Leading with Loving Presence
Your Diocesan Conference 2026 Guide
Welcome to Diocesan Conference 2026! We’re really looking forward to the next few days and hope alongside some excellent talks, there’ll be space to worship, pray and listen to God together, as well as time to deepen relationships and encourage one another.
Click through the tabs below to find out more about what’s coming up each day.
Monday 5th October
2pm | Arrivals & Registration
Location: Derbyshire Suite
Head straight to the Derbyshire Suite to register. Refreshments available in the bar area. Please note, you will not be able to access your room until 5pm – upon arrival, please leave your belongings in your car (if possible).
3pm | Welcome & Worship
Location: Derbyshire Suite
Welcome to Conference! We’ll be gathering to begin the conference with sung worship and and welcome from Bishop Paul.
3.45pm | Session 1: The Love of God Living Through Us (Roger Bretherton)
Location: Derbyshire Suite
We’re so pleased to be joined by Roger Bretherton as our keynote speaker over the next few days. Roger is a Coach and Clinical Psychologist, and a recognised global authority in the study of Character Strengths – the positive qualities of personality (like hope, love, gratitude and wisdom) that produce individual and societal flourishing. Over the last twenty years Roger has delivered coaching and training to individuals and groups in over two hundred organisations. He works in faith contexts as well as with leaders in almost every sector. Formally Associate Professor in Psychology at he the University of Lincoln, he is currently honorary lecturer at the Centre for Positive Health Sciences (Dublin), and Faculty at the VIA Institute on Character.
5pm | Access to rooms
A chance to find your room and settle in before dinner.
6.15pm | Dinner
Location: Dining Rooms
7.30pm | Session 2: What Does it Mean to Love? (Roger Bretherton)
Location: Derbyshire Suite
Our second session with Roger Bretherton.
9pm | Bar Open
A chance to catch up with colleagues, or get an early night!
Tuesday 6th October
7.30am | Eucharist
Location: Chapel
An optional morning eucharist service led by Dean Stephen Evans.
8am | Breakfast
Location: Dining Rooms
Breakfast available from 8am onwards.
9am | Session 3: What Practices We Need to Love (Roger Bretherton)
Location: Derbyshire Suite
We’ll start the day in worship, followed by our third session from Roger Bretherton.
10.45am | Coffee Break
Head down to the bar area to stretch your legs and grab a hot drink before the next session.
11.30am | Seminars: Part 1
ONE SEMINAR, TWO HALVES
Upon booking, you selected your seminar preferences – find out which one you have been allocated to on your name lanyard. The seminars are taking place I the following locations:
- Managing Difficult Conversations – Location TBC
- Healthy Boundaries – Location TBC
- Being Your Own Coach – Location TBC
- SLOW Leadership – Location TBC
- Fuelling the Fire – Location TBC
1pm | Lunch, then free time & consultations
Spend the afternoon however you wish – catching up with colleagues, heading out for some fresh air, or taking the opportunity for a rest.
The following members of the central support team will also be available in the bar area, should you wish to chat.
- Martin Cooper (Chief Executive)
- Sean Barnes (Director of Finance & Operations)
- Sheetal Sharma (Senior Finance Officer)
- Anne Coyne (Digital Giving Adviser)
- Neil Peake (Programme Director)
- Stephen Watson (Church Buildings Support Officer)
- Sally Dunleavy (Net Zero Carbon Support Officer)
- Emily McRitchie (HR Manager)
- Jonathan Pickett (DAC Secretary for the Care of Churches)
- Robert Cleave (Diocesan Environment Officer)
- Ben Garry (Head of Communications & Creative)
- Elisha Oak (Parish Communications Enabler)
- Safeguarding Team (rooms for private consultation in the Derbyshire Suite)
Tea and cake will be available in the bar area from 4pm.
4.30pm | Seminars: Part 2
ONE SEMINAR, TWO HALVES
Seminars continue in the same locations. Please attend the second half of the same seminar (rather than trying a different one – you’ll have missed the first half, so it won’t make sense!).
- Managing Difficult Conversations – Location TBC
- Healthy Boundaries – Location TBC
- Being Your Own Coach – Location TBC
- SLOW Leadership – Location TBC
- Fuelling the Fire – Location TBC
6.15pm | Dinner
Location: Dining Rooms
7.30pm | Worship in Different Styles
An opportunity at the end of the day to spend time in worship. This year, we’re offering two different streams to choose from:
- Contemplative Worship led by Kristine Mole & Lianna Basdeo | Chapel
- Contemporary Worship led by Tors Ramsey | Derbyshire Suite – Main Hall
9pm | Bar Opens
A chance to catch up with colleagues, or get an early night!
Wednesday 7th October
7.30am | Morning Prayer
Location: Chapel
An optional service of morning prayer service led by Revd Angelika Bocchetti & LLM.
8am | Breakfast & Check Out
Location: Dining Rooms
Breakfast available from 8am onwards. Please note, you must have checked out of your room before the first session at 9am. Please bring your room key to the Derbyshire Suite.
9am | Session 4: Where Love Leads Us (Roger Bretherton)
Location: Derbyshire Suite
Our final session from Roger Bretherton.
10.30am | Coffee Break
Head down to the bar area to stretch your legs and grab a hot drink before the next session.
11.15am | Closing Reflections with Bishop Paul, & Eucharist
Location: Derbyshire Suite
Bishop Paul will lead us in a time of reflection on what we have heard over the past few days, considering where this plays out in our nation, the church, and the church in this diocese – including reflections from you! We’ll then close our time together in a service of Eucharist led by Revd Kate Byrom.
1pm | Lunch & depart
Grab some lunch before you head home. Don’t forget to hand your room key and lanyard in at the Derbyshire Suite.
Resources Referenced
- Click here to access your FREE preview of episode one the DISCIPLE course (a conference exclusive!)