JOURNAL OF BLACKBURN DIOCESE : THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IN LANCASHIRE

THE

See MAGAZINE

AUGUST 2018

The See can also be found on the Diocesan Website: www.blackburn.anglican.org under News, or scan the ‘QR code’ on the back page

with your smartphone to be taken to the Diocese website page which contains the current and archive editions of The See.

The Installation Service for Rt Rev. Dr Jill Duff, our new Bishop of Lancaster, took place at Blackburn Cathedral on July 3 after the Consecration Service at York Minster the previous Friday (June 29).

See back page for a full report on the Consecration and page 3 for Bishop Jill’s reflections on the occasion.

At the installation the new Bishop delivered her first sermon in the Diocese.

And what a sermon it was – with a theme of calling on people to join God’s ‘winning team’ and based on Luke’s Gospel Chapter 24, v9-32.

The full sermon is available to watch as a video on our Diocesan YouTube channel along with a separate video of service highlights – search online for YouTube and Blackburn Diocese.

Further articles and news updates on the Diocesan website: www.blackburn. anglican.org

Pictures are also available to view on our Flickr feed – search online for Flickr and Blackburn Diocese

Speaking passionately about her hopes for the County Bishop Jill said: “I want everyone to hear about the Risen Lord in their ‘own language’; in a way they can understand from people they can relate to as their own.”

Bishop Jill continued: “In the same way, as Lancashire has beacon sites across the hills, I’d also love to see people who are beacons for Jesus across the County.

“People who are fully alive with the Spirit because they are in love with Jesus are therefore able to speak naturally about Him in their churches, schools, colleges, workplaces, football clubs … everywhere!”

On women Bishops, the five guiding principles and ‘mutual flourishing’, Bishop Jill said: “I have loved working with Bishop Philip over the past 18 months and we are good friends who don’t agree on just one aspect of our ministry. But there is so much more that unites than divides us.”

Hundreds of people, including many clergy and parishioners from across the county; civic dignitaries and Bishop Jill’s friends and family watched and participated in the Installation Service.

The service was led by the Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev. Julian Henderson who was assisted by the Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev. Philip North.

Bishop Jill grew up in Bolton. She is married to Rev. Prof. Jeremy Duff, Principal of the St Padarn’s Institute in the Church in Wales and they have two sons - Robbie, aged 13 and Harry, 10, all of whom were at the Cathedral to support Bishop Jill.

A reading was given by a former student of St Mellitus, Rev. Hannah Boyd, now serving as a curate at St Mark’s Layton and St Luke’s, Staining, in our Diocese while Danny Royle, a current St Mellitus student, was on hand to symbolically light the first of Bishop Jill’s ‘beacons’.

There was also a song from the school choir of Salesbury Church of England School and prayers were said by Diocesan Young Leaders Alex Critchley from Blackburn and Emily Hilton from the Fylde Coast.

Bishop Jill calls out ‘beacons’ in her first sermon

One amazing God; one amazing week! See pages 2 & 4

Danny Royle, a St Mellitus student, lights the first of Bishop Jill’s ‘beacons’ during the Installation Service

Pictured after the service are (l-r) The Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev. Julian Henderson; Robbie Duff; The Bishop of Lancaster, Rt Rev. Dr Jill Duff; Harry Duff; The Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev. Philip North and Rev. Prof. Jeremy Duff.

Young leader Emily Hilton leads the congregation in prayer

Top picture - the Archbishop of York; Archbishop of Wales; more than 40 Bishops from across the Church of England and newly-consecrated Rt Rev. Dr Jill Duff, with her family outside the West Door of York Minster on the day of her Consecration. Bottom picture shows this year's cohort of 19 Deacons and Priests in relaxed mood before leaving for their pre-ordination retreat at Whalley Abbey.

ORDINATIONS

A GP; a teaching assistant; a bookseller; a call centre worker; a professional musician and a construction worker.

These are just some of the former or current jobs of the latest cohort of 19 new priests and deacons – known as ‘ordinands’ – most of whom were ordained in late June and early July after going on retreat to the Diocesan Retreat and Conference Centre at Whalley Abbey.

There are eight Deacons and 11 Priests, many under the age of 40. Twelve of their number are men and seven are women. The oldest is 68 and the youngest (two candidates) are 29.

