From the Diocese of Durham
Parishioners and dignitaries at a Wearside church today (Jan 22) gathered to celebrate the award of an accolade from Visit England.
From the Church of England
The Bishops of Hereford and Derby today challenge governments, companies and citizens to take the necessary steps to reduce the millions currently going hungry, as a coalition 100 organisations come together to make 2013 the year in which we make dramatic progress towards ending global hunger - IF.
On 14th January 2013 the Church of England is encouraging Christian communities across the country to pray for farmers and those working in the rural economy. Special prayers have published online to mark ‘Plough Monday’, traditionally the start of the agricultural year.
David Shreeve, the Church of England’s national environmental adviser, said:
“Today’s news* that half of the world's food ends up being thrown away is a wake up call for us all. The Church of England, through its Shrinking the Footprint campaign, is committed to working on issues of food waste.
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, today visited NHS staff and patients at the Children’s Heart Surgery Unit, Leeds General Infirmary.
The Rt Revd Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter, announced today (Sunday 6 January) that he will retire this year.
From the Office of the Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu this morning launched the city’s response to the government initiative to ‘End Rough Sleeping: No Second Night Out’ at the Salvation Army, Gillygate, York.
From the Diocese of Europe
Dr Amanda Haste from RSCM France tells us members are working to fulfil the aim of the Royal School of Church Music in promoting music in worship. Following highly successful 'Singing Days' at St George's, Paris and John the Baptist in St Raphaël we are now planning a residential weekend which is open to all chaplaincies in the Diocese. The details below may help you plan your Summer.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has spoken on BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought programme about the positive effects that social media can offer to small initiatives by bringing them to a larger audience: “In the aftermath of the earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, one student, Sam Johnson, put out a call through Twitter for help in clearing up after the earthquake and doing some basic rescue work. Thousands of students from all the way across New Zealand turned up and spent weeks and months in Christchurch doing essential work and getting a community on its feet again.”
– but additional backers needed
This week will be one of the busiest of the year for Church of England cathedrals as they prepare to welcome more than 100,000 people to their Christmas services. And this week 17 Church of England cathedrals have also learned that they will receive grants to help ensure they stay dry, safe and secure for the future.
The UK’s largest Christmas ad has been unveiled. The ad, which is taller than the Great Wall of China (40 feet high) and the length of three buses (106 feet long), is part of the church backed ‘Christmas Starts with Christ’ campaign which runs until Christmas.
From the Church of England
Responding to the Prime Minister’s statement on same sex marriage today, the Church of England issued the following statement.
Inspirational Bible reflections join a festival of seasonal music in the Reflections for Advent series of 10-minute podcasts, available from the Church of England website and iTunes.
From the Church of England
The Joint Implementation Commission (JIC) of the Anglican Methodist Covenant has voiced its disappointment that the General Synod has not found a way to move forward on the question of women bishops. It added, however, that, although the vote in General Synod on Tuesday failed to remove a major obstacle to growing into that unity to which the Church of England and the Methodist Church are committed in the Covenant between them, the basis of that Covenant has not changed.
A major new initiative to help the poorest people in Middlesbrough is being launched by the Archbishop of York on Sunday 2nd December.
From CMS
This week is Global Entrepreneurship Week and at Pickwell Manor in North Devon a group of students on the CMS Pioneer Mission Leadership Training Course will learn how to apply models of social enterprise to ideas which seek to enhance the lives of individuals and communities.
Heidi Shirra from South Cave has published a book sharing her experiences of overcoming anorexia. Handmade By God, published by Gilead Books, is an account of Heidi’s battle with the eating disorder, and the Bible verses that helped her conquer the illness.
A change in the law on assisted dying would ‘permit people actively to participate in bringing about the deaths of other individuals, something that, apart from cases of self defence, has not formed part of the legal landscape of the United Kingdom since the abolition of capital punishment’, the Church of England Mission and Public Affairs Council has told politicians.
