Items filtered by date: November 2025
‘And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations’ Revelation 22: 2
We are launching our Harvest appeal for this year in time for harvest season between September and October, and invite you to join us as we return to Bujumbura in Burundi to help fund Trees for Peace, supporting integrated environmental restoration and community peacebuilding.
>> Resources to support our parishes work
The story so far
In 2023 the dioceses Derby and Bujumbura worked together in a ‘Trees for Life’ programme helping local people in the hills round Bujumbura city plant trees to protect their local homesteads from mudslide damage caused by climate change related flooding.
The work was transformative – 240 people were trained in agroforestry, nearly 65000 seedlings were planted along the hills’ contour lines, 16 self help groups were set up, which provided training in group governance, financial literacy, and savings mechanisms. And the hillsides are already more stable than they were. But important lessons have been learned, and there is more to do.
What now?
Whilst tree planting was primarily to prevent floodwaters from washing away huge ravines in the farmland, this shared enterprise also saw former enemies begin to make friends.
Burundi is a country where ethnic and political differences have often spilled over into violence. There is particular concern at the present time. The church, gifted in Christ with the ministry of reconciliation, now seeks to emphasise standing with local communities in sowing seeds of peace and reconciliation through practical, local community service – known as Ibikorwa Rusangi.
The value of working together for climate resilience is all the greater as strong bonds are built locally between people who never previously spoke to each other. Memories of trauma and violence are recent – there are those who would exploit this to turn people against one another again, especially at times of elections. But there is much that can be done.
Young people who have learned to make a living by setting up small businesses selling and planting trees are less likely to be recruited into gangs or be exploited for political violence. Older people have seen enough poverty, violence, and environmental damage in their time to make them eager to support the church’s work in bringing people together to improve life chances for families living in Bujumbura Rural. Mothers with children to bring up are motivated to organise in self help groups to set up small businesses geared both towards creating incomes and improving agriculture. They don’t want to see their children fall prey to those seeking to manipulate the young.
Planting trees together is planting for the future, and for peace. This focus on environmental restoration, economic empowerment, and peacebuilding is good news for the people of these communities of Gisovu, Nyamaboko, Buhina, and Kabumba
What do we hope to fund?
Actions to be funded by the Bishop’s Harvest Appeal 2025:
Environmental Restoration:
- Climate and land degradation awareness training
- Eight nurseries for producing native agroforestry tree saplings
- 4,000m of contour lines dug prepared for planting
Economic Empowerment:
- More self-help groups – to engage 400 members
- Training in financial literacy, savings, and leadership
- Microloan systems set up to support income generating
Peacebuilding:
- Intergenerational dialogue groups
- Memory and Hope trauma-sharing workshops
- Tree planting and soil restoration as tools for reconciliation
- A Community Peace Committee established for each hill
- Training for community leaders in conflict mediation, de-escalation, and early warning systems
- Disseminate peace messaging in run up to electoral period
- Train and deploy two ‘Youth Peace Brigades’ -
- To host debates, art competitions promoting peaceful coexistence
- To Develop radio programs on youth and peace
- Facilitate dialogue circles for women in self-help groups
- Ensure women are to the fore in Community Peace Committees
- Offer workshops on inclusive governance and women’s civic engagement.
Why us?
Since the Lambeth Conference, Bishop’s Libby and Malcolm have met with Bishop Eraste of Bujumbura to share and pray about each other’s ministry. As followers of Jesus, we seek to promote peace with God and with one another. As children of a creator, we seek to care for God’s beautiful and precious world. This project connects so closely with what we are trying to do in our diocese, our desired outcomes and priorities – especially around service, justice, and ‘going greener’. Centred on Jesus, who offered his life on a tree for the salvation of us all, this project demonstrates the love of God in practical action.
What can I do?
- First – please speak to others about the programme, and decide what your church or community can do to get involved.
- Check out the creative resources for schools and churches.
- Plan symbolically to plant a tree somewhere locally to symbolise our support for this initiative, showing that trees both here and there address climate change. Think how supporting this tree planting initiative reduces your own carbon footprint.
- Join in local initiatives where you live that integrate building community with protecting the environment.
- Give via our Give a Little account or directly to the Diocese of Derby - by cheque or bank transfer (please indicate that this is for the Harvest appeal with your donation)
- Pray for the churches on the hills around Bujumbura – as well as in the hills, valleys, and plains of Derbyshire, that in what we do the good news of the Kingdom of God will transform lives, grow church, and build community.
