Christmas Greetings and office opening times 2019
First published 17th December 2019Happy Christmas from the Diocesan Support Services team!
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Happy Christmas from the Diocesan Support Services team!
Image by Pete WilsonChurches in Swindon have been working together to put on a three-week Christmas fair.With this year marking the 50th anniversary of the Old Town partnership of churches.
Christmas is a time of giving - but it can also be a time of waste. From the plastic packaging to the piles of wrapping paper and wasted food filling our dustbins, festivities can have an unseen impact on our environment.
Children will be blasting off for Christmas when an astronaut brings good news to a Swindon church service.
Children at St Helen's CE Primary School have been making their voices heard as they raised awareness of the Climate Emergency.
With dragons, talking carrots, and even a surprise comeback for ET all vying for centre stage in the annual festive advertising bonanza.
The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, is pleased to announce that Will Fairbairn has been appointed vicar of Redland Church in Bristol.Will has been curate of Ascension Church in Southampton since 2017. Prior to that he spent three years at
Revd Dr Cathy Okoronkwo, who was appointed Vicar of All Saints and St Barnabas, Swindon in September, recently represented the Diocese at the CMEAC DLP/MEAC Officers residential conference.
Coordinated by the Bishop of Bristols OfficeAs faith leaders in the city of Bristol, we are proud of this beautiful, diverse and creative city.
Promote Christmas services without the hassle this Christmas…Premier Digital Award winners Go Chatter have launched a new customisable video website.
Going green proved the inspiration for members of St Martin's in Knowle when it came time to decorate the church building for Christmas. Clare Hensmen tells us how they came up with the idea - and how other churches could easily do something similar:
Swindons newest Anglican church turned one this week. Having launched at the start of December 2018, Pattern Church celebrated its first birthday on Sunday 1 December, with two services at 10am and 4:30pm at the Platform on Faringdon Road.
Remember to update your A Church Near You pages with your Advent and Christmas services and events! A Church Near You receives more than 12 million page views each year and 81 per cent of people who come to the site are first-time visitors.
Today is Black Friday that moment in the year when shops and websites offer huge savings as they attempt to tempt customers into spending their money.
Englands cathedrals have witnessed their highest Easter congregation numbers in recent years, while visitor numbers increased by a million on the previous year, statistics published today show.Bristol Cathedral has followed the trend seeing more peop
This year's Diocesan Education Conference took place in November. The day was enjoyed by school leaders: headteachers, senior leaders, clergy and church workers who engage with young people and schools.
Four churches across the Diocese have received our first Eco Church awards.
As a head teacher, you may expect any number of questions from parents when you launch a new school uniform but does it crinkle? is a rather unusual one! Yet at The Deanery CE Academy in Swindon its a fair question to ask, as the uniforms are partly
When the vote was passed unanimously, the room filled with cheers, applause and even a whistle or two.
And God blessed them...I wonder what you think blessing someone or something means or achieves (and Bishops do lots of blessings of people and of things, in my early experience particularly of loos)?
Prayer is an amazing gift which strengthens our relationship with God; it has the power to change us and the world around us.
In this stewardship update; FREE Church Fundraising Guide, an updated Diocesan grants guide, a new parish giving scheme resource and contactless giving deals.Church Fundraising Handbook.
In late May Pattern Church in Swindon was awarded a significant Allchurches Trust grant for which the church and the Diocese is extremely grateful.
The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, is pleased to announce that Becky Waring has been appointed Area Dean of Bristol South. Becky has the been vicar of St Martins Knowle since 2016. Previous to her ministry at St Martins, Becky was a Lice
Please click the link below to download the second Diocesan Board of Education newsletter of the year.
To fulfil our call to proclaim afresh the Good News in each generation, the Diocese has, through its 'Creating connections' vision prioritised reconnecting with children and teenagers, young adults and families.
A third of children and young people don't know that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, let alone the extraordinary significance that this has for their lives.
Across the Diocese acts of remembrance took place on Remembrance Sunday as those who serve and have fallen to protect our democratic rights are remembered. Thousands joined services across at churches right across our region to participate.
When a much valued Rector leaves a group of 8 rural parishes to move on to be an Archdeacon there is a temptation to feel things are never going to be as good again. But of course that is not the case.When Revd Christopher Bryan left the Gauzebrook P
In 2018, as part of the Statistics for Mission returns, parishes across the country were asked whether they had run any enquiry or Christian basics courses that year.
Who will you nominate for a 2020 DAC Award?Each year the DAC recognises a number of projects via its awards scheme.
Christ Church Infants School and Christ Church Downend have been working together, welcoming each other to their premises and sharing events for many years.
Do churches know the number of visitors that pass through their doors?
A range of events linked to our support of Dementia Friendly Church are running this November.
The Church of Englands Environmental Advisory Group has called for all parts of the Church to recognise the Climate Crisis and step up its action to safeguard God's creation.
