FacebookXFlickrInstagramInstagram

Dave King

Dave King

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Bishops Libby and Malcolm have been reflecting on the gospel readings set for the principal service for the Sundays in Lent.

 

It has been a privilege for +Malcolm and I to engage with others, laity and clergy, on these passages of scripture. We have valued reflecting on our own study and wisdom and sharing what we had heard and taught in services over each weekend. I have appreciated the rich conversation and personal stories being offered as we listen, discuss and pray.

As we heard the story of the first disciples interaction with those around them, we wondered who are ‘Greeks’ among us?

Would they know to come to us if they want to see Jesus? Will they feel able to come to ask us about Jesus?

Perhaps ‘Greeks’ are all and any who are looking, who are seeking understanding. In fact we don’t know what these Greeks wanted Jesus for.

Their seeking may have been shallow or selfish or even harmful. Whatever their motivation this passage helps us to see that all our seeking is only ever a response to God’s first seeking us.

Jesus is God seeking out everyone “I will draw all people to myself”.

We considered who are the people we go to to share in the work of witness, if like Philip, we are approached by someone who wants to know more of Jesus. Who supports us as we share our faith?

We also wondered if we sometimes act as ‘gatekeepers’ to Jesus, putting barriers between those who are seeking and the possibility of meeting Jesus for themselves – in this account, do these enquiring Greeks actually get to see Jesus?

A grain of wheat is still a powerful image that, for example, can offer hope in facing death. We also saw in this the connection with the Eucharist as grains of wheat are given new purpose in the bread that may be broken to feed many.

We recognised that in this passage we have moved into a narrative that is clouded over by Jesus’ approaching passion – knowing what is to come everything we see, heard, felt, in light of knowing what Jesus is choosing to bear for us all. All is now read in the knowledge that Jesus is the grain of wheat that falls to the ground to bring new life and fruitfulness.

We noticed that increasing urgency of this passage, now ... now … now repeated throughout. The voice from heaven speaks and makes engagement immediate. ‘Pay attention, wake up, take notice’ it seems to demand – the hour has come!  

We wondered how that hour which was for for the glory of God connects to my ‘now’ and the ‘now’ of the world today – can our time be ‘this hour’ too?  What is validity of imagining ourselves into this story, and into passion story? If that hour is our hour, how are we to understand letting go of/ hating love of life in this world that we might gain eternal life?

Perhaps that is in partnering with God in what God is doing, for ‘where I am, there will my servant be’. We speak in the church sometimes of ‘finding out with what God is doing and joining in with it’? But does that suggest that God is only at work in some places and not others? How do we inhabit what feels like failure, ‘the way of the cross’, and find God there?

The forces of darkness did ‘win’ Jesus’ death but that was Jesus’ victory. Do we believe God is everywhere at work, even – or especially – in those places that look like failure?

In John’s gospel not always clear when is Jesus speaking and when is John commenting, but at the end of this passage we have an explicit commentary from the evangelist, ‘he said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die’.

Does John mean that Jesus words point to the mechanism of his coming death ie crucifixion by which he would be physically ‘lifted up from the earth’? And/or is John drawing attention to the nature and purpose of Jesus’ death, that it will ‘draw all people to myself’?

As we reflected together for the last time this Lent John had drawn us to a place where we were preparing both to face the terrible practical realities of Jesus suffering, trial and crucifixion – the means of His death, and to consider afresh the implications of Jesus’ sacrifice -what His death means.

 

John 12.20-33

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.

‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say - “Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

A group of walkers from Youlgrave All Saints is embarking on a marathon journey to all of England's 42 Anglican cathedrals to raise £42,000 for improvements to the church.

The self-styled Pommie Pilgrims - named for the sound of the village band - aim to complete a total of 10 million steps on their travels to help fundraise to provide a kitchen, warm space and toilets for Youlgrave’s 12th-Century church.

