Immigration Slows Decline
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THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER. ESTABLISHED IN 1828 The Christian THE case for Ukip p10 CHURCHOF ENGLAND Newspaper Why you may never need to wash again p8 NOW AVAILABLE ON NEWSSTAND FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 No: 6232 Immigration slows decline IMMIGRATION IS helping slow the rate of decline in growth of churches in London showing that 700 new attendance, similar growth has not been evident in the church attendance in Britain, according to new figures Pentecostal churches began there between 2005 and Diocese of Southwark, which also contains large num- to be released soon by Peter Brierley in the second edi- 2012, of which 400 were BMCs. bers of immigrants. tion of ‘UK Church Statistics’. The Redeemed Church of God in Christ has started As far as Anglicans are concerned, the Fresh Expres- Other factors helping churches to slow down decline 296 churches in the UK in the last five years: this is the sions movement has probably been the major factor in are the growth of black majority churches (BMC), espe- largest number for any denomination. at least slowing the rate of decline and in some dioceses cially in London, and the success of Fresh Expressions. Total church attendance for 2015 across Britain causing growth. Dr Brierley told one newspaper that According to Dr Brierley, the decline in church mem- (excluding Northern Ireland) is likely to 5,370,000 peo- Fresh Expressions gatherings, with just half of them bership he anticipated would occur by 2020 will not now ple, four per cent higher than forecast in 2010. On cur- taking place in church buildings, tended to attract be evident until 2025. He based this claim on an analysis rent trends total church membership will continue to young families. “The genius is that you get informality of data from nearly 300 denominations in the UK who decline by about one per cent every five years and will in an institutional setting,” he said. were surveyed in mid-2013. The results were then com- fall to eight per cent of the population by 2025. Dr John Wolff, who has carried out an analysis of pared with the 2011 census results for questions on reli- Dr Brierley’s statistics are in line with those released growth in London, has also pointed to a church share gion, ethnicity and immigration. for the Church of England, which suggest the rate of scheme that does not penalise growing parishes, the The main Churches to benefit from immigration are decline has slowed down and that some dioceses, creation of parish mission plans, and an emphasis on the Roman Catholics, with large numbers coming from notably London, have experienced considerable evangelism in making appointments as reasons why the Poland, the Orthodox with new members coming from growth. But C of E statistics also suggest that immigra- diocese has grown. Romania, and the Pentecostals who have benefitted tion may not have been a major factor in boosting In commenting on these statistics, Dr Brierley has been from African immigration. growth in Anglican churches. careful to point out that what he is talking about is a slow- Dr Brierley has already published material on the While the Diocese of London has seen an increase in ing down in the rate of decline, not dramatic growth. YORK MINISTER was filled to capacity on Pen- new diocese was represented and the Lord tecost Sunday as 3,000 people gathered for a Lieutenants of North and West Yorkshire were service at which the Rt Rev Nick Baines official- also present. New Bishop of ly became the first Anglican Bishop of Leeds for The service was led by the Archbishop of the new Diocese of West Yorkshire and the York, Dr John Sentamu, who said he welcomed Dales and in which the new diocese was official- the first Bishop of the new diocese ‘with joy’. Leeds is enthroned ly inaugurated. “What an occasion – New Diocese, First Bish- Officially the new diocese is the Diocese of op! We have lift off!,” the Archbishop Leeds but it is being more commonly referred announced. to by the longer title. Bishop Baines admitted that he was both The service combined a legal hearing in excited and daunted by the task ahead. “In the which Nick Baines officially became the Bishop power of the Pentecostal Spirit we will show of Leeds with a Eucharist. Every parish in the that we have the nerve and the vision to do something new – with all the risks and opportu- nities this brings,” he said. Download our new free magazine Next month the new from newsstand via The Church Bishop will be enthroned of England Newspaper app on in each of three cathe- drals of his diocese in your Apple device. Bradford, Ripon and Wakefield. The new dio- Also available through the cese becomes one of the Pressreader largest in the Church of England