THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER. ESTABLISHED IN 1828 The Christian message in those THE Christmas adverts, p7 CHURCHOF Newspaper

The return of Paddington, NOW AVAILABLE ON  NEWSSTAND p15 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 No: 6257 Pope Francis calls on Muslim leaders to condemn violence

REFERRING TO the Qur’an as a population become angry’ about terror- Yazidis,” he said in a speech to the Turk- signed a joint declaration with the Patri- ‘prophetic book of peace’ Pope Francis ist acts committed in the name of Islam. ish president and officials. arch. called on all Muslim leaders to be more During his visit to Turkey the Pope His Turkish hosts called on the Pope During his press conference on the forceful in condemning violence commit- offered support for action against the so- to support action against what they return flight, the Pope confirmed that he ted in the name of their faith and say ‘this called Islamic State ‘to stop an unjust described as ‘the worrying rise’ of Islam- did pray on his visit to the Blue Mosque is not Islam’. aggressor’ without actually mentioning ophobia in Europe. and said he would go to Moscow ‘imme- During a press conference on board ISIS by name. Christians in Turkey complain of being diately’ if the Russian Patriarch invited the plane taking him back to Rome after He said it was ‘legitimate’ to use mili- treated as second-class citizens. The him. a three-day visit to Turkey, the Pope said tary force but said the problem could not Pope described religious freedom as ‘an He stressed his willingness to find a he had raised this issue with the Turkish be solved by force of arms alone. He eloquent sign of peace’. The Turkish way of exercising papal power in a way President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. called for dialogue among the religions President said he hoped the Pope’s visit that is more acceptable to the Orthodox. “I told the President it would be beauti- to combat ‘fanaticism and fundamental- would help break down prejudices in the Pope Francis is reported to be prepar- ful if all Islamic leaders, including politi- ism’. Christian world. ing an encyclical on the environment. cians, religious leaders and academics “Grave persecutions have taken place The Pope met with refugees and Bartholomew is known as the ‘Green clearly spoke out in this sense,” the Pope in the past and still continue today to the expressed appreciation for the help Patriarch’. No question was asked about said. detriment of minorities, especially, Turkey had given them. whether the two leaders would cooper- He claimed ‘the majority of the Muslim although not only, Christians and But the main focus of the Pope’s visit ate on the encyclical but one commenta- was his meeting with the Ecumenical tor told The Patriarch Bartholomew. He took part in Newspaper it was possible that this will More parishes helping people with debt problems an Orthodox liturgy at the Phanar and happen. By a staff reporter people to manage their “We want to give people money wisely was an tools to understand the Women don NEARLY HALF of Church important part of the decisions they’re making of England parishes (48 Church’s mission. and the chance to make moustaches! per cent) are providing Church Urban Fund good choices.” help for people with finan- (CUF) is warning that Canon Paul Hackwood, cial problems, according families are facing enor- executive chair of CUF, to a survey for the Church mous pressure to spend said: “At Christmas, many Urban Fund. This com- their way to a perfect families feel under enor- pares with a figure of 41 Christmas. It is asking mous financial pressure to per cent three years ago. parishes to consider help- create the perfect Christ- More than a fifth of parish- ing families who will mas. es (22 per cent) are run- struggle, including those “This short-term pres- ning debt advice or who will face high loan sure often leads to long- budgeting courses and a repayments in the New term despair for the fifth are supporting their Year to cover money used poorest in our society and local credit union by to buy Christmas presents it is very good to see the encouraging membership, for children. scale at which churches providing premises for Nottingham churches are already working to branches or information have put together a budg- help alleviate some of TWO MEMBERS of the clergy from Brayton Church decided to grow moustaches poiount. Many parishes eting course. “We don’t these pressures.” for Movember – but they were surprised to see two women joined them! The Rev are considering doing tell people what to do with CUF has released an Pete Watson and the Rev Richard Battersby from St Wilfred’s Church in Brayton more to support credit their money but encour- online Advent calendar decided to grow moustaches through November in support of Movember, an effort unions. age them to think about with daily reflections, to raise awareness and money for different men’s health charities. Female members The overwhelming the implications of their videos and prayers, includ- of the congregation came to Sunday service sporting fake moustaches to support majority of clergy sur- decisions,” said Susie ing testimonies from peo- their efforts. veyed (79 per cent) said Bergenroth, who wrote ple involved in CUF Battersby spoke of others teasing his facial hair and said: “As long as people give they believed that helping and delivers the course. projects. me a fiver as well as an insult, I’m happy!”

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper THE 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday December 5, 2014 News of Leicester On Sunday 23 November, the book St Peter’s and Highfields: the History THEDIARY of a Leicester Church and its Community by Paul Griffiths was launched CHURCHIN at St Peter’s Church, Highfields. It details the extensive 140-year history of Highfields. It spans two World Wars, the turbulent times in Send your events to the 60s and 70s, and the Church’s expansion to the African-Caribbean [email protected] community. or Tweet @churchnewspaper The Rev Alison Cozens, the Priest-in-Charge of St Peter’s, said: “He ENGLAND has been able to capture important historical documentation alongside 5 December personal recollections about the people who have been part of recent decades in the life of St Peter’s.” St Peter’s and Highfields: the History of a Leicester Church and its 7.30pm Cathedral Girls’ Community by Paul Griffiths is published by Kairos Press for £5 and is Choir, a Christmas available from the PCC Secretary, St Peter’s Church. Choral Celebration. ‘Dancing Day’ – the Girls’ Choir concert Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich debut, Canterbury Up to 900 people came together at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Cathedral. Bury St Edmunds to celebrate the centenary year of the Church of England’s St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocese on 23 6 December November. The guests for the final event included 12 bishops, 200 clergy, civic members, judges, mayors, and other dignitaries. Honoured 12noon St Nicholas Festival, members entered in a musical procession leading up to a city and Cathedral, service. The service celebrated Suffolk county’s journey of love Canterbury. and faith with prayer, music, and dancing. 9.30am ‘Facing the Unthink- The Very Rev Dr Frances Ward, Dean of the cathedral, said: able’ Seminar by “Individuals and churches have deepened their faith in Jesus CCPAS, Oxford Christ as they have reflected upon what it means to journey in Street, W1. love in this wonderful county of Suffolk.” £19.50, book online at www.ccpas.co.uk or ring Karen on 0845 120 45 50 option 3 for Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham Last Saturday and Sunday, Durham Cathedral opened its further details. Sheriff of Nottingham, Councillor Jackie Morris ‘arrests’ Robin doors for a weekend of traditional Christmas services, crafts Hood and puts him in the stocks at Lenton’s Martinmas Fair. She for children, carolling, and gift shopping to kick off the 7 December was aided by the Rev Megan Smith, Vicar of St Anthony’s. Christmas season. Martinmas is an important and intriguing precursor to the Goose At 7pm on Saturday and Sunday, the cathedral held the Fair, and Nottingham’s very first famous fair, which was revived traditional service Lessons and Carols for Advent, complete 7pm ‘Incarnation’, stars of on Saturday 15 November at the Priory Church of St Anthony, with music from the Durham Cathedral choir. West End shows join Lenton. Saturday also included a visit from the charity Link to Hope, to support Tearfund’s The Fair is part of an archaeological dig currently underway at who collected shoeboxes that had been filled by the Sunday No Child Taken cam- Lenton Priory (a listed ancient monument) which is a Heritage school and Youth Group. Some donations came from local paign, St Sepulchre’s, Lottery Fund supported community archaeology project, running small businesses and the donations will go to the elderly and Holborn. Tickets until 19 December. families in need in Romania. available from Photo: Brian Pickering Eventbrite. 8 December Diocese of York The Derby Museums The Archbishop of York is asking primary at Derby Cathedral is schools to take part in his online charity Acts 23-year-old Emily Finch from York has taken an 2pm The Christmas Expe- hosting a loan 435 to see Christmas from a new perspective. alternative approach to reaching out to youth: rience, live theatre exhibition of unique The charity provides free activity packs to pupils purchasing a 10-metre long bus. and carols (and paintings through that ask them to decorate an Acts 435 Christmas Emily decided to buy the bus to help rural 7.30pm), Supernova December and tree that reminds them of what matters most in churches in Yorkshire reach out to young people, Arena, Victoria January. The Sir the Christmas season. their smallest demographic, in this new project, Embankment Gar- Richard Morris Lounge These activity packs include ornaments that ‘The Bus Stop.’ She describes the bus as a dens, London, WC2 has a set of watercolors say messages like “Help! No coat for winter” in “transportable youth space” that she will use to and drawings from order to remind people of all ages about those attract younger people to parishes that lack a strong 10 December 1852 of the Jacobean less fortunate in the UK and of how they can youth presence. House’s former help. The Bus Stop will hit the road in January and will historic interior. The Executive Director of Acts 435 Jennifer receive a full refurbishing in the spring. Emily will 6.30pm Festival of Nine Les- House has since been Herrera said: “The baubles represent real needs hold a contest open to young people to decide how sons and Carols, St partially demolished in the lives of men, women and children in our the outside of the bus will be decorated and she is Michael Paternoster and reconstructed, but society today. They give a wonderful currently learning how to drive it. Royal, for Mission to the exhibition displays opportunity to look afresh at the Christmas Emily said: “God isn’t a safe God. We need to take Seafarers, with P&O the structure in its themes of love and generosity and see whether risks in following him. I’m a bit scared people will Ferries Choir. former architectural we can give a small gift to make a big difference know me as the crazy bus lady, but if it helps young glory. for someone in need.” people come to know God, it’s all worth it!” 12 December The exhibition will To receive a pack, email Jenny at Contact Emily about the bus at be on display until [email protected] or learn more about Acts [email protected] or 07854 931603. January 2015, from 435 Christmas Campaign at: Emily needs help funding this mission. If you would 7.30pm Christmas concert at 9am to 5pm, Monday to http://acts435.org.uk/blog/2014/11/make-an- like to help, please contact her. St Nicolas Church, Saturday. acts-435-christmas-tree.html Chipping Hill, With- am. Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham Canon Precentor of Southwell Minster, Jacqui Jones invited the public to take an 13 December hour of rest from their busy holiday season schedule to get a bit of perspective at an Advent Procession on Sunday 30 November. The service began with the “great drama of God coming to men and women 12.15pmThe Snowman, also down the ages” as people gradually entered into the cathedral to music from the at 2.15pm and 7pm. cathedral choir. The procession recreated the movement from East to West as Carrot Productions the choir sang famous traditional songs of Advent until the entire Cathedral was present a Christmas filled with candlelight. concert featuring The Ms Jones said: “The extreme affluence and privileges of much of our Western Snowman film accom- society almost undermine these themes, and yet we are acutely aware of the panied by a profes- desperate predicament of many peoples in our world today as they fight sional orchestra, powerful aggressors and the horror of poverty, genocide and war. It is peoples Chester Cathedral. such as these, continuing to suffer, to whom we direct our prayers this night.”

