Items filtered by date: May 2025
Our Safeguarding strategy for 2022 - 2025 has been published. It sets out our aims as a team until 2025.
Please feel free to share it with your parish if you wish to do so.
It can be downloaded here [PDF].
The latest Safeguarding Newsletter has just been sent to all Parish Safeguarding Officers. If you do not receive a copy and would like to read more about the work happening in Safeguarding in the diocese and a little more about one of the safeguarding team you can download the newsletter here.
Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service for anyone who has experienced abuse in relation to the Church of England, the Church in Wales, or the Catholic Church of England and Wales. This could be abuse by someone who holds any role in the church or is linked to participating in a church-led activity or group.
If you have been affected, however long ago, Safe Spaces can provide you with support.
You do not have need to have told the police or the church authorities, and you do not have to still be involved with the church.
Your information will not be shared without your consent, unless you or someone else is in immediate danger.
Safe Spaces can provide a range of help, including advocating with authorities and other agencies, giving emotional support, providing information (including information on church and police procedures), understanding your needs and working together on individual support plans.
Tel: 0300 303 1056 (answerphone available outside of opening times)
Email: safespaces@victimsupport.org.uk
LiveChat - via the Safe Spaces website
The Church of England and the Diocese of Derby are supporting the National Day of Reflection on Wednesday, 23 March 2022, the second anniversary of the first UK lockdown, to commemorate the tragic loss of life and to stand together with everyone who’s grieving, whether as a result of Covid or other causes.
Organised by Marie Curie, the National Day of Reflection looks to reflect on our collective loss, support those who've been bereaved, and hope for a brighter future.
How can churches get involved?
- Include it in your notices and prayers on Sunday, 20 March 2022. Prayer and intercession resources are available that use the key words – reflect, support, hope.
- Share the Light at 8.00pm by lighting a candle in placing it in your window.
- Host or visit a Wall of Reflection
- Display your daffodil
- Put up posters in your community, raising awareness.
- Toll the church bell just after noon to mark the end of the minute’s silence.
- Email/print and send the prayer postcard to anyone and everyone to use at home on that day.
- Light a special candle in the church and say the prayer – record it on your phone or tablet and share the film on social media.
- Encourage people to phone or send a card to anyone who may feel bereaved.
- Involve the local school and encourage them to use the simple prayer at noon or to colour daffodil cards and deliver them to a local care home.
- Invite people to plant a seed, a bulb or bush as a sign of hope.
- Invite people to tie yellow ribbons to a prayer tree or railings as a sign of their prayer and support for all who are bereaved.
- Open your church for private prayer.
The Rt Revd Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby, and the Rt Revd Malcolm Macnaughton, Bishop of Repton, stand with the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in condemning the invasion of Ukraine and calling for prayers for all those affected.
In a joint statement, the archbishops said: "The horrific and unprovoked attack on Ukraine is an act of great evil.
“Placing our trust in Jesus Christ, the author of peace, we pray for an urgent ceasefire and a withdrawal of Russian forces.
"We call for a public decision to choose the way of peace and an international conference to secure long term agreements for stability and lasting peace.
“We invite Christians to make this Sunday a day for prayer for Ukraine, Russia and for peace.
“We also give our support to the call from Pope Francis for a global day of prayer and fasting for peace on Ash Wednesday, March 2.”
>> Download: A prayer for the crisis in Ukraine - from 24-7 Prayer [.zip folder]
For those of you who may have been considering fundraising or other personal support but are unsure how to direct this, one of several new humanitarian appeals is open at https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
In October last year, Jane Foster, Relationship Manager at The Children’s Society visited All Saints Church Wingerworth who have raised a spectacular £28,292.20 to support The Children’s Society’s work.
She gave them an update on how their hard work is making a difference.
Kay Duckett, a Reader at All Saints Wingerworth (pictured), distributed Children’s Society prayer cards and exhibited a brilliant display that highlighted the societies work.
Jane Foster, said: “Right now, thousands of young people find themselves trapped forced into crime and sexual abuse by criminal gangs.
"They’re living in fear of what comes next. They see no way out. But our project workers in the East Midlands are there to help.
“From motivational messages to hour-long calls, working with police and other agencies to ensure safeguarding and sharing of intelligence, they can be the positive influence that young people are missing.
"And with generous support, they can be on-hand for as long as it takes to help young people see that the future is theirs to own.”
