THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER. ESTABLISHED IN 1828 THE Government policy Under CHURCHOF fire: ENGLAND p9 ‘Woodbine Newspaper Willie’ wows the Fringe p12 NOW AVAILABLE ON NEWSSTAND FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 No: 6242 Mercy Ship mission delayed as Ebola panic spreads A CHRISTIAN Mercy Ship ty’s president and founder Don has been delayed in sailing for Stephens. Benin after the outbreak of “Multi-bed wards and limited Ebola across West Africa. The isolation facilities, close proxim- ship had its deployment to ity to crew accommodation and Guinea cancelled earlier this dining for families and children year. are but a few restraints,” The Mercy Ship was due to Stephens said. “We also hire sail for the port of Cotonou, 200 crew each day in each port Benin, for its 10-month field as part of our training and African service last week but has capacity building for Africa.” countries delayed that sail pending fur- Stephens said the organiza- affected by ther assessment due to the vir- tion is closely monitoring the the Ebola ulence of the outbreak in situation on the whole of the virus neighbouring Nigeria. African continent. “Africa is and Earlier, in April, Mercy remains our priority, but crew Ships made the difficult deci- safety drives every decision,” sion to cancel the hospital he emphasised. ship’s planned deployment to “We request prayer as we Guinea, where the Ebola out- consider all options to manage break began last December. the risk, including deployment Currently docked in the to other unaffected nations.” Canary Islands, it is This ship’s crew of 400 repre- unequipped to treat viral epi- sents 40 nations, with up to 60 demics, according to the chari- children onboard at any time. Australian model ‘has much to teach the UK,’ says Archbishop By a staff reporter work to do to get the Church of England to realise the Minister, Tony Abbott, to ask that Australia offer asy- scale of the challenge. lum to Christians fleeing from northern Iraq. AUSTRALIA’S model of a Royal Commission into child In reference to questions on divisions in the Anglican In a sermon in Melbourne Cathedral to mark the abuse has much to teach the UK, Archbishop Justin Communion, the Archbishop claimed that the Com- start of Archbishop Freier’s ministry as Primate, Arch- Welby said in an interview on ABC television during a munion ‘still holds’ and that everywhere he has been he bishop Welby called on Anglicans to pursue ‘positive recent visit to Australia. has found a sense that ‘we belong to one another’ and holiness,’ which he said would ‘set us free from sins of He said the Church of England has called for a public that ‘Christ is calling us to work together’. defensive, inward looking, competitive argument’. He inquiry and the Australian model may be a good one. “Anglicans are like a family that doesn’t have its argu- admitted that ‘in the UK the TV public image of the He admitted that the churches had let down victims and ments in private,” he said, but went on to report that in church is, wrongly, at best of quarrelsome idiots, and needed to be ‘deeply repentant’. all the Provinces he has visited he has found that people often concealing villains’. He argued that it was crucial the inquiry was con- value the link with Canterbury. Leaving Australia on Friday, the Archbishop travelled ducted by an independent body with legal powers that While in Australia the Archbishop made a joint state- to New Zealand for the last leg of his visit to the Pri- was properly funded with cross-party support. ment on Iraq with the Primate, the Most Rev Philip mates of the South Pacific. While in New Zealand he Referring to the Church of England and the problem Freier, and took part in a press conference with him. met with the three Archbishops of the three Tikanga of of child abuse, he said that he was not happy with the Referring to ISIS he said: “We cannot allow these atroc- the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and ‘degree of complacency’ but he praised the work of the ities to be unleashed with impunity”. He referred to a Polynesia: Archbishop William Brown Turei Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Paul Butler, on abuse ‘rising and increasingly serious persecution of Chris- (Aotearoa), Archbishop Philip Richardson (New issues. He described the bishop as ‘gifted and capable’ tians and other groups in many countries’. Zealand) and Archbishop Winston Halapua (Polyne- but said ‘he has not got there yet’ because there is more Archbishop Freier said he had written to the Prime sia). [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper THE 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday August 22, 2014 News Diocese of Blackburn Diocese of Hereford CHURCH The