News Stories
Madelaine Goddard retired from Derby city deanery after over ten years as their lay chair. At the most recent meeting of the Deanery Synod (October 2025) Madelaine offered a typically grace—filled retirement speech.
Rev’d Sarah Watson, Area Dean of Derby city, thanked Madeline for her support and wisdom and presented her with flowers and a crowd-funded gift as a token of the deanery’s great appreciation.
Archdeacon Matthew Trick, Archdeacon of Derby and South Derbyshire, commented, “Madelaine Goddard has been a faithful servant of Christ, guiding Derby City deanery from the two city deaneries merging into the present deanery, and successive Area and Asst Deans. She has held the deanery as Lay Chair with care and prayerfulness, offering helpful wisdom and insight into discussions across diocesan life. We are truly grateful for Madelaine's long and faithful service”.
Photo: Revd Mina Mumms presents Madelaine Goddard with a bouquet of flowers.
In September, Bishop Malcolm visited Sinfin Moor church for a special tree planting service to help celebrate the installation of solar panels and their commitment to a sustainable future.
The church paid for the panels with help from the Church of England's 'Give to Go Green' initiative. What began as a spark of vision in Lent 2022 has now blossomed into a vibrant eco-journey, with the whole congregation and wider community coming together to make it happen.
Revd Gael Browne, Assistant Curate at Sinfin Moor Church shares their experience:
Our story began in Lent 2022, when, as a church, we explored the book "Embracing Justice" by Revd Dr Isabelle Hamley. One session on climate justice particularly challenged us, and a retired member of clergy in our congregation, the Revd Eileen Bangay, felt deeply that she had heard from God regarding our call to creation care as a church.
With Melanie (steward) and Joshua (Church Warden) forming a small team alongside Revd Eileen, we took our first step by registering with A Rocha UK’s Eco Church scheme in early 2023.
Momentum quickly built, and by that summer, community groups such as the Guides and Rangers were joining us in eco-focused activities. In June 2023, we were delighted to receive the Silver Eco Church Award, as well as the Bronze retrospectively.
Spurred on by this momentum, our vision continued to grow. By August 2023, we began researching the possibility of installing solar panels. As we are an LEP (Local Ecumenical Partnership), we were able to approach our various denominational partners for support. In early 2025, we received confirmation of successful grant applications from the Methodist Church and the URC Church. This was a huge encouragement that our dream of using more sustainable energy could become a reality.
The real breakthrough came in May 2025, when we joined the Church of England’s 'Give to Go Green' scheme. With encouragement and visits from our Diocesan Parish Support Officers, we set out to raise £5,000 in just six weeks so that match-funding could be unlocked. Through coffee mornings, a beetle drive, a sponsored Bible reading, and a shared lunch, our congregation and community rallied together, and we reached our goal!
Wendy, a member of the congregation, says:
“I love the fact that Sinfin Moor Church has taken responsibility for installing Solar Panels to help reduce the greenhouse effect. It is a great witness to the surrounding community as to how much we care for Father God's creation.”
By August 2025, the solar panels and battery system were installed. In our very first week, we were already feeding energy back into the national grid; a visible sign of stewardship and sustainability in action.
This has been a journey of faith, community, and determination. We wanted to respond to God’s distinct call to care for creation, and it has been amazing to see people inside and outside the church joining together to make this vision a reality.
As the psalmist reminds us: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). Installing solar panels is just one way of living out our calling to steward God’s world faithfully.
With lower bills, greener energy, and a renewed witness to our community, we pray that our journey will encourage other churches across the Diocese to explore the Eco Church path and seize the opportunities offered by initiatives like 'Give to Go Green'.
The Rt Revd Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby today reflected on the announcement of The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury
“I am delighted that Bishop Sarah has been nominated as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. I have long valued her as a colleague, and I look forward to serving with her as she leads the Church of England and the Anglican Communion in the coming years.
