Summer 2026 | www.chelmsford.anglican.org
Archdeacons’ Visitation News Dear Friends We are looking forward in each of our Archdeaconries to welcoming you all to the Visitation services around the Diocese in the coming weeks. As we extend a particular welcome to those of you stepping into your responsibilities as warden for the first time, we also acknowledge the many of you who are continuing to serve in this role for consecutive terms.
together – has as its essential rationale the enabling of the people of God to gather, to worship, to hold our people and our communities in prayer, to break open God’s word in scripture to enable us to grow in faith and holiness, and to break bread and share wine together in the mystery of the eucharist as we invite one another to encounter afresh the Living God who loves us. As Archdeacons, we know how much time, energy and love is poured out by each of you for the good of the Church, the Body of Christ, and we celebrate and give thanks for each one of you. The Venerable Jonathan Croucher Archdeacon of Chelmsford
We gather after our 100 days of prayer, which began on Ash Wednesday and in which Bishop Guli invited the whole diocesan family to join together in prayer as we look to discern how God may be calling us as his people here in Essex and East London. At the Bishop’s study day in those first days of Lent, attended by over 250 clergy and lay ministers, we were reminded of the essential calling of God’s people to a ministry of prayer, word and sacrament. Whilst each of our churches may approach those elements of community life in different ways, it was helpful to be reminded, not least given the wide-ranging responsibilities of you as churchwardens, that this is our essential calling – that the hard work of maintaining buildings and grounds, organising rotas, overseeing safeguarding and all the while holding one another
The Venerable Christopher Burke Archdeacon of Barking
The Venerable Sue Lucas Archdeacon of Southend
The Venerable Ruth Patten Archdeacon of Colchester
The Venerable Mike Power Archdeacon of West Ham
The Venerable Jonathan Croucher Archdeacon of Chelmsford
The Venerable Kate Peacock Archdeacon of Stansted