Bishop Mark has said the last 12 months have been "unexpected, harrowing and lonely for so many" but that the National Day of Reflection on Tuesday 23 March is a moment to "note how far we have come and look forward with hope".
The Sycamores care home in Newton, Hyde, has a new resident, Freddie the Robot cat, which was donated by the local church, St Mary's, also in Newton. The vicar, Revd Sheila O'Flaherty, and the congregation raised the £100 needed.
The Church of England’s national online services alone have attracted more than 3.7 million views since the first restrictions on gatherings for public worship to limit the spread of Covid-19 were introduced almost a year ago.
Following his leaving service on 07 March and subsequent retirement on 08 March, former Bishop of Birkenhead, Keith Sinclair, and his wife Rosie, have written a letter of thanks to the dicoese.
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A National Day of Reflection is due to take place on Tuesday 23 March. Chester Cathedral will hold a service and will also install a new sculpture in the nave to encourage prayer and reflection born out of the experience of lockdown.
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The Revd Alec Brown has written two sonnets. One, titled; 'The roadmap unfolding' 'is in response to the Prime Minister's roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions in England.
Bishop Keith Sinclair gave his final sermon as the Bishop of Birkenhead on Sunday 07 March and retired from the role the following day, exactly 14 years after he took up the post. Watch the service and read his final sermon here.
Watch the Bishop of Chester, Mark Tanner, "break the ground" of a new community garden at St. Andrew's, Grange. The garden will be planted on the site of the old church hall and will be designed to help increase biodiversity.
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The Diocese of Chester will aim to become an Eco-Diocese following a unanimous decision by Bishop's Council to agree to work towards that target. Eco Diocese is an initiative from the Christian environment charity, A Rocha.
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The Diocese of Chester has strong links with the Diocese of Melanesia, which is in the Solomon Islands. The islands are significantly affected by climate change, a tragic irony not lost on the inhabitants who lead eco-friendly lifestyles.
Bishop Keith speaks to the BBC about his time as the Bishop of Birkenhead ahead of his retirement on 08 March. You can hear the interview here. His final service as Bishop of Birkenhead will be on 07 March and can be viewed online.
The March edition of the Chester Diocesan News is now available. It's a 'Farewell' special edition, marking Bishop Keith's retirement on 08 March. Here he writes in the CDN for the final time as the Bishop of Birkenhead.
The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher, is to lead the Church of England’s Environment Programme. His remit is to lead bold, deliberate, collaborative action across the Church to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.
This year’s World Day of Prayer is on 05 March in Vanuatu, an island of Melanesia, which is one of our linked Dioceses. They invite you to join them in prayer, which you will be able to do online this year.
The number of people permitted to attend weddings and funerals is set to increase incrementally, according to the Government "roadmap" out of lockdown. Further detailed advice will be made available in the weeks ahead.
The Bishop of Chester has given his permission to allow Annual Parochial Church Meetings to take place online in the year 2021. The decision has been taken to improve the safety and accessibility of APCM's in this emergency period.
Following the Prime Minister’s statement to Parliament, the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, who chairs the Church of England’s Coronavirus Recovery Group, has issued a statement on behalf of the Church.
"Stephen Cottrell writes about Christ as if he were here now. As if redemption were possible for all of us, as if the void that threatens to engulf us all could be filled by a personal relationship with Christ in the present."
Members of the diocesan Environment Forum have recorded an episode of the diocesan podcast Chester Box. In it they talk about the diocesan environment-foccussed Lent campaign and their hopes for the diocese.
The Melanesian Sisters in the Solomon Islands and their friends in Chester held their first online service and meeting earlier this month. They joined for morning prayer and then to share news from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
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General Synod is to hold a special online meeting later this month examining challenges facing the Church and the world in light of the coronavirus pandemic followed by a formal session in the spring.
The Revd Steve Sheridan, the vicar of Chester St Oswald & St Thomas of Canterbury, has composed a poem for Ash Wednesday. Poetry continues to have an enduring quality through these times of crisis and challenge.
The first findings from a nationwide study to capture carbon impacts in the Church of England have been published, a year on from a vote committing the Church to net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Archdeacon Ian Bishop, is today launching a Lenten journey and you're invited to take part. The focus for Lent this year is God's creation and the environment, an issue close to Ian's heart and one which is important to the Christian faith. Â
Hanuato has strong links with the Diocese of Chester. Over the years, representatives from each diocese have visited each other's countries and enjoyed mutual support and hospitality.
The Revd Stephen Sheridan, from Chester St Oswald & St Thomas of Canterbury, has written a poem for Time to Talk Day, which is today. 04 February 2021. It's written from the perspective of someone who has poor mental health.
Bishop Keith Sinclair will retire as Bishop of Birkenhead on the 07 March after 14 years in the post. In a letter to the diocese, Bishop Mark invites us all to prepare for his retirement and participate in plans for his farewell.
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In this reflection, first published in the Chester Diocesan News, the Archdeacon of Macclesfield, Ian Bishop, offers his thoughts on environmental issues and calls on all Christians to be at the forefront of tackling environmental issues.Â
The February edition of the Chester Diocesan News is now available. It includes a personal reflection from The Archdeacon of Macclesfield and articles on 'The relentless lockdown', and 'Time to talk day'.
In response to reaching the terrible milestone of 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, the Archbishops invite all to call on God in Prayer. Starting on 1 February we invite you to set aside time every evening to pray, particularly at 6pm each day.
