St Gabriels is hosting weekly sessions on Wednesdays between 11am and 1pm for anyone from Huyton Deanery. There will be a range of laptops available, with someone to support you if required. We can help you set up a free safeguarding training account, complete the courses and even print the certificatesDid you know that all PCC members are now required to have basic awareness AND domestic abuse training? You will be required to evidence your training before continuing into a new year of office as a PCC member or beginning a term.
From The Diocese of Liverpool WebsiteNew Bishop of Wigan to be the Interim Bishop of LiverpoolDowning Street has announced today that the Rt Revd Ruth Worsley will become the new suffragan Bishop of Wigan in the Diocese of Liverpool. Bishop Ruth will also serve as the Interim Bishop of Liverpool.As Interim Bishop of Liverpool, Bishop Ruth will work closely with the senior leadership team, the Bishop’s Council, and the Diocesan Synod to support the diocese’s vision and mission as it seeks to be God’s church in the world.“The Diocese of Liverpool is a vibrant and faithful community, and I look forward to working alongside the leadership team, clergy, and laypeople as we navigate this season together. My prayer is that we will listen to God’s voice, find our hope renewed, and seek to live out his love for all by being a Church of welcome, care, and healing.”The invitation to become Interim Bishop of Liverpool followed consultation with the senior leadership team in Liverpool. Currently the Bishop of Taunton, she brings a wealth of experience, having previously served as Acting Bishop of Bath and Wells and Acting Bishop of Coventry.Initially, Bishop Ruth will continue her responsibilities as Bishop of Taunton, with appropriate delegations in place to enable her to deal with urgent legal matters in the Diocese of Liverpool. The Archbishop of York has petitioned His Majesty the King to revive the See of Wigan, allowing Bishop Ruth to transition into this role within the Diocese of Liverpool while laying down her role as Bishop of Taunton. Both the Dioceses’ Commission and the Liverpool Bishop’s Council have approved this revival for the duration of her interim ministry.Following the Bishop of Liverpool’s decision to step back from ministry, Archbishop Stephen has worked with those in the diocese to determine their needs during this transition, with all recognising the importance of a period of healing and renewal.Archbishop Stephen Cottrell said:“To all those affected by the events that have led us here, I offer my heartfelt prayers. The clergy and people of the Diocese of Liverpool have been in my prayers as well. This is a time for healing and for facing the challenges ahead together. I am deeply grateful to Bishop Ruth for offering her leadership and to the Diocese of Bath & Wells for releasing her to support Liverpool in this time of change.”The Bishop of Warrington, the Rt Revd Beverley Mason, welcomed the appointment:“I am so encouraged that Bishop Ruth will be taking on the role of Interim Bishop of Liverpool. She brings immense experience, sensitivity, and insight and will play a significant part in restoring joy and confidence as she leads the diocese in its ministry and mission.I regret there remain uncertainties about my situation, but we hope to announce my pathway in the next few weeks. In the meantime, it is so good to know Liverpool is in safe hands. Be assured of my continued prayers.”Over the coming weeks, Bishop Ruth will begin meeting people in Liverpool and performing official legal duties while completing her ministry as Bishop of Taunton.A spokesperson for the Diocese of Liverpool said:“We welcome the decision of the Archbishop of York to appoint +Ruth to lead the Diocese of Liverpool for this interim period. Her experience and wisdom will be a great addition to the leadership of our diocese over the next two years. We are very grateful to +Ruth for being willing to respond to this call and the Diocese of Bath and Wells for enabling her to take up this ministry with us. We look forward to welcoming her in due course as she comes to lead our diocese in this next phase. We move forward together, believing and trusting in our God who is faithful and working his purpose out.”A commissioning service will take place in Liverpool (date to be confirmed). Her final service in Bath and Wells will be the Chrism Mass on the Tuesday of Holy Week. It is expected that from Easter onwards, Bishop Ruth will assume her role fully as Interim Bishop of Liverpool.In due course, the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) will begin the process of appointing a permanent Bishop of Liverpool, at which point the See of Wigan is expected to lapse.Bishop Ruth will be appointed as suffragan Bishop of Wigan and given delegated powers from the Archbishop of York to act as interim Bishop of Liverpool. Using the see of Wigan for this purpose will enable Bishop Ruth to be offered the security of a stipend and the authority to ordain and licence clergy as well as authorising the official documents for the Diocese of Liverpool. Bishop Ruth will be given this authority before formally coming to Liverpool to enable the work of the diocese to continue. Once a new Bishop of Liverpool has been discerned via the Crown Nominations Commission the delegations to the Bishop of Wigan will cease and the see will lapse.The bishop will be moving to Liverpool as soon as feasible and a welcome and installation service is being planned for a date, to be announced in due course.
