Lucy Harrison
With winter creeping closer, a piping-hot bowl of homemade soup goes down particularly well.
It's interesting to recount that Egginton’s Church of St Wilfrid has been making a name for itself with it successful and highly regarded ‘Meet, Greet and Eat’ community lunches.
Starting in 2018, with a break for Covid, monthly lunches have become a popular and eagerly awaited social event, providing an opportunity for people to meet and make new friendships.
Gatherings of 45 to 50 persons are usual, eager to sample the 10 or more soups on offer and where second helpings are very much the norm!
Together with a roll and butter, glass of wine, and cake or fruit to finish, its hardly surprising that the word has spread to neighbouring villages too!
There is no entry fee and donations are invited on departure, raising around £4,000 a year.
Huge thanks rightfully go to the faithful team of helpers, who prepare the food, set up the church and wash up and clear away.
Such is their success that they have been awarded the Bishop of Derby’s “Certificate of Excellence”.
This initiative was the brain child of Chris and Kay Marples, resulting from a holiday at Porlock, in Somerset, where they witnessed a tragic suicide.
Having summoned help, they observed the emergency services handling the situation and were then required to make a police statement.
Understandably this experience was traumatic and, still somewhat in shock, they narrated their experience to a local shop assistant.
News got around and, when they attended Porlock’s soup lunch the following day, there was a whole lot of support and care shown for their wellbeing.
It was then that Kay hatched the plan with the churchwarden Pat Riley for monthly soup lunches in Egginton.
Not without its learning points, its now become a major success!
Important issues have been the availably of storage space in the church; creating space in the church for the setting up of tables; assembly of a committed team of helpers, and progressively accommodating a growing demand for places.
A very welcome breakthrough was a CVS grant of £750 for the purchase of soup bowls, water boiler, slow cookers, food thermometer and other things to replace some very tired equipment.
It also paid for certain helpers to obtain their Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate.
The St Wilfrid’s team would like to thank most warmly all those who have given their support to this venture, most particularly those who cook and serve each month.
Hulland Hippos Baby & Toddler group celebrated the tenth anniversary of its foundation on November 2nd.
To share the happy occasion we invited past members of the team and the families who attended the very first session.
Over coffee & cake, our guests enjoyed looking at the photos taken during the ten years, while the current families attending played and chatted as normal.
The highlight of our celebration was our ‘Happy Birthday Hippo time’ with a Hippo birthday cake, a story about Hippos from our curate Revd Lisa, a thank you prayer, songs and games.
We finished by presenting some Hulland Hippo awards! 36 adults and 23 children enjoyed the special occasion.
Comments on Facebook:
“Congratulations Hulland Hippos and everyone who helps out, such a great place for support and fun for the kids”
“Happy 10th Anniversary to the BEST baby and toddler group around. Enjoy the celebrations. Xxx”
Hulland Hippos is every Wednesday from 10 – 11.30am at Hulland Ward Millennium Hall (except the Christmas holiday).
It is run by volunteers from Hulland Mothers’ Union, Hulland Church and our community.
Derby Cathedral has just received a silver eco award from Eco Church, an A Rocha UK project.
The award is based on a comprehensive survey of the Cathedral covering topics as diverse as worship and teaching, management of church buildings and land, community and global engagement and lifestyle.
In other words – everything from how the Cathedral worships, the energy it uses, the wildlife it supports, the environmental projects it supports in other parts of the world, including Fairtrade, and the individual lifestyle choices we all make.
Eco church is designed to bring together a national community of churches addressing the environmental crisis with ongoing action to protect nature and address climate change so we can play our part in the prophetic call from General Synod for all parts of the Church of England to be net zero by 2030.
In granting the award Eco Church especially mentioned the Cathedral’s connections with the Wildlife Trust and the peregrine falcons, its involvement in planting trees including the “Trees for Derby” project, and our local engagement with the Council in supporting the bike event before Christmas.
Well done Derby Cathedral and thank you to members of JPCC (the Cathedral’s Justice, Peace and Creation Committee) and Carol Thomas, Chief Operating Officer for putting the application together.
Next step …GOLD!!
To find out more about Eco Church go to www.a.rocha.org.uk
Kay Duckett (Wingerworth) and Bernard Madden (Hathersage) recently joined the Archbishop of York to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Central Readers’ Council.
