Leeds Diocesan News
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Diocesan News February 2020 www.leeds.anglican.org New Archbishop of York is New Diocesan Bishop Stephen Cottrell Secretary The Queen has named the England. Two of our children Right Reverend Stephen were born there. announced Geoffrey Cottrell, MA, the Lord Bishop of Chelmsford as the “I now look forward to The new Diocesan Secretary new Archbishop of York. returning and being a voice who will take the reins from for the North, sharing the Debbie Child is a senior civil As Primate of England and liberating good news of the servant. Jonathan Wood Metropolitan of the Province of York, he will share in the leadership of the Church of England in partnership with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at a time of change and challenge for both the Church and the country. Bishop Stephen said: “I am humbled and excited at the joined the Civil Service in 2005 prospect of becoming the 98th after reading law at Durham Archbishop of York. University. “I will receive the baton Bishop Nick said: “I am pleased from Archbishop Sentamu. to announce that Jonathan will These aren’t just big shoes gospel and helping to address join us from his role as National to fill, but a big heart and a the discrepancies of wealth Services Director for Her big vision. However, I am not and opportunity that too often Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals daunted. Working alongside favour the South.” Service on 16 March 2020.” the Archbishop of Canterbury, I hope to help the church be Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Jonathan said: “I am looking more joyful and more effective Nick Baines welcomed the forward to the opportunity to in sharing the gospel and announcement: “I am delighted work alongside Bishop Nick bringing hope and unity to our that Stephen Cottrell is to and the team in Leeds to see nation. come back north to be the next God’s kingdom grow across the Archbishop of York. Grateful Diocese.” “Although I was born and grew for the ministry of Sentamu, I up in Essex, I lived and served look forward to welcoming and He is married to Claire, they in Huddersfield for nine years. supporting Stephen’s ministry have two children and are both I know and love the north of here.” committed to their parish. I Pay attention! Huddersfield’s new vicar Revd Bishop Nick Baines Rachel relishes The bishops of this diocese tasks ahead meet every month, beginning with a Eucharist, followed by HUDDERSFIELD Huddersfield breakfast and Bible study/ has a new vicar with the theology prior to getting on announcement that Revd with the business. I always Rachel Firth, currently at go out of there having been of life, too. As I write this (in Lindley parish, is to take on stimulated, challenged or early January) the world is on the high profile role. Born and encouraged. Except when it is tenterhooks about an Iranian raised in West Yorkshire, she my turn to lead it. response to the assassination grew up in Mirfield and was by the Americans of educated in Wakefield. The last time I did it we looked General Soleimani in at a phrase in Luke 8 that I Baghdad. As with other “I’m delighted to be appointed must have read - and missed world events (or even local as the next vicar of St Peter’s,” - a thousand times. While gossip), we get bombarded Revd Rachel said. “After a explaining and commenting with opinions, reports, on a parable, Jesus tells his speculations, ruminations and friends that light exposes interpretations that render everything, including the us unable to be sure who to things we would prefer to believe or what to believe. keep hidden. Then he says - and this is the bit I never So, we need to pay attention spotted: “Pay attention to in two directions: (a) how to how you listen.” Why? discern what is really going on in the world or people’s lives couple of years working abroad Jesus has just told his friends locally, and (b) how to look in my late teens I came back that you have to be seriously through the eyes and hear to Huddersfield to do my first interested to work away at through the ears of Jesus as degree. I don’t know if you’d a parable. Not everything we learn to think and judge call that a sign of things to in life is - or ought to be - and respond. It isn’t easy. But, come, but I loved my time immediately obvious or even in a world of competing fake as a student here and have accessible. So, he told stories news, it is our responsibility. always loved the town,” said in order to make the hearers Revd Rachel, who is married to (who could be bothered) take Lent begins at the end of this Simon and has three children. the space to