People from all over the Diocese of Derby have been presented with their Bishop's Badge in celebration of their lay ministry.

Bishop Libby presented the badges at a special service in Derby Cathedral, and online to those joining the service from home.

The badges recognise the distinguished service and dedication of many individuals contributing to the mission of the Church.

A number of awards were made to celebrate mission and innovation whilst others were presented to recognise long service.

>> See photos from the Bishop's Badge service [on Flickr]

Awards for Mission and Innovation

Paul Black - St John the Baptist, Tideswell

Nigel Brown - St. Mary's, Marston on Dove

Angela Cope - St Thomas, Somercotes

Mark Depiedge - St Thomas, Brampton

Sarah Johnson - The BMO of The Journey Community, St Osmund's Parish, Wilmortion

Sara Krohl - St Werburgh, Spondon

Lorraine and Simon Marrow - Buxton Team Parish

Janet Micklewright - All Saints' with St Mary's Sawley (and long service)

Katrina Pargma - The BMO of The Journey Community. St Osmund's Parish, Wilmorton

Nick Roberts - St Peter and St Paul, Old Brampton

Tim Scott - The BMO for The Journey Community in St Osmand's parish, Wilmorton

Leon Shufflebotham - St George the Martyr, New Mills

Susan Silcock - Kirk Langley, Mackworth and Mugginton

Christine Tilbrook - St Giles, Killamarsh

Julie Ann Tilbrook - St Giles, Killamarsh

Awards for Long Service

Meleta Barlow - Charlesworth with Gamesly

Pauline Boon - Buxton Team Parish

Marylyn Bryan - St James Codnor

Sylvia Bunting - St Mary's Cromford

Barbara Buxton - St Osmund Wilmorton

Barrie Clayton - Charlesworth with Gamesley

Maggie Davis - Buxton Team Parish

David Gardner - Wallbrook Epiphany

Lawrence Green - St. Mary in the United Benefice of Calow with Sutton-cum-Duckmanton

Mille Guthrie - St Thomas, Brampton

Sheila Harper - Oakwood

Christine Hill - St Michael and All Angels Brimington

Paul Hunter - Holy Trinity, Matlock Bath

Ena Johnson - Newbold with Dunston

Vicks Keane - St Helen's, Etwall

Robin Lacey - St Michael and All Angels

Evelyn Lowe - Newbold with Durston

Gay Lowe - St John the Baptist, Croxall

Peter Lowe - St John the Baptist, Croxall

Janet Mowman - St Osmund, Wilmorton

Lesley Mundy - St Andrew's, Hadfield

Beryl Murdy - Marlpool

Diane Peet - Stanton In Peak

Douglas Poole - Derby Cathedral

John Roberts - Hadfield

Peter Robinson - St John the Baptist, Tideswell

Helen Smart - St Mark's, Winshill

Hilary Smith - All Saints, Hatton

Arthur Stamper - Clowne

Barbara Stringer -  St Peter and St Paul, Old Brampton

Marion Tauibut - St Alkmund's, Duffield

Paul Taylor - Buxton Team Parish

Ruth Taylor - St Margaret's, Tideswell

Josephine Vallence - St Clement's, Horsley

Calow with Sutton-cum-Duckmanton

Protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults is the responsibility of us all, whether they are in the communities in which we live or part of our Christian family.

If you have a concern about a child, young person or adult who may be at risk of harm please speak to one of the parish safeguarding coordinators or the priest within the parish.

If you have concerns about a member of the clergy or an employee of the diocese please contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser on 01332 388678 or one of the archdeacons.

You can also report any concerns to the Police or Social Care.

The important thing is that your concerns are shared with someone in a position to help.

To report a safeguarding concern to the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, Hannah Hogg, please complete the form below.

Safeguarding Concern Form

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Dr Alison Brown explains how church schools came about and what they are.

Have you thought about becoming a churchwarden? This video tells five things you need to know in 30 seconds.

More learning for churchwardens

Learning in Faith Bitesize is a new way for you to learn from the Diocese of Derby at home.

These bitesize courses and videos can typically be done in half an hour or less using nothing more than your computer, tablet or phone.

Choose your learning category

Watch the video to find out more about learning in Faith | Bitesize.

Bishop Libby has ordained 15 new deacons and eight new priests in the Petertide ordination services at Derby Cathedral.

