Bishop of Warwick to promote retreats
THE Bishop of Warwick, the Rt Revd John Stroyan, has been appointed the new president of the Association for Promoting Retreats. Bishop Stroyan has a keen interest in Orthodox and Eastern Christian traditions, and has led a number of retreats himself.
Man who sent racist hate mail jailed
A MAN who sent racist hate mail to more than 100 people over 13 years has been jailed after a letter sent to the Archbishop of York, Dr Sentamu, led police to him. Mark Graham, 46, of Everdon Road, Coventry, was traced after forensic examination of the racist letter. Mr Graham was sentenced to four-and-a-half years at Birmingham Crown Court, West Midlands Police said.
Mayor of London remembers the Holocaust
THE Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has urged Londoners to reject hate crime, as he welcomed survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides to City Hall on Monday to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. Mr Khan said that all hate crimes, however trivial, must be reported to the police, after a rash of anti-Semitic incidents in north London.
Bishop of Bristol to retire in September
THE Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Revd Mike Hill, has announced that he will retire in September this year. Bishop Hill, who has been in his current post since 2003, said that he was deeply grateful for “the privilege of serving” the diocese of Bristol. A farewell service will take place at Bristol Cathedral on 23 September.
Funding boost for Near Neighbours
THE Church Urban Fund programme Near Neighbours, which brings faith communities together in supporting local projects, is to receive a further £210,000 from the Government, the Minister for Faith and Integration, Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, announced on Tuesday. The funding, from the Department of Communities and Local Government, is to support integration and interfaith projects within communities, as well as offer basic skills training for individuals.
Bishop speaks of attack on NI police officer
THE Bishop of Connor, in Northern Ireland, the Rt Revd Alan Abernethy, has condemned the attempted killing of a community police officer in north Belfast on Sunday evening as “wholly unjustifiable” and “appalling”, writes Gregg Ryan. A dissident republican group known as the “new IRA” has claimed responsibility.
Scottish evangelist cleared of assault charges
AN EVANGELIST, George Larmour, who was arrested on the streets of Irvine in North Ayrshire, Scotland, charged with assault and behaving in an “abusive manner aggravated by prejudice relating to sexual orientation”, was acquitted at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on 9 January owing to a lack of convincing evidence, the campaign group Christian Concern reported on Sunday.