The Countdown begins ...

98 - 99 - 100

People, Places, Prayer - Celebrating Southwark's Century

The Diocese of Southwark will be one hundred years old in two years time -July 2005 - and the countdown has already started.

First - a date for your diary ... to celebrate the centenary you are invited to Lambeth Palace Gardens on Saturday 2 July 2005. There will be stalls and activities, for all ages, running throughout the day and the centenary celebration will be drawn together in a Eucharist.

In addition to the Lambeth Palace Gardens celebration, there are plans for a book detailing the history of the Diocese, and an illustrated souvenir programme of the day. It is hoped to launch a centenary appeal raising money to assist local churches in local mission - helping parish projects which encourage children and young people into a life of faith, and projects which enable the Church's participation in the world.
The Cathedral will be running a whole series of centenary events. Most important among these will be the special centenary service to be held on the anniversary of the inauguration of the Cathedral on Sunday 3 July.

Over to you ...

Each parish is encouraged to celebrate the centenary in its own way - ideas and resources will be available from the Diocese to help.

So start thinking now and look out for further information in the Bridge as our special year draws closer.

How Diocesan birthdays have been celebrated before

The first Bishop was enthroned on St Peter's Day and the Cathedral was inaugurated in the presence of the King and Queen on 3 July 1905.

Twenty-five years
In 1930 the first twenty-five years of the Diocese were marked by a week of celebration and thanksgiving services in the Cathedral. The appeal for œ100,000 to build new churches in the Diocese was also completed.

Fifty years
The Queen came to Southwark to distribute the Maundy money on the Thursday of Holy Week. There was another week of celebration and a 'Family Gathering' for evensong at Dulwich Hamlet Football ground.

Sixty years
In 1965 the Diamond Jubilee was a simultaneous celebration of the Eucharist at the Cathedral and in parish churches using a TV link-up. Florence Higham wrote a short history of the Diocese and the Cathedral.

Seventy five years
In 1980 there were exhibitions in the Cathedral, special publications, a service of thanksgiving (at which the Archbishop of Canterbury preached) and finally an open-air Eucharist for 11,000 people from every parish of the Diocese on the Centre Court at Wimbledon.