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Diocese of Hereford roclaiing hris roing isciples !

Inspiring people, churches and schools across our diocese.

Diocese of Generous hearts that give God gives us his love extravagantly,He as nations andr efoFeaturing:rd individuals. This special issue of Inspireroclaiing is all about hris roing isciples generous giving. Growing stories:

We hope it provides you with Hope for the some encouragement on future of the Church why we’re focusing on this message and encouraging SPSJ Youth Church Gift Days, sharing good news plans for the city and examples of some of the inspiring work that is happening Looking ahead to: right across our Diocese. The Bible teaches us that through Christmas 2020 2020 has challenged us all, Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection including those of us of faith. and the breath of the Holy Spirit, Plus… Whilst our buildings might only there are no limits to the depths be partly re-opening or we may Fundraising Ideas of God’s generosity and love feel frustrated by the bureaucracy toward us. The life of Jesus and of the ’s Weddings Returning his parables show what this red-tape or irritated with the generosity looks like translated endless Diocesan weekly Racial and Social into human behaviour. communications or worried Injustice and the about finding our next Vicar, as Church the people of God we still have Cont. Page 2 hope.

Proclaiming Christ Growing DisciplesThe Diocese@hereforddiocese of Hereford @hereforddioceseAutumn 2020@hereforddioceseIssue 7 1 Growing Together

In the life and stories of Jesus Please join us and pray there are pointers to how we can “Thy Kingdom come,” ask live our lives in a different way - a God to bring about what he way that is characterised by love, has promised to us. God at which is God’s intention for us. the centre means nothing is impossible because he really To achieve a life that is truly does provide for all our needs, generous, we must learn to break not just the needs of our tradition and cultural stereotypes church roof, electricity bill, many of which seem to have vicar or curate but for life in our Bishop Richard unfairly linked generous giving communities, villages, towns, with a wealthy, bureaucratic Inspiring generous giving country and the wider world. church begging for money to Welcome to the September prop up its fat central structures A prayer for our Diocese as we issue of Inspire magazine. of administration. We must also learn how to give generously: learn to set aside our earthly, We’re entering a period post- As God’s pilgrim people, let us human needs and set aside lockdown where we remain in limbo. continue to walk in the footsteps hate, violence, greed, and self- Many of us had assumed by now of Christ, we’d be back to the familiar, and this righteousness so that we make and grow in friendship with God, can feel frustrating. space for the Holy Spirit to work, in love for his people, and where the Spirit moves, As a diocesan family we’re learning and in the service of our healing happens. to live in this new world. I’ve been neighbour; so encouraged by the online church To give generously as Christians that, inspired by the Holy Spirit, activity that has connected us to many new people and released all we must link our personal lives we may bring to a troubled sorts of creative gifts. However, I’m and society together and see world peace from Christ, also grateful for our limited return ourselves as part of the Church to a searching world love from to private prayer and face-to-face not the building in the centre of Christ, worship in our Cathedral and church the village. and to a waiting world hope buildings. These last few months from Christ This month, as Bishop Richard have felt like an exile for many. There Amen will be great changes in the future, as marks out his prayer pilgrimage we adjust to the new reality. These around the boundaries of our will not come without some pain and Diocese, let’s use the time to this is being felt across the world as reflect on how we can work we grapple with the financial impact together and share what we do of COVID-19. have with others. This edition of Inspire focuses on the theme of generosity and giving, it shares the stories from Alpha Online lockdown of how giving (see page 4) has impacted the lives of people Lizzie Hackney, Lead Intergenerational around our Diocese, it also offers Missioner for Hereford Diocese, some exciting suggestion on how to is running an Alpha course online fundraise virtually, when we can’t all exploring the Christian faith. This project come together. As disciples of Christ started as a result of people turning up we are called to give of our time, gifts and money and I encourage us to to church online but not being rooted in approach this season prayerfully, for a church community. it is when we include God, putting him at the centre, that sees hearts Lizzie has seen a younger audience engage in the Alpha course, opened and lives transformed. she says “many have little previous contact with the church and With every blessing, have joined after watching services online.” +Richard Jackson To learn more about attending or running an The Rt Revd Richard Jackson, Alpha course, visit their website: www.alpha.org

2 Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples www.hereford.anglican.org Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples Growing together

Comfort and Joy Ways to get involved with Advent and Christmas 2020

1. ‘Resources for individuals and churches’ - A range of prayer resources will be made available via smart phones

2. Share stories, photographs, videos of the #ComfortandJoy Christmas message of Comfort and Joy on your social media, website & parish news.

