Two significant events took place this week in the approach to Bishop Michael's retirement as diocesan bishop on 27 September.
On Wednesday 16 September, around 350 children and adults representing the diocese's 206 Church of England schools gathered at in the morning at Lichfield Cathedral to celebrate his ministry and thank him for his involvement in the life of the schools.
During the service, children prayed for Bishop Michael and he was presented with a beautifully bound book of prayers, many illustrated with drawings created by the schools.
Before blessing them, Bishop Michael said how very much he had enjoyed visiting our church schools over the past ten years.
The children had been rehearsed first by Cathy Lamb of MusicShare, and the Dean asked them to take the roof off with their singing – which they very nearly did!
Anointed in oil
And later the same day, after evensong, an invited group assembled in College Hall. There was great anticipation until Bishop Jan calmed the hubbub and Bishop Michael and Julia were presented with a gift from the diocese: an exquisite pair of unique tiles from the Moorcroft Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, reflecting aspects of all parts of the diocese - from the Potteries to the Wrekin, the Black Country and the region's canals. The process of its creation was described by Moorcroft's MD, Will Moorcroft, grandson of founder William Moorcroft. He was accompanied by Nicola Slaney, Marie Penkethman and Hayley Moore who were responsible respectively for the various stages of production: design, tube lining (a skilled process of transferring the drawing onto clay tile using a clay slurry) and glazing.
The tiles are set into a pine table. "That looks familiar" said Bishop Michael, and he was right - the table has belonged to him for years and had been 'lost' and adapted (thanks to Julia) in the process as he and Julia have begun sorting and moving belongings to their retirememnt home - and hidden in the basement of Bishop's House in recent days!
Bishop Sarah then blessed the table for it's future use in Bishop Michael and Julia's new home.
Then Bishop Jan turned to a traditional part of Bishop of Lichfield departures: the unveiling of a portrait of the outgoing bishop, sponsored and presented by the Friends of Lichfield Cathedral represented by Mr Neil Platts with contributions from the Lord Lieutenants of the ceremonial counties that overlie the diocese: Staffordshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands, represented in person by Jeremy Cotton DL, Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Dr Derrick Anderson CBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands and Mrs Claire Crackett MBE DL for Shropshire.
The commission had been fulfilled by Eloise Gillow a young artist from Staffordshire, completed over a period of months in oil paint. Once the oils have had time to dry thoroughly, it will be framed, varnished and on display in Lichfield Cathedral.
There were gasps and applause as the cloth came off the lifesize painting with a remarkably life-likeness - the real and the oil-painted twin could hardly be told apart!
Bishop Michael's final services in the diocese are on Sunday 27 September in Lichfield Cathedral.