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Diocesan Enews
Welcome to the Enews for February 6

Welcome to the latest Enews with events, resources, news and more.
Click on headlines or pictures for more details.  
Contact  [email protected]  with your news. 
News
The Church of England is taking the lead on companies committing to the Paris Climate Agreement, with an investment of £600 million at the launch of a new global stock index. The FTSE Transition Pathway Initiative Index aims to allow investment funds to see which companies are committed to the targets set by the Paris Climate Agreement, to all ow for more ethical investing. Read more here
Caring for the environment is at the heart of the Church of England’s Lent Campaign for this year, which launched yesterday. The #LiveLent campaign explores the urgent need for humans to value and protect the abundance God has created, and offers 40 short reflections and suggested actions to help us live in greater harmony with God, neighbour and nature. Read more here
Christian successes and challenges in Sri Lanka will be studied by Leeds clergy and lay people who are making a Link visit to the island this month. Members from the Diocese of Leeds Sri Lanka Task Group will post regular video diaries to share their journey, which starts today. Read more here
Churches across the diocese stood with our Jewish friends to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, which was marked as Holocaust Memorial Day. Bradford Cathedral held a special address on Sunday January 27, given by Lilian Black, Chair of the Trustees of the Holocaust Survivors’ Friendship Association. Read more here
Christians from across the diocese have been hearing about a new option to increase the giving at their churches. The Parish Giving Scheme, which aims to making regular giving easier, has been launched this month with five events, one in each episcopal area.The final launch event was held at St Peter’s Church Shipley, where some 50 people heard from various speakers about the scheme. Read more here
Natural and spiritual links are to the fore at this year’s Lent Retreat at Parcevall Hall. It is led by retired priest Revd Christine Shedd and picking up on her love of gardening and gardens, she will look at Biblical gardens and guide people in contemplation of the created world and how we live in that world. Read more here
A suspected drink driver has badly damaged graves at St Stephen’s, Lindley after smashing through a wall in a late-night crash.The driver, a man in his 30s, was injured after losing control of his Vauxhall Zafira on Monday night. The car hit metal railings on one side of a road and then went through the church wall on the other side before coming to rest on graves. Read more here
Contactless card readers are boosting generous giving across our diocese, according to reports from our treasurers. Last year some 15 parishes across the diocese managed to snag card readers, tablets and stands from a Visa-sponsored Parish Buying offer, and now treasurers from some of those parishes have been offering testimonials about how well they have done. Read more here
A churchgoer who suffered serious injuries after being struck by a hit-and-run driver is now recovering in hospital. Richard Selby was on his way to worship at St Andrew’s, Starbeck, when he was hit by a grey Mini Cooper on Knaresborough Road at around 8.50am on Sunday, January 26.The Mini, travelling from Starbeck towards Harrogate, left the road near Lookers Ford garage. Read more here
Around the Areas
The Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, will be speaking on faith and wisdom in politics at an upcoming event at Bradford Cathedral. Bishop Nick’s address will be entitled ‘ Waiting for a Miracle? ’, and will be happening at 2.00pm on Sunday February 16, followed by an Evensong at 4.00pm, at which he is also preaching. Read more here
The cold north wind may blow this winter, but it will not be a problem for Christ Church Sowerby Bridge with the completion of two important maintenance projects . Roof repairs to the South porch of the Grade II listed church are now complete, alongside work to refurbish the church’s toilet area.  Read more here
Christians will be coming together to discuss how best to welcome residents of new housing developments at a conference this June. The New Housing Hub is a network for Christians of all traditions who have a vision for engaging with new housing communities, with the aim of inspiring, resourcing and connecting people. Read more here
Young Christians in the Ripon area have been enjoying tasty snacks and worship as part of a new service at St Robert’s Pannal. Some ninety people attended the church’s first ‘Crumpet Church’ service , a new child-friendly worship service straight after school that starts with a snack, followed by a short active church service. Read more here
A bumper year of community engagement is being celebrated at Wakefield Cathedral. “It was wonderful to welcome more than 5,000 people to the Cathedral in 2019 for outreach and educational workshops and events ,” said Gillian Bunn, Wakefield Cathedral’s Community Outreach Officer.  Read more here
Events
Is your church discoverable online? The communications team are to offer an exciting range of courses for 2020 to help answer that very question. Some are repeats of popular courses from last year, whilst others are entirely new. Topics covered will include social media, church websites, A Church Ne ar You, creating video and search engine optimisation. Find out more and book onto a course here .
Government plans envisage 300,000 new homes being built in England every year. How should local churches respond to new housing developments in their neighbourhood? On Saturday, June 20 at Moortown Baptist Church the New Housing Hub Conference aims to address this God-given opportunity for welcome, ou treach and building community. Find out more and book here
'Developing Challenging and Engaging RE' is a conference for all who teach RE. Taking place on Thursday, February 27 at St George's Conference Centre with two outstanding keynotes and practical workshops aimed at the Primary sector, this conference offers colle agues a wide range of ideas and strategies to develop excellent and inspiring RE. Find out more and book here
For Clergy, Leaders and PCCs who want to lead their churches into growth, the Big Turn-A-Round Day takes place at St Christopher's Church, Holmewood on Saturday, March 14 at 10am. It will focus on creating a culture of growth, building an evangelistic strategy, making a good plan and clearing pathways for new people. The speakers will include Neil Short, Sharon Kaye and Robin Gamble. Find out more here.
