News and Events
A group of 37 has arrived in Kolkata, India, to continue their work of training and support to slum schools and to strengthen links between schools in Kolkata and those in the Diocese of Derby.
The group is comprises of 25 from our schools, 11 health and social care students and 2 of their lecturers form the University of Derby.
We are all settled in our rooms, eating well and delighted to have met for the first time or to be reunited with our friends from the Cathedral Relief Service whose schools and health care projects we are here to work with.
The group aims to share ideas and resources with teachers who work in some of the slum schools there that are overseen by the Cathedral Relief Service (CRS).
This is largely done through teachers from Derby leading lessons in their link school and through of training days later in the week.
The visit will help build on the work done during similar trips over the last five years.
See also: The Kolkata Blog 2019
At Holy Trinity in Shirebrook, we have formed a partnership over the past four years with Junction Arts, a Chesterfield-based charity whose principal activity is the promotion and development of access and involvement in the arts through art and regeneration activity within the district of Bolsover.
We first worked together on a project to provide art and craft activities for children and young people during the school summer holiday.
Junction Arts arranged artists and skilled crafts people to come each week and work with young people.
Funding was also obtained to allow the town youth worker to attend and as a congregation we provided lunch for the young people who attended.
Food was donated by the local Co-op so it was a real community collaboration. At the end of the summer, we hosted an art exhibition in church and an Awards Evening where young people received recognition for their creative work and their growth in social and other skills.
Since then we have hosted a play ‘The Great Austerity Debate’ an interactive theatre piece that toured the country, the play challenged some of the views that were held about the situations many people in poverty find themselves in.
Then came the ‘Processions’ project, which marked 100 years since some women in this country were given the vote.
We got together with women from across Bolsover District and worked together to produce a banner – not unlike the banners carried by the suffragettes.
It was such a good time of coming together as women in a community with shared experience and it also crossed some of the cultural divides we have locally as women from the Polish community also got involved.
The banner took many weeks and many hours of sewing to complete, but finally it was ready. We travelled to London as a group and marched with women from up and down the country – there were 100 banners from 100 communities, and it was an inspiring day in all sorts of ways.
The banner is now on tour – it has been to Derby Cathedral, Chesterfield Library, Holy Trinity church, and will end its journey in September.
Our partnership with Junction Arts has allowed us to engage with our community in ways which might not have been possible given the limited resources we have as a congregation.
It has been a joy and I hope we continue a long and fruitful partnership.
I would encourage any church approached by a local art/creative foundation to grab the opportunity!
Revd Karen Bradley, Team Vicar, East Scarsdale Team Ministry
Each Holy Week and Easter in Spondon, St Werburgh's provides a full retreat experience for folk who otherwise cannot access going on retreat.
For some it's down to limitations of cost; for others it's because a full week away from family/work at somewhere like Launde Abbey is just beyond their reach.
So St Werburgh's takes the retreat to them. The retreat is provided at no cost to the individual - the whole idea is to provide the experience of a guided retreat for anyone.
Each person who makes the retreat gets a spiritual director, with whom they meet each day at a time and a place that works for them around their daily life.
Those who are able get together for morning/evening prayer and compline and, as a larger group, they gather to celebrate the Eucharist 'in the round’ each evening of Holy Week.
This year, teaching is being led by Beth Honey and folk from Derwent Oak.
Retreatants and all the parish come together for Maundy Thursday (everybody gets their feet washed), Good Friday and the Easter Vigil and a bonfire on Saturday night, leaving folk free to return to home parishes for Easter Day.
For more details, please contact Revd Julian Hollywell: fatherjulian@btinternet.com
“What have you been doing at school today?”
“We’ve been resurrecting dead bodies.”
Actually, the children of Crich Church of England Infants School had been helping Bishop Jan consecrate the new parish graveyard below the church.
On a perfect February afternoon with a pure blue sky and low winter sunlight pouring down the hill, the gathering of children and adults had witnessed an ancient rite which none had seen before nor were likely to see again.
