Bishop of Portsmouth opens C of E school on Isle of Wight

A NEW primary school in Freshwater, on the Isle of Wight, was opened last Friday with an act of worship led by students. Freshwater and Yarmouth C of E Primary School amalgamates two primary schools in a new £4.5-million building. The Bishop of Portsmouth, Dr Jonathan Frost (above), gave a short talk at the opening. The Team Vicar of Freshwater, Yarmouth and Totland, the Revd Leisa Potter, led the prayers.

New Principal of Oak Hill after President’s departure

OAK HILL Theological College, in London, has announced the appointment of a new Principal, the Revd Dr James Robson, after its President, the Revd Johnny Juckes, left last month. Dr Robson, Keswick Ministries’ Ministry Director, takes up his new post in September, a statement issued on Monday says. On Friday, the college responded in a statement to speculation about the departure of Mr Juckes, announced earlier in the month. “Johnny has brought many strengths to the life of the College for which we are truly grateful. . . It is also true that, over the course of time, issues to do with Johnny’s leadership were raised,” the statement says. The concerns “do not include issues of scandal, nor are they of a safeguarding nature”.

Asylum-seekers at ex-RAF base would be welcome, says Conway

THE Bishop of Ely, the Rt Revd Stephen Conway, told BBC Radio Lincolnshire last week that faith groups would welcome asylum-seekers if they were accommodated at RAF Scampton. Bishop Conway, who is also the Acting Bishop of Lincoln, said that faith groups would “resist the shrill voices” of opponents to the plans to host migrants on the site, deemed surplus to requirements by the Ministry of Defence. The West Lindsey District Council has objected to the possible relocation of up to 2000 asylum-seekers there, saying that it would disrupt plans for a £300-million regeneration project. The Government announced last week that it planned to house migrants on disused military bases, to reduce reliance on hotels.

Leaders mark 25 years since Good Friday Agreement

THE Church Leaders’ Group in Ireland has issued prayer resources to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The group comprises the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Dr John Kirkpatrick; the RC Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Eamon Martin; the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd John McDowell; the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Revd David Nixon; and the President of the Irish Council of Churches, the Rt Revd Andrew Forster. In a statement last Friday, they said: “The signing of the Agreement was not the end of the journey to peace in Northern Ireland but marked simply the first faltering steps down a very long road to a new, brighter, and shared future. That road will continue to be shaped by tolerance and respect for our differences, and a recognition of the need for greater understanding and reconciliation.”

Spring Harvest Home to be streamed in prisons

SPRING HARVEST HOME, the online version of Spring Harvest, will be streamed in 72 prisons this April, it was announced on Wednesday of last week. The initiative is a result of a partnership between Spring Harvest, Wayout TV, and prison chaplaincy teams. “We believe that everyone should have access to the hope and love that the Christian faith provides,” Spring Harvest’s event director, Abby Guinness, said.

‘King of France’ Prayer Book is withdrawn

A NEW edition of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer has been withdrawn after an error was made in changing references to Queen Elizabeth II to acknowledge the King’s accession. In the 1571 ratification of the Thirty-Nine Articles, the name of Queen Elizabeth I was replaced with that of the King, consequently declaring him ruler of “England, France and Ireland”. According to a source quoted in The Daily Telegraph, “a few hundred copies” were sent out before the error was noticed. A spokesman for the printers, Cambridge University Press, said: “We will issue a new edition shortly to correct this mistake. We will provide replacements or refunds to anyone who would like one.”

Correction. In last week’s story about Afghan refugees, Emily Shepherd and Sue Butler were mistakenly described as joint chief executives of the Church Urban Fund. They are joint chief executives of the refugee charity Welcome Homes. We apologise for the error.