News Round Up
The
new report, published by the Church of England's New
adviser on minority ethnic Anglican concerns Sonia
Barron, a tutor in intercultural theology at Archbishops'
Council service reviews Consultation
is in hand for phase one of the Archbishops' Council's
review of the services it provides to the Church. It will
cover the work of the Legal Office, the Council for
Christian Unity, Ministry Division and the Mission &
Public Affairs Division. Details of the review's terms of
reference and the consultation process are at www.cofe.anglican.org/about/archbishopscouncil/servicereview.html.
Contact has already been made with a wide range of people
close to these areas of work. Archbishop
calls for fresh approach on new neighbourhoods The
Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has urged
developers and planners not to condemn the next
generation to "the curse of living nowhere in
particular." In a
keynote address to a conference on new neighbourhoods at Reviewing
suburban and municipal development for much of the last
century, Dr Williams said: "Communities were created
that looked essentially like warehouses for people, areas
which, while not technically anonymous, could have been
called anything." He
added: "A landscape which proclaims its sameness
with countless others - in its layout, building
materials, retail outlets and so on - is a seedbed for
problems." Dr
Williams noted that some improvements had taken place in
the last decade, but a lot more was needed. He
highlighted the importance of local shops, schools and
places of worship to community well being and cohesion.
"Planning, then, should look seriously at how the
reality of faith becomes part of the landscape - how
religious buildings figure among the landmarks of a
community," he said. Dr
Williams concluded: "There are things we can do to
give new development 'a local habitation and a name'...
If we can act in this way, we shall be planning for
communities that can in turn act and plan for a shared
future. We shall have shaped a human environment
that nourishes imagination - and in the widest sense,
nourishes faith." Awards
for fair trade "Upstarts"! Christian-based
Traidcraft and its founder, Richard Adams, have both
picked up major awards for their pioneering work in
promoting social enterprise. Both
were recognised as social enterprise champions in this
year's New Statesman "Upstarts" Awards with
Traidcraft taking the organisational category and Richard
receiving the individual award. More than 300
organisations and individuals were nominated for this
year's awards, which were launched in 2001 to promote the
idea of social enterprises and entrepreneurs. Calls
for a public debate on abortion The
Evangelical Alliance has called for an open debate on
lowering the legal limit on abortions in light of new
scientific research and public disquiet over the current
law. Joel
Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance
said, "Evidence proves current thinking on abortion
laws is not in line with existing research. As it stands
babies of similar age that have the same chances of
survival do not have equal rights when it comes to living.
One can be aborted if inside the womb, the other can
receive full neonatal care if outside it. This is not
fair or right." The MERSEYFEST
2005 – from the pew to the pavement MERSEYSIDE
plays host to the Merseyfest
( A
successful pilot project in the city in August (2004) has
spurred organisers to invite thousands of people to
Liverpool, from all over the UK and beyond, for a week of
fellowship, fun and hard work - all aimed at transforming
people's view of the church. Merseyfest
is supported by more than 200 churches across the region.
For a booking form or further information phone 0151 282
8054 or visit www.merseyfest.com Church
welcomes Budget statement on primary schools and post-16
training The
budget announcement will have a positive impact on
education and training, said the Church of England. One
quarter of all primary schools in Over
the next five years, the governors of Church of England
voluntary aided primary schools will spend £23 million
per year to fund their element of these costs. Already,
the Church of England and Roman Catholic communities
between them contribute over £30 million a year towards
the capital costs of church schools. Church
welcomes Budget VAT rebate Scheme extension for church
buildings The
Church of England has warmly welcomed the Budget
announcement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Gordon Brown, to extend for a further three years until
2008 the 100 per cent VAT refund for renovation of Listed
church buildings and to give the same refund to the
construction and repair of memorials. Baptist
lay preachers The
London Baptist Preachers Association (LBPA) has been
wound up after 100 years. It was founded to provide a
network of lay preachers to serve the city's Baptist
churches, but it is now found that local lay preachers
are used more in their own fellowships, and more
informally. They are simply too busy to travel further
afield. Baptist
cross-stitchers needed Baptist
women who can sew are needed! Cross-stitched motifs are
to be given as gifts to the visiting delegates of the
Baptist World Assembly in Answering
life's big questions People
today are still asking life's big questions, so how can
the Church offer its ancient wisdom to a generation in
which interest in spiritual matters is booming? That's
the question being posed by six writers in Evangelism in
a Spiritual Age, published this month by Church House
Publishing in its 'Explorations' series. Drawing
on research carried out by the Diocese of Coventry, the
'six questions that won't go away' are identified as: Why
are we here? What happens after we die? The universe:
accident or design? Is there a God? What about the
supernatural? And why is there so much suffering in the
world? Evangelism
in a Spiritual Age, £11.99, from all Christian bookshops
or on the web at: www.chbookshop.co.uk (mail order
available). |