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday December 5, 2014 News 3 Teachers questioned on Ofsted role questioned sacred texts by Education chief A SURVEY by the Bible Society has found that just over a quarter of teachers think that more study of the Bible and other sacred texts in the ONCE AGAIN a blog by the Rev Nigel dren with critical skills and teaching Facebook activity had links to extrem- curriculum would improve community cohesion, Genders, Chief Education Officer of pupils that those who advocated vio- ist websites. Critics said this was politi- even though less than half of them are confident the Church of England, has attracted lence and hatred in the name of God cally motivated because Ofsted did not about including such texts in their teaching. widespread attention in the national are distorting their faith.” want to be seen to be only criticising Evidence of the need for wider study of reli- media. Referring to the new counter-terror- Muslim schools in Tower Hamlets. gion is provided by the fact that between seven In a blog dated 27 November Mr ism Bill, Mr Genders says there are Kenny Frederick, a former head of a and 10 per cent of children surveyed think other Genders raised questions about questions to be asked about the role secondary school in Tower Hamlets, religions are ‘dangerous’. More than 10 per cent whether Ofsted is equipped to police Ofsted will play. said: “It’s a witch hunt. It’s absolutely of children think sacred texts are ‘weird’ and 13 extremism in schools. “Who decides what is ‘extremist’ appalling. It’s a good school with a per cent think they are old-fashioned. Praising Ofsted for the ‘colossal thought which children must be pro- good track record. It’s not a hotbed of A total of 73 per cent of teachers think the contribution’ it has made to ‘the tected from? Who sets the bench- radicalism.” classroom has more of a role to play in address- improvement of education standards mark? How will schools determine at Although Mr Genders does not ing the problem of ethnic and religious strife and in England’ over the past 20 years, Mr what point they are responsible for refer directly to the Sir John Cass 42 per cent think teaching sacred texts would Genders says that ‘we need to recog- what pupils watch and who they talk school he does quote the case of Ofst- improve cross-cultural understanding. Many nise that what we ask of Ofsted today to; at home, on the bus, walking home ed inspectors who had to backtrack teachers think the study of sacred texts should is very different from what it was from school? after accusing a school in rural Lin- not be confined to RE but they should be used in invented for’. “How do schools properly balance colnshire of not introducing pupils to English, History and other subjects. He argues that recent inspections the emphasis on monitoring Face- ethnic diversity. But less than half of teachers felt confident show Ofsted being called upon to book pages and videos their pupils are Returning to a theme he has raised about using sacred texts in teaching and a quar- make nuanced judgements about accessing with the duty to teach the before, Mr Genders complains that ter are not confident. Nearly 18 per cent of teach- school life where there are ‘few, if any, breadth of curriculum?” ‘British values’ is an umbrella term ers think they do not have enough training guidelines’ and he calls for clear He points to the danger of Ofsted that has not been sufficiently thought themselves to handle the subject. advice to be given to schools about taking a ‘sledgehammer to crack a out. He ends by warning that ‘asking how they can prevent young people nut’ and downgrading a school that is Ofsted to become a schoolroom secu- Cathedrals get a boost from being drawn into extremism. doing excellent work because of some rity service is a step too far.’ “It is not just about preventing the oversight in monitoring Facebook. “As a country we have access both development of an extremist view,” he Mr Genders writes after the Sir to counter terrorism experts and edu- from midweek writes, “but it is about promoting a John Cass Foundation Secondary cational professionals. Suggesting more positive vision. In all schools School in the City of London was these groups swap roles in an attempt attendance this means ensuring more high quali- downgraded from outstanding to inad- to build a safer society needs more By Kelsey Mangan very pressurised and ty religious education, equipping chil- equate because sixth form students’ thought.” committed. Taking out A NEW STUDY half an hour or an hour released by the every week is much Church of England more negotiable.” Ebola ‘strikes at the heart of humanity’ Stereotypes of reveals that more peo- Church leaders are ple are heading to the encouraged by these EBOLA is a virus that stressed the need to over- Church in the middle figures and highlight ‘strikes into the heart’ of come fear. “We must go by Muslims challenged by of the week for wor- them as a focused what it means to be human, science, not by fear,” he ship. adjustment to a more according to Archbishop commented. new research The Church’s contemporary pace of Justin Welby, who record- He also emphasised the Research and Statistics life. Dean of Glouces- ed a video message for a contribution of faith groups WIDESPREAD STEREO- Department published ter Cathedral, Stephen World Council of Churches in partnership with govern- TYPES of Muslims in figures that show mid- Lake, said that the consultation held in Gene- ment and other institu- Britain are challenged by week service atten- Church now offers va last week. tions. “The role of the new research conducted at dance at cathedrals has services throughout The Archbishop spoke of churches and other faith the University of Cam- almost doubled in the the week and “cathe- the ‘deep sorrow’ he felt communities is absolutely bridge. past 10 years. drals are uniquely when he made a visit to crucial,” he claimed. According to an analysis Midweek service placed to be providing West Africa last month and The WCC meeting was of statistics taken from the attendance at cathe- greater opportunities met the Chief of Staff of the the second consultation in Crime Survey of England drals was about 7,500 for worship.” UN Mission for Ebola 60 days on Ebola. It and Wales between 2006 in 2003 and rose to The Church’s new Emergency Response in brought together represen- and 2010, carried out by about 15,000 in 2013. statistics also focused Accra, Ghana. tatives of the Churches, aid Julian Hargreaves of the The Church has credit- on attendance for the “You’re infected by the organisations and govern- Cambridge Centre for Islamic Studies, Muslims are not ed this rise in atten- nearing Christmas sea- people you love most, and ments so that they could as victimised by violent crime or as dissatisfied with the dance to a need for a son. Christmas cathe- grieve for most – they are share information and police as is widely believed. place of peace and dral attendance most dangerous to you learn from each other. Analysis of crime data generated by nearly 5,000 Mus- reflection in modern, increased from 117,200 when they’ve died. This is a A wide range of Anglican lims shows few differences between Muslims and non- fast-paced lives. in 2012 to 124,300 in challenge to the very heart and Episcopal organisa- Muslims as far as such violent crimes as assaults, Dean of Lichfield, 2013. of what it means to be tions are responding to the woundings and threats are concerned. Adrian Dorber, spoke Other Church lead- human,” the Archbishop Ebola crisis. Anglican More Muslims (61.2 per cent) than non-Muslims (53 in a Church of England ers have spoken about said in a video produced in Alliance is seeking to coor- per cent) rated their local police as either good or excel- podcast about his per- midweek services as collaboration with Anglican dinate their work and share lent. sonal experience with an opportunity for peo- Alliance, which is coordi- information around the When it comes to household crime such as burglary people who use mid- ple who may feel more nating Anglican responses Communion. and car theft Hargreaves found correlation with socio- week services as a intimidated by week- to Ebola. Churches are distribut- economic deprivation with people living in deprived areas place of escape and end services. The Archbishop insisted ing protection kits, trying being more likely to experience such crimes. understanding in their The Dean of York that the love of Jesus ‘goes to educate people about the Here there is evidence of Muslims suffering more from chaotic lives. Minster, Vivienne beyond anything reason- virus and running clinics crime because 66.2 per cent of Muslim households are to The Dean said: “At Faull, said: “It’s not so able and reaches those and health centres. In be found in areas of deprivation. the weekend you’ve much about anonymi- who are struggling, who Liberia the Church provid- Commenting on his findings, Hargreaves points out got commitments with ty, there’s the feeling are dying, who are lost, ed hot, nutritional meals to that most research in this area has concentrated on the children doing sport, there’s a journey you who are in darkness’. patients for four weeks and lived experience of Muslim victims of crime. This is shopping, household can travel which does- He emphasised the need this enabled at least 150 important and certainly needs to be taken into considera- maintenance – life’s n’t require huge steps to increase the size of the patients to make a full tion but it should be combined with the wider statistical run at the double these – it just requires one international response and recovery. evidence. days and weekends are little step.”

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 4 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday December 5, 2014 News Christians less likely to play sport than others

NEW RESEARCH from Christian sports as a gift from God that they are to committed to their sports club whilst into Christian life. Research reveals that just a quarter of enjoy. continuing to be a part of their local The report, written by Paul Bickley, Christians (25.8 per cent) play sports Some Christians continue to question church.” said: “The theological centre of gravity is once a week. the role sport should play in the tradi- Many churchgoers still have concerns the emphasis on play, which is being This new figure is 10 per cent less than tional holy day of rest: Sunday. about the ethics and rationale of sports. renewed and refined in contemporary the general population (35.2 per cent) of Over 50 per cent of churchgoers polled The poll found that one in 10 Chris- theological work.” England. The study was conducted on say that it is acceptable to engage in tians think that sports in general are “an A proper positive attitude towards behalf of Bible Society and Christians in sports on Sunday, as long as they find idol that many people worship in society sports hasn’t always been reflected in Sport in order to capture the attitudes another time to worship during the today.” the actions of the Church. and habits of Christians towards sports. week. Christians are finding new ways to This concern is reflected in the recent Matthew van Duyvenbode, Director of Despite the discouraging figure, the integrate sports into their religious lives. report The State of Play, released by the External Relations, Advocacy & survey also presented positive attitudes Elizabeth Hunt, communications man- think tank Theos. Research at Bible Society, said: “Only 19 of UK citizens towards sports. According ager from Christians in Sport, said: The report addresses the recent epi- per cent of Christians said their church to the survey, 35.8 per cent of Christians “With many churches now offering alter- demic of violence and domestic abuse actively encouraged their congregations believe that sports are an effective way of native services to those of the traditional within the professional sporting world. It to play sport so it would be great if all building relationships within the Chris- morning service, Christians are now argues that sports must be both celebrat- churches become more supportive tian community and 34.1 per cent see finding workable solutions to both being ed and limited in order to be integrated about the role it can play in daily life.” Jailed priest banned Christians ‘should embrace interacting with society’ THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE of dominant force in Western She shared her principle that the Christian charity Care has culture, religion is demoted to all Christians have the power used a new speech to empha- at best an irrelevance and at to preach the gospel of the from ministry for life sise how important it is that all worse an offence against the Bible, and they must use that Christians embrace opportuni- prevailing culture.” power to fight for further reli- ties to interact with the whole The Out of the Silence gious freedoms. A PRIEST who was jailed for offences under the Obscene Publications of society. Church conference was held She believes that evasion of Act 1959 has been barred for life from exercising any ministry in the In her speech “Can Society in order to promote three key discussing religious views in Church of England. Be Christian?” at the Out of themes: Liberty, Equality, and the public square puts Christi- James Ogley was arrested in January 2013 on suspicion of making the Silence Church confer- Fraternity. anity of all denominations at obscene communications on an internet chatroom. He was convicted ence on 22 November, Nola She spoke of embracing risk. on 30 September 2014 and sentenced to two years imprisonment. Leach urged members of all these themes in daily life and She warned against a collec- The court heard that 38-year-old Ogley, who is married with two Christian denominations to to not be intimidated from tive “sleepwalk into a situation young children, had impersonated a young Irish boy on the Internet share their views with the speaking out about closely where religious freedoms are Relay Chat room. He reportedly encouraged a 13-year-old girl to rape public at every opportunity. held views. lost.” her sister. She discussed important While she recognised that She said the ultimate goal of The former vicar of St Francis’s Church in , was caught follow- points of concern for mod- Christians feel they live in a the speech was to remind ing a tip-off to the police. The judge said that police had been unable to ern Christians, including “hostile environment,” Ms Christians that they should trace some of those he communicated with, otherwise he would be conflicts in belief in abortion Leach said “as Jesus is the embrace a Christlike identity facing more serious charges. rights and the rise of athe- way, the truth, and the life we and spread his word in a com- The court was told that Ogley’s marriage had ended and that it was ism. She reassured atten- have a great responsibility; we passionate, intelligent, and ‘likely’ he would be stripped of his Church role. dees that their fears were dare not be silent about this responsible manner. Last week the Bishop of , the Rt Rev Dr , valid, but the wider dialogue message that the world needs She said: “Study God’s word finalised legal steps to remove him from office and prohibit him from needs to hear the Christian to know.” and learn from those such as exercising any ministry as a priest in the Church of England for the perspective despite fears of A key point of the speech Daniel, to know that the Lord rest of his life. This is the maximum penalty that the Bishop can possible negative backlash. was to discourage Christians will protect us as we live out impose. Ms Leach said: “Once a from complacency in belief. our faith with integrity.” On his arrest in January 2013, James Ogley was suspended from exercising any of the functions of a priest. The Bishop said: “I was deeply shocked and saddened by hearing about James Ogley’s actions in chat-rooms. I feel deep sorrow and Ordinariate bids to buy its first building shame that one of my priests should have done such terribly wrong IN A SIGNIFICANT step forward, the things. My prayers continue to be Ordinariate is trying to buy its first with anyone harmed by him. church building, a Methodist church that Book of the Week “Very soon after his sentencing in is for sale in Torbay. The Methodists are the Crown Court, I was quite clear in asking £150,000 for a complex that my own mind that the appropriate includes halls and a building that could be David penalty was prohibition from office converted into a presbytery as well as a Suchet for life. Now that the legal process church. NIV has come to its conclusion, I am able So far Fr David Lashbrooke, a former Audio to make the penalty to be imposed, Anglican, who leads the Ordinariate mis- Bible known. sion in Torbay, has raised £36,000. In addi- “It is vitally important, especially tion to the purchase price he aims to raise in cases such as these, that the £62,000 to renovate the church and a fur- required legal process is followed to ther £57,000 to cover the presbytery con- guarantee a safe, certain and unchal- version. £25.99 lengeable result”. The project has the support of Mgr Keith Newton, the Ordinary, who has written in an appeal at The assures leaflet sent to potential donors. http://www.churchnewspaper all users of its church buildings that There are churches under the control of the Ordinariate. Their flagship parish, the Assumption, .com/shop/ it is committed to the highest stan- Warwick Street, just off Regent Street, was once the chapel of the Bavarian Embassy and Pope dards of safeguarding for children Benedict XVI, originally from Bavaria, has expressed his pleasure at the new use for the chapel. and vulnerable adults. In Southwark the Ordinariate has a church near Southwark Bridge, which is the centre of a flourishing parish.

