A Prayer for the School Year
God of gentleness and love
Draw near to us as we draw near to you
Dwell in every heart and conversation
Help us to be more like Jesus.
Help us to discern all that you are calling us to be
And all that you are calling us to do
Assist us, by your Spirit, to become more contemplative,
More compassionate and more courageous
For the building of your kingdom and the glory of your Son
Amen
Bishop Steven
Towards a Common Vision: Called to be Christ-like
Bishop Steven explains the Towards a Common Vision process:
"Our world faces many challenges and as such, the world and our nation need us to be the best Church we can be in such a time as this.
"During my deanery visits I have found an appetite for a fresh vision and strategy across the diocese and a desire to work together to create that vision in the coming months. As our communities change we must decide where our new priorities lie.
"I’ve met over 2000 people who have shared their thoughts with me, and I have spoken of my hope that we can become a more Christ-like Church. This has resonated very deeply with people. The Beatitudes in Matthew’s gospel speak to us very clearly about what it means to be a Christ-like Church: we are called to be contemplative, compassionate and courageous in all we attempt together.
"In May 120 people from across the diocese came together for a conference: Towards a Common Vision where we started the process of developing ideas about what kind of church we are called to be and what we are called to do together.
"At the conference, I gave three reflections based on the story of the raising of Lazarus on what it means to be a contemplative, compassionate and courageous church.
"We did some initial work on six possible strategic priority areas, and there are resources... to help you become part of the conversation about our areas of focus for the next seven years.
"Please continue to pray with me that we continue to become more contemplative, compassionate and courageous and that we put Christ at the heart of everything we do as we move forward together."
Serving our Schools
Conference Workshop feedback and reflections from Bishop Alan, Bishop of Buckingham, and Fiona Craig, Director of Education.
