Protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults is the responsibility of us all, whether they are in the communities in which we live or part of our Christian family.

If you have a concern about a child, young person or adult who may be at risk of harm please speak to one of the parish safeguarding coordinators or the priest within the parish.

If you have concerns about a member of the clergy or an employee of the diocese please contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser on 01332 388678 or one of the archdeacons.

You can also report any concerns to the Police or Social Care.

The important thing is that your concerns are shared with someone in a position to help.

To report a safeguarding concern to the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, Hannah Hogg, please complete the form below.

Safeguarding Concern Form

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Dr Alison Brown explains how church schools came about and what they are.

Have you thought about becoming a churchwarden? This video tells five things you need to know in 30 seconds.

More learning for churchwardens

>> Click here to make an online donation <<

 With desperate poverty and homelessness severely damaging the life chances of girls in one of the world’s biggest and poorest slum areas, Bishop Libby has launched this year’s Harvest Appeal to raise thousands of pounds towards their housing and basic education.

St Elizabeth’s Hostel in Kolkata, India, is the focus of this year's Harvest Appeal, which will run in parishes and schools throughout the Diocese of Derby from September to the end of December.

The diocese has a long mutual association with the Church of North India, not least through links with schools over many decades.

Drawn from some of the poorest slums in the city, St Elizabeth’s is a refuge for up to 86 girls at any one time.

Sometimes homeless and always underprivileged, the girls at the hostel are provided with accommodation, food, clothing and other basic necessities as well as an education up to Higher Secondary level.

As a result of the pandemic, financial support has either been cut or is at severe risk in what are sometimes considered as low-priority areas, such as girls’ education.

Bishop Libby is determined that the long-term development of girls at St Elizabeth’s should continue.

Education helps them overcome social and financial challenges and to access jobs and income that will enable them to live independently and sustain themselves.

Without the support of St Elizabeth’s, most of the girls would receive no education at all, making it likely they would remain in poverty like many thousands of other girls and vulnerable to exploitation, often by the sex trade.

Bishop Libby said: “Many of these girls come from truly desperate situations, and lacking the basic tools to be able to change that. St Elizabeth’s work is so inspiring – a shining example of our partners in the Church of North India making known the good news of the Kingdom of God.

"The joy and opportunity it brings are clear to see on the faces of these girls, and I know the people of Derbyshire will join with us help us raise the money needed to keep this wonderful institution alive.”

How to donate

Individual online donations

You can make an online donation to the Bishop’s Harvest Appeal at www.justgiving.com/campaign/harvestappeal2021.
There is the option to Gift Aid these donations.

Church and School donations

Where possible, participating churches and schools should send their donations (including any reclaimed Gift Aid) by BACS transfer – details for this transaction are:

Bank account name: Derby Diocesan Board of Finance
Bank account number: 85463671
Sort code number: 60-12-01
Payment Ref: HARVEST2021

When churches / schools send their donation by BACS, please notify us by email to finance@derby.anglican.org and include payment details – (i) date & (ii) amount.
This is important to us, as your email will ensure your donation is identified and a “thank you” will be sent.

Cheques should be made payable to DDBF Ltd and sent to
“The Bishop of Derby’s Harvest Appeal 2021”
c/o Derby Church House
Full Street
Derby
DE1 3DR

A Ray of Hope

Suriya’s mother succumbed to domestic violence and soon afterwards her father left her along with three of her siblings. Her maternal aunts support them financially and their grandmother aids the education of her sister. Residing at the hostel has helped Suriya cope with serious economic problems and the food crisis at home. She responds well in class and has performed well in her exams.

The death of Priyanks’s father left her family in a critical financial position. Her mother struggles to make ends meet by doing housekeeping work but for meagre pay. For monetary reasons her siblings have to reside with her paternal family. Staying at the hostel has affected her positively. She has been able to put aside her past and is doing well in her studies.

KumKum has lived in a rented house with her mother since her father left them when she was only a year and half old. Mother and daughter were under great financial pressure so KumKum decided to enroll herself for boarding. Their lives are still full of struggle but the hostel had been a ray of hope at a time of despair. She is studying well and scoring good grades and some, if not all, of their educational and financial problems have found a solution.

Sonia hails from a Christian family of two elder sisters, mother, father and grandmother. Her mother works at a grocery store which she started during the pandemic. Her father repairs electrical goods and sells religious books at the market. They have had financial troubles for a considerable period but her parents have always supported her and her siblings’ education. She has scored a well-deserving 79.8% in her Madhyamik Exam 2021.