At the invitation of the archbishop and Rebecca Cottrell, representatives from the dioceses of England and Wales were invited to give thanks for Reader/Licensed Lay Ministry.
On the glorious sunny day, Archbishop Stephen shared his commitment and passion for lay ministry.
He gave thanks for licensed lay ministry, including that represented by Kay, Bernard and representatives of other dioceses.
We all celebrated how it has grown and evolved over the last 100 years. Archbishop Stephen even garnered a few very welcome smiles when recounting the responses he gets from prospective clergy when asked how they understand and plan to enable lay ministry.
He emphasized our calling from baptism to grow into the life of the church, before remarking on the importance of lay leadership in church life.
Advocating for creative, open and imaginative ministry he challenged those present to think about their own ministries and that of future generations so that we all continue to grow, adapt, and flourish.
Following a rather delicious afternoon tea, the Archbishop and Mrs Cottrell invited their guests to look around Bishopthorpe Palace and its grounds.
A much-needed moment of quiet along the Ouse gave ample opportunity to watch the fish and the birds – as well as a number of leisure boats – go past, before everyone gathered for evening prayer.
The day was a very welcome and very timely opportunity to reflect on the importance of lay ministry and the Diocese of Derby are delighted and proud to have been represented by Kay and Bernard.
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.
The new Royal School of Church Music Derbyshire Area Team has now been commissioned and we’re delighted to introduce them. The role of the Area Team is to raise the profile of and promote the RSCM and church music within Derbyshire, and to programme events for churches, clergy, musicians in Derbyshire and beyond. If you’re interested in finding out more about the RSCM in Derbyshire please do get in touch with our Area Team Leader, Alexander Binns at alexander@derbycathedral.org
Alexander Binns – Area Team Leader
Alexander Binns is the Director of Music at Derby Cathedral and is the Area Team Leader for RSCM Derbyshire. Prior to moving to Derby, Alexander spent 3 years as Assistant Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Alexander is a prizewinning graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and alongside his studies held organ scholarships at St George’s Chapel Windsor Castle, Southwark Cathedral and the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Alexander has been involved with the RSCM from the age of 9, when he first attended courses run for young singers, and is delighted to be heading up the newly commissioned Derbyshire Area Team.
Carol Coslett – Diocesan Representative
I am delighted to represent the RSCM Derby Area Team on the Bishops Staff Team. Trained as a musician and choral leader, in my home in Chesterfield I have a piano, harpsichord, guitars, strings, various electric keyboards and my clarinet. I don’t play them all at once! I have directed many church choirs and school choirs, taking some to the Albert Hall, as part of the schools proms, some to diocesan choir festivals, or to lead cathedral choral evensongs, and prepared choristers for their RSCM Bishops and Deans Awards. It has always been my privilege to serve the church in this way. Encouraging singing and music making in church can lead to lasting connections which can truly build community and grow the church. As a newly formed Regional team I look forward to the challenge ahead and engaging with our parish churches, their choirs, music groups, and organists so that we can support and celebrate our new Diocesan Vision transform lives. So may we “Sing with the spirit and with understanding also”
Michael Halls – Treasurer
Michael Halls has been Director of Music at St Oswald’s Church at Ashbourne since 1998 and has been associated with the RSCM for many years.
Edward Turner – Safeguarding Co-ordinator
Edward Turner is the Assistant Director of Music at Derby Cathedral, having previously held posts at Worcester College Oxford, Tewkesbury Abbey, Dean Close School Cheltenham and Southwell Minster. Alongside his work at the Cathedral, Edward directs the University of Derby Choir and is Accompanist to Nottingham Bach Choir.
Chris Ebbern – Secretary
Chris is a singer, pianist and organist based in Long Eaton and sings with De Montfort University Chamber Choir and as a Deputy Lay Clerk with Derby Cathedral Choir. He currently studies singing with London based teacher; René Bloice-Sanders and in Autumn this year shall be participating in Penelope Roskell’s Piano Teachers Course. Chris is delighted to be part of the Derbyshire RSCM team and very much looks forward to future events with them.
