National News

The 2009 office and working costs of bishops in the Church of England are published today. Figures for individual bishops were first published, for the year 2000, in December 2001. Bishops’ office and working costs were previously published as a total figure.

The Church of England has today published its latest information about parish income and expenditure and trends in ministry numbers in Church Statistics 2008/9. The attendance statistics included were published in February 2010.

The 50 per cent cut in capital investment for affordable homes, announced in last week’s comprehensive spending review, could leave nearly half a million rural households without housing in the next quarter of a century – and risks a reversal in the hard-won five year fall in homelessness, the Rt Rev Dr Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, will tell leading thinkers on rural economies, planning, policy and mission in rural communities, next week.

Welcoming the announcement by the Department for Culture Media and Sport that the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme, which reimburses VAT on repairs to listed places of worship, will continue, the Rt Revd Richard Chartres, Bishop of London and Chair of the Church Heritage Forum, said:

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have announced the appointment of the Bishop of Carlisle, The Rt Revd James Newcome, as lead bishop on healthcare issues.

The Mission and Public Affairs Council of the Church of England has published its response to the White Paper ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’.

Four years ago Beryl could hardly read or write. Thanks to a life-changing literacy skills project supported by the Church and Community Fund (CCF) awards, her life has been turned around.

The Archbishops’ Council’s Cathedrals and Church Buildings Division has issued a statement following the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s announcement today regarding intermediate cuts to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

The membership has been announced today of a working group established by the House of Bishops' Standing Committee to advise the House on the preparation of a draft statutory code of practice.

Young people have not inherited the rebellious hostility to the Church of their parents’ generation, although for many of them religion is irrelevant for day-to-day living. These are two of the findings of an informative new book The Faith of Generation Y, authored by Sylvia Collins-Mayo (sociologist of religion), Bob Mayo (parish priest in West London), Sally Nash (Director of the Midlands Centre for Youth Ministry) with the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth (who has five Generation Y children).

The Rt Revd John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford, has accepted the invitation of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to chair the Church of England Board of Education and the National Society Council. He will take up the post of lead bishop on education, succeeding the Rt Revd John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln at his retirement on 31 January 2010.

‘To invite or not to invite young children?’ to weddings is a big question for couples planning their big day – but a new survey conducted by the Church of England’s wedding show promotions team suggests a majority of people agree with the Church that children should be welcome at the ceremony.

The Bishop of Manchester has welcomed the launch of The Real Easter Egg, the UK’s first and only Easter egg to mention Jesus on the box. And he is asking church schools to put in an order before Christmas.

Dioceses have until Monday, 14 November, 2011, to debate and vote on draft legislation that would allow the consecration of women as bishops, according to documents published this week.

Peterborough Cathedral will ring its tolling bell 492 times tomorrow (September 22) in tune with the crucial UN Biodiversity talks in New York – one toll for each animal and plant species that England has lost.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will say that desire for God is 'undimmed' in 21st Century Britain, when he speaks at churches in his home diocese of Canterbury this Back to Church Sunday, 26th September.

Church schools get chance to shine at launch of national awards - religious schools contribute ‘significantly and substantially’ to community cohesion Church schools across the country are being invited to showcase examples of how they help foster strong community relations with the launch of the Church School Awards for inspiring citizens and transforming communities.

The Church of England’s national investing bodies have written to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI) Secretariat to confirm their signing up to the initiative’s principles in addition to their commitment to the Church’s Ethical Investment Advisory Group.

The Church of England is advertising Back to Church Sunday 2010 (September 26th) on the radio stations Classic FM and Heart FM, to deliver a message of welcome over the airwaves straight into the homes of 1.3 million people.