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Monthly update from Church House, London

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, magazines or websites.

This news bulletin is issued to members of General Synod, recipients of the e-mailed daily briefing, within the National Church Institutions’ All Staff bulletin and to parish magazines via the http://www.parishpump.co.uk website. It is also available on the Church of England website at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/cofegazette/

It can also be subscribed to at no charge for automatic delivery every month to email inboxes via http://www.cofe.anglican.org/commsupdate.html/

Please scroll down to read items. Comments, please, to Peter Crumpler, Director of Communications, at peter.crumpler@c-of-e.org.uk 

This month’s contents - April 2008:

  • Churches support survivors of abuse: resource launched
  • Violence against lesbian and gay people condemned by Archbishop of Canterbury
  • “Leap of Faith” for Paras in Afghanistan: Archbishop of York
  • Get a Life! Church of England tells young people to listen to God’s voice
  • Celebrations as Festivals mark Common Worship’s full house
  • Women in the Episcopate? An Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue  
  • ‘Any Questions’, BBC Radio 4: Archbishop of  York
  • New bishop for Chester diocese
  • Paintings unveiled to put vocations in the frame
  • 60th Anniversary service for Leonard Cheshire disability charity: Archbishop of York speaks
  • Bishops call for a greener EU Budget
  • Church figures set to shine to reflect the love of God
  • Children’s Society Good Childhood Inquiry meets at Lambeth Palace
  • Bishop of Blackburn to lead National work with deaf & disabled people
  • Archbishop of Canterbury’s Press Secretary to serve as Parish Priest
  • Archbishops of York and Canterbury at Easter: baptisms in the snow, sermon at Canterbury Cathedral
  • Nurturing new beginnings: Church House Publishing
  • Communications courses in May – spaces still available

Churches support survivors of abuse: resource launched
The Church of England and the Methodist Church are publishing a special resource this week designed to help churches support people who have suffered from the trauma of abuse, wherever this has occurred. Details here

Violence against lesbian and gay people condemned by Archbishop of Canterbury
In response to reports of violence and threats towards Christians involved in the debate on human sexuality, the Archbishop has given the following statement. The context of the story can be found here

“Leap of Faith” for Paras in Afghanistan
 The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu takes the plunge, full story here

Get a Life! Church of England tells young people to listen to God’s voice
A five-session course, published by the Church of England, is encouraging groups of 13 to 18-year-olds to listen to God’s voice for careers advice, before deciding what to do with their lives. Many churches and youth organisations will start running the course on or around Vocations Sunday 2008 (Sunday April 13). Full story here

Celebrations as Festivals mark Common Worship’s full house
Common Worship: Festivals has been published, the concluding volume of the largest liturgical publishing project ever carried out in this country. Details here

Women in the Episcopate? An Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue   
The House of Bishops’ Theological Group and the Faith and Order Advisory Group have produced a set of reflections on the address given in 2006 by Cardinal Walter Kasper to the Bishops of the Church of England on the proposal to ordain women as bishops. Full details here

‘Any Questions’, BBC Radio 4: Archbishop of York
Dr John Sentamu joined the panel last Friday, April 11, with Alan Johnson, William Hague and Shirley Williams at St. Aidan's Church of England High School, Harrogate.  Full transcript here

New bishop for Chester Diocese
The Revd Robert Atwell, an author, spiritual director and former monk, is to be the new Bishop of Stockport. His appointment was announced on Monday 7 April by the Prime Minister’s office. Full story here

Paintings unveiled to put vocations in the frame
The Church of England has produced a set of reflective resources based on four devotional images to get people talking and thinking about vocations. Full details here

Service of Thanksgiving for the 60th Anniversary of Leonard Cheshire Disability.
The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu preaches at St Paul’s Cathedral. Full story here

Bishops call for a greener EU Budget
The EU Budget, in not matching up to the EU’s’ objectives, fails to provide sufficiently for the European Common Good, concludes the Church of England House of Bishops’ Europe Panel in a submission to the European Commission’s Budget Review exercise calling for a greener Budget. Full details here

Church figures set to shine to reflect the love of God
The Bishops of Birmingham and Leicester and the Dean of Peterborough were among senior clergy preparing to roll up their sleeves and cassocks today to clean and polish the shoes of dozens of office workers in towns and cities across the country. Read the full story here

Children’s Society Good Childhood Inquiry meets at Lambeth Palace
The Archbishop of Canterbury has welcomed the members of the Good Childhood Inquiry panel to Lambeth Palace for a discussion about the emerging themes of the Inquiry's work. Full story here

Bishop of Blackburn to lead National work with deaf & disabled people
The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Nicholas Reade, is to lead the Church of England’s work among deaf and disabled people. Full details here


Archbishop of Canterbury’s Press Secretary to serve as Parish Priest
Lambeth Palace has announced that the Revd Jonathan Jennings, Press Secretary to the Archbishop of Canterbury since 2001, will leave in the summer to take up a parish appointment. Full details here

Easter: Baptisms in the Snow, sermon at Canterbury Cathedral
The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu baptises 25 on Easter Day, full story here
Dr Rowan Williams preaches at Canterbury, full text here

Nurturing new beginnings
Church House Publishing is resourcing the Church for a range of new beginnings this Spring – from reflecting on God’s calling to preparing couples for married life. For details on all publications click here

Communications courses in May – spaces still available
May 13          Spreading your message in cyberspace

          • Blogs/online groups 10 am – 1pm
          • Websites 2 pm- 5 pm

May 15  Making your message memorable 10 am – 5 pm
Information and an online booking form here or ring 020 7898 1465.