Bishop Rachel says that encounter and relationship are at the heart of faith and of life. At a time when ‘social distancing’ is our daily reality, she calls us to celebrate community, intimacy and the discovery of ourselves and each other through close encounter with God and our neighbour - the adventure of faith that Jesus calls us to - and to find hope even in times of darkness.

Rachel Treweek is the Bishop of Gloucester, was the first woman to become a Diocesan Bishop in the Church of England, and was previously a paediatric speech and language therapist. She is the author of Encounters: Jesus, connection and story, past present and future (DLT 2020).

Paula Gooder is the Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral and a leading Biblical scholar. Her latest book is The Parables (Canterbury Press, 2020), in her Biblical Explorations series.