News

Tearfund is marking its 50th year with a new campaign - We won't stop until poverty stop.

To equip you to lead your congregation into a culture of invitation, remote coaching with Michael Harvey of Unlocking the Growth is available to Diocese of Bristol church leaders for free.

Over the past few weeks the Secretary to the DAC has received reports of metal theft, which has affected a number of churches in the Diocese of Bristol. This is not just a local problem.

Revd Chris North, Acting Head of Ministry Development, volunteers each year in the Sanctuary Tent at the Glastonbury Festival:Glastonbury Festival is one of the most iconic summer gatherings and is known across the world and as such it is amazing place.

Working in partnership with schools can be rewarding. Inspire will explore different ways that people in churches can support children and young people in schools.

Church building projects across the Diocese have been honoured by the Diocesan Advisory Committee at a special awards ceremony.

Toddler groups are among the most exciting and significant starting places for mission for both adults and children.It is estimated that between a third and a half of all children in this country, aged under three, regularly attend a church-run toddler group.

The Diocese of Bristol has a track record of innovation, creativity and effectiveness in its practice of ministerial development.

Thy Kingdom Come is a global prayer movement, which invites Christians around the world to pray between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus Christ.

The Journey of Invitation has been created in response to requests for practical resources to support the six key practices of Making Disciples in Your Parish.

Free mental health training sessions for churches are being put on in Swindon.

Gift Aid The Chancellor has announced Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) changes increasing the limit to 30 to align with the contactless payment limit.

On the 9 December, people from across Swindon gathered for two performances of an immense, immersive theatrical telling of the Christmas story.

This Christmas message was originally given as at the Christmas Day Eucharist at Bristol Cathedral 2019.

Happy Christmas from the Diocesan Support Services team! Thank you to all who work so hard in our churches and communities - may you have a peaceful and blessed Christmas.

Community groups, childrens clubs and those just after a decent cuppa will be able to make use of St Andrews Church when it reopens next week. The building in Avonmouth had suffered from water damage over the years and was in need of a new lease of l

Liz Townend has been appointed as the next Diocesan Director of Education and will take up her post on 1 March 2019, following the retirement of John Swainston.

Its amazing how God opens doors! Recently, the Anglican churches of the Avonside Mission Area threw open their doors for their annual Lent Course.

Being a parent is one of lifes greatest joys, but it is also one of its biggest challenges. There's hardly a mum or dad on earth who, at times, is not overawed by the task of parenting.

Through Evangelist Group Mentoring Advance2020 are committed to equipping and empowering those who have a desire to prioritise the sharing of the gospel, be it from a stage or a one-to-one conversation.

God with us. The 2018 Faith Journeys research, conducted by 9DOT for the Church of England, explores how people become aware of God's presence, are attracted to it, respond to it and are ultimately transformed by it.

Organisations and charities are being invited by a Bristol church put forward ideas of how it can develop a hub for the city.Members of St Stephen's Church's PCC want to hear from groups who would be interested in forming a partnership with them

Community and church leaders will celebrate the launch of a new church for Swindon this week.The civic service will take place at Pattern Church, which will be housed in the former Pattern Store. Services will take place at the location throughout De

Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, Bishop of Bristol, is delighted to announce the appointment of Revd Christopher Bryan as the new Archdeacon of Malmesbury.

Diocesan Synod agreed overwhelmingly that Parish Share must continue to be a priority for parishes if the Diocese of Bristol is to achieve its ambitions for ongoing ministry across the Diocese.

A new podcast and video series aims to help Christians grow as disciples in their daily walk with God.The fortnightly podcast, called Connection, has been created by Revd Hywel Snook, Associate Vicar in Yate, and Justin Blackett.

Members of Diocesan Synod have overwhelmingly backed the plans and priorities for mission in the Diocese of Bristol for 2019.

Prayer is an amazing gift which strengthens our relationship with God; it has the power to change us and the world around us.

To mark Prisons Week last month, members of the Bristol branch of Mothers' Union have been sharing how they have been working in different ways through the Prison Service.

When did you last take a walk through your parish, praying for the people whose homes you pass and asking God to open hearts?

As we approach the season of Advent, Revd Christopher Bryan considers where Christians find their hope:It is dark inside the church, and hushed, but with the background rustling and breathing of many people waiting in silence. A match is struck,

The next meeting of the Diocesan Synod will be on Saturday 17 November at Freshbrook Church, Swindon. This will be a full day session.

People living with dementia in Clifton have been given a safe place to meet and chat.All Saints Church in Clifton runs a dementia accessible cafe, Friends on Friday, for people with dementia, along with their family and friends.

Sports ministry through football is helping the church in Lockleaze to connect with its community. Revd Dave Jeal, vicar at St James Lockleaze and chaplain for Bristol Rovers, is encouraging congregations to form their own teams.

