The children at All Saints Church of England Primary School in Coalville recently enjoyed a visit from Bishop Saju who stopped by to join their lunchtime club, ‘Shine Squad’, which meets weekly to learn about faith in a fun and interactive environment.
Four of our soon-to-be ordained Deacons were licensed as Lay Workers by Bishop Martyn on Wednesday 1 July during a morning service in the Chapel at Bishop’s Lodge.
From the young starting out on their journey of discipleship, to a reawakening of faith much later in life, the stories shared within our parishes as people come to confirmation are both joyful and inspiring.
The Revd Ali Simpson-Smith was licensed as Team Vicar in the Benefice of Oadby Great Glen during worship of welcome and commitment to shared ministry.
In an expression of the deepest commitment someone can give to God, Fay recently made her Life Vow for the Single Consecrated Life (SCL).
The licensing of Revd Steve Bailey as Assistant Archdeacon was held during Morning Prayer at Bishop’s Lodge. Steve’s commissioning took place in a service that included Jesus’ words to Martha (Luke 10.38-end) - a reminder, in a distracted and demanding age, that faithful ministry begins in attentiveness to Christ, and that leadership is rooted in presence, listening and prayer, not just busyness. Currently Team Rector in the Benefice of Oadby Great Glen, and remaining in post, Steve will be stepping down from his role as Area Dean of Gartree to carry out his Assistant Archdeacon duties.
Recent news in the diocese has brought some really encouraging stories to light, with a significant rise in baptisms and growing numbers of people coming to church, particularly from global majority heritage backgrounds. But this growth hasn’t happened overnight. It reflects years of intentional work through one of the diocese’s key priorities, Intercultural Communities and the Intercultural Worshipping Community Project.
A new Learning Community for preachers and potential preachers will launch in the diocese this October. Led by Bishop Saju, the course focuses on the craft of preaching, its content, and the character of the preacher.
Over the past few months, up until the end of April, a host of Confirmation services have taken place in churches around the Diocese of Leicester, each one a joyful and meaningful celebration.
Exaireo Trust, a Christian social housing charity in Loughborough, celebrated the launch of its new initiative - Enterprise Partnerships in Communities (EPiC) - earlier this month. The volunteer-led vision of EPiC is to offer meaningful employment to people who face barriers to work, while blessing the local community through practical services such as car washing, gardening, and painting and decorating.
