Items filtered by date: December 2015

11 October 

More than 70 Bishop's Badge Awards have been presented to church and community volunteers in the Diocese of Derby this year.

The final presentations were made in a special Celebration of Lay Ministry, in Derby Cathedral on Sunday, 1 October.

The annual awards celebrate lay ministry and service in church and community, and recognise the distinguished service and dedication of many individuals contributing in Jesus’s name to the mission of the church.

Bishop Libby said: "It is always a pleasure to mark and celebrate the gifts of people across the Diocese of Derby and to thank those who offer so much to develop and sustain the life of the church and its work in the wider community.

"We give thanks for the often hidden, yet crucial and remarkable work of people who do not seek recognition, but whom we honour specially today."

>> See the photos from Sunday, 1 October

>> See the photos from Sunday 17 September

There were three Bishop's Badge Services this year.

The first was held to celebrate generosity and courage shown by school children towards others.

The other two services, held in September and October, recognised missional innovation and missional long service in parishes, churches and communities thoughout the diocese.

Recipients of the Bishop's Badge are nominated by clergy in the parishes of the diocese and the reasons for the nominations can be wide and varied.

On receiving his Bishop's Badge in September, John Sterland said: "My late father whilst being a member and former tower captain of St Andrew’s (Swanwick) received a badge a few years ago for his work supporting the major refurbishment of the clock and bells at St Martin’s Alfreton. I feel quite reflective and privileged at being recognised in a similar way."

And nominating Cara for a Bishop's Badge Schools Award, her head teacher said: "Cara goes above and beyond to show love and support to her peers; always noticing if someone is struggling or left out and offering friendship; showing what it means to build community by supporting and welcoming everyone. Her unquestioning support for others during tough times, even when she herself has been experiencing difficult situations, is transforming to those who she stands alongside and a model for others to follow."

Those presented with Bishop's Badges on Sunday, 1 October were:

Awards for Missional Innovation

• Helen Hodgson, Belper, St Peter
• Beryl Hill, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
• Ann Johnson, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
• Ann Jwala, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
• Sue McIntyre, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
• Anne Parkin, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
• Barbara Walford, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
• Margaret Bromby, Cotmanhay and Shipley, Christ Church
• Robert Henry Glassey, Elmton with Creswell and Whitwell with Steetley
• June Fawcett, Great Longstone, St Giles
• Su Woollen, Great Longstone, St Giles
• Hilary Maltby, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
• Sue Wells, Old Whittington, St Bartholomew

Awards for Missional Long Service

• Barrie Birkin, Ashford in the Water, Holy Trinity
• David Lee, Ashford in the Water, Holy Trinity
• Kathryn Naylor, Bakewell, All Saints
• Carol Wicksteed, Bakewell, All Saints
• Joy Layton, arlow, St Lawrence
• Alan Milner, Barlow, St Lawrence
• Roger Stubbins, Barlow, St Lawrence
• Geoff Walker, Barlow, St Lawrence
• Keith Wollerton. Belper, St Peter
• Robin Norman, Blackwell, St Werburgh
• Julie Barker, Boulton, St Mary
• Iris Armett, Buxton Team Parish
• Josephine Fry, Buxton Team Parish
• Alan Kirk, Buxton Team Parish
• Eric Thompson, Buxton Team Parish
• Pam Woodroffe, Buxton Team Parish
• Brian Moorhouse, Castleton, St Edmund
• Doris Gould, Chesterfield, Holy Trinity & Christ Church
• John Holmes, Chesterfield, Holy Trinity & Christ Church
• Audrey Musson, Chesterfield, Holy Trinity & Christ Church
• Julie Hart, Cotmanhay and Shipley, Christ Church
• Alwyn Tew, Cromford, St Mary
• Kim Hardy, Derby, St Anne
• Alison Haslam, Derby, St Anne
• Dennis Bull, Derby, St Barnabas
• Dorothy Ann Oliver, Derby, St Barnabas
• Valerie Dykes, Etwall, St Helen
• Jennifer Rowson, Great Longstone, St Giles
• Jennifer Rowson, Great Longstone, St Giles
• Peter Rowson, Great Longstone, St Giles
• Andrea Clarke, Hatton, All Saints Church
• Alison Mottram, Hatton, All Saints Church
• Frances Toye, Hatton, All Saints Church
• Michael Osborne, Holbrook, St Michael
• Susan Crabb, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
• Lindsay Steele, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
• Rachel Coupe, Melbourne,St Michael with St Mary
• Hazel Hole, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr
• Margaret James, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr
• David Wellens, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr
• Pat Hassall, Sawley, All Saints and St Mary
• Anne Ball,Stanley and Stanley Common
• Janet Costall, Stanley and Stanley Common
• Sue Hartley, Sutton on the Hill, St Michael
• Janet Hopper, Swadlincote, Emmanuel
• David Hopper, Swadlincote, Emmanuel
• Maggie Fenby-Taylor, Ticknall, St George
• Jenny Stewart, Ticknall, St George
• Margaret Whyte, Ticknall, St George
• Paul Whitehall, Walbrook Epiphany
• Jean Parsons, West Hallam, St Wilfrid
• Ruth Bennett, Whitfield, St James
• Gillian Booth, Whitfield, St Luke
• Laurie Gill, Whitfield, St Luke
• Janet Magson, Wingerworth, All Saints

