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July 2006

 

Communications Update – 27 July 2006

Monthly news bulletin from the Communications Office, Church House, London.

Feel free to forward this to others, or to use in diocesan or parish newsletters or magazines.

 

Archbishop condemns the escalating violence in the Middle East

The Archbishop of Canterbury has written to the Heads of Churches in the Lebanon, saying: “I have been alarmed at the spiral of violence, the vicious circle of attack and retaliation, that has developed over the last few days. My prayers and sympathy are with the principal victims, the innocent civilians on both sides of the border, who now live in terror and are powerless to prevent the collective suffering at the hands of Hezbollah and the Israeli military." Read a full text of the letter here

The Archbishop also appeared on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme to talk about the Middle East. Read a full transcript of the interview here

 

Bishop of London on the environment - interview on Radio 4's Today programme

The Bishop of London, Rt Revd Richard Chartres, featured on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme on Monday 24 July, speaking about the environment.

He clarified press reports of his comments on the ethics of international travel, stressing that “as you begin to audit your own use of energy, decisions about which car you use and the way in which you use air travel clearly are very vital… it is a question of individual decision and people have got to be helped to make those decisions responsibly for themselves.”

The Bishop also highlighted the launch of the ‘Shrinking the Footprint’ campaign, which aims to help the Church reduce its impact on the earth’s resources as a direct response to the General Synod’s call for the Church at every level to engage with the issues of climate change. For the full transcript of the interview, visit here

For more details of the Shrinking the Footprint campaign, see here

 

General Synod – further discussion on women bishops amongst a range of important debates

The latest Group of Sessions of the General Synod took place in York between Friday 7 and Tuesday 11 July, and the Synod worked through a demanding agenda.

Over the course of two debates, Synod decided that admitting women to the episcopate in the Church of England is theologically justified, and agreed that a legislative drafting group be established with a view to preparing a range of specific options for enabling women to be consecrated as bishops whilst maintaining the highest possible degree of unity within the Church. Amongst a range of debates, Synod studied the report of the Commission on Urban Life and Faith, Faithful Cities, and also considered the first draft of plans that aim to make it easier for people to get married in church.

Motions, votes, background documents and audio of the debates are all available on the web at here

A summary of the main debates has also been produced, including links to audio archives of the debates, which may be a useful resource for parish or diocesan websites here

A more concise version has also been written which is perfect for parish magazines here

The text of the Archbishop of York’s Presidential Address on can be viewed here

The text of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s sermon at the Holy Communion service at York Minster during the Group of Sessions can be read here

 

Sundays suit some but churches must look outside box, says Church researcher

A senior Church of England researcher has called on parishes to expand the scope of their vision, urging churches to think beyond their own walls and beyond the hours of Sunday in their attempts to engage communities with the message of the Gospel. Churchgoing today is the second in a series branded Time to Listen, which presents current research in an accessible way to help resource the Church’s mission in today’s society. Revd Lynda Barley, Head of Research and Statistics for the Archbishops’ Council and author of the booklet, asks: “Are we prepared to be flexible and responsive in our approach to church buildings and church services as we seek ways to respond to the widening gap between the inherited faith of the nation and its current practice, understanding and nurture of that faith?”

Read more about Churchgoing today here  Order the book direct here

 

Pensions Task Group recommends way forward

The second report of the Archbishops' Task Group examining the Church of England's pensions policy was published. It set out developments since its first report in March, analyses a number of possibilities and recommends a particular option for the Church to consider. The Group acknowledges that they "are aware of a strong groundswell of opinion that the Church should be looking for a durable solution rather than a temporary fix."

The Group's preferred option involves a commitment from the dioceses and other funding bodies to a higher level of contributions; a willingness by the clergy to accept some reduction in benefits in order to preserve the main present pension scheme largely as it is; and a readiness by the Church Commissioners to help if called on to do so.

Read the full report of the Task Group here

Visit the Pensions Update section of the Church of England website for the full background here

 

Equipping volunteer youth workers for the future with flexible development framework

The Church of England has published a framework for the training and development of those who work with young people on its behalf. Equipping brings together a series of core competencies, learning outcomes and suggested evidence of assessment for those involved in youth work, and will place the Church of England in the vanguard of those organisations proactively developing training and development structures ahead of possible further legislation in this area.

It is estimated that more than 90,000 volunteers work with young people in Church-linked organisations every week, and this latest move is designed to support these volunteers as they in turn support young people on their faith journeys.

