Please scroll down to read items. Comments, please, to Peter Crumpler, Director of Communications on peter.crumpler@c-of-e.org.uk.

This month’s contents:

Churches welcome VAT scheme extension and expansion
Latest news on the Building Faith in our Future campaign
Poll shows widespread support for Church Schools as figures indicate continuing success for students
Church Schools: Faith in the Future Conference - A National Vision from the Archbishop of Canterbury
Common Worship: Daily Prayer is best-selling ‘liturgical book’ after the Bible
Caterpillar: Ethical Investment Advisory Group affirms earlier decision
Grainger GenInvest exchange contracts on residential properties
Church launches consultation on pensions policy
New DVD promotes churches’ green shoots of growth
Broadcasting: BBC Charter Review

• Select Committee reports on religion
• DCMS publishes White Paper on BBC Charter Review and launches consultation

Communications Training - Forthcoming Courses
FLAME Network Annual General Meeting and Day Conference 2006
Seeds in Holy Ground reprinted due to increasing demand
Latest issue of Parish Pump Environmental News

Churches welcome VAT scheme extension and expansion
The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, the Rt Revd George Cassidy (also Chairman of the Churches Main Committee), warmly welcomed Gordon Brown’s announcement to substantially expand the scope of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and extend its operation for a further three years until 2010-11. The move will save churches millions of pounds on the cost of major repair and maintenance work, by the inclusion of elements of expenditure such as bells, organs and the VAT on professional fees.

Read more about the announcement: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr3406.html

Latest news on the Building Faith in our Future campaign
The third e-bulletin since the publication of Building Faith in our Future has just been released, asking how you can help as the campaign for a more equitable funding deal for church buildings moves forward. News includes a review of the General Synod debate on the Church’s Built Heritage, and information on current partnership working with the Government and other bodies.

Read the full newsletter here: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/
builtheritage/buildingfaith/index.html

Poll shows widespread support for Church Schools as figures indicate continuing success for students
Seven out of ten people believe that Church of England schools play a positive role in educating the nation’s children, according to a poll by researchers ORB released last month.

Find out more: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr3206.html
Further research, by the National Institute for Christian Research Education, points to the ‘added value’ that Church schools offer their students and to the diversity of their learner populations: www.nicer.ac.uk

Church Schools: Faith in the Future Conference
A National Vision from the Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury was amongst the range of speakers who addressed over 400 education specialists at the Church Schools: Faith in the Future Conference last month. Delegates were given the opportunity to explore the role that Church of England schools play in offering inclusive education with a distinctively Christian ethos to more than 920,000 children and young people today.

http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr3206abc.html
Speeches made at the conference by Lord Dearing, Vincent Nichols (Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham), Rt Hon Jacqui Smith MP (Minister of State for Schools and 14-19 Learners) and Lord Puttnam are available on the conference’s dedicated website:

http://www.livegroup.co.uk/faithinthefuture/

Common Worship: Daily Prayer is best-selling ‘liturgical book’ after the Bible
Daily Prayer, part of the Common Worship series, was the top liturgical book in the UK in 2005 and came within the year’s top 15 biggest selling religious books.

Read more about the volume’s success: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr3106.html

Caterpillar: Ethical Investment Advisory Group affirms earlier decision
The Church of England’s Ethical Investment Advisory Group, after careful consideration at a specially convened meeting to discuss Caterpillar Inc – the US-based manufacturer of construction and mining equipment – has unanimously reaffirmed its previous decision, taken in September 2005.

Read the full press release: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr29cat06.html

Grainger GenInvest exhange contracts on residential properties
Grainger GenInvest and The Church Commissioners have exchanged contracts for the freeholds of 976 predominantly residential properties in Waterloo, Winchester Park, Vauxhall, Pimlico and Walworth. Completion of the sale has been confirmed in the last few days.

Full details: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr2706.html

Church launches consultation on pensions policy
In common with private companies and public bodies, the Church of England is to review its pensions policy. Long-term reduction in returns from stock exchange investments, the increasing life expectancy of members, and recent government moves designed to make pension schemes more secure for their members are all likely to have an impact on the cost of the Church’s pension schemes.

Read the full story: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr2806.html
A new section of the Church of England’s website has been created to host a range of information about the ongoing consultation process on the future of Church pensions, including an article written with parish publications in mind:

http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/pensions/

New DVD promotes churches’ green shoots of growth
expressions: the dvd, an inspiring resource for those interested in exploring innovative ways of ‘being and doing church’, was launched last month. Fourteen examples of new initiatives aiming to connect with those who are currently untouched by the Christian Church are showcased in a collection of five-minute films, offering exciting glimpses of creative ‘Fresh Expressions’ being developed across the country.