>> See photos from the ordinations of deacons (on Flickr)

>> See photos from the ordinations of priests (on Flickr)

>> Meet the new deacons

Those ordained deacon were:

Becky Reeve (Walbrook Epiphany Team Ministry)
Bex Allpress (Swadlincote & Hartshorne, Newhall & Gresley)
Charlotte Wallington (Hathersage with Bamford & Derwent, & Grindleford)
Chris Nowak (Whitfield)
Ellie Launders-Brown (East Scarsdale Team Ministry)
Gill Ball (Newbold)
James Lee (Stanton-by-Dale with Dale Abbey & Risle
Jeff Golding (St Werburgh BMO, Derby)
John Ferguson (St Barnabas, Derby)
Julius Anozie (St Mary, Ilkeston & St John Ilkeston)
Melanie Hartley (Baslow & Eyam)
Mike Fitzsimmons (Barlborough & Clowne)
Nick Parish (St Peter & Christ Church with Holy Trinity, Derby)
Rachel Burdett (Christ Church, Belper with Turnditch)
Sam Dennis (All Saints, Sawley)

and those ordained priest were: 

Alan Winfield (Melbourne, Ticknall, Smisby & Stanton-by-Bridge)
Catrin Hubbard (Buxton with Burbage & King Sterndale Team Ministry)
Kate Smedley (St Werburgh, Spondon)
Malcolm Pyatt (Brimington)
Nicola McNally (Tideswell)
Rachael Brooks (Littleover and Blagreaves)
Sandra Till (Alvaston)
Sharon Murphy (Derwent Oak BMO)

Our Christian life is so much more than how we gather together on Sunday.

We are Christians in our working lives, as nurses, students, hairdressers, engineers, carers, managers, bus drivers, volunteers... We are Christians in our homes and families, as parents, grandparents, children, friends and neighbours.

We are Christians as we do the weekly shop, walk the dog, work out at the gym, do the school run, meet with book club, play football and go to the pub.

We are Christians whoever and wherever we are - that is Everyday Faith - and this series of videos will explore how faith helps ordinary people in their ordinary, everyday lives.

• Download the new Everyday Faith app: Google Play |  App Store

Watch the Everyday Faith videos

What's your story?

In the Diocese of Derby, we are asking people to share their Everyday stories - we would love to hear stories of people’s real lives, the impact that faith has on who they are and what they do and how churches support them as they live out their faith.

We want to hear stories from people of all ages and backgrounds - sharing your story of how your faith helps you in your daily life helps inspire, encourage and reassure others.

To share your story, drop us a line at ideas@derby.anglican.org

Let’s all get talking about our Everyday Faith!

Everyday Faith is about enabling the whole people of God to live out the Good News of Jesus confidently in the whole of life, Sunday to Saturday.

The 2017 Church of England Report Setting God’s People Free highlighted that 98% of the Church is lay rather than ordained and that these everyday followers spend 95% of their time outside of church activities.

The Church of England has undertaken a concerted effort to adapt and change our culture of ‘doing church’ in order to release fresh imagination and energy for ‘being Church.’

Across the country, hundreds of worshipping communities have been trying out various ways to achieve this culture shift, focussing on what makes a real difference in supporting an everyday faith in people’s everyday lives.

You can also find out more on the Church of England's Everyday Faith pages: https://www.churchofengland.org/our-faith/everyday-faith

Learn to be a blessing to each other and to grow and nurture each other in our faith

Bex Allpress: ordained deacon in June 2021 - to be ordained priest in July 2022

My name is Bex and I will be serving as a curate across four parish churches within Swadlincote Minster:

• Emmanuel Church, in the Parish of Swadlincote
• Saint Peter’s Church, in the Parish of Hartshorne
• Saint John’s Church, in the Parish of Newhall and…
• Saint George and Saint Mary’s Church in the Parish of Church Gresley.

During my curacy placement, I will have plenty of opportunities to work with lots of people, from across all four parish churches, as part of a dynamic ministry team within the minster.

I am excited to be serving and learning within existing and new forms of ministry within the Swadlincote area, sharing my vocational journey alongside others who are realising their own.

Thankfully I am not an entire stranger to the minster having been on placement here over the last two years during my training for ordained ministry with Saint Mellitus College.

During my training I have had the chance to be involved with aspects of ministry across the Swadlincote area which has helped to form a platform on which to grow during my time here as a curate.

Prior to working in ministry, I worked for 15 years in the National Health Service across a variety of surgical specialities within the operating departments.