You can watch a video on our YouTube channel featuring some of the ordinands (search online for YouTube and Blackburn Diocese)

Read more about all of the ordinands in our news coverage on the Diocesan website: www.blackburn.anglican.org

View picture albums on our Diocesan Flickr feed – (search online for Flickr and Blackburn Diocese)

The new Deacons and Priests will serve, or continue to serve, across Lancashire. The youngest candidates are deacons: Rebecca Feeney, who will serve at St Wilfrid’s Church,

Standish and Chris Dingwall-Jones, who will serve at St. Peter and St. David, Fleetwood. The oldest candidate is Stephen Large, continuing to serve at St Cuthbert’s Burnley with St Luke’s Brierfield.

All the ordinands have willingly responded to God’s call on their lives and are ready and eager to get to work in their parishes to help fulfil our ‘Vision 2026: ‘Healthy Churches Transforming Communities’.

On Saturday June 30 at Blackburn Cathedral the Rt Rev. Philip North, Bishop of Burnley, ordained the eight Deacons while Diocesan Bishop, Rt Rev. Julian Henderson, Bishop of Blackburn, ordained eight of the Priests at services in the morning and afternoon.

There were two further services for two more ordinands in parishes over the following two days. Thomas Woolford was ordained Priest by the Bishop of Blackburn at Blackpool, Bispham All Hallows on Sunday July 1, while Aiden Edwards was ordained Priest by the Bishop of Burnley at St Annes on Sea, St Anne on Monday July 2.

A final ordination will take place a bit later in the year, when Judith Smith will be ordained as a Priest by Bishop Julian at Hornby St Margaret on Sunday, September 30, at 10.45am.

Bishop Julian said: “We pray those

ordained deacon and priest would exercise a faithful and Christ-honouring ministry and that their obedience to His call may inspire others to listen and discover their vocation, whether lay or ordained.”

“God is always asking, whom shall I send? So, it is always a humbling moment for me as a Bishop to be able to ordain men and women who have responded to His call to serve His church.”

Bishop Philip added: “Every year we see a new group of men and women of all ages responding to God’s call to

become a Priest or Deacon in His church. It was an exciting time for all of them and for their parishes across Lancashire.”

The Bishops were joined at the services by The Dean of Blackburn, The Very Rev. Peter Howell-Jones; the Archdeacon of Blackburn, The Venerable Mark Ireland and the Archdeacon of Lancaster, The Venerable Michael Everitt, as well as representatives from parishes across Lancashire and family and friends of the ordination candidates.

Deacons and Priests

respond to God’s call

Priests

Christopher Anderton, Blackburn The Redeemer

Samuel Cheesman, Anchorsholme All Saints

Alice Cole, Lower Darwen, St James and Over Darwen, St James w Hoddlesden St Paul

Claire Cooke, Lancaster St Thomas

Munawar Din, Blackburn Christ Church with St Matthew

Paul McNally, Accrington St James and St Paul

Victor Sohail, Great Marsden St John and Nelson St Philip

Stephen Large, Burnley St Cuthbert and Brierfield St Luke

Thomas Woolford, Bispham All Hallows

Aiden Edwards, St Annes on Sea, St Anne

Judith Smith, Hornby w Claughton and Whittington and Arkholme and Gressingham (Judith will be ordained in September)

Deacons

Michael Clayton, Preston St Cuthbert Fulwood

Rebecca Feeney, Standish St Wilfrid

Karen Herschell, Ribchester, Hurst Green and Mitton

Christopher Dingwall-Jones, Fleetwood St Peter and St David

Jonathon Wei Sing Lee, Ashton-on-Ribble St Andrew

Barbara Pack, Blackburn St Aidan and Blackburn St Luke, St Mark and St Philip

Emma Swarbrick, Blackpool Holy Trinity South Shore and St Peter South Shore

Adam Thomas, Lytham St Cuthbert

The sun’s rays are dappled on woodwork as they shine through the iconic Lantern Tower at Blackburn Cathedral behind the 2018 cohort of new Priests and Deacons for The Church of England in Lancashire; with Rt Rev. Julian Hen-derson, Bishop of Blackburn, front third from left and Rt Rev. Philip North, Bishop of Burnley, front, second from right.