3. Reflections - We are aiming to produce short reflections exploring the themes. Comfort and Joy: Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmas will mirror the structure of a traditional carol service, exploring both biblical texts and the words of much-loved Christmas carols.

4. A Church Near You - In Advent and Christmas, we will encourage churches to list the full range of church building and online services taking place and the Resource Hub will provide a range of free content to customise, download and share (such as customisable videos, images and approaches to online giving).

5. Printed materials - Bookmarks, Christmas cards, banners, flyers, posters and other printed items will be made available for churches to purchase, as in previous years.

Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese 3 Reimagining Ministry

More tea Vicar? The summer season of fundraising goes virtual across the Diocese

With many of the traditional fundraising Need help to plan giving? events cancelled due to COVID, churches across the diocese have been We’ve pulled together this list of 10 ideas coming up with ingenious ways to for some fun virtual fundraising events: encourage giving. An afternoon tea via zoom with the vicar and church leadership team might be an opportunity • Donate whatever to join up for a natter, to take time to pray as a you’re not church group, to hear from one another how the spending money Holy Spirit is moving people and to encourage each other in faith. Across our Diocese we’ve seen on some inspired examples of giving. • Virtual quiz, There are many ways in which regular giving can walk or run become a part of church culture, even with fewer • Online auction services. Churches have set up online giving and Parish Giving Scheme offer giving by phone. • Foodbank / clothing donations • Virtual open Mic/ virtual talent show Point-to-point • Donate your birthday • Online gaming tournament • Virtual gala dinner/pudding evening Back in July 220 horses and riders enjoyed a • Crowd funding beautiful 18km ride through woods and fields campaign around Wormbridge in Abbeydore Deanery. • Design a TED Talk The event was a fundraiser for the local style event Churches and was organised and supported by Fiona and Alice Garfield.

4 Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples www.hereford.anglican.org Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples Reimagining Ministry

Stretton Blessing

In the parishes across Stretton, the church team have been saying thank you to local people and offering a blessing. Using the words God gave to Moses, the team wanted to share how God has a heart for our communities. The team started with a splash of colour using six banners displayed around the town and moved on to delivering small thank you gifts to local businesses and nursing homes as a ‘sign’ of both blessing and thankfulness for people’s hard work. The community has been encouraged to join in over the summer by contributing artwork displayed in churchyards, which reflects the journey of the last few months of living in a pandemic.

Couch to 5k

Jo is one of our Intergenerational Missioners based at St Martin’s Hereford in South Wye. She took up the challenge of learning to run in mid June, using the Coach to 5K app. Jo launched her campaign via social media, using a simple just giving page to reach her target. She explains: “I am doing couch to 5k to raise money for St Martin’s Church which is an amazing expression of God’s love to the community of South Wye. Before I began, running for the bus was a thing for me, honestly it felt like an enormous thing to think about running 5k. Even after a break in July, I am back on it and I’m now enjoying the experience. People have been so generous”

Virtual Table Mountain Climb

Rev Sean Semple raised £2,500 after climbing a virtual Table Mountain. He climbed up and down the stairs 367 times, covering a distance of five kilometres and a height of 1,025 meters. “I decorated the stairs with flowers and animals found on Table Mountain, and had a picture of Nelson Mandela for inspiration. To add a bit of an extra twist to the challenge I chose to wear my cassock setting a record in the process.”

Bockleton Challenge Weekend The tiny rural village of Bockleton chose to do a sponsored challenge weekend, socially distanced in aid of St ’s parish church. This brought local people out to exercise and walk or run around their common over a two-day period in July with stalls, Teddy bear trail and a sponsored runner, Clare doing 60 miles over the course of the event. The event raised over £6k with more money still coming in after the event. Organiser Rosemary Coupe explains: “We had a really fabulous time and were blessed with perfect weather - a truly memorable event and a tremendous sum raised for our church.”

Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese 5 Standing up for peace and justice

A series of conversations with… Positive conversation is the key that unlocks the door to change. Racial and social injustice We have been opening up the and the Church conversation about racial and “God created human beings in his own image.” social injustice to our churches (Genesis 1:27) with a series of conversations hosted by Revd Kina Robertshaw If we are Church in all that we If you’re interested in learning and have been starting to hear do and we proclaim a message more, please do join one voices which we may not always that we believe we are all created of our conversations with find in our churches. equal before God, then what are webinars. We are planning to The Black Lives Matter we doing to repent and seek God continue the series over autumn movement ignited global in this truth? and will be looking to seek other opportunities to make protests following the brutal Social and racial injustice is not sustainable, meaningful changes. death of George Floyd in the limited to symbolic acts of simply US by a police officer. It also removing of statues and other has forced many organisations memorials to people implicated and institutions to reflect and in slavery or the slave trade or scrutinise historical connections publicly saying sorry. to slave trade and racial injustice as well as review institutionalised We know that the response views, systems, structures, must be an ongoing work to customs and practice which may constantly learn and listen to inhibit true freedom and equality. others. We understand the causes of our discrimination, This of course includes all of us prejudice, racism, sexism and Following protests across in the Church of England. It has ageism and create safe spaces America, the UK saw people forced us to acknowledge some where we can ask questions out on the streets of our deeply uncomfortable truths without fear of judgement or market towns and city, taking about our foundations, bringing retaliation and learn from one the knee in solidarity and them out into the open. another. calling for equality around This includes but is not limited to: Black Lives Matter. You can learn more about the 1. Monuments and Iconography “There is neither Jew nor in our buildings contribution of black lives to Gentile, neither slave nor 2. Recruitment practices history, why not join in this 3. The structure and free, nor is there male and October with Black History representation of our female, for you are all one Month a celebration of black committees in Christ Jesus.” culture, history, people and civil rights: 4. Worship and imagery (Galatians 3:28) 5. Training and formation blackhistorymonth.org.uk 6. Education in our Schools Photo credit ©Hereford Times

6 Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples www.hereford.anglican.org Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples Resources for Mission

Local firm Gabbs Solicitors takes over the contract Jeremy Wilding, Partner at Gabbs Solicitors based in Hereford takes up his appointment as New Registrar for Registrar for Hereford Diocese. the Diocese Following a competitive tender process last year, which saw the “I am delighted to welcome Jeremy as our new Diocesan local firm, Gabbs, beat national Registrar. It is wonderful to have Jeremy as part of the firms to win the contract. Mr team and to be working with such a local well-known Wilding was welcomed into his firm.” - Bishop Richard Jackson role by the Bishop of Hereford The Rt Revd Richard Jackson on 1 August 2020. A more formal service is planned for later this year. Responsibilities of the Registrar:

The Registrar oversees services • Dealing with enquiries Faculties; to the , from clergy, parish officers • Giving free advice to parish providing advice to members and the general public officers, clergy, boards and of the public, Parish Churches, on matters to do with committees of the diocese; Parish and Diocesan Officers and marriage, baptism and • Issuing the documentation Clergy. confirmation; appointing clergy to their Jeremy will be supported by • Issuing the documentation posts; Michelle Wilmot, who takes on to enable burial grounds to • Issuing marriage licences; the role of Clerk to the Registry. be consecrated; • Maintaining the Patronage • Maintaining a variety of Register and other linked The role of Registrar to Hereford diocesan records; functions. Diocese is the legal officer to • Processing Petitions for the Diocese and the Diocesan Bishop.

If you need to reach our Registrar, please contact: Jeremy Wilding Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for churches The Bishop of Hereford’s Registrar For updates on the Coronavirus restrictions, you can subscribe to Gabbs Solicitors our weekly newsletter: 14 Broad Street www.hereford.anglican.org/covid-19/subscribe/ Hereford HR4 9AP or visit the Church of England website for church guidance Telephone: 01432 353 481 Email: [email protected]

Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese 7 Growing Church Hope for the future of the Church Reflections from four corners of our Diocese

As lockdown restrictions ease, things are changing slowly, even in our churches, where buildings have been the timeless witness of faith. For some, the experience of lockdown and emerging is still uncertainty and confusion about health, work and finances. For others it has been a positive experience, an opportunity to slow down and reflect on the meaning of life. We caught up with four people from across our Diocese to hear how their faith has grown over the last few months and their hopes for the future:

Lay Co Chair, Philip Wilcocks shares his reflections and hopes for the future:

“This period has forced me to remember which ‘hat’ I am wearing almost on a daily basis – school governor, House of Laity Chair, deanery, churchwarden, husband, father or grandfather – more often than not I am wearing more than one. Sue Cooke, is administrator for the Onny Camlad “Looking after our rather splendid church Benefice, part of the Clun Forest Deanery. A group buildings has, to some extent, been the easy of nine parishes spanning the border between part given the silence and solitude that has England and Wales, in a very rural area, made up of surrounded them over the past 6 months – villages, hamlets and remote farmsteads. and yet worship and prayer have continued In December 2019 the benefice welcomed a unabated. We have found alternative ways to new vicar, the Rev’d Vivienne Hatton. After a busy pray together to our Father and Lord Jesus Advent and Christmas Season, 2020 was going Christ – and to praise God for the blessings we to be a year for Vivienne and Sue to work closely receive on a daily basis. together reviewing paperwork and planning to “Our world has changed – and will continue to create a website and social media presence for change. We have an opportunity to shape that the Benefice. Little did we realise how quickly they change – to react to the Holy Spirit’s guidance would embrace 21st century technology: and prayerfully decide the way forward for the whole people of God – to provide the sure “During lockdown the Editor of the Clun foundation that so many seek in their lives, Forest Deanery Magazine decided to especially the young. It will be for everyone, retire. The magazine is an important line of to grasp this opportunity such that we can communication, particularly for those shielding look back in future years and see how well we from the virus and in isolation. I felt strongly that responded to God’s call.” this was something I could work on to support the local community so offered my help. “I noticed that over the weeks more people are accessing our online worship and our list for weekly mailings continues to grow. People are seeking to re-establish their connection with the Church and take part in services from the comfort of their homes. “I have learned to appreciate simpler pleasures — walks with family, time in the garden, the dawn chorus. Perhaps this is God’s way of helping us to realise what is important in our lives?”

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Ruth Leigh is training for ordination. Prior to lockdown training comprised weekly evening meetings at the Mascall Centre in Ludlow with a residential for Ordinands and Readers in training from Hereford and Gloucester Diocese every 4-6 weeks. She shares her experiences of lockdown:

“The take-up for our weekly ZOOM Sunday services has been encouraging and appreciated. How we keep an online service as churches re- open is a big topic of conversation and people who might never consider walking into a church – we need to keep them in mind as we move forward. “There is a feeling, certainly in my Benefice, that this year’s All Saints Sunday in November could be used to focus on the families of loved ones Andrew Teale, our Director of Education, has been lost to Covid-19. We hope The church building working with our schools to support them during will be available and we can be alongside those lockdown alongside our Education Team and the who might wish to attend.” Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust.

“At the start, I felt a level or urgency to the support that was needed in schools. I knew exactly how hard it would be for headteachers and their teams to cope with the unprecedented circumstances and I felt a strong drive to find ways to support and sustain them in the best way we could. There was a limit to what we could do practically and so I began writing extended pieces for our weekly education bulletin. Very often I would begin with the seed of an idea and the writing would blossom from there. It does feel like a guiding hand and the more I open up to it, the more it helps me to “As I move forward, I feel the need to stick close articulate what needs to be said. I’ve learned to the symbol we have that never fades or drifts increasingly, to just go with it. into the background – the cross. People keep “At the darkest points of the lockdown period, saying ‘The world has changed’ and there is in April, school communities bravely stepped great uncertainty about the future, economically up, time and time again. They were always and socially. More so than ever before though there, day after day, for key worker children I take comfort and confidence in all that the and the most vulnerable. When health workers cross represents - healing, hope and God’s faced the acute difficulties, when Covid cases unfailing love.” were at their highest, they knew that their own children would be taken care of in schools. I saw selfless devotion to duty, time and time again. Our school leaders knew what needed to be done and got on with it, despite the risks to themselves. “I saw days during lockdown, when only one child was present in a school. The teachers would always be there surrounding the children with all the love and care that the school could provide. God was and is right there, in that love.”

Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese 9 Growing Church

SPSJ Youth Church plans for the city Young people the central focus for plans to turn St Peter’s Hereford into a beacon of hope post lockdown.

