The Church of England’s General Synod has called on the bishops to take the next step to issue prayers which would enable same-sex couples to come to church after a civil marriage or civil partnership to give thanks, dedicate their relationship to God and receive God’s blessing.
Over 70 curates and training incumbents gathered at Forest Hills Hotel to enter into an ongoing conversation between peers about racial justice. Participants were challenged to think about their experience and background, and how this shapes their wider views on race.
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We will soon be offering courses for clergy looking to receive pastoral supervision. In conjunction with this, we are also running training for those who could act as supervisors. Could you be one of those people?
A new Contact Management System adopted by the Diocese of Chester will assist Church House staff, Bishop’s House staff and parishes to manage administrative tasks and aid communication. Church House staff will be working with parishes to roll out the CMS locally and explain how to use it
A webinar with Bishop Mark offered attendees the opportunity to discuss the ongoing consultation process to develop a new vision for the Church in the Diocese of Chester and to find out more about the different ways people can take part. Watch again here.
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Gaia, a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram is coming to Chester Cathedral. From the 7th of February the public will be able to view this awe-inspiring installation. The artwork is a representation of our planet and aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, a term first coined by author Frank White in 1987.
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An art installation coming to Chester Cathedral in May will be a key creative feature of the Casting the Net Wide vision process. The community artwork will comprise of a shoal of 1000 paper fish, produced by parishes from across the diocese. Parishes are invited to start making the fish in preparation.
In this short video, Paul Williams, a Churchwarden at St Luke's, Huntington explains how the church has been able to carry on during the temporary period when they are without a vicar, a period known as interregnum. He says it's been both "scary" and "exciting" as they've adapted to the new situation.
"God calls us to serve because of who we are, not who we may think he wants us to be." When NHS Nurse, Andrew Bradley-Gibbons felt God calling him to ordained ministry he responded enthusiastically. However, it wasn't meant to be - at least not yet. He shares his story of responding to God.
A service offering victims and survivors of church related abuse a confidential, personal, and safe space to discuss their experiences has increased its operational hours under a newly appointed independent provider, First Light, which took over the service from Monday 9th January.
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To start the new year, Bishops Mark, Julie and Sam reflect together on the ways in which they have each responded to God's call in their own lives and how they encourage others to recognise it in theirs too. Where is God calling you in 2023? Come and explore with supportive staff at Church House.
In this short reflection, first published in the Cycle of Prayer, Director of Vocations in the Diocese of Chester, the Revd Canon Sarah Fenby, looks to the year ahead and encourages us all to reflect on where it is God is calling us this year.
Bishops Mark and Julie featured on BBC Radio Merseyside on the first day of 2023 to share their New Year's messages. They were on the BBC programme Daybreak hosted by, Helen Jones. You can listen to them here.
The community of St John’s, Adlington,l part of the Parish of Prestbury - turned a Christmas tradition on its head when they put together a nativity play that was performed in the main by grown-ups and not children.
Many already know that we publish a monthly Cycle of Prayer as a downloadable PDF document, on our homepage but you can also receive the prayers daily using a free app called PrayerMate.
The Bishop of Chester has appointed the Revd Amanda Pike as the new Chair of the diocesan Disability Forum. The forum is the body that discusses issues relating to disability and aims to help churches to better understand and accommodate those with disabilities.
We know that at Christmas time an increasing number of people, who wouldn't normally come to church, attend our church services. A number of social media graphics are available for churches to download and use to help dispel the apprehension that some people feel about attending church.
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A new Christmas film, made by the national church has been released. It follows the life of someone attending church, from a young girl through to her elderly years, and depicts how she is supported by her local church through many Christmases.
The next Bishop of Ebbsfleet will be the Revd Dr Rob Munro, the Rector of Cheadle, Downing Street has announced. Bishop Mark welcomed the announcement saying: “I am delighted by his appointment, although we shall be sorry to see him leave the parish. He and Sarah go with our gratitude and prayers.”
Parishes across the Diocese of Chester are to receive grants, ranging from £714 to £4,140 thanks to the national church having made £15 million available to dioceses as a contribution towards helping parishes with their energy costs.
The Diocese of Chester has launched a contactless donation device for churches to try. Its first outing was at St Martin's in Aston Upon Mersey, which coincided with the first day of their Christmas tree festival.
Following a consultation process between Bishop Mark, Bishop’s Council, Chuch Buildings Council, and the Chancellor, the new Chair of the DAC will be Nicholas Rank. He replaces his predecessor, Bob Munn who served in the role since 2008.
Bishop Julie thanks the churches that participated in the annual awareness raising campaign that aims to give churches an opportunity to show their communities that they take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. Next year's event will happen on the 19 November.
The 10th Women's Voices Conference from the Diocese of Chester will take place on Saturday 14th October 2023. Event organiser and Church House employee, the Revd Liz Shercliff, has said the events have always been memorable and hopes that 2023 will be no different.
The Church of England is supporting the international campaign for 16 days of activism to end gender-based violence, as newly released figures show that there has been a 37% increase in reports of domestic abuse to diocesan safeguarding advisers over the past three years.
A "silly flyer" is how Jim Johnson describes a church leaflet that was put through his letter box last year. But something in that flyer compelled Jim to go to church. This is his story.
Church House welcomes our newest member of staff, Samantha Sudderey, who has joined the Safeguarding Team as an Assistant Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser.
The Church of England has been making more resources available for this year's Christmas campaign, titled, Follow the Star. The downloadable resources, which include videos, graphics, and music are free to use in church buildings, websites, and social media.
The Yearbook, the printed directory of contacts from across the diocese has been discontinued. The 2022 edition featuring the three bishops on the front cover is the last edition. In its place will be a new online Contact Management System due to be rolled out in the New Year.
With the rise in energy costs and an increase in the cost of living, many people are struggling to keep their homes heated properly, which is why churches across the diocese are doing their best to help by providing places of warmth and welcome.
