Items filtered by date: May 2025
Steve Johnson, Living Generously Adviser for the Diocese of Derby, writes:
Generosity is one of those words that immediately makes you think – how much?
And which, understandably, links our minds with money.
So, whilst enduring a financial cost of living crisis, there may well be the perception that generosity features less highly on our priorities.
The truth is that generosity is more than money, and is something which everybody benefits from, which we all have in abundance, and which we can nurture into life-transforming opportunities.
A call to embrace generosity is found in 2 Corinthians 9 verse 6 : ‘The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully’.
…and in Acts, Paul quotes Jesus directly in addressing the Ephesian Elders: the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” …where there is no mention of money at all.
Mother Maria Skobtsova, a nun during World War II, said: ‘According to the laws of matter, if I give away an amount of money, my funds are reduced by that amount.
"By the same laws, if I give my love, I am impoverished by that amount of love. However, the laws of a spiritual life are the exact opposite of the laws of the material world.
"According to spiritual law, every spiritual treasure given away not only returns to the giver…but it grows and becomes more valuable."
If Mother Maria’s observation recognises how we give of ourselves, then Archbishop Justin Welby in his 2017 Lent book Dethroning Mammon challenges us to decide of what measure of ourselves we are using in assessing our wealth.
There is wealth by which the material world can measure us, and then there is wealth by which we can measure ourselves.
Generosity calls us to reflect upon our own precious resources: our time, attention, talents, possessions, comfort, reputation, as well as our finances.
Therefore, raising the profile of generosity within our parishes will not only make evident the need for generosity in our communities, but will enable us to demonstrate the impact of peoples giving of their resources.
However, creating a generous culture can’t be achieved through a mandate – it lives in the collective hearts and habits of a church and the shared idea of how things are done in that context.
Being a Derbyshire lad born and bred, I know that context is everything, and understanding to encourage generosity requires local knowledge, together with the ability to recognise how to create opportunities for generosity in all its’ forms.
The Diocese of Derby is wonderfully diverse in our parishes and churches; each one having within its’ people those who give generously of all their resources, and to flourish generosity needs an environment which returns that giving in abundance. Living in a busy world which makes infinite demands on us, we sometimes need some help with this.
As we head towards autumn, back to work, a new school term, and the busy-ness of life, enabling generosity may not seem easy in this environment.
We may feel that we need someone to come alongside us; to make us feel reassured in placing our own precious resources.
As the Living Generously Advisor, I have helped countless parishes begin this journey of generosity.
Because we have a generous God, who has equipped us much more than the material world ever could.
This is reflected in our Vision Prayer:
Gracious God,
in your mercy, and for your glory,
renew us, reshape us, revive us -
with generous faith, courageous hope, and life-giving love -
that, in transformed lives,
through growing church and building community,
we may see your Kingdom come,
and be good news for all.
Amen.
As we begin Generosity Week 2024 on 29 September, perhaps take the opportunity to reflect upon how enabling generosity in your parish could transform the lives of those within your community.
If you would like to explore generosity and ways in which we can nurture the various aspects of living a generous life within your parishes, please get in touch.
Bishop Libby has presented around 30 Bishop's Badges to those nominated for missional long service and missional innovation awards.
The special service, A Celebration of Lay Ministry, took place in Derby Cathedral.
The annual presentations celebrate ministry and service in church and community, and recognise the distinguished service and dedication of many individuals contributing in Jesus’s name to the mission of the church.
>> See photos from the Bishop's Badge service
Bishop Libby said: "It is always a pleasure to mark and celebrate the gifts of people across the Diocese of Derby and to thank those who offer so much to develop and sustain the life of the church and its work in the wider community.
"We give thanks for the often hidden, yet crucial and remarkable work of people who do not seek recognition, but whom we honour specially today."
The message of thanks was echoed by Bishop Malcolm in his reflection.
The service is one of three being held this year to present Bishop's Badges; the first was held to celebrate generosity and courage shown by school children towards others.
The final service will be held on Sunday, 1 October.
