The Rt Revd Paul Davies, Bishop of Dorking and Acting Bishop of Guildford, is so encouraged by all in the diocese who joined him at one of the 12 Gatherings across the diocese.
These Gatherings followed Bishop Paul setting out that a strengthened culture of prayer will be the most important of his three priorities. It also comes as we continue to reflect on the loss of the Rt Revd Andrew Watson, the late Bishop of Guildford, and look ahead together with hope.
There was a gathering in every deanery. Each including:
- an opportunity for Bishop Paul to meet congregations at a reception
- praise-filled worship led by the Youth Catalyst Team and local musicians
- a celebration of what God is already doing in each parish, shared through faith-building stories
There was also prayer for the specific needs of every parish, school and chaplaincy in the deanery, and an address from Bishop Paul. He shared what he senses God is saying to us at this exciting time, and how, by working together, we can launch and embed a sustained programme of prayer to underpin all that we do.
Continuing in prayer
Following the encouragement of the Gatherings through May to July 2026, we invite you to continue praying for our diocese, deaneries, and parishes. To help with this, you can view and download the prayer sheets filled with celebrations and prayer requests that were shared at each of the deanery gatherings. You can also sign up to join the Bishop's Prayer Network mailing list using the form below to receive updates on further celebrations and prayer requests from across the diocese.