More than a million free prayer cards are being delivered to cathedrals and churches of all denominations to help people find comfort and hope in this world of uncertainty.

Hundreds of thousands of prayer cards are currently going out to cathedrals in England and Wales and other churches across the country in a unique project shaped by people’s experience of the pandemic.

Join us for the Launch of the EXPLORE Project on Monday 4th April.

Read it all.

News from the Association of English Cathedrals.
More than a million free prayer cards are being delivered to cathedrals and churches of all denominations to help people find comfort and hope in this world of uncertainty.#ExploreProjecthttps://t.co/9spTaqFAk2

— English Cathedrals (@engcathedrals) March 28, 2022

Downing Street has announced today, Thursday 31 March, that the new Bishop of Rochester will be the Rt Rev Jonathan Gibbs.

Jonathan is currently the Bishop of Huddersfield in the Diocese of Leeds and holds a national role in the Church of England as Lead Bishop for Safeguarding.

The announcement from Downing Street at 10am, confirmed that HM The Queen had approved the nomination of Bishop Jonathan to be the next Bishop of Rochester, succeeding the Rt Rev James Langstaff, who retired in July 2021.

Bishop Jonathan will lead the Church of England’s Diocese of Rochester, which serves a population of around 1.3 million people and covers 215 parishes across Medway, north and west Kent, and the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley.

He was revealed as the new Bishop of Rochester this morning at Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere, one of five Church of England secondary schools within the Diocese. While there, he had the chance to answer some of the students’ questions and engage with them in a time of prayer.

Read it all.

NEW BISHOP! We are delighted that the Rt Rev Jonathan Gibbs has been announced this morning as the new Bishop of Rochester. Jonathan is currently the Bishop of Huddersfield in the Diocese of Leeds. Read more https://t.co/CpCx7l8mri @rochestercathedral @BishopTonbridge pic.twitter.com/3XeUzJCj9E

— @SeeOfRochester (@SeeOfRochester) March 31, 2022

The Queen has approved the appointment of the Dean of Durham, The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, as the new Dean of St Paul’s.

He will succeed The Very Reverend Dr David Ison, who is due to retire in September 2022.

Andrew will take over leadership at an important moment for St Paul’s as it plays a central role in the rejuvenation of the City of London following the pandemic. He will oversee a growing schedule of services and special events, as visitors from the UK and overseas begin to return in their numbers to the capital.

The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, said, “I am delighted to be appointed as Dean of St Paul’s, following David Ison’s faithful tenure over the past decade. I’m keenly aware that I join the team at St Paul’s at a pivotal time with both immediate and systemic challenges….”

Read it all.

We are delighted to announce that Her Majesty The Queen has approved the appointment of The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, Dean of Durham, as the new Dean of St Paul’s, London ➡ https://t.co/xhBox9TOJH pic.twitter.com/BPJKMmSi8i

— Durham Cathedral (@durhamcathedral) March 30, 2022

Almighty God, the root and fountain of all being: Open our eyes to see, with thy servant John Donne, that whatsoever hath any being is a mirror in which we may behold thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

On his death #otd, 31 Mar 1631, here's a portrait of John Donne at the age of 18 from the frontispiece to his 'Poems' of 1635

(British Museum) pic.twitter.com/WtLi1boYyj

— John McCafferty (@jdmccafferty) March 31, 2022

We have much to learn from the African concept of Ubuntu which outlines how an authentic individual is part of a larger and more significant relational, communal, societal, environmental and spiritual world, writes Revd Canon Nigel Genders

It’s a concept which is at the heart of the Church of England’s approach to education which sets out our commitment to educating for life in all its fullness through a broad and rich curriculum that enables children and young people to truly flourish. Such an education, with its focus on hope and aspiration, is vital in the light of a pandemic which has impacted massively on children’s mental health and wellbeing.

Today’s Government White Paper has stepped up momentum for schools to become academies, with the Government setting a clear aspiration for all schools to join a strong multi academy trust by 2030.

Since the beginning of the Academy programme, I have always spoken of the need for interdependence rather than an approach to the school system which has been driven by individualism and autonomy. Our work on rural and small schools has highlighted the need to work together and for schools to embrace change through formation of structural collaborations and partnerships, so I am delighted to see this emphasis in the White Paper.

Read it all and please follow the link to the full white paper (near the bottom).

As @educationgovuk sets out its White Paper today, Chief Education Officer @nigelgenders explains how Church of England Schools will play their part in the schools system of the future. https://t.co/XC0N4nzPkg

— CofE Education (@CofE_Education) March 28, 2022

New every morning is the love
our wakening and uprising prove;
through sleep and darkness safely brought,
restored to life and power and thought.

New mercies, each returning day,
hover around us while we pray;
new perils past, new sins forgiven,
new thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.

If on our daily course our mind
be set to hallow all we find,
new treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.

Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be,
as more of heaven in each we see;
some softening gleam of love and prayer
shall dawn on every cross and care.

The trivial round, the common task,
will furnish all we ought to ask:
room to deny ourselves; a road
to bring us daily nearer God.

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love,
fit us for perfect rest above;
and help us, this and every day,
to live more nearly as we pray.

