The carol ‘It came upon a midnight clear’ is not my favourite, but two of its lines always jump out at me.

The first is the reference to John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ – where  Milton’s ‘wandering steps and slow’ in the carol become the ‘painful steps and slow’ of humanity struggling under ‘life’s crushing load’ along a ‘climbing way’. 

For many that’s just how they will be feeling as this Christmas approaches.

Whether it’s personal problems, local, national or global politics, whether it’s the cruelties of war in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa, or whether it’s our painfully slow response to the climate emergency, we feel ill-equipped to face such challenges.

None of us as individuals, and none of our national or global institutions – including the church – seem up to the job. 

But it’s a different line of the carol that intrigues me most, from the first verse of the carol ‘the world in solemn stillness lay’.

It is that sense of waiting, of longing, longing for a story to be told and a song to be sung that cannot come from inside ourselves, but which, once heard, we find irresistible.

Those three words stand out – world – solemn – stillness: 

This ‘world’ – reality as we know it is a planet set in one huge galaxy within an expanding universe 15 billion years old, where against extraordinary odds life came to be, evolving over time to produce humans capable of researching and reflecting on the meaning of existence.

It is a world of intricate beauty and variety, nature terrifying in its capacity both for destruction and for renewal.

This same real world we know as the place of our human struggle – and it is the world which ‘God so loved’ that he ‘sent his only begotten Son.’ (John 3.16)

John unfolds the astonishing mystery that the very sense and meaning of this vast universe is fully expressed in the one born in Bethlehem and crucified at Calvary. The Word, the one who gives meaning to it all, made flesh, made accessible, recognisable to us. One of us. One with us. 

Solemnity follows. ‘The world in solemn stillness lay….’  For all the welcome festive jollification of food and drink and presents and merriment, the incarnation of the word of God is serious stuff.

Our journey through Advent helps us explore some solemn themes – not least the four last things, Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. Change the language if we must, but these themes serve as the writing on the wall to much of our way of life. ‘Weighed in the balance and found wanting’ (Daniel 5.27) is not a text with which to point the finger at others, it stands as a warning to ourselves.

We could and should be better than we are.

And if the future is to be better, so we must be.

The solemn truth is that in Jesus God did not reach out from afar to touch the world to make it better, he became one of us, ‘making himself nothing, taking the form of a servant.’ (Philippians 2.7)

Let’s not bypass the solemnity of Advent. 

Then, at last, comes ‘stillness’. 

Not a soporific stillness, but the stillness of waiting in anticipation.

Alert.

This is how we are to await the song of God’s love, the song of the angels.

It is an uncomfortable waiting, because we know we are not ready.

And we know that however much we know already, there is so much more to be discovered, so much more to learn.

When I pray, it is when the words and busy thoughts give way to this stillness that I know God is doing what only God can do. On God alone my soul in stillness waits…. (Psalm 62.1)

Rowan Williams writes in his book ‘Being Disciples’ about how birdwatching is a bit like prayer.

A twitcher will watch and wait in stillness for that ‘Kingfisher moment’ when a glorious flash of blue and orange shoots by.

Such are those moments when we begin to see and know and love the God who always sees and knows and loves us.

So worth waiting for. 

I waited recently not to see a Kingfisher, but a Bittern – rarer still, but spectacular not for its outstanding colours, but for the camouflage that makes it almost invisible amongst the reedbeds.

Hiding in plain sight.  

Open our eyes, O Lord, that we may see the wonders of your love. Amen. 

Archdeacon Nicky preached at the Safeguarding Sunday service at Ashbourne on Sunday 18 November 2024

As we gather here today on this Safeguarding Sunday, our hearts and minds can’t help but be troubled and heavy in the light of the findings of the Makin Report.  We are shocked and disturbed by the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth. We are ashamed of the institutional failures of the Church of England and many of its senior clergy.

 As Archbishop Justin has resigned and prepares to step down, we can’t help but wonder what comes next? How will we continue to learn from the mistakes of the past?  What might the future of the Church look like?