Bishop Jan in her full regalia, complete with Doc Martens, first fielded such questions as ‘Why are you dressed like that?’
Once such matters had been cleared up she explained the nature of the ritual, held her crook aloft and announced she was a chief shepherd.
The children were encouraged to answer with a few bleats but from then on they were drawn into the beauty and the sacredness of the proceedings.
Bishop Jan led the procession along the hedgerows reciting psalms and pausing at each corner to mark a solemn cross in the wet grass.
Where the gas main bisected the burial ground the gathering was informed that this stretch could not be consecrated, because it might be necessary one day to disturb the pipeline.
The children, silent and respectful, carefully picked their way around the unhallowed plot.
At the conclusion, the Registrar in her wig and gown read the declaration and Bishop Jan told the children that this was now a place where the villagers could lie safe and at rest in Jesus.
And for a few minutes, the children and all the gathering stood quietly in that glorious winter sunlight and thought about the past and the present and the future and the eternal rest that Jesus gives.
Then Bishop Jan led her flock up the lane and into the church for drinks and cake.
Martyn Offord, Churchwarden, Crich St Mary.
Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT) is delighted to confirm that the planning application for the development of the new permanent site for Derby Cathedral School has been approved.
Substantial works are now due to begin on site at the former Friar Gate Goods Yard in March 2020.
The Department for education (DfE) is responsible for leading the acquisition and development of the site for Derby Cathedral School as is the case for all Free Schools nationally. The DfE has therefore led on the procurement of a construction partner and will lead on the subsequent development of the new buildings.
The project is particularly complex as the site at the former Friar Gate Goods Yard has been unoccupied and undeveloped for many years and so the planning process has been rigorous, especially given the significance of the development of a new school in the City and the prominent location of the new building.
The programme for the delivery of the new school has been delayed due to the need to address the complex issues relating to the site, concerning drainage and traffic particularly, and the school will consequently start the third year of operation in the current expanded temporary accommodation.
Mark Mallender, CEO of DDAT, said: “We are delighted that planning approval has now been secured for this historic development of the first secondary phase Church of England school within the Diocese of Derby. I appreciate that our parents, carers, staff and students have been concerned with the time it has taken to make this announcement and I am hugely grateful for their ongoing support for the school. We are incredibly excited to see progress on site at the Former Friar Gate Goods Yard and we are looking forward to occupying the high-specification, state-of-the-art buildings and facilities our students, staff and communities deserve.
“We are also looking forward to welcoming a new headteacher to the school in the Summer Term 2020. Following a rigorous recruitment and selection process, we have made a fantastic appointment and will be able to share news on the appointment very soon.
“This is a very exciting time for Derby Cathedral School and DDAT as our journey to provide a first-class education to the young people of Derby now progresses at pace.”
The design work for the necessary additional refurbishment is complete and agreed by the school and the Trust and includes the required extra specialist teaching facilities. The further refurbishment works at Midland House will be funded by the DfE.
The space available at Midland House is more than sufficient to host a further cohort of students on a temporary basis and the Trust is supportive of the plans to refurbish an additional area within Midland House for use by the school which will ensure additional specialist teaching facilities.
The DfE is currently working with the appointed contractor, BAM Construction, to produce a revised timetable for the works which will include a planned date of occupation of the new site. The Trust will update the school community on the target date for occupation and contingency planning as well as progress on site as soon as possible.
Former Friar Gate Goods Yard
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have advised that we should refrain from shaking hands as to offer each other a sign of peace.
So here's a video demonstrating a safe, easy and inclusive alternative!
Live streaming is just one way our churches are doing their best to keep engaged with congregations and communities.
Revd Tim Sumpter, vicar of St Stephen's Borrowash, tried streaming a service for the first time on Sunday - and the BBC was there to see how it went!
>> See the full report (from BBC News) and watch the video (below) from BBC East Midlands Today.
