Here you can find all the latest news from the Diocese of Bristol.
News and updates
FREE Christmas HOPE magazines
First published 14th September 2017Comedian and actor Miranda Hart, Sky Sports and former Blue Peter presenter Simon Thomas, and toy store entrepreneur Gary Grant are among those featured in the 2017 Christmas HOPE magazine.
St Stephen's Southmead opens doors as Make Lunch Kitchen
First published 15th August 2017In the first two weeks of the school summer holidays, St Stephens in Southmead opened its doors for the first time as a Make Lunch Kitchen.
A letter to parishes from Bishop Mike
First published 22nd August 2017As the Rt Revd Mike Hill prepares to retire as Bishop of Bristol on 30 September 2017, he has written a final letter to parishes in the Diocese of Bristol.
Bishop's bike ride raises £2k for Bristol Hope 2018
First published 21st August 2017Bishop Lee and a group of cyclists from the Diocese of Bristol have raised more than 2,000 towards Hope Bristol 2018, a five-day mission coming to Bristol next April.
Reflections on a 12-hour prayer vigil
First published 25th August 2017Earlier this week, Janey Hiller and Helen Collins held a 12-hour prayer vigil for the Diocese at Hillside House.
Ballot for tickets to Bishop Mike's farewell service
First published 22nd August 2017Extra tickets have been released for the Bishop of Bristol's farewell service next month.
Book a place at the Parish Giving Scheme launch
First published 22nd August 2017From September Bristol Diocese will be joining this nationwide scheme to support church giving.
Hope for South Sudanese refugees this Christmas
First published 22nd November 2017Revd Chris Dobson, Global Partnership Officer for the Diocese of Bristol, on how we can help the Diocese of North Uganda support the South Sudanese refugees.
Have you signed up for Hope Bristol 2018?
First published 22nd November 2017Bishop Lee has been speaking about HOPE Bristol 2018, the five-day youth led mission.
Doing church in pubs - Revd Nick Hay
First published 22nd November 2017In our latest blog, Revd Canon Nick Hay, Area Dean of Bristol South Deanery, explores finding a church community in the pub.
Statement by Bishop Mike regarding Charlottesville
First published 16th August 2017A statement by the Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Revd Mike Hill, regarding the recent events in Charlottesville.
Reformation and Renewal
First published 10th August 2017This year marks the 500th Anniversary of the ReformationIn 1517 Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the doors of the Cathedral in Wittenborg.
Work begins to restore Bristol Cathedral's Rose Window
First published 7th August 2017Work has begun to restore and repair Bristol Cathedrals Rose Window after an anonymous donor made a gift of 125,000, the largest philanthropic gift since the rebuilding of the Nave in the 1860s.
Bishop's bike ride to raise funds for Hope Bristol 2018
First published 20th July 2017Bishop Lee will be leading a group of seven cyclists around all the churches of North Wilts Deanery as they raise money for HOPE Bristol 2018, a five-day mission coming to Bristol next April.
DAC visit churches of special interest
First published 20th July 2017Once a year the Archdeacon arranges for the Diocesan Advisory Committee to visit churches of special interest which this year was an unusual group in central Bristol.
The Happiness Lab
First published 22nd November 2017On the day after the covenant for the Avonside Mission Area was signed, a dozen delegates for the Happiness Laboratory met for their first session in the Tithe Barn in Shirehampton.
Does Santa need a DBS check?
First published 21st November 2017With a little over a month until Christmas, some churches may be thinking of recruiting a volunteer Father Christmas for a Santas Grotto.
Advent and Christmas Prayers 2017
First published 21st November 2017Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming (adventus) of Christ in his incarnation, and also looks ahead to his final advent as judge at the end of time.This booklet of daily readings and prayers
Pilgrimage: Ancient Civilisations of Sicily
First published 20th July 2017Bishop Mike and the Archdeacon, Christine Froude, will lead a group of pilgrims on a tour of Sicily next year.Sicily has been conquered and settled by different peoples over thousands of years: Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Norma
Connections: Text a Prayer
First published 20th September 2017People in need of prayer can send their requests by text message to a mobile phone number set up by St Augustines Church, Swindon.
Social Justice Network launch
First published 6th November 2017Visible Discipleship: A Discussion Panel. How do we understand the relationship between social action and evangelism?
Expecting perfection - Revd Kat Campion-Spall
First published 31st October 2017In our latest blog, Revd Kat Campion-Spall, Associate Vicar of St Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol, thinks about how we aim for perfection.
Can the Church of England learn anything from British Cycling?
First published 21st September 2017In this months message Bishop Lee asks whether there is more to marginal gains than making small incremental changes.
Success for Bristol projects with Church Urban Fund grants
First published 20th July 2017Two local projects have successfully received grants from the Church Urban Funds Near Neighbours scheme.