St. Mary’s Church in Wirksworth has received initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Faith Folk Foundation project, it was announced today. Made possible thanks to National Lottery players, the project aims to carry out repairs and improvement work to the church building and investigate the literal and historic foundations of the church and the town.
St Mary's is a Grade 1 listed building, and a member of the Major Churches Network, listed on English Heritage’s “Heritage at Risk” register and a much loved community building for the people of Wirksworth. Without this support from the Heritage Fund it would continue to deteriorate and the stories of local residents would remain un-investigated and unheard.
Development funding of £313,770 has been awarded by the Heritage Fund to help the PCC progress their plans to apply for a full National Lottery grant of £1.73million at a later date.
The project will enable extensive repair and restoration work to take place, including to the transept roofs, nave walls, windows and churchyard paths. It will also enable work to improve the lighting and heating systems and to provide a route to reduce the carbon footprint of the church community.
As a watertight, more easily accessible, better lit, better heated and lower carbon footprint building, the regular congregation will feel more comfortable, as will regular visitors, tourists and the many hundreds who join for our seasonal services and our many concerts and events throughout the year.
The project will also offer plenty of opportunities for local people in searching out the foundations of the church building, the origins of the town and the links through the ages between locals and the church community.
Rev Neil Griffiths, Team Rector at Wirksworth Team Ministry said: “We are thrilled to have received this initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we can now develop our plans to repair our church and make it fit for the 21st century and future generations.”
St Giles’ Normanton by Derby were thrilled and honoured to welcome the Most Rev Dr Samy Fawzy Shehata, Archbishop of Alexandria, for the weekend 21-22 July. Archbishop Samy and his wife Madlaine came to express their partnership with St Giles’. Both the morning congregations received them warmly. Archbishop Samy preached at those two services and then joined the whole church community for a fellowship lunch. Archbishop Samy and Madlaine were interviewed during the lunch where they shared something of their life in Egypt. They joined the congregation of the evening service as guests.
In his morning sermon, Archbishop Samy challenged the people of St Giles’ to consider the cost of following Christ. He reminded them of Jesus’ own command to all disciples to “deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me”. He spoke soberingly of the 21 martyrs (20 Egyptians) who were executed by the terrorist ‘Islamic State’ on a beach in Libya in 2015. Just the previous Sunday the General Synod of the Church of England had agreed to add commemoration of these martyrs to the Common Worship calendar each 15 February
Rev Neil Barber, Vicar of St Giles and General Synod member, said “It was an enormous joy to welcome the Archbishop and Madlaine to St Giles’ and to be encouraged by them to keep loving all people as we hold out the good news of Jesus in this locality where there are many people of no faith and other faiths. We are thankful to God for our unity in Christ across the miles and partnership in the gospel.”
Archbishop Samy is the Provincial Archbishop over ten countries in North Africa: Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia with a total population of 400 million people, as well as Bishop of Egypt. He is also Deputy Chair of the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA).
Notification of pending faculty petition for Hartington St Giles, dated 20th July 2025
If you wish to object to any of the works or proposals, you should write giving reasons for your objection to:
The Diocesan Registrar at 1 The Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3JT
Derby.registry@1thesanctuary.com
so that it reaches the Registry no later than 21 days after the day of this notice (ie by 11 August 2025), stating your name and postal address, and whether you live in the parish and/or your name is entered on the electoral roll of the parish or any other capacity in which you write.
The Bishop's Badge service for schools took place on Monday 23 June at Derby Cathedral.
Headteachers were invited to nominate pupils who had demonstrated the values of Generous Faith, Courageous Hope and/or Life Giving Love.
Bishop Malcolm joyfully presented 36 badges to pupils from 17 schools across the diocese.
The uplifting singing was led by the children from William Gilbert Endowed Church of England Primary School who have been involved with the Music in Schools programme from Derby Cathedral.
Families, governors, incumbents came to support the children and they heard from the heads the reasons for their nominations.
The event is supported by the DBE staff, Bishop's Office, Dean and the volunteers from the cathedral.
As one headteacher said "Thank you - this was an emotional day and the stand out memory of the year.'
The Diocese of Derby seeks applications for the post of Archdeacon of East Derbyshire to share in leading the diocese towards our vision of the Kingdom of God as good news for all.