crisis in Gaza was the focus IN Two new Temple Lectures have been announced for September of a day of quiet reflection in the when Bishop Henry Scriven and Ray Simpson will speak. The diocese last week. The South lectures, organized on an occasional basis, are intended to Shropshire Interfaith Forum support the teaching ministry of diocesan bishop Julian organized the event, but David ENGLAND Henderson. The first talk, on 2 September, will feature Bishop Roberts, the interfaith adviser for Scriven – who has worked extensively overseas and is now the the diocese, stressed that it was CMS mission director or Latin America – will focus on the global not an opportunity to debate the and local nature of mission. situation. “The idea is to spend A week later, on 9 September, will hear from Ray Simpson, the time in prayer that the situation Founding Guardian of the Community of St Aidan and St Hilda on in that crowded area of the world Holy Island, who will talk on ‘Pilgrimage, place and hospitality.’ might be resolved,” he said. Diocese of Chester Diocese of Derby Star Trek actor George Takei went to Hugh Morris has been the top of Chester named as the Cathedral’s Cathedral tower while new Director of Music. He on a visit to the city succeeds Canon Peter recently. The star – Mr Gould on his retirement, Sulu in the sci-fi TV who has been in post for 32 drama and in six spin- years. off movies – went on Hugh joins the Cathedral the ‘Cathedral at from Christchurch Priory, Height’ tour with his one of the great churches partner Brad Altman. in England, where he has The cathedral’s visitor been part-time Director of and heritage manager Music since 2009. Hugh Nick Fry said: “We has also worked part-time were delighted to for the last five years as a welcome George to music teacher at the cathedral. It was Bournemouth School for an honour to meet him Girls. He has also given and we are so pleased organ recitals and he enjoyed his tour participated in a wide and his time in the range of concerts, building. It certainly including organising the brightened up our recent Priory Music day!” Festival. Diocese of Bath and Wells or tablets ahead of their visit, but Diocese of London listening points are also available A new audio guide has been within the Abbey. unveiled at Bath Abbey, featuring Dr Oliver Taylor, Oral History A former stand-up the stories of the craft men and Project Manager at Bath Abbey, comedian and a former women who helped care for and said: “The ‘Creating Voices’ reporter, who are now restore the Abbey’s historic project has swept the dust from two leading theologians, architecture. The new guide is our history books and has are to speak at St Paul’s part of the ‘Creating Voices’ oral opened our eyes to fresh first- Cathedral next week. history project, which has been hand personal stories of Bath The founding pastor of supported by a grant of £22,000 Abbey from as far back as 1942.” the House for All Sinners from the Heritage Lottery Fund. and All Saints, a mission People are being encouraged to The audioguides can be found at church in Denver, download the guides from the www.bathabbey.org.uk/ Colorado, Nadia Bolz- website to their mobile phones creatingvoices Weber is a former stand- up comic and a leading voice in the Emerging Diocese of Durham Church movement in America. She is also a New York Times Visitors to Durham Cathedral will see the Bishop, Paul Butler, saying bestselling author. Her prayers from the top of the tower next month as part of an event latest book is entitled promoting prayer across the Diocese. Cranky, Beautiful Faith. The Bishop will be taking part in Spiritus 2014, which is aimed at Sara Miles is the Director Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham encouraging people to examine the role of prayer in everyday life. of Ministry at St Gregory Market stalls, workshops, two Cathedral services, and people out of Nyssa Episcopal The USA’s leading young concert organist, Nathan Laube, made on the streets handing out blessing cards and doing random acts of Church in San Francisco, his first appearance in the East Midlands, when he performed on kindness, will all feature on the day. and the founder of The the organ at Southwell Minster. Fiona Fidgin, Outreach Coordinator at St Antony’s Priory, Durham, Food Pantry. A former His programme included music by Widor and Mendelssohn, his who is organising the 6 September event, said: “Prayer and reporter, she is the author own virtuosic transcription of Rossini’s ‘William Tell’ Overture pilgrimage have been part of the story of the North East for centuries. of Take This Bread: A and concluded with Liszt’s blockbuster Ad nos, ad salutarem Last year, we saw a major pilgrimage to Holy Island and the visit of Radical Conversion and undam.