Pictured after the Priests' service of ordination at Blackburn Cathedral are (l-r) The Dean of Blackburn, The Very Rev. Peter Howell Jones; Alice Cole; The Archdeacon of Blackburn, the Venerable Mark Ireland; Stephen Large; Munawar Din; the Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev. Julian Henderson; Victor Sohail; the Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev. Philip North; Chris Anderton; Claire Cooke; Sam Cheesman; Paul McNally and the Archdeacon of Lancaster, the Venerable Michael Everitt

Pictured after the service of ordination for Tom Woolford at Bispham all Hallows are (l-r) the Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev. Julian Henderson; Tom Woolford; Rev. Canon Dr Simon Cox, Rector of Bispham and Blackpool Area Dean and the Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev. Philip North.

Pictured after the service of ordination for Aiden Edwards at St Annes on Sea, St Anne are (l-r) the Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev. Philip North, Aiden Edwards and the Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev. Julian Henderson

Pictured after the Deacons' service of ordination at Blackburn Cathedral are (l-r) Diocesan Registrar, Rev. Paul Benfield; the Archdeacon of Lancaster, the Venerable Michael Everitt; Michael Clayton; Rebecca Feeney; Christopher Dingwall-Jones; the Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev. Julian Henderson; Adam Thomas; the Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev. Philip North; Jonathan Wei Sing Lee; Emma Swarbrick; Karen Herschell; Barbara Pack; The Archdeacon of Blackburn, the Venerable Mark Ireland and The Dean of Blackburn, The Very Rev. Peter Howell Jones.

PEOPLE AND PLACES

News

Rev. Nick McKee has been appointed as Diocesan Director of Vocations. He has served in the Diocese of Manchester since Ordination and is currently Vicar of St Paul’s, Astley Bridge; Area Dean of Walmsley and is a member of General Synod. He has been responsible for overseeing a highly successful church plant on the Oldhams Estate which was the inspiration for a recent SDF Application in Manchester Diocese. His new post, thanks to a capacity building grant from the Church Commissioners, is a full-time one which will encompass both lay and priestly leadership. Nick is likely to start at the end of July and will be licensed early in September.

This year’s 2018 Bishop’s Harvest Appeal will support agricultural programmes in Sierra Leone, where your gift will enable the Kids in Kailahun project to give orphaned children the skills and resources to make a good living from the land; and the Amazon part of Brazil, marginalised Quilombola (ex-slave) communities will be helped to make the most of the Brazil nut harvest and protect a vital part of the world environment. You can find out more about the beneficiaries of the Appeal on the diocesan website: www.blackburn. anglican.org alongside links to resources and further contact details.

The Mustard Seed Group from the parish church of St Peter and St David, Fleetwood, came to Whalley Abbey again recently to help manage the Abbey grounds. It was the second year in a row they had offered to help, alongside regular Abbey volunteers, and they spent almost a full week in the grounds working alongside head gardener John. They were provided with free board and lodging and Christine Nelson, Abbey Manager, thanks them for their hard work.

Forthcoming events

Archdeacon Mark leads the next Reading Day at Whalley Abbey on Wednesday August 15. There is no charge for the day, but you need to book in before you come. To book please email Whalley Abbey at office@whalleyabbey.org and email the Archdeacon’s secretary, Kelly Quinn on kelly. quinn@blackburn.anglican.org to advise of your attendance.

Advanced notice of a Holy Land Pilgrimage 2019. Thursday 28 March to Thursday 4 April 2019. Details from Rev Peter Lillicrap: 01253 392895 or email: peterlillicrap@gmail.com

Organ Recitals will be held at St Andrew’s Church, Liverpool Road, Longton, Preston PR4 5AA. 17 August, Dr Kevin Morgan Stonyhurst College; 19 September, Sean Montgomery from Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire; 19 October, Michael Anthony from Bulwell Church, Nottingham. Recitals start at 7.30pm. Tickets £6 including refreshments and sold at the door on the night. Further details contact joan.doerich@gmail.com

St Leonard's Church, Whalley Road, Langho BB6 8AB, is holding a Flower Festival on the theme of 'Memories' on Friday/Saturday 7/8 September, 10am to 4pm and Sunday 9 September from 12pm culminating in a Songs of Praise service at 4pm. Refreshments available, raffle and auction. Admission £5. For further details contact Rev Tracy Swindells: revtswindells@aol.com or 01254 247039.

