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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Organisation

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Email

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submit

 Your message has been received, Thank you

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

>> Click here to make an online donation <<

 With desperate poverty and homelessness severely damaging the life chances of girls in one of the world’s biggest and poorest slum areas, Bishop Libby has launched this year’s Harvest Appeal to raise thousands of pounds towards their housing and basic education.

St Elizabeth’s Hostel in Kolkata, India, is the focus of this year's Harvest Appeal, which will run in parishes and schools throughout the Diocese of Derby from September to the end of December.

The diocese has a long mutual association with the Church of North India, not least through links with schools over many decades.

Drawn from some of the poorest slums in the city, St Elizabeth’s is a refuge for up to 86 girls at any one time.

Sometimes homeless and always underprivileged, the girls at the hostel are provided with accommodation, food, clothing and other basic necessities as well as an education up to Higher Secondary level.

As a result of the pandemic, financial support has either been cut or is at severe risk in what are sometimes considered as low-priority areas, such as girls’ education.

Bishop Libby is determined that the long-term development of girls at St Elizabeth’s should continue.

Education helps them overcome social and financial challenges and to access jobs and income that will enable them to live independently and sustain themselves.

Without the support of St Elizabeth’s, most of the girls would receive no education at all, making it likely they would remain in poverty like many thousands of other girls and vulnerable to exploitation, often by the sex trade.

Bishop Libby said: “Many of these girls come from truly desperate situations, and lacking the basic tools to be able to change that. St Elizabeth’s work is so inspiring – a shining example of our partners in the Church of North India making known the good news of the Kingdom of God.

"The joy and opportunity it brings are clear to see on the faces of these girls, and I know the people of Derbyshire will join with us help us raise the money needed to keep this wonderful institution alive.”

How to donate

Individual online donations

You can make an online donation to the Bishop’s Harvest Appeal at www.justgiving.com/campaign/harvestappeal2021.
There is the option to Gift Aid these donations.

Church and School donations

Where possible, participating churches and schools should send their donations (including any reclaimed Gift Aid) by BACS transfer – details for this transaction are:

Bank account name: Derby Diocesan Board of Finance
Bank account number: 85463671
Sort code number: 60-12-01
Payment Ref: HARVEST2021

When churches / schools send their donation by BACS, please notify us by email to finance@derby.anglican.org and include payment details – (i) date & (ii) amount.
This is important to us, as your email will ensure your donation is identified and a “thank you” will be sent.

Cheques should be made payable to DDBF Ltd and sent to
“The Bishop of Derby’s Harvest Appeal 2021”
c/o Derby Church House
Full Street
Derby
DE1 3DR

A Ray of Hope

Suriya’s mother succumbed to domestic violence and soon afterwards her father left her along with three of her siblings. Her maternal aunts support them financially and their grandmother aids the education of her sister. Residing at the hostel has helped Suriya cope with serious economic problems and the food crisis at home. She responds well in class and has performed well in her exams.

The death of Priyanks’s father left her family in a critical financial position. Her mother struggles to make ends meet by doing housekeeping work but for meagre pay. For monetary reasons her siblings have to reside with her paternal family. Staying at the hostel has affected her positively. She has been able to put aside her past and is doing well in her studies.

KumKum has lived in a rented house with her mother since her father left them when she was only a year and half old. Mother and daughter were under great financial pressure so KumKum decided to enroll herself for boarding. Their lives are still full of struggle but the hostel had been a ray of hope at a time of despair. She is studying well and scoring good grades and some, if not all, of their educational and financial problems have found a solution.

Sonia hails from a Christian family of two elder sisters, mother, father and grandmother. Her mother works at a grocery store which she started during the pandemic. Her father repairs electrical goods and sells religious books at the market. They have had financial troubles for a considerable period but her parents have always supported her and her siblings’ education. She has scored a well-deserving 79.8% in her Madhyamik Exam 2021.

Priya Halder from Bardhhaman never knew her father’s love. Her mother, with the help of St.Thomas’ Home Howrah, kept her in the hostel to pursue her education. Priya is talented in recitation and has come first in a competition organised by the State Government. She was awarded a memento and a book - she has made us proud. She gets financial assistance as girls in the OBC, Minority and scheduled Caste quota receive financial help from the state government.

Thank You in anticipation of your generous support for the Bishop of Derby’s Harvest Appeal 2021

Bishop Libby has been encouraging us all to pray ahead of Sunday's Euro 2020 final between England and Italy.

Over the past few days, Bishop Libby, who is the Church of England's designated bishop for sport, has appeared on BBC East Midlands Today, BBC Radio Derby and BBC Radio 5Live to relect on the tournament and to pray for fairness and respect during England's semi-final match against Denmark and Sunday's final between England and Italy.

(Video courtesy BBC East Midlands Today)

Here is a prayer you can use ahead of Sunday's final:

God of grace and mercy,

for all that gives us joy and offers us hope,

we give you thanks.

We rejoice that we are brought together,

across our rich and vibrant diversity, in celebration and shared experience  -

and we pray the goodness of all that will last long beyond Sunday

(whatever the result).

You know the desires of our hearts,

and we know those hopes are echoed in hearts across Italy,

as they were in Denmark and Spain over these past few days.

And so, as we turn to you again in prayer,

we do not ask for victory (though we are honest in naming that want it) –

rather we ask, one more, that striving for excellence

will be marked by humility and fair play

and rooted in respect for others, on and of the pitch.

May our desire to win not overwhelm our common humanity

and may we, finally, find our hope and peace in you,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

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.

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