28th September 2026

Bishop Joe on visit to Free State Diocese, strengthening our international links

The Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev Dr Joe Kennedy, is currently in the Diocese of Free State in South Africa as part of the continuing and longstanding partnership between our two ‘link dioceses’.

He is accompanied by Iain Parks, the Diocesan Director of Education. They are pictured together on the third day of their visit while at Welkom St Andrew’s school.

Across the nine day visit Bishop Joe and Iain are meeting clergy and lay leaders and visiting schools and congregations across the Diocese of Free State; deepening relationships which have developed over many years, including between individual parishes.

They will preach in parish churches, meet church leaders to share learning and also take the opportunity to explore common opportunities and challenges facing local churches.

In addition they will get chance to spend time with lay ministers and church members in a range of communities; including services in both Bethlehem town and neighbouring township congregations.

You can follow the South Africa visit via a series of videos being posted to our Facebook and Instagram pages this week.

Bishop Joe is particularly looking forward to a key focus of the trip: visiting a clergy school in Modderport where he will deliver a series of talks and reflections.

Iain is taking part in visits which include meeting education leaders and learning more about the role schools play within communities across the Free State. A visit to St Andrew's School in Welkom forms part of the itinerary.

The Diocese of Blackburn and the Diocese of Free State have enjoyed a longstanding companion link, supporting one another through prayer, friendship, shared learning and mutual opportunities to visit and learn in person from each other.

This latest trip continues the Diocese of Blackburn's commitment to building strong international partnerships with our link Dioceses. It follows a visit to Kenya earlier this year by the Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev Philip North, where he met Bishops from three of Blackburn's four link Dioceses, including the Bishop of Free State, Rt Rev Dintoe Letloenyane.

Bishop Dintoe will now host Bishop Joe and Iain during their visit, sharing a meal with them one evening while they are in Bloemfontein, while on another evening the visitors will dine with the Dean of Bloemfontein Cathedral, Very Rev Lazarus Mohape.

Learn more about the Diocese of Free State here and more about Bloemfontein Cathedral here.

Commenting on the trip today, Bishop Joe said: "Being able to share with and learn from Christians living and serving in very different contexts is one of the great gifts of being part of the wider Anglican Communion.

“We are part of a worldwide family, united in Christ, with much to learn from one another, so it is a joy to be able to spend time in our link Diocese of Free State with our brothers and sisters here.

“It is a wonderful opportunity to listen to their experiences; learning and worshipping together while also exploring how we can continue to support and encourage one another in our shared mission.”

Iain Parks added: “The link between our Dioceses has flourished over many years, with schools, youth groups and church communities benefiting from opportunities to learn from one another.

“This visit provides a valuable opportunity to deepen those relationships; explore how our respective education systems are evolving and reflect together on what it means to live out a distinctively Christian vision in different cultural and educational contexts.

“Through visits to schools including St Andrew's in Welkom; Mosamaria St Michael's Girls' School and St Andrew's Boys' School we hope to share good practice, strengthen partnerships and grow together in faith and learning.”