THE new Bishop of Penrith has spent her first few days in post out and about greeting hundreds of people on a Lent Walk.

The Rt Rev Dr Emma Ineson was officially installed and welcomed as the Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Carlisle – the Church of England in Cumbria – at a special service in Carlisle Cathedral on Sunday.

The following day she joined the Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev James Newcome, as he continued his Lent walk across Cumbria with other ecumenical leaders from the county. The group was also joined by the Salvation Army’s Divisional Commander Roger Batt as they set off from Holme Cultram Abbey in Abbeytown bound for Silloth, Workington and Cockermouth.

Bishop Emma, who will be based in Kendal, said: “I’m feeling wonderful and am raring to go. I can’t think of a better way to start ministry in this beautiful county than by joining the Lent walk. And we’ve just had some of the best sausage rolls and a lovely cup of tea provided by the ladies here at the abbey!

“This offers me a great opportunity to get out and about. The God for All strategy is really exciting and I’m keen to find out what that looks like on the ground; to see how people in the local churches and communities are living out that calling. What is it that’s going on in the clubs, in the shops, in the streets, in the churches to share the love of Jesus with everyone?”

The Lent Walk builds on last year’s Moving Mountains mission and will see Bishop James visit each of the 33 mission communities which are being formed as part of the God for All strategy.

Four partner denominations – the Methodist Church, United Reformed Church, Salvation Army and the Church of England – have developed God for All with the aim that by 2020 every person in Cumbria of all ages and backgrounds will have an opportunity to discover more of God and God's purpose for their lives, so that they will discover more of Jesus and the Good News and become followers of Jesus within a Christian community.

Carlisle Cathedral was full on Sunday as supporters gathered to welcome Bishop Emma to her new ministry as Cumbria’s first female bishop. There was also opportunity for ecumenical and county leaders to welcome her and she was installed as an Honorary Canon.

She added: “The consecration in York Minster was fantastic; I didn’t think it could get any better but the service at Carlisle Cathedral was another step up. It was lovely to be welcomed formally by everyone there – from people representing different denominations and organisations such as the county council through to five wonderful school children who presented me with a special gift of a friendship bracelet.

“I felt a real warmth of welcome and it was great to be able to preach about Jesus’ calling to follow him on the sometimes hard road of discipleship, to make a call that together we reconnect with Jesus.”

A round of applause echoed around the cathedral to mark Bishop Emma’s welcome while representatives of the diocese’s Network Youth Church led prayers.

Bishop James said: “There was a tremendous sense of support for Emma at the service of welcome and as I greeted people as they left the cathedral there were a lot of very positive comments about Emma’s sermon, her openness and friendliness. They are very much looking forward to having her here with us, as I am too!”