Welcome to the Enews for October 12

The latest resources, news and more.

Click on headlines or pictures for more details.  

Contact [email protected] with your news. 

The Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, has been exploring the Diocese of Leeds as part of the launch of a new movement, Faith in the North. Archbishop Stephen began his day with Morning Prayer at Wakefield Cathedral, before walking from Christ Church South Ossett to Dewsbury Minster for the launch of Faith in the North. On the way he called in on and heard about the outreach of Destination 211 bus ministry, part of the Dewsbury Team Parish. Read more here

Following the recent violence in Israel and Palestine, the six bishops of the Diocese of Leeds have made a statement calling for peace and justice. "As bishops in the Anglican Diocese of Leeds, we are horrified by the devastation that has erupted over the last two days in Israel and Gaza." Read more here

The Diocese is thrilled to welcome our new community of 28 interns and Mission Apprentices as part of its 2023-24 Diocesan Internship programme. Our Diocesan interns give a year of their lives - or two if they are a Mission Apprentice – to deepen their roots of faith, grow in discipleship and maturity as followers of Christ, and develop an area of the church's mission to show love to their neighbours in the churches and communities where they serve. Read more here

A farewell service for the Revd Canon Robin Gamble - Bishop’s Advisor in Church Growth - was held at Bradford Cathedral on the evening of Sunday, October 1. The service saw the Cathedral filled with family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers to hear all about Robin's work and to celebrate his achievements over his long career. Read more here

A new pilot scheme is helping churches in our diocese double their money for carbon-cutting projects. Give To Go Green is a match-funding pilot project from the Church of England working with churches in the Dioceses of Leeds and Exeter to double locally raised donations, to allow for more work on reducing carbon emissions. Read more here

During October and into November, Bradford Cathedral is hosting an exhibition of Ugandan Asian migration stories, alongside stories from the Windrush Community. These two exhibitions – which are sponsored by the University of Bradford – open up dialogue between different journeys of hope from two communities who continue to tell important, positive stories of Bradford’s own black history, as well as stories of migration to the city of sanctuary. Read more here

The Church of England is looking to share stories to celebrate church pioneers of Racial Justice. The struggle for racial justice remains a challenge. For centuries, campaigners have organised and undertaken important advocacy and educational work. In more recent times, courageous churchwomen and men, along with organisations and dioceses, have stood up and stepped forward to inspire, organise, and support activities that reflect the biblical imperative towards oneness in Christ. Read more here

How victims of modern slavery are secretly exploited in our communities was the subject of a recent event, hosted by Wellsprings Together at Bradford’s Fountains Church. The Rt Revd Toby Howarth, Bishop of Bradford introduced the day conference by pointing out the serious nature of modern slavery and how we can work as a faith community to combat it in our parishes. Read more here

Gifts in wills are a powerful way for our faith to live on and create lasting change in our communities, both locally and across the world. For the first time Christian Aid is working alongside the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, and the Quakers to launch "Faith Will" which aims to encourage people of faith to remember their own church, and Christian Aid, in their will. Join Kathy Childress, from Christian Aid, on this webinar to find out more regarding the Faith Will initiative and how to encourage legacy giving in your church. To register for this webinar click here.

You are invited to a time of reflection, prayer and christian meditation to enter into a deeper awareness of God during this autumn season. To receive the Zoom link, please email [email protected].

This day is aimed particularly at leaders and worshippers in smaller local churches (typically 15-55 worshipers on a regular Sunday). With talks led by Revd Jolyon Trickey from ReSource, we will encounter God afresh, renewing our confidence in the inextinguishable power of biblical hope. We will also have times to worship, to reflect, and to wrestle together with the practicalities of living hopefully in our wonderful little local and ‘ordinary’ churches. For further information and to book a ticket please click here. The flyer for this event can be downloaded here.

The eighth series of evening teachings to explore faith and discipleship returns. The first session is with the Bishop of Kirkstall, the Rt Revd Arun Arora. For more information or to book a place, please email Caroline Asquith, PA to the Area Bishop of Wakefield at [email protected].

