The Bishop of Norwich ordained six priests and eight deacons in two solemn and joyful Cathedral services.
This month Bishop Graham also licensed priests to serve in parishes and benefices including Great Yarmouth, Blofield, and Heartsease and St Stephen’s in Norwich.
Bishop Graham’s busy June diary included two days at the Royal Norfolk Show where he met people involved in many education, environmental, agricultural and countryside initiatives. He saw performances staged by the Norfolk Music Hub, met farmers and food producers and took part in the Royal Norfolk Show service.
He was delighted to present the Bishop of Norwich Sustainable Environment Young Employee of the Year award to 20-year-old student Tom Ewin. Tom, of Hoxne, near Diss, told the bishop about his placement year working with the Norfolk Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group.
The Bishop of Norwich attended the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association’s ‘Big Debate’ on sharing data to help sustainable farming.
There was also time for the Bishop, officially Graham Norvic, to meet a few of the Revd Joshua Whitnall’s Norvic flock of sheep – including one who had starred with him in a video launching this year’s Bishop of Norwich Lent Appeal in aid of farming mental health charity Yana.
The bishop also chatted to young brother and sister shepherds, 12-year-old Toby and 10-year-old Niamh, of Aylsham, who had won many rosettes for their Burgh Flock.
And in now-traditional scenes at the Diocese of Norwich tent, Bishop Graham helped the team making and giving away free candyfloss.
The tradition of new priests and deacons, making their Oaths and Declarations outside, in the beautiful surroundings of the bishop’s garden, began in Covid times. They proclaim their faith, and their obedience to their bishop and monarch, ahead of a pre-ordination retreat centred on the garden.
The garden helped several local charities raise money during June, hosting Age UK Norfolk, Norfolk Community Law Service, Nansa and the Norfolk Churches Trust.
The Papillon Project, which helps secondary schools and sixth forms across Norfolk grow food for themselves and their communities, held a thank you and fundraising evening in the garden. Hosting the charity, Bishop Graham said: “They produce delicious food and transform young lives. Hands in the soil make all the difference.”
The bishop joined celebratory services around the diocese including preaching and presiding at Diss parish church on Pentecost Sunday. He included prayers for the appointment of a new rector for the town and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Diss Carnival.
He licensed priests to new parishes and benefices including the Revd Jassica Castillo-Burley at Great Yarmouth Minster, the Revd Julian Bryant at St Francis Heartsease, the Revd Andrew Tapsell at St Andrew and St Peter, Blofield, and the Revd Heike Prentice at St Stephen, Norwich. He also took a confirmation service at St Edmund’s Kessingland.
On June 21 the Bishop was in the most easterly part of his diocese to celebrate Suffolk Day. And the following day he was at North Elmham church in the Heart of Norfolk benefice for an eco-weekend.
Slightly further afield the Bishop, who is the Church of England’s lead bishop on the environment, gave talks on environmental themes at Ipswich Minster, and, online to theological colleges, and preached about trees at St John’s College, Cambridge.
He gave a paper at an academic conference focusing on 18th century clergyman and naturalist Gilbert White, and preached one of the priest’s Sunday sermons in his Hampshire church.
Bishop Graham also fulfilled his duties as a member of the House of Lords, helping to scrutinise legislation and asking questions on subjects ranging from navigation and funding in the Broads to how the Government is working to ensure international and humanitarian laws to prevent civilian casualties are followed in Gaza.