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday December 5, 2014 News 5 African leader rebuffs call for dialogue

By George Conger moting institutional unity while permitting a degree of that we do not yet understand, but God has given us the latitude of doctrinal positions on issues ranging from inspired Scriptures as a lamp to our feet and a light to THE CHAIRMAN of the Global Fellowship of Confess- sexual ethics, Christology, universalism and soteriolo- our path (Psalm 119:105). ing Anglicans has urged Africa’s bishops to repudiate a gy. “Our future hope cannot be turned into an excuse for dialogue initiated by the Anglican Church of Canada Archbishop Wabukala wrote that the dialogue compromise or silence when Scripture is clear. For and backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. “claimed that we must maintain visible unity despite Anglicans the collegial mind of the Communion on sex- In an Advent letter dated 27 November Archbishop everything because ‘now we see through a glass, dark- uality and Scripture remains the orthodox position as Eliud Wabukala rejected the work of Bishops in Consul- ly’ (1 Corinthians 13:12). In other words, things will strongly reaffirmed by the 1998 Lambeth Conference, tation initiative, which has brought American, Canadian only become clear in heaven. This is a bad mistake. which continues to call us to obedience and pastoral and African bishops together to discuss ways of pro- “It is true that there is much about our future state responsibility. Dialogue is no substitute for doctrine.” Finnish church Pope says even Protestants Number of members will go to Heaven Protestants rises in CATS, DOGS and Protes- quit over tants will be found in heaven, Latin America Pope Francis said in his weekly general audience in Archbishop’s the Vatican on 26 November. THE PROPORTION of Protestants among the people of “The holy scripture teach- South and Central America has risen six fold since 1950, es us that the fulfilment of the Pew Research Center reports. gay ‘rejoicing’ this wonderful design also In surveys of over 30,000 people in 18 countries and affects everything around the US commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Pew Center us.” found that the proportion of Protestants had grown from FINNISH state broadcaster YLE The “new creation” that three per cent to 19 per cent, while the proportion of reports that over 13,000 members of lies ahead “is not an annihila- Roman Catholics had fallen from 94 per cent to 69 per the Church of Finland have quit the tion of the universe and all cent. state Lutheran church over the past that surrounds us. Rather it The growth in Protestant numbers comes as a result of weekend in protest to a statement by brings everything to its full- evangelisation, Pew reported. the Archbishop of Turku Kari Mäki- ness of being, truth and “Evangelisation efforts by Protestant churches seem nen’s that he “rejoiced” in the 28 beauty.” to be having an impact,” the study released last month November vote by parliament to Milan’s Corriere della Sera reported the Pope’s remarks “broad- found. approve gay marriage. ens the hope of salvation and eschatological beatitude to animals Regionally, 84 per cent of Latin American adults were The Bishop of Porvoo, Björn and the whole of creation.” raised as Catholics. But nearly one in five adults (19 per Vikström, told YLE the Church had Other Vatican watchers interpreted his remarks as support for cent) now identify as Protestants, while only one in 10 become the scapegoat for those Hans Urs von Balthasar’s argument of universal salvation through (nine per cent) were raised as Protestants. opposed to the change in the marriage Christ – that everyone shall be saved. “In nearly every country surveyed, the Catholic laws. “Paradise is more than a place, it is a ‘state’ of soul in which our Church has experienced net losses from religious “The decision has aroused a lot of deepest hopes are fulfilled in a superabundant way and our being, switching,” the report found, with the changes occurring anger,” Bishop Vikström said. “People as creatures and as children of God, reach their full maturity. We “in the span of a single lifetime.” are disappointed and want to protest. will finally be clothed in the joy, peace and love of God, in a com- The survey also found converts had joined Protestant As they cannot resign from the state or plete way, without any limit, and we will come face to face with churches because “they were seeking a more personal from the parliament, then at least some him! connection with God.” of that anger has been focused on the “It is beautiful to think of this, to think of Heaven. All of us will Paraguay remains the least Protestant nation in the church and on the archbishop’s com- be up there together, all of us! [Tutti noi ci troveremo lassù, tutti.] region with seven per cent of the total, while Honduras ments.” It is beautiful, it gives strength to the soul,” Francis said. and Guatemala number 41 per cent of the population as The creation of civil same-sex mar- Protestant. riages would not change the Church’s teachings, the Bishop of Espoo, Tapio Luoma, said. NOT QUITE TWIDDLING OUR THUMBS……. “It’s clear that the Church will make its own decisions This time of the year is very busy for most of us, but not everyone has a according to its own beliefs.” full diary.The run up to the festive period is always a little quieter for But Bishop Vikström peopleinthe motor vehicle industry.So if you thought that youdidn’t noted clergy will have to end have the time to change your carthis winter, think again. Here is the their role as registrar for easiest and quickest way imaginable to get a great used car. marriages. “If everyone first gets married at a registry Priory Automotive can help you in just three simple steps: office and then those that want to come to ask for their 1) Give them a quick call about the car that you are looking for. union to be blessed, that 2) Let Priory use their skills and locate the very best car for your would be easier to get needs and budget. through,” he noted. 3) Wait for them to deliver your fully prepared motor car to your front door. “On the other hand the danger is that the Church This is what Mrs Richardson said about Priory after receiving her Skoda has a long tradition of marry- only last month, “Weare very pleased with the professional service ing people, and many priests we received, the car is just what we wanted. We have already have said to me that it would recommended you to a friend and she has purchased a car from not be a good idea to give you and is delighted with it. Many thanks for atop class service”. that up.” However, some Church The Priory team has over 35 years’ experience in supplying quality cars leaders supported the and minibuses to Clergy and Church members, so you can be guaran- change. “A situation in teed of receiving friendly,honest and impartial advice. Partexchangeof which we have a different your current car is welcome and Priory will deliver your new car directly handle on what marriage is to your door at no extra charge. to the society and the gov- ernment creates a tension Please call 0114 2559696 that isn’t good for anyone,” or visit www.prioryautomotive.com Bishop Luoma noted.

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Fossil fuels - think about what they are doing. blessing or curse? The media gods pump out their mes- sage, planting information on our sub- Sir, So, a diocese is to disinvest from conscious effectively hypnotising us. companies involved with fossil fuels. We should look to soaking ourselves What point is being made here? in the Word of God to guard ourselves We (ie the world) will need to use from succumbing to this hypnosis. these products for decades to come to Colin Bricher, power our vehicles, and provide heat Northampton and light to our homes, churches, shops and workplaces, etc. Question of truth With no shareholding what leverage Sir, Theresa May says society must can be expected? To press for cleaner get to the truth about child abuse. She production for example. is absolutely right, but the real issue is China produces a million new cars a that our society, which now lives by a month, and a new coal-fired power sta- pluralist ideology, has lost the concept tion every week or so, as does India! A of what is truth. Without a foundation new Tata Nano car in India costs of knowing what truth is a society has around £3,000 and every status-con- to create whatever it deems as politi- scious male aspires to own one. cally correct at this point in history. To prevent tree-felling in rain forests Unfortunately, this is like building on perhaps we ought to stop buying all sand, and the storms of life will surely wood products and stop all livestock destroy the society. Society needs to farming. The latter produces 18 per reassess what rock it should build on cent of all greenhouse gasses – so go before it decides how it can prevent Vegan! Read Livestock’s Long Shadow Russell Brand more abuse. by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Sir, It is extraordinary that Lisa Lewis (21 November) is so worked up that J Longstaff, Organisation. she must rebuff Andrey Carey’s article (31 October) “What’s the Obsession Woodford Green, I’m doing my little bit with a 4kw with Russell Brand?”. It seems to me that there are only two main issues: the solar panel array on my roof, which at size of Brand’s followers, and does he have anything of serious substance to the moment is producing zilch! The contribute to the confused political state of the nation? I think the answer is Numbers UK’s efforts are absolutely meaning- to look at these two men. Sir, King David was stricken to the less in the global scheme of things – Over the years I have found Carey’s articles well worth reading and almost heart because he had numbered his and costing us dear. invariably bang on the nail. He comes across as a Christian journalist and people, and the judgement on his sin The Bible warns us what to expect commentator of consistent integrity. was severe. during the end times. Climate change, On the other hand, at the thought of Russell Brand I struggle to show Is it not time to stop publishing and its effects, is here to stay - get over grace and compassion. It is surely obvious that Brand’s celebrity status and church attendance figures? Now that it and get right with God! following comes mostly from shallow, unedifying chat shows. Millions tune they are increasing cannot we cry out Andrew E Bloxham, in to be amused at Brand’s monkeying antics and his fatuous nonsense as he to the Lord and trust him? Emsworth, Hampshire clowns around trying to be taken seriously. No doubt many young and We should not be surprised at the impressionable viewers might be taken in by his constant attacks on politi- low percentage of Christian advent cal- School assemblies cians and undermining democracy. endars – the Church does the market Sir, How cowardly of the outgoing Quite apart from his scruffy appearance and his notoriety for foul mouth research, that the world understands, Bishop of Oxford to make such unfor- expletives and sexual innuendos, he is the most undesirable role model for for it. tunate remarks about school assem- young people, or to front up a new movement for political change. Let us fight the spiritual warfare blies just before he retired, thus At least the BBC and the Guardian newspaper have received heavy criti- with spiritual weapons and trust in the leaving it to others to pick up the cism for their irresponsibility in giving Brand a platform to spout his absurd Lord our God and plead with him to pieces. I hope that nobody will take policies of little or no substance. glorify the name of Christ our Saviour. any notice of what he has said, and Russell Brand - Really? I think I’ll stick with Andrew Carey’s common- Margaret Mankey, that school assemblies will continue as sense. Bromley they are. Alan F Hawker, John Humphrey, Frome, Somerset Sevenoaks

Black Friday woes mammontide. As noted in The Church For that matter, it is years Sir, the media and many large compa- of England Newspaper (28 November) since hot cross buns were nies (eg Tesco, Amazon, Debenhams) only 3.1 per cent of Advent calendars hot and now seem to be have forced Black Friday on us. Last are religious. So Advent is already por- available all year round. I year few of us had heard of it: now we trayed as just a name. would not mind if it meant have the ‘good news’ proclaimed from Advent is being replaced by Black acknowledging the Cross the rooftops. Friday, Christmas Day is squashed all year round, but it is also These firms are not doing this for between the run-up and Boxing Day little more than a name. our benefit but to extract even more sales; Good Friday is largely lost and What is celebrated nowa- money from us, the public. become just a working-day. With East- days is very much man- Since the day is the Friday following er eggs prominently displayed for made with people as good Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday of weeks beforehand, the Crucifixion is as prostrating themselves November) it is pretty close to Advent. largely lost in Eastertide. before it. (After Isaiah As Black Friday officially opens the I note that Black Friday is some- 44:14-17). By mid-Decem- Christmas shopping season in US times used for Good Friday so that in a ber many faces betray the cities, we seem to be losing Advent to way this new phenomenon is tram- message that they are too be replaced by yet another fixture in pling the Cross underfoot. busy doing Christmas to

