Bishop of Wakefield launches rule-of-life community
THE Bishop of Wakefield, in the diocese of Leeds, the Rt Revd Tony Robinson, has launched a new “religious community” open to all churchpeople — the Community of All Saints. Bishop Robinson used his address on All Saints’ Day in Wakefield Cathedral to urge Christians to consider creating their own rule of life for the next 12 months centred on three principles: pray, grow, and act. About half of the 300 people who gathered at the cathedral signed up to join the Community that night. Those who join Bishop Robinson over the next year will see their stories shared on a special diocesan website, and be able to join him for quiet days, study opportunities, and pilgrimages to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.
Ronald Bythe recognised in East Anglian Book Awards
THE author and Church Times columnist Dr Ronald Blythe was rewarded for his “exceptional contribution” at the East Anglian Book Awards, held in Norwich, earlier this month, the Eastern Daily Press reported. The annual prize-giving is organised by EDP, and the Writers’ Centre, in Norwich, in partnership with the University of East Anglia. The overall prize of £1000 was awarded to Jill Dawson for her novel The Crime Writer.
Children’s Society publish draft Bill on family debt
FAMILIES with young children are more than twice as likely to suffer from debt problems as childless households in the UK, research from the Children’s Society suggests. In its survey of 2000 adults, carried out by Opinium this month, one in five families with children had struggled with debt in the past year. “The odds are stacked against parents who are desperate to find a way out of their debt,” the society’s chief executive, Matthew Reed, said. The Anglican charity published a draft of a parliamentary Bill yesterday, urging the Government to introduce a year-long “breathing space” for families that fall behind on bills and repayments. It is due to be debated in January.
Government programme to fund interfaith projects
A NEW government programme, “Common Good”, is to offer £250,000 in small grants to community-based interfaith projects, from cookery classes to computer-coding lessons, the Communities Minister, Lord Bourne, announced at the start of Interfaith Week, on Monday. The grants of between £250 and £5000, managed by the Church Urban Fund, are to further the interfaith work of Near Neighbours. The executive director of CUF, Paul Hackwood, said: “Hate and prejudice and the misunderstanding they create have become an increasingly worrying aspect of our lives in Britain. This fund will create opportunities to work together for the common good.”
Another poacher turns gamekeeper
JONATHAN PETRE, the religion and education correspondent for the Mail on Sunday, has been appointed as Head of Media for the Archbishop of Canterbury, it was announced last week. The Archbishop said that he was “delighted” that Mr Petre had chosen to use his skills and experience in journalism to “serve the Church”. His appointment follows close on that of, John Bingham, religious and social-affairs editor of The Daily Telegraph, as Head of Media Operations for the C of E Communications Office at Church House, Westminster (Press, 11 November).
Corrections: our article on the latest Church Army research (News, 11 November) incorrectly stated that 61 per cent of Fresh Expressions churchgoers surveyed were between the ages of 15 and 55: this figure was actually 41 per cent. The CEO Sleepout in Nottingham (News, 4 November) raised a total of £46,700 for homelessness charities, of which £1572 was raised by the Bishop of Sherwood, not as originally reported. We apologise.