Read more about the DVD: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr2606.html

Broadcasting: BBC Charter Review (1)
Select Committee reports on religion

The House of Lords Select Committee on the Review of the BBC Charter published its second report on 3rd March, including a chapter on religion. The Committee found evidence that audiences were prepared to engage with programmes which took a broad view of what constituted religious broadcasting and that this approach might lead to innovative and informative ways of tackling the subject. It said: ‘we are eager to see more high- quality, innovative and thought-provoking programmes emerging from the BBC Religion and Ethics Department.’ It continued: ‘It is our recommendation that the BBC should review its programme output to ensure that it complies with the Communications Act 2003.’ Highlighting the importance of background information in current affairs coverage of religious issues, the Committee concluded: ‘the BBC should ensure that its correspondents are competent to report in a knowledgeable way in all areas on which they will be asked to report.’ It further said that the BBC should be given a specific duty to: ‘make sure viewers and listeners have a better understanding of the different religions and other belief systems through the objective portrayal of their different beliefs, practices and forms of worship.’

The findings of the Committee and the evidence presented to it, including from the Panel of senior faith community figures chaired by the Bishop of Southwark, can be found at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/
ld200506/ldselect/ldbbc/128/128i.pdf

Broadcasting: BBC Charter Review (2)
DCMS publishes White Paper on BBC Charter Review and launches consultation
Taking a far more ‘Big Picture approach to the BBC and its operation, the Government’s White Paper, setting out its proposed funding and regulation for the next ten years, was published on 14 March. This does explicitly affirm the requirement in the BBC’s new purposes to reflect “different religions and other beliefs appropriate to multi-faith Britain,” but is otherwise silent on matters of faith. Much will be left to the consultations that the proposed BBC Trust intends when it sets out what BBC services will each be obliged to do. The Bishop of Manchester has said: "I will be reinforcing the need for the faith communities' contribution to the life of our nation to be properly reflected across all BBC output when I respond to the White Paper. Anyone can respond: I encourage church people to consider doing so."

There is a public consultation on the White Paper until 28 April and Comments on it should be sent by 28 April to: BBC Charter Review Consultation, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London, SW1Y 5DH (phone 020 7211 6200).

www.bbccharterreview.org.uk

Communications Training - Forthcoming Courses
We have a few spaces remaining on the following courses, due to take place in April. If you would like to book a place please contact Suzanne Gray on 020 7898 1465 as soon as possible, or visit our website at www.commstraining.cofe.anglican.org

It is also possible to offer training days at your base; please contact Suzanne if you would like to discuss this further.

Creating a User Friendly Church 25th April £95
This course helps you assess how "user-friendly" your Church is and how well it is communicating both with its congregation and with those you are trying to reach. Issues covered include parish magazines and news sheets, notice boards, disabled access, accessibility, advertising and basic media relations.

Managing the Media in Times of Crisis 26th April £155
Through the use of roleplay and case studies, this course helps you practise the key techniques of crisis management. The course includes a practise radio interview and guidance for dealing with difficult interviews

We are currently putting together the training programme for 2007, so if you have any topics for training that you would like to see covered please contact Gillian or Suzanne on 020 7898 1465, or email comms.training@c-of-e.org.uk.

FLAME (Family Life and Marriage Education) Network Annual General Meeting and Day Conference 2006
Taking place on Saturday April 8th at 11.15 am (coffee available from 10.45am) at Mary Sumner House, 24 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3RB. FLAME is a network whose aim is to enable the sharing of best practice, training materials, support for practitioners and encouragement for those in the Church of England who work with families. The AGM will be preceded by a conference, at which the principal speaker will be Mary Crowley MBE, Chief Executive of Parenting UK. Her topic will be ‘10 years on – changes in parenting education and support’. There has been a great deal of talk in recent months about new initiatives in parenting, and in qualifications to deliver parenting support. This will not only be an opportunity to here about these changes, but also an important opportunity to discuss with Mary about the role churches play. In order to minimise costs for those attending from a distance, we are not making a charge for the Conference this year. Whilst there is no need to book, an indication of your intention to attend would be helpful. Contact: SharonV@churchinsociety.org

Seeds in Holy Ground reprinted due to increasing demand
This new workbook for rural churches first published in November 2005 has exceeded expectations - selling 4000 copies in less than six months - and is currently being reprinted to keep up with demand. The workbook, specifically designed for use by small groups and PCCs in rural parishes and benefices, gives useful information on working with and for communities and enhancing the life and witness of the Church. Questions and activities written by Dr Anne Richards (Mission Theological Adviser) make the full-colour A4 book an engaging and interesting resource. Copies can be obtained directly from the office of the National Rural Officer: katrinas@rase.org.uk by phone 024 7669 6460 or post Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LZ. Cost £3.99 plus p&p.

Latest issue of Parish Pump Environmental News
The Spring 2006 issue is now available, featuring the launch of the UK Yew Guardianship Project amongst 16 Pages packed with positive environmental news on biodiversity, heritage, energy, ethical trading, publications, awards and funding, plus details of 2006 Parish Pump Workshops. It is available free of charge by emailing your name and address to info@conservationfoundation.co.uk or can be seen online at www.conservationfoundation.co.uk