Regret over bishop's conversion to Rome
A traditionalist Anglican group has voiced regret after an Anglo-Catholic bishop said he would convert to Rome. The Bishop of Fulham, John Broadhurst, has become the fourth Anglican bishop to make the announcement. He intends joining the Roman Catholic Church because of his opposition to the way the Church of England plans to introduce women bishops. Meanwhile, a Kent Anglican congregation has become the first to take up the Pope's offer to convert to Catholicism. The Catholic Group on the CofE's General Synod said it deeply regretted the decision by Bishop Broadhurst. The Catholic Group said it was determined to stay in the Church of England and fight for a better deal for Anglicans who did not want to serve under women bishops. In a surprise announcement yesterday, Dr Rowan Williams said he wanted to establish a new joint group to oversee the conversion process. See: Pray: for unity led by the Holy Spirit so that we can focus on spreading the Gospel message. (Phl.1:27)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11559782
Youth need friends not rules
A diet of 'Bible stories and rules to follow' is not preparing youngsters to deal adequately with the dilemmas of the real world and that's why many are leaving the Church. Churches not being outward-looking communities and a general lack of care once they had left the youth group were also cited as reasons for the departures. Instead churches should be looking at being inclusive communities for all, ensuring that all are cared for uniquely and where young people are given space to grow and question without fear of failure. These were some of the key findings of the Baptist Union of Great Britain's Younger Leaders' Forum, which met at King's Park Conference Centre, Northampton last weekend. 'Many people I spoke to said Church had not prepared them for the real world,' said Mr Eddison, YLF member from Yorkshire. 'They needed help in coming to moral choices, rather than being told what the answer is.’ Pray: for the good practice by some churches in meeting the needs of young people would extend nationwide. (Ps.144:12)
Wesley, the poor and the cuts
Alison Tomlin, President of the Methodist Conference, addressed a rally organised by the Trade Union Congress at London’s Methodist Central Hall saying: ‘John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church wrote about a press that stigmatised the poor, he wrote of politicians who did not wish to look at the concerns of the poor, and who continually blamed the poor for their own fate. The past ten to fifteen years of boom have benefited some sections of society but not the poorest. The task the Government has set itself of cutting the deficit in a short space of time while not harming the most vulnerable is a difficult one, some may say an impossible one. We shall wait and see, but the initial signs are not promising. Methodists support a wide range of views about deficit reduction. It is possible to be a Christian and a member of almost any political party.’ Pray: that the Government’s Spending Review will enable communities to support their deserving poor. (Mt.19:21)
Flying the flag for Islam and Hinduism
Local councils are flying the flag for Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism to mark days in those faiths’ calendars, but church groups have faced opposition simply for placing posters in public libraries. The plethora of causes supported by local councils was revealed in a new survey for The Sunday Telegraph. See this must read report: It shows that as well as flying the homosexual rainbow flag at least once a year, Brighton and Hove Council also hoist the Transgender Pride flag on Transgender Day in November. In Brighton last year a Sunday school teacher was told she couldn’t put up a poster at her local library to advertise a church children’s event because it ‘promoted religion’. The survey also revealed that councils are showing endorsement for such diverse occasions as Rastafarian days, the Tibetan Independence Day and the winter and summer solstices, while a Druid flag is hoisted by a Leicestershire council. Pray: that as Christians we are given divine strength and guidance to fight back against marginalisation. (Ro.10:14) More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/councils-happy-to-fly-the-flag-for-islam-and-hinduism/