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday December 5, 2014 Leader & Comment 7 Episcopal opinion forming for de-Christianisation The spiritual message of Lord Harries, former Bishop of Oxford, has called for the next coronation to be started by a reading from the Qur’an. When asked during his Radio 4 interview which section of the Qur’an he wanted Monty the penguin to be read out, he answered defensively that the Old Testament also contained many violent passages – confirming his questioner’s suspicions, and of course unfair on the Old Testament as a whole. The real problem is that there is no equivalent to the New Testa- orable commercials this Christmas is striking ment for the Qur’an, no figure of self-giving love through which to against the backdrop of what we are told is an interpret that 7th Century Arab text. President Erdogan of Turkey JAMESCATFORD increasingly secular age. But is it? When the has just told the visiting Pope that young Muslims are becoming biggest budgets are spent on tapping into the Jihadis in Syria because they are kept in poverty and discriminated latent spiritual yearnings of Britain today, have against in the West: but the very reverse is true, they are from very Monty the penguin has been gracing our TV the advertisers spotted something that the comfortable homes, well-educated, born and raised through NHS commercials in the run-up to Christmas this year. church has missed? medical services and in good jobs. Their rejection of the western The loveable make-believe domestic pet has won Should we be so surprised? There is nothing way of life is triggered by their reading of the Qur’an, encouraged the hearts of both children and adults as John that we can experience on this earth that the by hard-line activists. Lewis has tried to woo us into buying our gifts Bible hasn’t got to first – lost innocence, the hope The Taliban likewise renews itself through its Madrassars, the online and in store. of a better world, the longing to be fully known. minds of young boys being made to memorise vast tracts of the In recent years the adverts for the busiest buy- Can these really be categorised as ‘secular’ text. Moab Hassan Yousef, son of the Hamas leader who in 1999 ing period of the year have been dominated by drives from deep within the human condition? converted to Christianity, called the experience of this ‘like a drug’. what’s called ‘food porn’. These indulgent and I was recently best man at a civil wedding held And alas our educators, even at university level, are gradually ban- opulent images have focused on roast turkey in the hall of an ancient livery company in the ning textual critical work on this text, work that is totally compulso- with all the trimmings and moist Christmas pud- City of London. The celebrant read her own ry in the study of the OT and NT in western theology degree dings. The big four supermarkets sought to out- scripted commentary on the solemnity of the courses. Is Lord Harries being remotely ‘liberal’ in his demand? perform each other with their high fat content to occasion and the significance of the vows that Another ‘liberal’ episcopal voice, Rowan Williams, made an equal- match their low prices. were being made. ly provocative call, this time for teachers to be allowed to wear the Not anymore. This year the smart creative Civil ceremonies like this are prevented from full burka in carrying out their job in the UK. This would be a learn- marketing money has been on heart-warming making any reference to religion. But in making ing experience for the children, he urged. As soon as such were to ads that hardly feature family feast times or ide- her opening statement the celebrant declared be granted by government, the clerical pressure on non-burka- alised gatherings of kith-and-kin. Times have that the happy couple were making a commit- wearing Muslim women teachers to wear it would be great, in changed and the ad agencies have moved with ment for ‘eternity’. But is eternity secular, any effect a pressure towards ever more hard-line versions of Islam. them. more than the commercials we’ve enjoyed during For a well-known supporter of feminism, Dr Williams does seem Monty the penguin is the star of an almost spir- advent? here to be endorsing hard-line patriarchy, but then itual commercial. He is looking for love, sticks Last Christmas, research polling by Bible Soci- again as ‘post modern’ he no doubt is also embracing closer than a brother, and brings out the best in ety revealed that the British public knew more ‘the other’ which somehow neutralizes the claims of his his fantasy family. At its core the advert is about about the birth of Jesus than many had thought. initial feminist liberalism. Who knows, ‘liberals’ are now gifts and giving, and hints at the greatest gift of Perhaps we are more spiritual than we realised favouring fundamentalism and patriarchy, how things all, grace. Who can fail to be moved by the magic as well. change. of it all, especially in a world ever more tragic Certainly the way society frames its values and To complete a triad of past bishops, Lord Carey has than before? beliefs is changing. On social media such as spoken out against the ghastly Black Friday phenome- Up against John Lewis is the World War One Twitter none of the most popular sites and non of the media and retailers whipping the public into a drama from Sainsbury’s. Based on a true story, celebrities are clearly defined as Christians, nor feeding frenzy of consumerism, an idolatry of Mam- the scene is the miserable frontline of trenches do they give voice to the Bible in compelling and mon, or the golden calf. And the media does shape our and the courage of one soldier to reach out to the convincing ways. But that’s not to say that the thinking and behaving. We are rather like Pavlov’s dogs foe on the other side of the barbed wire. We timeless quest for beauty, truth and goodness but more subtly than Black Friday. We are told that all might question the use, or misuse, of the tragedy has been wiped from our spiritual hard drives. religions are the same and that to dissent from this of war to sell supermarket produce, but once Reality is no more secular than the yearnings makes us nasty, to endorse it makes us nice. Lord Har- again there is a Christian sentiment to be found stirred by Monty the penguin or Sainsbury’s ries’ remarks are just part of this social conditioning here. World War One ad. My prediction for 2015 is process to ‘change attitude’ and downgrade the unique Surprisingly, along with snatches of Silent that, as both the church and as individuals, we Comment importance of Christianity to the welfare of the UK. Night sung in both English and German, another will have more opportunities to point to examples tune is also heard in the background. We are not like these and say to our neighbours and our given the words of this less familiar hymn, but society that atheism is ‘so last year’. the original lyrics open with ‘what a fellowship, The Church of England Newspaper what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting with Celebrate magazine incorporating The Record and Christian Week arms’. The same tune, written in 1887, was fea- James Catford is Group Chief Executive of Bible Published by Political and Religious Intelligence Ltd. tured in the 2010 remake of the movie True Grit. Society. Follow him on Twitter @CatfordJames or Company Number: 3176742 The transcendent quality of the two most mem- email him at [email protected] Publisher: Keith Young MBE

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eating an avocado would pile on the pounds while a meal of white rice and beans would be healthy. I now know that the humble avocado is one of the most per- fect complete foods and may actually protect against weight gain. Dr Lucan said: “A calorie’s worth of salmon (large- ly protein) and a calorie’s worth of olive oil (purely Janey Lee Grace fat) have very different biological effects from a calo- rie’s worth of white rice (refined carbohydrate) – par- ticularly with regard to body weight and fatness.” Choose your fats wisely though, don’t opt for high- Live Healthy! Live Happy! ly processed fatty foods, check the label and ingredi- ents, or better still opt for foods without a label – direct from nature - that way you know they are Getting the right type of fat is good for you going to be exactly right for your body without too much human intervention and processing. As we head towards Christmas most of us are already Medicine in New York, said that focusing on calories planning the January detox: we’re probably conscious may ‘mislead and harm public health’. that we will have a bit of a blow-out over Christmas and in Writing in the journal Public Health Nutrition, he said some cases already planning how we can reduce what we that two foods may have very different effects on the consume – just how many calories are there in those Cel- body, despite containing the same number of calories. ebrations chocolates? It’s the type of food we eat not the calorie count that’s An article by Fiona Macrae in the Daily Mail was head- important. lined: ‘Don’t bother counting calories… it’s the type of He said: “We should be focusing on what types of foods food that matter’ and I wanted to shout for joy. we eat – and that fat may actually protect us against I’ve been banging on for a long time about fat — not weight gain. Nuts, olive oil, fish and full-fat milk are about being fat (I’ll keep the cellulite moments to myself) among the foods that could help keep you slim, despite – about eating fat, the right kind of fat. And the demoni- their high fat content.” sation of fat in the diet is so far off the mark for people I remember many years ago being convinced the low who really want to manage their weight and be healthy. fat version of everything would be good for me, until I The ‘so-called’ healthy low fat foods are often the real realised that ‘low fat’ often means high in sugar and in villains. Dr Sean Lucan, of the Albert Einstein College of some instances synthetic additives. I used to think that Ukip Pope? Death comes to a Baroness

Nigel Farage doesn’t miss a trick. He has seized on the Pope’s The press gave generous coverage to the death of crime novelist PD James. All the obituaries speech to the European Parliament to claim the Catholic Church spoke of her devotion to traditional Anglicanism. AN Wilson revealed that she finally retired to a is becoming pro-Ukip. “Even the bishops were wearing purple,” home in Oxford to be near St Barnabas Church (the model for a church that featured in A Taste for he told readers of the Catholic Herald, although he did go on to Death although in the novel the church was moved to Paddington). admit that the Pope appeared to be neutral in white. “Jest aside,” Another novel featured a theological college and in preparation for writing it Lady James spent Farage wrote, “I found the Pope’s speech remarkable and time in St Stephen’s House. But although a loyal Anglican with a granddaughter married to a personally encouraging.” He described Francis as a ‘with it’, ‘up- priest, Lady James was not entirely orthodox in her beliefs. She told Julian Symonds she went to to-date Pope’ who ‘knows what’s going on’. Part of the Pope’s church ‘not every Sunday, but sometimes’. Asked if she believed in the afterlife she replied: “I don’t speech was devoted to the migrants trying to cross the know. I am not sure that I do.” She described as ‘difficult’ the question of whether she believed in a Mediterranean. In forthright terms he said that ‘we cannot allow personal God but added: “What I will say is that I have had in my own life personal experience of the Mediterranean sea to become one vast cemetery’. Farage the love of God.” chose not to quote this passage but to focus on the Pope’s She agreed that this experience had come to her in ‘difficult times’. Quite a testimony from comments on the need to address the causes of why so many someone who had an unhappy upbringing, who was not allowed to go to university, and whose people want to cross the Mediterranean and to put the blame on husband became ill with schizophrenia before dying and leaving her a widow. She once described Western action in Libya. her life in an interview in the Daily Telegraph as ‘happy and fulfilled’ but said she had told her Why Farage thinks there would be fewer people trying to family if it ever became necessary she wanted to be put out of her misery in a Swiss clinic. A future escape Libya if Gaddafi’s brutal dictatorship was still in place is a biographer will have quite a task to sort out her far from straightforward religious beliefs. mystery. Farage’s column appeared in the final broadsheet edition of the Catholic Herald. Next week it becomes a magazine with news coverage moved online. How much competition it will offer to The Tablet remains to be seen. 130 Not Out

On Christmas Eve Toynbee Hall celebrates its 130th birthday. A financial crisis is good for faith It was founded in memory of an Oxford historian, Arnold Toynbee, who was a devout Christian and its first warden was According to The Bookseller the recession was good for sales of traditional spirituality and bad for an Anglican priest, Canon Samuel Barnett, whose co-worker New Age books. Until 2007 New Age book sales totalled £98.6 million while traditional religious was his able and committed wife, Henrietta. As Paul Bew books sales were worth only £77.5 million, a 60/40 split. From 2007 to comments in an article for the New Statesman, Toynbee Hall 2013 the proportions were reversed with sales of traditional religious offered a vision of socialism that was Christian, not Marxist, books totalling £99m, an increase of 28 per cent, while Mind, Body in inspiration. William Beveridge worked there for a time and and Spirit (MBS) titles were down 29 per cent to a total of £70.2m. Clement Atlee served as secretary. “Both the Beveridge Since the recovery began MBS sales are up 10 per cent in 2014, report and Atlee’s revolutionary reforms of 1945-51 are hard with Astrology, the Occult and Mythology, and Paranormal and to envisage without Toynbee Hall,” writes Bew. “Its Psychic powers all showing increased sales but the big increase importance in the making of modern Britain outstrips even its has been in sales of books about mindfulness. proud history in the East End of London.” The religious Books in this category have increased their sales by a inspiration of Toynbee Hall was not narrow but Bew says it phenomenal 150 per cent. Books with ‘Angel’ in their title was important. Barnett was careful to avoid the have also done well. Tiddy Rowan’s Little Book of evangelicalism and confessionalism that characterised other Mindfulness has so far sold 26,731 copies and Lorna settlements but he had an ‘inextinguishable faith’ in it. Today Byrne’s Love From Heaven has sold 8,330 copies. Near- Toynbee Hall is still trying to help deprived communities with death experiences are also popular with Penny Sartori’s free services making use of 500 residential and non- Wisdom of Near-Death Experiences selling 6713 copies. residential volunteers. There are four programmes devoted to Sarah Wilson’s I Quit Sugar has so far sold 52,312 so Whispering Advice, Youth and Community, Financial Inclusion and

fasting for physical health is still ahead of most titles on The Gallery Wellbeing. spiritual topics, traditional or New Age.

