Archbishop of Canterbury's visit to the Diocese - January 2009

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, visited the Diocese of Ely on the weekend of 24th-26th January for the 900th anniversary celebrations. He launched the event at the Cathedral and spent two days seeing for himself the rich diversity of what is now the fastest growing region in the UK. The Diocese comprises the county of Cambridgeshire plus a sizable part of west Norfolk.

The first stop on his two-day visit was Cambourne, near Cambridge, which will eventually become home for up to 10,000 people. Dr Williams met the Vicar, the Revd Peter Wood, and parishioners before leading prayers for the new community on the site where the eagerly awaited church will be built. Building work starts next month as the project has just received a £50,000 funding boost.

The Diocese is planning to build new churches in developing urban areas. The Archbishop heard that fundraising is already underway to build another new church in the growing township of Hampton, near Peterborough.

Besides the developing and already established towns and cities, the Diocese of Ely includes a vast rural area, as well as a large portion of agricultural Fenland.

The Archbishop visited the East Marshland benefice near King’s Lynn which includes the church of St Mary Magdalen in Wiggenhall. In stark contrast to the comparatively well resourced town communities, seven churches stand within this one parish.

The Vicar, the Revd Diana Penny, runs five church communities. Two church buildings are now redundant. She told Dr Williams how clergy in multiple rural parishes, with little available lay leadership, are winning support from members of the wider community.

Migrant workers play a vital role in East Anglia’s rural areas. During his whistle-stop tour, Dr Williams visited a 10,000 hectare Fenland farm. The Shropshire Group is the region's largest privately-owned, marketing-led business. It encompasses the entire food production process from planting and cultivating to packaging and marketing.

The arable farm, based at Barway near Ely, has a labour force of 1,000 which trebles during the summer months. The Archbishop met some of the workers from overseas and heard how they provide the wide range of skills needed for this comprehensive farming enterprise. He was also shown the fully equipped hostel where the farm’s migrant workers live. The company has farms in south east Spain and the Czech Republic.

Before his visit drew to a close, Dr Williams launched the ninth centenary celebrations which will continue throughout this year. He was assisted by the Bishop of Ely, Dr Anthony Russell, at a special service in Ely Cathedral, which was attended by 1,000 people. Click here to watch the video or listen to the audio of the sermon preached by Dr Rowan Williams.

Each parish has drawn up a Mission Action Plan which details its current activities, future plans and resources. During the service the Archdeacons, the Ven John Beer and the Ven Hugh McCurdy, presented the plans to the Archbishop.

Before leaving, each parish representative collected a bag containing leather bookmarks with the Ely 900 prayer, badges, stickers, flyers and candles.

Following the launch, churches across the diocese will be celebrating their remarkable history with a programme of outstanding events across Cambridgeshire and West Norfolk. Throughout 2009, the Diocese will be giving thanks for its long and rich history of Christian witness, and also devising new ways of passing on the Christian faith to future generations.