Bishop Joseph Aba (pictured) from Liwolo Diocese in South Sudan will be with us in our Diocese from March 17 for a week.

The highlight of his time with us will be a 'World Mission Evening' at St Cuthbert’s Church, Preston on Sunday, March 19 at 6.30pm which promises to be 'a remarkable evening with some extraordinary stories of faith'. 

Bishop Joseph will participate in a service and a special panel discussion on the global church and mission. He will be joined by Bishop Saju Muthalaly of Loughborough, a former curate at St Thomas’s Lancaster, who was brought up in South India.

Also on the panel are the Rev. Sarah Gill, our Bishop’s Advisor on UKME/GMH Matters who also brings experience of the Church in Pakistan; all alongside our own Bishop Philip

The evening in Preston will include worship, prayer; a keynote address from Bishop Joseph and a Q&A panel. BOOK HERE. You There is also a livestream planned for the evening. The livestream should be available on St Cuthbert's Facebook page or on their YouTube channel accessible via their website homepage; and you can also click here for more information about the rest of Bishop Joseph's schedule while he is in the Diocese.

Come yourself; come with a friends from church and/or friends who don't go to church who may still be interested to hear the discussions. 

Larger group parties from parishes across the Diocese are also welcome. If you want to book in as a group of more than five, you can bypass Eventbrite and phone Bishop's House on 01254 248234 to book the total number who will be coming. Ask for Esther Tregilgas.

Meanwhile, Bishop Joseph will also be touring the diocese while he is with us. He will attend two of this year's clergy study mornings - one at Christ Church, Thornton-le-Fylde and the other at St Stephen's, Burnley on March 18 and 22; will visit several schools in the Chorley area on March 20 and 21 and he will also attend a confirmation Service at Parbold and Appley Bridge in the evening of March 21.

Bishop Joseph will also speak at Diocesan Synod on March 22 at Blackburn Cathedral and will meet the Diocesan Link Diocese committee on March 20 (both evening events). 

Bishop Philip says: “I first heard Bishop Joseph speak at the Lambeth Conference. The Diocese of Liwolo is a diocese in exile, currently based in Uganda due to the ongoing civil unrest in South Sudan.

"He is one of the most remarkable and courageous Christians I have ever met.  He serves one of the poorest parts of one of the poorest nations on the planet. His Diocese of Liwolo has been destroyed by war and he and his people live in refugee camps in Uganda.

"And yet he has the most remarkable ministry as reconciler and evangelist and an unfailing trust in Jesus Christ. Together, Bishop Joseph and the energy and growth of the church he leads is incredibly inspiring.

"Following Lambeth, I invited him to share with us the evangelistic energy and the courageousness of the church in other parts of the world and I am delighted he is coming to spend this time in Lancashire.

"The World Mission Evening, in particular, promises to be a remarkable evening with some extraordinary stories of faith and I encourage as many as possible to attend and hear what Bishop Joseph has to say."

Ronnie Semley, March 2023