Latest News
Bishop’s response to BBC documentary on Peter Ball
15th January 2020
Following the broadcast of the BBC documentary about Peter Ball this week, I share the shame expressed by many bishops that the actions of Peter Ball could have gone undetected, unreported and even have been covered up. My greatest shame and pain are for anyone who has suffered abuse within the church. Perhaps even greater… Read more »
Valediction of the Archdeacon of St Albans
13th January 2020
Evensong at St Albans Cathedral on Saturday, 11th January was also the service of valediction for the 62nd Archdeacon of St Albans. As he himself pointed out, this was not to mark the end of his ministry but the end of his role as Archdeacon, on his retirement. A very full Cathedral nave included people… Read more »
Hatfield’s Night Shelter: comfort + food brings joy
13th January 2020
This article first appeared in issue 2 of Alban Life (March 2019) – a quarterly printed magazine which is distributed to all parishes in the diocese. Click here to read more articles from the ‘Alban Bites’ blog. Hatfield’s Night Shelter is a remarkable story of community and business co-operation, of repurposing a building, of community… Read more »
#LiveLent 2020: Care for God’s Creation
13th January 2020
The #LiveLent campaign for 2020, starting on Ash Wednesday, has been inspired and informed by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s 2020 Lent Book, Saying Yes to Life by Ruth Valerio (see below). It aims to build on the success of previous Lent campaigns, including #LentPilgrim in 2019, which had an overall online reach of nearly seven million. The Easter Monday… Read more »
Bishop Alan’s New Year Message
2nd January 2020
The Bishops of St Albans New Year message for 2020: “I guess all of us have hopes and fears for the coming year. Like many others I’ll be making some New Year Resolutions for myself, but I also have a wish list for 2020. Here are my five top wishes. You might want to add… Read more »
New Year Honours 2020
2nd January 2020
Among the New Year Honours awarded this new year in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire are: Andrew Brown, OBE. Secretary and lately Chief Surveyor, Church Commissioners for England. For services to the Church. Canon Mike Pilavachi, MBE. Founder, Soul Survivor. For services to Young People
Rebuilding Politics – one relationship at a time
9th December 2019
This article first appeared in issue 5 of Alban Life – a quarterly printed magazine which is distributed to all parishes in the diocese. Click here to read more articles from the ‘Alban Bites’ blog. Andy Flannagan’s album “Drowning in the Shallow” was described as “near-perfect” by Cross Rhythms, but he remains disappointingly imperfect –… Read more »
Next Archdeacon of St Albans Announced
2nd December 2019
Hitchin Vicar, Rev’d Canon Dr Jane Mainwaring, will leave St Mark’s Church, Hitchin, after 16 years to become the Archdeacon of St Albans, one of three archdeacons in St Albans Diocese. Jane will fulfil the role popularly and traditionally known as being “the eyes and ears of the Bishop.” She will be responsible to the… Read more »
Welcome Wisdom
25th November 2019
This article first appeared in issue 1 of Alban Life (December 2018) – a quarterly printed magazine which is distributed to all parishes in the diocese. Click here to read more articles from the ‘Alban Bites’ blog. Two factors make successfully welcoming people to church more significant at Christmas. First, there are more people to… Read more »