Pop Music More Popular Than Hymns at Modern Funerals
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E I D Ditch the electric S IN nanny! Don’t give your child square eyes! E8 THE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012 No: 6149 www.churchnewspaper.com PRICE £1.35 1,70j US$2.20 CHURCH OF ENGLAND THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED IN 1828 NEWSPAPER Battle intensifies over plans to make women bishops A MAJORITY OF the Church of England provision for those who, in good con- tion is not perfect but warns that rejecting women bishops was ‘not fit for purpose’ Evangelical Council believe that the meas- science, cannot accept women bishops. We it would plunge the Church into ‘continued and called upon General Synod members ure authorising women bishops to be dis- believe it is a matter not just of justice but and perhaps intensified internal conflict, to vote against it. cussed at the General Synod in November of godliness to treat well this minority with with no guaranteed outcome’. Reform has also called for General Synod does not make adequate provision for whom God has joined us in fellowship and He denies that the word ‘respect’ in the to reject the legislation. WATCH support- those who cannot accept this development mission. new amendment proposed by the Rev Janet ers are divided on the Appleby amendment and fear they will feel excluded from the “In all this we have to remember we are Appleby of the Diocese of Newcastle, is no and the organisation has resolved not to Church. God’s people, and behave as such, and not more than window-dressing. “The truth is campaign for or against the measure. The Council says that opponents should slip into the ungodliness of warring politi- that the word does have legal content. If “We see our role as being to highlight the consider voting against the measure rather cal factions.” you’re required to show ‘respect’ you need arguments and issues at stake for those than just abstaining. The Council’s statement comes as Dr to be able to demonstrate that what you do who support the full flourishing of women In a statement the Chairman of the Coun- Rowan Williams is making an attempt to takes into account in practice of someone’s in the Church and to allow voices to enter cil, the Ven Michael Lawson said: “Many rally support for the proposed legislation. conviction. You will need to be able to show the national debate that often go unheard,” evangelicals, both supporters and non-sup- In an article that originally appeared in the it has made a difference to how you act.” it said in a statement. Members of WATCH porters of the ordination of women to the ‘Church Times’ which is available on his At its recent National Assembly Forward have been letting the organisation know episcopate, are deeply concerned about the website, the Archbishop admits the legisla- in Faith resolved that the legislation for their views. Pop music more popular than hymns at modern funerals By Amaris Cole six in the South East and North East charts. The novelty Ying Tong Song, by Spike Milli- POP MUSIC now outplays hymns two to one gan, which features the infamous lines ‘I told at funerals, according to the leading funeral you I was ill’, was played at seven funerals. provider in the UK. A third of all funeral homes have reported The Co-operative Funeralcare report receiving ‘quirky’ requests, including the showed that pop music is now the number theme tune of Countdown. one request at 30,000 funerals in the last 12 Abide with Me is the most popular hymn months. request, pushing The Lord is my Shepherd to Only four per cent of mourners ask for clas- number two since 2009. sical music to be played. Head of Marketing for The Co-operative The study shows the demise of hymns: in Funeralcare Lorinda Robinson said: “Hymns 2005 they accounted for 41 per cent, but now were once the mainstay of a funerals service that figure has fallen to 30 per cent of all but pop music plays such an important part musical requests. in people’s lives that it now acts as the theme Frank Sinatra’s My Way remains a firm tune to their passing. favourite, holding the number one spot for “Modern funerals are very much about the last seven years. personal choice, and this is often reflected in While the majority of these final services the choice of music.” feature emotive or sombre music, others Tweets, page 8 buck the trend with a humorous approach to death being visible. Eric Idle’s Always Look on the Bright Side of British Life is the 13th most requested popular music Summer song, from the 1979 Monty Python film The Time ends at Life of Brian. Regionally its popularity increases, with 2am on Frank Sinatra’s My Way still holds the top spot for the most played song at funerals the research showing that it reaches