Mission-Minded Christians invited to join inner city mission
First published 18th October 2017St Anne's Church Eastville in Bristol has established a Mission Team and is looking for mission-minded Christians, eager to be involved in exploring inner city mission with them.
What one thing can you do to increase church giving by 20%?
First published 20th July 2017Simple just sign up to the Parish Giving Scheme! When run alongside a church-wide giving review, gifts to the church increase on average by 20%. The scheme helps with static giving and reduces administration too.
Virtual 3D tour of Dauntsey church
First published 21st July 2017Virtual technology is giving a new view of the parish church in Dauntsey.
Bishop Lee: Wisdom for living
First published 17th May 2017Of proverbs, axioms, parables and wisdom for living.
Christian Aid award for dedicated fundraiser
First published 16th May 2017The energy and commitment of a Christian Aid supporter who attends St Mary's Church, Purton, has been recognised with a national award.
Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme
First published 16th May 2017The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) allows parishes to claim a Gift-Aid style repayment to be received on small cash and contactless donations of 20 or less.
Connections: Growing Leaders
First published 8th May 2017As people learn to serve and follow Christ, they will be looking for practical opportunities to use their gifts.
Connections: Lent Course
First published 5th May 2017Small groups are a great chance in the life of the church for people to share the opportunities and challenges they face in following Christ in all of life.
Safeguarding audit emphasises Diocese's culture and progress
First published 3rd May 2017An independent audit into safeguarding arrangements within the Diocese has highlighted the Dioceses culture of getting safeguarding right, commitment to ongoing improvement and quality of support to parishes.
Godparents' Sunday boosts family service
First published 28th April 2017Godparents Sunday is a response to research undertaken on behalf of the Archbishops Council looking at parents real experiences and expectations around the baptism of their child.
Rt Revd Michael Francis Perham 1947-2017
First published 19th April 2017The Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Revd Mike Hill, writes: Many including myself will be very sorry to hear of the death of Michael Perham who died earlier this week.
Obituary: Revd Pauline Wall
First published 25th April 2017Revd Canon Gwyn Owen has written a few words about Pauline Wall, who died recently: Revd Pauline Wall was a faithful servant of the Church. She was a Deacon for many years before ordained priest at Bristol Cathedral in 1994.
Changes to the Heritage Lottery Fund grants
First published 24th April 2017The Heritage Lottery Fund has announced major changes to the way in which churches apply for funding, including the closure of the Grants for Places of Worship scheme later this year.
Obituary: Tim Berry 1945 - 2017
First published 20th April 2017Tim Berry, the former registrar for the Diocese of Bristol, has died following a short illness. Tim was articled to the late Charles Wyndham Harris, and became a partner in Harris & Harris upon qualification as a solicitor in 1970.
Ordination Services 2017
First published 3rd July 2017The weekend of the 1 July saw the ordination of nine new deacons and seven new priests to serve across our Diocese in a variety of contexts.
The Great Get Together in honour of Jo Cox
First published 20th April 2017Churches, faith groups and community organisations are being invited to team up with Church Urban Funds Near Neighbours programme to host street parties, picnics and bake-offs in tribute to the late MP Jo Cox.
A living word which cannot be constrained
First published 12th July 2017This month Bishop Lee tells how one boys life is having a transforming impact for the Kingdom of God.
Rural Ministry - Strategies for mission
First published 12th July 2017The Archbishops Council of the Church of England has recently published a new report on rural mission and growth.
New book commemorates Bristol casualties in WW1
First published 10th April 2017In August 2014, Bristol Cathedral began telling the stories of some of the men from the Diocese of Bristol who died during the First World War, one for every month of the conflict.
Near Neighbours Grant Fund Relaunches for 2017
First published 10th July 2017The Near Neighbours small grants fund, run by the Church Urban Fund, has now reopened with new guidelines.
Statement following explosions at Coptic Churches in Egypt
First published 10th April 2017The Bishop of Bristol and all in the Diocese of Bristol offer their sincere condolences to His Grace and Coptic Christians throughout the world in the light of the bombing of Coptic Churches in Egypt.
Diocese of Bristol Peer Review
First published 1st March 2017The Diocese of Bristol participated in a peer review process in November 2016.
Obituary: The Revd Barry Trotter
First published 6th March 2017Many of you who have been in the Diocese for many years will be sad to hear that the Revd Barry Trotter died on 24 February 2017, aged 83.
Obituary: John Lloyd
First published 17th March 2017John Lloyd who was the Bishop of Bristols Press Officer until 2010, as well as the Diocesan Communications Officer for a number of years, died earlier today after a long battle with illness.
Starting with the end in mind
First published 9th March 2017Bishop Lee asks whether we can make Lent a season to create habits which help us form a more Christ-like character.