think. And this, month. This is a gift - offering he says, means that we have time and space to reflect on Bishop of Huddersfield, the to pay attention to how we how we listen, not only to Rt Revd Jonathan Gibbs, listen. what we listen. welcomed the appointment: “Rachel has her roots in the Now, this doesn’t just apply +Nick Huddersfield area and has done to parables, the words of Bishop of Leeds a fantastic job as vicar of Lindley Jesus or the Scriptures as a over the last eight years.” whole. It applies to the rest II First glimpse inside Bradford Safeguarding night club to become new church Law Society talk BRADFORD A first look Minister at Fountains Church LEEDS “Safeguarding: From inside the former night club said: “Every needle that has Ball and Banks to Beech via set to become Bradford’s been dropped in here, every Bell” is the title of an upcoming new city centre church shows drug capsule that’s been left Ecclesiastical Law Society there’s lots of lecture to be held at Church work to do. Since House in Leeds at the end of the Revolution January. The first in the ELS nightclub closed Northern Province Lecture its doors more series 2020 will be hosted by than three years Wrigleys Solicitors LLP. ago, it has suffered The Rt Worshipful Peter Collier much damage QC, Chancellor of the Diocese and abuse due to of York, will deliver the lecture, vandalism. A clean- which he describes as: “A up operation is review of the development well underway, but of safeguarding policy and drugs paraphernalia and litter behind, every empty alcohol practice in the Church of still needs to be safely cleared bottle - those represent England against the background away, as shown in the picture, people’s lives that are in ruins.” of what was happening in the courtesy of the Bradford wider world during my life in Telegraph and Argus. “It’s hoped the church will practice at the bar and on the be open - in some way - for bench in the areas of crime and Reverend Linda Maslen, worship by June next year.” child care (1970 to 2018).” Battle of Wakefield marked by Cathedral event RIPON Ripon Cathedral march from Cathedral will be welcoming hundreds WAKEFIELD A battle that to give accounts of the battle. of folk in early February changed the course of the to celebrate Jesus as the country’s history has Light of the World during been commemorated by their spectacular, annual a march from Wakefield Candlemas service. Cathedral led by the It is an ancient Ripon tradition Bishop of Wakefield. and one of the earliest festivals of the church, The Battle of Wakefield which commemorates the Memorial March, on presentation of Christ at the December 29, marked the Temple in Jerusalem. historic 1460 event that Over 7,000 candles in claimed hundreds of lives and Bishop of Wakefield, Tony total will burn during the was a decisive moment in the Robinson (pictured) said, celebration at Ripon Cathedral Wars of the Roses. “The march commemorated a to create a visual and spiritual significant moment in the city’s spectacle not to be missed. There were medieval tents to history, and was extremely well provide shelter and re-enactors attended.” III News......News.....News.....News.....News.....NewsDiocese of Leeds news Beware of hubris and heed genuine Gratitude and advice, urges Bishop Nick faith shared amongst Amidst extreme international actions, Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Christian and Revd Nick Baines used his first House of Lords speech of 2020 Muslim friends to call for caring voices to be heard. Stories of friendship between Christians and Muslims filled Speaking on Tuesday as Bradford Cathedral recently, tensions increased in the as part of a Near Neighbours Middle East, Bishop Nick said: event chaired by Bishop of Bradford, Toby Howarth. “I hope that the Government, which is in my job description, with some humility and deeper reinforces a sense of the cultural thinking, might just transience of power in history. listen to those who wish to see The Old Testament shows that global justice and peace worked quick and obvious defence out in this complex world by alliances often led to terrible people who are not driven by longer-term enslavements. claims to power, but by the imperatives of mutual human “Empires came and went, flourishing.” their hubris dribbling away Women from grassroots into deserts of exiled misery, groups were interviewed by He also cautioned against and powers and rulers never Kaneez Khan of Wellsprings misplaced belief in the strength learned, even when they Together, sharing stories of of simplistic geo-political seduced their people into how gratitude plays a part in alliances: what turned out to be false their work.