Those presented with Bishop's Badges on Sunday, 17 September were:

Awards for Missional Innovation

• John Bird, Littleover, St Peter & Blagreaves
• Jim Davison, West Hallam, St Wilfrid
• Gen Tarr, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr
• Margaret Weightman, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
  
  

Awards for Missional Long Service

• Michèle Aspinall, Allestree, St Edmund
• Kate Bassford, Sawley, All Saints and St Mary
• Janet Bradshaw, Sutton-cum-Duckmanton
• Liz Broomhead, Hartington
• Christine Brown, Blackwell, St Werburgh
• Bryan Clarke, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
• Margaret Clarke, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
• Emson Maneya, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby
• Ann Cooper, Youlgreave
• Averill Crisp, Swadlincote, Emmanuel
• Lynne Dawson, Old Brampton, St Peter & St Paul
• Christopher Dullage, Hartington
• John Entwistle, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
• Jane Entwistle, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity
• Rob Groome, Risley, All Saints
• Brenda Harrop, Youlgreave
• Hannah Hawkins, Brimington, St Michael and All Angels
• Sylvia Homer, Stanton by Dale, St Michael and All Angels
• Zoe Leleux, Stanton by Dale, St Michael and All Angels
• Sue Marsh, Bakewell, All Saints
• Sally Renshaw, Tibshelf, St John the Baptist
• Patricia Rhodes, Tibshelf, St John the Baptist
• Cyril Roberts, Old Brampton, St Peter & St Paul
• Melanie Rose, Belper, St Peter
• Phil Sparrow, Chesterfield, SS Augustine
• John Sterland, Swanwick, St Andrew and Pentrich, St Matthew
• Mary Thompson, Smalley, St John the Baptist
• Mo Tolson, Risley, All Saints
• Alan Tolson, Risley, All Saints

Recipients and their families take the opportunity for a photographic memento with Bishop Libby

Nicky Fenton has been collated and installed as Archdeacon of Derbyshire Peak and Dales.

The service was held at Derby Cathedral on Saturday, 30 September, with Bishop Libby and Dean Peter.

Previously, Nicky was the Bishop of Derby’s chaplain, and a Residentiary Canon at Derby Cathedral. Prior to that, she was priest-in-charge of Hazelwood, Holbrook and Milford.

>> See the photos of the Collation and Installation Service

During her first sermon as archdeacon, Nicky spoke about the Archdeaconry of Derbyshire Peak and Dales and the whole diocese working as a team, and how each of us is called by God to use our individual talents to help each other and to further the work of the Church.

