Twenty bishops from the Church of North India will be visiting Derbyshire from 10th - 16th July as part of the preparations for the 2008 Lambeth Conference.

They (and their wives) will be staying with hosts in different parts of Derbyshire and experiencing the life of local churches.

An open invitation has been issued for those wishing to meet the international guests to come to an open air Songs of Praise Festival at Carsington Water amphitheatre (behind the visitor centre), on Sunday 13th July at 3.00 pm (wet weather venue - St. Oswald's church, Ashbourne).

All the bishops and their wives will be attending a service in Derby Cathedral at 10.30 am on Monday 14th July, organised by several Church of England primary schools, all of which have links with India. This service is open to everyone.

All are also invited to a conference with the Indian bishops on current issues in the churches in Derbyshire and India, such as mission, women's issues, and human trafficking - to be held at St. Mary's church, Wirksworth, on Tuesday 15th July. Doors open at 9.30 - the conference ends with a light lunch at 1.00 pm.

The partnership between the Derbyshire churches and the Church of North India is now thirty one years old, and was inaugurated at a service in Derby Cathedral in 1977. “We have the largest number of bishops of any diocese in this country visiting us as part of the pre-Lambeth hospitality programme,” said Rev. Christopher Harrison, chairman of the Derbyshire-North India partnership, today.

Although only three per cent of Indians are Christians, this amounts to 30 million out of the total population of over one billion. Many of them are from the so-called Dalit (formerly 'untouchable') class.

Large numbers of churches are growing, but there are also areas of persecution - most recently in Orissa, in the North East, where many churches and homes of Christians were burnt down earlier this year.

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For details about the visit see www.northindia-derbyshirechurches-partnership.org.uk or contact Rev. Christopher Harrison, chairman of the Derbyshire-North India partnership, on 01335 390226 or christopher.d.harrison@btinternet.com