Despite sounding gruesome, it was a really engaging career where I gained plenty of experience across life matters.

Although I have some fond memories, I felt God was calling me to explore working further within full time ministry.

My journey in the Christian faith began when I was only three years old attending Sunday school on a regular basis at my local parish church in Derbyshire.

From the age of 14, I then began volunteering as a Sunday school teacher until at 18 years old I left to study at university in Wales.

It was in Wales that I met my husband and after eight years we moved back to Derbyshire.

Only after we moved back did I feel God was drawing me to be more involved once more within the church.

I began helping as a leader within our local church parent and toddler group and when I had to give this up due to changes at work, I first thought that my sense of calling was a call to return back to continue serving this group.

Despite a lengthy discernment process, I realised that God has His timings in hand because the year I was ready to begin formal ordination training was the same year that the new St. Mellitus College opened in Nottingham.

I was super excited to begin my training there and have the privilege of being the first ordinand from Derby to train with them.

My journey is probably one best described as being quite ordinary but filled with extra-ordinary moments.

As for me, I have just this year decided to have a go at growing my own vegetables.

It’s something that I’ve never done before so everything is a learning journey to see what takes well and what doesn’t.

I recently harvested my first crop of potatoes and, although they were smaller than expected, they still tasted delicious!

Favourite Bible Message: When it comes to having favourite bible messages, the importance for me is that the messages speak something significant into the way we live our lives. There are three Bible messages that I incorporate daily into my life. The first of these is taken from Matthew 22:37-40. In this message, Jesus shares with us the two most important rules for living well; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself”. Two very simple rules for living a healthy and active faith, love God and love those around you. From these two simple rules flows God’s transformative power into our lives and into the world. As we start to see positive transformations, we become more attuned to the various gifts and talents that God blesses us all with. We must recognise how these gifts are to be used to help each other in our discipleship journey’s and how we must support and encourage each other, through the good times and in the pain of life. The Apostle Paul reflects on this in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 and 12:14 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone…Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many” and in Romans 12:15-16 when he says that as a community of disciples we must “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep (and) live in harmony with one another”.

In summary; To learn to be a blessing to each other and to grow and nurture each other in our faith, requires loving God, loving each other, recognising what each of us has to contribute to one another and finding strength in a community who endeavour together through each season in life. That’s my take-home message for effective everyday living in Christian faith which I draw upon daily for inspiration.

God put it on our hearts to explore Derby

Jeff Golding: ordained deacon in June 2021 - to be ordained priest in July 2022

My name is Jeff Golding, I am married to Kim, and we have two children, Phoebe (3) and Jesse(1).

I grew up in South East London but have spent the last three years in Cambridge, studying at Ridley Hall.

My family was non-religious when I was growing up (although most have come to faith now).

I came to faith when I was 18 years old.

My faith journey started when I was ten when I was diagnosed with cancer.

Although I had no idea who God was, it was the beginning of thinking about whether there was more to life.

However, after several years of being in remission, at 18, I had a second cancer scare.

Fortunately, it was not cancer this time, but I nonetheless found Jesus in this experience.

At my baptism, someone prophesied that I would one day be “wearing a dog collar!”

I placed these words on the back burner and decided to study computer animation at university.

After completing my studies, I went on to do many jobs, including youth work for my local council and my church.

However, training for ordained ministry never disappeared.

When I was in my late twenties, while I was a pen salesman (I sold really posh fountain pens!), God brought this calling to the forefront.

After getting through my BAP, my wife and I packed up and moved to Cambridge with a two-month old baby.

Although we always intended to return to our sending diocese, God put it on our hearts to explore Derby.

After several months of praying and listening, we knew this was where God was calling us.

We are so excited to be moving to Derby and being part of what God is doing in the East Midlands, seeing the Kingdom grow, and seeing people’s lives transformed by God.

Looking after two little children have meant some of my hobbies have taken a back seat.

However, I still really enjoy cooking a delicious curry for new and old friends, cosying up on the sofa with a good boxset, and chilling in coffee shops talking about life with friends.

Favourite Bible verse - Matthew 14:22-31, where Jesus calls Peter to walk to Him on the water. It reminds me of Jesus’ call for all of us to a life of water-walking. However, stepping out ofthe boat is often scary, but we must “take courage!” and trust that Jesus is always there,whatever we might face.

Favourite song: “Oceans” by Hillsong, because it encapsulates my call to ordination.