Those presented with Bishop's Badges on Sunday, 17 September were:
Awards for Missional Innovation
John Bird, Littleover, St Peter & Blagreaves
Jim Davison, West Hallam, St Wilfrid
Gen Tarr, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr
Margaret Weightman, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
Awards for Missional Long Service
Michèle Aspinall, Allestree, St Edmund
Kate Bassford, Sawley, All Saints and St Mary
Janet Bradshaw, Sutton-cum-Duckmanton
Liz Broomhead, Hartington
Christine Brown, Blackwell, St Werburgh
Bryan Clarke, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
Margaret Clarke, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
Emson Maneya, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
Ann Cooper, Youlgreave
Averill Crisp, Swadlincote, Emmanuel
Lynne Dawson, Old Brampton, St Peter & St Paul
Christopher Dullage, Hartington
John Entwistle, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
Jane Entwistle, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
Rob Groome, Risley, All Saints
Brenda Harrop, Youlgreave
Hannah Hawkins, Brimington, St Michael and All Angels
Sylvia Homer, Stanton by Dale, St Michael and All Angels
Zoe Leleux, Stanton by Dale, St Michael and All Angels
Sue Marsh, Bakewell, All Saints
Sally Renshaw, Tibshelf, St John the Baptist
Patricia Rhodes, Tibshelf, St John the Baptist
Cyril Roberts, Old Brampton, St Peter & St Paul
Melanie Rose, Belper, St Peter
Phil Sparrow, Chesterfield, SS Augustine
John Sterland, Swanwick, St Andrew and Pentrich, St Matthew
Mary Thompson, Smalley, St John the Baptist
Mo Tolson, Risley, All Saints
Alan Tolson, Risley, All Saints
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.
28 September
The Revd Alan Griggs, Agricultural Chaplain, and Assistant Curate (Associate Priest) of Carsington Deanery, Diocese of Derby, has announced his resignation as Associate Priest. His last day in this post will be Saturday, 30 September 2023. Alan will continue as Agricultural Chaplain.
The Revd Stephen Potter, Rector of South Normanton, Diocese of Derby, has announced his retirement. His last day in post will be Saturday, 30 September 2023, with his retirement taking effect from Sunday, 1 October 2023.
21 September
Tumpa Das has been appointed full-time Administrator to the Bishop of Derby. She started in post on Monday, 18 September 2023. Her contact details are: tumpa.das@derby.anglican.org, 01332 278165.
The Revd David Lawrence-March, Vicar of Long Eaton St Laurence and Priest-in-Charge of Ilkeston Holy Trinity, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed Team Vicar in the North Cheltenham Team Ministry, with pastoral responsibility for All Saints Pittville, Diocese of Gloucester. David will be licensed to his new post on Wednesday, 29 November 2023.
14 September
The Revd Karen Padley, Vicar of Marlpool and Priest-in-Charge of Heanor, Langley Mill and Aldercar, and Area Dean of South East Derbyshire, Diocese of Derby, will step away as Area Dean with effect from Sunday, 1 October 2023. After this date, please contact the Deanery Administrator, Helen Bridger (01332 278148, helen.bridger@derby.anglican.org) in the first instance about deanery matters.
Canon Carolyn Lewis, Diocesan Director of Education, writes:
It was a great joy to be able to welcome new headteachers from across the Diocese of Derby and to be hosted by the Rt Revd Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby.
We shared together in a commissioning service where Bishop Libby shared words of encouragement and affirmation to the new school leaders and they were each given a holding cross as a small gift to remind them of their belonging to the diocesan family.
The Rt Revd Malcolm Macnaughton, Bishop of Repton and Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education (DBE), prayed for the new headteachers and also encouraged them with words from the DBE’s vision:
"In the Diocese of Derby, we are committed to support our schools to be places of transformation, growth and where community is built, as we live out the values of generous faith, courageous hope and life-giving love.
"We do this through offering:
- life-giving, life-changing learning through excellent education, shaped by a distinctively Christ-like vision and ethos
- inclusive and inspirational collective worship, inviting all to grow in faith
- excellent religious education, enabling children and young people to reflect critically and explore faith, belief, and Christian responses to life’s big questions
- hospitality, hope and love to children, young people and households
- a sense of belonging to those of all faiths and none, building community near and far, local and global.
"As the headteacher of one of our church schools, you have a special responsibility to ensure everyone in your school is valued and recognised as a child of God, uniquely gifted by God.
"You are also responsible for ensuring the school is rooted in Christian values, principles and beliefs, and that worship and religious education are at the centre of the life and work of the school."
Finishing the afternoon with ‘afternoon tea’ new headteachers, the bishops and the DBE staff team were able to make connections and share a little of the joys and challenges of life in school.
>> Visit the Derby Diocesan Board of Education website
Pictured with Bishops Libby and Malcolm are (l-r): Helen Britten, Duffield, William Gilbert Endowed CE Primary; Louise Nicholson, Stretton Handley CE Primary; Katie Forster, Breadsall CE Primary; Emma-Jane Harry, Bakewell CE Infant; Mark Hibbert, Weston-on-Trent CE Primary; Francesca Mellor, co-head, Hartshorne CE Primary.
The DBE also welcomes: Liz Wooliscroft, Carsington & Hopton; Jayne Jackson, Castleton; Sarah Bellicoso, Dove Holes CE Primary; Suzanne Gardner, Langley Mill CofE (VC) Infant & Nursery; Jodie Daniels, Rosliston; Jakki Rogers, Whitfield, St Luke's.
