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Last modified on Thursday, 14 December 2023 15:37
Last modified on Friday, 03 March 2023 14:54

The Diocese of Derby understands the challenge posed by the energy crisis to our worshipping communities.

We do hope that this overview is useful in terms of offering advice and practical help in meeting this challenge.

The Archdeacons’ Office will coordinate the diocesan response to the energy crisis and distribute further information as it becomes available.

Parishes and worshipping communities are encouraged to contact their archdeacon for support as required.

We know that many of our parishes have already taken steps to mitigate the impact of the energy crisis, so if your parish has a particular story of innovation or creativity in responding to either the energy or cost of living crises, please contact your archdeacon, who can share good practice.

Good ideas from across the diocese will bring encouragement and wisdom.

Jump to: Energy use guidance | Missional guidance

 

Saving Energy and Money

There are a number of cheap or free steps that parishes can take to reduce their energy usage.

Many parishes in the diocese are also exploring the environmental impact of their energy use.

The Cathedral and Church Buildings Division has issued the following guidance:

Download CofE Practical suggestions to help parishes save energy and money [PDF]

 

Energy Use Guidance

National church has identified a number of resources/guides for parishes to help reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

Whilst each church building is different, there may be a number of short to medium term actions PCCs can take that will temper the impact of the high fuel bills you are facing.

Download resources and guides to help reduce energy use and carbon emissions (Appendix 1).

Download a list of practical actions which as a PCC you could go through together, identifying the things that will help in your particular context (Appendix 2). 

Missional Guidance

In the last two years, we have seen a significant shift in the way that we do church. We have adapted to changing circumstances and the Church showed remarkable adaptability and innovation in opening new missional spaces through online church.

This meant those who previously found it difficult to access church now had new ways to be present.

Out of the tragedy of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen the Holy Spirit working through His church to reach out to new people with the love of God.

The energy and cost of living crises present an equal challenge to think more simply, more boldly and humbly as we seek opportunities to be similarly creative in the way that we minister.

We welcome Bishop Libby and Bishop Malcolm’s encouragement to worshipping communities to be creative in how and where they meet as they seek to be Good News for All; to try new things and to stretch into new spaces and communities.

We can think about meeting in different buildings, in different locations and new communities, where local people can more easily access worship and events and where creating warm spaces is easier and more cost effective.

We may find that, in doing so, we are “expanding God’s tent” and sharing the Good News of Jesus in ways that we hadn’t previously considered.

You may wish to consider the following points:

  • Blending the use of your buildings to ensure inherited spaces can be open (warm) and available at key moments of mission (Christmas, etc) whilst at other times using smaller venues.
  • Giving strong consideration to using this opportunity to build ever deeper relationships with Church schools and other community partners. Places that others may actually feel familiar with and more comfortable accessing. By using other community spaces and halls that can be hired more cheaply than the traditional meeting spaces may be heated, the church reduced its costs and carbon footprint whilst forging new partnerships!
  • Using different parts of your building, meeting in core spaces that are easier to heat (side chapels etc).
  • Having the humility to recognise that rather than being a ‘provider’ of warm space that actually the need is to be a ‘recipient’ of the hospitality of others. This may include, sharing spaces with other churches and denominations across parish and community boundaries, using halls and centres that are more modern with more efficient heating systems.

For those anxious about the legality of this permissive thinking, download this guidance on Canon B40 (Appendix 3)

 

Temporary Closure of Church Buildings due to Cold Weather

Parishes faced with significantly higher energy bills may wish to explore alternative venues for worship during the coldest months ahead.

Moving worship away from the church building may be a wise, economically expedient, even missional step, but requires careful consideration by PCCs.

Legal, pastoral, missional and reputational issues affect the moving of worship away from church buildings either wholly or in part.

The Archdeacons, Bishops Office, and, Registrar have produced a guidance note and application form to be completed when parishes are considering moving worship to a non-church building.

For a pre-application conversation or to apply for the necessary permissions, please contact your Archdeacon.

Temporary closure of church buildings due to cold weather [PDF]

Application for temporary closure of church building [MS Word]

 

Warm Hubs

If your parish is operating a Warm Hub in response to the energy crisis, you can register your hub at www.warmwelcome.uk to enable visitors to their website to locate local warm hubs.

Warm Welcome have also produced some helpful resources for churches planning to offer a warm hub.

