The following announcement was made at the United Benefice Service on Sunday 31 May 2026 held in Kirkbampton Church.The Bishop of Carlisle has appointed The Reverend Ian Johnston and The Reverend Peter Streatfeild, who at present both hold Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of Carlisle, as Associate Priests in the Benefice of the Barony of Burgh. These appointments are subject to the usual legal checks.Message from The Venerable Stewart Fyfe, Archdeacon of West CumberlandI am conscious of the challenge to recruitment posed by a half time post for six parishes. However, in practice, the benefice is well served by its retired clergy on PTO (Permission to Officiate). Indeed, this service is not significantly different from many serving licensed Associate Priests. Ian Johnston is looking to move his ministry increasingly back into the benefice, now that he has retired as priest-in-charge of Rockliffe and Blackford and his chaplaincy at Austin Friars. Between them, Peter and Ian are conducting ministry that is equivalent to a half-time post.Accordingly, with their agreement, I am asking the Bishop to recognise their ministries by granting them each a licence as Associate Priest, instead of treating them as PTO retired clergy. This should (a) give proper recognition to the ministry they already carry out; and (b) make it clearer to potential applicants that the support available from their ordained colleagues makes a half-time incumbency a do-able job. It is, however, important to note that, as with all self-supporting ministry, Peter and Ian are volunteers and only have capacity for limited service. It must, therefore, be strictly understood that neither is taking on any additional responsibilities under this new role and congregations must not expect additional duties from them. In particular, neither is taking on any of the responsibilities or legal duties of priest-in-charge or Rector. These are deliberately reserved for the incoming priest-in-charge and during the vacancy they will remain with the churchwardens and Rural Dean. Ian is hoping that, once his mobility issues are resolved by a successful operation, he will be able to take on more ministry. Peter,however, is already operating at the limit of his capacity. Accordingly, congregations are asked to honour the ministry Peter and Ian carry out, without placing any additional burdens or expectations upon them. Please pray for them in their ministry.The Venerable Stewart FyfeArchdeacon of West Cumberland.May 2026.
*More than 30 churches across Carlisle have come together to collect nearly a quarter of a tonne of candles to help people in Ukraine. Over two months, congregations across the city and in rural parishes within the Carlisle Deanery have worked together to collect the candles which have now been transported to a special project in Wiltshire Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership (SHAP) oversees the shipments to Ukraine, to help those people who are struggling without power and heat. Carolyne Baines, churchwarden at St Michael’s Burgh by Sands, first read about the SHAP project in the Church Times. She said: “This was something that I thought was very worthwhile and which churches could easily get involved with. The response to the appeal has been beyond everyone’s expectations and an amazing 230 kilograms of candles have been collected. “We are also very grateful for the help and support of the Rotary Club of Carlisle who arranged for the collection of candles to be taken down to Swindon.” Churches within the Carlisle Rural Mission Community - to the west and south of the city - have also been involved, as well as St George’s United Reformed Church in the city centre. Cardboard boxes full of new and partly-used candles donated by congregations were taken to SHAP’s warehouse unit. That is where trench candles are produced to provide a heat source for Ukrainians, who face winters where temperatures plummet to minus 30 degrees Celsius. The Rev Simon Bickersteth, Vicar of St James Carlisle and Rural Dean for Carlisle Deanery, said: “It’s been wonderful to again see how churches and congregations can come together in such a practical way to support those who are facing terrible hardship. “As Christians, we are committed to doing all we can to help those who are struggling and need support. As winter sets in, our prayer is that these candles bring heat for the people of Ukraine and represent to them the hope and light that we see in Jesus Christ as together we continue to pray for an end to the war in their country.”https://www.shapuk.org/candles-for-ukraine
