Bishop McCulloch to step down

THE Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch, who is 70, has announced that he is to retire after more than a decade serving Greater Manchester and Rossendale, and 27 years as a bishop. His final service will take place at Manchester Cathedral on 25 November, although he will remain as Bishop until 17 January 2013.

New Dean of Coventry

Canon John Witcombe (below) of Gloucester Cathedral, is to be the next Dean of Coventry. Canon Witcombe is currently the Director of Discipleship and Ministry in the diocese of Gloucester, and spent seven years as the Dean of St John's College, Nottingham. He will succeed the Very Revd John Irvine, who stepped down in July.

Sundays must stay special, says Labour Minister

ANY extension to Sunday trading hours must be opposed, the Shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna, has told Churches Update, a Labour Party newsletter. Mr Umunna spoke out after the Prime Minister said that people wanted to "reflect on" the results of an extension of trading hours during the Olympic and Paralympic Games ( News, 17 August). "I hope the current restrictions will stay in place to protect families, employees, small businesses, and the rights of people of faith, and to maintain at least some distinctiveness for Sunday," Mr Umunna said.

Wycliffe Bible Translators' HQ for sale

THE UK headquarters of Wycliffe Bible Translators, in rural Buckinghamshire, has been put up for sale. The executive director of the organisation, Eddie Arthur, said that running the centre, including the conference business, had become "increasingly complex and onerous", and that the aim now was to focus on the "core purpose" of Bible translation.

Correction: In his column last week, Simon Parke wrote that the "global business empire" of the Unification Church included The Washington Post. The correct newspaper is The Washington Times.