New Childrenswork magazine launches; Vicar accuses Church of ‘homophobic’ ban; Church loses appeal in abuse case; Church loses appeal in abuse case; Tough times for low earners; Church hosts bunting workshop ahead of the Games; Giles Fraser on C of E stance on Israel
New Childrenswork magazine launches
Christian Today – Premier Christian Media has launched a new magazine for people working with children in churches.The Childrenswork magazine and its accompanying website offer ideas, resources and guidance for Christian children’s leaders. Premier says it has launched the magazine to remedy the lack of resources available to people working to share Jesus with pre-teens in the UK. The bi-monthly is co-edited by Martin Saunders.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/new.childrenswork.magazine.launches/30265.htm
Vicar accuses Church of ‘homophobic’ ban
BBC – The Reverend David Page, an openly gay priest, who defied Church of England rules by continuing to officiate at a church in Sussex has been stopped by diocese officials. Mr Page said: “The Winchelsea community are up in arms about this, seeing it as, in essence, a homophobic act.”
He said in 2008 the Bishop of Lewes, the Right Reverend Wallace Benn, had refused him permission to minister at St Thomas the Martyr because he refused to answer questions about his relationship with his civil partner.
The church’s parochial church council (PCC) invited him to preach and lead worship after an appeal against the decision was ignored.
Preaching on Sunday, the Rector of Winchelsea , the Reverend Howard Cocks said: “Permission… was refused on the grounds that he is in a civil partnership and was not prepared to discuss the nature of their relationship, finding the questioning intrusive.
“Both he and myself have been cited under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 – David for exercising ministry and me for permitting it.” As Mr Cocks is due to retire, the parish again applied for permission for Mr Page to preach at the church.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-18812834
Church loses appeal in abuse case
BBC – A ruling that the Catholic Church can be held liable for the wrongdoings of its priests has been upheld. Last year Mr Justice MacDuff decided in favour of a woman, now 47, who claimed she was raped and assaulted as a child by a priest of the Portsmouth Diocese.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-18278529
Press review with links at:
http://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/archives/005600.html
Growth in faith schools
Guardian – Government announces more than 100 new free schools, including 33 that describe themselves as religious
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/jul/13/third-new-free-schools-religious
Tough times for low earners
Church Action on Poverty is appealing to churches in the UK to support the campaign for a living wage for all. The charity’s call comes as the latest figures from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s Minimum Income Standard reveal that the recession and austerity measures are significantly impacting people on low incomes. The findings show that people need to earn far higher than the current minimum wage of £6.08 an hour to survive.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/tough.times.for.low.earners/30237.htm
Church hosts bunting workshop ahead of the Games
Residents in Clapton were given the chance to learn how to make their own bunting at their local church
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.hosts.bunting.workshop.ahead.of.the.games/30245.htm
Giles Fraser on C of E stance on Israel
Guardian – Should the Church of England remain silent on Israel-Palestine? The General Synod’s endorsement of EAPPI – which sends volunteers to the West Bank – is rightly open to challenge
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2012/jul/12/church-of-england-silent-israel-palestine