Bishop Graham met schoolchildren, lifeboat crew, clergy, parishioners, workers and volunteers across his diocese in November.
On a visit to Thornage Hall, near Holt, which provides supported living, learning and working for adults with learning disabilities, he blessed a new building for older residents and said: “I’m so fortunate to be a Patron of Thornage Hall. May the new house be a place of joy, delight, welcome and care, as well as a loving home.”
At Horsford Church of England Primary School he was given a tour of the school by pupils as the school celebrated 50 years on its Mill Lane site.
He also visited Drayton Church of England Primary School to spend time with children and staff.
The children of Aylsham Church toddler group had made angel decorations which featured in Bishop Graham’s Christmas message video. The message of joy and hope for a divided world was recorded in the parish church of St Michael and All Angels, Aylsham, and also starred volunteers from Bure Valley Bump Start who told the bishop about their work. See the Bishop of Norwich’s Christmas message here.
On Advent Sunday Bishop Graham took the benefice service at St John’s Garboldisham, and was delighted to license the Revd Lynn Fry as associate priest (main picture.)
Earlier in the month he welcomed Bishop Reginald Makele, of our link diocese of the New Guinea Island, in Papua New Guinea. He took Bishop Reginald on a tour of north Norfolk with stops including Binham Priory, Walsingham and Wells-next-the-sea. At Wells the bishops met the volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat station and were given a tour of the lifeboat The Duke of Edinburgh.
The graduates of the new Bishop’s Certificate in Christian Learning were presented with certificates after finishing a course exploring the Bible, prayer, mission and Christian life. Bishop Graham thanked Dr Jane McLarty who planned and led the course and said: “It was a pleasure to present the Bishop’s Certificate in Christian Learning to this year’s cohort. They spoke movingly about how it had helped their discipleship – many wanting to explore more. And the new cohort has even more people taking part.”
Bishop Graham learned about community engagement and staff volunteering opportunities when he visited the Aviva offices in Norwich. As well as seeing the famous 1904 Marble Hall he met a wide range of staff.“I was particularly impressed with the sense of service and compassionate care that came through as key values of Aviva’s team as they respond to customers who can be in the midst of immense personal challenges.”
This year’s ecumenical service, organised by Churches Together in Norfolk Waveney, was held at the Roman Catholic Cathedral. Bishop Graham preached to a congregation made up of Christians from denominations including Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Quaker, United Reformed and Salvation Army.
At the end of the month he gave a powerful address on flags, faithful patriotism and forming a land of God’s hope and glory to Diocesan Synod.
Talking about people using the St George’s cross to intimidate and stake territory he said: “I’ve asked myself, “Do angry flag wavers look like Jesus, or do they look more like those who jeered at him on the way to Calvary?”
“Faithful patriotism is different. It starts with the recognition that God comes first – before any flag.”
He went on to recognise that many people “understandably have concerns about the numbers of people seeking asylum in the UK.”
He called for good evidence-based debate and said: “Too often asylum seekers are being blamed for wider systemic problems we face as a nation, because that is the easy thing to do, rather than fixing issues of work, housing, access to health care, poverty, family breakdown and social fragmentation, uprootedness and integration – a mix of genuine moral and material needs.”
Talking of Norfolk’s long tradition of welcoming the stranger he recalled the refugee who anointed him as part of his installation as Bishop of Norwich – who had been forced to flee, narrowly escaping execution, after being found with a copy of St John’s Gospel
“Churches can so often be islands of coherence in an ever widening and deepening sea of chaos,” said Bishop Graham. He called for Christians to have “courage to hope and courage to act” and to claim back the St George’s cross as a symbol of “the Kingdom of God which is in our midst whenever we pursue peace, practice justice, reject racism, and show hospitality to the outsider by loving our neighbour.”
His duties outside Norfolk took him to meetings in Lambeth Palace, Church House for the Church Commissioners Board of Governors, and the Houses of Parliament. He joined other faith leaders at a meeting with Climate Minister Katie White.
Bishop Graham also preached at the Chapel Royal in St Jame’s Palace, London, as part of his role as Lord High Almoner, in charge of the Royal Maundy service.
Filming for Bishop Graham’s Christmas message – by Tile Media