News
Round Up Education
Sunday – 8 February Editor:
For well over a hundred years there has been an annual
recognition of Education Sunday in New law on employing Christians Churches
and Christian organisations no longer have the automatic
right to employ Christians under the Equal Employment
Directive, which came into effect on 2 December last
year. Although
the churches gained an important exemption from the
European Directive, which could have forced them to
employ anyone regardless of religious belief, they will
now have to justify their grounds for employing only a
Christian in future. Most
church schools, for example, will be able to maintain
that senior appointments should be Christian in order to
preserve the religious ethos of the school, but this will
have to be justified on a case-by-case basis. A
number of Christian groups, including the Archbishops'
Council, other churches and the evangelical lobby group
Faithworks, submitted evidence in the consultation last
year to ensure that Christian groups retained the right
to appoint only Christians. But there are fears that
churches and Christian charities will find it difficult
to work through the requirements of the Department of
Trade and Industry. Christian martyrdom still with us More
Christians were martyred in the 20th century than in the
previous 19 combined, according to a new book by the
distinguished Parliamentarian, Lord Alton. In
Passion and Pain: The Suffering Church Today, Lord Alton
refers to the suffering of Jesus and the early disciples,
and says, "Such atrocities are not merely part of
ancient history; they continue to occur at an alarming
rate." He adds, "The persecution of Christians
today is staggering and often far graver in its breadth
and severity than any suffered in history." According
to Lord Alton, of the world's six billion inhabitants,
more than half live in countries where being a Christian
could cost them their lives. The
book is designed to be used as devotional material over
13 weeks. It is published under the auspices of the
Jubilee Campaign, a non-sectarian human rights
organisation advocating non-violent solutions to
religious intolerance throughout the world, of which
Prime Ministers, including Margaret Thatcher and Tony
Blair, have been strong supporters. Cranmer comes to town Thomas
Cranmer, creator of the Book of Common Prayer, is to be
brought to life in a brand-new play, Canterbury's
Burning, by William Fry, which will have its premiere at
Hampstead Parish Church on 20 February at 7.30pm ( the
Second Act only will be performed in St Paul's Cathedral
on the previous Sunday at 6pm). This
will be the 30th two-person play to be presented by
'Theatre Roundabout' veterans Sylvia Read and William
Fry, who were awarded the MBE in the Queen's Jubilee
Honours, for services to theatre. The new play will be
performed in churches and theatre around the country this
year (other dates include Rochester Cathedral on 19 March
and Ely on 14 May). Will changes in law increase problem gambling? The
Churches are concerned about a draft Bill, currently
being prepared, which will lead to changes in Although
the gaming industry has already made some moves towards
social responsibility, the religious groups involved in
this area believe that care must be taken to avoid
loopholes in the new legislation. There is particular
concern about a proposed new category of
low-stake/low-prize machines which would allowed in more
places, including "family entertainment
centres". These slot machines would be termed
Amusement Without Prizes (AWP) machines – although a
£5 prize can be won – and children would be allowed
to play them. There
is strong evidence that gaming machines cause problem
play, especially among young people. Research shows that
dependency is promoted by "reinforcers", which
include the short interval between bet and result,
immediate opportunities for re-play, visible "near
misses" and stimulating noises and lights during
play. The money prize is only one reinforcer among
several. Critics want to see an evidence-based approach
to policy-making. The
AWP proposals "send out an unjustified message of
safety and acceptability to the community," says
Helena Chambers of Quaker Action on Alcohol and Drugs.
Another cause for concern is the relaxation of
regulations in "family entertainment centres"
and licensed venues such as pubs. The idea is that
children would be allowed in these premises and there
would be separate areas for adult gambling. It is hard to
see how this would work, whether by visual screening or
physical barriers. Children would become aware of adult
gambling activity and be influenced by it. "Spot
checks" would not be effective, say the protesters.
They say that gambling should be confined to premises for
which it is the primary purpose, and that opportunities
should not be increased in other venues. Ethical
arguments against gambling are that it involves unfair
gain without effort, it fosters the idea that happiness
is gained through material possession, and the profits of
gambling are acquired at the expense of others' loss. Archbishop witnesses Mission Agencies' Covenant The
Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has
witnessed the signing of an historic covenant between the
heads of eleven mission agencies of the Church of
England. At a recent ceremony at The
aim of the covenant is to enable the eleven agencies, all
of which are Anglican based, to work closer together, to
take joint action and speak with one voice where possible
and to forge closer working relationships with the office
of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The
Archbishop welcomed the signing of the covenant which, he
said would take forward the church's work in mission. " The
COVENANT by Mission Agencies of the Church of England is
as follows: A
COMMON FUTURE "Over
the last few years the mission agencies have been growing
together within the framework of the Church of England's
Partnership for World Mission (PWM). Historically these
agencies have been the primary contributors on behalf of
the Church of England to the founding and expansion of
the world wide Anglican Communion. Such agencies remain a
major channel for on-going mission relationships and
grassroots initiatives within the Communion. There are
growing numbers of public issues and debates where the
agencies need to be more visible and where their
contribution needs to be heard. This calls for new ways
of working together to speak with one voice and take
joint action. It includes recognising the significance of
the Archbishop of Canterbury's role within the Anglican
Communion and new opportunities for closer working
between the Archbishop and the agencies. A
COMMON VISION 1.
We believe in promoting confidence in the Gospel and an
understanding of mission that is holistic and
evangelistic within the context of the Five Marks of
Mission of the Anglican Communion. 2.
We believe that our task in proclaiming the 3.
We believe the Church is God's instrument for mission and
recognise and affirm the voluntary principle as a proven
model for mobilising and encouraging effective
engagement. A
COMMON COMMITMENT 1.
To increase co-operation while acknowledging the richness
of our diversities. 2.
To increase mutual support, discussion of common issues
and the development of strategic co-operation through
regular meetings of the General Secretaries. 3.
To build up contact, regular meetings and working links
between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the General
Secretaries of the PWM agencies. 4.
To ensure meetings of specialist staff to share concerns,
models of good practice and engage in practical
partnerships. 5.
To issue agreed public statements, study and promotional
materials on issues of common concern. 6.
To consult as widely as possible on mission issues in the
Anglican Communion and in collaboration with relevant
commissions, working parties and networks authorised by
the Primates Meeting and the Anglican Consultative
Council. The
eleven agencies and their signatories: The Church
Army - Captain Philip Johanson OBE Church
Mission Society - Rev Canon Tim Dakin National
Rural Officer appointed
The
National Rural Officer takes lead responsibility within
the staff of the Archbishops' Council for rural issues in
The
post is based at the Arthur Rank Centre, the
Churches' ecumenical centre for rural concerns,
where the Church of England's National Officer is part of
a team formed with the Methodist, United Reformed Church
and Baptist Union rural officers. Jill
Hopkinson is married and lives in rural Warwickshire. Her
doctorate is in Agronomy and Plant Nutrition and she is
an Honorary Visiting Fellow of the Latest figures show churches alive in the community Four
people out of every 10 (more than 39%) were likely to
have attended a church last Christmas, with more than 2.6
million attending Church of England churches and
cathedrals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, according
to research released by the Church of England and English
Heritage. A
national opinion poll, carried out by Opinion Research
Business on behalf of the Church of England and English
Heritage in October 2003, found that 39% of adults in Church
attendance figures released by the Church of England show
that 2.6 million people attended churches on Christmas
Eve and Christmas Day 2002, the same number as in 2001.
These are among the first figures to emerge from the
collection of 2002 data. The
Rt Rev Richard Chartres, Bishop of "Two
messages emerge from this research. A surprising number
of people are involved, occasionally if not regularly, in
Christian worship especially over Christmas. Secondly,
church buildings have an important place in local
affections, with an impact on cultural and community life
which extends far beyond the worshipping
congregation." The
ORB poll also discovered that, while more than 8 in 10
adults in Britain (83%) regard their local church as a
place of worship, nearly 6 in 10 (59%) think of it as a
local landmark and more than 5 in 10 (53%) regard it as
an historic place. More than 6 in 10 (63%) said they
would be concerned if their local church or chapel were
no longer to be there. Many,
the poll revealed, are happy to consider a variety of
uses for their local churches and chapels. Three-quarters
(75%) agreed churches should also be used for activities
other than worship and two-thirds (68%) said they should
be social meeting places. When asked how local churches
and chapels were funded, 23% thought central taxation and
national government was involved. This figure increased
to 4 in 10 (42%) when people were asked how they thought
local churches and chapels should be funded.
"Along
with ecclesiastical buildings of all denominations, they
often stand at the centre of village and inner city life,
providing a sort of "social glue" for local
communities. This survey shows just how
special they are and how much they are loved and valued,
even by those who consider themselves
non-Christian." Churches
are alive in the community More than 4 out of 5 adults in
Britain, 86%, visited a church or place of worship over
the last year, according to the ORB poll. These included
89% of Christians responding to the poll, 75% of those of
other faiths and 80% of those with no religion. Almost
1 in 5 (17%) said they had attended a concert or
theatrical performance in their place of worship in the
last year; 13% said they were "walking past and felt
the need to go in", while nearly 1 in 5 (19%)
visited to find a quiet space: 12% in 2001.
Non-churchgoers value the quiet space with 1 in 10 (9%)
giving that as a reason to visit. Among city centre and
inner city dwellers, the figure rises to 28% and 24%
respectively. The
church continues to have an important place in people's
lives. The Church of England's churches and cathedrals
provided more than 443,200 rites of passage in 2002
including 158,100 baptisms and thanksgivings, 60,800
marriages and blessings of civil marriages and 224,300
funerals. Attendance levels at marriages and funerals are
not recorded. Children's Society follows in the footsteps of medieval pilgrims A
historic journey through Church
of England charity, The Children's Society, is calling on
walkers to take part in its Pilgrims' Way walk, 25-29
June, 2004, in The
Bishop of Rochester, The Rt Red Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, is
supporting the 74km journey through some of The
Rt Rev Dr Nazir-Ali says: "The walk is an excellent
opportunity for people to come together to help some of
the country's children who have not had the best start in
life. It's also a wonderful way to experience one of the
oldest pilgrimage routes in The
74km walk is a historic journey through the county known
as the Kim
Gutteridge, The Children's Society's event organiser,
says: "By signing up for the walk you will be
helping thousands of disadvantaged children, including
young runaways living in danger on the streets and
teenagers involved in the criminal justice system." "So
put on your walking boots and with your support we can be
a positive force for change wherever unnecessary
suffering and injustice damages young lives." The
route will follow in the footsteps of medieval pilgrims
travelling to the tomb of Thomas a Becket at Walkers
will also experience other sites of historical and
religious significance, such as the remains of the
Archbishops' Palace at Charing and the ancient Iron Age
hill at Bigbury. For more information, please contact The
Children's Society on 0845 300 1128. Explore the sights and sounds of Tyneside The
Children's Society is running it's first Newcastle
Bridges Walk - a sponsored walk which covers Tyneside's
seven bridges as well as some of its most famous and
historic sights, on March 6. The
Newcastle Bridges Walk passes the quayside, Grey's
Monument, St James' Park, the Centre for Life, the BALTIC
centre for contemporary arts, Blackfriars Monastery, the The
cast of the BBC's Byker Grove has already pledged its
support and will be there in force on the day. It's
expected that other well-known personalities from the
region will also attend. Under
16's have the chance to win a fantastic competition prize
- spending a day on the Byker Grove set and meeting the
show's stars. This will go to whoever raises the most
sponsorship money. There will also be other prizes. The
Byker Grove cast says, "Join us on The Children's
Society's great new fundraiser – the Newcastle
Bridges Walk – and raise money for an excellent
cause, helping disadvantaged children in the region and
all over the country. Call 0845 300 1128 for more
details." The
walk will help raise vital funds for The Children's
Society's work with some of the UK's most disadvantaged
children and young people including many in the north
east. The
Children's Society is a national children's charity
working with over 50,000 children and teenagers in 90
towns and cities every year. It works in partnership with
communities, schools and families to tackle bullying,
exclusion, youth justice, drug and alcohol misuse and
supports young carers, child refugees and asylum seekers.
It is a voluntary organisation of the Church of England. Among
The Children's Society's projects in the north east are
Contact which works with children facing bullying and
exclusion and those living in poverty, Inline which
supports homeless young people who are taking on a
tenancy for the first time and Youth Justice North East
which works with young offenders and victims of crime. The
charity's Jenny Lunn says, "We have already received
a tremendous response from people who want to explore
this wonderful area and to raise money for an excellent
cause." Anyone
wanting to take part should call the charity's hotline
0845 300 1128. |