christian. I refused to talk to her about church or her faith because I thought she had been taken in by the "cult"I was raised a Catholic in a Roman Catholic family.
Swindon examples - How do Christians care for others?
First published 8th October 2014This unit of local RE asks the questions 'How do Christians care for others?' and examines the case studies of Swindon Foodbank and the Gateway Furniture project.
Prayers from a friend
First published 9th October 2014I had been a Christian for over 25 years so I trusted God to stay with me, even if healing wasn't to be the plan for me.
Affirming ordinands in their callings
First published 9th October 2014If there's one thing that is essential in ministry its knowing that you are in the hands of, and that you belong to, God Himself.
Ian's reflections on reaffirmation and confirmation
First published 10th October 2014Ian Dony was one of the candidates reaffirmed and confirmed by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the wonderful baptism celebrations outside Malmesbury Abbey on 13 September 2014.Here are his reflections.Ians Re-affirmation and ConfirmationWhere do I st
Reflections on the Malmesbury baptisms
First published 10th October 2014I was proud to proclaim "This is my faith" in front of my wife, my friends from the Abbey, our baptismal group and ministers, the Archbishop and God!
Church at the centre of the community in Pinehurst
First published 10th October 2014Justin's visit has left a real buzz with those he met and it has increased people's awareness of the local church being active and a force for good in our neighbourhood.
Ripples from the Archbishop's visit
First published 10th October 2014The West Swindon and Lydiard Tregoze Church Partnership played host to the Archbishop of Canterbury on the morning of Saturday 13 September.
Conversations with sixth-formers
First published 15th October 2014The Archbishop of Canterbury began his three-day visit to the Diocese of Bristol with a Q&A session with sixth-form students at St Mary Redcliffe & Temple School in Bristol.
Fellowship and humility: reflections on Justin's visit to our prayer room
First published 15th October 2014On the Friday night,Archbishop Justin was visibly moved by his visit to our Prayer Room at Hope Chapel, which was open for the duration of his tour of our diocese.
Archbishop Justin in Swindon
First published 15th October 2014During his tour of the Diocese of Bristol, the Archbishop spent the first half of Saturday in Swindon.
Seeing God at work: looking back on Justin's visit
First published 15th October 2014I will take from this weekend a huge amount of encouragement because I am seeing God at work. People learning to love and follow Jesus Christ.
The challenge to go ‘One Step Beyond'
First published 16th October 2014On Saturday 11 October two hundred leaders and volunteers gathered to be nurtured and challenged at 'One Step Beyond - the triennial Youth and Children's Work conference hosted by the dioceses of Bristol and Bath & Wells.
Will Aid - an act of Christian stewardship
First published 10th October 2014Could you help your family - and families across the world by making a will this November? Will Aid is a scheme supported by hundreds of solicitors across the South West which allows members of the public to make a will in exchange for a donation.