I am grateful for all the gifts and experience she brings from her work before ordination as Chief Nursing Officer, and the rich episcopal ministry she has offered in both the Diocese of Exeter and latterly serving with humility and courage the diverse communities that make up the Diocese of London. She will be a huge blessing to the wider Church and the nation as our next Archbishop.
This is a significant moment for the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Church; please join me in praying for Sarah and her family as she takes on the enormous challenges and responsibilities of archbishop ministry.”
His Majesty The King has approved the nomination of the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, Downing Street has announced.
Bishop Sarah will be the first woman to hold the office.
She will be installed in a service at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026. Sarah Mullally has been the Bishop of London since 2018, the first woman appointed to that role, and before that was Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter. Prior to her ordination in 2001, she was the Government’s Chief Nursing Officer for England – the youngest person ever to be appointed to that role at the age of 37 – having previously specialised as a cancer nurse. Bishop Sarah has described nursing as "an opportunity to reflect the love of God".
The Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) for Canterbury nominated Bishop Sarah following a process of public consultation and prayerful discernment that began in February this year. The Canterbury CNC was made up of representatives from across the Church of England, global Anglican Communion and the Diocese of Canterbury.
Bishop Sarah said: “As I respond to the call of Christ to this new ministry, I do so in the same spirit of service to God and to others that has motivated me since I first came to faith as a teenager.
“At every stage of that journey, through my nursing career and Christian ministry, I have learned to listen deeply – to people and to God’s gentle prompting – to seek to bring people together to find hope and healing.
“I want, very simply, to encourage the Church to continue to grow in confidence in the Gospel, to speak of the love that we find in Jesus Christ and for it to shape our actions.
“And I look forward to sharing this journey of faith with the millions of people serving God and their communities in parishes all over the country and across the global Anglican Communion.
“I know this is a huge responsibility but I approach it with a sense of peace and trust in God to carry me as He always has.”
Lord Evans, Chair of the Crown Nominations Commission for Canterbury, said: “It has been a great privilege to have chaired the Crown Nominations Commission as it sought to discern who God is calling to lead the Church of England and Anglican Communion as Archbishop of Canterbury.
“That discernment began with the public consultation, which heard the voices of thousands of people as they expressed their hopes for this nomination, and continued all the way through to the Commission’s final meeting.
“I would like to thank all those who took part in this process, particularly those who took time to share their views in the consultation and the members of the Commission who worked so diligently over several months, ably assisted by the Appointments Secretaries and by the Appointments and Vocations team at Lambeth Palace.
“I shall be praying for Bishop Sarah as she prepares to take up this new ministry in the coming months.”
Bishop Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, said: “I welcome and commend the nomination of Bishop Sarah as the next Archbishop of Canterbury and invite the churches of the global Anglican Communion to pray for her as she prepares to take up this important ministry.
“May God grant her wisdom and discernment, as she seeks to listen to Member churches, encourage mutual support, and foster unity.
“The Anglican Communion Office is fully committed to supporting her ministry as she works with other Provinces and the Instruments of the Anglican Communion.
“Let us pray that God will pour out His Spirit on the Anglican Communion to boldly share Christ's transformational love and the hope of the Gospel in today’s world.”
Media reports link the recent increase in national flag displays to concerns about UK migration levels. I understand that migration is a genuine concern for many, including Christians, and I don’t wish to dismiss these anxieties. It’s important to acknowledge that our church communities include first, second and third generation migrants. For Christians seeking to faithfully follow Jesus, reflecting His holiness and partnering in extending God’s Kingdom on earth, the migration debate often overlooks a crucial question: human dignity. In this month’s article, I want to explore how we can balance concerns over UK migration levels with thinking, speaking, and acting in ways that prioritise human dignity.
When addressing such a topical political issue, I recognise that blanket terms like “migration” or “immigration” are problematic. These terms are too broad to properly distinguish between those entering the country by established routes to fill skill shortages, those seeking asylum, and those entering via improvised means. I understand that much of the concern expressed through protests and flag displays relates specifically to the latter. Another challenge of terms such as migrant, ‘illegal’ immigrant, or asylum seeker is the labelling of an individual by their documented or undocumented status. This risks reducing the fullness of a person’s identity, character and life story to a single label, and an often weaponised label too.