Warm welcome step-by-sep guide [PDF]

 

Last modified on Monday, 30 October 2023 12:48

These are the dates booked for the annual clergy conference, which takes place at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire.

 

Monday 16 - to Wednesday 19 October 2023.

 

>> Visit the Clergy Conference website 

Last modified on Tuesday, 11 July 2023 13:31

Licensed Lay Ministers (Readers) are not ordained, but are licenced by the bishop to lead worship, helping to enable people to recognise Christ's presence in every community.

They do this both inside and outside the existing Church by:

  • Explaining the Christian faith
  • Responding pastorally to need
  • Being role models for, and fellow disciples with, people seeking to live out the Christian gospel in today’s world

The role is often described as ‘theologically educated and culturally engaged.’

Readers were first used in the 19th Century, when there was a massive increase in the population of England.

In response the Victorians built lots of churches and then had to work out how to respond to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the people who flocked to them, as well as their expectations for well-led services.

Part of the answer was to licence a group of lay people to work with the clergy.

They were called “Readers” because one of their more obvious jobs was to read out loud Morning and Evening Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, so that congregations could join in.

Readers come from all walks of life.

There are currently around 130 readers (licenced and with Permission to Officiate) involved in mission and ministry around the Diocese of Derby.

Some are involved in chaplaincy in schools, prisons, workplaces and hospitals, some are involved in community development work and some are involved in teaching in the parish and leading worship.

All Readers in the diocese are licenced to a parish or benefice to enable them to have direct relationships of accountability and support.

However, this doesn’t mean that they are restricted to working within one parish or the work that the parish or benefice is already doing.

Many readers initiate new pieces of work and projects formed out of their relationships with ordinary people going about their everyday lives.

To support and enable LLM (Readers) in mission and ministry, the Diocese provides pastoral support and care for them, email update, a programme of learning opportunities and various social events. 

More information can be found on the Central Readers Council Website, Transforming Ministry: Home - Transforming Ministry Magazine

Last modified on Wednesday, 04 October 2023 16:42

Fees Table 2022 (locally agreed) 

Parochial Fees Guidance 2022 (locally revised) 

Last modified on Monday, 09 May 2022 13:18

This fund offers parishes an exciting opportunity to develop their local church or hall premises, making them more community and mission shaped, and accessible to people of all ages and abilities.

Your project needs to meet outcomes which achieve and support mission, community or growth. A preference will be given to applications from parishes in deprived areas of the Diocese. The maximum grant available will be £25,000 and requires match funding. Parishes will be required to take up grants within two years of a successful application. 

The fund is not available for maintenance or repair and cannopt be applied for retrospectively.

To dowbload the fund criteria and general information click HERE

To download an an application Form click HERE

Applications will be assessed by the Business Committee on a quarterly basis. 

Deadlines for the first half of 2024 are as follows:

Monday 8th April - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 25th April

Monday 8th July - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 25th July

 

For any further information about applying for the Raymond Ross Large Grants, email: gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org or call on 01332 338690 (Mondays/Tuesdays)

Last modified on Tuesday, 02 January 2024 11:07

This new £100k fund is aimed at supporting local congregations to act with a generous faith, through engaging with and embracing the communities they seek to serve. The Diocesan Vision encourages us to be outward facing, rooted in and connected to our communities.

There is an expectation that parishes will work in partnership and create networks for the common good, with particular care for the marginalised and vulnerable. The projects this fund is seeking to support are those which see the church proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom in word and action. The church needs to be good news for all, and this means projects that look to include and/or partner with, other groups or individuals in the host community, demonstrating meaningful and open engagement with those who have had little or no contact with the congregation.

The Diocese wishes to particularly encourage churches to reach out to those who have not considered the church community as a group to which they can relate. Projects that build on the notion of tolerance, reconciliation and friendship will be of particular interest, as will projects that clearly demonstrate the key characteristic of outward-facing generosity, impacting the world for good​.

You can apply for up to £2000 without match funding required. Further information, criteria and application forms can be downloaded here or requested from the Community Project Development Officer, Gareth Greenwood by email at gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org

 

Deadlines for the first half of 2024 are as follows:

Deadlines for the first half of 2024 are as follows:

Monday 26th February - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 14th March

Monday 8th April - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 25th April

Monday 27th May - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 13th June

Monday 8th July - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 25th July

 

For any further information about applying for the Building Community Fund, email: gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org or call on 01332338690 (Mondays/Tuesdays)

 

 

You can download the application form and criteria here

Last modified on Tuesday, 02 January 2024 11:02

Do you have a small church project that could have a big impact?