St John's Church, Church Square, Worsthorne, Burnley BB10 3NH will be holding its annual Art and Crafts Fair from Saturday 28 July to Sunday 5 August. Around 40 craft stalls plus paintings by local artists, also musical entertainment on weekday evenings. Refreshments available throughout the week. The fair runs between 2pm and 8.30pm each day and admission is £1 for adults and is free for accompanied children.

Cirencester’s Royal Agricultural University in the Cotswolds will be the venue for this year’s Annual

Conference of the Prayer Book Society (PBS) which encourages rediscovery and use of the majesty and spiritual depth of Thomas Cranmer’s Book of Common Prayer (BCP). More details on the three-day event (September 20-22) can be found at www.pbs.org.uk

Lunchtime Organ Recitals, St Mary Magdalene’s church, Church Street, Clitheroe BB7 2DD. On 4 September and 2 October. Musical Director David Thornton and guest organists will perform specially selected music. There is no charge - voluntary donations are welcome

Oberammergau Passion Play. Rev Jonathan Carmyllie will be leading a group to Austria and Oberammergau between the June 24 and July 1, 2020. Anyone interested in finding out more about the trip should contact Jonathan on 01254 824679 or email j.carmyllie@btinternet.com

Get yourself and people from your church booked on to the latest communications and marketing advice day which takes place on October 20, 2018 at the Diocesan Offices, Clayton House, Walker Business Park, Blackburn BB1 2QE from 10.30am until 3.30pm. ‘Get Your Church Noticed’ gives practical, common sense ideas for promoting your church, its mission work and activities in your immediate local area. More information and booking details on the Diocesan website events area.

Monthly charity keyboard concerts with a different Top UK performer each month are to be held at Midge Hall Church, Longmeanygate, Leyland, PR26 6TD at 7:30pm. Entrance is £5 and refreshments at interval (£1 donation to the church). Forthcoming concerts are Monday 27 August with Ian Griffin from Wales for the Christie Melanoma Team and Monday 24 September with Steve Hubble from Dorset for Heartbeat. For more information ring Cathy on 07977 519597.

Organ Recitals will be held at St Andrew’s Church, Liverpool Road, Longton, Preston PR4 5AA on the following dates. Friday 17 August, Dr Kevin Morgan from Stonyhurst College; Friday 21 September, Sean Montgomery from Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire and Friday 19 October, Michael Anthony from Bulwell Church, Nottingham. Tickets £6 sold on the door on the night, includes refreshments. Start at 7:30pm. For further information contact joan.doerich@gmail.com

Saturday, September 22 at 7.30pm, in St. Silas Parish Rooms, Preston New Rd; come and experience ‘It’s Magic’ at St. Silas. Tickets are £10 for adults; £5 for children under 16, to include refreshments and are available to be booked by email; stsilasorganfund@email.com or by telephone, 01254 52070.

Organ Recitals in August at Preston Minster, Church Street, Preston PR1 3BU. Start at 1pm and run for 50 minutes. Free entry/ retiring collection. Wednesday 8 August, Peter Morrison; Wednesday 22 August, Sam Austin and Wednesday 29 August, David Price. Wednesday 1 and 15 August to be announced.

St Anne’s Parish Church, St Anne’s on Sea, Grand Reunion. Do you have a connection to the parish? Whatever your connection we want to meet you in church on Saturday 15 September, 1.30pm to 4pm. There are old church records and magazines to view. Refreshments will be provided. Please bring your own photos and memorabilia with you. We look forward to seeing you.

Annual Flower Festival ‘Water’ at Christ Church, Glasson LA2 0BS. To be held on 25, 26 and 27 August. Stalls and refreshments. Open 10am to 5pm. Contact Rev Gary Lewis at Sunday Service at 6pm.