June saw an exciting plan to establish a City Centre Hub Church with a focus on young people and young adults, supporting mental health and wellbeing at St Peter’s Church, Hereford. Awarded a local investment of £325,000, the project will reimagine how the church works in the city centre. It will focus on supporting students across the city and working alongside skilled youth workers. The investment will see the creation of a dedicated safe place to support young people as well as offering new worship gatherings for The Bishop of Hereford said: younger people. “This is an exciting time for the Church of The encouragement to focus on new Christian England in Hereford. Recent research from communities in areas including housing estates, Tearfund UK, highlighted that at least 25% city centres and market towns was established of young people have engaged with online by the Church of England in 2018 as part of its worship during lockdown. Renewal and Reform programme. Although not eligible for national funding, the “We felt now was the time to invest to welcome local plan was backed by the Archbishop of the young people of our city. We are passionate Canterbury when he visited Hereford about proclaiming the good news of Jesus last October. The Diocese in partnership with the through our words and our actions. I’m thrilled existing congregation of St Peter and St James’ with our plans for Hereford city centre. They churches in Hereford, decided to press ahead with demonstrate our commitment to the heart plans. of need in the city, recognising the massive potential we offer to support young people and children.

“This project is an example of how church is adapting and remaining faithful to God – and faithful to the community we serve in love and mission. This new investment signals that The Church of England committed to innovation even in rural locations. We want to make the message of Jesus Christ connect with peoples’ questions, showing its relevance to those struggling with mental health or unsure of Revd Andy Morgan outside St Peter’s, Hereford faith.”

10 Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples www.hereford.anglican.org Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples Life Events

Joy as churches re-open and weddings return

As lockdown measures eased in early July Gary and Louise were finally able to get married in church making history making their special day an unforgettable experience.

According to official figures, an estimated 73,400 marriages were postponed in the country, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported in July. Although some weddings took place with only the couple, the priest, and two witnesses present before the closure of churches on 23 March, few weddings took place in lockdown. So with great joy three of our Churches across our Diocese welcomed three wedding couples on the very first day of government restrictions easing on Saturday 4 July. Gary and Louise Abbotts, St Paul’s Hereford, Kati and Glenn, St Mary’s Bridgnorth and Deborah and Rob, St Mary’s Almeley. We hope that many more couples will return to church to get married and that despite having to observe social distancing measures the exemption of facemasks for the bride and groom mark a welcome return of life events in church. Louise explained:

“It was really important to Gary and I to get married at St Paul’s Hereford. Gary was born in South Africa. We both attended St. Paul’s school. Gary’s parents and my grandparents are buried in the grounds of the Church. So neither of us could imagine getting married anywhere else.”

We hope they are enjoying married life and wish them every blessing. Wedding photos by Adrian Sherratt.

Find your nearest church at www.achurchnearyou.com

Proclaiming Christ Growing Disciples @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese @hereforddiocese 11 Spotlight - In Brief

Generous Giving

The Parish Giving Scheme is an easy way to provide regular donations to your local church. You can now set up your donation by phone. Please contact your local PGS representative for details.

On the ‘A Church Near You’ website, you can now add a donate button to your church page. Energy Footprint Tool Available to all Church of England churches using the Online Parish Returns System, the easy-to-use Energy Footprint Tool will tell your church what your “carbon footprint” is, based on the energy you use to heat and light your buildings. More information is available on the Church of England website.

Contactless Giving Several of our churches have contactless payment terminals. For more information about different ways to give to your church, visit: www.hereford.anglican.org/ donate

Safeguarding Update Parish Resources The latest information on Safeguarding can be found online at: The Parish Resources website offers over 400 pages of resources to support all aspects of www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/ stewardship, administration and management Our Safeguarding Officer is Mandy McPhee in the local church, as well as links to other sites [email protected] and pages of interest. and can be contacted on: 07875 757396 For more information visit: www.parishresources.org.uk

This issue of Inspire! was edited by Sarah Whitelock, Communications Director, in partnership with Adam Parker-Randall, Film & Creative Content Producer Diocese of Hereford (the Hereford Diocesan Board of Finance), The Palace, Hereford HR4 9BL T: 01432 373300 E: [email protected]

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