Priya Halder from Bardhhaman never knew her father’s love. Her mother, with the help of St.Thomas’ Home Howrah, kept her in the hostel to pursue her education. Priya is talented in recitation and has come first in a competition organised by the State Government. She was awarded a memento and a book - she has made us proud. She gets financial assistance as girls in the OBC, Minority and scheduled Caste quota receive financial help from the state government.

Thank You in anticipation of your generous support for the Bishop of Derby’s Harvest Appeal 2021

Bishop Libby has been encouraging us all to pray ahead of Sunday's Euro 2020 final between England and Italy.

Over the past few days, Bishop Libby, who is the Church of England's designated bishop for sport, has appeared on BBC East Midlands Today, BBC Radio Derby and BBC Radio 5Live to relect on the tournament and to pray for fairness and respect during England's semi-final match against Denmark and Sunday's final between England and Italy.

(Video courtesy BBC East Midlands Today)

Here is a prayer you can use ahead of Sunday's final:

God of grace and mercy,

for all that gives us joy and offers us hope,

we give you thanks.

We rejoice that we are brought together,

across our rich and vibrant diversity, in celebration and shared experience  -

and we pray the goodness of all that will last long beyond Sunday

(whatever the result).

You know the desires of our hearts,

and we know those hopes are echoed in hearts across Italy,

as they were in Denmark and Spain over these past few days.

And so, as we turn to you again in prayer,

we do not ask for victory (though we are honest in naming that want it) –

rather we ask, one more, that striving for excellence

will be marked by humility and fair play

and rooted in respect for others, on and of the pitch.

May our desire to win not overwhelm our common humanity

and may we, finally, find our hope and peace in you,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Learning in Faith Bitesize is a new way for you to learn from the Diocese of Derby at home.

These bitesize courses and videos can typically be done in half an hour or less using nothing more than your computer, tablet or phone.

Choose your learning category

Watch the video to find out more about learning in Faith | Bitesize.

Bishop Libby has ordained 15 new deacons and eight new priests in the Petertide ordination services at Derby Cathedral.

>> See photos from the ordinations of deacons (on Flickr)

>> See photos from the ordinations of priests (on Flickr)

>> Meet the new deacons

Those ordained deacon were:

Becky Reeve (Walbrook Epiphany Team Ministry)
Bex Allpress (Swadlincote & Hartshorne, Newhall & Gresley)
Charlotte Wallington (Hathersage with Bamford & Derwent, & Grindleford)
Chris Nowak (Whitfield)
Ellie Launders-Brown (East Scarsdale Team Ministry)
Gill Ball (Newbold)
James Lee (Stanton-by-Dale with Dale Abbey & Risle
Jeff Golding (St Werburgh BMO, Derby)
John Ferguson (St Barnabas, Derby)
Julius Anozie (St Mary, Ilkeston & St John Ilkeston)
Melanie Hartley (Baslow & Eyam)
Mike Fitzsimmons (Barlborough & Clowne)
Nick Parish (St Peter & Christ Church with Holy Trinity, Derby)
Rachel Burdett (Christ Church, Belper with Turnditch)
Sam Dennis (All Saints, Sawley)

and those ordained priest were: 

Alan Winfield (Melbourne, Ticknall, Smisby & Stanton-by-Bridge)
Catrin Hubbard (Buxton with Burbage & King Sterndale Team Ministry)
Kate Smedley (St Werburgh, Spondon)
Malcolm Pyatt (Brimington)
Nicola McNally (Tideswell)
Rachael Brooks (Littleover and Blagreaves)
Sandra Till (Alvaston)
Sharon Murphy (Derwent Oak BMO)

Our Christian life is so much more than how we gather together on Sunday.

We are Christians in our working lives, as nurses, students, hairdressers, engineers, carers, managers, bus drivers, volunteers... We are Christians in our homes and families, as parents, grandparents, children, friends and neighbours.

We are Christians as we do the weekly shop, walk the dog, work out at the gym, do the school run, meet with book club, play football and go to the pub.

We are Christians whoever and wherever we are - that is Everyday Faith - and this series of videos will explore how faith helps ordinary people in their ordinary, everyday lives.

Watch the Everyday Faith videos

What's your story?

In the Diocese of Derby, we are asking people to share their Everyday stories - we would love to hear stories of people’s real lives, the impact that faith has on who they are and what they do and how churches support them as they live out their faith.