 The prophet Jeremiah tells us that God’s plan is always to give us a future and a hope. The two Bible readings we’ve read today help us to think about what that future and that hope might look like and how we might contribute to bringing God’s plans and purposes to fruition.

God’s desire is that all people might know his love and come to live within his kingdom. The kingdom of God which is good news for all. The way into that kingdom is open for all who will enter by putting their faith and trust in Jesus, the one who died that we might have life. 

In our liturgy, we sometimes talk about Jesus’ death as opening his arms for us upon the cross – a gesture of welcome, invitation and drawing us in. When you watch a priest presiding at the eucharist, the sleeves of our vestments look very much like wings. That is imagery which the psalmist picks up in our first reading today, Psalm 91:1-4.

God offers us the opportunity to live within his kingdom, to find shelter under his protection. To lean upon his strength, and rest in the shadow of his wings, to be truly and deeply safe and secure. God’s kingdom sets us free from anything that would enslave us as God’s perfect love casts out our fear and helps us grow into wholeness and fullness of life. God’s desire for us is that we will flourish and thrive and become the people we were created to be.

Our Diocesan Vision is nothing less than a vision of the kingdom of God. In our different roles and responsibilities, we are seeking to be good news for all the people God sends our way. In all our churches across the diocese, we are creating safe spaces where people can flourish and thrive and live out their God-given calling. Knowing that we are loved beyond measure by God in Christ, we are learning to love without measure or restraint.

As we reflect on the faithfulness of God and remember with gratitude all he has done for us, our love for him grows, our relationship with him deepens and that love overflows into service of our local contexts. And when we see things around us that are not how God wants them to be we try and find a way to speak out and challenge injustice. And as we do that, other people are impacted and affected and we pray that as they encounter Christ in us and between us and through us, that they too will become disciples and their lives are transformed by Christ.

Today as we gather, it is good to remember that the work we do in safeguarding is absolutely central to all we are and do and to helping our churches reflect the life, values and vision of God’s kingdom. 

Thank you for the part that you are playing. It is good that our amazing safeguarding team are here today and we thank God for the faithful and diligent way in which they serve us. But, as we all know, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility- though without some really committed volunteers who are willing to devote their time, energy and focus their ministry around this area, our churches would be less safe and people would be at risk.  

The work that our churches are doing in safeguarding is often unseen and unnoticed. No-one knows how much time is spent updating Parish dashboards. No-one (other than our trainer Nick Harding) sees the thousands of individuals sitting on their laptops completing their training. No-one is there in the middle of the night when you can’t get to sleep because something traumatic has occurred and you’ve been part of the Case Management Meeting trying to find ways of moving forward. 

But God sees all those things. His arms of love surround and enfold you, his wings are spread over you giving you protection and shade. His strength helps you to stand and be strong. He catches your tears in a bottle and treasures it for ever. So you are never on your own – God is always with you and has promised to never leave or forsake you. His grace is sufficient, his power is perfected in weakness and his mercies are new every morning for great is his faithfulness.  And can I encourage you to allow our Safeguarding team to help and support you too for that is what they are there for. And as well as that professional help and support, can I encourage you to offer peer support to one another through the PSO network and make the most of the resources available to you.

Part of being human is accepting that no-one is perfect, we are all fallen, we all make mistakes, we all need help and we all need God’s forgiveness. As we remember with gratitude all who work within our churches supporting the work of Safeguarding, we pray for the ways in which we as individuals, and our Church as an institution, has failed in our duty to protect people.  And failed in our calling to love as we have been loved and provide a safe place for all to thrive. We need to learn from those failures and do everything in our power to move forward in the way God wants us to be.

For those who have been the cause of pain, we pray that the love of God will show them the error of their ways and grant them the grace to repent and change, and opportunities to atone and make amends, where that is appropriate and possible. And for all perpetrators we ask that God will convict them of their sin and change their hearts. 