The choir of St John’s, Buxton, from the Archdeaconry of Derbyshire Peak and Dales, sang May the Love of Christ Enfold Us, and Derby Cathedral Junior Choir, the cathedral’s pre-chorister choir for children aged five to nine, sang Mother Mary Full of Mercy.

>> Meet Archdeacon Nicky

 The Collation and Installation Service featured music from Derby Cathedral Junior Choir

Predatory Marriage - Daphne Franks

 Joan Blass and Daphne Franks at Joan’s 90^th Birthday Party, April 2014

Please watch the documentary about our story – the third in the series   “Inheritance Wars: Who Gets the Money” – Channel Five, 9pm, October 1, 2023 and on Channel Five catch-up after that

“Your mother and her man friend – did you know they were married?” So, with a phone call from Joan Blass’s doctor, began a horrific series of events which have highlighted the gaps in safeguarding for the elderly and the vulnerable, both at the time of marriage and in the Law.

In March 2016 Joan Blass was almost 92 years old, with severe vascular dementia and terminal cancer. She was unable to make the simplest decision and never knew that she had remarried just five months before her death.

Joan’s daughter Daphne Franks tells the story of a secret marriage, a revoked will, an unmarked grave, grooming, gaslighting, a Private Member’s Bill and a campaign to highlight all the issues. The Franks family hope to fill all the gaps so nothing like this will ever happen to another family in the future – because, as they have learned, it’s currently happening to many of our elderly and vulnerable and their families.

This story is “right up there amongst the most shocking we’ve come across in the ten years that we’ve been making this programme.” - Angela Rippon, Rip-Off Britain, BBC Television.

Daphne Franks, 67, is a teacher who worked at Leeds Medical School for many years, teaching Communication Skills and other non-clinical courses. She is still teaching freelance part-time. Daphne now lives in Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, with her husband Stephen, son Oliver, daughter-in-law Alex and adorable granddaughter Linnet, two!

Issues with current safeguards^*:

• • If the victim has set up a power of attorney, the attorney is not notified if the victim marries.
• • Notifications of marriage are displayed on notice boards in register offices and are not easily searchable or listed online.
• • No evidence is kept at the point of marriage – no video or audio recordings – once a marriage certificate is attained the following impact on wills is almost impossible to challenge.
• • Registrars have responsibility for judgment of mental capacity on the day. These persons may not have training on dementia or mental capacity.
• • There is an absence of joined up safeguarding between different relevant organisations and an absence of standardised safeguarding or mental capacity training.

(* Credit: Hourglass March 2022)

www.predatorymarriage.uk

www.justiceforjoan.com

www.facebook.com/predatorymarriage

info@predatorymarriage.uk

This information may be downloaded here

Living Generously can present us with a challenge, especially when we feel we have limited resources.

But we are disciples of a generous God, who gives unconditionally and who reassures us that ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35).

Knowing how to give can also be puzzling and sometimes we need someone to walk along with us as we discover how to enable generosity in ourselves, our congregations, and our communities.

As the Living Generously Adviser, I am here to support everyone in exploring generosity, whether priest, parishioner, or PCC.

Beginning a journey of generous discovery requires us to be equipped with all those tools which assist us in unlocking new ways of enabling generosity, or that give us fresh perspectives in nurturing existing areas, allowing generosity to flourish.

A busy world can be distracting, asking more of us than we know how to deal with, and so understanding the needs of our churches and our communities can be perplexing.

Communicating the impact generosity has, both inside and outside of our congregations makes a huge difference in the trust we build up, and the ability to transform lives through giving.

Inspiring generosity beyond our churches, reaching out to disciple others, creating and nurturing a generous culture by embedding that which God provides without condition: generosity with time, attention, wealth, talents, possessions, reputation and comfort.

Putting into action all of those mechanisms which increase the profile of generosity and raise it to be higher on our priorities.

With resources to enable all these things, the Living Generously Adviser will support you in enabling and sustaining a generous culture in your church, whether it be through Generosity Away-Days, running a generosity campaign, advising on giving mechanisms or contactless donation devices, Parish Giving Scheme, legacy giving, or any other aspect of generosity, we’re here to help.

