The Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, has been in the Diocese of Leeds recently visiting schools and churches sharing the importance of the Lord’s Prayer, helping people to grow in their discipleship.
During 2025 and 2026, Archbishop Stephen has been undertaking a tour across the North of England, sharing the meaning and significance of the Lord’s Prayer as part of a ‘Faith in the North’ initiative.
The day began with a visit to Collingham Lady Elizabeth Hastings Primary School, where Archbishop Stephen led an assembly with pupils and staff looking at the Lord’s Prayer.
Archbishop Stephen then went to St Barnabas Alwoodley in the Leeds area, where he met parishioners who have recently joined the congregation after arriving from Hong Kong.
After lunch Archbishop Stephen time spent with those preparing for ordained ministry in the Church of England, before visiting Trinity Cathedral Academy, where students asked questions and they explored the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer together.
The archbishop then visited St George's Lupset in the Wakefield area, meeting clergy and volunteers there and hearing about the work they do to support the people of Lupset and the surrounding areas, including with a food bank.
The day concluded with an evening gathering at Wakefield Cathedral, where attendees explored the power and relevance of the Lord’s Prayer today with Archbishop Stephen.
Archbishop Stephen said: “It’s always a real pleasure to be back in Wakefield, a place I know and love, and where I served as a priest some 30 years ago.
“My visit to Wakefield Cathedral is part of what I’m calling The Lord’s Prayer Tour, as I travel around the North sharing with people the prayer Jesus gave us - not just as a way to pray, but as a guide for how we live.”
The Lord’s Prayer Tour is an effort to help people with their spiritual lives, and as a diocese we are also exploring how we can support churches in helping people to grow in formation and discipleship.
We know that there are many good things happening across the diocese, so we are holding conversations in the next few months where people can share what is proving helpful, as well as listening for ideas.
We have a small pot of money from our latest funding award from the national church to help develop resources more widely if there is need.
All are welcome to join the Rt Revd Malcolm Chamberlain, Bishop of Wakefield, and the Revd Canon Jude Smith, Diocesan Director of Mission and Revitalisation, for an open conversation on Tuesday, May 12 online about what has been fruitful in guiding people to a deeper life of faith.
This is a facilitated conversation where we are seeking to explore good practice, answer questions together and begin to think about how we as a diocese can help churches increasingly become places where everyone can develop a deep and fruitful relationship with God.
Revd Jude said: “It was more than a generation ago that spirituality writer Richard Foster suggested that what the world most needs are people who are ‘deep’.
“Increasingly, as people are drawn to a life of faith, they too are seeking depth and practices that will help them to grow and maintain a life lived in relationship with God and others.”
The conversation is taking place on Tuesday, May 12 from 7.30pm to 9pm online.
Please click here to sign up.