And as we close, I invite you to hold before God all survivors and especially those who have suffered as a result of the failings of our Church. Each one is a unique individual made in God’s image, known and loved by God, infinitely precious and treasured by him. Let us commit ourselves to praying for them, for their healing and protection and that they might encounter the love of God and find safety in the shadow of his wings. 

 A statement from the Right Reverend Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby, following the resignation of Archbishop Justin Welby:

The victims and survivors of abuse will have suffered unimaginable distress at the findings of the Makin Report, and I want to convey my thanks for their bravery in telling their stories.

I also commend Archbishop Justin for his honourable decision to take both personal and institutional responsibility for the failings described in the report.

The Church of England has made a commitment to safeguarding, to creating a safer Church, and to learning from the Makin Report - and the Diocese of Derby and I echo those commitments wholeheartedly.

We will continue to put victims and survivors of abuse first and to prioritise their care.

We will continue to work together with survivors to build a safer Church in which they, and anyone who has suffered as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, receive the support they need and deserve.

It must also be a church where, collectively, we promote a culture in which victims are heard and responded to well, and children and other vulnerable people can know that they are protected and safe. That is the responsibility of us all.

Please pray for all those who have been harmed, for Archbishop Justin and for the wider Church that it may truly become a place of welcome, compassion and safety.

 >> Read Justin Welby's resignation statement in full

>> A sermon for Safeguarding Sunday (Archdeacon Matthew Trick)

>> A sermon for Safeguarding Sunday (Archdeaon Nicky Fenton)

The Diocese of Derby has a new gold Eco Church, and new silver and bronze awards were awarded to a number of parishes over the summer months.

St Peter's Church in Belper is the second recipient of the gold award in the diocese.

Achieving gold means that creation care is embedded in the life of a church for the long term.

To achieve this, churches must reach a gold level across all five categories of the Eco Church survey (worship and teaching, buildings, land, community and global engagement, and lifestyle) and showcase their activities by presenting supporting evidence. 

A spokesperson from A Rocha, the Eco Church scheme organisers, said: "Well done to everyone who has worked so hard to reach this milestone.

"Thank you for becoming a beacon for saving nature, for joining A Rocha UK’s Eco Church movement and for answering the missional call for creation.

"And thank you on behalf of the insects that are now buzzing, the birds that are singing, and the plants that are springing into life."

 Silver Eco Church awards have been made to:

• Chaddesden St Philip
• Matlock Bath Holy Trinity
• Kniveton St Michael and All Angels

And bronze has been awarded to:

• Newbold St John the Evangelist
• North Wingfield St Lawrence
• Chesterfield Ss Augustine
• Etwall St Helen
• Old Brampton St Peter and St Paul
• Dinting Vale Holy Trinity
• Sutton on the Hill St Michael
• Derby St Peter (St Peter's in the City)

The Diocese of Derby has also been awarded bronze Eco Diocese status and provides a framework to support parishes in taking practical action to care for God’s earth.

On hearing of the awards, Bishop Libby said: "It is heartwarming and incredibly encouraging that more and more churches in the Diocese of Derby are demonstrating their commitment to caring for God's creation and inspiring others to follow their lead.

"All these individual actions, be they small or large, collectively make a positive difference to the local environment and, ultimately, to the planet."

• Start your Eco Church journey here

Churches in the Diocese of Derby that have tried contactless giving have hailed the devices a success.

Contactless giving has become an important tool for encouraging generosity within parishes and, to help parishes understand the advantages, the Church of England’s National Giving Team distributed 50 free contactless devices to parishes in the Diocese of Derby, thereby facilitating easier giving in an increasingly cashless society.

The devices - essentially simple card readers - allow visitors and congregation members to make donations effortlessly during services, weddings, christenings, and even quiet moments of reflection in the church.

This is particularly relevant as fewer people these days are carrying cash.

One church to try contactless giving is Horsley St Clements, which installed a card reader in August 2024.