The journey begins on at 12 noon on Palm Sunday with the start of the first pilgrimage - a three-day walk to Derby with the High Sheriff of Derbyshire, Teresa Peltier, the Youlgrave Silver Band, the WI Choir, a host of village pilgrims and a couple of donkeys!

The Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Elizabeth Fothergill, will also be in attendance to wave them off.

Bishop Libby and Dean Peter will meet the Pommie Pilgrims as they arrive at Derby Cathedral on Tuesday, 26 March.

>> Find out more and make a donation

Revd Adele Barker, Priest-in-Charge of the White Peak and Youlgrave Benefice, said: "We have a beautiful church building and all that is raised will be used to ensure that we can provide a warm welcome and hospitality in All Saints for many more years to come. 

"Our hope to connect Youlgrave with each cathedral in the country via pilgrimage is a huge challenge.

"It will be interesting to hear all the stories that will flow from each journey!"

The dean of each cathedral has been invited to to meet them on their journey.

>> Follow the Pommie Pilgrims on Facebook

A pottery pilgrim’s token, designed by local artist Phil Smith, will be carried and presented to each cathedral forging a permanent link back to Youlgrave.

Revd Cannon Elizabeth Jane Clay MBE, chair of the Pommie Pilgrimage organising group, said: "Ten million steps to connect our village with some of the grandest buildings in the country feels like an impossible task, but one step at a time, together, we’ll get there.

We’re not expecting to raise this amount of money by being sponsored a penny a mile, but if you’re able to spend more than a penny for our loos, please do get in touch!”

All Saint’s Church is a Grade One listed building loved by the villagers of Youlgrave and beyond.

It is a resting place for weary walkers, a classroom and performance space for eager school children, a community foodbank for those in need, a vital community link for the elderly, children and families and a regular place of worship, remembrance and celebration for a whole community.

Many visitors wander in daily and enjoy the calm spirituality of this wonderful building, which features in Simon Jenkins's book ‘England’s Thousand Best Churches’.

Although All Saints has undergone many alterations since its founding in 1155, it will benefit further by the addition of some key amenities to ensure its sustainability and to make it more welcoming.

Bishop Libby is the Holy Week preacher at Derby Cathedral this year.

With the title Readings in St John’s Gospel, Bishop Libby will be giving addresses that will unfold some key passages from St John’s Gospel as we undertake our journey into the death and resurrection of Christ.

Bishop Libby will be preaching at these services:

  • Easter Day at 08:30 – Holy Communion

Access to all the services being streamed can be found here

Everyone is welcome to attend the Holy Week services either in the cathedral itself or online.

The Diocese of Derby has increased its capacity to support PCCs in maintaining and developing their church buildings.

The diocese has secured national funding for a full-time Church Buildings Support Officer, as well as a minor repairs and improvement grant fund totalling around £144,000, over a two-year period.

The funding will be available to parishes to carry out ‘stitch-in-time’ repairs and improvements.

Additionally, all parishes will be given direct access to ChurchGrant funding search software, via a dedicated microsite.

This will allow parishes to identify sources of funding and each parish can attend training webinars regarding fundraising and grant funds. 

There will also be access to specialist advice via a number of free consultations.

Gareth Greenwood has been appointed to the Church Buildings Support Officer role having previously held the part time role of Community Projects Development Officer.

Gareth will work alongside a tranche of parishes with particular needs, identified by the archdeacons.

Will Hagger, Diocesan Secretary, said: “The Derby Diocesan Board of Finance recognises the financial challenge to our parishes of maintaining church buildings.

This new capacity and grant fund will be hugely welcome allowing us to support parishes with their immediate church repair projects.

“In responding to applications for the new fund, among other things, the financial strength, maintenance planning and degree of deprivation of the building’s community, will be taken into account.”

A Buildings for Mission team is being established within the Parish Support Office, which Gareth Greenwood will lead.