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There was something jarring about Tory MP Surely it is not too much to admit that Muslims View from the Pew Desmond Swayne’s sweeping claim that ISIL are have a current problem with radicalism and acting no worse than Christians have throughout extremism and that this must be tackled. history. In contrast Pope Francis spoke much more clear- Swayne, a former aide to David Cameron, said at ly in his message to ISIL in echoing the words of a Parliamentary event: “I don’t liberation: “Let my people go”. Tabloids and weather think there’s anything ISIL can In a visit to Constantinople the come up with that Christians Pope echoed the Archbishop of There is something reliable about the tabloid passing of the sea- have not matched at some Desmond Canterbury in his hopes that a sons. One is that at the beginning of winter the Daily Express stage in history. We used to Swayne Christian community will survive will predict an arctic winter. They’re right every few years or so. burn one another over relative- in the Middle East. Another regular story is the report in the Daily Mail that ly trivial aspects of doctrine.” “We cannot resign ourselves to a Muhammad is now the most popular boy’s name in Britain. It is jarring because it is Middle East without Christians, This year The Guardian has strangely taken issue with the insulting. It is also ahistoric who have professed the name of story (‘Is Muhammad the most popular boy’s name in Britain?’ because there are no neat and Jesus there for 2,000 years,” he 1 December 2014). The Guardian uses a strange logic to point easy historical comparisons said in a joint statement with the out that the story is a myth. that can possibly be made. Ecumenical Patriarch. “Many of The Guardian points to official figures that show that Swayne points to the Crusades our brothers and sisters are being ‘Muhammad’ is the 16th most popular name in England and but there is hardly any sort of persecuted and have been forced Wales. Furthermore, the only reason it is a popular name is comparison to be made with the clash of various violently from their homes.” because Muslims, less than five per cent of the population, are invading armies - both Christian and Muslim - with Sadly another bolt of misdirection came from more likely to give their children the same name. the rise of the so-called Islamic State. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who Now all this is true but it doesn’t negate the point that the His comparison between bloodthirsty passages blamed the rise of ISIL on Islamophobia in the names Mohammad, Mohammed, Muhammad and Mohamad in the Old Testament and the Qur’an reveals theo- West. This view and that of Swayne’s are just red are merely variations of exactly the same name. This is untrue logical ignorance. Theological views about sacred herrings. The blame for radicalism and terrorism of English variations such as Ollie or Oliver because parents books differ greatly. The sword verses in the belongs to the radicals and terrorists and not to intend these to be distinct names. When you add all the varia- Qur’an are a much greater problem than genocide other communities. To blame the victims and those tions of the ‘prophet’s’ name together it is the most popular narratives in the Bible because there are no Jews who watch helplessly from afar is simply to let the name. On this occasion, The Guardian is wrong and the Daily or Christians who interpret these as an invitation to perpetrators off the hook. Mail right. commit genocide. The biggest obstacle to PAUL RICHARDSON securing justice Church and World Two former Khmer Rouge leaders were finally con- on justice. Now he has summarised his work and tioned in UN documents are rights that apply to certain victed in August of crimes against humanity. One was a explained the roots of his own personal commitment to kinds of human beings. So the UN speaks of everyone former head of state, the other Khmer Rouge’s chief justice in a more popular work, Journey Towards Justice. having the right to freedom of employment but to have ideologue. Together they were important figures in a In it he describes how encounters in South Africa this right you have to be a particular kind of human regime that killed almost 2 million people, nearly a under apartheid and the Middle East led him to see that being, namely one capable of working. quarter of Cambodia’s population. discussions of justice have to begin, not with abstract The right to freedom of employment is certainly a The nightmare began in 1975 when Khmer Rouge systems or the kind of theoretical frameworks dis- good and valid aspiration. Presenting it as a ‘right’ leader Pol Pot reset the clock to ‘Year Zero’ and cussed by John Rawls, but with responses to concrete might seem a good way to make sure it gets more atten- announced the country was to be purified. Buddhist instances of wrong. tion but it runs the risk of ‘rights inflation’ where there monks, members of ethnic or religious minorities, any- While making the case for human rights he recognis- are just too many rights pressing for observance. one with ties to the previous regime, people with educa- es the objections. Rights-talk has been used to make We need to restrict rights talk to those that are essen- tion or anyone who criticised the regime were all killed. inflated claims and to fuel impossible demands it is dif- tial to every human being. Some people think it is Pol Pot died in 1998 and evaded trial. So far only one ficult to satisfy. Sometimes it seems there is no end to enough to speak of duties. other person, a prison director, has been convicted for the list of rights people are prepared to advance. ‘Rights If a woman is being abused by her husband should the bloodbath. absolutism’ occurs when people claim a right that we not concentrate on the husband’s duty to respect Cambodia is just one of many examples of how ideol- trumps any other right, that must be treated as absolute and care for his wife? Duties are certainly important ogy, fanatical religious faith, or nationalism can lead and infallible. but, as Wolterstorff points out, to talk about the wife’s people to commit the most appalling atrocities. In the For many critics the big danger of rights-talk is that it rights as well as the husband’s duties allows her to draw Swedish film Facing Genocide Pol Pot is pictured telling encourages the mentality of possessive individualism. attention to her own moral condition, to the fact that she his followers they must rid themselves of emotion and In the ‘entitlement society’ people see themselves as has been wronged. become purely rational. In other words, put aside all the centre of the moral universe and put the stress on If we think only of our own duties we remain in con- human sympathy in the service of a political creed. what they think is due to them rather than their own trol of the situation. We do not have to put ourselves in Nationalist leaders in the Balkans or fundamentalists in responsibilities and obligations. the shoes of another person. To acknowledge rights is the Islamic State would say exactly the same. Rights-talk promotes the grasping self already to be a moral listener, ready to respond to claims made Nicholas Wolterstorff sees such hardening of the encouraged by capitalism. upon us. heart as one of the big obstacles to securing justice in An obvious answer to this is that there is a difference As a Christian Wolterstorff grounds human rights in the world. People who embrace a fanatical creed often between Christians fleeing for their lives from Mosul God’s love for every human person and he argues the believe some greater good will outweigh the suffering and someone claiming the construction of a new estate scriptures presuppose natural rights even if they do not needed to achieve their aims. next door breaches the right to privacy. Rights talk can use the language. Wolterstorff argues this is one reason why we need a be abused and misused. In a world where fanatics claim to be creating better commitment to human rights as an essential way to see One safeguard Wolterstorff proposes is that a human societies at the expense of human lives and human free- that justice is done in the world. right is a right one has just by being human. This dom belief in human rights can give us a moral com- A leading American philosopher and a Christian stu- applies to very basic rights like the right to sustenance pass by which to respond to events that are often so dent of the scriptures, he has written two major works or security. Many rights that we talk about and are men- terrible they drive us to the brink of despair.

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 10 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday December 5, 2014 Feature Archbishops’ Missioner and team leader of Fresh Seeing Expressions, the Rev Canon Phil the Potter, pictured, reflects on how every pioneer has a invisible tendency to ‘attempt the impossible’…

Recently, I had the privilege of taking part in the bicen- tenary celebrations of the Christian gospel in Aotearoa New Zealand. On the anniversary of the Rev Samuel Marsden’s arrival there 200 years ago, hundreds of Christian lead- ers congregated on the beach where he first preached – at Oihi in the Bay of Islands - to celebrate the milestone. They had kindly invited me, as a latter day ‘Pioneer Anglican Canon’, to bring an appropriate message, say- ing: “Essentially, we’re asking you to get inside the head of this English missionary. What were his hopes and expectations?” As I began to delve into the story and the character of Marsden, the familiar traits of a true pioneer emerged, especially the ability to see beyond the present with the eye of faith. Two quotes came to mind: “Vision,” said satirist Jonathan Swift, “is the art of seeing things invisible” while author Frank Gaines adds: “Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible”. Every great pio- neer, of course, has a tendency to attempt the impossi- dicted the growth in breadth and depth of the Fresh tions about its future is whether the project can survive ble, a trait summed up succinctly by Hudson Taylor Expressions initiative, that so many diverse plants the relentless scrutiny of inspectors and government when he said: “There are three stages in any work for would have emerged and so much learned about how to intervention, and yet one article pertinently reminded God: impossible, difficult, done!” engage in new and helpful ways with the many in our us that the first powered aircraft flight was in fact the So when Samuel Marsden stepped ashore to attempt society who have had no experience of church. work of a pair of brothers with a bicycle shop, Orville the impossible, he saw with the eye of faith what God And few of us would have predicted the variety of and Wilbur Wright, who succeeded in 1903 where was able to do with a whole nation of non-believers over partner denominations involved or the sheer scale of many other professional and government endeavours a period of time. He saw for instance what he called a international interest. had failed. ‘superior and civilised people’ where others saw only Like every pioneer movement, however, there were In that spirit, and in the evidence we have seen of the slaves and savages; he saw a nation of converts where those who prayerfully saw ‘things invisible’, and it is imagination, investment and passion of ‘ordinary’ others only saw an area inhabited by cannibals. inspiring to see how many more are now learning the Christians in furthering the Fresh Expressions move- In short, he saw what time can change, what people “art” as we plan ahead for the next 10 years. Coming ment, my belief is that they will be the ones who will can become, and what the future can hold beyond our into 2015, we will see a whole raft of new projects take us further and deeper into a whole new future for own small horizons. designed to further the vision of taking the ‘impossible’ the church. And, although it took another 20 years for Marsden’s through the stages of ‘difficult but doable’ then ‘done’. Canon Samuel Marsden had the humility to see a vision to really take hold, when Bishop Selwyn arrived Of course the pioneer journey itself is always fraught nation that would be evangelised by the Maori popula- in New Zealand three years after Marsden’s death, he with difficulties and scepticism along the way, and it will tion themselves, and my prayer is that those of us privi- wrote: “We see here a whole nation of pagans converted often feel fragile and daunting, even dangerous to leged to be leaders in the church in different ways will to the faith. Thousands upon thousands of people, some. share the same humility and faith in seeing where, and young and old, have received new hearts, and are valu- Recently we have seen this tragically illustrated in the with whom, our future truly lies. ing the Word of God above every other gift.” Virgin Galactic crash, and there has been a great deal of Ten years ago, few people perhaps would have pre- debate and comment as a result. One of the big ques- Fresh Expressions: www.freshexpressions.org.uk

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• Churches in the Wembley area have the backing of Brent Council and are holding their Silent Night Carols event in a cinema near the iconic home of English football – the event will end with a bless- ing from the Bishop of Willesden, the Rt Rev Pete Broadbent. • Participants at Silent Night Carols in HOPE brings Selhurst Park, the home of Crystal Palace will include Prince Philip of Prus- sia, great-great grandson of Kaiser Wil- helm II, Crystal Palace Manager Neil Warnock and the Croydon Citadel Salva- tion Army Band. • Swansea City’s Premier League play- ers are to take part in Swansea Hope’s Silent Night at the Liberty Stadium. As communities well as the football players, the event marking the Centenary of the 1914 Christmas Truce, will include Ospreys players from the Rugby Union team, the Ospreys Supporters Choir, the Salvation Army Band and other guests. • Churches in are holding a Silent Night Carols event at the AFC Kempston Rovers ground. Local brass bands are coming together for the event; together a group of German teaching assistants will sing Silent Night in their own lan- guage; the Bishop of Bed- ford will say a blessing, and Hundred of Kempston Rovers’ junior team will play a short five-a- stadiums, side match to end the evening. cathedrals • Churches in Market Har- borough are using their and local newspa- per to ask resi- dents which is 1914 Christmas Truce, to sing carols Birmingham and Canterbury Cathedral their favourite Christmas carol. The churches and to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The choirs. result will be announced when the com- events are being held at major Premier Roy Crowne, HOPE’s Director says: munity gathers to switch on the Christ- League football grounds like Swansea “It’s fantastic to hear how sports clubs, mas lights. Everyone will be given a free are to host City, Crystal Palace, Stoke City and cathedrals, schools and churches have copy of the souvenir Silent Night Carols Manchester City. taken up the Silent Night Carols theme. programme then invited to Carols by And it’s not only happening in football It’s a tremendous opportunity to point to Candlelight at a local church. stadiums: Ulster Rugby, Southampton’s the peace and reconciliation Jesus makes • Manchester City are featuring Silent Silent Night Ageas Bowl, the home of Hampshire possible. Let’s make the most of this Night Carols at half-time in their match County Cricket, and the Saracens north unique season to tell our own stories of against Burnley on Sunday 28 Decem- London ground why we are fol- ber. The sports chaplain is writing a page Carol will host Silent Bradford Bulls to stage Christmas lowers of Jesus.” for the event programme, they’ll watch Night Carols, carols night Peace and rec- video footage of their youth squad out in which are taking onciliation is the Belgium marking the occasion and a Sal- place in more theme the Arch- vation Army Band will play the iconic events. than 450 venues bishop of Can- carol Silent Night. nationwide this terbury takes up • 2,000 troops from the Aldershot Garri- Christmas. in his introduc- son will attend the Military/Aldershot Catherine To make it as tion to the Silent Town FC ‘Silent Night’ event which is easy as possible Night Carols expected to gather up to 4,000 people to for communities programme. It remember the 1914 Christmas Truce. to hold the can be pre- • School choirs, Eastleigh Spitfire Band, Butcher events, HOPE viewed and Vox Pop and Rock Choir, and several and partners ordered from other choirs will take part in the Silent Sports Chaplaincy UK, Tearfund, Tearfund at www.silentnightcarols.org Night Carols event at the Ageus Bowl, reports Integrity Music and SGM Lifewords are while stocks last. home of Hampshire County Cricket as providing ideas and resources at Churches are working together in vil- part of a Christmas festival with www.hopetogether.org.uk/christmas. lages, towns and cities to use HOPE’s dodgems and all the fun of the fair. These include a specially written ver- resources and ideas – every event will be • Bradford City football players and their sion of the carol Silent Night, free sou- different with its own local flavour. And manager are taking part in Silent Night HOPE’s Silent Night Carols initiative venir programmes, replica Active it’s not too late to stage your own local Carols in Bradford Cathedral. It will be a received a massive boost from an unusu- Service Gospels, a video to show and event. Here are a few snapshots from poignant moment as Bradford City won al source this month. ideas for talks and sketches. events being planned around the coun- the FA Cup in 1911, but in 1914 their The 2014 Sainsbury’s Christmas The celebrity singer Paul Potts has try: players joined up and never returned advert means millions of people are see- recorded Silent Night (Christ the Sav- • More than 5,000 people are expected from the war. ing the 1914 Christmas Truce re-enacted iour is Born) – the special version of the at Preston North End’s ground. Midfield- • The Bradford Bulls’ (rugby) event will on their TV screens. Sainsbury’s mes- carol commissioned by HOPE and er Lee Holmes will explain why he is a feature local school choirs, the West sage is ‘Christmas is for sharing’. Integrity Music for the centenary of the follower of Jesus. Then Holmes and Yorkshire Police Band, Great Horton HOPE’s response is ‘Yes! Christmas IS 1914 Christmas Truce. ‘Stucky’, as their German goalkeeper Theatre Company, and a Gospel Choir. for sharing. Let’s do it!’ This version of the carol, with its new Thorston Stuckmann is known, will read Local schoolchildren will act out the Silent Night Carol events aim to bring verse and chorus, is being used by the carol Silent Night in English and Ger- Christmas story and there will be festive communities together to remember the choirs across the country, including man. food and a Christmas market stall.

