March was a month of celebrations, with the installation of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury a national and international highlight.
All three Diocese of Norwich bishops were at the historic service in Canterbury Cathedral to welcome Archbishop Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.
And the three bishops were not the only local representatives. The African Choir of Norfolk sang before and after the Gospel, an anthem was based on the centuries-old words of Julian of Norwich and the final hymn was by former Bishop Thetford Timothy Dudley-Smith.
Bishop Graham said: “What a glorious service of hope and joy as amidst prayer and praise Archbishop Sarah was installed in the seat of St Augustine in Canterbury Cathedral.
“In a service which included the fabulous African Choir of Norfolk, as well as a new choral composition of words by Mother Julian of Norwich, there were ecumenical and interfaith guests, as well as people from across the Anglican Communion. We all witnessed a historic and moving occasion.“
In Norwich Cathedral earlier in March the bishop dedicated a memorial stone to the great hymn-writer Timothy Dudley-Smith. The former archdeacon of Norwich and Bishop of Thetford leaves a remarkable legacy of hymns including Tell Out, My Soul and Lord, for the Years.
“It was a great joy to preach at Evensong, with Pam Rhodes reading a lesson, and then to dedicate a stunning plaque,” said Bishop Graham.
Other celebrations within the Diocese of Norwich included several confirmation services. On March 22 Bishop Graham confirmed 13 candidates at St Edmund’s Church, Taverham, calling them ‘a diverse group of people with powerful testimonies.’ And on Palm Sunday he was at St Michael and All Angels, Bunwell, for a baptism and confirmation.
On March 7 the Bishop led a teaching morning for Licensed Lay Ministers in the Cathedral and on March 30 clergy and lay ministers from across the diocese gathered at Norwich Cathedral for the annual Chrism Eucharist.
Bishop Graham took part in the King’s Lynn Justice Service at Lynn Minster on March 1 and at the end of the month attended a celebration of the reopening of The Halls in Norwich.
He also spoke to the audience at Norwich Theatre Royal ahead of a performance by the National Ukraine Symphony Orchestra, and gave orchestra members olive wood holding crosses from Bethlehem.
He joined the Dean of Norwich at a vigil for peace in the Middle East and around the world, in Norwich Cathedral on March 15.
Diocesan Synod was held at Northgate High School, Dereham, with discussions on strategy, safeguarding and significant steps to lower carbon footprint. “So much to be thankful for,” said Bishop Graham.
Read his presidential address on the subject of generosity here.
The bishop was also a guest at Broadland District Council chairwoman’s civic reception and, during Ramadan, was a guest at Iftar Dinner at the Dereham Road Mosque in Norwich.
Earlier in the month scores of schoolchildren spent time in his garden, learning about wildflowers and garden birds in workshops led by Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
Every week that the House of Lords sits, one of the Lords Spiritual is the duty bishop, leading daily prayers. During his week, the Bishop of Norwich also spoke in the Lords, including asking questions on subjects ranging from support in schools for children with dyscalculia to small farms and inheritance tax, when he said “Baroness Hayman very sensibly began her reply to me by saying she was beginning to wish she lived in Norfolk so she could come to the Royal Norfolk Show!”
When the Lords discussed the conflict in the Middle East he paid tribute to UK armed forces and the chaplains who support them. He also asked that attention is not shifted from Ukraine, and from illegal Israeli settler violence in Palestine, which is eroding the possibility of a two-state solution.
He also asked about government plans to restore degraded peatland for flood resilience and nature recovery (and acknowledged the part historic bishops of Norwich played in digging out the peat of the Norfolk Broads.)
He took part in a conversation with the Minister for Climate as part of a Peers for the Planet event, backed a bill for our rare chalk streams to receive UNESCO World Heritage status and joined climate leaders calling for a televised national emergency briefing.
Back in Norfolk, the Sunday Times named Norwich named the best place to live in the UK. “Well I agree!” said the Bishop on BlueSky, adding an invitation: “If you are clergy why not come and join us in the Diocese of Norwich?”
Looking ahead, Bishop Graham is also Lord High Almoner, responsible for the Royal Maundy service, on Maundy Thursday April 2 in St Asaph, north Wales. Hear him talking on BBC Radio Wales before the service.