New play performed at Southwell Minster
A NEW play, Not Just Fish and Ships, is to be premiered at Southwell Minster next month. Written by Pat Ashworth, a frequent Church Times contributor (Diary, 7 June), the play premieres on 26 July, before heading to other churches, including Peterborough Cathedral in September. It is inspired by the Synod of Whitby, a religious dispute that took place in AD 664, and had a lasting impact on the Church. Ms Ashworth said: “There’s something very powerful about putting theatre into church spaces — which is where drama began, back in the Middle Ages.”
Man charged for Magna Carta theft attempt
A MAN, Mark Royden, 46, from Ilfracombe, Devon, has been charged with the attempted theft of Salisbury Cathedral’s copy of Magna Carta. He is due to appear at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court today. In October, a security alarm was triggered by attempts to open the document’s display case, located in the Chapter House (News, 26 October). The copy is one of only four in existence.
New head of Ministry Division announced
THE suffragan Bishop of St Germans, the Rt Revd Chris Goldsmith, is to be the director of the Church’s Ministry Division. Bishop Goldsmith is leaving Truro diocese after six years, and will permanently replace Dr Mandy Ford, the interim director. Before joining the episcopate, Bishop Goldsmith held posts in Chelmsford diocese. He said: “Together we need to discover and release the abundant provision of God to his church.” Bishop Goldsmith will begin in September.
Church in Wales appoints safeguarding officer
DORIAN Davies has been appointed as the Church in Wales’s new safeguarding officer. Mr Davies will lead the Church’s two provincial safeguarding officers in North Wales and South Wales. He takes over from Elaine Cloke, who retired earlier this year. He begins next month.
Sentamu congratulates winners of song competition
ST HILDA’S C of E Primary School, Prestwich, and Merrill Academy, Derby, have won a competition to record the best versions of the “Freedom Song”, which teaches children about modern slavery (News, 26 October 2018). The two schools have won recording sessions in a professional studio. The Archbishop of York, Dr Sentamu, said this week: “Their entries showed that they have learned about modern slavery and are now passionately singing to raise awareness of the injustice of this crime. My prayer is that they keep raising their voices, singing for the freedom of those who have been silenced.”
Sussex church wins church magazine award
THE magazine of Chanctonbury parish in West Sussex, Church Life, won the gold award for best church magazine at the National Church Magazine Awards last weekend. Philly Pearson-Miles, its editor, collected the award on behalf of the team. Lesley Harling from St Laurence’s, Ludlow, won the silver award for her magazine Ludlow Tower, and the bronze award went to John Simpson for The Scroll Message from the Methodist/URC Church in Watford.
Community cleans up vandalised graveyard
MORE than 60 people helped to clean up the graveyard of St Andrew’s, Evesham, in Worcester diocese this week, after it was desecrated at the weekend. About 100 graves were thought to be affected. The Rector of Bengeworth, the Revd Mark Binney, said that the vandalism was probably a “heat-of-the-moment” act, but was still “awful”.
Foodbank manager appointed OBE
JACQUELINE WHITE, the manager of a foodbank that covers Bodmin, Wadebridge, and Camelford, was appointed OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for “services to charity and vulnerable people in Cornwall”. She is in the congregation of Wadebridge Christian Centre and also active in Churches Together in Wadebridge.