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By Andy Robinson John 7:38, Jesus says ‘whoever is thirsty, let him Baptismal Integrity come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me… Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.’ Do Let me introduce you to the our lives pour out with the life-giving spirit of cycle of grace. Taken from Jesus? the book of that title by Our baptism is the sign and seal of god’s promise Trevor Hudson and Jerry P to us that we can be transformed by his Spirit into Haas, and building on the the likeness of Jesus. But it all starts with grace, groundwork of Frank Lake’s the grace of acceptance. God’s love for us is already Clinical Theology, it describes perfect, and our main work is to step into that love, rather neatly the Christian like stepping under a fountain. life as Jesus modelled it for Not that a life of grace will always feel to us an us. The psychiatrist Frank easy walk of pure love. But by faith it is possible. To Lake began his work as a remember continually God’s perfect love for us as result of helping Christian the basis for everything else we do is surely the missionaries in the late 1950s key to life in all its fullness. To choose to be and 60s suffering from what baptised is to choose to be soaked by the fountain we would now call ‘burnout.’ of life. To baptise a child is to say you want to bring With the help of the up that child as a child of God. Believer’s baptism theologian Emil Brunner, and infant baptism both have a place in God’s Frank Lake identified aspects church. We can celebrate the integrity of both. of Jesus’ life that helped him to maintain his freshness and Andy Robinson is priest in charge of the parish of vitality, in contrast to the Ledsham with Fairburn in York Diocese and is Chair missionaries who had of Baptismal Integrity become disillusioned and cynical. baptism calls us into a grace-filled life, and reminding ourselves of our baptism should cause us to be Diagrams Taken from The Cycle of Grace: Living in It all began with acceptance. From the beginning, thankful that we are eternally loved. Sacred Balance, Trevor Hudson and Jerry P. Haas. Jesus knew he was God’s beloved Son, and this was Baptismal Integrity is a movement in the Church of Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 2012. Used by affirmed at key points in his ministry – his baptism in England which asks churches to consider how best we permission of Upper Room Books. the Jordan, his transfiguration on the mountain being can encourage one another to just two. A sense of sustenance and significance flow be faithful to that calling. out of this fundamental security, and Jesus’ saving When people come with work arose out of this. For many of us the opposite is baptism enquiries on behalf of true. How much of the time do we find ourselves their children, what steps do striving to achieve in order to be accepted? Driven by we take to draw them pressures both within us and external, we cannot rest alongside us in a journey of peacefully. The cycle of works describes that situation. grace? It is easy, but not satisfactory, to do baptisms without the larger work of Grace reverses that vicious circle. Jesus invites us initiating people into a into a place where we can share his life of grace, based community of grace-filled on the knowledge that we too are beloved sons and discipleship. daughters of the living God. Baptism is our gateway to It’s all about love. 1 John that life, an outward sign that we have received the 4:19 says ‘we love because he inward grace of God’s acceptance. first loved us,’ and our Our churches are called to be grace-filled Christian life is a response to communities where people grow in fruitfulness as a that love. If we truly consequence of the sustenance and significance the considered our baptism more people gain by being rooted in the knowledge of God’s often we might find ourselves radical acceptance of them through baptism. Our meditating on this thought. In

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The Rev Simon Stevens, previously Chaplain to Loughborough BIBLECHALLENGE ANGLICAN CYCLE OF PRAYER University, to be Children and Families Pioneer Priest to the Watermead Mission Partnership in the City of Day 339: Nahum 2, Psalm 125, Mark 3 Friday 5 December. Psalm 27: 1-4,13,14, Col. 1: 21-29. Kimberley & Kuruman - Leicester Deanery (Leicester). Dar 340: Nahum 3, Psalm 126, Mark 4 (Southern Africa): The Rt Rev Oswald Swartz The Rev Gillian Turner-Callis, Day 341: Enjoy hearing the Scriptures Saturday 6 December. Psalm 146: 4-11, Col. 2: 1-7. Kindu - (Congo): The Rt Rev Team Rector of the Kegworth, Hathern, read aloud in church Zacharie Masimango Katanda Long Whatton, Diseworth, Belton and Day 342: Habakkuk 1, Psalm 127, Sunday 7 December. Advent 2. Psalm 126, I Kgs 19: 1-9a. Kinkizi - (Uganda): Osgathorpe Team Ministry, (Leicester), Mark 5 The Rt Rev Dan Zoreka has been appointed Rector of West Day 343: Habakkuk 2, Psalm 128, Monday 8 December. Psalm 25, I Kgs 19: 9b-18. The Most Rev Kahwa Henri Hallam and Mapperley with Stanley, Mark 6 Isingoma: Archbishop of the Congo & Bishop of Kinshasa; of (Derby). Day 344: Habakkuk 3, Psalm 129, Kinshasa - (Congo): The Rt Rev Molanga Jean Botola The Rev Gillian (Gill) Wells, Mark 7 Tuesday 9 December. Psalm 34: 1-6,21,22, I Kgs 19: 19-21. Kirinyaga - (Kenya): Curate (OLM) of the Reepham Benefice Day 345: Zephaniah 1, Psalm 130, The Rt Rev Joseph Kibuchua is to be Assistant Curate (Team Vicar Mark 8 Wednesday 10 December. Psalm 85: 7-13, I Kgs 21: 1-7. Kisangani - (Congo): Designate) of the Dereham and District The Rt Rev Lambert Botolome Team (part-time) (Norwich). APPOINTMENTS Thursday 11 December. Psalm 30: 1-5,11,12, I Kgs 21: 8-16. Kita Kanto - The Rev Carol Whittock, (Japan): The Rt Rev Zerubbabel Katsuichi Hirota formerly Assistant Curate at Longden & Hanwood, has been appointed to a part time Mission post at Churchstoke The Rev John Beauchamp, of Dodford (held in plurality) from 12 The Rev Trudie Morris, (Hereford). Rector of St Michael and St Luke, (St October (Worcester). Assistant Curate, Fowlmere, Foxton, The Rev Alison Wooding, Edmundsbury and Ipswich), to be: The Rev Barry Jackson, Shepreth and Thriplow (Ely), has been Assistant Curate, Ranmoor St John the Incumbent of St Stephen, Canonbury PiC: Warmington w Shotteswell & appointed Priest in Charge, Derby St Evangelist (Sheffield), to be Priest in (London). Radway w Ratley; Combroke w Compton Andrew w St Osmund, and Allenton and charge of Kimberworth St Thomas and The Revd Jeremy Bishop, Verney; Kineton, to be Incumbent: The Shelton Lock (Derby). Kimberworth Park St John, Assistant Rector of the Carlton Colville benefice, Benefice of Edgehill Churches The Rev Patrick Morrow, Curate of Rawmarsh St Mary and to be also Rural Dean of the Lothingland (Coventry). Permission to Officiate, (Southwark), to Assistant Curate of Greasbrough St deanery (Norwich). The Rev Timothy Jones, be: Chaplain of Highgate Mental Health Mary (Sheffield). The Rev Allen Bower, Priest in Charge of York St Hilda and Centre (London). Curate at St Martin, Kensal Rise York St Lawrence with St Nicholas The Rev Charlie Newcombe, (London), to be: Incumbent of St (York), to be Diocesan Director of Assistant Chaplain, St Paul’s Church, RETIREMENTS & RESIGNATIONS Matthew, Tipton (Lichfield). Ordinands and New Ministries (St Tervuren, Belgium (Europe) has been The Rev Lucinda Burns, Edmundsbury and Ipswich). appointed Associate Vicar, Cambridge formerly curate at Gt Hanwood, The Rev Canon Jane Keiller, Holy Sepulchre (Ely). The Rt Rev Tim Stevens, Longden & Annscroft with Pulverbatch retired (Ely), has been appointed The Rev Amanda O’Neill, Bishop of Leicester will be retiring on 11 group of parishes (Hereford) has Bishop’s Adviser for Spirituality (Ely). Curate of Trumpington (Ely), has been July 2015. commenced a Curacy/School The Rev Preb Bob King, appointed Curate, Hartford with The Rev Rachel Alexander, Chaplaincy post at Adcote School nr currently Incumbent of the Weobley & Houghton and Wyton (Ely). House for Duty at Thorpe Acre with Shrewsbury (Lichfield). Staunton group of parishes (Hereford), The Rev Canon Edward Pogmore, Dishley, is to resign (Leicester). The Rev Barbara Burton, has accepted the post of Rector of St Permission to Officiate, to be Chaplain The Rev Jessie Anand, Priest in Charge of Barton Bendish w Andrew’s Scottish Episcopal Church in for the Abbeyfield (Coventry). presently Assistant Priest of Beachamwell and Shingham; and Kelso (Edinburgh). The Rev Sue Potts, Bermondsey, S Hugh resigns with effect Boughton; and Fincham; and Marham; The Rev Sven Anders Litzell, Curate, The Raddesley Group of 31st December 2014 (Southwark). and Shouldham; and Wereham, and Curate at St George, Holborn (London), Parishes, has been appointed Curate, The Rev David Ashton, Rural Dean of Fincham and Feltwell to be: Prior of the Community of St Three Rivers Group (Ely). Incumbent: Langney: St Richard (Ely) has also been appointed Priest in Anselm in the Province of Coventry. The Rev Martin Quayle, (Chichester), has retired. Charge of Watlington; South Runcton The Rev Richard Livingston, formerly PTO in Hereford Diocese, has The Rev Canon Dr Colin Bradley, and Runcton Holme w Wallington and PiC: Wolverton w Norton Lindsey; been licensed as Associate Minister for Priest-in-Charge Cocking, Bepton and Thorpland; and Tottenham w Wormegay Snitterfield w Bearley, to be Incumbent Dibblebury, Munslow, Holdgate, West Lavington (Chichester), has (Ely). of The Benefice of The Arden Valley Tugford & Abdon (Corvedale Group of retired. The Rev Dr Alan Cartwright, Group (Coventry). Parishes) (Hereford). The Rev Robin Charles, Associate Minister of Warmington w The Rev Lindsay Llewellyn-MacDuff, The Rev Colin Resch, Vicar of Dines St Michael, Dines Green Shotteswell & Radway w Ratley; Chaplain, HMP Littlehey (Ely), has been currently Priest in Charge of Stottesdon & Crown East Rushwick resigned his Combroke w Compton Verney; Kineton, appointed Chaplain to the Bishop of w Farlow, Cleeton St Mary, Silvington, position as from 25 October to be Associate Minister of The Benefice Rochester (Rochester). Sidbury & Middleton Scriven (Worcester). of Edgehill Churches (Coventry). The Rev David Maher, (Hereford), has accepted the post of The Rev Sharon Constable, The Rev Christine Colton, Vicar, Chesterton the Good Shepherd Priest in Charge of the United Benefice has stepped down from her role as presently holder of the Bishop of (Ely), has been appointed also Rural of Mountsorrel Christ Church with Adviser for Women’s Ministry Southwark’s Permission to Officiate is to Dean of North Cambridge (Ely). Mountsorrel St Peter (Leicester). (Leicester), with immediate effect. be licensed as Priest-in-Charge of The Rev Canon Dr Jessica Martin, The Rev Bev Robertson, The Rev Jacqueline (Jacky) Davis, Kingwood, S Andrew (Southwark). Priest in Charge, Duxford, Hinxton and formerly Vicar in Team: Bromsgove resigns as Assistant Curate of The The Rev Canon Dr Richard Cooke, Ickleton (Ely) has been appointed also Team Ministry has become a Vicar in Benefice of The Six (Canterbury) with Principal of the Diocesan Training Bishop’s Adviser for Women’s Ministry the Bromsgrove Team Ministry & Vicar effect from 31 December 2014. Partnership; Associate Minister of (Ely). in Team: Dodford (held in plurality) The Rev Peter Dowman, Warmington w Shotteswell & Radway w The Rev Terry Mason, from 12 October (Worcester). Rector, Warboys with Broughton and Ratley; Combroke w Compton Verney; formerly Priest in Charge of Wootton The Rev Canon Katrina Scott, Bury with Wistow (Ely), retired on 28 Kineton to be Principal of the Diocesan Wawen, Claverdon with Preston Bagot Vicar: Willenhall St John the Divine & September. Training Partnership; Associate and Area Dean for Alcester has been Dean of Women’s Ministry, to be Area The Rev Cath Faulkner, Minister of The Benefice of Edgehill appointed Rector of the Brown Clee Dean of North Cotswolds & Rector of Priest in Charge of St Clement, Churches (Coventry). United Benefice (Ditton Priors with the Benefice of The Guitings, Cutsdean, Urmston, retired with effect from 9 The Rev Anne Dowdeswell, Neenton, Burwarton, Cleobury North, Farmcote, Upper Slaughter & Lower August 2014 (Manchester). currently Team Vicar of the St Thomas Aston Bottterell, Wheathill Loughton, Slaughter w Eyford and Naunton The Rev Canon Robert Fayers, & Emmanuel Team Ministry (Exeter), Chetton) (Hereford). [Gloucester]. Incumbent: Brighton: St Michael & All has been appointed Priest in Charge of The Rev Hilary Morgan, The Rev David Silvester, Angels and Brighton: St Paul South Wye (Hereford). formerly Assistant Curate at St Peter Rector: The Arden Marches Group of (Chichester), has retired. The Rev Dr Frances H Dower, with St Owen & St James, Hereford , has Parishes, to be also Area Dean of The Rev Stephen Gardner, Ordained Local Minister of been appointed Rector of Cagebrook Alcester (Coventry). Vicar of Woodlands All Saints and Area Kirkwhelpington W Kirkharle & Benefice (Kingstone, Clehonger, Eaton The Rev Gregory Smith, Dean of Adwick-le-Street (Sheffield), to Kirkheaton and Cambo (Newcastle), to Bishop, Allensmore & Thruxton) PiC: Eastern Green St. Andrew, to be resign as Area Dean of Adwick-le-Street, be Non-Stipendiary Minister of (Hereford). Incumbent: Eastern Green St. Andrew but remaining Vicar of Woodlands All Kirkwhelpington w Kirkharle & The Rev Canon Stuart Morris, (Coventry). Saints from 28 February 2015. Kirkheaton and Cambo (Newcastle). PTO (Ely) has been appointed Associate The Rev Dr Robert Stephen, The Rev Preb Elaine Goddard, The Rev Christine Holzapfel, Minister, Priest in Charge of Watlington; Curate in the Benefice of Burbage, cum to retire as Vicar of Hentland with formerly Vicar in Team: Bromsgove South Runcton and Runcton Holme w Aston Flamville (Leicester), has been Hoarwithy, St Weonards, Orcop, Team Ministry has become Rector in Wallington and Thorpland; and appointed as Incumbent in the parish of Garway, Tretire & Pencoyd (Hereford) the Bromsgrove Team Ministry & Vicar Tottenham w Wormegay (Ely). St Mary Handsworth (Birmingham). with an effective date of 1st March 2015.

