The fifth horseman

A Let it Grow sign in a patch of tall grass

The Bishop of Oxford speaks on the need for the Church not just to conserve but to restore the natural world intentionally in the years ahead.

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Grace and Responsibility

We held a consultation on parish share for people across the Diocese this morning.  Parish share is the financial contribution each parish makes to the Diocese to finance ministry costs and central expenses.  We're in the middle of a review…

A Sermon for Christmas

Happy Christmas everyone.  This is my Christmas sermon from 2012, from the Midnight Eucharist at Sheffield Cathedral. Christmas Sermon 2012 24th December, 2012 in Sheffield Cathedral Isaiah 9.2-7 and Luke 2.1-14 Some powerful words from…

Advent reflections on a strange season

It’s been a strange season for the Church of England as most people reading this will know.  I think I have to go back around 20 years or so to find a similar time.  We’ve been rocked by the women bishops debate, unable to respond effectively…

Address to Diocesan Synod

The Sheffield Diocesan Synod met this morning just a few days after the General Synod debate on the Measure to enable women to be ordained as bishops.  At most Diocesan Synods, the Bishop gives a Presidential Address.  This is my address from…

A difficult day at the General Synod

What happened? Today was not a good or easy day.  After seven hours of debate and well over a hundred speeches the General Synod did not approve the Measure to enable women to be consecrated as bishops in the Church of England. The Bishops…

St. Hilda and the General Synod

Today is St. Hilda's day and I'm on a train this morning travelling to London to the General Synod.  The Synod is due to debate and vote tomorrow on the Measure to enable women to be made Bishops in the Church of England. The vote has been…

Remembrance in Rotherham

Highlights of the week included a visit to the primary school in the village of Laughton on Tuesday.  The school is the oldest school still in existence in South Yorkshire and celebrated its 400 birthday this year.  It doesn't surprise me…

A powerful and helpful prayer

Every once in a while I come across a prayer which helps me pray.   I normally stay with it for a while, trying to use it every day.  Sometimes I paste it into the prayers I say each week. A few weeks ago, I found a prayer of St. Augustine…

Goodbye to Rome

We leave Rome in a couple of hours.  The Synod concluded on Sunday morning with a Mass in St. Peter's with the Pope presiding.  Pope Benedict spoke from the gospel reading about the healing of Bartimaeus.  According to Augustine, the fact…