Synod member dies on return journey

A GENERAL SYNOD member, Clive Billenness, who attended the sessions in London last week, died suddenly at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning as he was returning home to south-west France. Mr Billenness was one of the diocese in Europe’s lay representatives. He was also a member of the Audit Committee of the Archbishops’ Council. He served on the diocesan synod, and had been a churchwarden and Reader in the chaplaincy of Midi-Pyrénées. A note from the diocese on Sunday described him as “a man of great passion and commitment in the Church” and “a steadfast and thoughtful contributor” to debates. “He campaigned energetically in Synod, never less so than in the group of sessions in London this past week,” the statement said. Comment

Wales gets first minster, in Swansea

ST MARY’s, Swansea, became Swansea Minster — the first minster in Wales, the Church in Wales says — in a service on Sunday. In recent times, the title has been conferred on larger or significant urban churches that serve the civic community. St Mary’s was rebuilt in the 1950s after being bombed during the Blitz. The Church in Wales is investing £2.8 million over the next five years from its Growth Fund to complete the transformation. The Vicar of St Mary’s, the Revd Justin Davies, said: “People are genuinely pleased that the church is getting recognised for what it is, and in the place it is. It’s also seen as a boost to the city. Many city centres are having difficult times and Swansea is one of those.”

Shropshire villagers urge reopening of glebe land

A GROUP of villagers in Shopshire have delivered a petition to the offices of the diocese of Lichfield, urging the diocese to reopen a portion of glebe land next to Christ Church, Bayston Hill, the BBC reports. The diocesan board of finance had first leased the large field to villagers in 1949, and the space has been used for village events. It was fenced off to the public in November, however, pending a planning application for future development, since withdrawn. The fencing has been replaced, but the site remains inaccessible to the public, behind padlocked gates. A petition by Friends of the Glebe for the diocese to preserve the green land has gained more than 2000 signatures. The campaign group delivered it in person last Friday. A diocesan spokesperson said: “As charitable trustees, we have a binding legal obligation to manage such property to obtain the best return for the benefit of their beneficiaries.”

Bishop concerned over assisted-dying safeguards

THE Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s proposed amendment to the Assisted Dying Bill, which removes the requirement for a High Court judge to give final approval to a terminally ill person who wishes to end their life, “has filled me and many others with grave concern”, the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, has warned. In a letter to The Guardian on Monday, she wrote: “The removal of judicial oversight significantly weakens the safeguards, raising concerns about what other measures may be dropped through the legislative process or through the interpretation of clinicians. While it will be essential to involve multidisciplinary teams if the law is changed, this need not have come at the expense of judicial oversight.” She concluded: “My background as a nurse and as a priest tells me that the best safeguard is the current law. I urge parliament to reject this bill. It is neither safe nor compassionate.”

BBC report prompts gifts to C of E school

STAFF and volunteers at St Nicholas C of E Primary Academy, Boston, in Lincolnshire, part of Infinity Academies Trust, have been “overwhelmed” with the outpouring of support for their community work, after this was featured on the TV programme BBC Breakfast. The six-minute report, shown on 29 January, focused on the school ethos “Let your light shine,” and its provision of food and clothes for pupils, and supporting parents over issues such as mental health or domestic abuse. The school has received more than £16,000 in donations to a JustGiving page, which will contribute to new opportunities for the children. Businesses have also been in touch to offer their help, including donations of learning resources and play equipment, as well as complimentary school trips. The head teacher, Fiona Booth, said: “It is fair to say we have been absolutely blown away by the outpouring of love, kindness, and generosity we have received from the church community, as well as individuals and organisations who have reached out from across the world.”