The Bishop of Lichfield is preparing to begin a walk which will see him visit 27 churches across the region carrying the name of St Chad.
The Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave will start at St Chad’s Well today (7th August) and finish at Lichfield Cathedral, the seat of St Chad, on 29th August.
On the way he will visit churches in Staffordshire, Shropshire and the Black Country.
At each site a small service of prayer – inside or outside – will take place, in line with current safety guidance on public worship including social distancing.
St Chad became the first Bishop of Lichfield in the seventh century. Though rooted in a Christian community in Lichfield, his was a travelling, pilgrim ministry.
“I hope that this will help us all to call to mind our shared direction of travel as we draw closer to 2022, the 1350th anniversary of our saint’s death.
“Chad’s message of gospel simplicity, friendly welcome and the crossing of boundaries is one which we all need to recover as our churches and our society seek to rebuild for the future.”
The Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave
The Dean of Lichfield Cathedral, the Very Revd Adrian Dorber, added:
“From the seventh century to the 21st, St Chad’s example and charism has imbued Lichfield Cathedral and Lichfield Diocese with the distinctive gift of grounded, approachable holiness.
“We’re delighted that our Bishop is taking a leaf out of Chad’s book and walking through the diocese, connecting all the churches dedicated to Chad.
“We’ll be praying for this walk every day and will give Bishop Michael a memento for each of the churches he visits.”
The Very Revd Adrian Dorber