‘And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations’ - Revelation 22.2
The Bishop of Derby's Harvest Appeal 2023 will help the people in the Diocese of Bujumbra, Burundi, fight the catastrophic effects of seasonal rains that wash away their farms, homes, land and livelihoods.
Trees for Life Burundi will assist communities there plant thousands of saplings to help stabilise and strengthen the land, whilst at the same time helping wildlife and the environment in the area and beyond.
On launching the appeal, Bishop Libby said: "Burundi is ranked as the world's poorest nation and people there desperately need help to stop their crops, livestock and buildings disappearing down a hillside as the land gets eroded by the rains.
"It is a complex situation but, fortunately, the remedy is relatively straightforward, and I am delighted that this year's appeal will offer hope to those people and communities in danger of losing everything they have."
The Bishop of Repton has recently visited Bujumbura and seen for himself the need to help the people of the East African state.
Bishop Malcolm said: "On the edge of Bujumbura in the Commune de Kanyosha there are two ‘Collines’ greatly at risk, Colline Gisovu and Colline Nyamaboko. There is currently no agro-forestry there.
According to the administrator of this commune, Kanyosha, following torrential rain and strong winds, recently more than ten dwellings, a church and a school were destroyed, and many fields were damaged; domestic animals were swept away by lightning and others by landslides.
"These hills’ inhabitants have not yet been able to take action to secure resilience to the effects of climate change."
The Diocese of Bujumbura, based in and around Burundi’s largest city, is marked by rolling hills and valleys and in that respect alone, not unlike Derbyshire.
The impact of climate change is felt by those who try to make a living by cultivating the hillsides.
Recent years have seen particularly dry dry seasons and torrential rains in the wet season, often causing flooding and devastating mudslides.
Bujumbura is working in various areas to mitigate the effects of climate change by helping local residents plant trees.
Trees hold hillsides in place, prevent erosion, and protect lives and livelihoods.
They make all the difference locally, and contribute globally to carbon capture.
Saplings ready to be planted in Burundi to help stabilise the soil
Landslides can have a far-reaching impact on communities, not only through the loss of houses and fields, but also through the destruction of critical facilities.
The loss of a school means that opportunities for education and qualifications in that community can be lost. In turn that greatly reduces the chances of getting a job, and that reduces the chances of being able to support yourself and a family adequately.
And that can lead to a loss of hope.
But the people of Bujumbura have a lot of determination and know that by planting trees - thousands of trees - the roots will grow and help stabilise the land.
They turn out in numbers to dig trenches and get planting - but they can only do that when viable saplings are available.
►Donate now◄
Locals dig trenches to start the tree-planting process
How will the Bishop of Derby's Harvest Appeal help?
The focus of the Diocese of Bujumbura’s work, with our support, will be:
- to reduce soil erosion by 20% on Gisovu and Nyamaboko hills by marking out the contours of the hillsides and planting trees strategically to offer the best protection to the land, and
- to initiate 20 climate resilience local economic groupings amongst women and young people, with a savings and credit approach to enable beneficiaries to set up a fund to help them purchase tree nursery equipment to sustain a tree planting project for the long term.
£5,000 will make possible all this possible.
If any more is raised, it will enable this immensely valuable work to be expanded to benefit residents of other collines in the neighbourhood.
Bishop Libbs said: "It is a privilege to work together with the Diocese of Bujumbura in this way. Climate change is, of course, a global phenomenon and trees planted in Bujumbura also address, to some degree, climate change in Derbyshire!
"We are one world, and one human family.
"The people of Bujumbura need our help, so let us gift them generous faith, corageous hope and life-giving love."
►Donate now◄
Land is washed away by seasonal rains, leaving a large chasm where crops used to be
How to donate
Maybe you and your church or community could work together to organise an event for the appeal.
Or you can make a personal donation using your debit or credit card at our JustGiving page.
Thank you for your support!
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 that have caught our eye recently:
- All
- Art
- Churchyards
- Heritagedays
- Towertours
Bishop Malcolm and his wife, Pam, visited Burundi in East Africa during July and spent time with the Diocese of Bujumbura, learning about ministry and mission in a very different context to the Diocese of Derby.
Bishop Malcolm writes:
Burundi is the poorest country in the world – the one thing it has in common with Derbyshire is a beautiful landscape of hills and valleys.
Life is very hard indeed for those who live in rural areas – the city is seen as a place of opportunity, which works for some, but even there the need for investment is always apparent.
The shadow of violent episodes in recent history remains, but people are hopeful about the future, and determined to work for peace and greater prosperity.
We found folks extremely hospitable, and rightly proud of their heritage and of their culture.
Travelling around the diocese you see just how precarious peoples’ livelihoods are.
This is especially so where steep slopes are vulnerable to flash floods in the rainy season, often causing devastating mudslides which destroying fields, homes, livelihoods, and endangering lives also.