Parish Share: Growing through Faith
First published 20th June 2017It has been really encouraging to witness the number of parishes who have prayerfully committed to give generously in Parish Share to support the work and ministry of sister churches across the Diocese in 2017.
Pilot of contactless payments for church donations
First published 28th June 2017The Church of England has announced plans to trial "tap and go" contactless payment systems for donations.Starting this summer, around 40 churches will be equipped with handheld terminals to process card payments.
Shrouds of the Somme tribute to fallen
First published 14th November 2016An iconic installation commemorating soldiers who fell on the first day of the Battle of the Somme has come to Bristol.
An Invitation from the Church of England Youth Council
First published 31st March 2017The Church of England Youth Councils next event is in just 22 days time. This April CEYCs event is titled Thy Kingdom Come.
Martin Luther & the 500th Anniversary of the Start of the Reformation
First published 29th March 2017Martin Luther & the 500th Anniversary of the Start of the Reformation Bristol Anglo-German Society is pleased to invite you to hear the Right Revd Dr Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington.
Religious extremism and the shadow it casts
First published 29th March 2017In our culture it has become axiomatic to assert that religion has been the cause of wars throughout the ages.
Statement by Bishop Mike on the Peter Ball report
First published 23rd June 2017Statement by Bishop Mike on the publication of the independent report by Dame Moira Gibb into the Church's handling of the Bishop Peter Ball case.
Could your church building raise more income for your ministry?
First published 20th February 2017According to a new report from the Centre for Theology and Community (CTC), churches across the UK may be missing out on millions of pounds of potential income because church buildings are being left empty for most of the week.
Connect Session: One month on…
First published 22nd June 2017A month ago today, around 80 people gathered at St Michael's in Stoke Gifford to discuss funding options for their church projects.
HOPE at Easter
First published 20th March 2017HOPE is helping churches to make Jesus known this Easter with a new book, a short video and an explorers course.
Bristol DAC Awards 2018
First published 7th June 2018Each year the Diocesan Advisory Committee recognises a number of projects through its awards scheme.
Lord Joffe of Liddington
First published 21st June 2017The Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Revd Mike Hill, has said he is very sorry to learn of the death of Lord Joffe, a resident of the Diocese.
Creative Ideas for Wild Church
First published 12th October 2016This innovative and imaginative resource offers learning and worship activities and whole service outlines to help churchesand schools engage with the outside world and increase connectedness with the communities where they are placed.
Giving for Life: Are you continuing the journey?
First published 20th June 2017Giving for Life: Continuing the Journey is a helpful guide for PCC's to do a quick and easy health check of their parishes stewardship practices.
Connections: Season of Invitation
First published 5th May 2017Most people would not now come to church without an invitation from a friend - even if they had attended in the past.
Women's World Day of Prayer
First published 1st March 2017This Thursday (2 March) marks the annual Women's World Day of Prayer when more than 5,000 services will be held across the country on the theme of Am I Being Unfair to You?
Supporting Safeguarding service
First published 13th June 2017'Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute.' Proverbs 31:8Safeguarding officers and clergy from across the Diocese gathered in St Mary Redcliffe Church yesterday where they were thanked and commissioned by Bishop Mike
Statement by the Church of England on marriage in Scottish Episcopal Church
First published 9th June 2017Following the vote by the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church to change to its canon on marriage to include same-sex couples, a spokesperson for the Church of England said:
Thy Kingdom Come - Ten Days to Go
First published 12th May 2017Every day around the world God's people raise their voices in prayer for the coming of the Kingdom. It is for this we long for.
Diocesan Synod Report, March 2017
First published 17th March 2017The Diocesan Synod met on 4 March 2017 at Freshbrook Church Swindon.
Bishops' Visitations 2017
First published 19th May 2017Churchwardens from across the diocese gathered at three Visitations services during May to celebrate and affirm their ministry and formally take up their offices for another year.The services were led by Bishop Lee and included the legal sw
Connections: Alpha Course
First published 4th May 2017The Alpha course, which invites people to explore what the Christian faith means for them, has recently introduced The Alpha Film Series and Youth Film Series to engage with new people attending the sessions.
The Shrine Of Our Lady Of Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage
First published 25th May 2018Founded 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.
Hands project marks 1,300 years of church
First published 12th May 2017A community project marking the 1,300th anniversary of Holy Trinity Church in Westbury-on-Trym is nearing its final stages with the help of the villages primary school children.
Trev Meardon: God's calling
First published 16th March 2017My name is Trev Meardon and Im currently serving my curacy in Southmead at St Stephens church. Its a great community with a variety of things going on in the church and wider community. As the curate Im trying to get involved in as much as I can to g
Michelle Martin : God's calling
First published 16th March 2017My name is Michelle and I am 33 years old. I am currently the assistant curate in the East Bristol Partnership a role which I started in 2014. I work in a benefice of three different churches, joining in with the ministry and mission happening in t
Fight of the century - Global v National?
