E I D Catherine Fox S IN returns this week plus tips on how to have a stress free Christmas E8, 14 THE SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2012 No: 6150 www.churchnewspaper.com PRICE £1.35 1,70j US$2.20 CHURCH OF ENGLAND THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED IN 1828 NEWSPAPER Synod to decide on women bishops By Amaris Cole Final Approval again for at least five years. THE GENERAL Secretary of the The rest of the agenda for the Synod said members need to November session was also decide ‘is it a yes or is it a no’ to addressed at the press briefing. women bishops in the last debate While the Tuesday will solely on the legislation this month. be concerned with women bish- Last week William Fittall told a ops, the rest of the three-day press briefing before the Novem- Synod will address the Anglican ber session that the 470 Synod Communion Covenant, children members need to ‘make up their to be allowed to administer com- minds’ as the legislation now goes munion, the living wage, youth before Final Approval. unemployment and of course the The Church of England for the farewell to the Archbishop of Can- first time published legal advice to terbury. the House of Bishops concerning The Diocesan Synod Motion to the use of the term ‘respect’ in the allow children to administer the amendment to the draft legisla- Holy Sacrament to others, includ- tion, Canon No. 30 following the ing those not confirmed, seeks to controversy over Clause 5 (1) (c). ‘help children feel included in the This could be used in a judicial service’. review, it was warned, in a ‘case Issues are bound to be debated where somebody felt a Bishop in this session as to the morality had not paid due regard to the of children serving other children Code’. wine, but the clerk to the Synod, But Mr Fittall suggested there Dr Colin Podmore said the level was a general expectation that will be the New Year before the would also need to happen, which the Bishop of Manchester, the of alcohol in Communion wine is this legislation would pass, House of Commons and the establishes the role of ‘flying bish- Bishop of Dover, Bishop of ‘negligible’, and that there is no although the ‘arithmetic was House of Lords will debate the ops’. Coventry, the Bishop of Chich- legal issue. tight’. Measure. Mr Fittall estimated the first ester and the Bishop of St Mr John Freeman brings to the “The expectation in the Church If Final Approval is secured in women bishop could not be seen Edmundsbury and Ipswich, who Synod the issue of the Living of England, given the very strong both Houses of Parliament, Royal until at least the first part of 2014, will Chair. Wage, calling for all churches to support from the dioceses and the Assent and necessary provisions following this extensive process. However, should the women adopt this and pay employees no expectation outside the Church of for the Measure to be brought Although the Synod were given bishops measure fall, it will be for less, to ‘lift people out of poverty’. England, is that this is going to go into force will be addressed, an illustrative code in January of the House of Bishops and the In the meeting, Dr Podmore through.” before the Archbishops and this year, the Bishops ‘can’t give Archbishops’ Council to decide said: “This is the next step in the Should this happen, the Legisla- House of Bishops will be able to any assurances at this stage of how to test the mind of Synod as very long tradition of Christians tive Committee of the Synod will make a Code of Practice in May what the Code will say’, Mr Fittall to what should happen next. campaigning for the Living send it, with explanation, to the 2013. said. As Mr Fittall warned, in reality Wage.” Ecclesiastical Committee of Par- At this time, consideration of A group has already been estab- if this were to happen legislation The November Synod will take liament who will meet before the terms of the draft Act of Synod lished to form this Code should concerning women bishops place at Church House, London Christmas to discuss, though it to rescind the 1993 Act of Synod the legislation pass, and includes would not be put before Synod for from 19-21 November. UNHAPPY CHRISTMAS Be the good news to the poorest children in England WWW.CUF.ORG.UK/CHURCHES LETTERS 8 • COMMENT 9 • JAMES CATFORD 9 • CLERGY MOVES 12 • ANGLICAN LIFE 13 • SUNDAY 15 • PAUL RICHARDSON 16 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday November 4, 2012 News Inside... Britain’ s leading evangelical newspaper Appeal for unusual clock By Michael Brown subsidence, and it last underwent a refurbishment 10 years ago. Then five years ago a new face was provided to its famous 13-hour IT BOASTS one of the most unusual timepieces in the country