Situations vacant or wanted

Organist and Director of Music; September 2018; Contract: Permanent; St Peter’s Church, Salesbury. We seek a gifted and collaborative musician to join our team here in Salesbury. We have a fine Harrison and Harrison organ, which was restored in 2010, and our robed choir is affiliated to the RSCM. Remuneration for this post will be negotiable. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check. For more information, please contact: Rev. Martin Duerden; 01254 248072; martinduerden@hotmail.com

Free Gratis to a good home/chapel/church. Eminent Grant Theatre 2500 Organ. Two manual 5½ octave, full pedal board, 3’11”h x 4’7”w x 2’4”d. Complete with instruction books; double bench; draw bars; presets; poly/multi tonal. Plays well and in good working order. Contact Jorunn Hawkins 01282 617110 or email deh.vintageviking@ gmail.com

To Be Given Away - 4 Button Neck Albs (2 x 45", 2 x 48"), contact Carol Lawrance, Christ Church, Thornton le Fylde on email carol.lawrance18@ gmail.com

Clergy updates

The Rev Nicolas John McKee, Vicar of Astley Bridge St Paul and Area Dean of Walmsley in the Diocese of Manchester, has been appointed Director of Vocations.

The Rev Ann Joyce Templeman, Priest in Charge of Theale and Englefield in the Diocese of Oxford, has been appointed Vicar (House for Duty) of Much Hoole St Michael.

The Rev Gail Miller, Curate at Holmes Chapel St Luke in the Diocese of Chester, has been appointed Church of England Chaplain at HMP Preston and will be licensed by the Bishop of Burnley on 22 July 2018 at 2.00pm in the chapel at HMP Preston.

The Rev William Grant (Grant) Ashton, Vicar of Euxton has been appointed Assistant Archdeacon of Blackburn from 1 July 2018 and was commissioned on Monday 11 June in the chapel at Bishop’s House during morning prayer.

The Rev Graham William Nelson retired as Assistant Priest and Supernumerary in the Preston Deanery on 30 June 2018.

The Rev Graham Anthony Pollitt, Captain James Currin, Rev Canon William Weaver, Rev Calvin Howard and the Rev Dyllis Dickinson, have all been granted the Bishop’s Permission to Officiate in the Diocese

The recent award of the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List may have left Susan Jones ‘shocked and surprised’, but it was no surprise for senior clergy in the Diocese, as well as people in her parish at St Nicholas’ in Wrea Green.

Former Churchwarden, Susan Jones, a grandmother of 11, has worshipped at St Nicholas since 2012, after spending 20 years at St Paul’s, in nearby Ansdell.

Sue’s years of serving the Church have resulted in involvement in a whole host of events and activities – both locally in the parishes where she worships and more widely for the Diocese as a whole.

She said: “I was shocked and very surprised to hear I had been awarded a BEM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, and feel very humbled to be honoured in this way.”

Archdeacon Michael congratulated Sue on behalf of the Diocese adding: “Sue’s work with children, especially in welcoming them into her life and home is inspirational. This combined with her vibrant practical faith means she is someone I rejoice in for her Christian discipleship.”

See the Diocesan website new pages at www. blackburn.anglican.org for a full version of this story.

COMMENT: BISHOP JILL / BISHOP JILL’S CONSECRATION News? Feedback? thesee@blackburn.anglican.org

Deadline

for

the

September

edition

is

August 6,

2018

Helpful information about 'The See'

Want to submit an article or event for inclusion in The See? Check the deadline on the left and email thesee@blackburn.anglican.org

We'll always do our best to feature what we receive.

For the online archive; more information about deadlines and how to submit articles, visit the website www.blackburn.anglican.org (search 'The See') or just scan the QR code on the right.

Sight loss problems? Access the online version of the latest issue on the website and adjust the page size as required using the + and - buttons on the right of the screen, or hold down the keyboard 'Ctrl' button and press the + or - key to adjust as required.

The See is edited by Diocesan Communications Manager Ronnie Semley.

For new orders of ‘The See; or to change delivery address or quantities received contact Karen Ashcroft on karen.ashcroft@blackburn.anglican.org or 01254 503070.

In her very first column for the Diocesan magazine ‘The See’ our new Bishop, Rt Rev. Dr Jill Duff, reflects on three particular gifts given to her as she became the new Bishop of Lancaster.

I have no words to sum up our wonderful welcome to the Diocese of Blackburn, my Installation in Blackburn Cathedral and Consecration at York Minster. To God be the glory.

It appears He has woven together so much, and I am glimpsing just the outer fringes of his work.

So instead, I will reflect on three significant gifts presented to me as the Eighth Anglican Bishop of Lancaster.

First, a Bible. This was presented to me by the Archbishop of York at my consecration. I was sent to Sunday School in Bolton as a child. I tried to read the Bible, but I came to faith aged 11 when a leader on a Scripture Union kids camp advised me: “Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes as you read it. (Psalm 119.18) You’ll

be amazed.”