This team will include a number of other new nationally-funded roles with a focus on supporting parishes, bringing together the sustainability of church buildings, care of the environment, and Net Zero Carbon projects, alongside faculty advice and administration and pastoral reorganisation.

Information about the criteria and application process will appear on the diocesan website in due course.

The arsenal of diocesan funding now available to support churches with building projects also includes:

  • The Raymond Ross Large Grants Fund, offering parishes the opportunity to develop their local church or church hall. The maximum grant is £25k, with match funding required;
  • The Raymond Ross Small Grants Scheme - £5k to enhance welcome, improve accessibility or to make small but much needed changes to internal areas. No match funding is required;
  • The Bishop of Derby’s St Peter’s Churchyard Fund, a scheme offering interest-free loans.

Details of these schemes can be found at https://derby.anglican.org/funding.

gareth greenwood

 Gareth Greenwood has been appointed Church Buildings Support Officer

Bishops Libby and Malcolm have been reflecting on the gospel readings set for the principal service for the Sundays in Lent.

Lent 4 Reflection

Bishop Malcolm and I were pleased to gather again online with people from across the diocese to study, discuss and pray. We are blessed by the sharing of insight and understanding.

We began by considering how, in scripture, serpents represent all that diminishes and dehumanises us, and all that divides us from God.

We recalled with wonder and thanksgiving that all this Jesus defeats through love on the cross.

We often read and hear John 3.16 as a ‘stand-alone’ verse but ‘God so loved’ is a commentary on the previous verse that looks all the way back to Moses.

We are therefore reminded that Jesus stands in the long story of salvation history: the same God was saving God’s people in the despair of a snake infested wilderness came for our salvation in Jesus.

We reflected a while on the imagery of light and darkness. It is not darkness itself that is evil but actions, behaviours and attitudes that people would ‘hide’.

These verses also gave hope that all evil may be redeemed when it is brought close to Jesus who can transform and forgive, bringing wholeness and forgiveness.

A personal story was shared by a caver remembering an occasion of being trapped underground and the relief of light as a rescuer appeared in darkness.

As we considered the intersection of light and darkness, we referenced the insights from the national church Lent resource ‘Watch and Pray’ which has brought to our attention the risk of unthinkingly equating ‘dark’ with bad and ‘light’ with good as such imagery may feed underlying ethnic prejudices.

We wondered about the benefits of darkness. It is in the dark that restoration and recreation can occur.

The dark can allow space and possibility to abide, to think, to learn, to be changed shielded from unhelpful and distracting stimulation.

We recalled that God’s creativity emerged out of darkness. Bishop Malcolm remembered seeing light shining from windows of churches on gloomy grey Sundays, and offered that as an illustration, week by week, of the continuing draw of God’s love into the communities we are called to witness to and serve.

We noticed how frequently the word ‘world’ appears in this passage. From the start John speaks of the big picture, of the whole world.

As we read John, we think not just of ourself or even of all ourselves but of the whole world beset by ‘darkness’ and beloved by God - all created order not just humanity.

When John writes ‘God so loved the world’ we hear not just that God so loved people but that whole creation.

How might we respond to the challenge to manifest God’s love that isn’t self-concerned?

The image of love as a three-legged race was shared, of love as being completely in step, of matching ourselves to the pace, direction and rhythm of another.

How can we love God by being in step with God’s love for the whole of creation?

It’s too easy to condemn. But Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.

In the television series ‘Rev’, the journey to Easter begins before Christmas when the main character resists a culture of condemnation saying, “I will not do another sermon condemning the secularisation of Christmas”.

It is possible that we can feel closest to God at moments of temptation. Temptation can be vicious tool of Satan to highlight sin and increase guilt and shame that makes us feel not worthy to be close to God.

But this passage reminds us that God does not condemn but draw us to the light.

We pondered the reality that Jesus forsaken on the cross is, in fact, God on the cross. The cross is how God so loved the world.

