Beginning at the ‘And finally…’ moment, the Bishop of Norwich made national headlines when Norwich police were called to investigate a ‘youth’ on the roof at St Peter Mancroft church.
Bishop Graham was actually up there to see the new solar panels and turned the resulting media attention (including an interview with Jeremy Vine) into a chance to highlight eco churches and how they care for God’s creation, the good work of the local police, and awareness of lead theft. The incident, sadly not yet known as spoof yoof on the roof, was also an answer in the television show Have I Got News For You, but has not resulted in multinational moisturiser manufacturers asking Bishop Graham for the secret of his youthful looks.
As the new academic year began, Bishop Graham visited two schools.
At Cringleford Church of England Primary School he joined the children of Halima Khan’s class for an RE lesson. Just days into her first teaching new job, Halima gave an impressive lesson on the creation story and then oversaw a Q&A session – with the bishop answering questions ranging from how many pets he had (100,000 including the bees) to baptism. Halima had been supported, during her teacher training at the University of East Anglia, by the Bishop of Norwich bursary for UK minority ethnic students.
At Open Academy, Norwich, the bishop led celebrations to mark the academy becoming a Church of England school. He met staff and students, learned about the school’s work with vulnerable pupils and led an assembly and an act of worship including the blessing of crosses.
Education was the theme of a big celebration and commissioning service in Norwich Cathedral for teachers, teaching assistants, youth workers and anyone else working in education. Bishop Graham also celebrated the commitment of Licensed Lay Ministers at another special cathedral service, and presided over the service to welcome and license the Revd Richard Lamey as the new director of mission and ministry.
Across the diocese he licensed more clergy, welcoming the Revd Andrew Hammond as the new vicar of Wymondham, at Wymondham Abbey, the Revd Sally Myers as the new Rector of the Trunch Group, at All Saints, Mundesley, and the Revd Dr James Cook as the new vicar at St Andrew’s church, Eaton.
All over the diocese churches are working with food banks to help the most vulnerable in their communities. More than 180 congregations are supporting foodbank charities with donations, volunteers, storage facilities and more. All three of our bishops acknowledged the work of local foodbanks in their communities, meeting staff, volunteers and clients. Bishop Graham talked to people at a foodbank warehouse in Norwich while the Bishop of Thetford visited and blessed a new foodbank warehouse in Great Yarmouth and the Bishop of Lynn saw the work of a foodbank in King’s Lynn.
Some of the most vulnerable people in the diocese are also being served by the volunteers who run a ‘hot spot’ at St George’s church Tombland. While babies and toddlers and their parents and carers enjoy a music session, all-comers are welcomed into the warm (or cool on summer Wednesdays). Bishop Graham chatted with volunteers, visitors and regulars as they enjoyed food and company together.
He also walked the final steps of a 450-mile pilgrimage alongside a small group of people who left west Wales, on foot, late this summer, to walk home to Ditchingham along the new Via Beata (or Way of Blessing). Six weeks later Bishop Graham joined them as they completed their fund-raising journey back to the Emmaus community, where several of them have been helped out of homelessness.
The bishop marked anniversaries ranging from dedicating a memorial to victims of the railway disaster in Thorpe St Andrew 150 years ago, to celebrating the first anniversary of the new Priscilla Bacon Lodge hospice. Here he met staff, patients and families and spoke of how it is helping people to live well and die well, and of ‘the healing power of nature and the solace of gardens which come right to the door of patients’ rooms.’
He opened his own garden as part of Heritage Open Days, joined people at East Harling church as they learned about soil health and farming, and was part of harvest thanksgiving services at St Peter’s, Brooke, and St Peter Mancroft – where he dedicated the eco-friendly lights, solar panels and heat pump after that trip up to the roof.
