Monthly news bulletin from the Communications Office, Church House, London.

Feel free to forward this to others, or to use in diocesan or parish newsletters or magazines.

This news bulletin is issued to members of General Synod, recipients of the e-mailed daily briefing, within the National Church Institutions’ All Staff bulletin and to parish magazines via the http://www.parishpump.co.uk website. It is also available on the Church of England website at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/cofegazette/

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:

Archbishop of Canterbury's visit to Rome
Archbishops criticise British Airways cross decision
Archbishop dismisses newspaper reports on his views on the ordination of women as “wilful misinterpretation”
Joint comment by the Bishop of Southwark and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff on the Nuffield Council's report
Statement issued at the bi-lateral meeting between the Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Church of England House of Bishops
Church of England's 'parliament' holds virtual question time
Archbishop meets HE Mr Seyyed Muhammad Khatami, the former President of Iran
Archbishop invests in immunisation bond scheme
New Chairman of the Hospital Chaplaincies Council appointed
Church growth specialist launches inspirational map of the road to growth
Church encourages members to 'learn lessons for life' in practical prayer guide
Promoting a Safe Church
Churches encouraged to lend an ear for mission
Planting for growth: new ideas for countryside churches
Archbishop’s greeting to Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
Archbishop presents award to Archbishop Eames
Archbishop awards Cross of St Augustine and Lambeth Degree
Quarterly investment update from the Church Commissioners
The York Courses 2007
Church Army inaugurates new Chief Executive

Archbishop of Canterbury's visit to Rome

The Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Benedict XVI held their first meeting since the two met briefly following the Pope’s Inauguration Mass in 2005. The private Papal Audience, on Thursday 23rd November, was the centrepiece of Dr Williams’ visit to Rome, which ran from 21st-26th November. The visit coincided with the 40th anniversary of the historic meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1966.

Other highlights of the trip included two keynote lectures; the first was given at St Anselmo in Rome - 'Benedict and the future of Europe' - in which the Archbishop said that modern civilisation needs to discover a proper sense of the values of time, authority and participation if it is to renew its sense of purpose and enable communities to cope with modern pressures. The second lecture was given at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, entitled 'Secularity, Freedom and Faith'.

Both lectures can be read at: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/sermons_speeches/index.html

Archbishops criticise British Airways’ cross decision

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has questioned British Airways’ decision to refuse the appeal of Nadia Eweida, an employee who has not been permitted to openly wear a cross necklace at work at Heathrow. “I regard it as absolutely basic that people of any faith should have the right to display the signs of their faith commitment in public,” said the Archbishop at a press conference during his visit to Rome.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has referred to the “flawed reasoning” of BA’s decision, which allows male Sikh staff to wear turbans and female Muslim staff to wear hijabs. The Archbishop also suggested, as Britain’s national airline, the company ought to consider the place of the Christian values represented by the Cross.

Read the Archbishop of Canterbury’s comments: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr118a06.html

Read the Archbishop of York’s full statement: http://www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/cgi/news/news.cgi?t=template&a=954

Archbishop dismisses newspaper reports on his views on the ordination of women as "wilful misinterpretation"

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, dismissed as "wilfully misleading" newspaper reports that he is doubtful over the ordination of women to the priesthood: "I made it clear [in the interview reported] and will continue to do so that I see no theological justificaton for any revisiting of this question and indicated in the interview three times that I had no wish to reopen it, whatever technical possibilities might theoretically exist."

Read the Archbishop’s full statement: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/abcherald.html

Joint comment by the Bishop of Southwark and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff on the Nuffield Council's report

Responding to the Nuffield Council’s report on critical care decisions in fetal and neonatal medicine, the Bishop of Southwark and the Archbishop of Cardiff welcomed the clear recommendation that “the active ending of life of newborn babies should not be allowed, no matter how serious their condition.”

“There is a clear distinction between interventions which are deliberately aimed at killing, and decisions to withhold or withdraw medical treatment when it is judged to be futile or unduly burdensome,” the bishops commented.

Read the full joint statement, issued during the bi-lateral meeting of bishops (see following item): http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr11806.html

Statement issued at the bi-lateral meeting between the Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Church of England House of Bishops

The Church of England House of Bishops and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales met for a bi-lateral meeting at Hinsley Hall, Leeds, in November.

The meeting, fraternal in character, was based on shared prayer, discussion and a desire for further development of their shared Christian witness. Their reflections were resourced by the work of the International Anglican – Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission, whose report is expected to be published in 2007.

Read more about this historic meeting: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr11706.html

Church of England's 'parliament' holds virtual question time

Twenty-five questions from General Synod Members, submitted by e-mail, have been answered on the Church’s website in the first such ‘virtual question time’.

Members of the General Synod, the Church’s elected governing body, ask questions of the House of Bishops, the Archbishops’ Council and other Church bodies under the General Synod’s governance when the Synod meets. These are like Parliamentary Questions, oral with supplementary questions, or written.

Find out more: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr11506.html
Go straight to the questions and answers: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/qn06.rtf

Archbishop meets HE Mr Seyyed Muhammad Khatami, the former President of Iran

The Archbishop of Canterbury received Mr Khatami at Lambeth Palace in November, when the two discussed developing relationships between Christian and Muslim Institutions, especially the developing dialogue between the Church of England and Iranian Islamic organisations.

Read more about the meeting: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/061102a.htm

Archbishop invests in immunisation bond scheme

The Archbishop of Canterbury has become one of the first holders of an international finance bond designed to raise money to provide immunisation for up to 500 million of the world’s poorest children. The bond has been issued by HM treasury and is expected to raise $1 billion out of a total of $4 billion being raised over the next ten years.

Read more about this initiative: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/061107.htm

New Chairman of the Hospital Chaplaincies Council appointed

The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York have appointed the Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Revd Michael Perham, to be Chairman of the Hospital Chaplaincies Council and also lead Bishop for matters concerning the National Health Service, in succession to the Bishop of St Albans. Bishop Michael will also be a Vice Chairman of the Mission and Public Affairs Council. He takes up these additional responsibilities in January 2007.

Read more about this appointment: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/061108.htm

Church growth specialist launches inspirational map of the road to growth

A practical booklet exploring eight key themes to help local churches boost their congregations has arrived in Christian bookshops. The Ven Bob Jackson, Archdeacon of Walsall, has packed Going for Growth with tips for busy church leaders and members who want to ‘get stuck in’ to plans to grow their church, by offering a menu of ideas for action.

Read more about Going for Growth: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr11606.html

Church encourages members to 'learn lessons for life' in practical prayer guide

The Church of England is using clips from hit films Four Weddings and a Funeral, Dead Man Walking, and Truly, Madly, Deeply in a bid to boost the nation’s prayer life, through a new resource aimed at small study groups. The clips are suggested as ways of beginning discussions about how God acts in the world, about genuine listening, and about the nature of human relationships.

Life Source, published as an ideal course for Lent study groups, will encourage members to “discover a new found joy and delight in prayer” by examining major aspects of a balanced prayer life, founded on the idea of prayer as relationship with God.

Find out more: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr114.html
Order a pack for your church now: http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.asp?id=2392643

Promoting a Safe Church

The Church of England has published a policy and guidelines for safeguarding vulnerable adults in line with the policies and procedures developed over the last ten years for the safeguarding of children. The document includes a policy for the Church of England on safeguarding vulnerable adults, examples of good practice and procedures to follow.

Read more about the new guidance and http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr11106.html
Download the resource now: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/papers/promotingasafechurch.pdf

Churches encouraged to lend an ear for mission

A new guide - Listening for Mission - urges churches to become ‘multi-listeners’, tuning both ears to God, to their local communities, and to wider society when they are planning new activities. The new 16-page guide encourages a process termed ‘360-degree listening’ to help churches conduct both initial research into the real needs of the community they are seeking to serve, and more in-depth listening tools to capture the experiences, aspirations and concerns of the local area.

Like the sound of Listening for Mission? Find out more: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr11206.html

Planting for growth: new ideas for countryside churches

Churches in the countryside should consider setting up farmers’ markets and using school buildings after hours to organise café-style events to reach out to rural communities, argues a new book released by the Church of England.

Mission-shaped and Rural, written by the Revd Sally Gaze, sheds light on how traditional models of the Church’s work in the countryside should be complemented by emerging forms of ministry in order to meet the needs of today’s rural communities.

Discover more about this book: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr10906.html Order it now: http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.asp?id=2392633

Archbishop’s greeting to Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori

“I am happy to send my prayers and best wishes to Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori on the historic occasion of her inauguration as Presiding Bishop [of the Episcopal Church in the United States]. She will take on this responsibility in the most challenging of times, but she will be supported by the good will and prayers of very many in the USA and around the world as she strives to lead faithfully, honestly and collaboratively. I pray that she will daily know the love and mercy of God in Jesus Christ as the foundation of all she does, so that this reality will radiate from her ministry and her witness.”

Archbishop presents award to Archbishop Eames

The Archbishop of Canterbury made a presentation of an Award for Outstanding Service to the Anglican Communion – the highest award in the Communion - to Archbishop Robin Eames, at the service of thanksgiving for the Archbishop's twenty-year Primacy, in St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, on 16th November.

Read more about the award: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/061116a.htm

Archbishop awards Cross of St Augustine and Lambeth Degree

The Archbishop of Canterbury awarded the Cross of St Augustine to eight recipients at a ceremony in the Chapel at Lambeth Palace. The Revd Gethin Abraham-Williams, the Revd Donald Brewin, Miss Margaret Doak, Mr David and Mrs Hazel Gedge, the Revd Dr Paul Gibson, Dr Bernard Knowles, and Miss Catherine Widdicombe all received the award.

The Archbishop also awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity to Rabbi Tony Bayfield, in recognition of his leadership in inter-Faith relations through lecturing, writing, teaching and in particular his work as a President of the Council of Christians and Jews.

Read more about the Cross of St Augustine and the recipients: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/061101a.htm

Read more about the Lambeth Degree: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/061101.htm

Quarterly investment update from the Church Commissioners

The First Church Estates Commissioner's newsletter for the quarter to September 2006 is available at: http://cofe.anglican.org/about/churchcommissioners/news/newsletterq32006.html

The York Courses 2007

The York Courses 2007 Lent Course, Can we build a better world? Learning from William Wilberforce, has been released on CD/audio tape. This year's participants include the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu; Lord Griffiths (Minister of Wesley's Chapel, London); and Actress Wendy Craig (Butterflies and The Royal).

Further details are available from York Courses, PO Box 343, York YO19 5YB, Telephone 01904 466516 or at: www.yorkcourses.co.uk

Church Army inaugurates new Chief Executive

General Synod and Archbishops’ Council member Mark Russell took up his post at the beginning of November as Church Army's youngest ever Chief Executive. For more information, or to view Mark’s weekly weblog, visit: www.churcharmy.org.uk/markrussell