 

John 3.14-21

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’

 

On Mondays through Lent, +Libby and +Malcolm are hosting online forums to reflect together on the gospel readings set for the principal service of the previous Sunday.

 

Lent 3 Reflection - Monday, 4 March 2024

It continues to be a privilege to gather on Monday mornings and evenings with colleagues, lay and ordained, from across the diocese to study and reflect on the gospel readings set for the previous Sunday.

We moved from Mark’s gospel to John for the 3rd Sunday of Lent. In John’s gospel we recognised that the entirety of Jesus’ ministry is an integrated whole. Even this early teaching, his public ministry and first ‘signs’ directly connect to his passion, crucifixion and resurrection to come. What’s more, all of Jesus ministry arises from Passover as the fulfilment of God’s saving work for all humanity.

We realised in this passage the challenge that we exercise tyranny as well as suffer tyranny. That means the presence of God is not always easy or reassuring to us.

We noticed in the gospel passage, that the disciples remember inherited teaching to understand Jesus better in the aftermath of this occasion. The perspective of a long view enabled them to make better sense of current events. We recognised that again in the commentary that after the resurrection they remember this teaching to understand Jesus better then too. We were encouraged in our own stumbling and evolving understandings of Jesus in reading that it was only after his death and resurrection the disciples, even though they were with him in the moment, began to understand, in retrospect, with hindsight what Jesus meant by ‘this temple’.

We spoke of wanting to connect the disciples experience to our own experience of coming to scripture. We considered how we might encounter Jesus’ life and teaching as if for the first time to discover how to proclaim afresh in this generation the good news of the Kingdom.

We wondered where is ‘gentle Jesus, meek and mild’ in this passage? We recalled the John Bell song, with the words:

Jesus Christ is raging, raging in the streets, where injustice spirals and real hope retreats. Listen, Lord Jesus, I am angry too. In the Kingdom's causes let me rage with you. 
John L. Bell and Graham Maule © 1988 Wild Goose Resource Group, The Iona Community, Glasgow G51 3UU

We found hope in the word’ overturned’ as it suggests that is nothing beyond Jesus’ intervention and transformation. We asked ourselves, therefore, what are the injustices that Jesus would ‘overturn’ today?

We further wondered what is the ‘clutter’, the accumulation of stuff or practice (even that with good intention) that separates us and others from God, that requires Jesus to clear out? It seemed that all the readings (not only this set gospel) of the 3rd Sunday of Lent came together around a theme of not being distracted from God and the need to keep God at the centre. We saw that in the 10 commandments offering framework to keep God’s people’s attention on God and in in Paul’s writing about both the foolishness of world and the trappings of religion distracting us from God.

If Jesus overturned the currency of the temple, it was to replace it with the currency of Kingdom, which is love. We were struck by the evocative language of this passage. In the graphic description we can almost hear the coins scattering, clinking, rolling across the floor. Jesus was pouring away the currency of coins that belong to a regime that took people away from God to replace with the currency of God’s Kingdom values.

 

John 2.13-25

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’

His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the temple of his body.

After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.

On Mondays through Lent, +Libby and +Malcolm are hosting online forums to reflect together on the gospel readings set for the principal service of the previous Sunday.


Mark 8.31-38

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

 

Reflections on the reading from Mark
‘said this all quite openly’, ‘took him aside and began to rebuke him’, ‘called the crows with his disciples and said to them’ - different approaches for different conversations and encounters.
Notice that Peter able to express how he feels clearly – Jesus has created a safe space for questioning and listening, for disagreement as healthy aspect of community.

nb relationship with Peter not undermined (a few days later accompany Jesus at Transfiguration).

Jesus spoke robustly into articulation of misinformation; he broke down tendency towards ‘group think’ and broke open disruptive or damaging discourse in silos or factions = model of Pastoral Principles.

Sometimes see in own circumstances an echo of Peter’s difficulty in accepting situations that don’t match our expectations.

