Items filtered by date: May 2025
The Shop Stop
Department stores were developed in the 1870s. Until that time people went to the shop or the market to buy what they thought they needed to sustain and enjoy life. Of course people would browse, and see, and buy, new things. But ‘shopping’ was generally targeted to wants and needs.
Church and Common Life
The same was true of church. People went to public worship to be taught and sustained in the Christian faith. This common experience and set of reference points provided the basis for community – common standards and values. Of course people would see and pursue relationships and practices beyond these ‘norms’, just as they would be in church and let their imaginations explore the atmosphere, the words, the stained glass and the crucifix. But the liturgies were fixed, and ‘spirituality’ was generally nourished through a fairly set approach to the needs and wants of the soul.
The Department Store
The Department Store was a sign of huge shift: from a targeted, functional approach to sustenance and survival, to something very different. Now, in one place were assembled nearly all the goods a shopper might need or want. The atmosphere shifted from being functional to one of coaxing demand – encouraging the individual to see and want more than they might have envisaged when they entered the store. With ‘eternal’ florescent light and pastorally helpful staff the focus was upon each person feeling comfortable, able to seek ‘personal’ service and satisfaction. There soon developed a money-back guarantee to reinforce this prioritisation of personal control and commitment.
A New Heaven and a New Earth
Now the big stores set the scene for the seasons, offer loyalty and credit cards, provide carefully chosen mood music. Each invites identification with a particular version of ‘heaven’ – where dreams are fulfilled and life is made worthwhile. A very particular kind of spirituality!
Church and Choice
Meanwhile – in church – we have an increasing contrast between a similar shift towards offering customer satisfaction – built around the needs and dreams of the ‘customer’, and that deeper spirituality which challenges each of us to become a slave, a servant – giving ourselves up to the agenda of others. Love god and love your neighbour as yourself – Jesus taught. This is the seed of a very different spirituality – about service rather than satisfaction, and about sacrifice rather than success. We are challenged to define our lives not by what we purchase, but through what we give away.
Shopping and Spirituality
Shopping is important for our survival. We are blessed with so much choice. It provokes a certain kind of spirituality – whose logic is individuality and competition. Witness the chaos at sale-times!
Spirituality enlivened by Jesus Christ, is even more important for our survival. It provokes another kind of life – informed by the Holy Spirit, bound together in God’s grace, and paying particular concern to those who lack the obvious trappings of a good life.
As our purses and wallets become stuffed with ever more loyalty cards, should each church provide a loyalty-to-Jesus card? If could be the first thing we see when we go shopping. It might provoke prayer for a different kind of lifestyle!
In response to some recent lead and silver thefts from churches, Derbyshire police have issued the following guidance notes.
Church Security Advice Note - B Division
There is a well-known hymn, written by Susan Warner in 1868, with the refrain – you in your small corner, and I in mine! Each of us lives in a small space – in a locality, with family, friends, at work. In the modern world we are more and more conscious of others in their own very different small corners. We call it ‘diversity’.
From Corner to Circle
There are two things that connect the corners and put us in a single circle. One is the planet, the environment. Something we all share. On which we all depend.
The other is the mercy of our Creator God who gives each person life and breath – the seed of eternity.
The circle works through ‘harvest’. Partly our work together on earth to provide nourishment and sustenance: the harvest of fruits. But harvest also happens through our sharing together in a spirit of co-operation – the harvest of fellowship.
From Derbyshire to Delhi
Each year in our Diocese we celebrate this harvest of fruits and this harvest of fellowship.
In 2014 we expressed this connection and companionship between our small corner in Derbyshire and the life of our brothers and sisters in Delhi, in the Church of North India. I am delighted to report that your wonderful generosity raised £21,500 to enable women in the slums to establish small recycling businesses. Making the most of the harvest of the fruits of the earth. Building the capacity for a spirit of confidence and community to enrich life in these testing corners of God’s creation.
Thank you for helping us to connect the corners – and to create a spiritual circle of grace and goodness in which we can all give thanks to the Lord for His mercy, and for the new life He grows amongst His children. The fruits of our fellowship continue to grow.
Angola and Education
This year, 2015, we are working with another small corner of God’s life and love – girls and women in Angola. They are often penned into a very small corner indeed – lacking opportunities for education or work beyond the narrowly domestic. Gifts denied the opportunity to grow, flourish and contribute to the wellbeing of the wider community.
Further details will be available soon – for parishes and for schools. There will be a special launch event. We are working in partnership with Christian Aid, who have excellent local links.
The Generosity of God
Please try to be generous. Give thanks to God for the blessings of life in your small corner. Let us see if we can make our contribution to the harvest of fruits and fellowship that our Lord longs to raise up in Angola, and in Derbyshire, and in our life within the comforting circle of His grace.
St Alkmund’s Church, Derby are excited to hold an Election Husting event on Wednesday 22nd April, 7.30pm
The evening will take the form of a discussion with the principle candidates for Derby North and Derby South constituencies, along similar lines to the BBC program ‘Question Time’.
The event will be chaired by The Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern, Bishop of Derby.
Bishop Alastair said: ‘ It is important for the public to engage with their prospective parliamentary candidates to question the parties’ pledges but also to raise the importance of those policies locally. I am pleased that St Alkmund's are able to provide a space to allow this discussion to take place and look forward to chairing this exciting event’
The event will be attended by representatives of the Conservative party, Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrat Party and the UK Independence party.
