Why I am a Vocation Adviser

It has been a joy to work as Diocesan Youth Adviser in Derby Diocese for almost 20 years. In that time, it has been a real privilege to accompany many young people in their journey through the teenage years and become established in a whole range of jobs and professions or contemplate how God works through them as a parent and homemaker as well as in being a volunteer in the local church or community. I also enjoy working with adults, many youth leaders have cut their teeth in leadership in the church and I’ve been delighted to see them move on with this experience in the bank.

It is the relationship role that I particularly enjoy, listening to stories and encouraging folk to reflect on their gifts and talents, on what God and others might be saying to them and then providing space and opportunities for them to try new things and take that next step on the road that God is taking them.

Derby Diocese takes vocation seriously, it values lay people and believes that every person, young or old, lay or ordained has an important role to play in building God’s Kingdom in every community in Derbyshire and beyond.

Alistair lives near to the south-east corner of the diocese but is happy to chat anywhere in Derbyshire as I cover the whole diocese in my role.

As well as training as a Lay Reader he is an ardent Nottingham Forest Fan and enjoys swimming, theatre or performing on stage with Long Eaton Operatic Society.

Back to list of advisers

2022 Launch Video

Watch a recording of the 2022 Thy Kingdom Come launch

National Resources

Thykingdomcome.global has a fantastic range of resources available for all ages, churches, families and individuals.

For adults, the main resources are the Prayer Journal and Novena - both written by Archbishop Justin Welby, with the Novena based on 1 Peter, the foundation scripture for the Lambeth Conference.
150,000 free copies will be given away as part of this year’s campaign.

Thy Kingdom Come has teamed up with 24-7 Prayer providing daily audio reflections for their Lectio 365 app.

For children & families, there are brand-new Cheeky Pandas animations based on the Fruit of the Spirit (including a platinum Jubilee related episode) packed with fun, music, and biblical truths.
Each episode will have an accompanying activity pack and assembly plan, which can be used at church, at home, or school.

For youth, there will be a brand-new video series produced by a leading Christian Youth Ministry.

Free Resources giveaway for Churches 

Free copies of the 2022 resources are available, you will only need to pay for postage & packaging.

 >> Visit Church House Publishing site

‘We Seek Your Kingdom’ 

‘We Seek Your Kingdom’, a whole-life worship song to the tune of much-loved hymn ‘Abide withme’, written by Noel Robinson, Andy Flannagan, and Graham Hunter, inspires us to see our daily tasks through God’s eyes – and live out the prayer ‘your kingdom come’ in every part of life.

Commissioned by LICC and Thy Kingdom Come, it’s an encouragement and a call to action – a declaration that each of us can join in God’s kingdom work right where we are.And a prayer that through ordinary Christians like you and me, God would transform, revive, and heal our society.

>> Watch the video and download ‘We Seek Your Kingdom’ hymn resources. 

Resourcing God's mission in our parishes

"Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" James 1:17

As we learn to live with Covid-19 and build back following the struggles we faced with the pandemic,
we fully understand that live in challenging times.

As a diocese, we want to assure you that we will continue to support you in any way we can,
in particular with the financial constraints many face in parishes.

See also:

>> On the money On the money is a new publication explaining diocesan finances. Please take a look.

>> The Parish Giving Scheme

The Venerable Nicky Fenton
Archdeacon of Derbyshire Peak and Dales
nicky.fenton@derby.anglican.org
01332 388658

Emily Woodhouse
PA to the Archdeacon of Derbyshire Peak and Dales
emily.woodhouse@derby.anglican.org
01332 278177

Having loved four months working as acting archdeacon, I was absolutely delighted and thrilled to be invited to continue the work that I have started and to partner with you to create transformed lives through growing church and building community, so that we might be good news for all and bring God’s kingdom nearer.

I was born in Birmingham and came to faith when I was 17 through a mixture of a Billy Graham Crusade, a school Christian Union, membership of uniformed organisations and Bible reading at home.

I am married to Michael; a chartered accountant and we have two adult children Emily and Sophie, and we enjoy going out for meals and exploring new places together. Most days I try to get to the gym and either swim or do aqua, pilates or yoga. Music and dance have played a significant part in my life too. When I’m on my own I love reading, watching films, jigsaw puzzles.

Prior to ordination, I worked in education – my last teaching job was as nursery teacher with 95 pre-school children and a team of nine staff in my care. I also have a qualification in people practice.

My theological education was based at Cranmer Hall and my curacy in St Ann’s, Nottingham. My previous roles within the Diocese of Derby include Priest-in-Charge of the Benefice of Hazelwood, Holbrook, Milford with Shottle, Diocesan School Missioner, Bishop’s Adviser in Spirituality, Retired Clergy Officer, Bishop’s Chaplain, and a residentiary canon at Derby Cathedral.

The image that speaks to me most clearly about my ministry as an archdeacon is that of a midwife: coming alongside people and places offering ongoing care, guidance and advice; mediating and bridging gaps between different groups of people; supporting the birthing of new initiatives and offering comfort and strength as people let go, and breaking down barriers to change and growth.

