Welcome to the Enews for January 15

The latest resources, news and more.

Click on headlines or pictures for more details.  

Contact enews@leeds.anglican.org with your news. 

The Diocese of Leeds is pleased to announce that the Revd Canon Jonathan Triffitt has been appointed as Interim Dean of Bradford for a period of three years. Revd Jonathan will be licensed on Sunday, March 1 at 3pm at Bradford Cathedral, with the Rt Revd Toby Howarth, Interim Bishop of Leeds, officiating. Read more here

Churches from across the diocese will be able to learn about how pilgrimages can help them engage with their communities and beyond at a Pilgrimages Day at Ripon Cathedral on Friday, January 30. Organised in collaboration with Faith in the North, the morning event is open to all in the diocese and will offer people opportunities to hear from churches that are already using pilgrimage routes to build relationships, as well as learning about the Pilgrim Places initiative and the resources available to support pilgrimage. Read more here

Racial Justice Sunday is on Sunday, February 8, and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland have created new resources to help churches mark the day, which has the theme of ‘Love Your Neighbour.’ The resources aim to help churches explore what it means to love our neighbour, especially given the current narratives of hostility, fear, suspicion and hatred of the other. Read more here

The Church of England’s Energy Footprint Tool (EFT) is now open for 2026. The EFT uses gas, electricity and other fuel bills covering January to December 2025, as well as basic details about church buildings, to build a clearer picture of carbon use and helps all act more strategically. Read more here

Church members at St Mary’s Wath in the Ripon area celebrated the New Year with the official opening of their new glass doorway and the completion of a major renovation project on the surrounding stonework. Recent generous bequests enabled the ambitious scheme to replace the old wooden doors and dark draught box with a glass porch and doors to go ahead. Read more here

Christ Church Upper Armley in the Leeds area has received a national Growing Faith Foundation grant. Being designated as a Learning Hub, the church will have funding of £20,000 to spend over two years, giving them the chance to trial, reflect and re-develop different outreach and discipleship methods, improving consistency between home, church and school life. Read more here

Users of British Sign Language were able to take part in Christmas services and events throughout December 2025 thanks to the Diocese of Leeds Deaf Ministry Team. Members of the team’s BSL-Led Congregation held a ‘Dress-Up Nativity’ at Pellon, Christ Church, where Deaf people and sign-language learners used BSL to confidently re-tell the story of God’s coming among us and they shared together in signed editions of Christmas carols. Read more here

Whether you have been working with children and young people for a long time or you are just starting out, this course is designed to help you develop and refresh skills and knowledge so you can serve children and young people well.

To sign up for the course and specific dates, please email childrenyouth@leeds.anglican.org.

Find out more here.

This course is for anyone who wants to do theology - to talk and think about God - and to deepen their discipleship. It’s also an opportunity to think about how God is forming us right now. All of us are on a journey with God. We are letting God mould us into the person God always meant us to be.  

More details and booking information can be found here.

If you require any specific help or information, please do contact us at layministry@leeds.anglican.org.

This morning session gives space to explore how we can support neurodiverse children and young people within our churches. To book a place contact childrenyouth@leeds.anglican.org.

A gathering for Messy Church Teams to share ideas, good practice and encourage each other. At this session we will be thinking a little deeper about the hospitality we offer at Messy Church and how this might extended beyond providing food and refreshments.

Find out more here.

An interactive session for you to test out some different resources for engaging with children, young people and families

This new session allows you to test out some different resources to see what might work for your church and the children, young people and families that you engage with. This session can also be run at churches/for deaneries. For more information or to book a place contact childrenyouth@leeds.anglican.org.

This new workshop is available for a variety of contexts to support people wanting to follow safe practice in their mission and ministry with children, young people and families. Please contact childrenyouth@leeds.anglican.org if you are interested.

A course for lay people who are unable to commit to becoming Licensed Lay Ministers but still feel called to a preaching ministry on an occasional basis.

More details and booking information can be found here.

If you require any specific help or information, please do contact us at layministry@leeds.anglican.org.

Our Vocations Team are running a series of events in 2026, on the theme of 'how do I make my faith count?' Please see the flyer for more details, and please click here to book.

