Church of Scotland outlines vision for a moral economy; Government boost for Christian Aid Week; Work together to tackle poverty, says Church Urban Fund; Executive pay must be reined in, say Church charity groups; Archbishop of York: tackling poverty; Prayers for injured paratroopers on charity trek; Cathedral keepsake for boy who got fingers stuck in donation box; Aled Jones and The Unthanks added to cathedrals music programme; Ex-priest arrested in abuse probe; More top-grade university places
Church of Scotland outlines vision for a moral economy
Christianity Today – The Church of Scotland has published a 47page report outlining its vision for an economy underpinned by a moral vision. The report, ‘A Right Relationship with Money’, makes the case that good economic practice is embedded in social relationships. It argues that the economy has existed for the markets instead of people, and that a failure to control the “invisible hand” of the markets will leave the vulnerable trapped at the bottom of the chain. The report is based on two years of interviews by the Kirk’s Special Commission on the Purposes of Economic Activity with people who have experienced financial hardship and poverty.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.outlines.vision.for.a.moral.economy/29702.htm
Government boost for Christian Aid Week
Christianity Today – Christian Aids annual week of fundraising has been given a significant boost thanks to the Governments UK Aid Match scheme
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/government.boost.for.christian.aid.week/29706.htm
Work together to tackle poverty, says Church Urban Fund
Ekklesia – Poverty is something we have to tackle through joint endeavour as churches and communities, Church Urban Fund CEO Tim Bissett has told a large conference in Leeds today (18 April 2012). Mr Bissett was speaking at the beginning of the CUF ‘Tackling Poverty Together’ gathering, which brought together several hundred community pioneers, project enablers, clergy and others at St George’s Church. Addressing the continuing scandal of poverty in England is the responsibility of every church in every community, he stressed – emphasising that it should not be seen as the ‘specialist’ concern of just a few.
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16546
Executive pay must be reined in, say Church charity groups
Telegraph – The Church of England is leading a campaign to stop companies rewarding their executives with ‘excessive’ pay.
A group of leading charity investors, including the managers of the Church’s £5 billion portfolio of property and investments, said soaring salaries and bonuses demonstrated a “wider malaise” in corporate life.
They called for action against large bonuses at the top of major companies, urging investors to use shareholder meetings to vote against unfair pay schemes at firms in which they hold a stake.
The groups detailed their concerns in a letter to The Daily Telegraph, signed by Andreas Whittam Smith, the First Church Estates Commissioner, who is responsible for overseeing the Church’s investments. Other signatories included the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, the Bible Society and the Baptist Union of Great Britain.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9212893/Executive-pay-must-be-reined-in-say-Church-charity-groups.html
Archbishop of York: tackling poverty
ITV News – When he tours the region, he sees the real impact of government cuts on people’s lives, from Sure Start programmes to projects for older people. He said “One of the tasks of the Church of England is to work for the well-being of the whole nation.
Archbishop urges social justice
BBC – The Archbishop of York speaks about the impact of spending cuts and what he describes as a “growing inequality” in society.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-17754103
Prayers for injured paratroopers on charity trek
Christianity Today – The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu has offered his prayers for four injured servicemen embarking on a 14day trek across North Africa
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/prayers.for.injured.paratroopers.on.charity.trek/29704.htm
Cathedral keepsake for boy who got fingers stuck in donation box
Christianity Today – An ordinary visit toYork Minster took on an unusual turn over the Easter break when a six year old boy got his finger stuck in a cathedral donation box
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/cathedral.keepsake.for.boy.who.got.fingers.stuck.in.donation.box/29699.htm
Aled Jones and The Unthanks added to cathedrals music programme
Christianity Today – The Unthanks and Aled Jones are the latest music acts to be added to York Minsters musical calendar for 2012
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/aled.jones.and.the.unthanks.added.to.cathedrals.music.programme/29700.htm
Ex-priest arrested in abuse probe
Lancashire Evening Post – A retired Church of England priest from Sussex, who is at the centre of an abuse inquiry, has been arrested over new sexual assault allegations. Canon Gordon Rideout, 73, was arrested and interviewed on Monday on suspicion of four sexual assaults on http://www.lep.co.uk/news/ex-priest-arrested-in-abuse-probe-1-4455587
Hackers target abortion provider
BBC – Thousands of attempts have been made to hack into the computers of Britain’s largest provider of abortion services, the BBC learns.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17765904
More top-grade university places
BBC – One in four university places is expected to be kept available for top-grade A-level applicants this year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17760346