As per the Church Representation Rules Part 9, the annual parochial church meeting must be held in every parish in the period which begins with 1 January and ends with 31 May. The Diocesan Secretary requires each parish to submit their APCM results to Church House, Derby no later than 31 May.
Dave King
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Dave Channon, who has been director of education for eight years, has left his posts in the Diocese of Derby.
He has relinquished his post as Diocesan Director of Education, directorships of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust and of the Peak Centre at Champion House, and his Lay Canonry of Derby Cathedral with effect from 31st August 2020.
On announcing his departure, Bishop Libby said: "Dave has been a highly valued Diocesan Director of Education since 2012 and was instrumental in the formation and development of the Diocesan Academy Trusts.
"I know you will join me in thanking Dave for his years of dedicated service and for his lasting legacy to the work of the DBE and DDAT within our schools.
"We send him our very best wishes for the future."
And Archdeacon Carol, chair of the DBE's board of trustees, said: "We are all going to miss Dave and his input, and I know that as trustees we will want to put in place an acknowledgment to him of all his work over the years in which he has guided the development of education while he has been in office."
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Nicola McNally: ordained deacon in September 2020 - ordained priest in June 2021
My vision of ordained ministry is very people orientated
I am Nicola McNally. Donal and I have been married for 27 years, and we are blessed with two children (now 19 and 23 years old).
For the past 30 years I have been a University Lecturer / Associate Professor in Engineering Materials.
I have been working half-time since the birth of our son, so this enabled me in the last three years to study part-time at Ripon College Cuddesdon alongside my job at the university of Nottingham.
Now I look forward to a new chapter of life as full-time Curate in Tideswell Parish.
Throughout my life, and various ups and downs, I have a strong sense that God always provides, although not of course always in the way one imagined he would!
I was fortunate to have been brought to faith as a child by my Christian mother, so I can’t actually remember ever not believing in God. However, one’s faith deepens and grows.
Leading an ecumenical group ‘CEPlus’ as an undergraduate at Bath University expanded my understanding of Christian community and taught me about articulating my faith.
Introduction to the Taizé community in France, including a week in silence whilst doing my PhD at Oxford, gave me a love of meditative prayer.
My husband and children have taught me a lot about the power of love.
I have always worshipped at the Church of England church parish in the community in which I live, and being a member of Parochial Church Councils in Dorset, Oxford, Bristol and Nottinghamshire has taught me a lot about the ups and down of church life!
However, I didn’t seriously recognise a call to ministry until about five years ago when acting as the lay lead in PMC (Partnership for Missional Change) in my home parish.
I realised that my day job, important to me though it was, was beginning to feel like something that got in the way of what I really wanted to do.
My vision of ordained ministry is very people orientated.
I feel my major task is to let everyone know that they are loved and valued by a wonderful triune God.
A relationship with Jesus should be a growing dynamic thing for every believer and I hope to be a small channel through which the Holy Spirit can help people come to faith and grow in that faith.
Although I have not been in Derbyshire very long, I already feel a great love for the people and countryside.
I look forward to getting to know the people and churches of my parish and discerning what my vision for the future there should be.
This Covid year has certainly thrown us all challenges but, as Julian of Norwich so aptly puts it, God did not say “You will not be tempest-tossed”, but “You will never be overcome.”
I love being outdoors. Cycling is one hobby - my husband and I have a special tandem which is a recumbent at the front and sit up at the back. That way we can both see where we are going, and chat to one another easily!
My other main hobby (if I get time) is sailing. I hope to join the club at Carsington.
I also enjoy walking and one of the blessings of my new parish is walking between the five churches through the countryside.
Inside, I have recently rediscovered a love of sewing whilst making face masks for the family and friends.
I have played the violin all my life and there is nothing quite like the single-minded concentration of playing a piece of music, particularly in an orchestra for pushing cares or worries out of mind.
Favourite Bible passage: Psalm 139 9,10 - If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me.
Favourite hymn: The Servant Song" is one of my favourite hymns and pretty much sums up how I feel about my calling, and has also meant a lot to me when I have been caring for relatives suffering from the cruel disease of dementia.
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Here are some FAQs regarding APCMs which we hope you will find useful.
Information correct on 1 Feb 2024.
Holding of APCMs:
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Recently, Peter Robinson, the Dean of Derby, took part in a discussion on BBC Radio 4's Beyond Belief programme about the use of water and ritual bathing in religion.
Dean Peter's doctoral thesis was on Christian Initiation focusing on Baptism
Followers of any of the main religions are more than likely to have undergone a bathing ritual.
Cleansing with water is an integral part of Christian Baptism, Muslim Prayer and Jewish purification. Hindus aspire to bathe in the waters of the River Ganges.
Why are rituals in water important to so many faiths? What do they mean? And how do they differ from religion to religion?
Joining host Ernie Rea to discuss ritual bathing are the Very Revd Peter Robinson (Dean of Derby), Dr Diana Lipton (teaching fellow in the department of biblical studies at Tel Aviv University) and Sudipta Sen (professor of history at the University of California and author of 'Ganges: the Many Pasts of an Indian River').
