Your news, views and important updates
Welcome to your March 2018 bulletin from the Diocese of Hereford
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GDPR guidance
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a law to strengthen data protection for people in the UK and in Europe and it will apply in this country from 25 May 2018.
It requires action on the part of all PCC’s and Deaneries to ensure that any information and data that is held is used and stored in a way that complies with the new regulation.
There is help available via the GDPR pages on our website. This points to other sites, such as Parish Resources, produced by the national church. It provides advice to parishes on preparing for GDPR, including a five step checklist, a sample data audit sheet, and an example privacy notice.
We are expecting more material to be released by the national church in the next few weeks and we will update our website to reflect this and continue to share in our e-Bulletins.
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Thy Kingdom Come
A global wave of prayer from Ascension to Pentecost - join our diocese in praying between 10-20 May for more people to know Jesus.
The culmination is a Diocesan Family Celebration at Pentecost on Sunday 20 May at Hereford Cathedral.
We are organising short pilgrimages from some of our churches 'hubs' into the Cathedral. On arrival at the hub churches there will be short prayers followed by refreshments before people set off.
The hub churches are:
- St Paul's, Tupsley
- St Martin's, South Wye
- Holy Trinity, west Hereford
- All Saints, Hereford city centre
You can alternatively head straight to the cathedral and be part of the welcome for those undertaking the pilgrimages. At the cathedral there will be Messy Church activities, prayer stations and refreshments available.
The afternoon will conclude with a Diocesan Family Service for Pentecost from 4.30pm-5.30pm.
The Thy Kingdom Come website also offers great ideas and resources for year round evangelism and can help with Mission Action Planning. For more help with this contact Caroline Pascoe, Mission Development.
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The last couple of episodes of A Vicar's Life are still available to catch up on via the BBC's iPlayer. The series has attracted an average of more than 2.2 million viewers across the Friday night, Saturday repeat and online and brought about many conversations both on social media and in person. How might you take on the #AVicarsLife effect and encourage more people to join your church?
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Parish Giving Scheme Launch Invitation
The Parish Giving Scheme has its first official launch in our diocese on Saturday 10 March at St Peter's in Hereford (10am-1pm)
There are two other launch events at Leominster Priory on Wednesday 21 March (2.30pm-4.30pm), Holy Trinity, Much Wenlock (7pm-9pm).
These give an opportunity to find out more about the Parish Giving Scheme, which is a major tool for our churches in transforming generous giving. Over the past four months, over a quarter of our churches have already joined the scheme, and we now would like you to join in too.
The events will consist of:
- Presentations from other Dioceses where the scheme has revolutionised giving
- Local parish interviews
- Latest Parish Giving Scheme news
- A keynote address from the Bishop of Hereford, the Rt Revd Richard Frith
- Opportunities for discussion, learning and Q&A's
- Excellent refreshments throughout.
If you would like to book, you can reserve a ticket to your nearest venue on our online booking service below or contact Judy Pearce at j.pearce@hereford.anglican.org or 01432 373301. Tickets are free, and the invitation is open to all church members and leaders.
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Heritage Lottery Fund Consultation
There have been many changes to the way the Heritage Lottery Fund supports church projects over the last six months, and the way forward is still a little uncertain.
They are now consulting with all stakeholders, which includes past, current and potential new applicants, about their future direction and funding policies.
This is an excellent opportunity for churches to feedback on these changes and their hopes for grant support from HLF in the future. The consultation can be accessed here.
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Reminder: 2017 Report & Accounts and Return of Parish Finance
All PCC Secretaries and Treasurers have been sent an email about the requirement to file a copy of their parish's 2017 Report and Accounts with the diocesan office, preferably by email.
The 2017 Return of Parish Finance should also be completed online as soon as the accounts have been approved, and by 31st May 2018 at the latest.
PCC Treasurers can find a quick reminder of the year-end process and a checklist on our website.
Thank you for your help with these important matters.
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We welcome David Morris our new Programme Manager who started this week. Based in our Hereford office he will be responsible for helping to design and deliver strategic projects to support the achievement of the Diocesan Strategy (or Mission Action Plan). The role is funded for two years by the Church Commissioners.
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Did you know there is a Hereford Diocese Prayer Diary?
Edited by Revd Bill Rowell it contains daily biddings relating to our world church links and also prayers for people, parishes and deaneries closer to home, as well as people working for our diocese.
You can download a copy from our website.
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News and events:
Saturday 10 March, Grange Court, Leominster, 10.00-15.00
Have you been watching A Vicar's Life on BBC Two and thought 'I'd like to find out more?'
The day includes a Q&A with people in or training for a variety of ministries, including Rural Dean of Abbeydore and Vicar of the Black Mountains Group of Parishes, Revd Nicholas Lowton from the series.
Come and join in exploring prayer at St John the Baptist church, Bishop's Castle on Saturday 2 June. Find inspiration for you and your church and discover exciting and rich ways of prayer focused on being present to God, listening to God and praying for the world. Book here
- Advertising church events
Hereford Historic Churches Trust now has a section on its website for promoting events and concerts. They would like to extend an offer to advertise church events for the PCCs that support them. If you have an event that you would like them to include you can email them here.
- Hereford Church Singers at 50
Are you without a regular choir at your church and would you like to provide occasional choral music for your worshippers?
The choir has a regular diary of engagements, mainly in the south of the diocese and they are keen to sing at more churches in the northern archdeaconry. If you are interested please contact John Eaden .
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- Free online courses for computer beginners
You may know someone who needs help in using computers or who wants to become more familiar with the internet. As a diocese it is important to us that as we move towards more online communications the people who play a role in our church communities have these skills.
Learn My Way is a website of free online courses for beginners, which can help people develop digital skills.
Fastershire which covers Herefordshire also produce lots of guides about basic online tasks such as using email, browsing websites and completing tasks online.
Shropshire Rural Community Council offers a network of Get Shropshire Online groups across the county where people can access one-to-one tuition from a volunteer to learn at their own pace. Groups currently operate in Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Click here to find out about this or call them on 01743 342177.
- Ludlow pilgrimage to Hereford Cathedral
The Ludlow Palmers who fundraise for the conservation of St Laurence in Ludlow are organising a pilgrimage on Bank Holiday Monday (28 May) it will include a 6-mile pilgrimage walk led by the Dean of Hereford Cathedral from Marden to Hereford, a 30-mile cycle ride through the Herefordshire countryside from Ludlow to the Cathedral and a pilgrimage by coach to the Cathedral with afternoon activities for all ages planned. More details .
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Copyright © 2018 Hereford Diocesan Board of Finance. All rights reserved.
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Our mailing address is:
Hereford Diocesan Board of Finance
Diocesan Office
The Palace
Hereford
HR4 9BL
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