Welcome to the Enews for July 11

The latest resources, news and more.

Click on headlines or pictures for more details.  

Contact enews@leeds.anglican.org with your news. 

A "Leeds Eleven" of new deacons were welcomed into their exciting roles at a packed service in Ripon Cathedral, led by the Anglican Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines. The new signings include a former lawyer, a former combat medic and a TV production assistant and family, friends and well-wishers gave them all a long round of applause. Read more here

The Rt Revd Tony Robinson, Bishop of Wakefield said many goodbyes at a special service of gratitude for his 27 years of service in our diocese. Wakefield Cathedral was packed with well-wishers, bishops and clergy, reflecting Bishop Tony’s great popularity as both a priest, and as a person throughout a total of 42 years of ministry. Read more here

Following last week's General Election, the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, has written about the importance of realism and truth returning to our national culture. Bishop Nick calls on the govenrment to be realistic about the challenges and opportunities ahead, and on us all to reshape our political discourse to be honest about reality. Read more here

Bishop Nick Baines led a strong team of our senior clergy onto the slightly damp fields of the Great Yorkshire Show to meet and talk with farming action groups and other people who support rural communities. Guided by Revd Canon Leslie Morley, honorary chaplain to the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, he and Bishop Anna Eltringham, Dean John Dobson, Dean Simon Cowing and Dean Andy Bowerman heard about current issues from retired hill farmer Richard Betton of the National Farmers Union’s Hill Farming Council. Read more here

Prime hoggets, clean cows and cast sheep were all on sale at Leyburn Auction Mart this week, ahead of the Great Yorkshire Show and where Revd Chris Lawton is its chaplain. Revd Chris is vicar of the Benefice of Lower Wensleydale and alongside serving his parishioners, he is a regular feature at the livestock auctions that give an important social rhythm to rural life. Read more here

Churches across our diocese are being encouraged to use an online tool to help make our churches carbon-neutral, with the deadline for completions fast approaching. The Energy Footprinting Tool on the Parish Returns system calculates the carbon emissions from the energy used by a church using information from energy bills, and closes on Wednesday, July 31. Read more here

42 churches across the diocese are going to be able to take more action to reduce their carbon footprints and invest in the future, thanks to a new Church of England programme. The 42 churches in our diocese are part of a wider plan to identify the 600 highest carbon emitting churches in the Church of England, and offer them support in reducing their carbon emissions. Read more here

The Lord Mayor of Leeds Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung was welcomed by Bishop Arun at a special meeting of Leeds Faiths Forum in Church House recently. The Rt Revd Arun Arora, Bishop of Kirkstall chairs the well-established interfaith group that is dedicated to building knowledge and understanding of the diverse faiths within the city and its communities. Read more here

One of our schools has welcomed back a former pupil and Olympic gold medallist as part of their careers week. St Matthew’s Church of England Primary School, Chapel Allerton, was visited by Matty Lee MBE, winner of the Men’s synchronised 10m platform diving gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games, alongside Tom Daley. Read more here

Ever wondered what theology means and how to study it? Need some guidance on how to dig a bit deeper? Don’t know where to start? This free and updated course is for you! Don’t miss out - sign up NOW for a September start.

A 12-session journey looking at the Christian faith, thinking about your own faith journey and developing theological skills. This is a great place to start when considering where God is calling you. Attending this course is a pre-requirement for Licensed Lay Ministry training in the diocese of Leeds and is also useful for those considering any of our other Lay Ministry pathways.

Three courses for 2024-25 are advertised on the DLP.

Follow the link for further information and booking details:

• Autumn 2024: in-person at the Mirfield Centre

Booking Deadline extended to midnight on Sunday, September 1.

If you require any specific help or information, please contact the School of Ministry administrator at shuna.hartley@leeds.anglican.org.

We are delighted to invite all children, young people and families workers, leaders and volunteers to attend one of our TEND events this year.

This year’s theme is Encouraging Confidence and the days will include workshops, speakers, worship, reflection and the opportunity to meet others involved in ministry with and to children, young people and families. The dates and venues are:

• Saturday, September 7 at St Matt's Leeds

Please click here for more details and to book.

A workshop to explore the power of outdoor and intergenerational worship for our churches.

Join us as we gather at St Stephen’s, West Bowling to discover how all generations can worship and encounter God together, especially when we go outside and worship in God’s creation.

The workshop will be led by Engage Worship whose vision is ‘to resource the local church for creative, sustainable and world-changing worship’

The day will start at 10am, with refreshments from 9.30am.

Tickets are £10 which includes lunch and refreshments – please provide any dietary requirements when booking.

Find out more here.

A fantastic opportunity to take time out to think more deeply about God’s call on your life, with time and space in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. Is Vocation just something for ministers, monks and missionaries? How do we discover God’s purpose for our lives? What does the Bible have to say? Can we take the stories of the great Bible characters and apply them to our situation? Over the weekend, we’ll try to get some answers to these vital questions.

We’ll be led by Derek Walmsley, who is the Director of Ordinands and Vocations for the Diocese of Leeds.

Find out more here.

A day of study, prayer and practise around the themes of spirituality, creation and reconnecting with nature.

This one will focus on living an 'earthed spirituality': moving into engaged action for our planet.

Bring your own lunch, and suitable clothing for outdoor worship. Suggested donation £10 per day.

