Clergy from our diocese gathered ‘Together in Prayer’ at a conference of the same name at the beginning of October. The three-day conference from 8-10 October gathered together licenced ministers for a prayer-focussed time at Ashburnham Place.
The conference programme balanced spiritual input, time for reflection and fellowship with clergy colleagues.
Marianne Hambrook, from the Mission and Ministry team said: “The conference gave us space to be able to hear what prayer means to our Bishop and reconnect with something vital, visceral and Christ-centred within ourselves and between each other. Quite simply, we prayed. Thank you, Bishop Rose, for calling us together in prayer.”
Prayer is one of the Bishop's four priorities for our flourishing together as Christian disciples, as church communities, and as a diocese. She said: "Our Lord’s ministry was empowered by prayer, and he sought guidance and solace in prayer. Through what we call the Lord’s Prayer we say ‘our’ Father in union with him and in our community together. That prayer unites us in our devotion and in his ministry and mission."
Highlights in the conference programme included spiritual input, awareness, and humour from Sister Gemma Simmonds, helpful insights into personality and prayer from Lyndall Bywater and the struggles of prayer in anxious times from Bishop Hugh Nelson.
Clergy also benefited greatly from the time together in between sessions with time to relax with friends and colleagues, optional workshops, opportunities to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, space for solitude and silence and lots of laughter at a very competitive quiz.
Richard Braddy, Chaplain to the Bishop of Dover added: “We are thankful to the people who made this invaluable conference possible, from the clergy who made time and space for the conference to the deaneries who generously supported their clergy financially, and of course to everyone who contributed to the organisation of the event. We have been told a particular highlight was the archdeacons kitted out in hi-vis jackets showing their servant-leadership by directing the car parking in the rain! Our hope is that our clergy colleagues will return to their parishes refreshed and newly centred on the importance of prayer for not only their own wellbeing but also for the communities they serve.”
Prayer is at the heart of our congregations and communities in the diocese. If you would like to find out more we have prayer and pilgrimage resources available for anyone to use.