Thank you for all you do for your church.

Derby Cathedral is currently hosting one of a number of artworks created by local and national artists as part of Shedding Light on long Covid, a thought-provoking programme of events to engage local communities in the latest long Covid research.

The installation, outside the cathedral, invites visitors and passers-by to spend a few minutes sitting on a specially installed headset bench and listening to an audio track which they can download via a QR code.

The track, Breathturn, reflects on the moment of pause we collectively shared during the pandemic and how it affected those with Long COVID using their own words to describe their experience.

Shedding Light on Long Covid has been developed by Scientists and arts researchers at the University of Derby.

The Very Reverend Dr Peter Robinson, Dean of Derby, said: "Derby Cathedral is delighted to welcome S.H.E.D, once again.

"This is such an important opportunity being offered to people of all generations to delve deeply into our shared experiences of long Covid.

"We hope that many will come to the cathedral and enjoy the headset benches under the trees in our church yard and so form part of this precious, continued research."

 In Derbyshire alone, there are approximately 10,000 patients living with long Covid, and this figure is rising weekly.

The virtual and interactive exhibition has been created by S.H.E.D – Social Higher Education Depot, a research and innovation space that engages the public with lifelong learning and teaching through creative industry and cultural practice.

The University has been at the forefront of research into causes and effects of long Covid since 2020.

The research has mostly been learning about the challenges of the condition and how this impacts the abilities of people to undertake their everyday tasks.

The research team hopes to use this learning to create pathways to support people with long Covid.

Steve Johnson, Living Generously Adviser for the Diocese of Derby, writes:

Generosity is one of those words that immediately makes you think – how much?

And which, understandably, links our minds with money.

So, whilst enduring a financial cost of living crisis, there may well be the perception that generosity features less highly on our priorities.

The truth is that generosity is more than money, and is something which everybody benefits from, which we all have in abundance, and which we can nurture into life-transforming opportunities.

A call to embrace generosity is found in 2 Corinthians 9 verse 6 : ‘The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully’.

…and in Acts, Paul quotes Jesus directly in addressing the Ephesian Elders: the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” …where there is no mention of money at all.

Mother Maria Skobtsova, a nun during World War II, said: ‘According to the laws of matter, if I give away an amount of money, my funds are reduced by that amount.

"By the same laws, if I give my love, I am impoverished by that amount of love. However, the laws of a spiritual life are the exact opposite of the laws of the material world.

"According to spiritual law, every spiritual treasure given away not only returns to the giver…but it grows and becomes more valuable."

>> Resources for parishes

>> Generosity Week Podcasts

If Mother Maria’s observation recognises how we give of ourselves, then Archbishop Justin Welby in his 2017 Lent book Dethroning Mammon challenges us to decide of what measure of ourselves we are using in assessing our wealth.

There is wealth by which the material world can measure us, and then there is wealth by which we can measure ourselves.

Generosity calls us to reflect upon our own precious resources: our time, attention, talents, possessions, comfort, reputation, as well as our finances.

Therefore, raising the profile of generosity within our parishes will not only make evident the need for generosity in our communities, but will enable us to demonstrate the impact of peoples giving of their resources.

However, creating a generous culture can’t be achieved through a mandate – it lives in the collective hearts and habits of a church and the shared idea of how things are done in that context.

Being a Derbyshire lad born and bred, I know that context is everything, and understanding to encourage generosity requires local knowledge, together with the ability to recognise how to create opportunities for generosity in all its’ forms.

The Diocese of Derby is wonderfully diverse in our parishes and churches; each one having within its’ people those who give generously of all their resources, and to flourish generosity needs an environment which returns that giving in abundance. Living in a busy world which makes infinite demands on us, we sometimes need some help with this.

As we head towards autumn, back to work, a new school term, and the busy-ness of life, enabling generosity may not seem easy in this environment.

We may feel that we need someone to come alongside us; to make us feel reassured in placing our own precious resources.

As the Living Generously Advisor, I have helped countless parishes begin this journey of generosity.