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Stephen Ngugi helps mothers in Kenya SUNDAY SERVICE

By Kelsey Mangan worked with a partner before, and I loved how Christian 3rd Sunday of Advent - Sunday 14 December Aid supported their partners.” 2014 Not every mother and child are fortunate enough to be He works to ensure that the organisation’s partners as safe as Mary and baby Jesus in Bethlehem when it are able to integrate and implement interventions with Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 comes to childbirth in Kenya, and Stephen Ngugi is the communities. 1 Thess 5:16-24 working to reverse that. “We ensure that partners are able to integrate and John 1:6-8, 19-28 Mr Ngugi is the Christian Aid programme officer for implement interventions. What’s important is the out- the maternal and child health project in Kenya. He coor- come: stopping delivery at home. I go to the community The readings this week focus our attention again on dinates with different partners of Christian Aid to aid and it gives me a lot of joy to see our work being actu- the coming of Christ, prophesied in the Old Testa- Kenyan communities and mothers to make maternal alised and making a difference.” ment, announced by John the Baptist, and anticipated health better and safer for mothers and their newborns. He referred to their mission to set up telephones in by those who await his final return in glory. The pas- Christian Aid is a UK charity that “insists the world villages for women to be able to call ambulances to hos- toral impact of each passage is to direct our attention can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone pitals, where they can have safe deliveries. He was able to the Lord God himself, who alone can save and sanc- can live a full life, free from poverty.” It focuses on many to see this mission actualised firsthand in Narok, Kenya. tify us. different relevant human rights issues, but its most Narok is a town in southwest Kenya in which John’s Gospel gives us a fascinating insight into the recent campaign focuses on newborn and maternal Stephen’s partners work closely. He said that “a woman ministry of John the Baptist, whose identity is careful- health. who delivers in a horrible setup can now call an ambu- ly spelt out. As chapter 1 of the Gospel begins, we hear They carry the slogan: “Not every child born in a sta- lance. The phones in these communities can provide an about the Word who was with God and was God. We ble survives.” ambulance, provide support, and let these women deliv- might expect verse 5 therefore to be begin, “There The charity reports that one child in 11 dies before er safely.” was a man sent from God, whose name was Jesus”, to their fifth birthday and 40 women die every day from This aid programme is not self-sufficient. Stephen focus our minds on the earth ministry of the God- either labour-related causes or pregnancy. spoke of the extensive training and resources necessary man. We will get there eventually! But first, we take a This is often due to preventable matters like unsafe to stop the home delivery epidemic in Narok. step back to the historic ministry of the forerunner, birthing conditions – when a mother can’t reach a hos- “Our training requires resources in order to stop who prepared the way before the Lord. pital in time for a sterile, monitored birthing environ- home delivery. There is a need to support that vision so He is clearly distinguished from the light himself. ment. that lives are saved. Christmas allows people to identify His name was John, which might also throw some first One of these stories is of Susan Nani, a woman who with the project.” time readers of what we call the Gospel of John! One Christian Aid says was forced to give birth to her child Christian Aid is asking the public to “deliver hope this thing the Evangelist and the Baptiser do have in com- on the side of a road because she had to walk to the Christmas.” In return for any donations made to their mon, however, is that they both testify to the light, so nearest hospital. She was lucky, as an aid worker found Christmas appeal, the UK government will double the that all may believe through him: this is the purpose of her and took her to the nearest hospital, but many moth- amount. This money will be a direct line to help mothers the Gospel narrative itself (John 20:30-31), and of the ers in Kenya are not that fortunate. like Susan Nani in Kenya. first merely human character we are introduced to in Stephen works with partners of Christian Aid like Stephen said that their work stopping at-home deliver- it. Community Health Partners, who work directly with ies “really links to Advent and a sense of hope for moth- Later in the chapter, in the face of public question- the mothers and children of Kenya. He helps provide ers.” ing, John repeatedly distinguishes himself from the them with things like technical support and the provi- Advent and the Christmas season all leads up to the Messiah he came to announce - a coming messiah sion of necessary resources. celebration of the birth of a single baby, born to a young who is far greater than any herald, because he is the “I am a Christian, born again, and I have been work- mother in a stable. Stephen and Christian Aid hope that Lord himself. ing in many projects for 15 years. the season will inspire others to give the type of support Isaiah prophesied not just the arrival of the messen- “I have a passion for reaching out to communities. I necessary to help countless mothers today. ger to prepare the way for the Lord, but also of the anointed conqueror himself. Isaiah 61 is the very pas- sage from which the Lord Jesus taught about himself ‘Will Not They Say April. April 1st sees Alan in the synagogue (see Luke 4). His Spirit-anointed Edwards granted the Balaam Prize, ministry was an evangelical ministry of the pro- That Ye Are Mad?’ given to the most asinine journalist claimed word: he declares the day of the Lord and the of the year. He donates the 30 pence day of vengeance, and that word to the oppressed (1 Cor 14:23) prize money to FEEBLE, the recent- binds up the broken-hearted and cheers those who ly formed campaign to secure a mourn. He will implement his everlasting covenant to By Alan Edwards place in the episcopate for at least bless his people, to display his own glory, he asserts. one Conservative Evangelical. FEE- The people will greatly rejoice says verse 10, their Could 2015 be an even madder year BLE stands for ‘Forum Ensuring whole being exulting in what God has done to clothe us for the CofE than 2014? one Evangelical Bishop is Left in in robes of righteousness which we have neither Why do I ask? You’ll all know the Episcopate.’ earned or deserved. He alone can cause righteous- answer. Old Moore’s 2015 Anglimac, May. UKIP’s overwhelming victo- October. Boris Johnson takes his ness and praise to spring up from such unpromising which follows, just attempts to high- ry in the General Election causes seat in General Synod. “I’ve no ambi- soil. light some of the certainties, so be more concern to the Europhile Eng- tion to be Archbishop as well as PM, In his closing remarks to the Thessalonians, Paul prepared for lunacies that even he lish episcopate than does the latest but if my fellow old-Etonian Justin has some all-encompassing words of encouragement couldn’t foresee. figures on Church attendance. wants to follow his career pattern to for this fledgling church. They are to rejoice always, January. The Church won’t cele- June. With Ascot turning the date and move on to pastures new pray always, give thanks always; they are to test all brate the 800th anniversary of the spotlight on hats, Justin’s advisers after a few years...” He added: “But if prophecies, and abstain from all evil. On the other sealing of Magna Carta. As it’s now suggest he abandons his Beatrix it happens, no mitre for me. Got to hand, God himself will sanctify them completely, their half a century since ordinands were Potter-style pastel-hued mitres. An keep the ‘Boris bonce’ on view.” whole spirit, both soul and body. When the messiah required to be ‘learned in the Latin alternative would be a Canterbury November. Inaugural meeting of comes again, the Lord Jesus Christ in all his glory, he tongue’, most clergy won’t have Cap, which could persuade the Con- MATCH - Men and the Church. It will finish this work of new creation in us. been required to be so, and obvious- servative Evangelicals that they argues that so many women have As George Whitefield (celebrating his 300th birth- ly none of the women ordained since have a bishop after all. now been ordained that the CofE day this month!) puts it in his version of the hymn 1994. Consequently celebrating a July. Facilitated conversations will soon be renamed ‘The Women’s ‘Praising Christ’, we will “Sing ’till we feel our Hearts Latinate document would not only lead the General Synod to a solution Institute.’ No chance is the general Ascending with our Tongues, Sing ‘till the Love of Sin be academically elitist but also sex- to the demand for clerical gay mar- view. Most Anglican ordinands, departs, And Grace inspires our Songs.” On that great ist. riage. Such marriages were still to male as well as female, wouldn’t day of his coming, we will be found blameless, by February. Justin Welby adds pre- be forbidden if conducted in a know the words of Jerusalem and grace alone. siding over The Great British Bake church building, but permitted if would answer ‘No’ to Blake’s ques- Off to his portfolio. A BBC they took place in a committee tions. The Rev Dr Lee Gatiss is the editor of the NIV spokesperson said: “Anyone who room. Stonewall rejoices because December. The Liturgical Com- Proclamation Bible and Director of Church Society can come up with a recipe for ‘facili- the CofE has more committees than mission decides that the word (www.churchsociety.org). tated conversations’ has a genius for churches. Stonewall is granted the Advent is archaic and its use off-put- cooking things up.” Synod seats vacated by Reform. ting for the younger generation. The March. Impressive though the August. Concern expressed by suggested alternative is ‘Tweets Church’s 2014 commemorations of many bishops that although it’s a before Christmas.’ HYMN SELECTION the outbreak of World War I were, year since Kylie Minogue’s triumph Less colourful Midnight Masses the CofE will find an especial link to at the Glasgow Commonwealth in prospect after the Department for those that recall the 1915 Gallipoli Games, she hasn’t yet been nominat- the Environment proposes that no King of Kings, Majesty Expedition. After all, an ill-planned ed for a mitre. more than one candle can be lit in a Love divine venture to the wrong theatre of oper- September. David Attenbore church at any one time, given the You alone can rescue ations, which ended in disaster, announces his most original discov- pollution caused. It recommends God is working his purpose out could be a description of many ery programme ever. He has found a churches erect wind turbines on the How lovely on the mountains Church of England initiatives of church that uses the BCP at every roof to generate green electricity to How beauteous are their feet recent years. service. power fairy lights.

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday December 5, 2014 Reviews 15 Paddington returns, to a media row!

Stations of the Cross (Kreuzweg, German with English sub- FILM OFTHE WEEK titles, cert. 15) will be hard to find. It’s only been in six English cinemas. Maria (Lea van Acken) is 14, and her family attend a Paddington (dir. Paul King) got some extra publicity Catholic church where the errors of the Second Vatican when the British Board of Film Classification agreed Council, and modernism generally, are to be avoided. In to replace “mild sexual references” with “innuendo” the film Father Weber (Florian Stetter) and his congrega- in its explanation of the film’s getting a PG certificate tion adhere to “The Priestly Society of St Paul”; its real rather than a U. Apart from Hugh Bonneville donning precedent is the Society of St Pius X founded by Archbish- a Mrs Doubtfire disguise as a cleaner, there’s a hint op Lefebvre. that Paddington’s Uncle Pastuzo (voiced by Michael Dietrich Brüggemann directs, his sister Anna wrote the Gambon) was named after a butch boxer, whom script. In their childhood, the family had some affinity with explorer Montgomery Clyde met at a party. the Society, and this informs the clash of values portrayed, Clyde discovered a rare species of bear in deepest but Dietrich also observes that in his own circles now he Peru, and having befriended the bears, was unable to perceives “a kind of return to a longing for religion”. take home a specimen for the Geographers’ Society’s The film uses the 14 stations of the cross as chapter collection. That lies behind the attempt by Millicent headings, not with any obvious link to the scene por- (Nicole Kidman) to kill and stuff Paddington (voiced trayed, which are each shot in one take with one camera, by Ben Whishaw, though Lauren Barrand gets a cred- usually fixed, with just a couple of tracking shots and a it as Paddington stand-in). final crane shot to the heavens. The headings become The film begins with a scratchy black and white film more pertinent toward the end. of Clyde’s Peruvian expedition before breaking into Maria’s four-year-old brother has never spoken. Her colour to signify that time has passed. Paddington is confirmation class raises the question of whether a per- the orphaned nephew of Uncle and Aunt Lucy (Imel- sonal sacrifice can save another, and Maria gets it in her da Staunton), now quite old, and they realise the time grizzly? I don’t know, I’ve not seen him in the morn- head that her calling, a path to sainthood, is to save her has come to get Paddington away from the threat- ings” – even as Paddington, in trying the “use the brother. ened rainforest – to unthreatening London, where facilities”, floods the house. A friendship at school with a boy called Christian Clyde will no doubt give him a home. The plot line of Millicent from the Natural History (Moritz Knapp) brings conflict with her strict and over- Surviving the transatlantic voyage in a lifeboat of a Museum having a side-line in illicit taxidermy and bearing mother (Franziska Weisz). He invites Maria to freighter, on a diet of marmalade, Paddington lands in designs on Paddington is not in the books, but it’s an join their church choir but its repertoire is not just Bach London (dumped out of a mailbag at Paddington sta- extra thread to a story that someone must have cantatas but some soul and gospel, which in her narrow tion). Sitting outside the lost and found office, the thought a bit bare. Her treatment of the cabbie (Matt world has Satanic influences. Brown family pass by, and the “Found” bit of the sign Lucas) who took the Browns home, and her manipu- Maria’s father (Michael Kamp) is weak, and the family’s lights up. lation of their nosey neighbour Mr Curry (Peter French au-pair Bernadette (Lucie Aron) is Maria’s sole Mrs Brown (Sally Hawkins) takes pity on this Capaldi), are cruel, and it’s arguable whether a chil- support against the bullying tirades of her mother. “I don’t homeless bear, but Mr Brown (Bonneville) is more dren’s film needs what the BBFC calls “mild threat” do this for fun, believe me!” shouts her mother, and we pragmatic. Still, until “the authorities” can get (being murdered and stuffed) and Mission Impossi- believe her only too easily. involved, they take “Paddington” home to Windsor ble action scenes to spice it up. There are tensions at school - she objects to the music at Gardens where their son Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) Avoiding creator Michael Bond’s later stories that the gym class and is bullied and she rebuffs Christian’s and daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) take to him in toy with Paddington’s status as refugee and illegal concern – and Maria’s health deteriorates until she’s hos- different ways. immigrant, the film still manages to convey that “any- pitalised. A rather dull start to the film becomes a riveting Mr Brown – a risk analyst by trade - is trying to one can fit in”. Once Mr Brown has revealed his inner drama, as a choice between survival or self-sacrifice arrange extra insurance for having a bear in the man, he’s prepared to defend the bear’s status as one emerges. house. It’s a one-sided phone conversation – “Is he of the family, despite his worrying marmalade habit. Steve Parish

of theological knowledge. They want us to see the Also from SPCK comes Meda AA Stamper’s BOOK OFTHE WEEK scriptures as offering a narrative in which we all Embodying Mark (£8.99 at have a role to play. http://www.churchnewspaper.com/shop/), inviting readers to journey with Jesus through the Gospel Two books on finding God by outstanding Christian Part of One Church, edited by Colin Podmore from the Baptism to the Empty Tomb. A United writers head the list this week. Cry of Wonder (Canterbury, £24.99; Our price: £19.49), is a Church minister, Dr Stamper has developed one- (Bloomsbury, £12.99 or Our price: £9.09) by Gerald collection of papers by the late Roger Greenacre. woman performances of Mark, John and other W Hughes SJ is the final work by one of the great Many deal with the ordination of women but there biblical texts. She has a PhD in the New Testament. writers on spirituality. In true Jesuit fashion the are also essays on ecclesiology and ecumenism and author encourages us to find God in our ordinary the relations between Anglicans and Roman Richard Harries has produced a second edition of experience. Keith Ward, one of Christianity’s leading Catholics. Dr Podmore, formerly General Synod Faith in Politics? (DLT, £12.95; Our price: £10.76) apologists, has just published The Evidence for secretary and now Director of Forward in Faith and for which he has written a new introduction of 30 God (Darton, Longman and Todd, £9.99; Our price: an ecumenical theologian of distinction, contributes pages. £7.65) offering a philosophical defence of the case an introduction and there is a foreword by Bishop for a spiritual dimension. Both these books are Geoffrey Rowell. To buy any of these books at Our price, visit highly recommended. http://www.churchnewspaper.com/shop/ Timothy Keller’s many fans will Fresh from success with the welcome his new book Prayer: Awe Archbishop of Canterbury’s 2014 and Intimacy with God (Hodder, Lent Book, has £16.99; Our price: £11.89). The written The Widening Circle Manhattan pastor and evangelist (SPCK, £10.99; Our price: £8.78) (described by Newsweek as “A CS describing a new approach to Lewis for the 21st century”) looks at priesthood that sees it not just as a prayer as both a conversation and a term to describe certain Christian deep conversation with God. This is ministers but as a way of an intelligent, well-argued and accessible book. If understanding God’s way of blessing you haven’t read Keller before, try him! the world. Dr Tomlin is Dean of St Mellitus College in London so his reflections on ministry are One of SPCK’s best-selling authors has produced a significant coming from the head of one the Church new book that is certain to be popular. In The of England’s leading training colleges. Journey Bishop John Pritchard (£7.99; Our price: £7.19) follows Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem according A second, revised edition of The Drama of to the chronology given by Luke through the eyes of Scripture (SPCK £9.99; Our price: £7.65) will be the disciple John. The book offers daily readings for widely welcomed. The authors, Craig Bartholomew Lent with a poem for each Saturday in the Lenten and Michael K Goheen, are Christian scholars with season. an eye on the missiological and pastoral significance

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper COLLEGE STREET SW1 Sixth Form Students CITY OF WESTMINSTER bring a new perspective to Government

Sixth form students in Derby were invited House of Lords. It is a national ini- to take charge of the British political sys- tiative created to generate interest tem this past week. in Parliament and how young peo- The Bishop of Derby, the Rt Rev Alistair ple can become involved. Redfern, hosted an annual debate as a part This debate was a major event of Parliament Week event at Derby Cathe- within Parliament Week, and for dral on 19 November. This event was good reason. intended to encourage young people to Dr Redfern said: “Parliament become involved with the British political Week is a unique opportunity for system. As an integral part of his position young people to engage in the in the House of Lords, Bishop Alastair democratic process.” emphasises the importance of getting He addressed widespread con- young people involved in the government. cerns that not enough young peo- The ultimate question of the event was: ple are aware of, or interested in, “what matters to young people at the 2015 how the political system works. election?” Sixth form students in Derby He hopes that events of Parlia- were asked to create their own political ment week will encourage young party, complete with logos and political students to learn the power that manifestos to enter into the competition voting gives them as citizens and and debate what they believed to be the take part in the democratic sys- most significant topics. tem. The submissions were reviewed by local He said: “We will have a General politicians Chris Williamson MP, Heather Election in 2015 and many of the Wheeler MP and Leader of the Liberal students attending will be first- Democrat group Cllr Hilary Jones. Union, and Cllr Lisa Higginbottom, former Mayor time voters. In an age of political apathy it is vital The three selected finalists had the opportunity of Derby. A winner was declared at the close of the that young people understand the importance of of taking part in a debate with the Bishop of Derby, debate. using their vote; not least to acknowledge that Adam Buss, Chief Executive of Quad, Daisy Giu- Parliament Week ran from 14-20 November. It is across the world millions of people, especially liano, President of Derby University Students’ coordinated by both the House of Commons and women, are denied that privilege.”

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Egypt (8) Ark after the Flood 13 Missionary of Paul, 11 '----, ----, lama [Gen] (6) cousin to John, aka PRIZE CROSSWORD No. 928 by Axe sabachthani': Hebrew Mark [Acts] (8) word repeated, meaning Down 15 Great prophet during 'My God' [Matt and the reign of Ahab [1&2 Mark/NIV] (4) 1 OT prophet and book Kgs] (6) 12 First king of the north- (6) 17 Elder sibling of Moses ern kingdom of Israel [1 2 'After paying the fare, [Exod] (6) Kgs] (8) he went aboard and 19 'Woe! Woe to you great - 14 Where Jesus cured an sailed for ------' ---,...In one hour your invalid of 38 years [Jon/NIV] (8) doom has come!' [John] (8) 3 'If you do not listen, I [Rev/NIV] (4) 16 'When we got to ----, Paul will ---- in secret because 20 Son of Rebekah [Gen] was allowed to live by of your pride' [Jer/NIV] (4) himself...' [Acts/NIV] (4) (4) 4 Port built by Herod the 18 Follower, apostle (8) Great in tribute to Last week’s solutions: 21 'In that first attack Augustus [Acts] (8) Across: 1 Gethsemane, 8 Theatre, 9 Jonathan...killed some 5 Hagiological aura fea- Alive, 11 Ittai, 12 Genuine, 13 Prayer, twenty men in...about tured in Christian art 15 A penny, 18 Araunah, 20 Allah, 22 half an ----' [1 Sam/NIV] (4) Sting, 23 Lie down, 24 Scriptures. (4) 6 Swiss city closely asso- 22 Woman of Bethany ciated with John Calvin Down: 2 Elect, 3 Hittite, 4 Emerge, 5 whose brother Jesus (6) Again, 6 Emilion, 7 Ethiopians, 10 restored to life [John] 12 'And Asa begat ------; and Everything, 14 Ananias, 16 Plateau, 17 (6) ------begat Joram...' Philip, 19 Niger, 21 Loose. 23 Resting place of Noah's [Matt/KJV] (8)

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N am e Across [Nah/NIV] (6) who died in 8Warrior brother 1958 (4) A d d r e s s 7'The river gates of Joab [1 Chr] 10 Jewish festival 9770964 816108 are thrown (6) celebrating the P o s t C o de open and the ----- 9One of 12 exodus of the - collapses' popes, the last Israelites from [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper

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