Applying our Christian faith to current issues, injustices, and inequalities is central to following Jesus. Our deep faith traditions inspire us to act with consideration for others, especially the vulnerable, poor, and marginalised. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls’ (Jeremiah 6:16). Our faith in Jesus, the Good News of the Gospel, and the biblical vision of God’s Kingdom penetrating our daily lives offers an antidote to the indignity some groups face in our society. I’m making not a political argument but a theological one: while there are legitimate concerns about migration and the perceived pressure on local communities, our Christian faith calls us to think, speak and act in ways that uphold the dignity of others.
Our faith’s approach to speaking of migrants with dignity begins in Genesis, where we learn that all creation is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Migrants possess inherent worth and dignity not because of our political ideologies or personal opinions, but because they, like all humanity, are made in God’s image. The Bible clearly connects our innate dignity and worth with justice. Proverbs 31:8-9 instructs us, ‘Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.’ Ultimately, we find our dignity in Jesus. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 3:28 that social and cultural differences do not separate us from our unity in Christ and our common dignity in Him.
Those deeply concerned about migration levels often worry about preserving what they see as solid foundations in society. The underlying suggestion is that high migration levels threaten our British way of life. Before our current debates, the late Pope Benedict suggested that society’s solid foundations depend on affirming human dignity:
A society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalised.
Across our churches, chaplaincies and fresh expressions in the Diocese of Derby, our vocation must be to promote the innate dignity and self-worth of all people made in God’s image. This doesn’t mean ignoring genuine concerns about migration, but it does mean that how we articulate those concerns matters. Christians are called to point people to Jesus, in whom we discover our common humanity, and to reflect our own dignity in how we welcome others and pray for justice for everyone on earth.
Bless all who seek refuge on this earth.
Meet their needs for safety and for home.
Move the hearts of your people to show them welcome.
Cause wars to cease and bring justice,
to the nations that no one will need to flee again.
Amen.
The Ven Matthew Trick
Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derbyshire
Holy Trinity Church, Chesterfield, was alive with activity as they marked 200 years since the beginning of the modern railway.
George Stephenson Day took place on Saturday 27 August – the anniversary of the first journey of Locomotion No. 1; the engine Stephenson built in 1825.
That short 26-mile journey from Shildon to Stockton changed the world, opening up travel, trade and opportunity in a way never seen before.
Over 800 visitors walked through the doors of Holy Trinity on the Saturday. Families, railway enthusiasts, local historians and locals came together to learn about George Stephenson, who is buried at Holy Trinity.
A costumed interpreter brought him to life, meeting visitors, posing for photographs and gave talks on “The Railway That Changed the World.”
Revd Jilly Hancock said “There was a wonderful atmosphere all day, full of curiosity, conversation and community spirit. Revd Malcolm Pyatt led a short service of reflection and thanks, and it was a day full of God’s blessing, as we celebrated both our heritage and the people who made it possible. Our hope is that through this project, Stephenson’s legacy and the light of God’s presence in this place, will continue to inspire future generations.”
The celebrations continued on Sunday, with a service of thanksgiving, giving glory to God for the vision, courage and creativity that shaped our modern world.
Among those who attended the service were the Duke of Devonshire, Sir Andrew Haines - Chief Executive of Network Rail, Pam Liversidge - President of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, the Mayor and Mayoress of Chesterfield, HM Lord-Lieutenant, High Sheriff Sir Richard FitzHerbert Bt and Mr Tom Ingle.
The service gave thanks not only for George Stephenson but also for the generations of railway workers, miners, engineers and families whose work has shaped Chesterfield’s story.
The weekend formed part of a wider heritage project, supported by a £240,600 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, alongside contributions from East Midlands Railway, Cross Country Rail, the Raymond Ross Fund, Graysons Solicitors and Holy Trinity Church.