Mothers Union has gone into partnership with The Clewer Initiative to support the tackling of Modern Day Slavery. (The Clewer Initiative is the Church of England's response to Modern Day Slavery).
Written by Aura Hart, Mothers Union Diocesan PresidentAs part of the Uganda 50 celebration, we who are members of the Mothers Union in the Diocese of Bristol were delighted to have the opportunity to meet up with fellow members from Uganda they were
#FollowTheStar 2019Follow the Star invites you to experience the wonder and excitement of the Wise Mens journey as they travel towards Jesus.
As we begin to focus on Christmas preparations, perhaps we might also begin to consider how we might engage with those we meet at Christmas services, when the New Year arrives.
Stimulated by the Avonside Mission Area, members of St Marys Stoke Bishop, St Marys Shirehampton, St Edyths Sea Mills, St Peters Lawrence Weston and St Andrews Avonmouth have all been encouraged to form missional communities.
In February, Avonside Mission Area started a weekly Tuesday morning prayer meeting. This forms part of their Evangelism Mission Shaped Community, hosted by Revd Hartmut Kopsch.
Members of Avonside Mission Area gathered for a prayer celebration on Wednesday 16 October.There were 75 people present who followed the 4Ws of the Mission Area.
During September, the parish of Wroughton and Wichelstowe joined churches around the country in celebrating the Season of Creation, with teaching and liturgy designed to help explore the diversity and wonder of God's creation.
During debate on the Queens Speech on Thursday 17 October, the Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, made her first speech in the House of Lords.
Just 50% of children growing up in Christian homes will keep their faith as adults.'Raising Faith Inspire' is an easy-to-run 90minute small group discussion to facilitate parents thinking about how to build faith in their children.
Bishop Viv has chosen Saying Yes to Life by Ruth Valerio as the Diocesan Lent book for 2020. This forms part of a Church of England Lent campaign. Churches are encouraged to use the resources for their Lent courses and the spiritual and practical act
As part of their recent visit to the Diocese, two Ugandan Bishops joined a timely conversation on the climate crisis at Cotham Parish Church.
Our annual training event for all Churchwardens, PCC Secretaries, PCC Treasurers, Parish Administrators and other such roles is took place on the morning of Saturday 12 October.
At Connected 2019 this year, we focused on the key themes outlined within Growing Faith - a vision set out by the House of Bishops.
One of the glories of the Church of England is its liturgical worship and the patterns, forms and words through which public worship is conducted.
The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, is delighted to announce the appointment of Revd Canon Michael Johnson as the Acting Dean of Bristol Cathedral. It follows the appointment of Very Revd David Hoyle to the Dean of Westminster.
The Will Aid 2019 scheme is now live - so book now to get your will written. There are hundreds of Will Aid solicitors taking bookings up and down the country.
When we talk about disability and access we often immediately jump to thinking about ramps and accessible toilets. Creating a physically accessible building is of course important but access and inclusion for all involves much more.
The Diocesan Synod meets at the Deanery CE Academy on Saturday 16 November between 9.30am and 3pm. The Synod will be full of discussion and debate.
On Sunday 13 October, churches across the Diocese will be hosting CAP Sunday: a special service to invite people to look again at poverty in their community.
Disability: Access, Inclusion and Participation - Developing Accessibility in the Local ChurchThursday 24 September 7.30pm to 9.00pm at Central (formerly PipnJay).
Stewardship is offering a free dial-in session is packed with all the latest news and advice, especially for church treasurers. The session, takes place on Wednesday 16 October at 1pm.
Ven Neil Warwick was collated and installed as the new Archbishop of Bristol at a service in Bristol Cathedral earlier this month.Neil, who took up the post in the summer, was joined by colleagues, friends and family.
Our annual training event for all Churchwardens, PCC Secretaries, PCC Treasurers, Parish Administrators and other such roles is taking place on the morning of Saturday 12 October at Sheldon School, Chippenham.
Connected conference 2019. Tuesday 8 October 2019. Connected is a day to equip and encourage ministers, leaders and those who serve in parishes across the Diocese of Bristol.
This year's LLM Licensing Service takes place at Bristol Cathedral on Saturday 21 September at 10.30am. This is a joyful occasion to which candidates are encouraged to invite their family and friends and members of their local church.
The story of the Orchard is a gift to small congregations who are seeking to serve God while wondering how to navigate the challenges of diminishing resources. It is designed to be used by small groups and to encourage the growth of faith.
As part of the Journey of Invitation remote invitational coaching has been available with Michael Harvey of Unlocking the Growth to help leaders to explore what it means to lead an invitational church.
Just 50% of children growing up in Christian homes will keep their faith as adults parents and carers are the most important influence on children developing a faith that lasts.
YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices.
Sign up for the Raising Faith livestream on October 15 from Care for the Family.Join Katharine Hill and Andy Frost from the comfort of your own home as they deliver Raising Faith via livestream.
