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Norton parish, near Letchworth, is to sponsor a young person through a BA degree in Youth Work and Applied Theology administered through the Centre for Youth Ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge.
The Revd Roger Chapman, curate at Norton said, “This is a truly gift wrapped opportunity for the right person to come and join with us to help spread the Gospel to our young people both within the Church, and within the community.
“After three years study on day release in Cambridge, and placement with us, the person would emerge with the gold standard in youth work which would enable them to work in any youth project nationally, and also as a specialist graduate in applied theology. We would pay the academic fees, give a monthly bursary, a book grant and find accommodation if necessary.
“In return the person would work with us here in Norton Parish, both at all our children’s events and within the local community youth project, and hopefully worship with us, and join in alongside those already working with our children. This is an opportunity where the individual wins, the Church wins and the local community wins.”
If you are the person for this role, or know of someone interested please contact Roger on 01462 672256 or e-mail r.chapman27@ntlworld.com
In the forthcoming July/August issue of SeeRound, Chris Lees our Diocesan Child Protection officer, outlines his role in supporting parishes. He offers a reassuring word following recent high profile cases that have affected the Church and reiterates that it is people who matter in combating child abuse.
Where there is concern about a child or the conduct of an adult towards a child, this should be shared with the parish child protection officer. Chris will support that person as fully as possible by offering advice and liaising with the appropriate agency.
Chris Lees can be contacted for advice, on 01299 841269, or by E Mail on childprotection@stalbans.anglican.org
See the Archbishop of Canterbury’s comments below.
The Revd Dr Alan Winton, Team Rector of The Welwyn Team Ministry, was recently installed as an Honorary Canon at the Cathedral during evensong. During the service a new Cathedral Warden, Stephen de Silva, was also installed as an Honorary Canon.
Article and photograph will appear in the July/August issue of SeeRound.
Alastair Johnston has recently taken up the post of Community Fundraising Manager for The Children’s Society, covering the Dioceses of St Albans and Oxford.
Alastair’s role is to support individuals and groups in their fundraising efforts, as well as explain the work of The Children’s Society and recruit new volunteers especially those willing to undertake talks on it’s behalf.
For more information contact Alastair on 01525 720 935 or email axj@childsoc.org.uk
You are NOT alone! If you are involved in Ministry to Children you are doing a huge and important task. That is the same whether you take two or three children out for a story during church or whether with a team of people you are involved in large and successful Children’s activities.
We want to say Thank you, and we want to encourage the fact that we are all in this together! Please mark in your diaries the following Wine and Cheese evenings where we hope all children’s leaders will come and meet us, share their experiences and take home some more ideas for the children in their parishes.
All evenings will be from 7.30-9.30pm. They are free invitations! Come and join us. The first events are:
October 13 at Bushmead, Luton 10.00-4.00pm
How do we engage with the children in our communities?? What do you know about Extended Schools, about ministry to the under 5’s, about recognising and nurturing Children’s Spirituality?
The Children’s Advisor and the Ministry Development Team are hosting this conference for ALL who are in ANY WAY responsible for the children in their church and community. So we hope to see clergy, readers, churchwardens and PCC members, local teachers, children’s leaders, parents etc etc.
Our keynote speaker will be Margaret Withers, until recently Archbishop’s Officer for Evangelism among Children and now part of the BRF Barnabas Team’ Margaret is an authority on outreach to children in communities large and small. There will be focus groups led by a variety of group leaders with different areas of expertise.
Booking from Laura Hart 01727 818151 lhart@stalbans.anglican.org
To take responsibility for the nurture and care of children in our churches is to be called by God to a highly skilled and highly valued ministry. So often those engaged in children’s work are not encouraged to see this as ministry or to see at highly valued. Enhance your training and our self esteem as children’s leaders and come along to one of the two CORE courses being run in our diocese.
This exciting new training scheme seeks to resource all those who work with children in the church. Creative and interactive the two-hour training programmes for children's leaders cover six key areas of children's work:
For more details, have a look at the website:
www.coreskillsforchurches.com
Putnoe Heights, Bedford: Wednesday evenings 3 October-21 November
St Michael’s, Hatfield: Tuesday evenings 25 September-13 November
This course will cost £30 for one person, £25 each for 2 people from the same church.
(PCC’s are expected to fund training for their children’s leader)
To book your place ring 01727 818178 or email eshaw@stalbans.anglican.org
This autumn a new project will begin in the St Albans area. ‘the2:67project’ is being set up to offer advice, support, encouragement, networking, resources and training in all areas of youth and children’s work across the St Albans area.
The service is the brain child of Mike Palin who has been a full-time youth and children’s worker for over 12 years. Mike said, “I am longing to share my experiences with other churches to assist them in the various ministries that God has given them.”
The project’s mission statement is “rooted, built up, strengthened and thankful” after Colossians 2: 6 – 7.
The aim is to facilitate youth and children’s work across the St Albans area with particular emphasis on churches that currently do not have a full-time youth or children’s worker.
For more information contact Mike on mikeyp74656@yahoo.com
The Archbishop of Canterbury is this month on the front cover of the European and African editions of Time Magazine. In a frank account of the challenges facing the Anglican Communion worldwide, Time Magazine outlines Dr Williams' hopes for the future in the run up to the Lambeth Conference.
Find the main story "Saving Grace" here http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1630227,00.html
A podcast of the interview itself can be found here http://i.timeinc.net/time/podcast/archbishop_canterbury/archbishop_canterbury.mp3
Dr Rowan Williams has spoken of his deep sorrow over the suffering experienced in child abuse cases involving the Church. Dr Williams said that the Church had developed greater awareness and expertise, and had stringent procedures in place, but that vigilance was crucial. “Any case in which the Church has failed to prove itself a safe place for children is deplorable. This is one such case, and we can only express our keen awareness of the damage and deep sorrow for the suffering caused.” To read the full statement see: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/070510.htm
Responding to the Prime Minister's announcement that he will stand down from 27th June, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, published tributes to Tony Blair. For Dr Williams' statement see: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/070510.htm and Dr Sentamu's: http://www.salvonet.com/diocese_of_york/cgi/news/news.cgi?t=template&a=1075
The Church Commissioners increased their contribution towards non-pensions support for the Church of England by 6.4 per cent in 2006, a year when the retail price index rose by 4.4 per cent. Details of how the Commissioners support the Church’s ministry are set out in their Annual Report & Accounts for 2006, published on 1 May. After 100 years at Millbank, staff have now moved out. They moved in March 2007, three months after the Commissioners achieved another year in the top three per cent of 240 similar investment funds. Details at: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr3607.html
The first invitations for the 2008 Lambeth Conference, to be held in Canterbury next summer, have been sent out by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. The gathering, which is set to be the largest Lambeth Conference in the history of the Anglican Communion, brings together bishops from the Churches in the 38 Provinces of the Anglican Communion together with ecumenical and other invited guests.
Read the full text of the Archbishop's invitation here: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/070522.htm
The Church of England is joining calls for the Government to end the destitution of people refused asylum in Britain. The Still Human Still Here campaign highlights the plight of tens of thousands of refused asylum seekers in the UK. The Archbishops' Council has announced that it is joining this coalition of church, refugee and asylum organisations. Details at: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr4607.html
St Mary Magdalene Church, Welwyn Garden City, 125th Anniversary Celebration Week 15th-22nd July – a week packed with events including a Q & A session with the Bishop, a talk by the Dean of St Albans, a summer fair and concert (Sat). More details from www.st-mary-magdalene.org.uk or call 01707 322313.
For a full listing of events happening around the Diocese go here
Portraits of Jerusalem (2/3) Jews This series tells listeners why through the lives and voices of the people who live there 4.00pm R4
Six Days That Changed the Middle East (6/7) Forty years after the events of the 1967 Six Day War, Jeremy Bowen continues to explore its causes 7.00pm R4
Portraits of Jerusalem Repeat 11.30pm R4
Something Understood Emerging from the Ruins. Mark Tully considers life after a downfall, including a talk with Jonathan Aitken 6.05am R4
Aled Jones Guests include Icelandic tenor Cortes and jazz singer Clare Teal. 7.00am R2
Sunday This week’s religious and ethical headlines, with Roger Bolton 7.10am R4
Sunday Worship From the Tantur Ecumenical Institute, as part of a season of programmes from Jerusalem, Led by sister Bridget Tighe, Preacher Fr Michael McGarry 8.10am R4
Heaven and Earth with Gloria Hunniford Sinéad O’Connnor reveals how the Old Testament inspired her new album and Andy Sturgeon looks at the role of plants in Christianity 10.00am BBC1
Choral Evensong Live from Bath Abbey 4.00pm R3
Portraits of Jerusalem (3/3) Christians Discovering why the Old City is fought over through the lives and voices of people who live there 4.00pm R4 (FM only)
Songs of Praise Eamonn Holmes visits Londonderry. 6.00pm BBC1
The Choir Composer Judith Bingham discusses her latest project. Aled Jones discovers riches of a choral variety in London’s financial district and concludes his visit to the chapel Royal 6.30pm R3
Sunday Half Hour Brian D’Arcy tells the story of Thomas Ken, the 17 th century hymn writer and divine 8.30pm R2
Portraits of Jerusalem Repeat 11.00pm R4
Something Understood Repeat 11.30pm R4
Daily Service From St Martin’s Church, Belfast, led by the Rev Dr Bert Tosh 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
The Making of Music (6/30) The Reformation Luther changed religion and religious music, harnessing secular songs for sacred purpose and introducing congregational singing 3.45pm R4 (FM Only)
York Minster (rpt) 4/6. Summer brings extra pressure for the select band of boys and girls whose voices lead the worship at the Minster 7.00pm BBC2
Daily Service Led by Clair Jaquiss 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
Gavin Stamp’s Orient-Express (5/5) The jaunty architectural historian reaches Istanbul, where he admires the Hagia Sofia. 7.15pm Channel 5
Religious Education Taking Issue; Forgiveness; The Belief File 2.00am-6.00am BBC2
Daily Service Led by Monsignor Tony Rogers 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
The Spiritual Centre (4/4) The favourite Guru Bharat receives a visitation from his leader, the Sri Vasanth, who travels to Westgate from his mountain cave to carry out a spiritual audit. Comedy. 11.30am R4
The Moral Maze New Series (1/7) Michael Buerk chairs a debate in which panellists Melanie Phillips, Steve Rose, Claire Fox and Clifford Longley cross examine expert witnesses on the moral issues behind the week’s news 8.00pm R4
Wedding Stories (5/6) More wedding stories 11.20pm BBC2
Religious Education The Belief File, Hinduism and Judaism 2.00am – 6.00am BBC2
Daily Service Led by Judy Merry 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
Falklands Service of Remembrance A service to commemorate the 25 th anniversary of the liberation of the Falkland Islands, from the Memorial Chapel, Pangbourne College, in the presence of HM the Queen 11.00am BBC1
Doctors A girl looking after her depressed father suddenly becomes a devout Muslim and begins to wear a hijab 2.05pm BBC1
This World: Race for the Beach (4/5) The Story of Meccaa Laalaa, a student from Sydney and the world’s first devout Muslim woman aiming to become a lifeguard, while wearing a fill-length “burqini” 7.00pm BBC2
Religious Education The Belief File; Issues; War and Peace; The Test of Time 2.00am – 6.00am BBC2
Daily Service Led by Leslie Griffiths 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
Prayer for the Day With Mark Coffey (not Sunday) 5.43am R4
Speakers for the Week:
Speakers for the Week: