Following his announcement as the next Bishop of Burnley, Rev. Dr Joe Kennedy has sent this new YouTube video message to parishes and schools across Lancashire.

The special message comes after a full and busy day last Friday for the Bishop-Designate, beginning with the formal announcement at Burnley Faith Centre.

That’s when Joe was introduced by Rt Rev. Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn – and we also have a new video of that part of Friday available here on our YouTube channel.

Then it was on to Blackburn Cathedral for more introductions with civic, community and faith leaders. Also in attendance at the Cathedral were staff from the Diocesan Offices. Joe was interviewed at the Cathedral by Rt Rev. Dr Jill Duff, Bishop of Lancaster, and you can watch a livestream recording of that event here.  

Later in the day, after lunch, Joe then visited a ‘Forest Church’ at Balderstone St Leonard’s CofE Primary School accompanied by Being Witnesses Manager, Joy Rushton.

At the school, Joe participated in the special service in the company of local vicar, Rev. Karen Herschell; Headteacher Mrs Victoria Gow; staff from the school and members of the St Leonard’s Church.

They led more than 60 children and their parents round the school grounds - neighbouring an actual forest – as they followed and learned the various parts of the Easter story at six stops along the way.

The visit was doubly significant for Joe as it combined two key areas of work he will oversee as the new Bishop; both part of the ‘Being Witnesses’ strand of our Vision 2026 work. They are new local congregations (of which the Forest Church is one) and caring for creation.

In his new video to the Diocese, Joe says: “I am delighted and humbled to be announced as the next Bishop of Burnley, and to be joining Bishop Philip’s team later in the year.

“My family and I have spent the last 13 years living in the North West, on the Wirral Peninsula but we’re new to Lancashire, and so we’re very much looking forward to getting to know the county - and to getting to know you - in the years ahead.

“As I look to the future, my hope is to offer you a ministry which is rooted in prayer, confident in God, focused on pastoral care and on mission; and which offers a focus for unity across the diocese.

Joe continues: “But much more deeply, my hope is that united together, across the diocese in a rich variety of ways, we shall give ourselves ever more fully to coming to Christ and drawing others to Christ.

“These are transformational tasks – and for me they sum up what Vision 2026 is about. It is in Christ’s company, in sharing his life, that we shall find light and life. It is in his company that we shall be able to share life with others.”

The date of Joe’s Consecration Service later this year at York Minster (when he becomes a Bishop) will be Friday, July 19 at 11am.

This will be followed by his ‘Installation Service’ on Sunday, September 8 at 4pm (when he formally becomes the Bishop of Burnley in our Diocese) to be held at our Cathedral in Blackburn in the presence of civic, faith and community leaders and people from parishes across Lancashire.

• For Rev. Dr Joe Kennedy’s new video message to parishes click here.
• For full coverage of the announcement day visit this page of the Diocesan website.
• For the formal announcement on the Downing Street website, click here and click here for the Archbishop of York’s website announcement.
• For the full text of the speeches Bishop Philip and Rev. Dr Joe Kennedy gave at the Burnley Faith Centre, click here. And click here for a video of the announcement.
• Watch the Cathedral livestream introduction.
• Links to all our social media coverage of the announcement are here.
• Collated links to media coverage of the announcement so far, are here.
• For a biography of the next Bishop of Burnley, click here.

Captions for pictures, top to bottom:
Pics 2 – 5 by Ronnie Semley. Pic 1 and 6 by Sara Cuff

1  A new picture of the episcopal team for the Diocese, Bishop Jill, Rev. Dr Joe Kennedy (who is the next Bishop of Burnley) and Bishop Philip

2  Children from Balderstone St Leonard's CofE Primary during their Forest Church adventure

3  The next Bishop of Burnley, Rev. Dr Joe Kennedy, with Balderstone St Leonard's Primary CofE Primary parent Rizwana Patel during Forest Church

4  Rev. Dr Joe Kennedy, back right, next to Balderstone St Leonard's CofE Primary Headteacher, Victoria Gow, and with everyone who attended Forest Church

5  Forest Church is 'wellie good'! Rev. Dr Joe Kennedy with some of the children from Balderstone St Leonard's CofE Primary high kicking during their adventure

6  A new picture of the next Bishop of Burnley, Rev. Dr Joe Kennedy, surrounded by many of those who attended the Burnley Faith Centre announcement on Friday, including pupils from St Peter’s CofE Primary School

7  Rev. Dr Joe Kennedy in a still from his new video message