I focus my ministry around five key priorities – prayer, people, places, projects and planning - while ensuring I am also attentive to my ongoing personal formation.  I would love the opportunity to share with you what that looks like in practice – so please do invite me to come and visit!

My prayer is that knowing we are loved by God, and supported by each other, we can give ourselves wholeheartedly to serving God in the communities and worshipping contexts we are part of; and consistently and persistently move forward in generous faith, courageous hope and life-giving love.

Parish map of the Archdeaconry of Derbyshire Peak and Dales

>> Download a printable map of the Archdeaconry of Derbyshire Peak and Dales (suitable for A4 and A3) [JPG]

>> Maps of individual deaneries can be downloaded from their respective pages here.

The Venerable Matthew Trick
Archdeacon of Derby and South Derbyshire
matthew.trick@derby.anglican.org
01332 388684

Sue Hidderley-Burton
PA to the Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derbyshire
sue.hidderley-burton@derby.anglican.org
01332 388682

Parish map of the Archdeaconry of Derby City and South Derbyshire

>> Download a printable map of the Archdeaconry of Derby City and South Derbyshire (suitable for A4 and A3) [JPG]

>> Maps of individual deaneries can be downloaded from their respective pages here.

The Bishop of Repton is the Rt Revd Malcolm Macnaughton

Bishop Malcolm was installed as the Suffragan Bishop of Repton in a special Evensong at Derby Cathedral on Sunday, 18 April 2021. The installation followed his consecration as bishop at Lambeth Palace on Wednesday, 14 April 2021. 

Malcolm was formerly Chief of Staff to the Archbishop of York and was educated at Queens’ College Cambridge.

He trained for ministry at Ridley Hall and served his title at St Andrew’s Haughton-le-Skerne, in the diocese of Durham, and was ordained Priest in 1982. 

Malcolm is married to Pam, an ordained pioneer minister and a leadership specialist with the Church Pastoral Aid Society.

He was introduced to the Diocese of Derby in November 2020 and said: “I am much looking forward to working with Bishop Libby and colleagues in the Diocese of Derby, and am excited by the task ahead.

"The COVID crisis is tough for everyone, and we need to be focussed on bringing real hope to those most at risk, those living in poverty, and young people who have so much to offer, but whose opportunities for education, development, and employment, are so limited just now.

"It is great to see the Church in Derby and Derbyshire finding new ways, alongside the old, of being church and seeking the common good.

"What a privilege to be called by God to join you and to share the next stage of this journey!”

If you wish to contact the Bishop of Repton's office, the details are:

The Rt Revd Malcolm Macnaughton, Bishop of Repton
39 Hickton Road,
Swanwick,
Alfreton,
DE55 1AF

07933 344746 | malcolm.macnaughton@derby.anglican.org

What is a suffragan bishop and why do we have a Bishop of Repton?

The role of the Suffragan Bishop is to support and share in the episcopal ministry of the Bishop of Derby, who is the bishop of the diocese. Episcopal (or “bishop’s”) ministry is about being “shepherds of Christ’s flock and guardians of the faith of the apostles” in the words of the ordination service, which means caring for all God’s people and leading in the task of presenting the faith in the world.

Bishops are to be a focus for the unity of the Church locally, teaching and proclaiming the faith and engaging with the world that the Church is called to serve – being “leaders in mission”, in other words – and encouraging and supporting the ministry of all the baptised, especially ordained and other authorised ministers.

All ministry stems from Christ the Good Shepherd, who invites us to share with him in his work and so the best models of all Christian ministry are shared ones. This is why episcopal ministry is shared by the diocesan bishop with the suffragan bishop who works with him.

Traditionally in the Church of England and other parts of the Christian Church, ministry is rooted in human communities and so all bishops are ordained to be bishop of a specific place. The diocesan bishop is the Bishop of Derby as the largest community in Derbyshire.

In former times, however, bishops often established their base (or “See”) in quite small and out-of-the-way places and until the time of St Chad (who died in 672 AD) the bishop for the whole of the Midlands (then the See of Mercia) was based in Repton.

When – in 1965 – it was decided to appoint a suffragan bishop for the diocese of Derby, he was designated Bishop of Repton, reviving the episcopal connection with this particular community within Derbyshire.

The fact that the suffragan bishop has Repton as his designation, however, does not mean that he has a closer connection with Repton than other places in Derbyshire (and in fact he lives near Ripley!) but it is a reminder that as well as the aspect of bishop’s ministry which is about cathedrals and big communities, bishops are also about attending to the life of the Church and sharing in the building up of the Kingdom of God in smaller human communities, indeed wherever the people of God gather to worship and to witness.

Bishop Libby on sabbatical

Bishop Libby will be on sabbatical from Friday 2 May through to Sunday 3 August 2025. During this period all of the legal and statutory duties of the Bishop of Derby shall continue as normal through delegation to the Bishop of Repton.

Please continue to liaise with the Bishop’s Office as normal by telephone on 01332 840132, or by email at bishop@bishopofderby.org. All correspondence will be automatically forwarded to +Malcolm for the duration of +Libby’s time away. +Malcolm will continue to work from Repton House.