You can enjoy the programme here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000m0zq
or find it on the BBC Sounds app.
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Dr Alison Brown, acting director of education, reflects on the start of the new school year.
We owe all our school leaders and staff a huge debt of gratitude for keeping schools open during the lockdown, supporting pupils, parents and the wider school community.
Thank you!
What a year 2020 continues to be. For all those involved in schools they have, in effect, two New Years to mark and celebrate each year, in January and in September as a new academic year begins.
For most of our schools that ‘new year’ is this week.
Of course, this is going to be a particularly unusual new start with a potent mixture of excitement and anxiety.
The excitement will be because at long last the whole school community can be back together.
The anxiety will be multi-layered. For parents it might be around the safety of their children and their ability to fit back into the social setting of school.
For pupils it could be around being back in an environment in a new way with class bubbles, staggered break-times and starts and ends to the day.
For staff it will be about how they help pupils to pick up and run with their formal learning whilst keeping safe and happy.
For all staff there will also be anxiety for their own health and for those they care for at home.
How can we help our precious schools and the individuals in them flourish with this backdrop?
Well, we can pray for them, that they will know that ‘goodness and mercy shall follow them all of their lives’.
For clergy and congregations who have schools in their care, sending cards, messages, emails, phone calls wishing them well and telling them of that prayer will count for a lot (as might a box of biscuits or chocolates for the staff room!!).
Visits into schools are not yet allowed and so all the support we give must be at a distance, but in the knowledge that the God who loves us all is closer than we can imagine.
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Coronavirus (Covid-19) has affected all our lives.
Things are changing fast. We have faced loss, anxiety and disruption.
While we are still recovering, many of us continue to worry about what it means for ourselves and for our loved ones.
Which is why, this year, the Bishop of Derby’s Harvest Appeal, will focus on supporting the wellbeing of people in Derbyshire.
‘Peace of Mind’: supporting wellbeing in Derbyshire’ will be officially launched on Sunday, 6th September.
This autumn a variety of free online events with a mental health and wellbeing focus, from Christian partners, will be available for everyone in the diocese.
Events include an online reading group, examples of community sport and activity projects, ‘Managing anxiety and trauma using Christian principles’ and ‘Poetry for Health’ amongst others.
The workshops are free and will be held via Zoom.
To book your place please visit the Learning in Faith pages of the diocesan website.
Alongside the events programme we have challenged ourselves to raise £15,000 to support Derbyshire Mind’s wellbeing programme ‘Enjoying Derbyshire’.
Enjoying Derbyshire is a project that offers a diverse menu of activities and workshops aimed at improving mental wellbeing.
More resources and events will be available on the diocesan website and our social media channels throughout the autumn.
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The Bishop of Derby is pleased to announce that the Revd Timothy John Clarke will become Chancellor of the Diocese of Derby from 4 December 2020.
Mr Clarke, currently the deputy chancellor of the diocese, is a barrister at Three Stone Buildings, Lincoln’s Inn, and a non-stipendiary minister in the Diocese of Worcester.
As a barrister, he specialises in real property, wills, and estates. He also advises on matters of ecclesiastical law.
On the announcement of his appointment, Mr Clarke said: “I am delighted to have been appointed to this position by the Bishop of Derby. I have learned much from John Bullimore, while serving as his deputy for the past five years. John has been an outstanding chancellor, as many in the diocese will know.
“I look forward to working with the bishop, archdeacons, registrar and all in the Diocese of Derby to ensure that our church communities are better enabled to meet the needs of 21st-century worship, whilst also encouraging an appreciation of the rich heritage we share.”
Mr Clarke is married to the Revd Dr Georgina Byrne, a residentiary canon at Worcester Cathedral and a chaplain to HM the Queen.
In his spare time, Mr Clarke enjoys music, choral singing, beekeeping and skiing.
Mr Clarke will replace John Bullimore, who retires on 3rd December having served as Chancellor of the Diocese of Derby for almost 40 years.
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Reflecting in Lockdown
Lockdown may have given you time to re-evaluate about what is important and how you look after yourself. Some people found the time to exercise outdoors gave some solace in the green space nearby, sharing paths and places previously overlooked.
‘There were significant impacts on nature. As the world slowed during lockdowns, there were reports of wildlife in areas normally busy with people. This was not only in urban areas; puffins on the Farne Islands are one example of wildlife thriving in a deserted national park. In the UK daily exercise of a walk or cycles ride enabled many people to connect with nature in their local area. Reduced traffic noise meant that bird song could be heard in usually busy streets and road kill declined.’
p12 ‘Covid-19 Environment, Justice and the Future’ E198 Grove
University of Derby conducted research that found nature connectionedness is as important for wellbeing as income and education (Capaldi).
What can something as simple as nature connection do in improving our mental health? In connecting to nature we improve our sense of wellbeing. If you think of your mental health as variable to each person and each situation then self-care in simple ways is something we need to practice.
‘Do not underestimate the importance of preventative work.’ Angela Kerry, Policy Officer, Derbyshire Mental Health Forum 21 July 2020.
Mental illness is not always preventable, but to prevent it we can use the 5 ways to wellbeing. Nature connection can help us- connect, be active, wonder, learn and give.
Just take the idea of wonder. We can see more shades of green than any other colour (James Wong on Twitter @Botanygeek). Is that so we can appreciate beauty in the outdoors and value everything from a landscape to a leaf?
Connecting to nature improves the quality of our lives.
Connecting with other human beings can bring perspective but so can feeling tiny as you reach a hilltop and admire the view. Perhaps we can also prevent the inclination to be ego centric and be encouraged in our caring for each other and for creation.
Nature Connectedness what can we do?
It is estimated we have 10,000 churchyards in the Church of England the land equivalent to a small National Park. If you added in private gardens and allotments, it would be bigger still.
Derby University research shows Nature Connection benefits can be measured in both adults and children.
- Notice good things in nature and write them down.
- Nature connection stuck with people 2 months later.
- We look after things we value. In children ‘noticing’ in nature gave rise to increased caring of the environment.
- Feeling better increased: people measurably perceived themselves as happier.
- Nature connection is offered as a social prescription: it works in urban environments.
- Create some good memories outdoors. Nature connection is more powerful than ‘knowing about it’ or contact, it needs to link to us emotionally and meaningfully, tying in to our compassion and aesthetics (beauty).
We treasure what we know and value.
Our beautiful world of human, animal and plant species is under threat, rising extinction of species https://www.ipbes.net/news/ipbes-global-assessment-summary-policymakers-pdf highlighted this before the pandemic. Campaigners are wanting a just return for our people and planet after lockdown.
‘Preserving terrestrial ecosystems on land, in the oceans and in our fresh watercourses, is essential for the survival of the species, including our own. Preserving biodiversity also means researching it....Knowing … will make us understand better and follow a wiser path.’ We are all Greta, chapter 12, Biodiversity.
Collecting- accumulating more and more: a selfish activity, has damaged the planet. This tendency can be funneled into identifying (and not destroying), and appreciating species. Eco church resource https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Land-How-to-Look-After-Your-Land-in-Wildlife-Friendly-Ways.pdf
Sharing our love of nature (treasuring the earth) welcoming the local public and visitors can be part of our mission. We can offer the opportunity to join in, learn, connect, sharing access to a local green space. https://www.churchofengland.org/more/church-resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/biodiversity. We can also share our findings/ photos with local organisations recording sightings. Churches Count on Nature week uses the iNaturalist app but you can use it anytime.
Where there is little local public green space Sharing what we have can be of great value: we show solidarity with people facing inequality in our parishes. https://neweconomics.org/2020/05/parks-are-for-everyone
Suggestions to encourage nature connection with the need to follow current guidance to wash hands, social distance etc.
- Share your churchyard or outside space: how do people know they are welcome?
- Link your outside space to citizen science projects, sharing your sightings e.g. arocha_uk , #Wildflowerhour, #WilderDerbyshire, @BTO etc.
- Offer space on outdoor events: a walk, maintenance activity and gardening projects. Link these to the volunteer bureau or the local social prescriber at your GP.
- Share what you have seen. This has been valued by people restricted at home.
- Offer a reason to be outside: for example a downloadable treasure trail aimed at children. Caring for Gods Acre resources and training
- Share a guided walk or route description or route number on your facebook page or social media. Add a facility to lockdownloo.com or the refill app add links https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/countryside/access/walking/walks-and-trails/walks-and-trails.aspx?page=1 or greenways https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/countryside/access/greenways/greenways.aspx
- Wild Christian resource http://thesanctuarycentre.org/resources/creative_prayer_idea_wild_worship_field_guide.pdf
- Join in with a walking group, a rambling group or an outdoor event in a local nature reserve or park.
- Link to a local wildlife group and find ways to share your space for activities.
- Watch a film at your social zoom such as ‘project wild thing’ and start a small group discussion https://3ak4be4522es3y5i4l2cwfkx-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Lifestyle-How-to-Connect-More-with-Nature.pdf
- Have a creation time worship in the outdoors when restrictions allow it– see 'Whats Happening' section below.
Church of England Resources
Biodiversity | The Church of England
Related information
Nature Connectedness research Derby University https://www.derby.ac.uk/research/centres-groups/nature-connectedness-research-group/
Wildlife Watch https://www.southderbyshire.gov.uk/our-services/environment/environmental-forum-and-volunteering/wildlife
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-explorer
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If you are able to contribute to this year’s appeal please visit our dedicated Just Giving page where you can donate directly to the appeal.
Cheques should be made payable to The Bishop of Derby’s Harvest Appeal and sent to:
Finance Department
Derby Church House
Full Street
Derby
DE1 3DR
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>> 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.”
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 to 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
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