#FollowTheStar, the Church of Englands national Advent and Christmas campaign for 2018, is inviting people across the country to experience the Christmas journey this year.

Ive said that so often to people facing changes in their lives.The certainty that, no matter how much we may want to we cant keep looking back over our shoulder at what was, for if we do we miss what lies ahead, what God has in store for us.Im tellin

Revd Sheila Melot, Seniors Minister at B&A Church, asks what our Christmas services are saying to our communities.

Revd Lee Barnes, Priest-in-charge of Holy Trinity, Hotwells and St Stephen's Bristol, on rediscovering confidence in the good news of Jesus.

Over the past year, churches of all shapes and sizes have embraced the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) - and this week sees the 50th church in the Diocese offer this new method of planned giving to their congregation.

The Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, Bishop of Bristol, was formally welcomed to the Diocese at a service in Bristol Cathedral this weekend. Representatives of churches and communities from across the Diocese gathered to witness her enthronement.

On 11 November 2018, 100 years since Armistice, bells will ring out in unison from churches and cathedrals in villages, towns and cities across the country.

Bishop Vivienne Faull is delighted to announce that Revd Canon Prof Martin Gainsborough has been appointed as Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol from 1 January 2019.He will succeed Revd Paul van Rossum, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Bristol vicar - and award-winning composer - Steven Faux has teamed up with his son, Clem, to produce a new album. You Are is a contemporary folk-based album of songs based on the Book of Psalms and is the fourth in a series of albums.

Christians at Bishopston and St Andrews are being equipped for living their faith in everyday life through the church's small groups.

Revd Canon Graham Archer, Director of Ministry at CPAS, has been seconded as Acting Archdeacon of Malmesbury. Following Ven Christine Froudes retirement on 30 September 2018.

We are delighted to announce that St Marys Church Lydiard Tregoze, which lies on the western edge of Swindon in historic Lydiard Park, has received a confirmed National Lottery grant award from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Community and church leaders will celebrate the re-opening of St Nicholas Church on Baldwin Street as it prepares to welcome its first visitors this coming Sunday.

Three newly published guides are available to support your church's stewardship and fundraising activities.

FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS BETWEEN ASCENSION AND PENTECOST, MILLIONS OF CHRISTIANS ACROSS THE WORLD HAVE UNITED IN PRAYER FOR OTHERS TO COME TO FAITH IN CHRIST. THIS MOVEMENT IS CALLED THY KINGDOM COME.

Has your PCC discussed 'Making disciples in your parish' yet? Making disciples in your parish seeks to resource and support parishes in developing mission and ministry in some key areas of church life.

Enabling mission across a varied area as part of a changing senior team. We're looking for the next Archdeacon of Malmesbury, to bring passion, energy and focus as they work with an archdeaconry that includes every kind of ministry context.

Revd Canon Prof Martin Gainsborough, Canon Theologian at Bristol Cathedral, asks how God acts.I want to tell you about Carol not her real name. Carol is in her 30s.

Do you want to get your church thinking and praying about young people?Do you want them to join in with celebrating what God is doing in young people's lives, and dream about what else might be possible?

Four Cursillistas from Bristol Anglican Cursillo attended the annual National Ultreya in Chelmsford during September. Angela Smith, Lay Director, reflects on the gathering.

The bishops of the Church of England have formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.

Could you take to the streets of Bristol on a Friday or Saturday night to help those enjoying an evening on the town? Street Pastors in Bristol is looking for more volunteers to join them as they patrol the city's streets.

As we enter a new season, Revd Dr Emma Ineson, Principal of Trinity College Bristol and Bishop Designate of Penrith, thinks about life's many changes.Change is in the air.

Picnickers packed up their hampers for the first Big Green Picnic in Bristol this summer. More than 200 people headed to College Green to tuck into their environmentally-friendly lunches and to hear from speakers.

Bristol Cathedral will be hosting a significant photography exhibition this autumn, remembering those who lost their lives in the First World War. 

MaintenanceBooker is a new website set up to help keep historic churches safe for the future. Set up by the National Churches Trust and 2buy2, MaintenanceBooker helps churches to prevent problems such as leaking roofs and crumbling stonework. Churche

Following a summer of sport, Revd Canon Nicola Stanley, Precentor of Bristol Cathedral, reflects on the link between Christians and athletes.

A new resource pack has been put together by Churches Together in Bristol which aims to bring together a variety of tools and information which may be of use in helping churches to become more dementia friendly.

As part of the British commemoration of the First World War centenary, a film adaptation of the play Journey's End by R. C. Sherriff was filmed and released.

Behind every statistic captured by the National Church's Annual Return is a human being encountering and worshipping God.

Pupils at two schools have performed a new opera celebrating the restoration of the set of bells in St Marys Almondsbury.

