Please plan to attend our Diocesan Gathering, at the Cathedral on the afternoon of Sunday 4th September to connect and reconnect with others throughout our diocese, and to learn about and celebrate what is going on around the world among our partners! 

Like the last Gathering we had, in October 2019, everyone is invited to come to the Cathedral following their Sunday morning worship!

Bring a picnic lunch (teas and coffees will be provided) around 1.30pm and visit displays from around the Diocese.

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 17.00 until 17.45.

Please ensure that your congregation know they are invited, distribute the poster below and share this event link.

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.

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 this form if you would like to display your congregations’ links with the worldwide church or 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!