God speaks his word and the universe comes into being. Nowadays I always try to carry a Bible with me - His word is like a sword in my hand.

Second, a pastoral staff. ‘A bishop knows and is known by their people’ it says in the consecration service. My staff is a gift from Bishop Julian. It matches his staff and Bishop Philip’s. It meant a lot to me that we each carried our matching staffs at my Installation service in Blackburn Cathedral (in a departure from tradition) signifying our calling to be one team.

My delight at working with two such remarkable colleagues (and indeed the wider Bishop’s Leadership Team) is not possible to put into words either. The staff was engraved with my

‘theme’ - verses from Matthew 9.35-38: “When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them … because they were harassed…like sheep without a shepherd … Ask the Lord of the harvest to drive out workers into his

harvest fields.”

Third, a prayer desk. The original prayer desk of the Bishop of Lancaster was recently found in a skip, lovingly restored by a vicar in the Diocese and presented to me with a fresh kneeler gifted to me by Rev. Tim Horobin and his wife Lisa. The wording on the kneeler is: ‘Furnace of Prayer for the Nation.’

As I offered in my Installation Service sermon, I would particularly welcome invitations to come to pray across the Diocese; Sunday evenings in churches, or weekdays in schools, workplaces, football clubs …

For my diary availability just get in touch with my secretary, Judith, on judith.henderson@ blackburn.anglican.org

May His Kingdom come and will be done in Lancashire, as it is in heaven!

Bishop Jill

Further coverage available via the diocesan website: www.blackburn.anglican.org

May His Kingdom

come and will be

done in Lancashire

Before and after: The Bishop of Lancaster's prayer desk before restoration and finished and ready to be used.

‘Surfing’ into her new role on the prayers of many, our Diocese now has a new Bishop of Lancaster.

The new Bishop is the Rt Rev. Dr Jill Duff who, until recently, was the founding Director of St Mellitus College, North West.

The eighth Anglican Bishop of Lancaster was consecrated at York Minster on June 29. A service steeped in history, it was led by The Archbishop of York, The Most Rev. and Rt Hon. Dr John Sentamu who was assisted by more than 40 Bishops.

The Consecration was followed on July 3 by Jill’s official welcome into the Diocese, with her Installation Service at Blackburn Cathedral.

Many clergy and parishioners from across the County travelled to York for the service at the Minster, as well as groups of people representing various stages of Jill’s life and career so far

The Lancashire contingent was led by Jill’s new episcopal colleagues, Bishop Julian and Bishop Philip, and also included a group of new Deacons and Priests from the Diocese who were due to be ordained at the weekend following the Consecration.

There were a number of very personal touches in the service, including a reading from the Prophecy of Ezekiel by Jill’s sons. The sermon – centred on calling people out to serve God - was delivered by her friend Rev. Canon Kate Wharton, who is Vicar of St Bartholomew, Roby, in Liverpool Diocese and Assistant National Leader for New Wine. Kate is also Godmother to Jill’s eldest son.

See the Diocesan website www.blackburn.anglican.org for more articles about the Consecration, including a feature piece by Mark Ashley

A short Consecration Service highlights video is available on our YouTube channel and pictures from the service are available in an album on our Diocesan Flickr feed (search online for ‘YouTube’ or ‘Flickr’ and ‘Blackburn Diocese’)

Speaking after the service Bishop Jill said: “I have been surfing on the prayers of so many people to

get to this special moment.

“Today was a wonderful spirit-filled occasion. It was huge honour to be part of a consecration service which centred around calling down the Holy Spirit for the office and work of a bishop in the Church of God.”

Bishop Julian added: “We thank Jill for answering God’s call to be Bishop of Lancaster. She is an exciting person coming to an exciting team at an exciting time.”

‘An exciting person . . . at an

exciting time!’

The service begins – a group of soon-to-be ordained Deacons and Priests from across Lancashire have a front row seat as Bishop Jill takes her own seat in the middle distance at the start of the service

Scores of Bishops lay hands on Bishop Jill at the key moment of The Ordination Prayer to ask God to send down his Holy Spirit on Jill to equip her for the office and work of a Bishop

Bishop Jill hugs Bishop Philip during the Peace and after being ordained at York Minster