Over the next two years, the project will see Holy Trinity transformed into both a place of worship and a heritage destination, with new interpretation displays, school and community activities and a dedicated visitor space within the church.
As well as celebrating Stephenson’s life and achievements, the project will explore Chesterfield’s wider industrial story, the growth of the town in the Victorian era, the Clay Cross Company and the region’s mining history.
It will also mark 40 years since the Miners’ Strike, providing space to reflect on how industry has shaped our communities and our faith.
Holy Trinity has always been proud of its connection to George Stephenson, but this weekend was a reminder that his story is about more than engineering. It’s a story of vision, perseverance, and faith, qualities that still inspire us today.
Featured on the photograph (L-R): HM Lord lieutenant, Sir Andrew Haines, Pam Liversage, Duke of Devonshire, High Sherriff of Derbyshire and his police cadet, Revd Jilly Hancock, Revd Malcolm Pyatt, David Nightingale, Mayor of Liverpool, Mayor of Chesterfield
Our Growing Younger team recently met with Revd James Lee, Team Vicar in the North Wingfield Team about how his team are encouraging families with a new Sunday afternoon service.
Q: Hi James, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
James: My name is Revd James Lee and since last September, I’ve been Team Vicar in the North Wingfield Team, which is a team of five churches just south of Chesterfield.
Q: What was your motivation for starting your new service?
James: Of our five churches, four meet on Sunday mornings, but St Barnabas Danesmoor has been a small afternoon congregation for many years, meeting at 5pm. Soon after I started I had a strong sense that there was a brilliant opportunity here for a family-friendly afternoon service for the many families who access the St Barnabas Centre throughout the week. I found that others I spoke to felt the same – and the scale of opportunity was confirmed by seeing 92 people (including nearly 50 children) come to our Christingle service last December.
And so a small team of us began working to launching this new service, which we decided to move to 4pm (as a better time for families) and call ‘St Barnabas@4’.
Q: What does the service look like now?
James: We launched St Barnabas@4 in February and it’s been a fun roller-coaster ride ever since. If you were to walk in on a Sunday, you’d find us sat round tables in a relaxed style, with paper for drawing/doodling covering each table, with pens, fidget toys and a craft available, as well a play area at the back.
But as you stay, you’ll find that we seek to incorporate many of the normal parts of a regular service – songs, confession, Bible reading, prayers and a short talk – but with a very clear communication that it is ok for children to make noise, run around and play. This has been the most frequent comment from parents – that they’ve been able to come and relax and enjoy it, because they’re not constantly stressing about the noise their child is/could make.
Q: How have you seen your ministry grow? What do you think was the catalyst for this?
James: We were blown away by having 71 people there on our first week, though I was always aware that ‘regular numbers’ would likely fall off from that. We’ve settled into an average of around 40-45 people each week, about half of whom are children, which is great.
But more than just numbers, it’s been really exciting to see a sense of community and belonging begin to grow – we’ve recently seen our first baptism, with interest in thanksgiving services too. We’re looking to grow our team as well, encouraging people to consider how they might be able to get involved.
As to a catalyst for growth – I think the excellent connections developed over many years at the St Barnabas Centre have been a big part of it, as well as the importance of sharing food together at 5pm each week too! It’s been really encouraging to see people start to invite their own families and friends to come along too!
Q: What is your recent success?
James: Aside from the blessing of having a baptism a few weeks ago, we’ve had some big highlights over recent months, particularly having a live donkey (and a horse) with us on Palm Sunday and having a big Easter Party with over 100 people coming along!
Q: How has this impacted your wider church community?
James: It’s been an encouragement within our Team of church to see so many children and young people coming along, with St Barnabas going from our smallest congregation to nearly the largest, and is helping us think through what more we can be doing to engage with children and young people across the team.
It’s also given us a closer connection point between the brilliant work of the team at the St Barnabas Centre, and all they do for the community, and St Barnabas Church.
Q: Do you have plans going forward for your current ministry, or anything new starting?
