Sudanese bishops visit Yorkshire
TWO Sudanese bishops visited the diocese of West Yorkshire & the Dales this month. The Assistant Bishop of Kadugli, the Rt Revd Hassan James, is working in the Nuba Mountains, a region partly held by rebels, where civilians are fleeing attacks by the Government. He showed pictures of devastated churches, homes, and schools, and spoke of losing his wife in a gas explosion shortly before his consecration. The Bishop of Port Sudan, the Rt Revd Abdu Al-Nur Kodi, described how Christian charities had been forced to leave the country. The bishops were able to get visas after the Archbishop of Canterbury intervened.
Commissioners ‘disappointed’ by ExxonMobil response
INVESTORS in ExxonMobil, including by the Church Commissioners, this week asked the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States to deny the company’s request for permission to block a shareholder proposal for information on how the company will respond to the Paris agreement on climate change (News, 22 January). Edward Mason, head of responsible investment for the Commissioners, said they were “extremely disappointed” by the attempt to block a “perfectly reasonable ask”.
Living Out secures charity status
CHARITABLE status has been granted to Living Out, an organisation set up “to help Christian brothers and sisters who experience same-sex attraction stay faithful to Biblical teaching on sexual ethics and flourish at the same time”. Having previously been turned down by the Charity Commission, Living Out provided submissions and agreed to alter some of its proposed charitable objects.
Pentecostal churches in trafficking survey
A NEW initiative to address the impact of human trafficking has been launched by Churches Together in England. Pentecostal churches are invited to take part in a nationwide survey on their encounters with trafficking. The project, led by Dr Carrie Pemberton Ford of the Centre on Applied Research on Human Trafficking, will also explore ways in which churches might tackle exploitation and violence perpetrated by traffickers https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CTEhubrefresh
Develop parent-power, EA tells churches
THE Evangelical Alliance’s Director of Advocacy, David Landrum, this week called on Christian parents to play a bigger part in the way their children are educated in schools, with the backing of the churches they attend, writes Margaret Holness. To help them take a more active role Dr Landrum has written a parents’ guide, You’re Not Alone, launched this week. “Churches should help parents ensure that schools respect their faith values,” he said.
Ecclesiastical video raises awareness of arson
A VIDEO highlighting the impact of arson on churches has been launched by Ecclesiastical Insurance. It was made at St James the Less, Pimlico, after an attack on All Saints’, Fleet, in Hampshire, in June. New figures from the insurer suggest that arson attacks on churches are most frequent during school holidays. Rebuilding can take several years, and the threat can be reduced by taking “simple, practical actions”, it says. It dealt with 129 claims for arson-related incidents between 2010 and 2015.
www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters/churchguidance/fireguidance/arson/index.aspx
Correction: the free therapy sessions on offer at St Bride’s, Toxteth are on Wednesdays. The final day is 2 March.
For further information about the Latin day-course featured in last week’s issue, go to www.latinqvarter.co.uk or call 01452 731113. It is still to visit the cathedrals of Lincoln, Southwark, Gloucester, and Chichester.