A video from Bishop Libby - A Strange Place
Revd Liz England, of Buxton Team Parish, writes on Facebook:
Being Church while the buildings are closed
An idea for gathering together for a new kind of Church service...
We gather together at the same time to worship, in our separate homes, at usual service times, knowing that many of us will be worshipping at the same time; either with others in our household or on our own.
And how about setting an empty plate at the dinner table to remember Christ sits and eats with us, in communion with us, his friends.
As we look at how to continue to be the church during this period of uncertainty, many of us will be missing the opportunity to share the Eucharist, Holy Communion together.
I thought it may help to go back to the very first Last Supper when Jesus shared a simple meal with his friends.
I would suggest putting out an extra empty plate as we sit to eat our meals each Sunday, to simply remind us that our Lord Jesus Christ sits and eats with us, in communion with us, his friends.
In these two videos,Ven Carol Coslett, Archdeacon of Chesterfield, talks about the Feast of the Passover and how it became the Last Supper.
Archdeacon Carol also talks about what makes a meal special - and the best meal you've ever had!
Podcasts are a great way to engage with communities and congregations.
They are, effectively, short programmes that the listener can access at any time and from most smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Revd Andy Ward decided to use the free podcast service - Anchor - to reach out to local communities - and so the Moss Valley Pod was born!
It's a podcast from Eckington, Derbyshire, from the church to provide information, share ideas and generally keep spirits up.
Because church services are no longer taking place, the church launched the Moss Valley Pod to enable people to hear Bible reflections at home, rather than in church.
The idea then expanded to provide a platform to allow local organisations to keep in touch with people as situations constantly evolve.
Good news stories are always wanted for the Moss Valley Pod.
Revd Andy Walker said: “Times of crisis can bring out the best in people,
“These stories need to be shared to give people hope in the days and months to come.”
The podcast is released every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
>> Listen to the Moss Valley Pod
Features include:
Community information
Bible readings
A thought for the day, based on those readings
Good news stories
Shout outs and thank yous
To get in touch, email mossvalley.pod@eckingtonchurch.org.uk
See also: How to use the Anchor.fm podcast service | Anchor's handy guide to starting your podcast
Alleluia is the Easter refrain: ‘Alleluia. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia.’
Alleluia means ‘God be praised’ – and it may not seem there is much to praise God for this morning.
But for Christians the Easter story is the ultimate reminder that love conquers all
– that even death cannot defeat love.
‘Alleluia’ can be our song even, especially, in the midst of pain and uncertainty.
For the Easter ‘Alleluia’ is never arrogant or overbearing, it’s not blind to reality but deeply rooted in it.
Easter day is only possible after Good Friday.
The Easter story reminds us that love conquers all
– and nothing, nothing, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus
Early in his ministry Jesus outlined the characteristics of the Kingdom of God, and those who seek that Kingdom, in words that we call ‘the Beatitudes’. In them
Jesus turned the world’s understanding of what matters on its head, affirming the blessedness of those usually overlooked or scorned.
This week the cartoonist Dave Walker has rewritten the Beatitudes.
You might write your own, but here are his:
Blessed are those who stay indoors for they have protected others
Blessed are the unemployed and self-employed for their need of God is great
Blessed are the … shopkeepers for they are the purveyors of scarce things
Blessed are the delivery drivers and the postal workers for they are the bringers of essential things
Blessed are the hospital workers, the ambulance crews, the doctors, the nurses, the care assistants and the cleaners for they stand between us and the rgave, and the Kingdom of heaven is surely theirs
Blessed are the checkout workers and factory workers for they have patience and fortitude in the face of overwork and frustration
Blessed are the refuse collectors for they will see God despite the mountains of waste
Blessed are the teachers for they remain steadfast and constant in disturbing times
Blessed are the church workers (and faith leaders) for they are a comforting presence in a hurting world as they continue to signpost towards God
Blessed are the single parents for they are coping alone with their responsibilities and there is no respite
Blessed are those who are alone, for they are children of God and with Him they will never be lonely
Blessed are the bereaved, for whom the worst has already happened: they shall be comforted
Blessed are those who are isolated with their abusers for one day – we pray – they will know safety
Blessed are all during this time who have pure hearts; all who still hunger and thirst for justice; all who work for peace and model mercy.