James: My key watchword for St Barnabas@4 is ‘sustainable’ – it’d be very easy to come in, do a flashy new thing and then fizzle out after six months, but we’re determined to build something stable and faithful to last for many years to come – still looking to make things good quality and staying fresh, without going in for gimmicks etc.
Our focus at present is building something to last, though we are always considering how to adapt and make things better. Our hope is, in time, to introduce a simple celebration of communion, and explore whether those who attend might be interested in a smaller bible study group. There’s lots of other possibilities too – the challenge is being patient to see what God is calling us into next!
Q: What has challenged you or your team, or continues to challenge you?
James: One of the challenges has been starting with a relatively small team, without a long lead-in time before we launched. But alongside that, it’s been encouraging to see people getting involved in helping out in lots of different ways too.
Also, building community takes time! Many of those who come along have little history of attending church and there are weeks where the number of people there fluctuates a lot, which is normal – I have to keep reminding myself not to judge things solely on numbers!
Q: How would you encourage churches who are thinking of starting out with a children’s or youth ministry?
James: I would encourage all churches to have ‘Growing Younger’ as a key part of your discussions at PCC and as a church team – to think through what will best enable you to reach children and young people in your area.
Also, have courage to try things! We had no idea how things would go with St Barnabas@4, no idea if anyone would turn up, but we felt this was the opportunity God was leading us towards – so we went for it!
Q: We would love to pray for you, what specifics can we pray for?
James: Please do pray for us as we continue to get established, for God to be at work to bring more people along, as well as building us into a loving, caring, welcoming community of people who are getting to know Jesus better together.
Please pray as well for us to continue to find creative and engaging ways to help both adults and young people to be engaging with God’s Word, and to be able to build something that is sustainable for the long term.
"Serving in Swadlincote in the south of the diocese, I have led and preached in four different churches, and occasionally in another spread across the breadth of church traditions. I have also had the privilege to come alongside people at the highs and lows of life, from sitting with the bereaved, to celebrating marriages and baptising folk, including my own teenage son at Easter in the glorious sunshine.
"Serving God, and ‘doing church’ doesn’t just happen in building, though, and I have led folk in worship in God’s own creation, both a summer Churches Together Ecumenical picnic and praise service in the local park and in mid-winter, for which we were blessed with gloriously clear and dry skies as we shared the Lord’s meal overlooking the fields surrounding Swad.
"It comes as no surprise that with a young family, I have a particularly keen interest in growing church younger and seeing children and young people flourish and grow in the depth of their knowledge of God’s love for them. I have been fortunate to have been able to facilitate schools and scout visits to church, and
assisted in Messy Church, Experience Christmas and the assemblies team. While still finding time to learn about and become a foundation governor at the primary school local to my house, so I can be strategically involved in the flourishing of more of the children in that parish.
"I have tried not to neglect the other missional communities within the minster, visiting as many as I can at least once in my first year, enjoying soup with the sewing group, coffee with my conversation, bingo at the Ark and bible study with prayer groups.
"One of the qualities of an ordained minister in the Church of England is to communicate and interpret the Christian faith in a credible way that respects the context and engages with those of other faiths and none, about issues facing the world and local community. Early into my curacy, I started writing for the local magazine, which is distributed around Swadlincote to around 18’000 residences and businesses, which led to being interviewed on the local radio show talking about, amongst other things, sin, church history and tradition, and God’s immense love. I have also had the opportunity to serve at Download Festival as a chaplain, which led to some really interesting conversations about relationships and Jesus, although, like in church, not everyone always agreed.
"Since being ordained Priest this summer, I have found myself surprised as once again I feel like I am even more myself than I have ever been, and I am really looking forward to what the next year, and years of ordained ministry will bring."
Kara is Assistant Curate at Swadlincote Minister
Rt Revd Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby, and the Very Revd Peter Robinson, Dean of Derby, are delighted to announce the planned appointment of the following Honorary and Lay Canons to Derby Cathedral:
Honorary Canons
Revd Alicia Dring
Revd Michael Futers
Revd Alan Griggs
Revd Philip Mann
Revd Dr Nicola McNally
Revd Bryony Taylor
Lay Canons
Alison Craig
Nicola Goodhew
Will Hagger
Their collations will take place across two services at Derby Cathedral on 21 and 28 September both at 5:15pm.