To book either or both days please email Steve Parkin at sparkin1955@gmail.com.

Wakefield Cathedral is thrilled to announce a fashion show and clothing sale, an event designed to raise essential funds for the ongoing preservation and activities of the cathedral. The fashion show will include brands such as Monsoon, Next, Jaeger, White Stuff, Seasalt Cornwall, Phase Eight, Wallis, M&S, Hobbs and more! Following the fashion show, a clothing sale will take place, providing an opportunity for guests to purchase the very pieces showcased on the runway. Click here to find out more.

We are living in turbulent times. In so many ways it seems that as a species we have forgotten how to live in well with each other and the rest of creation. And yet, in the depths of who we are, there is a wellspring of love that is always calling us to an original harmony, to replace competition with collaboration, rivalry with friendship.

1,500 years ago, St. Benedict wrote a Rule for monastic life which has been one of the most influential texts in the history of Western Europe. In a world facing so many challenges, Benedict’s simple guide for a school of love in community offers us a wealth of transformative wisdom.

With help from Benedictine teachers across the centuries, we will explore key aspects of this timeless wisdom tradition which are of huge importance for our time, including:

• Listening: as key to spiritual growth in community
• Humility: the path of self-knowledge, equality and peace
• Attention and Awareness: the path of balance, harmony, wholeness
• The Monastic Vision for today: a priceless gift for a suffering world.

Find out more here.

To book, please contact the Revd Rod Geddes at ruarig07@gmail.com

Revd Rod has a long-time interest in the history and spirituality of the Celtic Church and has led day courses in the Isle of Man and England and has led two week-long courses at Bishop’s House on the Isle of Iona, with another planned for 2026.

Please book early, in order that we can prepare materials and handouts.

Cost of course: £20 per person, to be paid on the day. All proceeds to All Saints’ Earby.

A full programme can be found here.

A taster retreat day led by Revd Dr. Linda Robinson and Revd Shena Moray. An immersive, holistic day including reflective spaces, worship and adventure into the living word of God. Please email lindarobinson@talk21.com to book. Cost is £25 including lunch and refreshments.

The Rt Revd Smitha Prasadam, Bishop of Huddersfield, will be leading a pilgrimage to Taizé this summer.

The pilgrimage for young people and adults is taking place from Saturday, August 17 to Monday, August 26, and the Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, will join pilgrims for part of their journey.

Click here to download the brochure.

Sign up for a fun exploration of the Old Testament.

Tickets cost £14 per person. Do bring a packed lunch. Tea and coffee provided.

Tickets available here.

People will be invited to make a donation on the day towards Church hire costs.

For more information, please contact: Revd Mark Watson, 01924 822184. 07838 441568, lordsmyshepherd@yahoo.co.uk

As our Chief Officer has moved on, we are looking to recruit to help take Wellsprings Together to the next level. We're looking for a new Chief Office Wellsprings Together is an established, growing, regional charity with a vision to see faith transforming communities. We work across the Anglican Diocese of Leeds in both urban and rural areas with a desire to see the flourishing of all who live there. The Chief Officer role is an exciting opportunity leading the dedicated Wellsprings Together team to implement this vision. Accountable to the Trustees of the charity, the Chief Officer is responsible for coordinating and supervising the work of the Team, delivering on the strategy and vision of the charity, managing stakeholder relationships, securing funding, and the effective management and leadership of the charity including budgetary responsibilities. Find out more about this role here

Following the appointment of The Very Revd Andy Bowerman as the Dean of Bradford, the Cathedral has recently developed a new vision and forward strategy. An important part of this strategy is looking at how the Cathedral can play a full part in, and realise the potential of Bradford’s year as the UK City of Culture in 2025. The Director of Fundraising & Development will sit on the Cathedral’s Senior Management Group, playing a key role in delivering our vision and strategy, maximizing the opportunities afforded by 2025, and helping shape and resource our future, serving the City and its community. Find out more about this role here

The exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 chaplain to join the existing multi faith hospital team to support leadership and innovative ways of working to support the provision of pastoral/spiritual care to patients, relatives and staff members within Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust. The strong Trust values, enhancing diversity, equality and accessibility for our local communities who are cared for whilst in our service is reflected in the chaplaincy service we provide, involvement in further quality initiatives and positive patient experience is incorporated into the chaplain's role. Find out more about this role here

Following the appointment of The Very Revd Andy Bowerman as the Dean of Bradford, the Cathedral has recently developed a new vision and forward strategy, looking ahead to 2025 when Bradford will be the UK City of Culture and beyond. The Events & Marketing Assistant will work with the Director of Development and the Events & Marketing Officer, supporting the Cathedral’s strategic focus on hosting high quality events, growing commercial income through venue hire, and helping to deliver bespoke Cathedral events aimed at raising funds to support the Cathedral’s ministry and mission. Find out more about this role here

Are you excited by delivering first class events over multiple sites? Do you enjoy making a difference? Do you thrive on raising standards and seeing events from first enquiry to completion? St George's Centre is looking for a highly motivated Conference and Venue Manager to take the lead on its Conferencing and Events. Based in the centre of Leeds we can offer free parking, excellent salary, flexible working, possible job share and pension. Find out more about this role here

Please contact the Communications Team with your news for future editions. The Enews is published twice a month. The next edition will be sent out on July 25. All news stories to communications@leeds.anglican.org. Many thanks!