Belonging in, praying for, and caring for people and parishes in Stepney Area is the core of Bishop Joanne’s role. She is also the lead bishop for safeguarding on behalf of Bishop Sarah, supports the work of the Compassionate Communities team, and, with Monica Bolley, chairs the Racial Justice Priority Group. For the last six months, she has chaired the Diocese’s Joint Operations Team, where archdeacons and diocesan team leaders meet together monthly to help operational matters run more smoothly across the Diocese.
Here are some of the key events and commitments in Bishop Joanne’s diary over the last couple of months:
Bishop Joanne attended the Lambeth Conference at the University of Kent at Canterbury at the end of July/beginning of August. She managed to catch Covid while she was there and missed the last five days, having to isolate in her student room. After the conference, she also enjoyed some holiday time in Germany with her family.
Bishop Joanne continued a piece of work for the Bishop of Truro, leading a Visitation of his cathedral. This is to look at a variety of issues around culture, leadership, governance, and safeguarding. She spent a couple of days at the end of Truro with her team interviewing local people and is now engaged in the writing up of a report for Bishop Philip.
Bishop Joanne ordained thirteen new priests for Stepney and Two Cities Areas at the beginning of July, in Holy Sepulchre Holborn. She confirmed candidates at: St Paul’s Bow Common, St Barnabas Dalston, and St Saviour Hanley Road. She led worship or preached at St John’s Upper Holloway and St James Upper Clapton and attended a Copus Christi procession with Bethnal Green churches.
She led services or preached at St Mary Islington, SAINT (St John at Hackney), and All Saints Poplar to mark the death of Her Majesty the Queen.
She led worship, licenced new clergy and LLMs, and met and served homemade cookies for staff at the morning shift changeover at Pentonville Prison.
She attended a summer tea party for LLMs across the Stepney Area.
In the Diocese of London, Bishop Joanne continued to be involved in work around the Past Cases Review 2, which was published at the beginning of October, and in the Diocese’s responses to the independent review by Chris Robson into the death of Fr Alan Griffin.
Bishop Joanne led the prayers at a joint event with Southwark Diocese for a Refugee week: spaces of welcome event. She also attended a Windrush Allies film event at St Michael and All Angels Hackney for their project looking at stories of cross-community friendship and support.
