When the Bishop of Norwich confirmed four people at a joyful service in Cringleford, the congregation included the vicar who had prepared the bishop for his own confirmation more than four decades ago.
Bishop Graham said it was wonderful to be able to confirm the four candidates – and discover that his childhood vicar was visiting relatives living nearby and was at the service.
The Cringleford confirmation was one of many joyful services that the bishop attended across the diocese in February.
He was delighted to license the Revd Andrew Avery as priest in charge at Somerleyton.
He welcomed the Revd Malcolm Rogers as priest in charge of the Burnhams at a licensing service in beautiful St Clement’s, Burnham Overy Town and said the parishes of the Burnham benefice were ‘hearing Jesus’ call to go out into deeper water in faith and trust.’
When Bishop Graham visited St Nicholas church, Blakeney, to preach and preside at Sunday worship, the benefice was looking for a new vicar. The bishop joined villagers to plant a rowan tree and enjoy a bracing walk across the marshes to Cley where he saw reeds being cut for thatch.
Rural and agricultural issues are at the forefront of his Lent appeal this year, in aid of YANA (You Are Not Alone). The Bishop’s 2025 Lent Appeal was launched in February with a video including the bishop, sheep, a hailstorm and farmers and agricultural workers talking about the importance of YANA’s telephone helpline and suicide prevention work. The Bishop of Norwich’s Lent Appeal is raising money for the Norfolk-based charity’s telephone helpline.
Bishop Graham welcomed new honorary and lay canons to Norwich Cathedral. He installed Anne Prentis, a churchwarden at Great Ryburgh, and the deanery lay chair and synod representative for Burnham and Walsingham, as a lay canon. And he installed four new honorary canons: the Revd Alaric Lewis, Rector of Colegate and Tombland and Priest in Charge of Norwich St Giles; The Revd Lynn Chapman, Rector of Hethersett; the Revd Stephen Thorp, Rector of Necton; and Revd Matthew Jackson, Rector of Attleborough.
As part of his national duties, February also saw Bishop Graham taking part in General Synod, the governing body of the Church of England, and speaking in the House of Lords on subjects including the value of lifelong learning, the Great British Energy Bill and the damage done to our rivers by sewage pollution.