One of the inspiring programmes the diocese is engaged with is helping local people get together in cooperatives to grow seedlings and plant trees, so that their roots will protect their fields and gardens from soil erosion.
>> The Bishop of Derby's Harvest Appeal - Trees for life Burundi
Eroded land is washed away by heavy rains
Empowering women and young people
As well as attending a glorious ordination service in the cathedral, and a wedding blessing in a village church, we had the opportunity to visit a range of innovative community projects.
The diocese is very involved in community development, the church working locally on initiatives that empower people living in poverty, especially women and young people.
Churches are full of young people – tiny, inquisitive, eager children everywhere, and older youths enjoying church as a forum for securing friendships and building community.
Whilst music and singing are lively and active, there is real depth and quality to the worship, and a sense that being Christian there is about the whole of life – home, family, livelihood – and the liturgy reflected this.
We just did two tourist things. We visited Lake Tanganyika one afternoon with Bishop Eraste - and given the immense size of the lake, it was like being at the seaside!
And we met the Royal Drummers of Burundi – which you can check out on YouTube – they were fantastic.
I look forward to opportunities to share more about the work of the Diocese of Bujumbura in the autumn, when this year’s harvest appeal will support tree planting projects there.
+Malcolm
Bishop Eraste Bigirimana at a Bujumbura tree planting event
24 August
The Revd Alicia Dring, Vicar of Littleover and Blagreaves, Diocese of Derby, has also been appointed Priest-in-Charge of Findern in the same diocese. Alicia will be licensed on Thursday, 14 September at 6pm at All Saints Findern by the Bishop of Repton assisted by the Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derbyshire.
17 August
Collation and Installation of the Revd Canon Nicola (Nicky) Fenton as Archdeacon of Derbyshire Peak and Dales
Derby Cathedral - Saturday, 30 September 2023 at 2.30 pm.
The clergy and laity of the Archdeaconry of Derbyshire Peak and Dales, and all those wanting to support from elsewhere in the diocese, are warmly invited to join the Bishop of Derby in the Cathedral church as Nicky begins her new ministry.
Nicky will be collated by the Bishop to her new role and the Dean of Derby will place her in her stall within the Cathedral. We hope you will be able to attend this service. Please hold Nicky and the Archdeaconry in your prayers.
4 August
The Revd Jason Kennedy will be licensed as half-time Assistant Curate (to be known as Associate Minister) in the benefices of Littleover and Blagreaves and of Findern, and as half-time Assistant Curate (to be known as Enabling Minister) at the Haven LEP in Derby City Deanery, Diocese of Derby, on Thursday, 14 September at 7pm at The Haven Christian Centre by the Bishop of Repton.
3 August
The Revd Arthur Champion, currently holding the Bishop of Derby’s Permission to Officiate, has been appointed Chaplain to Retired Clergy in the Archdeaconry of Derbyshire Peak and Dales.
The Revd Robert (Bob) Atkins, currently holding the Bishop of Derby’s Permission to Officiate, has been appointed Chaplain to Retired Clergy in the Archdeaconry of East Derbyshire.
The Revd Canon Christine (Chris) Dyer, currently holding the Bishop of Derby’s Permission to Officiate, has been appointed Chaplain to Retired Clergy in the Archdeaconry of Derby City and South Derbyshire.
Carpenter Steve, who lives in the parish of Boulton St Mary and regularly attends St Philip's Chaddesden, recently revived his carpentry skills and says Jesus guided him in making a cross for the church.
He joined a “men in sheds” group in Allenton and decided to use some of the wood meant for landfill to make a cross as a surprise for Philip's.
Whilst making the cross, Steve believes he had an encounter with Jesus.
He shared the encounter with the congregation in July and received an enthusiastic response.
He said: “I decided to make a cross as a surprise for the church.
"My background was in carpentry, but I haven’t used my skills for a while.
"When I started my arm got heavy and I couldn’t understand why.
"A short time later, I got the hammer and chisel and my hands felt hard and heavy. I thought this was unusual as I never normally feel like this when doing carpentry work!
"A voice came in my head and said 'we’ll make this together'.
"I was a taken aback as the voice was clear, and I found myself asking out aloud 'who are you?'."
Steve said: "The next thing I heard was 'I am Jesus, and we will make this together. It will be a special cross for your church'.”
Steve proudly presented the cross to Revd Sarah Watson, Enabling Minister at St Philip’s.
“Steve joined us with an interest in faith," said Revd Sarah. "He is a dearly loved member of our congregation and was recently confirmed.
"The recalling of his personal encounter with Jesus was emotional to hear and the cross will be seen and appreciated by all as Canon Julian Hollywell, Priest-in-charge of St Philip’s, has given his blessing for the cross to be placed permanently on our high altar.”