The church reported that income soon increased considerably and that more than £300.00 was donated in September - money that the church says would not have been received without the device.

Many churches in the UK are adopting cashless methods to encourage spontaneous donations, especially from visitors or infrequent attendees who are inclined to give but want to pay digitally.

This has led to the launch of a Try-Before-You-Buy scheme, whereby a church can use a contactless donation device to assess how it may work in its own church context without the risk of capital outlay.

•  Find out more about digital giving

Making it easy for people to give

Steve Johnson, the Diocese of Derby's Living Generously Adviser, has been a key figure in this initiative.

He said: "What we have to do is lower barriers to participation and engagement in church life, making the church more accessible and appealing to the broader community.

"The Diocese of Derby has embraced this as part of efforts to make giving easier, more convenient, and aligned with today's digital habits."

St Bartholomew’s Church, Hognaston, used the Try-Before-You-Buy option.

Treasurer Kay Wright said: "Our village church installed a contactless giving station in June this year.

"Within the first three months we collected £280.

"Whilst a portion of this may have been cash in the collection plate, it has made it so much easier for our congregation and visitors too!"

And Revd Sarah Watson, Derby City's area dean and priest-in-charge in Allestree, Quarndon and Darley Abbey, said: "Steve has been a tremendous support to our parishes giving his time & expertise which has really helped.

"The CollecTin trial led to us purchasing one. Increasingly people give and spend by phone or contactless card  which can be (but not exclusively) generational and younger visitors have especially commented favourably."

The benefits of contactless giving are that congregations and visitors can give easily, without needing to carry cash, and that they can give quickly via card or mobile.

This in turn makes it easier for both the church and donors to keep track of the funds and churches are reporting higher donation amounts.

And St Werb's in Derby has reported that the advantages have gone beyond occasional giving.

Alex Dann, the Operations Manager there, said: "We now have a contactless donation point by way of a grant, QR codes linking with Give A Little and the majority of our regular givers using the Parish Giving Scheme, which has resulted in regular automatic gift aid payments boosting our cash flow."

Many contactless systems allow donors to add Gift Aid to their donations, meaning churches can reclaim an additional 25% on eligible donations. This provides a significant boost to the funds raised, especially during a period like Christmas when giving increases.

Steve Johnson said: "Churches that have adopted these devices have praised their ease of use and the financial benefits they bring, helping ensure their sustainability in the future.

"Contactless donations continue to increase month by month, with September 2024 being the highest month so far and they will surely rise further at the end of the year."

And so as we approach Advent and Christmas 2024, a season of generosity and reflection, our churches find themselves at the intersection of tradition and modernity. While the heart of Christmas remains unchanged, the way people give has evolved, with contactless giving becoming a vital tool for churches.

In 2024, contactless giving is more than a modern convenience—it’s a critical tool for Diocese of Derby churches during Advent and Christmas.

It ensures that the spirit of generosity is met with accessibility, helps churches adapt to changing financial habits, and supports their ongoing missions.

By embracing these technologies, churches can focus on what truly matters: spreading the message of hope, love, and compassion during this sacred season.

• Find out more about digital giving

We love all the creative and different ways churches are engaging with their parishes and beyond.

Our vision is The Kingdom of God, Good News for All and it's great to see how so many churches in the Diocese of Derby are sharing stories of their success in achieving transformed lives through growing church and building community.

Here are some of the social media stories that have caught our eye recently:

Bishop Libby has presented around 140 Bishop's Badges to those nominated for missional long service and missional innovation awards this year.

The special services, Bishop's Badge Schools and A Celebration of Lay Ministry, took place in Derby Cathedral in June, September and October.

The annual presentations celebrate ministry and service in churches and communities, recognising the distinguished service and dedication of many individuals contributing in Jesus’s name to the mission of their church.

And in schools, children are honoured for their commitment to generous faith, courageous hope and life-giving love.

In 1927, the Diocese of Derby was founded and Bishop Edmund Courtenay Pearce, the first Bishop of Derby, arranged for a medal to be struck to celebrate this new beginning.

Copies of the medal were presented to prominent members of the diocese and to all those being confirmed in that year.

In recent years, the seventh Bishop of Derby, the Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern, arranged for a replica of this medal to be minted and mounted in the form of a badge.

As the eighth Bishop of Derby, Bishop Libby continues this tradition.

Each year these badges are awarded based upon recommendations made to the bishop, as a gesture from the diocese to acknowledge outstanding service to God's church.

Receiving their Bishop's Badges on Sunday, 6 October, were:

Awards for Missional Innovation

Andrew Baldwin, St Michael, Stanton by Bridge

Caroline Cooke, Holy Trinity, Ilkeston

Helen Crisp, Holy Trinity, Ilkeston

Rachel Hewitt, St Michael with St Mary, Melbourne

Richard Maltby, Holy Trinity, Matlock Bath

Peter Newberry, Holy Trinity, Matlock Bath

Awards for Missional Long Service

Clive Avery, St Michael with St Mary, Melbourne

Hilary Bartlett, All Saints, Bakewell

Nigel Bartlett, All Saints, Bakewell

Phillip Briggs, St Michael's, Pleasley

Mike Bromby, Christ Church, Cotmanhay and Shipley

Elizabeth Brookes, Boulton St Mary

Kate Bunting, Cathedral Church of All Saints, Derby

Alan Burlison, Glossop, All Saints

Catherine Butler-Worrall, Christ Church, Cotmanhay and Shipley

Eileen Chadwick, St John the Evangelist, Hazelwood

Elaine Chappell, St Leonard's, Scarcliffe

Catherine Clark, St John the Baptist, Tibshelf

Jodie Clarke, St Bartholomew, Old Whittington

Christine Dale, Holy Cross Church, Upper Langwith

Jackie Day, St Barnabas, Derby

Anne Doody, St Peter and St Paul, Old Brampton

David Edwards, St James, Smisby

Liz Eley, St Peter's, Littleover & Blagreaves

Phil Eley, St Peter's, Littleover & Blagreaves

Gill Flatman, St Edmund's, Allestree

Richard Flatman, St Edmund's, Allestree

Julie Franks, St John the Evangelist, Newbold with Dunston

Valerie Gamble, St Michael's, Pleasley

Michael Halls, St Oswald's, Ashbourne with St Mary's, Mappleton

Cathryn Haywood, St Michael's, Willington

Michael Hyde, St Oswald's, Ashbourne with St Mary's, Mappleton

George Johnson, St Wystan's, Repton

Louise Jones, St Barnabas, New Whittington

Anne Knyhynyckyi, All Saints, Wingerworth

Pauline Leigh, Holy Trinity and Christ Church, Chesterfield

Malcolm Lewins, St Michael's, Willington

Carol Lewins, St Michael's Willington

Judith Lovett, Loundsley Green Church (LEP)

Pat Mann, St Mark's, Winshill

Keith Mann, St Mark's, Winshill

Margaret Matthews, St Michael's, Kirk Langley

Gloria Methven, St Mark's, Winshill

Hamish Methven, St Mark's, Winshill

Godfrey Meynell, St Michael's, Kirk Langley

Rick Naylor, All Saints, Bakewell

Russell Parrish, St Barnabas, New Whittington

Pamela Pickard, Holy Trinity, Shirebrook

Mary Plevey, St Michael and All Angels, Brimington

Sheila Rice, All Saints, Heath with St Albans, Holmewood

Claire Riley, St Leonard's, Scarcliffe

Wendy Savage, St Michael's, Sutton-on-the-Hill

Carol Sharpe, St Bartholomew, Old Whittington

Tim Swift, St Bartholomew, Old Whittington

Pete Taylor, St Matthew's Church, Darley Abbey

Sandra Tye, All Saints, Heath with St Albans, Holmewood

Susan Wareing, St Barnabas, Derby

Patricia Whale, St Helen, Etwall

Dorothy Wibberley, St Bartholomew, Old Whittington

Michael Wilson, Glossop, All Saints

Richard Wood, St Edmund's, Allestree

Paul Woodhouse-Severn, St Peter and St Paul, Old Brampton

Christine Woodward, Benefice of West Hallam & Mapperley with Stanley

Receiving their Bishop's Badges on Sunday, 15 September, were:

Awards for Missional Innovation

Philippa Buchanan, St John, Long Eaton

Lucy Coleman, St Michael and All Angels, Brimington

Rosemary Corfield, St Anne's, Derby

Christine Hill, St Michael and All Angels, Brimington

Kevin Jones, St Peter, Elmton with St Mary Magdelene, Creswell

Robert Wheat, St Michael, Stanton by Bridge

Awards for Missional Long Service

Rosemary Annable, Cathedral Church of All Saints, Derby

Carol Austin, All Saints, Wingerworth

Frank Bagshaw, Cathedral Church of All Saints, Derby

David Baldry, Ashford-in-the-Water

Marlene Bennett MBE, St Martin, Alfreton

Stuart Boon, St Bartholomew and St Luke's, Derby

Ann Capstick, Glossop, All Saints

Christopher Charlton, Derby Diocese

Carole Clay, St Bartholomew and St Luke's, Derby

Tom Corfield, St Anne's, Derby

Margaret Crosdale, St Katherine's, Rowsley

Les Dodd, Cathedral Church of All Saints, Derby

Sue Elson, St Mary the Virgin, Newton Solney

Jennifer Hogg, St John the Baptist, Tibshelf

Hilary Hull, Ashford-in-the-Water

Janet Jordan, St Michael and All Angels, Brimington

John Loveless, St Edmund's, Castleton

Derek Marbeck, Glossop, All Saints

Diana Marshall, All Saints, South Wingfield

Maggie Mellish, St George, Ticknall

David Meredith, Christ Church, Belper

Cheryl Mulvey, St Peter's, Hope

Tim Norman, St Mary the Virgin, Newton Solney

Pamela Pickard, Holy Trinity, Shirebrook

Brenda Pickford, Glossop, All Saints

Christine Pycroft, Glossop, All Saints

Lesley Richardson, Glossop, All Saints

Barrie Rogers, St Mary the Virgin, Newton Solney

Richard Taylor, Derby Diocese

Eileen Margaret Taylor, St Michael and All Angels, South Normanton

Lynn Warren, St Katherine's, Rowsley

John Whitfield, St Edmund's , Castleton

Keith Womble, St Lawrence, Whitwell with All Saints, Steetley

We love all the creative and different ways churches are engaging with their parishes and beyond.

Our vision is The Kingdom of God, Good News for All and it's great to see how so many churches in the Diocese of Derby are sharing stories of their success in achieving transformed lives through growing church and building community.

Here are a few of your social media stories that have caught our eye recently:

St Alkmund's Church in Derby is to host one of a series of vocational events for those who are disabled or neurodivergent.

The event, on Saturday, 21 September, could give those who are deaf, disabled or neurodivergent the opportunity to explore their sense of calling to lay or ordained ministry, in a safe, accessible space with engaging presentations by keynote speakers.

The speakers at the Derby event are:

• Haydon Spenceley - Peterborough Diocese Director of Ordinands
• Lynda Herbert - Licensed Lay Minister, Diocese of Derby Disability Inclusion Action Group member

Drawing directly from their own lived experience, they will share their stories and talk about how they worked through their sense of vocation.

They’ll also be able to answer questions about how accessible they found the discernment process and how they were able to deal with barriers which arose in connection with their disability and difference.

The national Disability Project is working to improve accessibility, inclusion and participation for those who are deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent in all aspects of our church life, as part of the Church of England’s vision to be ‘younger and more diverse’.

For full details, visit https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/barrier-free-belonging/explore-your-calling