Glencore praised by EIAG secretary
EDWARD MASON, secretary to the Ethical Investment Advisory
Group, which advises the Church Commissioners, praised Glencore for
the improvement in its environmental standards at the company's
annual general meeting on Tuesday, The Independent has
reported. Its article, "Is it wrong to buy Glencore shares?",
reports that the company has been criticised by NGOs, including
Christian Aid, which last month raised concerns about tax-evasion
and -avoidance allegations against Mopani Copper Mines plc, a
Zambian company largely owned by GlencoreXstrata (News, 4 April).
Vicar 'feels no animosity' towards stranger who
throttled him
A VICAR in Lancashire was throttled by a stranger who asked him
when Jesus would return, the Blackpool Gazettereported on
Monday. The Vicar of Kirkham, the Revd Richard Bunday, was attacked
by John Dally in a shop queue after telling him that the answer was
"complicated". Mr Dally admitted a charge of assault at Preston
Magistrates' Court. Mr Bunday said: "I have no feelings of
animosity towards him at all. I'm sure he had his reasons - or
maybe doesn't understand himself why he did it."
New chief executive for LGCM
THE new chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian
Movement will be Tracey Byrne, it was announced on Thursday of last
week. Ms Byrne, who will take up the post on 2 June, has worked for
the probation service and with charities supporting young people in
need of educational support. She became involved in LGBT issues
when studying for an M.Th. at the University of Oxford. She lives
in Nottinghamshire with her partner, Sandy.
Lay ministry 'not about helping the vicar'
LAY ministry is not about helping the vicar - at least not in
the view of many of the laity in St Albans diocese, a new survey
suggests. More than 1500 responses from lay people were gathered in
a survey carried out for the diocese this month. When asked what
they understood by "lay ministry", respondents agreed that it
covered leading intercessions, supporting a troubled work
colleague, and taking a housebound neighbour to the hairdresser.
More than three-quarters disagreed with the statement that it was
"mainly about helping the vicar". A total of 82 per cent agreed
that the thought of serving God "excites and motivates me".