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An Environment Policy for the Diocese was approved at the Diocesan Synod in March. This was the culmination of many months of hard work by the Environment Team - a group set up under the aegis of the Board for Church and Society. The Environment Group has now devised five monitorable targets that parishes are being asked to try to reach for June 2008. They are:
Dr Richard Southern, Chair of the Environment Group said, “We hope that in striving to achieve targets parishes become more aware of issues such as sustainability and carbon footprints. The Environment Group will be asking parishes to report on their successes next year. In the meantime, we have prepared guidance on how to meet targets, and this will soon be available on our website.”
Copies of the Environment Policy can be downloaded from the diocesan website: http://www.stalbans.anglican.org/churchandsociety/environment.htm
The Church of England’s national campaign, Shrinking the Footprint has a number of useful resources for parishes. Their website address is: www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org
Following the demand for the above training additional sessions have been arranged as follows:
To book your place please contact Chris LEES E mail childprotection@stalbans.anglican.org Tel 01299841269.
The sessions cover Child protection issues, recording concerns, recognition, and referring on concerns, Explaining CRB procedures, and a simple Health & Safety guide
These sessions are proving to be very popular, please book early to ensure a place.
Parishes from across the diocese are signing up to take part in this year’s St Albans Festival pilgrimage to celebrate the life of St Alban. They will be joining thousands from across the country and further afield who will make their way to St Albans on 23 June to be with Archbishop Desmond Tutu who will lead the pilgrimage.
In 2006 the day was led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who said recently of his visit: "The annual St Albans Pilgrimage has grown and flourished in recent years beyond all expectation - as a commemoration of Alban our first martyr and as a shared spiritual journey for all ages. My experience of it last year was of a wonderful celebration both of the earliest roots of the Church in this country, and of its present and future. No-one taking part could fail to see the vitality of that present and the hopefulness of that future, and I wish every blessing and success for all involved. "
Many will now be familiar with the giant puppets that create such colour during the pilgrimage from the site of Alban’s trial to the place of his execution just outside the cathedral. This year children from the local community will be making additional puppets and models including 30 monks costumes, 30 medieval pilgrims costumes, the medieval shrine of St Alban, a 15ft Norman Abbot and a large scale model of the Abbey.
For more information visit: www.stalbanscathedral.org.uk/
From 21 June to 4 July the Diocese will be offering hospitality to thirty visitors from our companion Diocese of North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba (NECA). The party includes Bishop Errol Brooks and his wife Rosena, Readers and other lay leaders.
During the first week they will be staying in the St Albans, Watford area, sharing in the St Albans Festival Pilgrimage, having a day out in London and a day in the Watford Deanery. For the second week they will be spread out more widely across the Diocese and discovering something of the diversity that we have to offer.
If you would like to know more details about the visit contact Canon John Payne Cook (01462 712230) or Jenny Nicholson (01462 632726).
Over 70% of our parishes have now taken ownership of their own pages on the web resource, A Church Near You ( www.achurchnearyou.com ). Every church in the Diocese has a basic entry on the A Church Near You website but parishes can enhance their own pages by appointing a person to be responsible for updating the page. Why not find your church and see if it has all the information it should have on it and if not ask your Vicar about how you can take control!
Three books launched by the Church of England this week give an honest appraisal of how the Church relates to young people through worship and mission today. They offer valuable insights into how churches might begin the process of assessing and developing their ministry with young people.
As a response to the Church of England’s National Youth Strategy, Good News for Young People, in 2002, two of the new books focus on the tough questions facing the Church as it meets the challenge of relating the gospel in fresh and appealing ways to young people. For further details, see end of briefing or go to: http://cofe.anglican.org/news/pr4207.htm
A network of cell churches within Merseyside police force, a pair of surfers preparing to set up a church centre on Newquay’s beachfront, and a special monthly service in Cambridge for Goths: they all feature in a DVD released to mark the continuing expansion of Fresh Expressions, a movement led by the Church of England and the Methodist Church to nurture contemporary forms of church life alongside traditional ones. Order copies here: http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.asp?id=2393440 and full details here: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr3007.html
Lemsford St John’s, 30th June at 7.45 pm. ‘Singing for Pleasure’ presents a choral concert for all tastes, in celebration of the ministry of Dennis van der Meijden who died in March. In aid of Community Meeting Point, Harpenden. Details: 01707 327621.
For a full listing of events happening around the Diocese go here
Battle for the Holy Land: Jerusalem Paddy Ashdown examines the historical, religious and political claims on the famous embattled city. 7.05pm Channel 4
Bells on Sunday From St Chad’s, Headlingley in Leeds 5.43am R4
Something Understood Stolen Identity: Mark Tully considers the current concern with what has become known as identity theft 6.05am R4
Aled Jones says Good Morning Sunday: Guest include Martin Smith (of Christian rock act Delirious?) and, discussing the week’s faith issues, Rabbi Pete Tobias 7.00am R2
Sunday Religious news, with Roger Bolton 7.10am R4
Sunday Worship Led by the Very Rev Dr Ken Newell from Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, Belfast. 8.10am R4
Heaven and Earth with Gloria Hunniford: Actor Gene Wilder joins Gloria to talk about his Jewish roots 10.00am BBC1
Choral Evensong Live from the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music at St Pancras New Church, London 4.00pm R3
Songs of Praise: Sally Magnusson visits Dundee, where music from St Paul’s Cathedral is performed 5.25pm BBC1
The Choir: Aled Jones talks to Dr Martin Ashley of the University of the West of England about the research into why fewer boys than girls join choirs 6.30pm R3
Sunday Half Hour: Brian D’Arcy celebrates the feast of the Ascension, featuring hymns sung by congregations and choirs from across the UK 8.30pm R2
Something Understood Repeat 11.30pm R4
Battle for the Holy Land: Jerusalem Repeat 2.25am Channel 4
Daily Service: Rev Stephen Shipley 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
Pathways of Belief ages 7-9 – Part of Schools Programmes 10.30am BBC2
York Minster (2/6) Daily Life: The Summer begins a fresh set of challenges for the Cathedral, including flooding 7.00pm BBC2
Battle for the Holy Land: Love Thy Neighbour - On the 40 th anniversary of the Six Day War, Rod Liddle takes a journey through the West Bank. 8.00pm Channel 4
Daily Service Led by Mark Coffey 9.45am R4
Three-Minute Wonder: Home fronts Russian Jew -An immigrant embraces the prospect of becoming an Israeli Jew, but finds the process hard going 7.55pm Channel 4
Daily Service Led by Andrew Graystone 9.45am R4
The Spiritual Centre (1/4): The Wedding Bharat is the self-styled guru of Westgate, over which he presides from his semi-detached suburban spiritual centre 11.30am R4
Thursday 24 May
Daily Service Canon Chris Chivers 9.45am R4
Three-Minute Wonder: Home Fronts Black Jew -An Ethiopian immigrant finds it difficult to fulfil his parents’ dream of living in Israel 7.55pm Channel 4
Friday 25 May
Act of Worship Led by Rev Angela Tilby 9.45am R4
I Got Up Out of My Seat: Broadcaster David Frost recalls the impact American evangelist Billy Graham held when he arrived in London in 1954. 11.00am R4
Shadowlands: Brian Sibley’s abridged version of his account of the romance between C S Lewis and Joy Davidman, read by Ian Richardson. 8/8. 9.15pm R2
Prayer for the Day With Mal Fletcher (not Sunday) 5.43am R4
Pause for Thought R2
Speakers for the Week:
Thought for the Day 7.48am R4
Speakers for the Week: