| Church House London Communications Update August 2010 | 16th Aug 2010 | Download | Email to a Friend |
This month’s contents:
- Faith Communities in the ‘Big Society’ – Archbishop of Canterbury
- Archbishop of York speaks out on support for trafficked children and other issues in Lords
- Church bells ring to highlight toll of biodiversity
- £500,000 Joint Cathedral Fabric Repair Fund launched
- Compensation scheme for churches affected by wireless microphone spectrum switchover
- Christianity on the move? Now there’s an App for that
- General Synod Summaries
- More news from the Archbishop of Canterbury
- More news from the Archbishop of York
- New Bishop of Southampton
Faith Communities in the ‘Big Society’Together with the Chief Rabbi and Archbishop of Westminster and leaders of other faiths, the Archbishop of Canterbury hosted a discussion with the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, and the Minister for Decentralisation, Greg Clark. In the course of the very constructive and positive discussion which focussed on the government’s approach to the ‘Big Society’, participants shared their optimism about the sense of a ‘new moment’ arising from the government's willingness to see Church and faith communities as providing a model to be appreciated, rather than as a group to be shaped by government. The approach is one of co-operation rather than co-option. More
Archbishop of York speaks out on support for trafficked children and other issues in LordsDr John Sentamu asked in the House of Lords on July 28: “My Lords, does the Minister agree that there are grounds for thinking that support for child victims is hampered by failure first of all to identify them, often wrongly criminalising them?” Dr Sentamu also spoke on Government's Energy Policy Statement, referencing the cancellation of school building programmes and on the Government's Terrorist Asset Freezing etc Bill. Full text and responses
Church bells ring to highlight toll of biodiversityChurch bells across the country will ring in tune with the United Nations next month to mark crucial international talks on biodiversity. As the bells toll at the UN headquarters in both New York and Nairobi, bell ringers from small parish churches to large cathedrals and minsters are being encouraged to ring on September 22. This year was declared the UN 2010 International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) and the Church of England is one of the official partners in the UK. More
£500,000 Joint Cathedral Fabric Repair Fund launchedThe Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England (CFCE) has welcomed a new fund of £500,000 for cathedral fabric repairs thanks to the Wolfson Foundation, a charity supporting excellence in the fields of science and medicine, health, education and the arts and humanities. More
Compensation for churches affected by wireless microphone spectrum switchoverOfcom have published the details of a compensation package for users of licensed wireless microphone systems whose equipment may effectively be made redundant following changes to spectrum allocation due to take effect in 2012.
This is likely to affect large churches and cathedrals currently using Channel 69, which tend to be those using four or more wireless microphones, or those in dense urban areas which have experienced problems with interference in the use of unlicensed channels. Compensation of up to 55 per cent of the cost of replacement equipment, or modification costs up to the same amount, are likely to be available to such churches if they held a valid Channel 69 licence during 2008. It is, however, vital that such churches register with the scheme administrator between September and December this year, in order to be eligible for the compensation.
For more details on how to register, see Ofcom’s detailed material on the following weblink. Your PA installation company should also be able to help with further advice.
Christianity on the move? Now there’s an App for thatA new iPhone app for the Church of England has been developed in partnership with the Diocese of Guildford. Available for download from Apple’s App store it enables individual dioceses to put their news into the hands of iPhone and iPad users.
‘myDiocese’ is a first for the Church of England and offers church-related news stories, upcoming events and community information. The new app also links to central worship resources including the daily office from the Church of England website that has been used to provide morning and evening prayer on diocesan and parish websites for several years.
The new app can even provide iPhone users with details of their nearest church, using their exact phone location while on the move, or a simple postcode. Read more or you can even download the App
General Synod SummariesTwo summaries of July's Group of Sessions of the General Synod are available from the Church of England website. They provide an accessible round-up of the debates and decisions which took place between 9-13 July.
Detailed Summary of July Synod 2010
Briefer Summary July Synod 2010 – Ideal for Parish Magazines
MORE news from the Archbishop of CanterburyVictory Outreach gives people 'confidence in themselves before God' – Archbishop
Dr Williams to host event in support of local encounter between Christians and Muslims.Dr William’s keynote address at Lutheran World Federation Assembly
Archbishop to receive Freedom of the City of Swansea
MORE news from the Archbishop of York
Dr Sentamu on BBC Radio 2 Chris Evan’s ShowArchbishop leads Praise by the Bridge - 10 year celebrations service
New Bishop of Southampton
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Jonathan Hugh Frost, BD, MTh, MSSTh, FRSA, Co-ordinating Chaplain at the University of Surrey and Residentiary Canon of Guildford Cathedral, to the Suffragan See of Southampton, in the Diocese of Winchester, in succession to the Right Reverend Paul Roger Butler, BA, on his translation to the See of Southwell and Nottingham on 15 October 2009. For further information, see end of briefing or go to either Downing Street Press Release Or Winchester Press Release