1999

NOAH wins first Churches' Beacon Award for Sustainable Community Development
25 November 1999

Furniture-making, restoration and upholstery courses proved a winning combination in the first Churches' Beacon Award for Sustainable Community Development. The 32 Beacon Awards recognise outstanding teaching and learning practice across the Further Education curriculum.

Church picks designer for Common Worship
9 November 1999

The Church of England today announces that it is selecting Derek Birdsall, RDI, to be the designer of the service book for the new century.

Prisons: a study in vulnerability
9 November 1999

A collection of essays on the theme of 'vulnerability' inside prisons has produced two simple messages: the vulnerable should not be in prison at all and, whilst the Prison Service has made a start, conditions in prison urgently need to be improved.

Joint Forum for Conservation Issues
3 November 1999

A Time to Keep: The Problems of Conserving Turret Clocks. Stands the church clock at ten to three....' The clock is often the heart of a village, but many are now at risk. On the one hand, people have neither the time nor skills to look after them, on the other, inappropriate repairs and alterations are being carried out to make the clocks run like digital watches.

Internet wake-up call
3 November 1999

Society should wake up to the ethical and spiritual implications of the Internet, claims a report from the Church of England's Board for Social Responsibility. A working party involving leading computer scientists, with participation of staff from the Roman Catholic Bishops Conference, compares the on-rush of this new medium to a flood.

Prisons, evangelism and family life to be highlights of Synod agenda
2 November 1999

Major debates on evangelism and strengthening family life are among the highlights of a busy agenda for General Synod's meeting next month. The meeting will take place in London, at Church House, Westminster, from 15-19 November.

Theological Consultant to the House of Bishops and Theological Secretary to the Council for Christian Unity appointed
18 October 1999

Dr Martin Davie, Lecturer in Doctrine and Church History and Head of Postgraduate Studies Teaching at Oak Hill Theological College, has been appointed to the joint post of Theological Consultant to the House of Bishops and Theological Secretary to the Council for Christian Unity.

Evangelists receive renewed recognition
11 October 1999

The office of Evangelist has received renewed recognition from the House of Bishops with a report on those working in parishes and dioceses and the inauguration of a College for those working more widely.

Church of England acts to strengthen marriage
20 September 1999

The Church of England today announced a series of initiatives to strengthen the institution of marriage in England. The Archbishops' Council is coordinating a number of measures to stress the Church's support for the institution of marriage and its importance for individuals, families and the whole of modern society.

Churches launch Millennium Website
25 August 1999

The English Churches' build-up to the Millennium takes a leap into cyberspace with the launch of a dedicated Millennium website (http://www.2000ad.org).

Archbishop of Canterbury's Book Jesus 2000
5 August 1999

Media reports based on unauthorised extracts, taken out of context, from an unpublished book by the Archbishop of Canterbury

GM CROPS - Ethical Investment Working Group
2 August 1999

The Church's Ethical Investment Working Group said, following its meeting last week, that it requires a period of further deliberation and reflection before it can state a view about the growing of GM crops for research purposes.

Meeting the challenge - how churches should respond to sex offenders
29 July 1999

Churches can play a role in integrating sex offenders back into society but their primary concern must be to protect communities and individuals from the risk sex offenders pose and the manipulative strategies they use.

Church Schools Review Group
28 July 1999

Lord Dearing is to chair a review of church schools established by the Church of England's Archbishops' Council.

Church gives damning evidence to Select Committee inquiry on Iraqi sanctions
8 July 1999

Church of England bishops will today (Thursday, 8 July) meet the House of Commons International Development Affairs Committee in a specially convened committee session.

Statement from the Church of England Board of Education and from the Bishops' Conference Department for Catholic Education and Formation in response to the review of the National Curriculum in England
2 July 1999

The Church of England and Roman Catholic Church are deeply disappointed and concerned over the failure to place appropriate emphasis on spiritual and moral development in the consultation documents for the National Curriculum.

Petertide sees a further rise in ordinations
26 June 1999

This year sees a further increase in the numbers of new clergy being ordained by the Church of England. Some 396 new deacons will be ordained around the country this summer (Petertide), up from 363 in 1998.

If you have a view about the Church Urban Fund, let's hear it!
25 June 1999

The Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Revd David Smith, has called for all those with views about the Church Urban Fund (CUF) to contribute to discussions about its long-term future.

Council recommends increase in clergy stipends
21 June 1999

The Archbishops' Council held its sixth meeting, in Lambeth Palace, on 16 June. The main focus was on ministry matters and issues being discussed by the General Synod in York, next month.

Stephen Lawrence, learning, legislation and liturgy to be highlights of Synod agenda
15 June 1999

The Church's response to the report of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry and the challenge of sustaining life-long learning in the Church are among the highlights in a busy agenda for the General Synod's meeting next month.

New Adviser in Evangelism appointed
14 June 1999

The Archbishops' Council has appointed Canon Robert Freeman as National Adviser in Evangelism.

