Clergy housing emergency cover
Church House will be closed from lunchtime on Wednesday 23 December and will re-open on Monday 4 January 2021. In the event of a clergy housing emergency, please contact one of the two named contractors.
News
Comfort and Joy across the diocese
As Christmas approaches, we wanted to give you a taste of some of the different ways parishes around the Diocese of Chester are sharing comfort and joy with congregations and the wider community.
Everyday prayer in a pandemic
How have parishes adapted their prayer lives during the pandemic? Archdeacon Mike and Emily Allen, Church Buildings Missioner, discuss this and hear from three parishes about the ways they've shared prayer in 2020.
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Thanks for supporting our young people
In this Church House Blog, Jonathan Masters, Children and Families Missioner, thanks those who have worked with and supported children, young people and families with their parish this year.
Can I pray for you?
Emily Allen, Church Building Missioner, says prayer is a gift we can all give freely with those we love and know, as well as those we don’t, and encourages us to be bolder and braver in offering prayer to others this Christmas time.
Macclesfield church opens food club
Churches are increasingly involved in running and supporting food clubs – often known as pantries – helping families to cut their food bills amid the long-term economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
Christmas reflection from Archdeacon Ian
Writing in the December edition of Chester Diocesan News, the Archdeacon of Macclesfield, Ian Bishop, finds there is comfort and joy to be found this Christmas if we put our faith in God.
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Starry Starry Night at Chester Cathedral
A magnificent art installation called 'Starry Starry Night ' by Peter Walker, designed as a stunning visual interpretation of the Star of Bethlehem is now open to the public at Chester Cathedral.
Driving a Drive-in Carol Service
This was to be a story about a simple carol service, but instead, it turned out to be a great example of how a church that engages with the community on a long term basis can be very worthwhile for both the church and for the community.
Chester Diocesan News out now
The Christmas edition of the Chester Diocesan News is now available, which includes a reflection from The Archdeacon of Macclesfield and a feature on the 'Comfort and Joy' Christmas campaign.
Bishop and wife read story for adopted children
Bishop Mark and his wife Lindsay have recorded themselves reading a children's book in support of "Your Christmas", the Christmas campaign from adoption agency and children's charity, Adoption Matters.
Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival sees stars
Chester Cathedral's famous Christmas Tree Festival returns, with over 40 trees decorated by schools, local businesses and charities. The Dean says he wants it to bring "joy and hope" to Chester and beyond.
Outdoor congregational carol singing permitted
The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, has welcomed guidance from the Government permitting outdoor singing for places of worship in all tiers in England from 02 December.
Wallasey Unleashed
On Friday 27 November, the Revd Elaine White, curate in Liscard, Wallasey and her team, broadcast their inaugural TV show, 'Wallasey Unleashed'. Watch a recording of the live stream again on YouTube.
The ultimate online advent calendar
To bring some Christmas cheer this Advent, the dioceses of Chester, Manchester and Sheffield have teamed together to launch the Ultimate Online Advent Calendar, to be used in youth groups and schools.
A poem for advent
The Revd Steve Sheridan, the vicar of Chester St Oswald & St Thomas of Canterbury, has composed a poem for Advent about the symbolism of the Advent candles. The poem is titled "The Advent Wreath"
Public worship permitted from 02 December
The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, has welcomed the publication of the Government's Covid-19 Winter Plan, detailing that places of worship will be permitted to reopen for public worship from 02 December.
Comfort and Joy - Christmas Campaign
Created by the National Church of England, this year’s Christmas campaign, called ‘Comfort and Joy’ aims to bring some festive cheer to people and churches everywhere. A wealth of digital and print content is available.
Lockdown walking
After following in the footsteps of one of Antrobus' more famous former parishioners, Arnold Boyd of Antrobus, the Revd Alec Brown was inspired to put pen to paper and write a poem called 'Lockdown Walking'.
What has the lockdown done for us?
If we can find the positives in lockdown it is that we have been enabled to prioritise things in ways that we've never been able to before. In a short video, Revd Canon Elaine Chegwin Hall offers her thoughts on the lockdown.
Future of Transforming Lives Together
Transforming Lives Together, the joint initiative between the Diocese of Chester and the Church Urban Fund is to pause all activities due to a shortage of guaranteed funding, forcing the Board to “re-evaluate the immediate futureâ€.
Foxhill to pause all residential activities
Foxhill has announced it has paused all residential activities until the 1st September 2021. Day events will continue once restrictions have been lifted. Foxhill Director, Jonathon Green, said the decisions have been made with a "heavy heart".
Diocesan thanks to Allchurches Trust
The Diocesan Secretary, George Colville, has expressed his gratitude and thanks to Allchurches Trust for its annual grant of just over £160,000 which is given to the Diocesan Board of Finance.Â
Disabled Christians talking about their faith
This week marks 25 years since the UK’s Disability Discrimination Act was passed in parliament. To mark the occasion, the Diocese of Chester is publishing a series of interviews with Christians who are themselves disabled.
Living in Love and Faith resources
The Church of England has published a landmark set of resources drawing together the Bible, theology, science and history with powerful real-life stories as it embarks on a new process of discernment and decision-making.
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New lockdown guidance for churches
The Church of England has published new guidance on its website. The document aims to help clergy and church leaders navigate to the sources of information to help parishes make decisions at a local level.
Quiet acts of remembrance and mourning
Last month, the Revd Jenny Bridgman unveiled a memorial stone dedicated to all lives lost through miscarriage, abortion and stillbirth. Since then, people from across the diocese have come to express their own quiet acts of remembrance.
#PrayerForTheNation
Bishop Mark has joined with the Archbishops and other senior church leaders to invite Christians across the nation to participate in a month of prayer as the second lockdown in England comes into force.
Be "calm, courageous and compassionate"
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have invited the nation to join them in prayer, in a message encouraging "calm, courageous and compassionate" responses to the difficulties of the second national lockdown in England.
Connecting without the internet
As we enter another period of lockdown some churches will be re-employing their newfound skills to continue their worship online. But the traditional telephone still has a part to play in keeping in touch with members of the community.
