Church leaders pay tribute as Bishop Wallace Benn nears retirement; Olympic stars urge hunger action; Youth cafes take off across UK; Inspection report on Cambridge Theological Federation; Legacy and Funding Officer sought for C of E
Church leaders pay tribute as Bishop Wallace Benn nears retirement
Church of England Newspaper – With the Olympics enveloping us, we are bombarded with a galaxy of heroes and superheroes. But an event last week paid tribute to a leading evangelical figure who responded “Anything of any value has been God’s grace in me. Things left undone, as they have been, have been my own fault”.
A national celebration of the ministry of Bishop Wallace Benn of Lewes and his wife Lindsay to mark his 65th birthday on August 6th and his forthcoming retirement took place at St Peter’s Harold Wood, where he was incumbent from 1987-1997, on Friday August 3rd. It was laid on by his successor, Canon David Banting.
The evening began with a service of thanksgiving for “their ministry and partnership in the gospel” in the church building. A music group conducted by Noel Tredinnick of All Souls Langham Place led in worship of Jesus who calls us to serve. Bishop Wallace’s favourite preacher, his former teacher at Trinity College Bristol, Rev Alec Motyer expounded 2 Timothy 3.1-17. In perilous times of moral and character collapse, when unspiritual people have a form of godliness but deny its power and even that moral standards exist, God gives a person the complete equipment to address the situation, the Bible, the word of God. The rot stops when a stand is made.
Bishop Donald Allister of Peterborough and Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali were present and many bishops sent greetings and good wishes. The Venerable Michael Lawson the chairman of the Church of England Evangelical Council paid special tribute to Mrs Lindsay Benn for her daily encouragement of prayer and love for Bishop Wallace.
Prebendary Rod Thomas, the chairman of Reform noted that Bishop Wallace, one of its founders in 1993, had shown how it was possible for Evangelicals to have a close alliance with Anglo-Catholics and remain distinctively evangelical. As if to underline the point a warm message was sent by Bishop Nicholas Reade of Blackburn, a former archdeacon in Chichester Diocese. Bishop John Ellison the chairman of the panel of Bishops of the Anglican Mission in England noted the role Bishop Wallace had played in galvanizing a mixed bag of evangelical groups to work together to form the Anglican Mission in England. Canon Chris Sugden for Anglican Mainstream noted that Bishop Wallace’s leadership had made a major contribution to the orthodox cause in the past ten years. He quoted a poem by A.F. Aylward: “In dark days yet in store….A voice like his made answer clear, Banishing panic and calming fear: “Adsum, I’m here.”
Olympic stars urge hunger action
Olympic stars back a campaign against child malnutrition in poorer countries, ahead of a Downing Street “hunger summit”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19230427
Youth cafes take off across UK
The 2012 Games have been the catalyst for an explosion of a new style of dropin centres for teenagers UKwide. From an almost standing start, some two hundred 2012 Youth Cafés have burst into life. They are offering hundreds of teenagers a place during the 2012 Games to ‘turn up – drop in – hang out.’
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/youth.cafes.take.off.across.uk/30450.htm
Inspection report on Cambridge Theological Federation published
The Church of England has published an inspection report on the Cambridge Theological Federation. The Church has a long track record of ensuring the quality of the initial training of its clergy by regular inspection of its training institutions. Theological colleges and part-time training courses are inspected every six years by teams of inspectors appointed by the bishops of the Church of England. Where training is delivered ecumenically, Church of England inspectors work in partnership with teams from the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church and the Baptist Union.
http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2012/08/inspection-report-on-cambridge-theological-federation-published.aspx
Legacy and Funding Officer sought for C of E
Third Sector – With its network of parishes covering the country, the Church of England plays an active role in national life, bringing an important Christian dimension to the nation as well as strengthening community life. The National Church Institutions (NCIs …
http://jobs.thirdsector.co.uk/job/347979/legacy-and-funding-officer/?utm_source=jobfeed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=job%2bexport&ProcessedTrackID=55