Harrogate School of Theology & Mission is delighted to welcome Revd Dr Isabelle Hamley for an in-person lecture on Saturday 24 January 2026.

Happiness shapes our culture — from consumerism to politics — yet the church often struggles to talk about it. Drawing on the Psalms, Dr Hamley will explore a rich and distinctive Christian vision of happiness and wellbeing that takes faith, honesty, and lived experience seriously.

Find out more here and to book.

All welcome. The Rt Revd Smitha Prasadam, Bishop of Huddersfield, will be speaking. Donations will go towards the Jamaica Relief Appeal.

Are you pondering the future of your local rural churches? Struggling to lead through a season of great change?

Why not join us on the Rural Mission & Ministry Course? 

Come and gather with other ecumenical rural leaders to explore what community, mission, evangelism & leadership can look like in rural contexts. 

Find out more here.

St Agnes Church, Burmantofts, working in partnership with Wellspring Together, will host a special Racial Justice Sunday celebration, bringing together local churches and community members to reflect, worship, and stand united in love and justice.

Racial Justice Sunday has been observed by churches since 1995, encouraging Christians to confront racism, promote equality, and work towards reconciliation. Rooted in the call to “Love your neighbour,” the day reminds us that justice, mercy, and humility are central to our faith and our shared life together.

Our gathering will include a joint sermon focused on racial justice, time for sharing food and fellowship, and opportunities to connect across cultures and backgrounds. It will be a welcoming space to celebrate diversity, strengthen community cohesion, and learn more about how we can continue this work together locally. Everyone is welcome as churches come together to affirm that we belong to one another.

After four years of running events and services at the cliff top church of St Mary’s in Whitby for Whitby Goth Weekend, the team behind this outreach have brought their unique blend of Gothic worship back to the Diocese of Leeds (where most of us are based). Celebrate Candlemas by candlelight at the historic church of St James, Tong, at a Eucharist with a Gothic twist, bleding anglo-catholic tradition, the 1662 Prayer Book and a worship band playing music inspired by Goth artists and culture. Goths, steampunks and all who admire and enjoy the aesthetic and culture are most welcome to join us – wear your finest – we shall! Everyone very welcome.

Cranmer Hall is holding its annual vestments fair on Friday 6th February, and all ordinands and clergy are very welcome to attend. The fair will take place between 10am and 2pm in the Leech Hall, St John's College, South Bailey DH1 3RJ. Visitors are asked to sign in at reception. No registration required to attend.

God always reaches out in love to humankind, calling us and journeying alongside us. Jesus Christ says, 'Come and follow me' into life in all its fullness. For some, their fulfilment is found in the ordained ministry. Might you be called by Jesus to follow him in this challenging and exciting vocation?

A day conference for 18-30 year olds.

Find out more here.

We're delighted to invite you to our next Open Day! For those interested in theological study on any of our pathways or programmes. It will be an excellent opportunity to hear about what sets us apart, ask questions and explore why Cranmer Hall might be just right for you. 

Find out more here.

The Oasis of Silence programme at St Hilda´s Priory offers space and stillness to seek God with loving awareness in the present moment. It offers a variety of opportunities to make retreats of different lengths in a peaceful and welcoming environment, away from our busy everyday lives.

It is for everyone seeking stillness and silence and who is interested in getting to know or to deepening the practice of contemplative prayer.

Find out more here.

The Vicar and PCC of St Giles, Pontefract is seeking a freelance fundraiser to identify and apply for strategic Net Zero Carbon fundraising opportunities across a cluster of parishes in the Pontefract area. This is an exciting and unique opportunity for an experienced freelance fundraiser with a passion for sustainability to pioneer new and imaginative ways to fund the Net Zero Carbon work for our historical buildings in a first of its kind role within the Church of England. The Net Zero Carbon Freelance Fundraiser will play a key role in supporting carbon reduction projects in churches in the Pontefract area, raising funds for a group of parishes in the area over a fixed period. As the role is regionally based, there will be a requirement to travel to the nominated churches across Pontefract. 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 January 29. All news stories to communications@leeds.anglican.org. Many thanks!