Because we have a generous God, who has equipped us much more than the material world ever could.

This is reflected in our Vision Prayer:

Gracious God,
in your mercy, and for your glory,
renew us, reshape us, revive us -
with generous faith, courageous hope, and life-giving love -
that, in transformed lives,
through growing church and building community,
we may see your Kingdom come,
and be good news for all.
Amen.

As we begin Generosity Week 2023 on 24 September, perhaps take the opportunity to reflect upon how enabling generosity in your parish could transform the lives of those within your community.

If you would like to explore generosity and ways in which we can nurture the various aspects of living a generous life within your parishes, please get in touch.

>> Get resources for your church/parish

>> Generosity Week podcasts

Bishop Libby has presented around 30 Bishop's Badges to those nominated for missional long service and missional innovation awards.

The special service, A Celebration of Lay Ministry, took place in Derby Cathedral.

The annual presentations celebrate ministry and service in church and community, and recognise the distinguished service and dedication of many individuals contributing in Jesus’s name to the mission of the church.

>> See photos from the Bishop's Badge service

Bishop Libby said: "It is always a pleasure to mark and celebrate the gifts of people across the Diocese of Derby and to thank those who offer so much to develop and sustain the life of the church and its work in the wider community.

"We give thanks for the often hidden, yet crucial and remarkable work of people who do not seek recognition, but whom we honour specially today."

The message of thanks was echoed by Bishop Malcolm in his reflection.

The service is one of three being held this year to present Bishop's Badges; the first was held to celebrate generosity and courage shown by school children towards others.

The final service will be held on Sunday, 1 October.

Those presented with Bishop's Badges on Sunday, 17 September were:

Awards for Missional Innovation

John Bird, Littleover, St Peter & Blagreaves

Jim Davison, West Hallam, St Wilfrid

Gen Tarr, New Mills, Saint George the Martyr

Margaret Weightman, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby

Awards for Missional Long Service

Michèle Aspinall, Allestree, St Edmund

Kate Bassford, Sawley, All Saints and St Mary

Janet Bradshaw, Sutton-cum-Duckmanton

Liz Broomhead, Hartington

Christine Brown, Blackwell, St Werburgh

Bryan Clarke, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby

Margaret Clarke, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby

Emson Maneya, Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby

Ann Cooper, Youlgreave

Averill Crisp, Swadlincote, Emmanuel

Lynne Dawson, Old Brampton, St Peter & St Paul

Christopher Dullage, Hartington

John Entwistle, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity

Jane Entwistle, Matlock Bath, Holy Trinity

Rob Groome, Risley, All Saints

Brenda Harrop, Youlgreave

Hannah Hawkins, Brimington, St Michael and All Angels

Sylvia Homer, Stanton by Dale, St Michael and All Angels

Zoe Leleux, Stanton by Dale, St Michael and All Angels

Sue Marsh, Bakewell, All Saints

Sally Renshaw, Tibshelf, St John the Baptist

Patricia Rhodes, Tibshelf, St John the Baptist

Cyril Roberts, Old Brampton, St Peter & St Paul

Melanie Rose, Belper, St Peter

Phil Sparrow, Chesterfield, SS Augustine

John Sterland, Swanwick, St Andrew and Pentrich, St Matthew

Mary Thompson, Smalley, St John the Baptist

Mo Tolson, Risley, All Saints

Alan Tolson, Risley, All Saints

28 September

21 September

Tumpa Das has been appointed full-time Administrator to the Bishop of Derby. She started in post on Monday, 18 September 2023. Her contact details are: tumpa.das@derby.anglican.org, 01332 278165. 

The Revd David Lawrence-March, Vicar of Long Eaton St Laurence and Priest-in-Charge of Ilkeston Holy Trinity, Diocese of Derby, has been appointed Team Vicar in the North Cheltenham Team Ministry, with pastoral responsibility for All Saints Pittville, Diocese of Gloucester. David will be licensed to his new post on Wednesday, 29 November 2023.

14 September