North to move north
THE new Suffragan Bishop of Whitby, in
the diocese of York, is to be the Revd Philip North, Team Rector of
Old St Pancras, London (above, with the Archbishop of
York). Fr North succeeds Dr Martin Warner, the new Bishop of
Chichester. Since his ordination in 1992, Fr North has served in
Sunderland, Hartlepool, and - like Dr Warner before him - as
Administrator of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, from 2002 to
2008.
Government praise for C of E energy
THE Secretary of State for Energy and
Climate Change, Ed Davey MP, has said that the Church of England is
"particularly well-placed" to help poor communities benefit from
community energy initatives. At a meeting at Church House to launch
the Community Energy Coalition's Manifesto for a community energy
revolution, Mr Davey said that the decline in the cost of
solar power could help communities access cheaper energy with local
ownership. The C of E has 100 solar installations on churches
across the country.
Bishop of Monmouth to retire
THE Bishop of Monmouth, the Rt Revd
Dominic Walker OGS, has announced that he will retire at the end of
June next year, soon after his 65th birthday. In the New Year, the
Archbishop of Wales will start the appointment process for Bishop
Walker's successor, who is expected to be installed in Newport
Cathedral on 18 October 2013.
MU postcard protest targets OFCOM
PARENTS are being urged to protest
against sexualised content and swearing on television programmes
broadcast before the watershed, as part of a campaign by the
Mothers' Union (MU) throughout the UK. The Welsh branch of the MU,
which is leading the campaign, is distributing 10,000 postcards to
its members, who are asked to use them to send complaints to OFCOM.
muenterprises.org/byebuychildhoodmu/
Suffolk priest pleads guilty
to indecent assault
THE Bishop of St Edmundsbury &
Ipswich, the Rt Revd Nigel Stock, has offered "unreserved regret
and apologies" to the victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by the
Revd John Haley Dossor when he was a non-stipendary minister in
Hadleigh. On Wednesday of last week, Mr Dossor pleaded guilty to
indecent assaults on two boys, aged between 13 and 17, on six
occasions. He denied nine other charges of assault, which will not
be pursued, but will stay on file. A spokesman for the diocese said
that that as soon as the diocese became aware of the complaints
against Mr Dossor, the police and local authority were
informed.
Maidstone says no to lap dancing
AN APPLICATION for a sex-entertainment
licence, which would allow lap dancing to take place at a venue on
a high street in Maidstone, has been rejected by the borough
council. The Christian Legal Centre, which has supported the
campaign opposing the development, said that the council had
received more than 100 letters of objection.