and clock by the Leeman family in memory of churchwarden John Lee- was once the subject of a mocking broadcast by the Nazi propagan- man, who used to wind the clock up each week, a task now per- dist Lord Haw Haw. formed by his son-in-law. And now parishioners have launched a fundraising appeal to keep “It is just ongoing because of its age,” said PCC treasurer Joan Whitgift church ticking along after a survey found it to be in need of Drayton. “It is an integral part of the community historically and urgent repair. part of village life.” St Mary Magdalene’s, a Grade 1 listed church which sits near the No one is certain how the clock came to have a number XIII, but River Ouse between Whitgift and Reedness near Goole, Sheffield local legend has it that the painter responsible had made good use diocese, needs repairs to its roof, tower and other work after major of the pub next door while carrying out the work. faults were found in a survey by English Heritage. Lord Haw Haw bragged during World War II that German Whitgift’s church council has been awarded £54,000 towards the bombers would fly so low they would “be able to see the 13th hand £119,000 cost of the scheme from the Heritage Lottery fund, and of the Whitgift church clock”. although they and The Friends of Whitgift Church have raised a signif- Church council said: “We hope that people with connections to News . 1-7 icant amount towards the remainder, there is still a £13,000 shortfall. this unique 14th century church will make a donation towards this Your Church . 2 Its proximity to the river means there are ongoing issues with important restoration work.” UK News . 1-4 World News . 5-7 Comment Letters . .8, 11 Leader . .9 Police patrols for Brontë graveyard James Catford . 9 By Michael Brown the thefts and said numerous England on Sunday sites connected to the family Biblical wines for Christmas . .E1 POLICE HAVE been patrolling had been targeted in recent Andrew Carey . .E2 an historic graveyard closely years, including Haworth Whispering Gallery . .E2 linked to the Brontës after church which had had lead Ruth Gledhill . .E3 thieves desecrated it, stealing stripped from its roof. Judy West . .E3 three ancient headstones that She said: “People need to be Christmas Gift choice . .E4, E5 have been there for 200 years. vigilant because when it’s gone, Films . .E6 The damage to the Old Bell it is gone. I just don’t know how Books . .E7 Chapel, also known as the Bron- you go about educating people Crossword . .E7 të Bell Chapel, Bradford, was that this is part of their heritage Catherine Fox . .E8 discovered two weeks ago with they are destroying.” Janey Lee Grace . .E8 police branding the theft “despi- One of the headstones stolen cable”. was next to the grave of famed The Record Up to 30 metres of Yorkshire author Joseph Lister, who was a College Street . .10 stone was also stolen from a friend of Lord Fairfax and was Classifieds . 11 pathway in the graveyard next involved in the Siege of Brad- Clergy Moves . .12 to the chapel - opposite St ford in the English Civil War in Anglican Life . .13 James’ church - where Patrick 1642. Preparing for Christmas . .14 Brontë, father of the famed nov- after fears were raised that the officers would continue to pay The church is currently try- Spiritual Director . .15 elists, was minister between thieves would return for more special attention to the site dur- ing to establish the ownership of Sunday Service . .15 1815 and 1820 before moving to slabs they had already removed ing regular patrols. the stolen headstones. And Alan Edwards . .15 nearby Haworth as rector. and stacked in the cemetery. Ann Dinsdale, acting director police are appealing for informa- Paul Richardson . .16 Police patrolled the chapel West Yorkshire police said of Brontë society, condemned tion about the thefts. News from Your Church your diocese London: The Archbishop of Canterbury and the mental part of grieving. St Paul told Christians to ‘Bear one anoth- loween frightening and, as a church we have always tried health anti-stigma programme Time to Change, which is er’s burdens’ and God bless you for doing that.” to give children the chance to focus on the brighter, happi- run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, er parts of life. But we know too that many older people have hosted an event for leaders from different faiths to Sheffield: Churchwardens from across the Diocese of don’t like Halloween, and are wary of the unexpected look at ways of tackling the stigma and discrimination Sheffield gathered on Saturday for their annual confer- knocks on the door, and the groups of young people out on faced by people with mental health problems in their com- ence at the Elim Christian Centre, Rotherham.