31 July
The Revd Canon Rosemary Donovan will be collated as Vicar of the benefice of Melbourne, Ticknall, Smisby & Stanton by Bridge, Diocese of Derby, on Saturday 4th October at 3 pm at St Michael with St Mary’s Melbourne by the Bishop of Derby and inducted by the Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derbyshire, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled.
The Revd Elliot George will be licensed as Priest-in-Charge of the benefice of Belper St Peter, Diocese of Derby, on Wednesday 22nd October at 7 pm at St Peter’s Belper by the Bishop of Repton assisted by the Archdeacon of Derbyshire Peak and Dales.
The Revd Alan Griggs will be collated as Vicar of the benefice of Derby St Barnabas, Diocese of Derby, on Wednesday 3rd December at 7 pm at St Barnabas’ Derby by the Bishop of Repton and inducted by the Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derbyshire.
The Bishop of Repton is delighted to announce that the Revd Dr Nicola McNally, interim part-time Priest-in-Charge of the Benefice of Fenny Bentley, Thorpe, Tissington, Parwich and Alsop-en-le-Dale, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed permanently on a full-time basis to the same benefice, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled. She has also been appointed Priest-in-Charge of the parish of Hartington and the parish of Biggin within the benefice of the White Peak Group. Nicola will be licensed to both roles on Wednesday 3rd September at 7 pm at St Giles’ Hartington by the Bishop of Repton assisted by the Archdeacon of Derbyshire Peak and Dales. Nicola will resign as interim part-time Assistant Curate (Associate Priest) of the Benefice of Ashbourne with Mapleton and of the Benefice of Wirksworth with effect from this date.
24 July
The Bishop of Repton is delighted to announce that the Revd Alasdair (Ally) Kay, Priest-in-Charge of the benefice of Derby St Bartholomew, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed Vicar of the same benefice by Pastoral Order dated 24th July 2025.
17 July
The Bishop of Repton is delighted to announce that the Revd Cynthia (Rhoda) Blackwell, Priest-in-Charge of the benefice of St John Newbold with Dunston, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed Vicar of the same benefice, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled. Rhoda will be instituted on Saturday 23rd August at 3 pm at St John’s Newbold by the Bishop of Derby and inducted by the Archdeacon of East Derbyshire
The Bishop of Repton is delighted to announce that the Revd Anita Matthews, Priest-in-Charge of the benefice of Derby St Peter and Christ Church with Holy Trinity, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed Vicar of same benefice, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled.
10 July
The Revd Dwayne Engh will be licensed as Priest-in-Charge of the benefice of Ashbourne with Mapleton, of the church of Ashbourne St John, of the benefice of Clifton and of the benefice of Norbury with Snelston, Diocese of Derby, on Monday 15th September at 7 pm at St Oswald’s Ashbourne by the Bishop of Repton assisted by the Archdeacon of Derbyshire Peak and Dales, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled.
The Revd John Ferguson will be instituted and inducted as Vicar of Ripley and licensed as Priest-in-Charge of Swanwick and Pentrich, Diocese of Derby, on Sunday 7th September at 3.30 pm by the Bishop of Repton, assisted by the Archdeacon of East Derbyshire, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled.
The Bishop of Repton is delighted to announce that the Revd Lisa Taylor, Assistant Curate of the benefice of Hulland, Atlow, Kniveton, Bradley and Hognaston, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed part-time Priest-in-Charge of the benefice of Wilne and Draycott with Breaston, in the same diocese, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled.
4 July
Justin Thacker’s ordination and licensing as Assistant Curate in the benefice of Chesterfield Holy Trinity and Christ Church, Diocese of Derby, which was to take place on Sunday 29th June, was postponed due to his ill health. Justin will now be ordained and licensed on Sunday 27th July at 3.30 pm at Holy Trinity Chesterfield by the Bishop of Repton.
3 July
The Bishop of Repton is delighted to announce that the Revd Daniel Cooke, Rector of the benefice of Brimington, Diocese of Derby, has, with the Crown’s approval, been appointed Rector of the benefice of Killamarsh and Renishaw in the same diocese, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled. Daniel will continue to hold the Bishop of Derby’s commission as Area Dean of North East Derbyshire alongside this new role. Daniel will be instituted on Tuesday 7th October at 7 pm at St Giles’ Killamarsh by the Bishop of Repton and inducted by the Acting Archdeacon of East Derbyshire.
