Statement on Current Issues across the Country
From the Bishop of Shrewsbury
News
Volunteer!
Bishop Michael ponders the nature of the Church of England and the thousands who make it work in this diocese.
Fully Known
Knowing and welcoming individuals - in Rocester
Much more than just a cuppa
Places of Welcome are a network of hospitality, safe spaces in the local community where people can connect, belong and participate. Registration to the national network is free, but the coffee morning or drop-in should fulfil five criteria to join.
Drovers routing for Staffordshire/African charity
A Heath Hayes man is planning to walk on a cattle drovers' route across the Scottish highlands to raise money for Malakota, a rural community in Zambia through Staffordshire charity, Hands at Work in Africa.
Revd Ann Bucknall
The funeral of an ardent supporter of the St Chad Volunteer programme and teacher and missionary in Malaysia takes place in Lichfield in August.
Nana’s Washday
Turning a church into a laundry, complete with thunder and lightning is perfectly normal for Julie and Louise as they support adults with complex needs and people affected by dementia.
Appointments and Departures
19th June 2024
Working together to create safer spaces
In June's Chad Blog, our senior lead for Safeguarding, Neil Spiring shares some stories of how training in safeguarding has had practical positive results.
New Director of Comms named
Arun Kataria is to be the diocese’s Director of Communications, the second of two appointments in a month for roles key to delivering the diocese’s new strategic framework.
Joint statement by West Midlands church leaders ahead of the General Election
Church leaders in the West Midlands have issued a joint statement ahead of the General Election.
Appointments and Departures
5th June 2024
First female Dean of Lichfield appointed
His Majesty the King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Janet Elizabeth McFarlane, Interim Dean of Lichfield and an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Lichfield, for appointment as Dean of Lichfield.
Church of England holds first West Midlands Racial Justice Board Meeting
The Church of England in the West Midlands has marked a milestone with the inaugural meeting of its Racial Justice Board earlier this month. This pivotal gathering united representatives from Birmingham, Coventry, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, and Worcester to address racism and champion racial justice within the Church, society, and our communities.
Lichfield welcomes a new Strategic Programmes Director
Canon Nick Smeeton has been appointed to the role of Strategic Programmes Director for the Diocese of Lichfield. This is a new and crucial role for our diocese and is funded by the national church, designed to bring life and detail to the implementation of the new strategic framework recently agreed by our Diocesan Synod.
Pioneering Parishes – Creatively Connecting Church and Community
Maybe you have a great idea for how your parish church could connect more with its local community, but you don’t know how to make this vision a reality?
Prayers through Dementia
For Dementia Action Week 13–19 May 2024
Network Engagement and Impact
Across our Dementia-friendly Churches Network, what's working? What's helpful? What's important? A report from Staffordshire University helps us take stock.
Hope and peace for the anxious generation
In a fretful, lonely and competitive digital world, your church, with all its grace and messiness, joys and frustrations, can be a place of hope and peace for the anxious generation.
Regional Racial Justice Director announced
The Revd Dr Evie Vernon O’Brien has been appointed as the Racial Justice Director for the Church of England in the West Midlands. Evie will take up her role in July working with six dioceses – Birmingham, Coventry, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, and Worcester. It is the first collaborative project of its kind in the Church of England.
Appointments and Departures
24th April 2024
Songs of Praise for People Impacted by Dementia
On 23 April Lichfield Cathedral hosted a Songs of Praise for people impacted by dementia with special guests Tony Christie and Lichfield Catheral Choristers.
Speak up and be counted
So often diocesan synods are perceived as boring, dry and bureaucratic. This should not be the case! Rather they should exist to serve the mission of the wider Church, to make strategic decisions, and to encourage the growth of mission and ministry in our diocese.
Sharing each others' gifts for the growth of the church
Lichfield Diocese was well represented at the second Intercultural Church conference, hosted this year by Bishop Martyn Snow in Leicester Diocese just before Easter.
Location, location, location.
After the furore of Holy Week, the joy of Easter Day many will have been out and about, avoiding pranks on 1 April, bank holiday Monday. Bishop Sarah gets away and stays connected
Time Together
The warmth of the atmosphere is what struck me first and foremost as I arrived at Time Together, run by Churches Together in Whitchurch at Bargates Hall beside St Alkmund’s Church. St Alkmund’s has had a dementia-friendly church Certificate since 2018.
TikTok Vicar in parliament
The 'TikTok Vicar' from Aldridge, Revd David Sims was one of a select group of content creators invited to the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday to join an Easter Roundtable highlighting Christian voices on the platform.
Stoke skyline restored
The church sometimes known as 'the Potters' Cathedral' is in the midst of £2million repair work. The Lord Mayor of Stoke and the Bishop of Stafford were among those who recently climbed to the top of the scaffolding around the tower to look at the recent repairs and admire the view of the city.
The Lenten Journey
Four weeks into Lent, Clare Whitney sees in the saints of old the roots of good Christian habits and principles for ministry resulting from them asking ‘What is it Lord, that you have called me to do?’