S ri Lanka Awareness Day
Do you have links with a project in Sri Lanka? If so, the diocesan Sri Lanka Task Group are hosting a Sri Lanka Awareness Day on Saturday 25 April, 10am at St Mary’s Parish Centre, Burley in Wharfedale. There will be opportunity to showcase the links and projects groups in the Diocese are involved with. If you would like to be involved, please contact Mark Edwards on [email protected]
Canon Debbie Child, Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Leeds, is to retire from her post on 31 March 2020. She has served the Diocese of Bradford and, latterly, Leeds since 1991. To celebrate her ministry, Bishop Nick and Dean John invite everyone to a Diocesan Thanksgiving to be held on Sunday 29th March 2020 5.30pm at Ripon Cathedral. Find out more here.
What does church planting and growth look like in specific local contexts? How does it work in smaller churches or city centres? What lessons can we share about planting into urban estates? St Hild College is partnering with the Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication and STC Sheffield for a day of storytelling and reflection on church growth and planting in local contexts of Yorkshire and the surrounding region. Find out more here
For further events:
Across the Diocese click here
Across one of the 5 areas : Bradford - Huddersfield - Leeds - Ripon - Wakefield
Training events across the diocese - Digital Learning Platform
Resources
This year the Church of England Digital Team are launching their first Labs Learning Webinars. Short training courses, on all things digital, will be streamed online and available for anyone with internet access. Topics covered will include A Church Near You, Instagram and Facebook Pages for Churches. Find out more here
This Lent, the Church of England are encouraging adults and children to engage in God’s plea for us to “Care for Creation”. Their hope is people will be encouraged to pray, learn more about the remarkable world we have been given and build habits that last beyond the season to protect and honour the earth. Find out more here
Church Growth Adviser, Robin Gamble, has just released a new evangelistic booklet. It works especially well alongside the enquiry course START but also operates as a standalone for anyone exploring faith. It costs £5.00 for 10 copies (plus P&P). Please get in touch with Robin on [email protected] if you wish to buy some copies.
The free monthly printed news for February has been delivered around the diocese - check pick-up points and where your church's are here. February's issue includes: a new Archbishop of York and Diocesan Secretary, gratitude and faith shared amongst Christian and Muslim friends and a House of Lord's speech from Bishop Nick.
"Take responsibility for your discipleship ...join the online learning community" urged Bishop Nick at the close of the Diocesan Lay Conference in 2018. The Digital Learning Platform is full of great information - and you ca n join up now by visiting it and registering here
The latest edition of the Prayer Diary is now online to download.There are fresh prayers for Sudan as well as prayers for Tanzania. Download prayers here.
Media
 .. .is the name of Bishop Nick's blog, which includes his appearances in the House of Lords and can be viewed here .
A group from the Diocese are preparing for a trip to Sri Lanka on February 6, to visit the church there and connect with the link dioceses of Colombo and Kuranegala. Throughout their trip, the group will be sharing their journey in a daily video diary and here is the first one. Watch the video here
Vacancies
Huddersfield Parish Church are recruiting for a Part Time Accounts Clerk / Office Administrator. Duties will include: administration of church office, communication with the public and others, book-keeping & accounts, banking, payroll (sage) and gift aid administration.  Find out more here
Fountains Church Bradford is a new City Centre Resource Church made possible through Strategic Development Funding. This is an exciting role with responsibility for overseeing the operational management of the church, to help realise the church’s vision.  Find out more here
Bradford Forster Academy is seeking to recruit a chaplain who may be a lay minister or ordained and is looking for an opportunity to make an impact on the spiritual health of a diverse and vibrant school community.  Find out more here
Useful links & Information
For safeguarding issues, contact: 
Jenny Price 07800 740001 
Jenny Leccardi  07872 005189 or
 Narinder Lyon  07872 005309
Moves and Appointments
Revd Diana Rees-Jones to be Assistant Priest (NSM) at All Saints’ Ilkley (Bradford EA).
Revd Canon Cathy Rowling has been granted Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of Leeds. 
Revd Canon Nick Smeeton has been granted Permission to Officiate in the Benefice of St Bartholomew Ripponden (Huddersfield EA).
Revd Wilf Gowing has been granted Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of Leeds.
Revd Heather Thurlow has been granted Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of Leeds.
Useful Contact Details
The Who's Who directory lists clergy & diocesan staff (email addresses & phone numbers). Access it here  
Contact us with your news
Please contact the Communications Team with your news for future editions. The e-news is published twice a month. The next edition will be sent out on February 20. Area news stories to [email protected]   
© Anglican Diocese of Leeds, 2019
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