number Sunday! LETTERS 8 • COMMENT 9 • PETER MULLEN 9 • CLERGY MOVES 12 • ANGLICAN LIFE 13 • SUNDAY 15 • PAUL RICHARDSON 16 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday October 28, 2012 News Inside... Britain’ s leading evangelical newspaper Archbishop visits PNG ARCHBISHOP ROWAN WILLIAMS flew into Port Moresby on Sat- On his return to Port Moresby the Archbishop met with mem- urday for a five-day visit to Papua New Guinea on his way to the bers of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for PNG and ACC meeting in New Zealand. attended a Government Reception. He also held a private meeting Welcoming the Archbishop, PNG’s Acting Prime Minister, Leo with victims of domestic violence and visited Anglicare, which has Dion, praised the health and education services the Anglican extensive works with people suffering from AIDS. Church was providing in his country. He said that the Church of The Bishop of Port Moresby, the Rt Rev Peter Ramsden, said the England was one of the first organisations to offer help after the vol- visit had ‘given the Archbishop the chance to meet with Anglicans in canic eruption in Rabaul and praised the ‘exceptional way’ the Angli- three of PNG’s five dioceses; emphasised the Anglican Church’s can Church in PNG gave spiritual care to its people. work in health and education; highlighted the challenges of gender- On Sunday the Archbishop presided at a well-attended Eucharist based violence and HIV/AIDS; encouraged ecumenical links; and in Popondetta Cathedral before blessing a new hospital at Oro Bay allowed the Archbishop to engage with the PNG government on and presiding at the ground-breaking ceremony for a new teachers’ development issues’. college. This is the second visit to PNG by an Archbishop of Canterbury. On Monday he travelled in a helicopter provided by the Govern- The first was by Archbishop George Carey at the time the Church ment to visit the Cathedral at Dogura, close by the place where the was celebrating its centenary in 1991. PNG has a population of News . 1-7 Anglican mission in PNG began in 1891. 7.1million and Anglicans comprise five per cent of the population. Your Church . 2 UK News . 1-4 World News . 5-7 Muslims take their protest to Google Comment Letters . .8, 11 By Amaris Cole Leader . .9 Peter Mullen . 9 A REPORTED 10,000 Muslims campaigned outside Google’s UK headquarters on Sun- England on Sunday day to demand the removal of a video on Fresh Expressions . .E1 YouTube that they argue is anti-Muslim. Andrew Carey . .E2 Protesters say the ‘Innocence of Muslims’ Whispering Gallery . .E2 film insults Mohammed and demeans Mus- Nigel Nelson . .E3 lims. Judy West . .E3 The main organiser of the event, Masoud Relive the Bible . .E4 Alam, said: “Our next protest will be at the Trademarking Christmas . .E5 offices of Google and YouTube across the Films . .E6 world. Books . .E7 “We are looking to ban this film.” Janey Lee Grace . .E8 A demonstration last month against the Crossword . .E8 video in Libya ended in the death of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens. The Record A YouTube representative said: “We work Fulcrum . .13 hard to create a community everyone can Classifieds . 11 enjoy and which also enables people to Clergy Moves . .12 express different opinions. Embrace the Middle East . .13 “This can be a challenge because what’s Self-esteem . .14 OK in one country can be offensive else- Spiritual Director . .15 where. This video - which is widely available Sunday Service . .15 on the Web - is clearly within our guidelines Steve Morris . .15 and so will stay on YouTube”. Paul Richardson . .16 News from Your Church your diocese Bradford: A Sudanese Bishop met schoolchildren on his health, education and community development. We also organisations suggested ways that churches can work visit to the Diocese of Bradford last week. The Bishop of look forward to experiencing how the enduring assets of together to put on events celebrating significant dates in Kadugli in the Nuba Mountains, the Rt Rev Andudu Adam the country’s rich culture and strong social fabric allow a the church calendar and sports calendar alike. The Bishop Elnail, visited Oxenhope Church of England Primary confident response to the challenges of the day. There is of Sherborne, Dr Graham Kings, said: “It was wonderful to School where children presented him with a book of pupil so much in the life of the church and nation which is a gift see churches working together to put on free events in profiles for Hope School (near the border with Southern for the wider church and for the world.” their local communities this year. There was such a buzz Sudan), for which Oxenhope school has helped provide during the Jubilee and the Torch Relay, and attending the new classrooms and extra staff.