It is anticipated that the discussion will cover a range of topics including:
• Overall political approach and thinking
• Specific policy areas
• local issues relevant to Derby
Audience members are invited to submit a question prior to the event and a selection of the best will be chosen on the night. Audience members will also be able to ask follow on questions around topics under discussion.
For more information about the event visit https://sites.google.com/site/stalkmundshustings2015/home
Doors open to the public at 6.45pm with the event starting at 7.30pm. The event will close at 10pm. All are welcome to attend.
In brief: what is a reader?
Licensed Lay Ministers, also known as Readers, play an important role in the public ministry of the Church by leading worship, teaching and preaching, as well as in a wide range of missional and pastoral contexts. As theologically trained lay people they offer a ministry within the church and to the wider community; and are well placed to encourage people in their everyday faith. The office of Reader in the Church of England is governed by canon law (Canons E4, 5 & 6).
The ministry of individual Readers varies according to their gifting and mission context. Whilst most Readers minister collaboratively as part of a team of lay and ordained ministers some work very much on the margins of society sharing God’s love and message of hope to those who may not yet know it.
READERS ARE:
- Called by God to a ministry of the Word
- Licensed by the Bishop to exercise a public and representative lay ministry in Church and the wider community
- Theologically trained and equipped as:
- teachers of the faith
- enablers of mission in the everyday
- leaders in church and community
Some Readers are also trained and authorised by the Bishop to offer funeral ministry, some are authorised to lead Communion by Extension services.
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Diocesan Logo
Low resolution versions of our logo are available to download below. For High resolution versions (for printed documents / signage etc) please contact communications@derby.anglican.org
The term of office of the current Diocesan Synod ends on 31 July 2015. Therefore Derby Diocese must elect a new Diocesan Synod from its clergy and church members. The electors are members (other than currently co-opted members) of the House of Clergy and the House of Laity of the Deanery Synods of the Diocese. The rules state that the electors are defined at 6.00am on the date on which the nominations papers are issued locally by the Deanery.
Elections to the new Diocesan Synod will be carried out during the period May to July 2015 to a timetable fixed by the Bishop in accordance with Church Representation Rule 32(1). The new Diocesan Synod will take office on 1 August 2015 and the first meeting of the new Diocesan Synod will be on 17 October 2015.
The Bishop, in accordance with Rule 32(2) has appointed the Rural Deans to be the Presiding Officers for elections by the House of Laity of Deanery Synods and the Lay Chairs to be the Presiding Officers for elections by the House of Clergy of Deanery Synods.
Nominations
A Notice of Election must be sent to every qualified elector, together with a nomination form. Every candidate may be nominated and seconded by qualified electors and every candidate must express with their signature, their willingness to serve, if elected. Opportunity is provided for a candidate, if he or she so desires, to set out in 100 words or fewer, a factual statement, such as professional qualifications, present office of relevant experience, for circulation with the voting papers.
Nomination Forms will be posted to all electors on 14 May 2015. Nomination Forms will be sent by post on the same day in order that every elector is treated equally.
Valid paper copies of Nomination Forms must be returned by mid-day on 5 June which is the closing date for nominations.
If nominations are received, which are equal to or less than the number to be elected, then these persons will be elected and notified accordingly. If there are less than the number of people to be elected then the remaining places are treated as casual vacancies and are then filled by the House of Clergy or the House of Laity by a method to be decided by them in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. This process is the responsibility of the Chair of the appropriate House.
Voting Papers
If there are more nominations than there are places to fill, then an election will be organised. A voting paper must be circulated to every qualifying elector by post no later than 12 June 2015 and these have to be returned by mid-day on 3 July. The completed voting paper must be signed by the elector, together with their full name written on the reverse of the form in order to be valid. Candidates will be notified of the result. In the event of equality of votes, the decision shall be taken by lot by the Presiding Officer.
TIMELINE
14 May 2015 Each Deanery issues Notice of Election and Nomination Papers
5 June 2015 Closing date for nominations
19 June 2015 Deanery issues voting papers (if elections are required)
3 July 2015 Closing date for voting
10 July 2015 Deanery presiding officers inform Diocesan Secretary, Deanery Synod Secretaries and candidates of election results and of Diocesan Synod Members
15 July 2015 Diocesan Synod Elections must be complete
1 August 2015 Members of the new Diocesan Synod hold office from this date
17 October 2015 First meeting of the new Diocesan Synod
NUMBERS TO BE ELECTED
DEANERY Clergy Laity
Alfreton 3 3
Bakewell and Eyam 4 5
Bolsover & Staveley 3 4
Buxton 3 2
Chesterfield 8 8
Glossop 2 3
Wirksworth 2 3
Ashbourne 2 3
Derby North 6 4
Derby South 5 4
Duffield 3 5
Heanor 2 2
Erewash 5 6
Longford 2 2
Melbourne 3 3
Repton 3 4
Role descriptions were introduced into the diocese to complement and inform Ministerial Development Reviews (MDR), and are a requirement of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Regulations 2009.
The following documents will help you write a role description which you are advised to develop after you have been in post for six months, and when you have met with your Archdeacon at the six month review point:
How to write a Role Description
Role Description Template Curate
Role Description Template Incumbent
Role Description Worked Example
Should you have any questions or queries regarding the development of your role description please contact Mandy Roberts at Derby Church House: 01332 388650, mandy.roberts@derby.anglican.org
All are called to serve in God’s world, and we strive to be inclusive of all in vocational discernment.
The Church of England supports inclusive discernment through its extensive network of mentors throughout the country.
