NEW DEAN WELCOMED AT "A TIME OF GREAT CHANGE"

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

The Very Reverend David Monteith has been installed as the new Dean of Leicester

New Dean welcomed at "a time of great change"

The Very Reverend David Monteith has been installed as the new Dean of Leicester.

The Very Rev Monteith officially began his new post after a service at Leicester Cathedral on Saturday.

The new Dean, taking over from Vivienne Faull, who last year moved to be Dean of York, has been at the cathedral four years having previously been the canon chancellor with responsibility for pastoral and educational life.

In his sermon to the congregation, the Very Rev Monteith said: "Cathedrals are called to embrace the interface between the spiritual and the secular.

"This Cathedral is invited to create the kind of space which frees up others to explore this spirituality in countless languages, metaphors, images, experiences and church traditions."

During the service the Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev Tim Stevens welcomed the new Dean.

He said: "Few Deans have been installed at a time of such great change in their Cathedral. We have discerned in you the gifts and qualities this challenge require. May God bless you."

The service included music sung in Irish reflecting the Dean's native origins.

A piece written by Dr Chris Johns, director of music at the cathedral was premiered.

It uses a poem by Robert Herryck who is commemorated in the cathedral and whose family home was on the site of the Greyfriars Friary where Richard III was buried.

CITY DEAN "HONOURED" BY NEW ROLE AT YORK MINSTER

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

City's Dean honoured by new role at York Minster

Dean of Leicester, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, has been given the task of running one of England's biggest cathedrals.

Downing Street announced yesterday that Dean Faull was to be the new dean at York Minster – one of the most senior and prestigious deaneries in the Church of England.

Dean Faull, 57, has been responsible for Leicester Cathedral since 2000, when she was appointed provost of Leicester, the first woman to lead a Church of England cathedral. She became Dean of Leicester in 2002.

She said she was delighted and honoured to have been given the task of running one of England's biggest cathedrals.

She also thanked the people of Leicester for their support.

"The people of the parishes of the diocese, and of the cathedral, have gently and generously taken me into their care as I have learnt with and from them how to be a dean," she said.

"It is, of course, daunting to move from one of the smallest to one of the largest cathedrals, but I know there are many people who care deeply for York Minster, its mission and ministry, and I look forward to leading a large team on its continued development."

The Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, said: "I am delighted Viv Faull has been appointed as the next Dean of York.

"She has been a great ambassador for the cathedral and will leave it in a stronger position. I am glad her vision and leadership qualities will continue to be used in cathedral ministry."

Dean Faull has been at the forefront of the role of women in the church and was ordained in 1994.

She has been a member of the General Synod since 2004 and is on the panel of Chairs of Synod.

In 2009, she was elected chairman of the Association of English Cathedrals, the cathedrals' representative body.

She was also one of the founder directors of the company tasked with delivering St Martin's House, in Leicester, as the new centre for mission for the diocese, housing the offices of the diocese and cathedral. She succeeds Keith Jones, who retired in April, and is expected to take up her new post in September.

Although excited to be moving back north, Dean Faull says she will miss Leicester.

She said: "Having lived here for 12 years, I will leave part of my heart here, the city is very special."

Details regarding a service of farewell in Leicester Cathedral and her installation in York Minster will be published soon.

FAITH GROUPS UNITE IN EVE-OF-PROTESTS VIGIL

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Faith groups unite in eve-of-protests vigil

A multi-faith service has celebrated the unity of Leicester's religions and ethnic groups ahead of today's protests.

The Vigil for Leicester, held at the cathedral last night, was attended by Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, atheists and members of the Bahá'í faith.

The congregation of about 400 lit candles, described by Canon Barry Naylor as "a sign of light and hope overcoming all that is dark and evil".Welcoming the congregation, the dean, Vivienne Faull, said: "This is a very significant event on the eve of a day when there are those who want to divide us.

"We come to reflect and pray and remember that we together affirm that good is better than evil, love better than hate."

Hindu assistant city mayor Manjula Sood, who is also chairman of Leicester Council of Faiths, said: "We work in the support of love and kinship.

"In our city and county different faiths exist and flourish.

"There is no room for evils like hatred and racism."

Members of other faiths and no faith took turns to speak before lighting a candle.

Eleanor Davidson, a humanist, said of English Defence League members: "We all have to try to work out ways of engaging with these people to help them tackling their prejudice without recourse to anger and violence.

"Politicians need to realise politics is not a game. They have a duty to foster harmony in society and soon."

Julian Harrison, who is Jewish, said: "An attack on one faith community is an attack on us all and a threat to the harmony and community cohesion of which this city and county are justifiably proud."

Leading Muslim Suleman Nagdi said Islam was the main target of the protest and thanked other faiths for their support.

"I thank those who open their doors and their hearts to the Muslim community," he said.

The congregation watched a slideshow of photographs of community events, the 2011 disturbances and sports and tourist spots in Leicestershire.

The congregation took it in turns to light their candles and the service ended with a blessing by the Bishop of Leicester, the Right Rev Tim Stevens.