Tips for connecting with young people this summer

Tips for the summer by Barrie Voyce, Senior Youth Connector With the longer evenings and the sunshine, it’s great to be able to get outside more with our youth. WhilstContinue reading

Supporting children in the Y6 to Y7 transition

  Andy, our Youth Connector for Cheltenham, offer some guidance for Y6 to Y7 transition. SATs are finally over for Year 6, and thoughts turn to the move to secondaryContinue reading

“I’ve learned if you ever want something to go well, you pray first.”

Thursday 18 May saw the start of this year’s Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative. Worshipping communities are praying in various ways across the Diocese, from prayer breakfasts and walks toContinue reading

Praying Thy Kingdom Come in and around the Diocese of Gloucester

Thy Kingdom Come started on 18 May, here’s some examples of what’s happening in and around the Diocese of Gloucester to encourage and inspire you.     Prayer and worshipContinue reading

Message from Bishop Robert, 23 May 2023

These days, we are living between the feast of the Ascension, which we celebrated last Thursday, and Pentecost, which we will celebrate this coming Sunday, and they have a very particular feel to them.

Stand up to domestic abuse: Message from Bishop Rachel

A survey to understand the culture, behaviours, knowledge, and skills in the Church in terms of recognising and responding to domestic abuse

The Children’s Society supporting deaneries and parishes working with young people

Andrew Holt shares the work he is involved in supporting deaneries and parishes as Volunteer Diocesan Ambassador for The Children’s Society at the Diocese of Gloucester. “The Children’s Society providesContinue reading

Vicar’s son climbs Snowdon to raise funds for church

On 14 April, Dan, aged nine, from Quedgeley climbed a mountain in Snowdonia with his mum, raising £600 towards St James’ Church funds. Dan is the son of the RevdContinue reading

Risk assessments for activities with children and young people

Becca Faal, Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, and Barrie Voyce, Senior Youth Connector, discuss the benefit that safeguarding risk assessments bring to planning and running activities with children and young people. BarrieContinue reading

Bishop Rachel speaks out on Online Safety Bill

Bishop Rachel supported an amendment to the Online Safety Bill in the House of Lords seeking to protect women and girls online. Watch her full speech in the video belowContinue reading

Resources from Safe Spaces

Safe Spaces, the national Church-related abuse support service has created three new posters to print and display in your churches and church buildings. One of the posters includes a scannableContinue reading

Bird boxes grant takes off

Earlier this year, worshipping communities were invited to register interest in receiving bird boxes to install in their churchyards or wider community space as part of a block funding application.Continue reading

More children enjoying exercise thanks to Sportily

With National Sports Sunday having just passed, on 14 May, we at Sportily wanted to say a huge thank you to those of you that prayed for us and theContinue reading

Pat’s lifelong love of bell ringing

Church bells rang out across the country last weekend to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla. One Gloucestershire bell ringer shares her fascinating story of ringing bells for a number of historic royal occasions spanning 70 years.

Safeguarding training for bell ringers – a practical guide

Safeguarding training is often considered something for people who work with children, but it is a mandatory requirement for a variety of church roles and responsibilities such as volunteers, whichContinue reading

Message from Bishop Rachel, 16 May 2023

It is nearly a year since bishops from all over the world gathered for the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury. Among the highlights for me were our small groups in which we met a couple of times each day; and a day at Lambeth Palace on one of the hottest days of the year, focusing on climate change and hearing stark stories of the devastating impact on the lives of people and places across our world. One of the many contributors to that day was Christian Aid.