Bishop Libby, who is Vice Chair of Trustees of The Children’s Society, commented: “This is amazing. The Children Society are brave, ambitious, trusted and supportive in their work with some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities.
"This is the work of the Kingdom – at the heart of which, Jesus tells us, are such children. On behalf of The Children’s Society, and the children we work with, I extend my sincerest thanks to those at All Saints Wingerworth: this example of generous Christian faith in action is transforming lives for good.”
The monthly diocesan message is available to download here
May 2025
Download Archdeacon Matthew's message for May
April 2025
Download Bishop Malcolm's message for April
March 2025
Download Archdeacon Karen's message for March
What is the 2027 Community of Prayer?
We are the Diocese of Derby network of prayer – praying together, as we prepare to celebrate our centenary in 2027, for transformed lives in growing church and building community the length and breadth of our diocese.
Our shared prayer across the diocese is the frame that holds us together as God weaves the threads of our lives, our worship, witness and work for Christ, into something beautiful.
We hope that over the next five years 2027 people will commit to regular prayer, as individuals, and as churches, groups or schools.
Why join the 2027 Community of Prayer?
Our Christian lives begin and end in prayer: in prayer the Spirit unites us to God and to one another; in prayer we are changed ever more into the likeness of Christ; in prayer we are equipped for our Heavenly Father’s service.
Being rooted in prayer nourishes our shared values of generous faith, courageous hope and life-giving love. Prayer is essential as we engage afresh in living out the 5 Marks of Mission – to tell, teach, tend, transform and treasure – in response to the vision God has given us of the Kingdom of God as good news for all.
Prayer is a demonstration of our love and commitment to all the people and places of our diocese in Derbyshire, the city of Derby, and beyond.
Who can join the 2027 Community of Prayer?
Anyone can join - everyone who wants to be part of this movement of prayer. We pray for God’s Kingdom to come in our diocese – please join us.
You can become a Companion of the 2027 Community of Prayer as an individual, and as a church or group, or as a school.
As a 2027 Community of Prayer Companion (individual), you commit yourself to praying the Lord’s Prayer, the diocesan Vision Prayer and for those on the diocesan Cycle of Prayer every day. We may also occasionally suggest other relevant prayers that you may like to use.
As a 2027 Community of Prayer Church, and commit your worshipping context (in parish church, chaplaincy, BMO, fresh expression, church plant or other congregation) to praying the Lord’s Prayer, the diocesan Vision Prayer and for those on the diocesan Cycle of Prayer at least weekly. We may also occasionally suggest other relevant prayers that you may like to use.
As a 2027 Community of Prayer School, you commit to praying the Lord’s Prayer, the diocesan Vision Prayer and for those on the diocesan Cycle of Prayer every week. We may also occasionally suggest other relevant prayers that you may like to use.
We will also occasionally keep you updated with other prayer resources as part of your daily or monthly email.
How do I join the 2027 Community of Prayer
Simply use this form to register your membership, and also to register for emails for the Cycle of Prayer if you would like to receive it.
Please note: If, after a while, you can't find any emails you have requested, please check your spam folder.
Other prayer resources
If you want to go further in prayer we have resources for all ages and contexts, and information about prayer events for you to use and join in with.
How we use your data:
If you register as a member of the 2027 Prayer Community, we will use your data only for the purpose of administering the community and for informing you of developments in the community, such as when the community reaches milestones, and quiet days.
By opting to receive the Cycle of Prayer (either monthly or daily) you are consenting to us sending you emails on that basis, solely for that purpose, and for occasionally including in those emails other prayer resources that are relvant to the 2027 Prayer Community.
Your email address will not be shared with any third party or added to any other mailing list as a result of you consenting to recieve the Cycle of Prayer.
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.
Our Diocesan Vision is that the Kingdom of God is good news for all, and that fundamentally includes Children, Young People and Families. A key priority of our Parish Support Team strategy is to support and enable parishes to Grow Active Young Disciples. The Growing Younger team has been put together around this priority and a lot of our work is based around the national Church of England movement that is Growing Faith.
Growing Faith is the movement that exists to change the culture of the Church of England, so that everyone instinctively puts children, young people and families at the heart of all the ministry and mission of the Church.
Growing Faith involves churches, schools and households working together to help children, young people and families have life in all its fullness.
As a diocese we are adopting Growing Faith as the basis for our strategic plans to grow younger.
Why is Growing Faith needed?
