Bishop John forthcoming appts

Below are details of a number of Bishop John’s engagements happening over the next couple of weeks. If you would like further information, or would like to send a photographer, please contact Sam Setchell on 07852 302516 or the relevant local contact.

10.45am – a visit to the Salvation Army and the Punchbowl
11.30am – visiting the Jellybeans playgroup at the Community Centre
12.15am – lunch with those who attend Chelmsford Court and Lincoln Green Fellowship
1pm – a visit to Perry Wood School.

Saturday 9 May – rededication of the tower at St. Mary’s Church in Offenham

At 4pm, Bishop John will lead a special service to rededicate the tower outside of the church (weather permitting). £53,000 has been spent to completely re-roof the top of the tower and add new stone parapets, with the money being raised by a community fundraising team, plus major grants from English Heritage, Worcestershire and Dudley Historic Churches’ Trusts and National Churches’ Trust. The church is also hoping to hold a teddy-bear zip-wire challenge on the day!

Sunday 10 May – celebration of the 1300 Anniversary of the founding of Evesham Abbey.

At 3pm Bishop John will lead an ecumenical service in Evesham Parish Church followed by a pig roast and fair in the churchyard. Over this weekend there will also be a Flower Festival in St Lawrence Church. Bishop John will be talking about sacred place in relationship to the Benedictine foundations of the Abbey. This is a key area of interest for the Bishop who has written a book entitled: ‘A Christian Theology of Place’.

Bishop John will visit the Worcester branch of the Samaritans at 11.30am, meeting with staff and volunteers. He will discover how the Samaritans offer their service of care and support to anyone going through emotional distress, despair or suicidal feelings. Bishop John has shown a particular interest in the Samaritans’ involvement in Hewell Grange Prison where Samaritans train inmates to become Listeners to other inmates. A Samaritan training day will take place during the Bishop’s visit and he will observe how Samaritans are trained in active listening skills.

Tuesday 12 May – service of thanksgiving at St John the Baptist Church, Eldersfield

At 7.30pm, Bishop John will preach at Choral Evensong to celebrate the completion of a three-year, £200,000 project to restore the organ, spire, tower and bells of the church which has stood at the heart of the Eldersfield community for more than 800 years. The service will be led by the Revd Mike Rogers.

(Further details of the work completed at Eldersfield are available from the Revd Mike Rogers on 01684 833230)

Bishop John will host a communion service to say thank you to all the retired clergy who still serve in the diocese and recommission them in their current roles.

The Diocese of Worcester is one of 44 dioceses in the Church of England. It covers an area of 671 square miles and includes parishes in the County of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and a few parishes in northern Gloucestershire, south east Wolverhampton and Sandwell.