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It is essential that assisted suicide is never deemed to be acceptable or commendable, the Church of England has said in response to the Director of Public Prosecutions' consultation on an interim policy for prosecutors on assisted suicide. While some people will believe that they may best express genuine compassion by assisting a loved one to commit suicide, it says, compassion is best expressed by making every effort to dissuade them, not by assisting them.
Results of elections to the Church of England Pensions Board.
Leave your credit cards at home and use cash when you are Christmas shopping if you want to stick to your budget - that’s the advice from Dr John Preston, the Church of England’s National Stewardship Officer, in the first of three new videocasts helping people enjoy Christmas without getting into debt.
Latest update from the Revision Committee on Women in the Episcopate.
Students and staff at many of the Church of England's 4,700 schools will be joining in the UK's first inter faith week.
Responding to today's publication of the Apostolic Constitution and its complementary norms by the Vatican, the Rt Revd Christopher Hill, Bishop of Guildford and Chairman of the Church of England's Council for Christian Unity, said:
The Prime Minister's Office has announced today that the next Bishop of Peterborough is to be the Ven. Donald Allister, currently Archdeacon of Chester.
The Revd Paul Benfield has been elected to serve on the Dioceses Commission.
The Church of England has published a book of prayers and reflections to help frazzled commuters prepare for the winter ahead – and then unwind on the way home.
Response to article in Financial Times (3 November 2009) regarding the clergy pension scheme.
Windsor, 2 November 2009 The Church of England has launched its environmental strategy for the next seven years, as global faith leaders and UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, gather today to discuss commitments on climate change, before the world’s political leaders meet in Copenhagen in December.
Westminster Abbey is preparing to host a fifth birthday celebration for the Church of England Youth Council.
A commentary on the meaning of 'Personal Ordinariates'.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will today address a special gathering of the leaders of the Church of England's growing network of academies, which have already provided a fresh start to the educational chances of 30,000 young people.
The Ven Julian Henderson has been elected to the General Synod's Business Committee.
The 2008 office and working costs of bishops in the Church of England are published today. Figures for individual bishops were first published, for the year 2000, in December 2001. Bishops’ office and working costs were previously published as a total figure.
Young people in Coventry Diocese are about to blend their love for God with their love of ice-cream by opening an ice-cream parlour, to give away ice-creams and host events for young people in the area who fancy a fun flavour of Church life.
The Revision Committee established by the General Synod to consider the draft legislation on enabling women to become bishops in the Church of England today completed the first phase of its work. The Committee has further meetings planned between now and December and is aiming to complete its task by Christmas so that its report can be debated in full Synod in February and the draft legislation begin its Revision Stage in full Synod.
A major conference is to bring together leading thinkers on rural economies, planning, policy and mission to explore the sustainability of rural communities and their churches.
The Minister's promise to “. . . legislate to allow water companies to run concessionary schemes (for churches, sports clubs and youth organisations) so they can get on with doing a great job instead of worrying about unaffordable bills” will be very welcome to many churches, Scout and Guide groups, amateur sports clubs and others.
More churches should be saying yes to couples who want their whole wedding day - ceremony and reception - in church, say two Church of England bishops.
The Church Commissioners, following an extensive review of Rose Castle, have deemed the property no longer to be suitable as the see house for future Bishops of Carlisle.
English cathedrals have never been in better condition nor better cared for. Yet they may soon be at risk. That’s the paradoxical conclusion of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England in its Annual Review 2008, published today.
'Back to Church Sunday' takes place this weekend, with thousands of people set to return to churches of all denominations following a personal invitation from a friend.
Statement from the Church of England's College of Bishops responding to the challenge of Climate Change in the run-up to Copenhagen.
As half a million people across the UK are set to receive personal invitations 'back to church' in the next few days, thousands more will be hearing their invitation over the breakfast table or on their drive home.
A 1.8 per cent rise in the number of students taking Religious Education at GCSE level marks the eleventh annual rise in entrants for the subject, according to figures released today
Today’s publication of A-level results marks the sixth year in a row that the number of students taking Religious Studies A-level has risen, with an increase of 4.7 per cent over 2008.
Get a buzz out of caring for creation, said David Shreeve, the Church of England’s National Environment Adviser, after visiting Lambeth Palace’s 12 hives, whose bees help London grow greener. The bees pollinate plants and flowers across a seven mile radius in the capital with each hive providing around 60lbs of honey a year. Wax from one hive has even been used to make a small model of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Church of England has launched a new web service for people taking a Staycation - holidaying from home instead of going away - during the recession.
Tom Joy has been appointed as Director of Investments for the Church Commissioners to advise on the strategic development of their multi-asset investment portfolio in light of the increasing complexity of the financial markets.
Two church growth consultants are encouraging churches across the country to set up 'Welcome Teams' as part of a drive make Church more 'sticky'.
The Church of England has produced two new service guidelines which merge the marriage service with a thanksgiving for the gift of a child or with baptism. The Church hopes these new ideas will help churches show their welcome for couples with children, and give the whole family a special occasion and a new beginning.
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have today written to Bishops in the Church of England recommending the suspension of the sharing of the chalice at communion.
The Church of England today publishes the inspection report on the Oxford Partnership for Theological Education and Training.
Rural churches with no running water are improving their facilities with the installation of cost-effective compost toilets. The latest environmentally friendly toilet, installed in an isolated church in Devon, has been blessed by the Bishop of Crediton, the Rt Revd Bob Evens.
The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, Rt Revd George Cassidy, today joined representatives from the faith, community and voluntary sectors in lobbying Parliament for a fairer deal on water charges.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, welcomed the launch this week of the Government White Paper, “Building our Common Future”, which commits additional support for the world’s poorest people affected by conflict, climate change and the global economic crisis.
The Archbishops’ Council has signed an agreement with Anglican charity Hymns Ancient & Modern to publish liturgy, key reference titles and other resources for the Church.
The Church of England has today published a second and more detailed report on the impact of the credit crunch and recession on the financial position of the Funded Clergy Pension Scheme. The report puts forward various options relating to the future of the scheme.
The Church of England website has today published a new section called ‘Protecting Life - Opposing Assisted Suicide’. It summarises quickly and simply the Church’s position in the sometimes confusing assisted suicide debate.
Anne Sloman has been appointed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to chair the Church Buildings Council, the new statutory body created last year to succeed the Council for the Care of Churches and the Advisory Board for Redundant Churches. The CBC supports dioceses and parishes in their stewardship of more than 16,000 church buildings.
The Church of England today publishes the inspection report on one of its ministerial training colleges: St Mellitus College and Chelmsford and London Reader training.
The new Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham is to be the Rt Revd Paul Butler, currently the Bishop of Southampton.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has published the following statement in support of Armed Forces Day.
The Church of England has published its response to a major review of advertising codes, giving its view on topics ranging from advertising condoms and post-conception advice centres, to doctors endorsing products on-air and the use of sacred music in radio adverts.
A new book, God, ethics and the human genome: theological, legal and scientific perspectives, helps the Church and individual Christians explore the questions raised by advances in genetic science and medicine over the last few decades.
The Church of England is making a bid to put God into Fathers’ Day with a prayer for children to include in their cards on June 21, asking God to help dads grow in love and wisdom.
A senior bishop and a Government minister today spelled out the importance of the Church of England’s role in mobilising action on climate change, as its Shrinking the Footprint campaign unveiled energy saving toolkits for every parish in a bid to create the 20% Church by 2050.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is urging churches to use Environment Sunday (June 7) to pray for the planet and campaign for climate change in the run up to the important UN talks later this year in Copenhagen.
Together for a Season’s latest volume, published by Church House Publishing, provides the resources for all ages to mark the Feasts and Festivals of the Christian year.
Downing Street announced this morning that “The Queen has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend James William Scobie Newcome MA, FRSA, Suffragan Bishop of Penrith, for election as Bishop of Carlisle in succession to the Right Reverend Geoffrey Graham Dow, MA, BSc, MSc, MPhil, who resigned on 30 April 2009.”
Academics and chaplains from across UK colleges and universities with an Anglican foundation will gather in London today.
"The European Parliamentary and local elections on June 4th will take place at a time of extraordinary turbulence in our democratic system. It is a time for great vigilance over how to exercise our democratic right to vote.
The Church of England today publishes inspection reports on two of its ministerial training colleges: Ripon College, Cuddesdon, and Oak Hill College, London.
Four Christian leaders are preparing to join the College of Evangelists – a collective of modern-day missionaries gifted at helping others discover a living relationship with Jesus Christ – as part of the tenth anniversary celebrations of the group.
David Shreeve the Church of England’s Environment Adviser has been selected as one of the 16 members of the new Third Sector Task Force on climate change, the environment and sustainable development. The appointment was made by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and the group meets for the first time this week.
The Church Commissioners intend to continue planned levels of support for Church of England dioceses through to the end of 2010, despite a year of declining asset values.
Churchgoers across the Church of England are set personally to invite up to half a million people to services on Back to Church Sunday, 27 September 2009.
"It is vital that the European institutions understand that the Churches have a key role to play in assisting recovery from the economic and financial collapse and in relieving suffering caused by it," the Rt Rev Stephen Lowe, Bishop for Urban Life and Faith told the three EU presidents today, May 11. "The lives of people across Europe are affected and as ever the poor are the most vulnerable."
The Church of England's newest diocesan bishop has issued a call for churches to refocus on Jesus as the compass to navigate the changing terrain of the world.
The Archbishops’ Council is in discussion with Hymns Ancient & Modern with a view to outsourcing the Council’s publishing services. The proposed agreement would maintain the Council’s long-term commitment to publishing liturgy, key reference titles and other resources for the Church.
A new website launched by the Church of England today marks a groundbreaking initiative to identify the distinctive values that make Christian schools popular with parents and students.
School pupils facing exams this month can look to a new source of revision aid this year, with the publication of a set of downloadable prayer cards designed to be included in students' crib card packs.
The Church of England has published the following selection of prayers for use in churches from this weekend, in light of the developing situation regarding swine flu.
Falling share prices and yields on gilt edged securities have forced the Church of England Pensions Board to increase contribution rates from 1 January, 2010.
Words of hope and specially selected Bible verses have been added to the Church of England’s Matter of Life and Debt online initiative to help those suffering from the agony of hopelessness in the current financial situation.
Churches are being encouraged to grow their own produce – or use local food – and break bread with their own community as part of the Eden Projects nationwide ‘Big Lunch’ this summer.
A thoroughly updated guide on how to make church buildings as accessible as possible to people with disabilities has been reissued this month.
A review group, set up by the Archbishops' Council in November and chaired by Andrew Britton, the chair of its Finance Committee, has published a consultation document as a first step in establishing spending priorities for the Council for 2010-15.
Fresh worship resources for use on or around Vocations Sunday 2009 (May 3rd) are now available on the Church of England website to encourage and affirm all Christians in their vocations and ministry.
This week, the most significant days of the Christian calendar are being marked with a wide range of innovative services and events to help regular worshippers and those with less experience of church explore the story of Easter.
Campaigners have today delivered a 'rain tax' petition to the door of Downing Street, and are demanding action from the Government.
Sue Hart from the Diocese of Newcastle has been appointed as Ministry Division’s first National Adviser for Quality in Reader Education.
The Rev Corinne Brixton's sermon for the funeral of Jade Goody will be posted, on Saturday afternoon, on the Diocese of Chelmsford website.
The Church of England has teamed up with Country Life magazine to hunt for an elusive species: the unsung hero! Rural churches and chapels are often the thriving hubs of their communities. Together, Country Life and the Church of England are looking for the unsung volunteers - of any denomination - who keep them alive.
The members of the Revision Committee which will scrutinise draft legislation which would enable women to be consecrated as bishops in the Church of England have been announced.
St John the Baptist Church in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, will open a book of remembrance for the late Jade Goody tomorrow, March 26. Jade’s funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 4 at the church.
The Government and the Church of England have published guidelines today to help all religious groups overcome the “squeamishness” they can encounter from funding providers. Churches and Faith Buildings: Realising the Potential identifies funding and support for faith groups that will enable them to adapt their buildings for community use and build on their capacity to engage at local and regional level.
The Church of England has joined other organisations in signing a pledge to use its network of people and buildings to support a drive to create more 'informal adult learning' opportunities across the country.
The Lambeth Conference Funding Review Group has published its report. The review was commissioned last August by the Board of Governors of the Church Commissioners, and the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England following an approach from the Lambeth Conference Company* for financial help.
The Church of England today publishes inspection reports on two of its ministerial training colleges.
The Rt Revd Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter, has been appointed to chair the Churches’ Legislation Advisory Service (CLAS) in succession to the Rt Revd George Cassidy, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham.
The Bishop of Birmingham, Rt Revd David Urquhart, will help engaged couples slice a huge chunk off the cost of their wedding, at the National Wedding Show in Birmingham this weekend (NEC, March 13th-15th), when he introduces them to the 'three V's' for choosing a church wedding: venue, vicar and vows.
Many will be praying with Jade Goody and her family at their baptism, conducted by the Revd Corinne Brixton at the Royal Marsden Hospital, today. It is a very personal moment between the family and God.
The Church of England has today published a paper on the impact of the credit crunch and recession on the financial position of the Funded Clergy Pension Scheme and what this might mean for the future of the scheme.
