The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, joined celebrations for the 1,350th anniversary of the founding of the Diocese of Hereford with a visit at the weekend.
The diocese was founded in 676 to cover the territory of the sub-kingdom of Magonsæte. At some point in the 8th century Magonsæte was effectively annexed by the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, but while Magonsæte is no more, its borders are preserved more or less in the modern-day diocese.
As part of her visit to mark the occasion the Archbishop visited a farming community in Affcott. There, a joint project between the Diocese of Hereford and the Methodist Church provides a “bacon butty van” every month providing not just food and drink, but conversation, spiritual counselling and health check-ups, primarily for those working in rural areas.
Also part of the celebrations was a service to admit and license new readers in the diocese. During the service Mullally praised the work of lay ministers, saying, “Your ministry is a gift. Never underestimate the impact that you have on people's lives, on the church and the community."
In a packed schedule, the Archbishop also found herself preaching at Putley Church's Harvest Festival, where she encouraged listeners to bring their worries to Christ.
“There may be worries on our hearts this morning, anxieties that we carry in our work life, home life, communities or health," she said.
"Jesus doesn’t dismiss these concerns, he invites us to bring them to him - to invite him to help us carry the load. And he promises us the gift of the Holy Spirit, the advocate, the counsellor, the one who brings comfort, courage and strength.”
Other visits included a youth hub in Leominster, Hereford County Hospital and an apple festival in the village of Much Marcle.
The anniversary weekend concluded with Evensong at Hereford Cathedral, where the Archbishop spoke about the themes of light and darkness via the story of Jesus and his meeting with Nicodemus, as told in the Gospel of John.