For the first time in the Ilkley Literature Festival's history, All Saints, Ilkley is sponsoring (as well as being the venue for) an event with a distinct Church focus. The Revd Fergus Butler Gallie will be talking about his book 'Touching Cloth - Confessions and Communions of a Young Priest'. Bishop Nick will be the host and interviewer at the event which is also being live-streamed. The ticket office is now open for in-person tickets or for live-stream tickets.

To mark 20 years of Wellspring therapy and training there is a Service of Celebration when our Diocesan Bishop and Patron, Rt Revd Nick Baines will preach at the service. Please do join us for the service, followed by refreshments in the Welcome Centre.

This original stage play is based on letters, diaries and historical writings, and encompasses both John Newton's dramatic transformation from slave trader to clergyman and eventual abolitionist as well as the passionate love story between Newton and his wife Mary. Find out more here.

WIth Elizabeth Charlesworth, soprano, and Jonathan Bickley on piano. Do you ever get homesick? Even when having the most wonderful holiday something can trigger a reminder of home and there you are singing ‘Show me the way to go Home’! In this concert hear a collection of songs by composers who felt just that.

A Shabbat service, led by Rabbi Charley Baginsky, followed by vegetarian lunch and networking and then an optional presentation and tour of Holocaust Centre North. Find out more here.

Folk Rock band with great music and craft beer. Tickets £5 on the door.

A service of remembrance for anyone affected by the loss of a baby at any stage of pregnancy, at birth or in infancy, whether recently or historically, and for those grieving never having had children. Organised in conjunction with the Mariposa Trust. Find out more here.

The conference jointly hosted by the Anglican Minority Ethnic Network (chair: the Rt Revd Smitha Prasadam, Bishop of Huddersfield) and USPG. We will be asking what 'living well' looks like for Christians. How to live well within oneself, the Church, and within our communities and wider society, drawing on Christ, our Living Well. Guest speakers will include the Rt Revd Arun Arora – Bishop of Kirkstall and co-chair of the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Task Force, and Canon Sanjee Perera – Cognitive Psychologist and Ecclesiologist, Associate at Virginia Theological Seminary, and formerly Archbishops' Advisor on Minority Ethnic Affairs, Church of England. Find out more here.

A new walker's and cyclist's hostel is being set up at the closed church of St Michael's Hudswell, on the route of a new piligrimage in the north of England.

Hear more about it from the Rt Revd Anna Eltringham, Bishop of Ripon; Martin Booth, Secretary of the Hudswell Community Charity; the Revd Martin Fletcher, Rector of the United Benefice of Richmond with Hudswell and Downholme and Marske; and Keith Taylor, who set up the Finchale Camino and is the one who proposed the new route as part of the the Finchale Camino.

Watch the video here.

The Diocese of Leeds is looking for a Warden to run Parcevall Hall, a retreat and conference centre in the beautiful Skipton countryside. The Warden will manage the day-to-day running of the Hall, with overall responsibility for the financial management of the Hall and maintain high standards of housekeeping and catering tasks. The Warden will also be responsible for appointing and supervising a team of dedicated staff. There is a lot of scope within the role to use your creativity when planning and developing the programme for visiting groups, networking and starting up conversations, and finding solutions for everyday problems. Energetic and visible leadership, and fostering strong relationships with the local community, are key to achieving the Hall’s objectives and developing a culture based on the diocese’s Christian values of Loving, Living, Learning. Find out more about this role here

The Diocese of Leeds are looking to recruit a Church Schools Building Support Officer, required to start January 2024. We wish to appoint a highly motivated, talented and effective professional to the post of Church School Buildings Support Officer. The successful applicant will contribute positively to our dynamic team promoting, supporting and delivering on the 2030 challenge of carbon net zero target and the sustainability agenda as well as supporting our on-going statutory work managing capital projects and advising school leaders across our family of 239 Church schools (including 11 Multi-Academy Trusts). Find out more about this role here

Please contact the Communications Team with your news for future editions. The Enews is published twice a month. The next edition will be sent out on October 25. Area news stories to [email protected]