Dave King
For church schools, one of the biggest challenges they have faced, aside the logistical problems of maintaining social distancing, has been not being able to hold daily, whole-school, collective worship.
This is a part of the school day that is at the heart of their school community.
Karen Scrivens, the headteacher at Langley Mill Church of England Infant School & Nursery said, “We have had to be very creative in order to continue delivering our special collective worship times within the confines of our school ‘bubbles’ and home learning.
Before the restrictions, music would welcome the children and staff, and set the tone for the worship and there would be a real sense of togetherness.
Collective worship is a very special and distinct part of the school day and I have really missed it.
However, we have used special poems, stories, drawings, photographs and anecdotes both in school and online to help us continue daily worship and reflect on our core values: Aspire, Learn, Respect and Serve.
Throughout we have remembered our school vision to ‘Always be our best for God, each other and ourselves.”
Plenty of positives
Karen said that the school has also had to be quite innovative in finding ways to seek full engagement of all families whilst learning at home.
She said: “We have had to be creative in our approach to reaching families within the home by increasing our social media and online profile and opening up new communication channels whilst also ensuring that families have been supported with resources to complete activities.”
The good news is that there are many positives to come out of the lockdown experience.
Although having to split classes into smaller bubbles and still deliver quality education both in school and at home has been no easy task, Karen is rightly proud of the way the whole school community has united to problem-solve, adapt and change.
She said: “Staff have no doubt increased their IT skills and have planned very carefully to meet the needs of pupils during this unknown time, in age-appropriate and sensitive ways.
The children have all adapted brilliantly and my whole staff team has been amazing.
They have gone over and beyond expectations, with lots of praise from parents and governors”.
Karen’s only great disappointment is that the school will be unable to bid its traditional farewell to the Year 2 pupils who are about to move on.
“Usually,” said Karen, “the end of the infant journey is a special time for our school, marked by a very poignant celebration and church visit.
"This is not possible in these times but we will still send our year twos off with a special goodbye.”
Revd Canon Paul Morris, principal chaplain in the Diocese of Derby, writes:
Voluntary workplace chaplaincy is a growing movement in Derbyshire, with more than 150 chaplains from many denominations serving in 15 locations and in 15 sectors.
Here are stories from two social care contexts during the pandemic:
GP surgery
Chaplains have supported staff and patients at a GP surgery in Ilkeston in the Erewash Primary Care Network.
Soon, there will be chaplains in all 13 Erewash surgeries.
One GP said: "These are very stressful times for everyone, but I am excited about the GP chaplaincy opportunities.
"God is sovereign in all these things. A retired GP who has been praying for our chaplains every week since they started asked how they and we as a team are doing so I shared feedback from patients.
"It has been really encouraging, my favourite quote is, 'Thanks for asking the chaplain to phone me. I didn’t realise what a heavy burden I was carrying until it had been lifted.'”
Hospital wards
Hospitals in Ashbourne, Clay Cross, Ilkeston and Ripley created a new post of ward volunteer to liaise between patients and relatives, provide pastoral care and support staff.
Chaplains were appointed, and one wrote: "I was apprehensive, but I was given excellent training.
"The patients cannot have visitors so the opportunity to chat about their family and concerns has been a pleasure.
"I’ve met some extraordinary people, and every day has been different but I always leave the ward inspired by the patients and the hardworking staff.
"I was once explaining to a patient I couldn’t move her as, 'I am only a volunteer,' to which the nurse said, 'Never say that, you are not only a volunteer, you are very important here.'
"I was deeply touched by that comment and am so thankful I agreed to this role."
A daughter of one patient wrote to a ward volunteer: "You lifted Mum’s spirits when we were unable to see her. At times she was so low we wondered whether she would have any reserves to pull through but to know you were there caring and supporting her and liaising with us, was so appreciated by the family.
"For her to hear our messages and see the photos you printed off brought us closer to her as she knew we were there and missing her."
One matron wants ward volunteers to continue in the future because they get on with what is needed, are interactive with patients and have the experience and skills to effectively support patients and their families as well as integrate with ward staff.
These are stories of the church in action in the community, as our chaplains respond to the invitation to engage in faithful and fruitful ministry.
Time Out: suggestions and resources
We hope these ideas and resources will be helpful for reflection and self-care.