Are you looking for a relatively small grant that requires no match funding?

If so, this could be just right for you; £5,000 to fund small but not insignificant capital projects that will generate outcomes which achieve and support mission, community or growth.

There are always good ideas on the boil to enhance welcome, improve accessibility, or perhaps to make small but much needed changes to internal areas. So now is the time to make a significant impact through a small change.

Details, including a full list of criteria and downloadable application form, are available below.

If you are successful, you will be expected to draw on the grant within 12 months.

Applications will be considered by Business Committee at their monthly meetings.

 

Deadlines for the first half of 2024

Monday 26th February - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 14th March

Monday 8th April - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 25th April

Monday 27th May - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 13th June

Monday 8th July - signed application and supporting documents to Gareth Greenwood at Church House (or scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 25th July

 

For any further information about applying for the Raymond Ross Large Grants email: gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org or call on 01332338690 (Mondays/Tuesdays)

 

Download information and criteria here

Download Application Form here

Last modified on Tuesday, 02 January 2024 11:06

How your church can start taking card payments!

As fewer people carry cash, it’s becoming increasingly important for parishes to look at alternative ways to receive payments and donations.

There’s a new category on the Parish Buying website to help churches consider the different types of reader for contactless and chip and pin card payments.  

Alongside small hand-held card readers (which cost as little as £19 each) there now are more sophisticated self-service donation units available for churches to buy.

To find out more visit www.parishbuying.org.uk/contactless

 

>> Churches that have trialled a digital collection box have reported a 97% increase in donations! Read more (from BBC News)

 

How can my Church start taking card payments? card reader cathedral crop

Watch this short video from the National Stewardship Team: https://vimeo.com/album/5118798/video/265190588

How do I download an app to use my card reader?

Watch this short video from the National Stewardship Team: https://vimeo.com/album/5118798/video/265198072

Why should I set up products?

Watch this short video from the National Stewardship Team: https://vimeo.com/album/5118798/video/265201230

How do I claim Gift Aid on a card donation?

Watch this short video from the National Stewardship Team: https://vimeo.com/album/5118798/video/264576213

 

>> See also: Parish Giving Scheme

 

Last modified on Friday, 22 February 2019 09:47

Resourcing God's mission in our parishes

"Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" James 1:17

As we learn to live with Covid-19 and build back following the struggles we faced with the pandemic,
we fully understand that live in challenging times.

As a diocese, we want to assure you that we will continue to support you in any way we can,
in particular with the financial constraints many face in parishes.

 

 

See also:

>> On the money On the money is a new publication explaining diocesan finances. Please take a look.

>> The Parish Giving Scheme

Last modified on Tuesday, 28 November 2023 10:04

The Church of England takes its responsibility to select and train readers very seriously.

You may be called to become a Licensed Lay Minster (Reader).

An reader is a lay person who, following a call from God, is trained and licensed by the Anglican Church to teach the faith, enable mission and lead in church and society.

Readers are uniquely equipped to enable Christians to live out their Christian faith in the places where they spend the majority of their time.

As people who daily move between the worlds of work, home, social networks and church, readers can teach the faith and play a part in leadership such that all God’s people grow in confident and humble witness to God’s kingdom.

This ministry involves working together with an incumbent.

It can also include pastoral care, funeral ministry, and involvement in many other aspects of leadership in church and society – it now encompasses just about every area of ministry in the church apart from ordination! Watch the short video below to see how some LLM(R)s are living out their ministry (the last one, Emily, is from our Diocese).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqYC20Dtgwo&t=31s

If you feel you'd like to explore a calling to reader ministry please hop over to our dedicated reader training course website here or contact Revd Dawn Glen (dawn.glen@derby.anglican.org) for more details.

Once training begins, students go on placement in their home parish and their incumbent is expected to offer appropriate supervision and opportunity to develop new skills, preach and take part in leading worship. 

Students also do an external placement in a different setting.

For further informaiton, please contact Revd Dawn Glen - dawn.glen@derby.anglican.org or visit www.discipleship-training.org.

Last modified on Wednesday, 04 October 2023 16:39
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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

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