Your rapid overview of today’s news and issues.
The symbol § indicates that a fuller report is posted on the CNI site in the category.
IRELAND
Ballymena celebrates Bible anniversary – The 400th anniversary of the King James Bible was marked in St Patrick’s, Ballymena, by a weekend of celebrations organised by curate assistant, Rev Alan Irwin.§
New Chaplain of St John’s, Sandymount – On Friday 25 November 2011 at 19.30, the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson will introduce the Revd Dr Paul Barlow as Chaplain. Dr Barlow has come to the Church of Ireland from the Diocese of Hereford.
Commission appointments – At a meeting of the Commission for Christian Unity and Dialogue held on Monday 21 November 2011 the following appointments were made to Commission’s Sub–Groups on Anglicanism and Inter–faith. Anglicanism: Canon P Comerford; Canon H Steed and Mr W Baker have been co–opted onto the working group. Inter–faith: The Rt Revd PW Rooke, Bishop of Tuam; Canon G. West; Revd S Pragnell and Ms Georgina Copty have co–opted onto the working group.
Ecumenical Prayer Service for UN Climate Summit – An ecumenical prayer service for the UN climate summit in Durban will be held in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, Balally, Dublin 16 on Thursday 1st December at 8pm. Christians of all denominations are invited to attend this service of reflection and prayer, which will focus on the theme ‘Discerning the Holy Spirit in the Life of Creation’.§
Prisons Week – This week of 20-26 November 2011 is designated as ‘Prisons Week 2011’ – a week of prayer for all those affected by prison life across the UK.§
Faith to Face – is the theme of a major conference to be held in Belfast next month. Organised by the Community Faiths’ Forum. It includes the launch of a research report by Tony Macaulay, a talk by Doreen Finneron, and a young people’s programme.§
GREAT BRITAIN
Archbishop welcomes high pay review – The Archbishop of York today welcomed yesterday’s report of the High Pay Commission’s independent inquiry into high pay and boardroom pay across the public and private sectors in the UK. He said, “Part of our task in creating a more caring and equal society is to change attitudes to excessively high incomes and the accumulation of private wealth without clear evidence of generously contributing to the common good.”§
C of E says ‘no’ to UK Bill of Rights proposal – Offering a clear “no” in answer to the question, “Do we need a UK Bill of Rights?”, the response goes on to argue that a UK Bill of Rights would either re-state the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, in which case it would be superfluous, or would add to them, in which case the additional rights and obligations would not be binding in the same sense as the Convention and their status in UK law would be unclear.§
RC church caught in new row over gay marriages – Gay Roman Catholics in partnerships have in effect been barred from an event about gay marriage, after organisers said it was aimed at developing “communication of church teaching” rather than debating it. Catholic Voices, which was set up to train ordinary parishioners for media appearances, is holding an event this week called Gay Marriage and the Common Good. But it has informed those with diverging views they are not welcome.
WORLD
New Zealand Anglican leaders support proportional representation – Leaders of the Anglican Church in New Zealand hope that voters at next weekend’s election referendum on MMP will give proportional representation the big tick. Archbishops David Moxon and Brown Turei – along with the church’s Social Justice Commissioner, the Rev Dr Anthony Dancer – say they’ve been encouraged to speak out because their experience has convinced them that proportional representation works. “Almost 30 years ago the Anglican Church in this country adopted a constitution which deliberately empowers and safeguards minority cultural streams.”§
Brazilian Anglican runs to paint church in the City of God – Luiz Coelho is a candidate for Anglican priesthood works in the Parish of Christ the King in the City of God in Rio de Janeiro. The City of God is amongst the poorest and most violent slums in Rio. Luiz is running half-marathons to fund his painting of sacred art in churches. Luiz was also one of the Young Anglicans that represented the Anglican Communion at Edinburgh 2010. His moving testimony to his running and art in relation to his faith is inspiring.§
MOTHERS UNION
A Christingle service – will be hosted by Connor Mothers’ Union and Christ Church Parish, Lisburn.§
MUSIC
Belfast appointment – David Stevens currently on the staff of Newcastle Cathedral has been appointed choirmaster at St Anne’s Cathedral.§
RSCM offer on hymns by Timothy Dudley-Smyth §