The Bishop of Derby is delighted to announce that the Revd Canon Rosemary Donovan, Vicar of the benefice of Christ Church Epsom Common and Area Dean of Epsom, Diocese of Guildford, has been appointed Vicar of the benefice of Melbourne, Ticknall, Smisby & Stanton by Bridge, Diocese of Derby, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled.
The Bishop of Repton is delighted to announce that the Revd John Ferguson, Assistant Curate of the benefice of Ripley and of the benefice of Swanwick and Pentrich, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed Vicar of Ripley and Priest-in-Charge of Swanwick and Pentrich, in the same diocese, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled.
The Bishop of Repton is delighted to announce that the Revd Alan Griggs, Agricultural Chaplain, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed Vicar of the benefice of Derby St Barnabas, in the same diocese, subject to all legal and safeguarding requirements being fulfilled.
The Revd Aidan Watson, Strategic Lead for Youth Ministry, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed Team Rector of the Keynsham Team Ministry, Diocese of Bath and Wells.
The Church of England has recently released a new records retention schedule and accompanying guidance which helps you and your parish ensure best practice when it comes to data compliance:
>> Records and Information Management | The Church of England
This schedule (published in 2025) replaces the previous guides on retention, including: Keep or Bin, Cherish or Chuck, Chapter and Verse, and Save and Delete. Your retention policy may need amending considering this new schedule.
It is primarily designed for use by the following: Cathedrals, Minsters, Bishops Offices, Diocesan Offices (Including DBF’s DBE’s), Archdeacons, Deaneries, and Parishes of the Church of England.
Why should you use this schedule?
The schedule sets out how long records should be retained for, and the justification for that retention and what the disposal action should be. It was developed in consultation with a range of stakeholders from across the Church of England. It provides best practice for applying retention and disposition of records held by church bodies.
- • It is far more comprehensive than the previous schedules
- • It provides defensible reasons for retaining, archiving and destroying records
- • It should give you confidence that you can destroy records at the appropriate time
- • It supports the requirements of Data Protection Legislation
- • It supports good record keeping practices
Please note that this is a living document and so it will be regularly revised and updated as the need arises, for example to include new records, or when legislation or business practice changes. Keep an eye out for further guidance notes being released in the coming months
To view photographs from the service please click here
Four people were ordained as Deacon in the Church of England on Sunday 29 June. Here are their testimonies.
Rebecca Landers
"My journey towards ordination began with a couple of dreams I had nearly 20 years ago, but it wasn’t until I was preparing for baptism in 2018 that I started to take their message seriously, and so began a lengthy process of discernment followed by training for three years part-time at St Hild college in Sheffield.
"I’m really looking forward to serving my curacy at Newbold Parish Church, getting to know the people and the land of Newbold and Dunston, walking the parish, and walking alongside others. My hope for ministry is that it be both comforting and challenging, creative and fruitful, and that its roots are embedded in prayer, sacrament, scripture and tradition. I’m particularly interested in contemplative prayer, and the use of art in prayer and discipleship; perhaps it might be good, during curacy, to explore these areas as a community. My primary intention on starting, however, will be to listen, and then to listen some more, and try not to let my preconceived ideas get in the way of God’s better and more surprising plans!"
Lianne Green
"I have always been involved in church ministry, both paid and lay, since my early twenties. This includes youth work, children’s church, outreach, and family support roles. One particularly formative role involved working with extremely vulnerable women in the city centre, offering chaplaincy, support, and signposting. These experiences helped shape a vocation that has always centred around evangelism, discipleship, and mission to the margins of community life. For me, ordination felt like a natural next step, not a sudden shift, but part of a long journey of faithfulness. It’s a way to be better equipped for the mission of God and more deeply rooted in the life of the Church.
"I am also married and have three amazing children. We love exploring the great outdoors together – often with a bit of geocaching thrown in for good measure!"
Gael Browne
"It's usually during a hair appointment where the inevitable conversation around what one does for ‘work’ comes up. In my experience, it’s often followed by a slightly bemused, “What made you want to do that?” …Trying to explain to someone using non-churchy language that you didn’t really want to do the thing you’re doing, but you felt intensely ‘called’ by God and can’t imagine doing anything else with your life other than being faithful to him and living it out is a tricky task! It’s not a desire that’s self-given; it’s planted and nurtured by God, expanding and becoming increasingly exciting as you trust him. This trust-journey took me to Trinity College in Bristol, where I’ve been living and training full-time for the past three years.