We want to hear stories from people of all ages and backgrounds - sharing your story of how your faith helps you in your daily life helps inspire, encourage and reassure others.

To share your story, drop us a line at ideas@derby.anglican.org

Let’s all get talking about our Everyday Faith!

Everyday Faith is about enabling the whole people of God to live out the Good News of Jesus confidently in the whole of life, Sunday to Saturday.

The 2017 Church of England Report Setting God’s People Free highlighted that 98% of the Church is lay rather than ordained and that these everyday followers spend 95% of their time outside of church activities.

The Church of England has undertaken a concerted effort to adapt and change our culture of ‘doing church’ in order to release fresh imagination and energy for ‘being Church.’

Across the country, hundreds of worshipping communities have been trying out various ways to achieve this culture shift, focussing on what makes a real difference in supporting an everyday faith in people’s everyday lives.

You can also find out more on the Church of England's Everyday Faith pages: https://www.churchofengland.org/our-faith/everyday-faith

Learn to be a blessing to each other and to grow and nurture each other in our faith

Bex Allpress: ordained deacon in June 2021 - to be ordained priest in July 2022

My name is Bex and I will be serving as a curate across four parish churches within Swadlincote Minster:

• Emmanuel Church, in the Parish of Swadlincote
• Saint Peter’s Church, in the Parish of Hartshorne
• Saint John’s Church, in the Parish of Newhall and…
• Saint George and Saint Mary’s Church in the Parish of Church Gresley.

During my curacy placement, I will have plenty of opportunities to work with lots of people, from across all four parish churches, as part of a dynamic ministry team within the minster.

I am excited to be serving and learning within existing and new forms of ministry within the Swadlincote area, sharing my vocational journey alongside others who are realising their own.

Thankfully I am not an entire stranger to the minster having been on placement here over the last two years during my training for ordained ministry with Saint Mellitus College.

During my training I have had the chance to be involved with aspects of ministry across the Swadlincote area which has helped to form a platform on which to grow during my time here as a curate.

Prior to working in ministry, I worked for 15 years in the National Health Service across a variety of surgical specialities within the operating departments.

Despite sounding gruesome, it was a really engaging career where I gained plenty of experience across life matters.

Although I have some fond memories, I felt God was calling me to explore working further within full time ministry.

My journey in the Christian faith began when I was only three years old attending Sunday school on a regular basis at my local parish church in Derbyshire.

From the age of 14, I then began volunteering as a Sunday school teacher until at 18 years old I left to study at university in Wales.

It was in Wales that I met my husband and after eight years we moved back to Derbyshire.

Only after we moved back did I feel God was drawing me to be more involved once more within the church.

I began helping as a leader within our local church parent and toddler group and when I had to give this up due to changes at work, I first thought that my sense of calling was a call to return back to continue serving this group.

Despite a lengthy discernment process, I realised that God has His timings in hand because the year I was ready to begin formal ordination training was the same year that the new St. Mellitus College opened in Nottingham.

I was super excited to begin my training there and have the privilege of being the first ordinand from Derby to train with them.

My journey is probably one best described as being quite ordinary but filled with extra-ordinary moments.

As for me, I have just this year decided to have a go at growing my own vegetables.

It’s something that I’ve never done before so everything is a learning journey to see what takes well and what doesn’t.

I recently harvested my first crop of potatoes and, although they were smaller than expected, they still tasted delicious!

Favourite Bible Message: When it comes to having favourite bible messages, the importance for me is that the messages speak something significant into the way we live our lives. There are three Bible messages that I incorporate daily into my life. The first of these is taken from Matthew 22:37-40. In this message, Jesus shares with us the two most important rules for living well; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself”. Two very simple rules for living a healthy and active faith, love God and love those around you. From these two simple rules flows God’s transformative power into our lives and into the world. As we start to see positive transformations, we become more attuned to the various gifts and talents that God blesses us all with. We must recognise how these gifts are to be used to help each other in our discipleship journey’s and how we must support and encourage each other, through the good times and in the pain of life. The Apostle Paul reflects on this in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 and 12:14 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone…Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many” and in Romans 12:15-16 when he says that as a community of disciples we must “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep (and) live in harmony with one another”.

In summary; To learn to be a blessing to each other and to grow and nurture each other in our faith, requires loving God, loving each other, recognising what each of us has to contribute to one another and finding strength in a community who endeavour together through each season in life. That’s my take-home message for effective everyday living in Christian faith which I draw upon daily for inspiration.