Archbishops' Council tackles heavy work programme on church schools and racism
1 June 1999

Education and a response to the Lawrence Enquiry were top of the agenda for the fifth meeting of the Archbishops' Council on 25 May, chaired by the Archbishop of York in the absence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in South America.

Investors can help the Church's mission
27 May 1999

The Investors in People Standard reflects important Christian principles and can help the Church be more effective in its mission, according to the report of a Board of Education task group published today.

Conference to encourage minority ethnic vocations
18 May 1999

The Church of England is encouraging its young minority ethnic members to consider their calling to various ministries, both lay and ordained. A national conference, Thinking about Serving God in Church and Community, will bring them together with clergy and church advisers to help discover the next stage in realising that vocation.

Values underpinning the school curriculum - a response from the Board of Education
12 May 1999

The Church of England Board of Education has welcomed the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) consultation on Curriculum 2000 and the opportunity to make a contribution to a significant debate.

The Role of Bishops in the Second Chamber
7 May 1999

The Church of England pledges, today (7 May), to maximise its own parliamentary service to the nation while supporting broader faith representation in a reformed Second Chamber. In written evidence to the Royal Commission on Lords Reform, the Church of England asserts that the presence of its bishops adds an extra dimension of experience and expertise to the work of Parliament.

Archbishops' Council works on vision and priorities
4 May 1999

At its first residential meeting, at a retreat house in Morley, Derbyshire, the Archbishops' Council agreed the vision and values which should guide its work and continued to consider its strategic priorities. It also decided to establish a review of clergy stipends and to approve publication of an important document on the future funding of the Church's mission.

Archbishops' Council - a statement on Kosovo
30 April 1999

The Archbishops' Council considered the latest developments in the Balkans. It noted the recent statement by His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, following his meeting on 15 April 1999 with Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain, that "all genuine opportunities for peace" should be pursued with "single-mindedness and commitment".

The Archbishop of Canterbury's Reaction to Cardinal Hume's Illness
17 April 1999

Today, 17 April 1999, at Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: 'I am so sorry to learn of the serious nature of Cardinal Hume's illness ...

Survey shows strong public backing for Christian element in Dome celebrations.
16 April 1999

Over two-thirds of people who plan to watch the millennium celebrations at the Dome on television on New Year's Eve believe there should be a specifically Christian element in the proceedings, according to new research on behalf of the Church of England out today.

New body set up to review the long-term future of the Church Urban Fund
28 March 1999

The Rt Revd David Smith, Bishop of Bradford, is to chair a review into any long-term future for the Church Urban Fund (CUF) beyond its original end date of 2010.

KOSOVA - a statement by the Rt Rev Richard Harries,
24 March 1999

The decision taken by NATO's Secretary General, Javier Solana, to order punitive air strikes against military targets across Yugoslavia is understandable but regrettable in view of the growing humanitarian crisis in Kosova.

Council welcomes increasing numbers in training
22 March 1999

In its March meeting, the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England advanced work on a number of issues. During the five-hour meeting, there were three sessions of reflective worship led by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Conference calls for £1 million Youth Evangelism Fund
16 March 1999

Delegates at ACE '99 voted overwhelmingly for the establishment of a fund of at least £1million devoted to youth evangelism. The call was made by delegates at the 1999 Church of England Conference on Evangelism from 8-12 March.

Anglican Conference on Evangelism - ACE '99
22 February 1999

The Church of England's first national conference to look at the Decade of Evangelism and beyond will be held at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, from 8 - 12 March 1999.

Archbishops' Council meets for first time
21 January 1999

The Church of England's new Archbishops' Council met for the first time today (21 January) against the background of fresh figures showing another substantial rise in new ordinands. The 1998 total shows a rise of 10% over the previous year.

Church of England Response to the Government White Paper on Lords' Reform
20 January 1999

Following the publication of the Government White Paper on Reform of the House of Lords on Wednesday, 20 January 1999, the Church of England issued the following statement:

Bishop of Blackburn will chair Board of Education
19 January 1999

The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters, is to be the next Chairman of the Board of Education and the National Society. He will take up the post in April, following the retirement from the Board of the Rt Rev David Young, Bishop of Ripon. As Chairman of the Churches' Joint Education Policy Committee, the Bishop will speak on education matters for all the main denominations in the House of Lords, a role in which former chairmen of the Board have been instrumental in amending successive education and related Acts of Parliament.

INFORM: Churches respond to cash crisis
19 January 1999

Representatives of member churches of the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland (CCBI) have met with Professor Eileen Barker and some other Governors of INFORM (Information Network on Religious Movements) to discuss the cash crisis facing INFORM.

New inter-faith secretary for British and Irish Churches
8 January 1999

The Revd Canon Michael Ipgrave has been appointed to the dual post of Inter-Faith Secretary for the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland (CCBI), through its Commission for Inter-Faith Relations, and for the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, through the Board of Mission.

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