Pupils have been welcomed to the Deanery Church of England Academy as it opened its door for the first time. The school in Wichelstowe, Swindon, saw 120 Year 7 children arrive for their first lessons on Wednesday morning.
Swindon's Pattern Church is launching a new afternoon service on Sundays. Pattern Church, which launched last December, is adding the 4.30pm service with the aim of attracting young people and those in their 20s.
Messy Churches in the Diocese of Bristol are among the congregations to benefit from new research being funded by the Church of England.A grant of 100,000 has been awarded to the Church of Englands Evangelism and Discipleship Team.
The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, has joined 25 Anglican bishops in signing an open letter on the prospect of a 'no-deal' Brexit and the need for national reconciliation.
Celebrating the work of the Bristol NW CAP Debt Centre .
The parish of Parks and Walcot, Swindon is amongst the 10% most deprived in the country and receives Lowest Income Communities Funding. This has supported them in developing a ministry amongst unchurched women on the estate.
Churches from across the Swindon Deanery joined members of the wider community at the new Deanery CE Academy in Swindon to 'pray in' the school earlier in July.
The Government plans to introduce a new system of registration for marriages, including church weddings, in England and Wales.
Many churches in the Diocese offer prayer for healing and wholeness for members of their congregation. In some it is offered weekly, some monthly, some occasionally.
The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, is pleased to announce that Jeremy Andrew has been appointed Area Dean of Kingswood and South Glos.
In May sixteen young people and eight adults from across the Yate and Fromeside Mission Area set off on a 62-mile pilgrimage walking from St Peters Frampton Cotterell to the Cathedral in Sailsbury.
A pop-up Prayer Space was recently created at St Michael's Primary School in Winterbourne by members of St Michael's Church. Jo Strange, Pastoral Family Liaison Minister at the church, looks back on how pupils and staff engaged with it:"This was
Archbishop Justin Welby has a vision for the church to be a reconciling presence in the midst of conflict. Over the last year, he has brought together leading thinkers on reconciliation to create a timely resource that is designed for Christians to e
This year is the 50th anniversary of the link between the Church of Uganda and the Diocese of Bristol.
After ten years of austerity the Life on the Breadline team are exploring Christian responses to poverty. It is the first theological project to explore Christian action on poverty since the global financial crash.
This October, young people from across Bristol will gather together at St Nicholas to seek God at 'Kingdom Come'.
The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, is pleased to announce that Jeremy Andrew has been appointed Area Dean of Kingswood and South Glos.Jeremy has the been vicar in Warmley, Bitton and Syston since 2014 and before that was the vicar of four
Many churches in the Diocese offer prayer for healing and wholeness for members of their congregation. In some it is offered weekly, some monthly, some occasionally.
The Government plans to introduce a new system of registration for marriages, including church weddings, in England and Wales. It is anticipated that the new system will replace traditional marriage registers.
Churches from across the Swindon Deanery joined members of the wider community at the new Deanery CE Academy in Swindon to 'pray in' the school earlier in July.The school, which is due to open at the beginning of September, has already been welc
Revd Dan Tyndall, vicar of St Mary Redcliffe, and Oliver Home, Diocesan Secretary, have been installed as Honorary Canons at Bristol Cathedral.
Rt Revd Lee Rayfield, Bishop of Swindon, is taking part in a sponsored cycle race next month as he marks five years of being in remission from cancer.
The Bishop of Swindon, Rt Revd Lee Rayfield, has been meeting environmental campaigners in Bristol to listen to their views on caring for the planet.
God was firmly in the midst of this years Glastonbury Festival. On the main stage Stormzy sang of Grace and, over in the Sanctuary Marquee, 11-month-old Maggie was being baptised in the first infant baptism to be held at the festivals Churches Tent.
Livability is inviting churches to mark out 8 September for Ability Sunday a special day for our communities. Ability Sunday is about running a day of inclusion and participation in your community.
Reports and resources from the day.
In September 2017, after much consultation and planning, work got underway on a project to Re-ignite St Andrews in Avonmouth, Bristol.
Uganda Link news
Diocesan Conference - 14th April 2018
The Diocese of Bristol has been selected by Messy Church UK to take part in an influential pilot project to try out approaches to discipleship in Messy Church.
The Church of England is encouraging Christians and churches to sign up to its pledge to make social media and the web a more positive place.
Members of churches in the North Wilts Mission Area have gathered to celebrate the signing of their covenant. Rt Revd Dr Lee Rayfield, Bishop of Swindon, spoke at the special service.
Over the last weekend in June, we will be celebrating the Ordination of 23 people to serve across our Diocese in a variety of contexts. On Saturday, ten candidates will be ordained priest in Bristol Cathedral.
The Diocese of Bristol is running a series of workshops across September with a focus on a particular aspect of stewardship, along with an update on Parish Share 2020.