Bishop Libby said: ‘Those to be appointed Honorary and Lay Canons bring a rich variety of experience and expertise from across our diocese. I thank God for them and the ministries they exercise in their contexts. I am grateful that they are willing to offer themselves for the role and responsibility of honorary Canon in our Cathedral. Please hold each of them - Alan, Alicia, Bryony, Michael, Nicola, Phil, Ali, Nikki, Sarah, Will, - in your prayers.’
Dean Peter said: ‘The Chapter and I look forward to welcoming new Honorary and Lay Canons to the life of Derby Cathedral. We are delighted that the Bishop of Derby has appointed such a wide range of lay and ordained people whose gifts and skills will enhance so effectively the mission and ministry of Derby Cathedral from the breadth of the Diocese, and vice versa. Each new Honorary and Lay Canon will make a key contribution to the Cathedral fulfilling its vision and strategy for the future. I commend each new Canon to your prayers as they take up their appointments in September.'
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).
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.'
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.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Thy Kingdom Come - a world-wide prayer movement inviting Christians around the world to prayer. Launched by the Church of England’s archbishops it now takes place in over 170 countries and involves 85 different denominations. Bishop Malcolm has been visiting churches and schools in Carsington, Bonsall, Wirksworth, Elton and Kirk Ireton - cycling between venues!
We have also asked people around the diocese to reflect on the Lord's Prayer, you can watch the video on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DioceseofDerby
The Bishop of Derby hosted the Department for Work and Pensions Minister, Baroness Sherlock OBE, to see projects and meet people involved with Derby Food4Thought Alliance and other anti-poverty work.
The visit was arranged to showcase the vital contribution of churches and other faith communities in Derby supporting children and families experiencing poverty, as part of stakeholder engagement the Government is undertaking ahead of the publication of its child poverty strategy.
The Minister visited the Osmaston/Allenton Family Hub, a partnership between Alvaston Churches Together and the Jubilee debt advice project. She met with people who use the services, volunteers and staff to discuss the resources available, including debt and benefits signposting, food support, and activities for young children.
At the Padley YMCA Centre, the Minister heard from service users about services that have particularly helped them and their children through difficult times. This was followed by a policy-focused round table meeting with representatives from local churches, schools, the council, former service users who have become volunteers, and others involved in the Derby Poverty Commission, enabling a rich discussion of the different initiatives and joined up work taking place within Derby to tackle child poverty, and some of the barriers still faced in offering provision.
Reflecting on the visit, the Bishop of Derby, Libby Lane, said: “It was good to give the Minister a flavour of the work taking place out of faith communities in Derby to support children and families. These examples of faith in action in Derby give hope that every child can know that they are loved and enjoy a happy, healthy start to life. I pray for an ambitious and effective child poverty strategy that draws on the skills and potential of our communities, not just to deal with the consequences of poverty but address the root causes.”
Baroness Sherlock said: "I am deeply moved by the dedication and impact of the faith communities in Derby, and I’m very grateful to Bishop Libby for her invitation to visit these projects.
“The projects I saw were inspiring, and demonstrate how essential partnerships between local organisations, churches, faith-based projects and government are in addressing the particular needs of the community.
“As we continue to engage with stakeholders across the country, the insights gathered during my visit will help inform our upcoming child poverty strategy. We are determined that our strategy not only addresses the immediate needs of those affected by poverty but also tackles its root causes, breaking down barriers of opportunity and ensuring every child can thrive, as part of our Plan for Change."
Paul Brookhouse, Senior Manager of Derby Food4Thought Alliance, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Baroness Sherlock and some of her team to highlight the great partnership work we have here in Derby and the collective working to tackle the high rates of child poverty. I appreciate Bishop Libby organising this so that we could specifically highlight the faith led projects and their unique offer to the residents of Derby.”
