Bishop Butler voices concern for children in poverty
THE rise in number of children in relative poverty to four million demanded “concerted action of us all”, the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, said last week. Government statistics report that 22 per cent of children live in relative poverty (where there is a weekly household income below 60 per cent of the median of £288), a rise of 400,000 since 2010-11. The Bishop drew attention to the imminent introduction of the two-child limit on child tax credits and Universal Credit, next month.
Professor McCord Adams dies
A FORMER Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford, the Revd Professor Marilyn McCord Adams, died on Wednesday, aged 73. A priest in the Episcopal Church in the United States, and champion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered Christians, she held posts at several US universities, was a Canon of Christ Church, and was a university representative on the General Synod. Her books include Horrendous Evils and the Goodness of God.
Bishops’ views on sex unwelcome in Becontree
THE Vicar of St Elisabeth’s, Becontree, the Revd Steven Hanna, has written to the Bishop of Chelmsford and the Area Bishop of Bradwell, in Chelmsford diocese, to say that his church will not attend a deanery event on discipleship, in the wake of their comments on same-sex relationships (News, 3 March, 17 March). “We disagree that it is damaging to mission to proclaim biblical and traditional views on marriage and faithful sexual relations only within the boundaries of traditional marriage,” Mr Hanna wrote. “We believe to proclaim this is consistent with Christ’s gospel.”
Questions of sport to be asked in Lincoln
A SERIES of sports quizzes will be held in the diocese of Lincoln at the end of April. They will include a short message about “resourcing mission and ministry in Sport” in the diocese, and will take place at two football clubs and a rugby club.
Aled Jones seeks choirs to join him on stage
THE singer Aled Jones is launching a competition looking for local choirs from each region his tour visits to join him on stage. Choirs can enter by submitting a short video as a downloadable link or link to website such as Youtube to aledchoir@carouselpr.com with a brief description outlining why they should be chosen. They must be based within a 20-mile radius of the venue that they are applying for. The deadline is 27 March at noon.
Former Surrey vicar denies assault charges
AT GUILDFORD Crown Court last Friday, a former Vicar of St Mary’s, Oxted, in Surrey, Guy Bennett, 83, of Lewes Road, East Grinstead, pleaded not guilty to 24 charges of indecent assault, and a separate charge of outraging public decency. The alleged offences span a period of 21 years, between 1977 and 1998. He has been remanded on bail until 11 September to face trial.
Refugee resources from Church of Ireland
THE Church of Ireland’s Refugee Working Groups have launched a new resource on supporting asylum-seekers and refugees in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland. It is available at www.ireland.anglican.org/resources.