Today, I do praise God for the hope that Jesus’ death and resurrection offers us all.
Today, I praise God for the signs of hope overcoming the pressures, limitations, and losses we currently face.
So, today, albeit quietly, I sing ‘Alleluia’
- and pray for you the grace, mercy, and peace of the risen Jesus this Easter.
‘They…fled from the tomb…and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid’
These were brave, tenacious women.
These women had made a choice to follow Jesus and stuck with him when others turned away.
These women supported Jesus, the gospel writer Mark tells us, risking reputation, livelihood and status when others found the costs too high.
These women were watching at the cross: they remained with Jesus to the bitter end, when others had abandoned him.
These women set out to offer the final act of loving service that had been denied him, when others hid in fear of the authorities.
These were brave, tenacious women.
But the empty tomb and news that Jesus has been raised from the dead, undid them. Sometimes, when we are holding ourselves together in the face of risk and fear, of uncertainty and loss, it is goodness that undoes us.
Like these women, many of us will have spent these past days being brave and tenacious – finding depths of determination and perseverance we didn’t know we had. And, truth be told, hiding, even from ourselves perhaps, the extent of our individual and shared trauma.
And it may be goodness that breaks through our protective armour. So, good news may be harder to hear this Easter than most years. But here it is:
You are beloved: precious and honoured in God’s sight,
And nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Jesus, who was crucified has been raised – and wherever you are this morning, whatever you are facing today, whatever you have had to deal with in these past few weeks, whatever the future may hold for you – the risen Jesus is there to meet you.
Those brave, tenacious women were undone by that good news, and
‘They…fled from the tomb…and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid’.
But fear did not, in the end, overcome love.
These woman took heart, literally ‘had courage’, and so the story continued.
Because of these women the story of God’s love continues – and through the centuries that good news has been carried and passed on, until we hear it afresh today:
“Do not be afraid; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here… he is going ahead of you”
So, my prayer, this Easter morning, is that we allow ourselves to be undone by love,
and, even in the midst of our fears, receive the good news of Jesus’ resurrection:
love has conquered death – Jesus is alive.
Alleluia.
Sally-Anne Beecham, Curate in Bakewell Benefice and SS Augustine Chesterfield, reflects on how the coronavirus outbreak has shaped her curacy.
Like all clergy, the Covid-19 outbreak turned my ministry on its head.
However, when most churches were asked to close their doors, the one I’m working in had an exemption to stay very much open.
Overnight, Gussie’s Kitchen, the food project being run from Ss Augustine in Chesterfield, became the main food distribution hub for the town.
Yesterday we delivered to 200 vulnerable households using a fantastic team of volunteer drivers and packers.
My job has been to give information and offer support over the phone in my role as Chaplain - an incredible opportunity to reach out into the community.
I’ve had many significant conversations and I pray that relationships built during these days will bear fruit in the future.
Despite the many challenges, the shift in focus has created opportunities to model faith that were not present before, and it’s exciting to dream about how these can be progressed.
Since my ordination last year, the months have flown by, learning what it means to be a Christian presence in a rural town.
Relationship building is crucial
My highlights before lockdown have been out in the community getting used to my collar.
As well as the usual services, I had been raft-racing, dressed up in the carnival, led school assemblies, processed through the town on Remembrance Sunday and played Gabriel outside the pubs in the town nativity.
I was also involved in the beginning of a new congregation aimed at young families.
Overall, I’ve had my eyes opened to the challenges of juggling multiple churches and been overwhelmed by the faithfulness of those keeping the show on the road.
I’m also learning that Jesus’ model of relationship building is crucial and is what our communities are crying out for, so I’m excited to see what God has in store for us next.
See also:
