Church leaders unite to condemn bombing

A BOMB attack in Derry-Londonderry on Monday night has been condemned by the leaders of the city's four main churches. The device was planted on the door of a probation office in Crawford Square. "Those responsible showed a complete disregard for human life, and for the safety of people living and working in Crawford Square; among them are families with small children, and staff and residents of the North West Methodist Mission," the statement said. It was signed by Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, and Methodist leaders.

Judge grants review of policy on assisted dying

A HIGH Court judge has granted permission for a judicial review of an amendment to the policy on prosecution under the Suicide Act 1961. Before the clarification made by the Director of Public Prosecutions in October, the policy stated that health-care professionals were more likely to face prosecution for assisting suicide than others. The amendment stated that this would be so only if the person assisted was directly in their care. The judicial review was requested by Nikki Kenward, who was paralysed at the age of 37, and her husband, Merv, supported by the Christian Legal Centre. 

Bishop calls for an end to reliance on coal

IT IS time to "close the chapter on old king coal in Britain", the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, said this week. Writing in The Guardian on Tuesday, the Church's lead bishop on the environment called on the country's party leaders to "commit to a date for ending coal-fired electricity-generation in the UK . . . Doing so would reaffirm our leadership on climate change." On the same day, the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church announced a new investment policy on climate change, setting out how it will assess the exposure of companies to different types of fuel when managing its investment portfolios.

St Bees School to close

THE closure of St Bees School, in Cumbria, founded by Archbishop Grindal in 1583, is to go ahead in the summer, the governors announced last week. Proposals to save the school, drawn up by a local rescue group, would not overcome the underlying problems caused by reduced demand resulting from the economic situation, and the school's location, far from centres of large population, a statement said.

Call for nine days of prayer

NINE days of prayer for the healing of communities across the UK is being organised by Premier Chris­tian Radio, between Ascension Day and Pentecost, writes a staff reporter. A novena is an ancient tradition of prayer for nine days between As­­cension Day and Pentecost Sunday. Premier is providing free resources for a novena from 15 to 23 May to pray for fresh renewal for the Church. Each day will have prayers focus­ed on a different group, from children to the elderly, the margin­alised, and those with mental-health problems. Ecumenical resources for the novena are avail­able at: www.premier.org.uk/Projects.