Archbishop to visit the Diocese of Chester
Monday 16th January 2012
The Archbishop of York is to spend two days in the Diocese of Chester (18-19th January) where he will be shown around the diocese by the Bishops of Chester, Birkenhead and Stockport.The visit will begin at the Cre8 Youth and Community Programme on the Moss Rose estate on the south side of Macclesfield. The project, set up as an initiative of Churches Together in Macclesfield, has been running since 2005 and the Archbishop will have the opportunity to meet the staff and find out what is on offer for the young people of this area. Cre8 works with children and young people, including those at risk and hard to reach and provides a range of projects such as club nights, garden projects, formal education as well as a mountain bike riding and repair project. Cre8 is part of the work of the parish of St Barnabas and the Archbishop will visit the church to meet clergy and lay workers.
In the afternoon, accompanied by the Bishop of Stockport, the Rt Revd Robert Atwell, the Archbishop will travel to Clay Bank Farm, near Knutsford, for lunch with the Agricultural Chaplaincy Team whose members work to help people in rural communities. A tour of the farm will let the Archbishop see how agricultural communities are coping with tough economic times.
At Foxhill – the diocese’s spiritual retreat and conference centre - in Frodsham, Dr Sentamu will join in talks with the officers of the Diocesan Committee for Ministry. The centre is owned and managed by the Diocese of Chester and it provides opportunities for individuals and groups to explore the presence and purposes of God.
The day ends with the Archbishop providing an address at Chester Cathedral. The service which starts at 7pm will be attended by Ministers and laity from across the diocese.
On Thursday 19 January, the Archbishop will be accompanied on his visits by the Bishop of Birkenhead. He will find out about The Light Project – which trains students on a foundation degree course in theology and evangelism. Based in Chester city centre, its students have placements with churches and other projects such as ‘Night Church’ and a homeless drop-in centre.
Dr Sentamu will then visit The Bishops' Blue Coat CE High School in Chester. This has been a Church of England school for 27 years and has recently become an Academy. At the school, the Archbishop will join the students for assembly, meet the staff and have lunch as well as taking part in a Q&A session with Sixth Form students.
In the afternoon, the Archbishop will visit Thorn Cross Youth Offenders Institution at Appleton Thorn near Warrington. He will meet the Revd Shawn Verhey and other members of the chaplaincy team and hear about ‘The Sycamore Tree’, a restorative justice scheme that has been introduced at this low security young offenders’ prison.
Dr Sentamu’s visit to the Diocese of Chester will end when he visits the YMCA in Crewe of which he is Patron with the Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster. The Archbishop will see the recently rebuilt accommodation that can now cater for 55 homeless young people (aged 16-25 years) and he will be shown the training provided for residents through ‘The Life Academy’. This is a non-accredited learning scheme covering subjects such as cooking, budgeting, anger management and job search skills.
