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28/04/2008
Licensing Details - The Revd Sheila Anthony More...

18/04/2008
Announcement of Rural Dean Appointment - The Revd Canon Wim Zwalf More...

18/04/2008
Announcement of Rural Dean Appointment - The Revd Canon Shamus Williams More...

18/04/2008
Announcement of Rural Dean Appointment - The Revd Canon Dr John Binns More...

14/04/2008
Announcement of Appointment - The Revd Sheila Anthony More...

11/04/2008
Retirement Announcement - The Revd Christopher Strong More...

11/04/2008
Parish of Trumpington More...

09/04/2008
The Parish of Trumpington More...

01/04/2008
Departure Announcement - The Revd Anna Hult More...

01/04/2008
Retirement Announcement - The Revd Geoff Turner More...

01/04/2008
Retirement Announcement - The Revd David Spencer More...

18/03/2008
Appointment Announcement - The Revds Alan & Jane Hulme More...

11/03/2008
St Catharine’s College Girls’ Choir More...

01/03/2008
The Launch Of 'Breathe' More...

20/02/2008
Retirement Announcement - The Revd Richard Bunyan More...

15/02/2008
Licensing Details - The Revd Kylie Hodgins More...

04/02/2008
Appointment Annnouncement - The Revd Margaret Ann Gurner More...

04/02/2008
The Revd Stanley Brown More...

25/01/2008
Institution Details - The Revd Matthew Bradbury More...

24/01/2008
Licensing Details - The Revd Dr Paul Andrews More...

23/01/2008
DIOCESE OF ELY PRESS RELEASE - Trumpington Tribunal More...

18/01/2008
Bishop’s Lent Appeal to support people affected by leprosy More...

16/01/2008
Diocesan Children's Work Adviser More...

11/01/2008
Appointment Announcement - Chair of the Diocesan Youth Council More...

10/01/2008
Bishop Anthony backs sustainable initiatives for local democracy More...

05/01/2008
New Year's Honours Awards More...

04/01/2008
Appointment Announcement - The Revd Matthew Bradbury More...

03/01/2008
Appointment Announcement - The Revd Kylie Hodgins More...

03/01/2008
Appointment of New Honorary Canons More...

13/12/2007
Four new Honorary Canons to be installed early next year More...

11/12/2007
Departure Announcement - The Revd Dr Giles Kendall More...

10/12/2007
Bishop takes seat in House of Lords More...

03/12/2007
Appointment Announcement - The Reverend Dr Paul Andrews More...

02/12/2007
Hundreds say fond farewell to Bishop John More...

25/11/2007
Hundreds of local parishioners expected at Bishop's farewell More...

24/11/2007
FAREWELL TO BISHOP JOHN More...

19/11/2007
The Reverend Nigel Cooper More...

16/11/2007
The Reverend Professor Dan Hardy More...

13/11/2007
Appointment Announcement - The Revd Annabel Shilson-Thomas More...

05/11/2007
Departure Announcement - The Revd Dale Gingrich More...

01/11/2007
Appointment and Licensing Details - The Revd Rachel Nicholls More...

29/10/2007
Bishop’s Adviser for Music appointed More...

29/10/2007
A day of prayer for the Armed Forces More...

25/10/2007
Lent Appeal More...

22/10/2007
Presentation Gift for Bishop John More...

22/10/2007
Departure Announcement - The Revd Dr Diana Sanders More...

22/10/2007
Appointment Announcement - The Revd Val Fernandez More...

20/10/2007
Provincial Tribunal - Trumpington More...

17/09/2007
Bishop John's Farewell Service More...

17/09/2007
Departure Announcement - The Reverend David Deboys More...

16/09/2007
55 Lay Ministers commissioned More...

12/09/2007
The hidden world of labour slavery in Britain More...

03/09/2007
Retirement Announcement - The Revd Canon Fred Kilner More...

17/08/2007
Church thefts More...

17/08/2007
Flood appeal More...

10/08/2007
Retirement Announcement - The Revd Colin Backhouse More...

09/08/2007
Announcement of New Rural Dean Appointment : Keith Johnson More...

09/08/2007
Announcement of New Rural Dean Appointment : James Blandford-Baker More...

09/08/2007
Announcement of New Rural Dean Appointment Annette Reed More...

03/08/2007
Retirement Announcement - The Revd Canon Jeremy Pemberton More...

30/07/2007
Flood Appeal - closing date & gift aid More...

25/07/2007
From Bishop Anthony: the recent flood disaster More...

12/07/2007
Lent Appeal raises over £10,560 to challenge poverty More...

10/07/2007
Bishop John Inge to become Bishop of Worcester More...