Read more about Equipping your youthwork volunteers here

 

First Anniversary of the London Bombings

On the first anniversary of the bombings of 7 July 2005, prayers were said at the General Synod – which was meeting in York - and in churches across England. The anniversary was referred to in the opening prayers of the General Synod, led by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, and was also reflected in the intercessions at evening prayer that night. Church House staff joined in the two-minute silence at midday.

Read more about the role the Church played in marking the anniversary here

 

Archbishop's message of sympathy for Mumbai victims

The Archbishop of Canterbury sent a message of sympathy for victims of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai at the beginning of July. In a message which was read to those gathered at an interfaith memorial gathering held in North London, Dr Williams said that the anniversary of the 7/7 attacks had led people in the UK to a determination to stand with victims of such attacks, and he assured all involved of his continuing prayers. Read a full text of the message here

 

Archbishop of Canterbury awards Lambeth Degrees

The Archbishop of Canterbury presided over a Lambeth Degree award ceremony in Lambeth Palace Chapel on 13 July, presenting degrees to seven recipients – The Revd Professor Canon Donald Allchin (DD), The Revd Dr. George Lovell (DD), The Rt Revd Peter Lee (BD), Ms Madeleine Bunting (MLitt), Miss Peggy Hartley (MA), The Revd Malcolm Johnson (MA), Mr. Ernest Warrell (MA).

Read full details about the history of the Lambeth Degree and this year’s recipients here

 

Pakistan Minister of Religious Affairs received by the Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury received Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and minorities, His Eminence Mohammad Ijaz-ul-Haq, at Lambeth Palace on 18 July. During the meeting, Dr Williams and Mr Ijaz-ul-Haq discussed matters of mutual interest including measures taken by the Pakistan Government to further improve interfaith harmony in the country.

 

Taking the Long View – a bishop’s-eye view of General Synod

“Polemical, swashbuckling, strongly committed and thoroughly good fun - Colin Buchanan's account of life in General Synod reads just like its author," says the Rt Revd Pete Broadbent, Bishop of Willesden.

Colin Buchanan, on retiring as Bishop of Woolwich in 2004, also left the General Synod he had served since its inception in 1970. In Taking the Long View, a book published this month by Church House Publishing, he records his personal experience of three and a half decades of cut and thrust in the Synod and kindred Church bodies.

Read more about Colin Buchanan’s book here

Order direct from Church House Bookshop

 

Director of Finance appointed for the National Church Institutions

Jackie Bliss has been appointed as Director of Finance for the National Church Institutions of the Church of England. This is the first time that a joint finance director has been appointed for the Archbishops’ Council, the Church Commissioners for England and the Church of England Pensions Board. Responding to her appointment, Jackie Bliss said:  “It is both an honour and a challenge to serve the Church in this way.  The fundamental role of the finance team is to support and advise the Church in its mission.  It will be my priority to ensure that financial systems help in focusing decision-making, coordinating strategy and evaluating the effectiveness of projects, in a way which enables and enhances that mission.” Read more about Jackie’s appointment here

 

Senior Selection Secretary appointed

The Revd Stephen Ferns has been appointed as Senior Selection Secretary in the Ministry Division of the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England. Stephen was previously a Selection Secretary and the Vocations Officer within the Division. Read more about the appointment here

 

Chief Executive Officer for Church Army appointed

Mark Russell, a member of Archbishops' Council and the General Synod, has been appointed as Church Army's youngest ever Chief Executive Officer. Mark, a law graduate from Northern Ireland, who is a licenced Reader in the Church of England and an accredited preacher in the Methodist Church in Ireland, is expected to take up the role in October. Read more about the appointment here

 

‘Start spreading the news’: Church launches live news feed

News from the Church of England is now available ‘hot off the press’ following the launch of an online news feed on the Church’s popular website, www.cofe.anglican.org. The RSS feed will enable those interested in the Church’s work and mission to receive live updates of the latest news from the Church – as soon as it is published. Subscribers will need to download a special ‘feed reader’ from the internet in order to receive the regular feeds.

Find out more here

Technical details on RSS here

The Church of England RSS News Feed is found here

 

New TV Series – The Miracles of Jesus

The Miracles of Jesus is a new three-part series, starting on BBC One on Sunday 6 August at 6.35pm for three weeks. The BBC says: “This new series uses drama, special photography and computer generated images to bring the miracles of Jesus to life, whilst Rageh Omaar is our guide in Israel as he tries to decipher the meaning of the miracles of Jesus.”

The BBC has set up a special website for the series. This includes a trailer and a downloadable publicity flyer. Download it here

Lion Publishing have also produced a companion book in which Michael Symmons Roberts examines many of Jesus' miracles in the context of 1st century Galilee. Read more on the book here