Take on the Big Pea Challenge for Christian Aid Week, 14–20 May 2023

Christian Aid Week (14–20 May) is a time when Christians of all denominations come together to raise funds to help others across the world. This year’s focus is on theContinue reading

Message from Bishop Robert, Tuesday 9 May

One of the few things I was known for by my headmaster at school was my ability to avoid the ball when it came to football. My school sporting careerContinue reading

New Cheeky Panda Resources for Thy Kingdom Come 2023

Pledge2Pray. 18 – 28 May 2023. Order resources for 2023 here Cheeky Pandas are back again for Thy Kingdom Come with lots of fun and engaging videos and activities toContinue reading

Birds and bugs benefit from wildlife grant at St James the Great, Dursley

A diocesan wildlife grant has enabled St James the Great, Dursley, to establish multiple projects in its urban gardens and grounds.

HRH The Princess Royal visits Gloucester Cathedral for The Big Help Out

On Monday 8 May, we welcomed HRH The Princess Royal to a special service of thanksgiving for our local volunteers at Gloucester Cathedral.

Royal visit to Cathedral for Big Help Out Day

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence to attend a special service at Gloucester Cathedral as part of the Coronation celebrations

Coronation Day of King Charles III

Join us in prayer on the Coronation Day of King Charles III.

Blue plaque reveals more about Christian leader George Whitefield

A blue plaque commemorating the life of influential evangelist George Whitefield, has been updated to give a more rounded account of his life story. The sign that sits on theContinue reading

Knife Angel Legacy Programme offers young people music platform

In February, the nationally touring Knife Angel sculpture came to Gloucester Cathedral. The sculpture, made from over 100,000 seized blades, was created to highlight the negative effects of violent behaviour andContinue reading

Inspiring young people to lead, today

Every young person has the potential to lead and influence those around them, so the Diocese of Gloucester’s Youth Connect Team is launching a programme to encourage inspiring leadership inContinue reading

New Pioneer Evangelist joins Gloucester Centre of Mission

The Diocese of Gloucester and Church Army are pleased to announce that the Revd Sonya Newton has been appointed as Pioneer Evangelist with the Gloucester Centre of Mission, working inContinue reading

Message from Bishop Rachel, 2 May 2023

Last week, Bishop Robert shared some reflections on the Coronation and the truth that ‘the formation of our society needs the participation of us all’. Now that the details of the Coronation have been made public, we can see that this is fully reflected in the liturgy and events of this weekend.

New Diocesan Director of Education

Jane Borgeaud, Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Winchester, has been appointed as the new Director of Education for the Diocese of Gloucester.

Andrew Zihni installed as the 39th Dean of Gloucester

Gloucester Cathedral has held a special service to formally welcome The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni as the new Dean.

Children’s book explains issues around bats in churches

Bats in Churches has published its first ever children’s book to explain the benefits and challenges of bats roosting in churches. The Bats in Churches project was formed in 2018,Continue reading

Bats in Churches: Pew cleaning and waxing workshop at St Mary’s, Edgeworth

St Mary’s Church, Edgeworth, is one of a small group of churches working with the Bats in Churches Project to survey its bat populations and come up with solutions toContinue reading

Message from Bishop Robert, 25 April 2023

What is it that makes this country? There are of course a number of answers to that question, and none of them are mutually exclusive. Our history and our geography play a large part. Those features have been in part responsible for shaping our institutions of government nationally and locally

Blog from Christian Climate Action’s ‘The Big One’

The Revd Dr Cate Williams blogs about attending Christian Climate Action’s London demonstration, a peaceful and lawful climate protest which took place on Friday 21 April 2023. “The Big OneContinue reading

Celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III in the Diocese of Gloucester

Worshipping communities across the country are marking the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort in a variety of ways.

Here we share some of the events and activities happening in and around the Diocese of Gloucester.

Message from Bishop Robert, 18 April 2023

This coming Sunday at 3pm we will be welcoming Canon Andrew Zihni as the 39th Dean of Gloucester. The eagle-eyed will notice that he comes as the Dean of Gloucester – his ministry while rooted in the life of the Cathedral is not restricted to it! As the Dean, he is the senior priest of the Diocese and shares with Bishop Rachel, with me and her whole staff in the leadership and care we together seek to offer to the whole Diocese.