06/07/2007
Licensing Details - The Revd Stuart Mews More...

05/07/2007
Licensing Details - The Revd Nick Devenish More...

04/07/2007
Attempted car bombings More...

01/07/2007
Bishops ordain record number of clergy this year More...

11/06/2007
ELY DIOCESAN SYNOD 9.6.2007 - A STATEMENT BY THE BISHOP OF ELY More...

08/06/2007
Licensing Details - The Revd Keith Jeffries More...

22/05/2007
Appointment Announcement - Honorary Rural Officer More...

16/05/2007
Appointment Announcement - The Revd Nick Devenish More...

13/05/2007
Christian Aid Week More...

08/05/2007
Retirement Announcement - The Revd Canon Roger Arguile More...

08/05/2007
Licensing Details - The Revds Michael Banyard & Kate Peacock More...

08/05/2007
Licensing Details - The Revd Dr Robin McKenzie More...

30/04/2007
Retirement Announcement - The Revd Canon Christine Sindall More...

19/04/2007
New Schools' Bulletin launched More...

18/04/2007
Appointment Announcement - The Reverend Dr Robin McKenzie More...

09/04/2007
Diocesan Children's Work Adviser More...

03/04/2007
The Reverend Richard Kenneth David Watkins-Wright More...

03/04/2007
Appointment Announcement - Honorary Assistant Directors of Ordinands More...

30/03/2007
Appointment Announcement - The Revd Michael Hore More...

29/03/2007
Institution details - The Revd Nick Moir More...

27/03/2007
Mission Shaped School Study Day 20th April More...

20/03/2007
Living with climate change in the Fens More...

19/03/2007
Appointment Announcement - The Reverend Kate Peacock More...

16/03/2007
Licensing Details - The Revd Gareth Rowlands More...

15/03/2007
Licensing Details - The Reverend Jim Mynors More...

28/02/2007
Licensing Details - The Reverend Michael Matthews More...

27/02/2007
Appointment Announcement More...

21/02/2007
Challenging Poverty More...

21/02/2007
Appointment Announcement More...

09/02/2007
For England and Saint George More...

08/02/2007
Rave in the Nave 2007 More...

29/01/2007
Chaplaincy to People at Work More...

27/01/2007
Four new Honorary Canons installed More...

22/01/2007
Schools Service Level Agreement More...

12/01/2007
Schools Admissions Guidance Issued More...

11/01/2007
The Young Ones More...

09/01/2007
Website More...

23/12/2006
Former Archdeacon of Ely celebrates 70 years in the ministry More...

18/12/2006
Diocesan Children’s Adviser More...

12/12/2006
Good News for Church Schools in League Tables More...

12/12/2006
Education Sunday materials online More...

07/12/2006
Church of England New Chief Education Officer appointed More...

06/12/2006
December Thoughts by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Willams More...

23/10/2006
Making your voice heard More...

21/10/2006
Diocesan Fresh Expressions Advisor licensed More...

15/10/2006
81 Lay Ministers commissioned More...

09/10/2006
Appointment of four new Honorary Canons More...

30/09/2006
New lay minsters licensed More...

27/09/2006
High Sheriff’s Justice Service More...

02/09/2006
Downham Market High School More...

29/08/2006
Bishop supports CEN Hospice at Home campaign More...

18/08/2006
England’s first vicar sub-postmaster? More...

03/08/2006
John Eddy More...

13/07/2006
Archdeaconry of Cambridge More...

01/07/2006
Clergy numbers in Ely Diocese boosted More...

24/06/2006
Diocesan Schools Team posts More...

23/06/2006
Resignation of the Revd John Coombs More...

16/06/2006
Diocesan website wins national award More...

14/06/2006
Recent appointments and departures More...

12/06/2006
new Priest-in-Charge for Stanground More...

05/06/2006
Departure of the Reverend Anne Haselhurst More...

20/04/2006
New Chaplain among Deaf People More...

20/04/2006
Networking among Faith Groups More...

19/04/2006
Low flying Screaming Swift Survey More...

16/04/2006
The Bishop of Ely's Easter sermon More...

07/04/2006
Retirement of the Revd Frank Fisher More...

03/04/2006
Imagine! -- an outdoor children's party at Anglesey Abbey More...

02/04/2006
Appointment of Diocesan Fresh Expressions Advisor More...

31/03/2006
Ground-breaking appointment for fresh approaches to Christian mission and ministry More...

30/03/2006
Licensing of new Curate for East Leightonstone Group More...

30/03/2006
Licensing of new Assistant Priest for Haddenham and Wilburton More...

20/03/2006
Licensing of new Area Dean of Cambridge Deanery South More...

14/03/2006
New Secondary School for Downham Market More...

