FIRST BISHOP OF HUDDERSFIELD PLANTS TREES TO MARK TWO WORLD WARS AND REMEMBER OUR WAR DEAD AS HE IS WELCOMED TO HIS NEW EPISCOPAL AREA
The first Bishop of Huddersfield will join the Mayor of Kirklees to plant two trees to mark the First World War centenary and the anniversary of the D-Day Landings before he is officially welcomed into his new role at a service in Dewsbury Minster.
Children, a worship band, people of different faiths, and young people will be among the congregation to welcome the Rt Revd Dr Jonathan Gibbs as the first Bishop of Huddersfield in Dewsbury Minster at 11am on Saturday Nov 29.
The service will be led by The Rt Revd Nicholas Baines, Bishop of Leeds and Bishop Jonathan, who has helped choose the songs and hymns, will preach on the theme, Living in Hope. The music will be led by Dewsbury Minster Singers and by the worship band, Gospel Whispers.
Dewsbury Team Rector, the Revd Canon Kevin Partington said: "It's an immense privilege for Dewsbury Minster to be hosting the Welcome Service for Bishop Jonathan and we are truly humbled to be involved in this way.
"We are really looking forward to welcoming Bishop Jonathan, Toni and his family here and proud we can say we were part of the official launch of Bishop Jonathan's ministry here as the first Bishop of Huddersfield," he added.
During the service, Bishop Jonathan will be presented with symbols of his episcopal ministry by children from The Windmill School, Brownhill, Batley. Representatives from the community, including young people from the Kirkheaton youth group, Regen, will speak of their hopes for their home town of Huddersfield. Prayers will be led for Bishop Jonathan and his wife Toni and family by members of The Gathering, a Fresh Expression of Church, based in Halifax.
The welcome service in the Minster follows a civic welcome at Dewsbury Town Hall held by the Mayor of Kirklees, Coun Ken Smith. All the Area Bishops for the newly created Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales will be joined by Interfaith representatives and other invited guests including Dr Ingrid Roscoe, Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire and the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Calderdale.
The reception will be held at Dewsbury Town Hall before the group make their way to Longcauseway where the Mayor and Bishop Jonathan will take part in a tree planting ceremony at 10.25am organised by local Dewsbury councillor and the Deputy Mayor of Kirklees, Coun Paul Kane.
They will plant two trees – one to mark the 100th Anniversary of WW1 and the other to mark the 70th Anniversary of the D-day Landing – before heading to Dewsbury Minster for Bishop Jonathan’s first welcome service.
The Mayor said: “I am delighted to be hosting this reception for the First Area Bishop of Huddersfield. As a Council we recognise the positive contributions of people from all faiths and look forward to building relationships with Bishop Jonathan, working together for the benefit of all our local communities.”