South Gloucestershire Council is asking for comments on plans to expand Frenchay CE VC Primary School and transfer it to a new site.There are currently proposals to increase the number of places available at the school from 140 to 420 with

A special service for parents to remember children who have been lost is taking place at Malmesbury Abbey in September.The Saying Goodbye Services are remembrance services for people who have lost a child at any stage of pregnancy, at birth or in inf

Chris Priddy took up the post of Head of Parish and External Relations at the Diocese of Bristol on 1 September 2015. Here he reflects on his experience during the last three years.

Would you like to help with Bristol Cathedral's fun and rewarding Christmas trails?

In our latest blog, Revd Sheila Melot, Seniors Minister at B&A Church, explores the experience of grief:The Christian faith embraces Good Friday and Easter Sunday: grief and death, then joy and new life. But sometimes ones personal experienc

Could you volunteer and become a school governor? Do you want to make a difference to the lives of children, young people and your local community? Do you enjoy working as part of a team? Are you willing to challenge and ask questions?

Canon David Froude, Chair of the House of Laity, Bristol Diocesan Synod, reflects on endings - and new beginnings. I know someone who hates goodbyes. So much so that often those words are avoided, face to face is minimised, and we move on quickly.

During September The Church in Westbury Park is asking for peeople to bring items and money to be sent to those in the most dire need in refugee camps in Syria and Iraq.Below is a list of those items which are needed.

This year's annual Ride+Stride event, which takes place throughout Wiltshire on Saturday 8 September, is the perfect chance to visit some of the county's beautiful churches.

Churches are being invited to join together and mark out 9 September for Ability Sunday a special day in their community.

Bristol Cathedral has announced the appointment of Revd Canon Michael Roden as Canon Chancellor.

Working with Bristol Cathedral were hosting an environmentally-friendly picnic on College Green and wed love for you to join us! 11.30AM - 2PM WEDNESDAY 29 AUGUST 2018 College Green, Bristol.

Canon Professor Martin Gainsborough, a member of General Synod for the Diocese of Bristol, assesses General Synods vote on disinvestment.

Back in June, a small group of clergy children from Bristol Diocese met others from Bath and Wells for a fun day out at Crealy Adventure Park in North Devon.Called Little Max, the day trip was organised to build on the current pastoral supp

Revd Mat Ineson, Vicar at St Mary's Stoke Bishop, on equipping the people of God to minister to the world. The beginning of July was special for Bristol Diocese. We celebrated ordinations to the offices of Deacon, Priest and Bishop.

The Rt Revd Vivienne Faull was consecrated as the 56th Bishop of Bristol by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby, in a service at St Paul's Cathedral, London, on 3 June.

The Church of England has launched new worship and prayer resources to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War.

Over the coming weeks your church will receive its Parish Share request for 2019. So how far have we come as a Diocese, and where are we heading on our shared Parish Share journey?

A new book tracing the history of All Saints Church, Clifton - once dubbed the Anglo-Catholic cathedral of the South West - has just been  published.

In our latest blog, Revd Kat Campion-Spall, Associate Vicar of St Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol, considers the blessing of living in 'ordinary times'.

"Searching through my bedside cabinet I came across an old birthday card from my parents the last one I received that they had both signed."

The title 'Church Administrator' covers a broad range of roles and tasks within our churches and includes both paid posts and formal voluntary positions.

Welcome to the latest news from the Safeguarding team. Here you will find all the news, resources and training from Adam Bond and the team.

Anti-slavery campaigners and other key agencies, including the police and councils, are backing the Safe Car Wash App, launched by The Clewer Initiative, the Church of Englands campaign against modern slavery.

Each year the Diocesan Advisory Committee recognises a number of projects through its awards scheme. 

The following article is taken from the CPAS Lead On monthly email and was written by James Lawrence; CPAS Leadership Principal.

A day of inspiration, keynote sessions and expert workshops for line managers, mentors, youth workers and children's workers.

We are inviting anyone interested in finding out more about Diocesan Synod to come along to the next meeting on Saturday 9 June and see for themselves the role that it plays in the running of the Diocese.

100 years

A new song, written especially for Lectio Musica by Matthew David is featured.

Founded by the Lady Richeldis in 1061, destroyed by Henry VIII in 1538, restored in 1922 by Father Hope Patten, the Anglican Vicar of Walsingham the Shrine has had an eventful history across nearly a thousand years.

Just imagine if your church discovered a way to effectively engage with over 50% of the local community. Just imagine if half of the young families in your area came along every week. 

In the coming months, representatives from across the Diocese will be encouraged to stand for election as members of the new Diocesan Synod for the next three years.

400km is a long way to travel regardless of the mode of transport but choosing to do it on a bicycle? Who would be crazy enough to do that? Well, Dan Jones our Youth and Childrens Adviser is, and on the 14th June he will be setting off from Weston-su

On the day of her announcement as the next Bishop of Bristol, we learn more about Viv Faulls ministry and why she was appointed to the Diocese.