Rob Aldread
Rob Aldread is part of the Dronfield with Holmesfield Team in North East Derbyshire. Rob is a practical and versatile music graduate who is happy to lead a traditional SATB choir for choral evensong and matins, but he is equally happy to play piano and lead the music for more contemporary worship. Like many musicians, Rob adapted during the pandemic and he now knows how to produce virtual choir videos and he is reasonably expert at music technology and live streaming.
Rachel Reid
Rachel Reid sings soprano with Melbourne Parish Church Choir, South Derbyshire. She is also a member of RSCM Voices South and the RSCM Residentiary choir. Prior to joining the RSCM Derbyshire committee she was the Awards Administrator for the Peterborough and Northampton area.
Tom Hibbert
Tom was organist of St Thomas Becket Chapel-en-le-Frith from May 2006 to December 2017. Since January 2018, he has played the organ at 4 churches in Buxton on a freelance basis and also sings in the choir at St John the Baptist Buxton.
Welcome to the Diocese of Derby and thanks for considering serving your curacy with us!
If you are completing ordination training in 2024 and have been officially released by your sponsoring diocese to look elsewhere, then please consider coming to the Diocese of Derby to serve your curacy.
If you are interested:
- Check out our curacy training programme
- Explore the parish profiles below
- If interested in any specific curacy, please contact the Ordained Vocations Officer, Ben Griffiths, on 01332 278169 or ben.griffiths@derby.anglican.org
Parish profiles
>> The United Benefice of Barlborough and Clowne
For the last two weeks our screens have been showing harrowing scenes from a country halfway around the world, where a nation is in turmoil and many people are fearful about the future and struggling to know what to do next. What we are seeing in Afghanistan is an unfolding humanitarian crisis, with people leaving through evacuation flights as well attempting to cross borders into neighbouring countries. Please hold the situation and people of Afghanistan in your prayers
Around seventy people in family groups have now arrived in Derby and are in temporary hotel accommodation which will be their home until they can be resettled in different parts of the UK. These are families who have arrived through the Government’s ARAP scheme, having worked for the British Government in Kabul or as interpreters in Helmand.
Already refugee support organisations in Derby, churches and the national “Welcome Churches” are working together to ensure people are welcomed and helped.
How can you help?
- Upbeat Communities (one of the refugee charities in Derby) have launched a Just Giving page. By receiving financial donations they are able to be flexible in providing immediate support and make plans for support in the coming weeks. For details go to https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/UpbeatCommunitiesAfghanAppeal
- A list of urgently needed items will be published as soon as possible. DRS (Derbyshire Refugee Solidarity) are always happy to receive donations for their work with refugees including those from Afghanistan. For further information go to www.derbyshirerefugeesolidarity.org.
- Meanwhile we are invited to contact our MP to ensure the Government commits to its promise to resettle more Afghan refugees along with those currently here in the UK who are not part of the resettlement scheme and some of whom may be being held in detention centres
A Prayer for Afghanistan (Christian Aid)
O God of mercy and peace,
We hold before you the peoples of Afghanistan.
Be living bread to those who are hungry each day
Be healing and wholeness to those who have no access to health care amid the ravages of the pandemic.
Be their true home to all who have been displaced
Be open arms of loving acceptance to those who fear because of their gender, ethnicity, religious or political views
Be peace to those engaged in armed conflict and those who live within its shadow.
Turn our hearts and minds to your gentle ways of just and gentle peace,
Open our eyes to see you in all acts of compassionate care
Strengthen our hearts to step out in solidarity with your suffering people and
Hold us all in your unfailing love.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself of all but love in order to bring life in all its fullness.
Amen
This prayer was written by Ramani Leathard, Christian Aid’s Head of Region for South East Asia and Afghanistan.
For more points for prayer go to www.christianaid.org.uk and click on Prayer for Afghanistan
Maureen Priddin
Derby Cathedral and Derby City of Sanctuary network
“proud to welcome and support those seeking sanctuary in Derby and Derbyshire"
Thy Kingdom Come is a global prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray for more people to come to know Jesus. What started in 2016 as an invitation from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to the Church of England has grown into an international and ecumenical call to prayer.
Plans are underway for the 7th annual Thy Kingdom Come - occurring from Ascension to Pentecost.
Thy Kingdom Come takes place from 26 May to 5 June 2022.
Visit the Thy Kingdom Come website at www.thykingdomcome.global