Failure to secure a strong, just and effective response to the challenge of climate change at the Copenhagen climate change conference in December 2009 would amount to a moral failure on the part of humanity as a whole, Church of England bishops have told Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Complex topics ranging from creation and freedom to sin and forgiveness are seen 'Through the Eyes of a Child' in a landmark collection of essays on children's theological perspectives published today by Church House Publishing.
After a year of declining asset values, the Church Commissioners have reassured Church of England dioceses that they still intend to continue their present level of support at planned levels through to the end of 2010.
Grooms are more conscious of the serious commitment of marriage than many people might think, while their fiancées are focused on making the wedding day itself a special occasion, according to research included in a new book released today.
Advice from a banking boss, the latest eco-technology in a country church, lifestyle pledges in the North East and a cut-carbon-not-chocolate challenge from church and government leaders including the Archbishop of Canterbury are just some of the ways the Church of England is putting a green stamp on Lent as part of its Shrinking the Footprint campaign.
'What are you doing?' asks the Church of England this Lent as it connects with people through the social networking site Twitter and a new Facebook application designed to get people to share their top tips for helping each other.
The Church of England’s House of Bishops’ Europe Panel, the Secretariat of COMECE (Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conferences of the European Community) and the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) have welcomed the initiative of several Members of the European Parliament, to ask the House to decide on a Written Declaration “on the protection of a work-free Sunday as an essential pillar of the European Social Model and as part of the European cultural heritage”.
Nine out of 10 adults say time with their loved one on Valentine’s Day is more important than an indulgent gift – with men valuing quality time more than women.
A new page paying tribute to the ‘forgotten’ church work of Charles Darwin in his local parish of Downe, Kent, has been published on the Church of England’s website, at www.cofe.anglican.org/darwin/downe.html, to illustrate, once again, how science and the work of the Church can combine together.
The Church of England is increasingly using a range of new media in order to enhance its web presence. So, the webmasters of the national Church of England web-site, recognising the need to engage directly with visitors to the site, have launched an on-line survey to gather visitors’ views.
Further provisions of the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007 come into force on 1 February. The Measure makes it a duty of the Dioceses Commission to review the provincial and diocesan structure of the Church of England, including the size, boundaries and number of provinces and dioceses, and arrangements for episcopal ministry. It will also have the power to draw up reorganization schemes.
In its current round of quinquennial elections to the Church Commissioners, the General Synod has appointed three clerical and four lay members.
The work of bishops in the House of Lords is highlighted today in a new section on the Church of England website with up to date links to their contributions in debates. The new area includes background on bishops in the Lords and individual pages for each bishop, listing their interests as well as the web links to Hansard reports on their contributions to debates.
The Mission and Public Affairs Council of the Church of England (MPA) has opposed Government proposals to double the stakes and prizes for fruit machines and even larger increases for 'crane-grab' machines.
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have jointly appointed the Rt Revd Robert Paterson, Bishop of Sodor and Man, to chair the Central Readers’ Council with effect from the end of April 2009.
Renowned Christian authors behind the latest in a series of Bible notes from the Church of England, released today, have called for Christians to reconsider the time and energy they spend on daily Bible study and prayer in the same way as they might be reassessing other areas of their lives at the beginning of the year.
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu, are encouraging families to share in simple acts of kindness together during this Lent.
At a meeting last week, the Church of England’s Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns discussed the impact of the election of the new American President, reflected in the following statement from the committee's chair.
Church youth groups and schools are being encouraged to test out their green credentials – from how they travel to school to their packed lunch habits – as part of this year’s eco-themed Education Sunday, taking place on Sunday 8th February.
Major debates concerning the Church’s ministry and relations with other Churches, the financial crisis and the Church’s engagement with wider society will be on the agenda at the General Synod when it meets at Church House, Westminster from Monday to Friday, 9-13 February.
The Church of England today launches a new section of its website in celebration of 150 years of the parish magazine.
The tenth Bishop of St Albans is to be the Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith, the Bishop of Shrewsbury, Downing Street has announced this morning.
The Church of England is offering worshippers insights into the Christian faith's own set of 'travel essentials' for use during life's tougher times with the launch of a new 'spiritual survival course'.
Amazing Grace is the number one hymn chosen by the 400 couples a month planning their wedding through the Church of England’s new online ceremony planner at www.yourchurchwedding.org.
The Church of England has published two new prayers to comfort people made redundant, and those remaining in the workplace following a round of redundancies, at the beginning of a year in which the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has predicted that at least 600,000 people could lose their jobs.