Perhaps Jesus was able to resist temptation to avoid the path to Jerusalem in the context of the community of disciples – so looked to his community to find strength to speak his ‘no’ to Satan.

‘take up your cross’...

Anything that is difficult in life, Anything that I’m disagreed with about
- ‘martyr complex.

But needs to fit with ‘fullness of life’.

Navalny conversion from atheism to Christianity.

Risk of thinking that what we struggle with or that our burdens are doing the work of the cross ie conferring salvation – only Jesus’ death and resurrection has won that.

Nothing we can give to ‘pay for’ our salvation. Jesus making clear, pointing in direction, of what will give life (in all its fullness for eternity) ie his own suffering, death and resurrection.

Bishop Libby and Archdeadon Matthew will each spend a night sleeping rough in support of the YMCA's Sleep Easy campaign.

They are among those who aim to raise awareness of the plight of those who have no home to go to, and to raise funds to support efforts that will enable the YMCA to continue its vital services to those who are facing homelessness in Derby City and Derbyshire.

This year, the local event will take place at the home of Derbyshire Cricket Club on Friday, 8 March, and both Bishop Libby and Archdeacon Matthew will be given a cardboard box to use as shelter for the night.

Bishop Libby, who has taken part in previous Sleep Easy events, said: "I am pleased again to be among those supporting this local charity in raising awareness and much needed funds to tackle homelessness and its long-term impacts.

"We may have an uncomfortable night in many ways, but that in itself gives opportunity to reflect on why we are participating, and experience – just for one night – something of what it is like to be sleeping rough.

"Please do participate in Sleep Easy if you can, either by registering to join the event at the Cricket Ground or safely in your local context as Neil is in Wirksworth (see below).

"And please support the work of Derby YMCA and its partners like the Padley Centre by donating through my JustGiving page and raising awareness.

"Together we can support this vital work being done locally, combat the scourge of homelessness, and offer hope to those who find themselves suffering its impacts and consequences”.

Archdeacon Matthew, taking part in his first Sleep Easy, said: "I actually have very little appetite for sleeping under the stars in this way - but that's the whole point, really!

"For me, it's one night and doing it through choice, whereas every night in Derby and Derbyshire, more than 200 hundred individuals who have temporarily found themselves without a place to live, have no choice but to either turn to the YMCA and the Padley Centre, or sleep rough under cardboard."

Archdeacon Matthew will also be posting on Facebook from the cricket ground during the event.

 

Sleeping in the churchyard

The Revd Neil Griffiths, vicar for the Wirksworth Team Ministry, has also chosen to sleep out for the Sleep Easy campaign.

Before becoming a vicar Neil worked with housing organisations and YMCAs, and longs for a time when no one is homeless or poorly housed.

Neil said: "I will be bedding down in the churchyard at St Mary’s Church in Wirksworth and I hope the weather is as kind as the people who have already donated money."

Chris says God called him to being a churchwarden because of his love of helping other people.


All of us are invited to follow Jesus and to serve God faithfully in our everyday lives, and some people are called to serve God in a specific ministry or role.

If you feel a sense of calling, a nagging voice inside your head, see our Vocations page for information about how to explore what God is calling you to do.

Chris, a church foundation governor at a Derbyshire primary school, tells us about his calling and his involvement with the school.


All of us are invited to follow Jesus and to serve God faithfully in our everyday lives, and some people are called to serve God in a specific ministry or role.

If you feel a sense of calling, a nagging voice inside your head, see our Vocations page for information about how to explore what God is calling you to do.

Page 1 of 43

community of prayer footer sq 1080

deepening your faith footer sq 1080

giving and generosity footer sq 1080

amazing grace logo

Contact and Find Us

Derby Church House

Full Street, Derby DE1 3DR

01332 388650

Email: 

enquiries@derby.anglican.org

Who's who at Derby Church House

Map and parking information

 

FacebookFlickr