Some thoughts to help you use the time well
- Turn off your phone, unplug the doorbell – minimise technological interruption!
- Try to explain to anyone else in your house that you’re not available during this time
- If you’re doing this in your study, try not to sit at your desk
- Maybe light a candle to acknowledge ‘different’ time
- Try to gather anything you might need (ie ingredients, bits and pieces) in advance to avoid using the space in session
- This is YOUR time, to give you space and time with God.
Downloads:
Here be Dragons [PDF]
Come Home to your Hub [Word]
Wheel of Awareness diagram [Word]
Self-regulation diagram [Word]
Images of the diocese for prayer [PDF]
Journey of the last three months - ideas to express your experience [Word]
Let your God love you [Word]
Poems [Word]
Seasoned by Seasons extracts [PDF]
Chartres labyrinth [PDF]
Inhabit your body meditation: Download MP3 audio file or Listen online
Bread-making video [YouTube]
Bread - ideas and recipes [PDF]
Prayer walk during Covid [Word]
The National Health Service came into being on 5 July 1948.
This weekend, the diocese and country will celebrate and applaud those in the NHS who selflessly put their own lives at risk on a daily basis as they continue the fight against coronavirus and Covid-19, and those who died in that fight.
We will also remember and applaud those who fought so hard for us to have a National Health Service, and those whose work and dedication led to its formation.
This has a particular relevance in Derbyshire, of course, through Florence Nightingale - a true pioneer of her time.
Derbyshire's 'Lady with the Lamp' was passionate about improving conditions for the wounded during the Crimean War - and she devoted the rest of her life to reforming nursing care.
The seven critical-care Covid Hospitals have been named after Florence Nightingale, and a post-Covid rehabilitation facility named after Mary Seacole, both prominent figures in nursing history and role models in the NHS (see below).
As Bishop Rober Exon, chair of the Liturgical Commission, writes:
"During the current pandemic, there has been immense national and local support for the NHS and its front line workers.
"The emergence of the Thursday ‘Clap for Carers’ was a significant experience in the lockdown.
"Thanksgiving binds communities together, turning ‘I’ into ‘we’.
"The contribution of carers and key workers who have given of themselves sacrificially needs to be honoured.
"Sharing stories of people and events during the crisis is likely to form the kernel of any community celebration.
"Unsung heroes need to be applauded."
This document shares prayers and resources for the 72nd anniversary of the NHS.
Mary Seacole was a pioneering nurse and heroine of the Crimean War, who as a woman of mixed race is today celebrated as an inspiration for the many BAME people who sustain our NHS. Born Mary Jane Grant in Kingston, Jamaica in 1805 to a Scottish soldier and Jamaican mother, Mary learned her nursing skills from her mother who kept a boarding house for invalid soldiers.
She was an inveterate traveller, and before her marriage to Edwin Seacole in 1836 visited other parts of the Caribbean, as well as Central America and Britain. On these trips, she complemented her knowledge of traditional medicine with European medical ideas.
In 1854 Mary approached the War Office, asking to be sent as an army nurse to the Crimea.
She was refused, but undaunted, funded her own trip to the Crimea where she established the ‘British Hotel’ near Balaclava for sick and convalescent officers. She also visited the battlefield, sometimes under fire, to nurse the wounded, and became known as ‘Mother Seacole’.
Florence Nightingale was born in 1820 into a wealthy family. In the face of their opposition, she insisted that she wished to train in nursing.
In 1853, she finally achieved her wish and headed her own private nursing institute in London.
Her efforts at improving conditions for the wounded during the Crimean War won her great acclaim and she devoted the rest of her life to reforming nursing care.
Her school at St Thomas’s Hospital became significant in helping to elevate nursing into a profession.
Dr Alison Brown, acting director of education, writes:
At the end of April I asked all 111 of our church schools to send me anything that they considered to be a sign of faith hope and love.
I kept hearing snippets of news of the sorts of things schools were doing to support the children and families in their care.
I wanted to build a montage to give an overview of the wonderful work that is going on in our Church schools that is evidence of some aspect of faith, hope and love.
Those snippets of news changed to a large and deeply humbling, encouraging and inspiring catalogue of creative and compassionate ways of showing God’s love.
>> See pictures of the church schools' signs of faith, hope and love
On top of having to cope with new ways of living and working during the pandemic with all the added stress and demands, our school leaders and staff were finding ways of serving their school community so all could flourish.
They were tapping into their Christian vision and finding new ways to express it.
This has continued to the present time.
As lockdown measures lift and schools are able to welcome back more pupils into the building they are paying great attention to helping children feel safe, welcomed and secure.
This is evident from one of our infant schools using rainbows on the floor to make our social distancing.
The Head Teacher was concerned about the possibility of how sterile and scary school environments could become.
A member of staff came up with the idea of rainbow markings which of course are much more time consuming to mark out than the usual 2m stickers but “This is a familiar symbol to children and will help them to see that these markings are there because we love and care for one another…‘Follow the rainbow road’”.
So, thank you to all our school leaders and staff for being and showing signs of faith, hope and love.
Click the image below to follow the link:
Click the image below to follow the link:
Pippa, a Year 6 pupil at South Darley Church of England Primary School has become the first to receive a Bishop’s Badge award presented online.
The presentation was made at the school, with Pippa’s family and Bishop Libby joining via Zoom.
Pippa, who has been through a number of difficult times, was nominated by her school. Head Teacher Paul Wilde said that Pippa had held her head high, carried herself with dignity and remained positive throughout her challenging journey.
As he handed the award to Pippa on behalf of Bishop Libby, Mr Wilde said: “You value others, see the best in people and in life around you, and we are really proud of you.
“You are totally deserving of this award.”
He described her as “always kind to people, always smiling and always tries her best”.
Bishop Libby, who spoke to Pippa and her class on the video call, said: “We honour that Christian characteristic that you have embodied in your years at South Darley.
“We recognise the work of God in you and that you tell us something of Jesus.
“I hope that the badge and certificate will help remind you of just how well people regard you.”
Bishop’s Badge looks a little different this year because of the constraints of social distancing.
The schools awards for 2020 have been limited to pupils in Year 6 who are about to move on to senior school and the presentations are being made on line.
The Bishop’s Badge awards to adults will also take place virtually, later in the year, focussing on exceptional contributions to mission and ministry during the lockdown.
Bishop Libby looks on via Zoom as Pippa is presented with her Bishop's Badge and certificate
Welcome to IME2
"Flourish within God's call so that you may help others to do the same"
Meet the Team
Ordained Ministries Development Officer (IME2 Coordinator): Rev'd Dwayne Engh, e-mail
Dwayne has worked in the Diocese of Derby since 2021.
Before becoming the Ordained Ministries Development Officer, Dwayne served in the parish of St Mary Magdalen, Chapelfields in Coventry. Before being ordained, he was an educator and musician.
IME2 Administrator: Marietta Forman, e-mail
Marietta has worked for the diocese over many years.
Before becoming PA to the Director of DM&M and Ordained Ministries Development Officer, Marietta supported the former Bishop of Repton, Humphrey Southern, as his personal assistant.