First published 13th February 2017As somebody once quipped: The future ain't what it used to be!To state the obvious, 2017 has certainly started with some glaring uncertainties.
Lucy Nagel: God's calling
First published 16th March 2017Who are you, where are you and what do you do?Hi! Im Lucy, I am currently the curate at Redland Parish Church in Bristol.Being a curate means lots of different things primarily, I am training to be a vicar, but that happens in lots of different ways
Let's Talk About … Dementia
First published 8th February 2017There are some subjects we try not to talk about one is dementia.
Creating connections...where next?
First published 10th February 2017How is your parish Making disciples, Growing leaders and Engaging with younger generations?
Engaging with Younger Generations Training Opportunities
First published 10th February 2017As part of the 'Creating connections' vision we have prioritised afresh Engaging with younger generations.
Bristol Diocese to join Parish Giving Scheme
First published 20th February 2017In September, Bristol Diocese is joining this nationwide scheme to support church giving.
RunAlpha 2017
First published 19th September 2017As we seek to Make disciples we must focus on evangelism, witness and inviting people to explore and respond to the Good News of Jesus Christ.
The Church at the Glastonbury Festival
First published 2nd June 2017Lee Barnes, Priest-in-Charge of Holy Trinity and St Stephens in Bristol, is a member of the Organising Committee at the Glastonbury Festival.
Jones Mutemwakwenda : God's Calling
First published 8th June 2017My name is Jones Mutemwakwenda. I am married to Gladys with four children. I am the Priest In Charge of All Hallows Easton an Anglo Catholic Church in the heart of Bristol. We are a welcoming, all aged community drawn from the parish, the Diocese and
Bishop's Letter; Enlarge your soul through grief and loss
First published 7th November 2013This month Bishop Lee shares how some telling questions have been enlarging his horizons and his soul.
South West Youth Ministry Training Day
First published 31st May 2018A day of inspiration, keynote sessions and expert workshops for line managers, mentors, youth workers and children's workers.
General Synod takes significant step towards welcoming women bishops
First published 20th November 2013General Synod says 'Yes' to new proposals to enable women bishops.
Stepping into evangelism
First published 27th May 2014This resource is a gift from God, via Church Army, to enable each of us to live out the most freeing, exciting and life-giving of mandates that God offers: to be witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Who is my Neighbour?
First published 3rd June 2014The Cathedral's project for Church schools, 'Who is My Neighbour?' saw the Travelling Chest make its way around nine of the Diocese's Church schools. On 21 May, over 220 children met in the Cathedral for a creative day of celebration and worship.
Bristol vicar goes over the top
First published 19th November 2014Bristol vicar, Rev Canon Nick Hay proved his dedication to tackling poverty when he not only abseiled 100ft down the Avon Gorge on Saturday 15 November, but also sang the nursery rhyme The Wheels on the Bus as he went down.
Kingswood churches launch Bristol's first Street Pastors
First published 22nd February 2011Members of churches in Kingswood are preparing to train as Street Pastors in order to care for others, especially young people, who find themselves in need of help in the town centre late at night.
Bishop's Letter; Discovering our true worth
First published 28th May 2013In this months letter, Bishop Mike argues the way the world around us measures our value is actually devaluing and reminds us of where our true value comes from and lies.
Becky Watts: statement from Bishop Mike
First published 4th March 2015Statement from the Rt Revd Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol, in response to the latest developments in the tragic Becky Watts investigation.
Bristol church raises over £8,000 to help feed hungry children
First published 29th April 2015More than 8,000 has been raised by a Bristol church to help feed hungry children in its parish.
Mentoring is not a one-way street
First published 13th November 2014Paul has helped me a lot. If it weren't for him, Id be back in prison now.
Whole Life Discipleship Workshops
First published 10th February 2017Whole-Life Discipleship for Churches New Programme of Workshops for Churches launching in September.Prioritising Making disciples.
New Church of England website launches
First published 16th November 2017The Church of England launched its new-look website this week. Adrian Harris, Head of Digital Communications at the Church of England, explains why a redesign was needed and what to expect from the new site.
What happens when six tough parishes get together?
First published 29th May 2013This fourth report from the 'Northern Ark' mission initiative in north Bristol outlines the developments over the last year and begins to see a way forward.
Trinity College principal appointed Chaplain to Queen
First published 23rd February 2016Buckingham Palace has announced that the principal of Trinity College Bristol, the Revd Dr Emma Ineson, has been appointed as a Chaplain to the Queen.
Children of Bristol, just like me
First published 18th May 2016Children of Bristol, just like me,is a project that was initially conceived and inspired by PeterOverton, Head teacher at Easton CE Academy in conjunction with Bristol Schools Connection (a charity that is passionate about creating intentional spaces.