with 656 app for Android and from our churches, 496 clergy, 248 website, church schools, and www.churchnewspaper.com 45,000 worshippers. [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper THE 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday June 13, 2014 News Diocese of Portsmouth Diocese of West CHURCHIN The ‘Tweeting Nun’ has written a book about reading the Bible in unusual Yorkshire & the Dales places. Sister Elizabeth Pio, from the Sisters of Bethany community in Southsea, has more than 2,700 Twitter followers. Now she has written a book entitled Bible To Go!, which encourages readers to take their Bible to The Rt Rev Nick Baines unusual places, such as an amateur football match or Sainsbury’s car park. became the first ENGLAND She says this approach allows God to speak through both the Bible and the Anglican Bishop of location. She said: “By embracing where you are instead of pushing away or Leeds on Pentecost disregarding your location, it seems you can be opening more channels for Sunday 8 June, for the God to speak through”. Bible to Go!, published by SPCK, is available for new diocese commonly £7.99 from Christian bookshops and online. known as West Yorkshire & the Dales. Before his inauguration, the former Bishop of Diocese of Gloucester Bradford said: “In the power of the Pentecostal Spirit we The Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Rev will show that we have Michael Perham, is remembering those the nerve and vision to who died in conflict during a pilgrimage do something new - with from 8-14 June. The Bishop stopped at all the risks and war memorials along the route to bless opportunities this the families of soldiers killed and read a brings.” The service prayer. Starting in Whelford, he will combined both a have covered 89 miles and stopped at 26 Eucharist and legal churches in seven days to arrive at the hearing to make Bishop Cathedral in Gloucester on Saturday. He Baines the Bishop of has undertaken these walks since 2008. Leeds. In July, Bishop In 2011, a group was formed to ensure Baines will be that he would have walked through enthroned three times - every parish on the boundary of the in each of the diocese’s diocese by the end of 2014. This is the Cathedrals: Bradford, final leg of his pilgrimage. Ripon and Wakefield. apply for a full grant of around Diocese of Gloucester £4million. This is complemented by a further £70,000 grant from Diocese of Sheffield the Friends of Gloucester Gloucester Cathedral has Cathedral. The project includes secured £320,000 in development the creation of a new public Sheffield Cathedral started a year of celebrations for their centennial with the Festival funding from the Heritage square and conservation of the Eucharist on 8 June, marking their first major event since the completion of the Lottery Fund for the first phase 15th Century Lady Chapel and refurbishment known as the Gateway Project. The Bishop of Sheffield commenced the of a 10-year capital project. its stained glass. In order to festival with a blessing of the Cathedral. Numerous celebratory events will take place “Project Pilgrim Phase One: the receive the funds, the Cathedral throughout the Sheffield Diocese. Doncaster Brewery created the Sheffield Diocese Heart of Gloucester” aims to will need to raise nearly £1.5m in Centenary Ale to be sold at events, Henderson’s Relish produced a special bottle design for reveal stories about the people partnership funding. Gloucester purchase, Asda on Chaucer Road donated 600 cupcakes to the Cathedral and Le Pla and events at the Cathedral. The City Council has pledged £50,000 Automation, Sheffield, engineered a special cross from local steel. The centenary funding will help the Cathedral towards this total. celebrations will conclude at the Cathedral in November. Diocese of Durham Diocese of Southwark A Church-led project in Shildon, in County Durham, has awarded a grant of £2,500 to a local secondary school to help develop a sensory From Tuesday 27 – Friday 30 May, the Rt Rev Dr Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Woolwich, led a garden. The money for Sunnydale Community College has come from youth pilgrimage around the boundary of his Episcopal Area. Bishop Michael set out from St John’s Church, which runs the Shildon Alive project. Shildon Alive Southwark Cathedral after Morning Prayer accompanied by a small group of young pilgrims. works to improve the health, confidence and skills of more than 2,000 However, during the first day, those numbers swelled to 80 walking in the pouring rain. Over local people through gardening and work experience. The church the next few days young pilgrims from parishes within the Woolwich Episcopal Area joined already provides two gardening spaces and Vicar, The Rev David the bishop on his 46-mile journey around the Area boundary.