Dates for Ordination 2024
Deacons: Sunday 30 June 2024 at 10.45am
Priests: Saturday 29 June 2024 at 4.00pm
Dates for Ordination 2025
Deacons: Sunday 29 June 2025 at 10.45am
Priests: Saturday 28 June 2023 at 4.00pm
Downloadable resources
Resources for CURATES:
For 2023 & 2024 Cohorts - NOT Applicable for 2022 cohort
- Formational Qualities - 'IME 2 Priest qualities and evidence (from autumn 2022)'
- Assessment of Curates in IME2
- 2023 - 2024 Assessment Checklist
- Curacy Handbook 2023
- Curacy Portfolio & Assessment Guidebook 2023
- IME2 CURACY Learning Plan - QUALITIES
Additional Lay Report Forms for 2023 Cohort:
- Year 1 Lay Report - QUALITIES
- Year 2 Lay Report - QUALITIES
- Year 3 Lay Report - QUALITIES
- Schools Report - QUALITIES
- Parish Safeguarding Officer Report - QUALITIES
- Annual Self Evaluation
2022 cohort ONLY - NOT Applicable for 2023 & 2024 cohorts
- Formation Criteria
- 2023 - 2024 Assessment Checklist
- Curacy Handbook 2021
- Curacy Handbook 2022
- Curacy Portfolio & Assessment Guidebook 2021
- Curacy Portfolio & Assessment Guidebook 2022
- THE Learning Plan
- Year 1 of Curacy Training Programme 2023-2024
- Year 2 of Curacy Training Programme 2023-2024
- Year 3 of Curacy Training Programme 2023-2024
Additional Lay Report Forms:
- Year 1 Lay Report
- Year 2 Lay Report
- Year 3 Lay Report
- Schools Report
- Parish Safeguarding Officer Report
- Annual Self Evaluation
General Template forms:
- Leading Worship Feedback Form
- Preaching Feedback Form
- Self-evaluation Leading Worship
- Self-evaluation Preaching (or similar)
- Supervision Preparation Form
- Record of Supervision Form
Resources for ALL TRAINING INCUMBENTS:
TI Assessment Reports for 2023 Cohort and onwards - NOT Applicable for 2021 and 2022 cohorts
- Formational Qualities - 'IME 2 Priest qualities and evidence (from autumn 2022)'
- Assessment of Curates in IME2
- Training Incumbent Report - Part 1 of 2
- Training Incumbent Report at the End of Deacon'sYear - Part 2 of 2
- Training Incumbent Report at the End of Curacy - Part 2 of 2
TI Assessment Reports for 2021 and 2022 cohorts - NOT Applicable for 2023 cohort onwards
- Training Incumbent Report at the End of Deacon's Year (Pre-Priesting) PART 1
- Training Incumbent Report at the End of Deacon's Year (Pre-Priesting) PART 2
- For those curates ordained 2021 or 2022: Training Incumbent Year 2 Report (Please use the same document as last year and fill in the 'Year 2' sections)
- For those curates ordained 2021 or 2022: Training Incumbent Report at End of Curacy PART 2
Why use A Church Near You?
A Church Near You is a fantastic, free resource available to all Church of England churches.
You A Church Near You entry will often appear at the top of Google / Bing searches for churches in your area.
Remember, that once people find your ACNY page, you will have about 7 seconds to grab them, so it's vital that your page has at least up-to-date contact details listed. Not doing so is effectively the same as turning people away at the door!
A Church Near You is also where the Find a Church links point to on this website.
But A Church Near You is so much more than a directory listing - you can save yourself a lot of money by using your ACNY pages as your church's main website! See how St Peter's Chellaston does this.
It doesn't matter if you already have a URL (web address) for your church, you can direct that straight to your ACNY page.
There is lots of online support available, as well as support from the diocesan Communications Team.
Being your ACNY editor also gives you access to a whole range of resources you can use in your church, on your website and on social media etc.
>> How to become an approved editor of a church’s site
Whilst many churches have been using social media to engage with congregations, the Benefice of Crich and South Wingfield has been reaching out using smart speakers!
CSW Digital Church is the brainchild of parishioner Jim Morton (pictured with Revd Ian Whitehead).
He feels called by God to ordained ministry within the Church of England and is currently studying on the Diocese of Derby Discipleship Training Programme.
Jim currently manages the benefice’s social media ministry on Facebook and A Church Near You.
He created CSW Digital Church, using his own time, resources, creativity, and skills. What started as a hobby by teaching himself new online skills, has turned into a successful ministry.
This is an exciting new ministry under the guidance of Revd Ian Whitehead. CSW Digital Church represents and is part of the Benefice of Crich and South Wingfield.
Following the closure of our churches in April 2020, Jim felt that God had set him a task.
That task was to take the Gospel to our existing church community, and beyond.
He felt it was important to make prayer available to everyone and he was inspired by the ministry of Jesus.
CSW Digital started out as a YouTube channel but soon grew into a three-times-a-day prayer podcast on Soundcloud.
He then ventured into special services on Sundays.
Jim wanted to make the message of Jesus as accessible as possible during these difficult times so he learnt the skills needed to create an Amazon Alexa app.
Since April 2020, CSW Digital Church has had more than 1,500 listeners from all corners of the globe.
Currently, Jim is working on a project to build a children’s ministry, called CSW for Kids.
If you have an Alexa, give CSW Digital Church a try now. Just say “Alexa, open Digital Church”.