The Archdeacons and the Parish Support Team at Church House will continue to be on hand to provide support and advice to parishes as normal. Bishop Libby will return to her duties in August.

Temporary office relocation

From Thursday 1 May 2025, the Bishop of Derby’s office will be based at Derby Church House to allow the Church Commissioners to make repairs and improvements to the office.  

Please direct any post during this time to:

The Bishop of Derby’s Office, c/o Derby Church House, Full Street, Derby DE1 3DR

Office emails and phone numbers will remain the same.

The move will take place during the week commencing Monday 28 April.  The Bishop’s office may not be able to respond to emails or calls as promptly as usual during this week.

The Bishop’s office expect to be at Derby Church House until the end of this year.  Information regarding their move back to Duffield will be provided when plans have been confirmed.

The Bishop of Derby is the Rt Revd Libby Lane.

Bishop Libby was installed at Derby Cathedral on 25 May 2019, having previously been the Suffragan Bishop of Stockport, in the Diocese of Chester – a post she occupied from 2015.

Libby describes Derbyshire as ‘the place that holds my heart’.

She grew up in Glossop in the north-west of the county and was selected for ordination while working in the parish of St Thomas Brampton, Chesterfield.

Bishop Libby said: “I am excited and privileged to have been called to serve as Bishop of Derby.

“I grew up here and my vocation was fostered here. Derbyshire nurtured me and brought me to faith and I want to love Derbyshire back.

“I want to lead a church in Derbyshire where people find hope because they know they are loved by God in Christ, and I pray that hope sets us free to live our lives in ways that bring change for good.”

If you wish to contact the Bishop of Derby's office, the contact details are:

The Bishop’s Office
6 King Street
Duffield
Derby
DE56 4EU

01332 840132 | bishop@bishopofderby.org

Download the Bishop of Derby's Office's Privacy Statement [PDF]

Constantine and Empire

The advent of Constantine as Emperor in 306 marked a key moment in the Gospel of Jesus Christ becoming a public faith.  Up until that point Christians had endured a challenging journey – periods of peace and proselytising interspersed with the most horrific persecution.  A world of political instability and religious terrorism.

Constantine laid the foundation of what came to be known as the Holy Roman Empire.  The Church became a public body offering a Gospel of love to bind together the different cultures of what was thought to be the civilised world.  A Holy or whole Empire.

The Importance of Coins: Cash Flow

As in every age, money was the sacrament of seriousness.  Money provided the means for people to organise their lives and express their priorities.  Money was produced in the form of coins.  One of the ways in which Constantine connected his disparate peoples was through the use of money – the flow of ‘cash’.

First, during his reign, the images on the coins shifted from pagan symbols to signs of the cross and of the Christian faith.  The means of organising life and ordering priorities was clearly part of a Christian enterprise – an expression of the love of God in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Second, Constantine enabled significant investment in the Church, providing buildings and ministries to express this Gospel of love in practical ways.  The beginning of an infrastructure for a Holy Empire.  Word made flesh.

Cashing the Gospel

We are heirs of these significant developments, called still to witness to the organising of life and the ordering of priorities as an expression of the teaching and example of Jesus Christ – in public life as much as in private pilgrimages.

Coins, or, in our case credit cards and notes! have a part to play in this mission and witness.  Money provides the most accurate sign of how we choose to organise our lives and our priorities.

Cashing the Common Life

As we launch a new Common Fund this autumn, I hope that each of us can consider carefully and prayerfully how, in our times, we can contribute to our church offering spaces for worship and ministries for witness.  Each of us will have coins, cards, notes in our lives.  A key part of our witness is how we might use them to enable the Gospel of love to be made more manifest – as witness, invitation and celebration of that kind of gift of new life which Our Father longs to pour out for the blessings of all His children.

The Currency of Love

Money is something common, connecting and challenging.  Too easily it becomes the ultimate measure and value: a false god.  We need to use it as a form of service and fellowship – the currency of love.

+Alastair  

Discipleship Training

Our exciting, easy-to-access training is available for all who want to deepen their faith, grow in discipleship and develop the gifts God has given them in the service of the church. 

The training is open to all who want to learn more about their faith and also to those who want to develop in ministry. 

You don't need any formal qualifications to take any of the modules, just some good thinking and reflecting skills.

You can work towards a Certificate of Mission & Ministry by completing the whole course with assignments or you can simply do the modules for your own faith journey.

You can do one module or many, and you can start, stop for a while and then pick up again later. 

The training is modular, which simply means that you will spend 10 sessions looking at a particular subject (for example, the Bible or Pastoral Care or Mission and Evangelism etc). 

These 10 sessions make up one module.

You will do seven of these sessions on your own in the comfort of your own home at a time to suit you and the other three sessions will be done with everyone on the module coming together on Zoom. 

Find out more and request an Information Pack from our new training website www.discipleship-training.org or contact the course administrator, Fiona.bennett@derby.anglican.org.