Please plan to attend our next Diocesan Gathering, at the Cathedral on the afternoon of Sunday 4th September.

Like the last Gathering we had, in October 2019, everyone is invited to come to the Cathedral following their Sunday morning worship, and to bring a picnic lunch (teas and coffees will be provided) around 1.30pm.

Displays from around the Diocese can be viewed from 1.30pm and throughout the day.

From 2.30pm there will be activities and a plenary session, and at the end of the afternoon there will be tea.

The Gathering will close with Choral Evensong, from 17.00 until approximately 17.45.From 2.30pm there will be activities and at the end of the afternoon there will be tea. The Gathering will close with Evensong, from 16.45 to 17.30.

Please ensure that your congregation know they are invited, and post and distribute the poster below.

This will be a ‘Global Gathering’ at which Bishop Ian Paton will give the Diocese a report about the Lambeth Conference, taking place in Canterbury at the end of July into early August. We hope that our partner bishops from Amazonia and Calcutta will join us by video link – they will not be able to visit us before Lambeth as they did last time, because of Covid.

The theme of Lambeth this year is ‘God’s Church for God’s World.’ Please let your congregation know about the Lambeth Conference website – www.lambethconference.org – where there is much more information about the theme, the scripture set for the conference  (1 Peter), and a guide to praying for the Conference and the Bishops who are coming from all around the world to attend.

IMPORTANT INVITATION FOR YOUR CONGREGATION’S PARTICIPATION:

Our Global Gathering will be about more than Lambeth, as Bishop Ian hopes that every church in the Diocese will  come prepared with some photos and stories to contribute to an exhibition around the Cathedral celebrating any links they have with the worldwide Church. These can be ‘official’, but also personal links people have made. Bishop Ian hopes there could be many to be seen on 4th September.

Please complete a registration form here if you can contribute to the exhibition display with your own stories or materials about your congregation’s engagement with the worldwide church!

And please get in touch if you have any ideas or suggestions for the Global Gathering.

Bishop Ian looks forward to seeing you and many of your congregation on 4th September!