Jesus (Matt.19:14) and the early church (1. Tim 4:12) placed immense value on the place and role of children and young people in the kingdom of God.
Children, young people and families are vitally important to the church, not merely for our survival into future generations, but because a church that cares about children and young people is indicative of a healthy church.
In this report from the House of Bishops in 2019, there is recognition that ‘it is not always clear that the church is sufficiently focused on the engagement in ministry with children and young people.’
This is despite it being well acknowledged that the vast majority of Christians today have come to faith before the age of 18.
As a church and as a diocese, we have to confess that historically and at present children and young people have not always been intrinsically part of our ministry and mission.
There needs to be a cultural shift.
Growing Faith envisions children, young people and households coming to faith, growing in discipleship and contributing confidently to the Kingdom of God through the community of faith.
It is about how, as members of the whole people of God, children and young people are encouraged and how the whole Church is equipped to think intergenerationally. (A useful summary can be found here )
The Growing Faith Principles
Growing Faith provides a helpful lens for assessing our current practices and potential opportunities.
As we, as churches and as a diocese, seek to give children, young people and families a chance to explore and deepen their faith, it is helpful to look for the meeting places between churches, schools and households.
Alongside our diocesan vision, "The Kingdom of God – good news for all" we are inviting church communities to ask themselves what it would look like to be good news for young people in churches, schools and households.
Three principles are shaping our approach to Growing Faith:
Connected Communities - looking for the meaningful connected community of faith in the intersection between church, school and households.
Spiritual Encounters - engaging in conversations about and expressing faith as people encounter God as individuals and together.
Imaginative Practices - searching for 'a new way of being church' and creating new thinking and new doing in relation to children, young people and households.
FAQs
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What is the current picture? +
Numbers are not always the best way to measure how fruitful a church/ministry is, but they can be a useful tool.
An estimated 95,800 under 16s attended Sunday church before the pandemic, with 1100 in the Diocese of Derby.
Most recent provisional national statistics for mission imply this has dropped by as much as 40% between 2019 and 2021.
Many of our churches are rebuilding their ministries and there is lots of potential across the diocese, but sadly children’s, youth and families ministries were most impacted by the pandemic.
However, the reality is that there are many opportunities to be good news to children, young people and families, especially since the needs for many have increased.
We are supporting and encouraging innovative children’s and youth ministries across the diocese. -
What about small congregations with fewer children? +
Growing Faith is a vision for all churches, large or small.
Every congregation can pray for their community and school(s).
Children, young people and their families need a friendly welcome and the chance to be involved, even if they are just visiting. -
How should we identify opportunities for Growing Faith? +
A key recommendation from the national growing faith movement, is that churches are encouraged to do ministry with and not just for children, young people, and families.
Listening to the voices of children and young people is key if a church is to serve them, but moreover young people are the church of now and we encourage all churches to experience the rich blessing that comes from involving young people as much as possible in all aspects of church life, including decision making structures. -
What is the Church of England doing nationally to develop Growing Faith? +
Details of the Growing Faith Foundation can be found online.
Lucy Moore (formerly of Messy Church) now heads up the team. The work in progress includes:
• Encouraging networking and shared story-telling across dioceses through growing faith champions.
• Learning hubs – investing in 12 learning hubs across the country to foster growing faith in different contexts. As a diocese, we have successfully applied for one of these learning hubs commencing in May 2023.
• Training programmes – developing the pathways for youth, children’s and family workers so that more can explore it as a vocation and progress in it for longer.
• Research - 13 Growing Faith research projects are underway to further our understanding of growing faith in the intersections between households, schools and churches. -
How will the church(es) I’m linked with be part of Growing Faith? +
It’s likely that there will already be areas of GF that are part of your church life.
Perhaps someone visits and helps in the local school, maybe you are engaging with young people in your community through various ministries, or have ways of involving children and young people in your Sunday worship, or perhaps there is a Toddler group or other activity to support carers and parents.
Growing Faith is about prayerfully seeking ways to further develop ministry in schools, homes and churches, so that as many children, young people and families have the opportunity to explore and grow their faith. -
How can we pray? +
Prayer underpins all our local, diocesan and national efforts to reach the younger generations with the good news of the Kingdom of God.
In line with the national bold outcome to double the number of young disciples in the church by 2030, there is a weekly national prayer meeting on zoom every Tuesday 1-1.20pm.
The aim is for 1000 people to pray weekly.
To get the login information email aidan.watson@derby.anglican.org
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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.