"I’ve grown up knowing Jesus and long felt a call to ministry, exploring it pre-marriage and motherhood. However, when both of those life changes (joyfully) happened, I felt as if the ‘ship had sailed’. I’ve wrestled through many questions during discernment and training, but at the fore has always been, “How do I wear all my hats well?” Although this is something I’m sure no one ever perfects, I’ve been blessed with many amazing forerunners who’ve modelled being a woman in ministry. I hope I can join their company and live in a way that shows other mamas that following the call on your life and using the gifts God has given you does not need to hinder your ability to love your family fiercely. If you are reading this and you’ve had similar reservations, I am here to tell you it IS possible. More than that – it’s wonderful!
"I’m married and we have two primary-aged girls, who we’ve just begun to home-educate. My hobbies revolve around the kitchen and garden – feeding and tending (God’s work!). I’m hugely passionate about theological education and chatting doctrine, and I enjoy exploring creativity in worship, incorporating the arts in a way that helps different learning styles engage and understand. I also have a growing interest in emotions and embodied spirituality, in particular how crying and tears image God in humanity.
"It's going to be super getting to know the community in Sinfin Moor! I am a Derby girl, through and through, so it’s just lovely to be back in the Midlands where the accent is familiar again!! All four of us are looking forward to worshipping and serving the church, and I’m praying that God would open my eyes to see all the opportunities to daily love the people here and be his hands and feet in this place."
Jim Wigglesworth
"Derby is my hometown, and growing up I would never have expected to end up getting ordained in the Church. Sport was my real passion, and was I fortunate enough to have a brief rugby career before injuries put a stop to that. It was during those years that I became a Christian and my life was changed.
"It was during this time that I sensed a call to ordained ministry and started exploring. It has been an incredible journey, in which two daughters have also come along, and training has been a real blessing to me. I am excited to start my curacy in Duffield and Little Eaton, and continue to learn through this process. I still have a great love for sport, psychology and evangelism, and therefore look forward to seeing how this all interweaves along the journey."
Please pray too for our newly-ordained priests
Please pray for Benjamin Andréo-Boosey, Kara Gander, Ailsa Hunt and Sue Leather who were ordained as priests on Saturday, as they continue with their curacies, serving their communites and extending the kingdom of God in their local contexts.
Is God stirring something in you?
All of us are invited to follow Jesus and to serve God faithfully in our everyday lives. To discover more about what this might mean for you, please see our Everyday Faith page. Alongside our everyday faith, some people are called to serve God in a specific ministry. You can find out more about that on our vocations page.
The Diocese of Derby has announced the launch of its new accessibility project, designed to improve access and inclusion for all churches.
The project includes a range of downloadable icons, designed to easily identify church assessable features allowing people with disabilities to easily find a church that will suit their needs.
The project comes from two years of work by the Disability Inclusion Action Group (DIAG), who have researched the need and designed the icons with the help of a local design agency.
Churches are encouraged to download the icons relevant to their church and display them on their websites. All the icons and more information is available www.accessiblechurch.net.
Carl Veal, Chair of DIAG said “The accessibility symbols, two years in the making, represent a wonderful opportunity for the churches of the Diocese of Derby to be open and accessible to all and allow us all to worship Christ together as a cohesive community. I look forward to this initiative from the Diocese leading the way for these icons to be rolled out nationally, to the whole of the Church of England later this year."
As the Diocesan lead on the project, Bishop Malcolm Macnaughton said ‘ These symbols will help local churches be welcoming to disabled people, by giving them accurate information about what we can offer in our churches. Disabled people bring new gifts to the table, and important perspective to our life as a community. We need one another – and this project will help change attitudes, improve access to our activities, and release agency, empowering disabled people to get involved and take a lead. We are one body in Christ – we need each other.’
As a result of this project, Helen James, Disability Project Manager for the Church of England stated that, from the summer, the symbols will be made available for all parishes throughout all dioceses to use and implement on their own pages.The Disability Inclusion Action Group comprises clergy and lay people with a range of disabilities, from across the Diocese of Derby. Their aim is to see disability inclusion taken seriously in our churches and across the Diocese. Their work is focused around three key themes - Attitude, Access, and Agency.