01/03/2006
Church schools affirm broadening RE teaching More...

01/03/2006
new Area Dean of Cambridge Deanery South More...

01/03/2006
2005 Annual Report on the diocesan schools' work More...

01/03/2006
'See It Like It Is' photo exhibition More...

10/02/2006
Institution of new Vicar of the East Marshland Benefice More...

06/02/2006
St Mary's, Godmanchester More...

06/02/2006
new Priest-in-Charge of St Mark's, Newnham More...

02/02/2006
Oarsmen celebrate historic link with Church More...

30/01/2006
Diocese launches Lent Appeal 2006 to support AIDS victims in Vellore More...

23/01/2006
Licensing of new Priest-in-Charge of Great Gransden with Abbotsley & Little Gransden and Waresley More...

05/01/2006
new Chair of the Diocesan Children's Council More...

04/01/2006
Church thefts More...

17/11/2005
Churches embrace new hi-tech opportunities with their latest website More...

27/10/2005
Local Ecumenical Partnership with North Elbe parish More...

 
 
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Home > News & Events > Ely Ensign
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Ely Ensign - the final issue

Our diocesan magazine for over 17 years

Ely Ensign
The Ely Ensign - Flying the flag
around the Diocese

The final issue of the Ely Ensign hit the stands in January 2007.

The Ely Ensign was launched in December 1989 and the first issue opened with a farewell letter from Bishop Peter Walker, who had just retired as the diocesan Bishop. 

Communications director Geoff Turner, had brought together a team to explore the idea of starting a new magazine, to replace the previous diocesan journal, Contact, which had become defunct. 

The new publication got its title from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah, who speaks about 'an ensign for the nations' (Isaiah 11:12). The biblical word is used to mean a signal, sign, standard, or banner. And so the Ely Ensign began its life as the banner and mouthpiece of the diocese keeping its readers abreast of diocesan policies and happenings.

Its first editor was parish priest and Vicar of Fen Drayton, John Yule, who had worked in the publishing trade before his ordination. 

"It was hard work, but good fun," he said. "Technology had moved on and it was now possible to put the whole magazine together at home using Desk-top Publishing on an Acorn Archimedes computer. But every month I had to take the whole machine to the diocesan office where the printing was done." 

Receptionist Jackie Cox recalls those early days when she, aided by a team of volunteers, printed, collated and folded the Ensign each month. 

"We had our own off-set litho machine. It was stressful work and I remember dreading coming into the office, because the machine was unreliable and would break down at the crucial time," she remembers.

After what turned out to be a nerve-racking year, the communications team engaged a professional printer, Texset Graphics, and the thirteenth issue reached the parishes with comparative ease. 

John Yule remained editor for five years before handing over to Annabel Barber, who had worked as a scientific editor. During her time the Ensign became the first diocesan magazine to be published on a website. 

Ely was the first diocese in the Church of England to launch its own site - thanks to the initiative of Tom Ambrose, who was by now director of communications, and diocesan webmaster, Simon Kershaw. The site went live in 1995 and Annabel took advantage of the new technology and began posting a pdf file of each monthly issue - a practice which continued until its last issue.

In 1997, Annabel left the diocese and Steven Levitt took up the editor's chair. A newer, brighter style was made possible when Cambridge based PrintMaster took over the printing.

"There were many highlights in my five years as editor. We celebrated the 100th issue," he recalls. "I particularly remember reporting on the 1998 Lambeth Conference which my family and I attended and where we met the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey." 

In 2002, the editorship changed hands again when Owen Spencer-Thomas became Director of Communications. 

"One of the tasks I was asked to undertake was to improve the communications between the diocese and local congregations and those on the fringes of the Church," said Owen. "I identified the Ensign as the best vehicle for this task and set about extending its scope, providing a wider range of readable articles and creating a more modern image. With the help of St Edmundsbury Borough Council Printing services we were able to move into full colour.

"The Ensign became more a magazine of the people as readers and parish members submitted their own stories and ideas to share with the diocese. As a result, it grew from an eight-page magazine to a colourful monthly, which averaged 28 pages."

The Ensign's fifth editor, Pat Kilbey, took up the reins in June 2006. "The variety of articles that were sent in to the Ensign demonstrated what an active, diverse and caring diocese we share. It has been a great privilege to be part of that."

However, despite the improved production quality and additional pages, the Ensign sales remained static and, in November 2006, the Bishop's Council decided the Ensign was no longer sustainable and voted to discontinue it.

The Archdeacon of Cambridge is setting up a small group of people to consider how best to set priorities for the Communications budget.

The back numbers of the Ely Ensign are available in PDF format. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your machine you can download it here. Get Adobe Acrobat

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