Today the Episcopal Church celebrates John Keble, Priest and Poet, 1866 https://t.co/BmTmViXUHn

Photo by Robert Hawker Peniel Preston, mid 1860s, in the National Portrait Gallery pic.twitter.com/hQhCS4qXk3

— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) March 29, 2022

The Bishop of Coventry wants the city to retain its link with Volgograd.

Coventry council voted on Tuesday to suspend the city’s 80-year twinning arrangement with the Russian city due to the Ukrainian war, despite an appeal by the Right Reverend Christopher Cocksworth for it to continue.

The bishop said it was important to “draw a distinction between the Putin state and the people of Russia”.

He said he would keep in contact with friends in the Russian city.

The Labour-run council said it was pausing its twinning links “with a heavy heart” until “such a time” they could resume.

Read it all.

The Bishop of Coventry wants the city to retain its link with Volgograd.https://t.co/7b1Nkv5w1K

— BBC Midlands Today (@bbcmtd) March 25, 2022

Listen to it all or there is more there if you so desire.

Gospel: "Her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love" (Lk 7). The "sinful woman" anoints Jesus's feet and her sins are forgiven. Mercy and forgiveness are at the heart of Jesus's ministry and so are at the heart of who God is. God is love. And God is mercy. pic.twitter.com/kgbAMY4i78

— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) September 17, 2020

The House was then given an update on the financial situation in dioceses. The discussion included an assessment of the current and future inflationary environment and discussed possible mitigation opportunities for those affected.

The House then then turned its attention to Bishops and their ministries. Phase One of the most recent consultation was discussed with a summary of the context and key themes that emerged from the conclusion of this phase of the consultation. This was followed by a presentation by the Chair of the Diocese Commissions on the proposed Phase Two of the consultation. The House also reviewed proposals to join up the work of the Diocese Commission and the Transforming Effectiveness work stream to facilitate diocesan collaboration and develop more shared services.

The House then had a substantive discussion on proposed changes to the membership of the Crown Nominations Commission for the See of Canterbury. A full range of views were expressed on potential changes and will be submitted to the Consultation as a formal response from the House of Bishops.

The House was then given an update on the reform of the Clergy Discipline Measure with the House invited to take note and make comments and suggestions in preparation of the final report that will come to the House in May.

Read it all.

Lord, graciously hear us.

Today's prayer is available in plain text and audio formats at https://t.co/Rn4jDVCRSG. pic.twitter.com/ZXVha0PZfe

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) March 25, 2022

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

Retirement is a serious business in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), in a country in which there are minimal or non-existent pensions and inadequate healthcare for senior citizens. It is a particular challenge for clergy, who must often fend for themselves. Mandatory retirement age is 70, and to be sure that everyone was fully aware, and birth certificates have not been lost, each bishop’s retirement date is published every year. Shortly before my 70th birthday, Angela and I were called forward at a meeting of the Provincial Synod and we were each given a one-time cash payment of $1000 as our pension. I tried to object, knowing that for many of the poorer bishops this was a substantial amount of money. I was sure they could make better use of it than I could, but I was told, quite firmly, that was not an option. We expressed our heartfelt thanks and thought again about the importance of preparation for retirement.

The first and perhaps most important question is, “What are we retiring to?” Not “What are we retiring from?” Bishop Dave Bena, a dear friend and mentor, has retired a number of times. He retired from military service (he served with distinction as a Marine and then in the US Air Force), and he retired as the suffragan bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, as my suffragan bishop in CANA, and most recently as the assistant bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word. He is something of an expert on retirement! But he spells it “retire-ment,” declaring that it is an opportunity to change tires and start a new journey.

One of the great blessings of ordained ministry is that while our particular place of service may change, our call to Gospel ministry remains unchanged – it is a lifelong call.

Read it all (quoted by yours truly at the conclusion to my Lenten teaching on a Christian theology of vocation, KSH).

We so appreciated our recent visit with the Interim Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh, the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns, his wife Angela, and daughter Rachel. Watch for Friday's post of his sermon for tomorrow's Eucharist as well. pic.twitter.com/W8jsl72Qpg

— Trinity School for Ministry (@TS4Ministry) March 30, 2021

Given the continuing controversy over these matters, and also over the handling of the allegation against the long-dead George Bell (on which Carey also has much to say), most readers will be tempted to skim through the early chapters, which deal mostly with Carey’s involvement post-retirement with the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, and the World Faiths Development Dialogue.

That is a pity, because Carey was deeply involved in these matters, and casts an interesting light on the tensions that bedevil those who want to assert the continuing importance of faith in international relations and economic development. Given his own background as the first truly working-class archbishop in many centuries, and not a product of public school and Oxbridge, his participation in these circles is testimony to an extraordinary career — something perhaps not always appreciated by his critics. He gives little sense here of any lack of confidence.

Read it all.

The Truth Will Set You Free by George Carey https://t.co/uKbY0hN2C8

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) March 20, 2022

If anyone who knows what it takes to start a new church, it’s the new bishop of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina.

Before being consecrated March 12 as the diocese’s top clergyman, the Right Rev. Chip Edgar helped grow a number of churches between Illinois and Florida by several hundred parishioners. His latest charge involved starting a new congregation of 25 parishioners that grew to 400 regular worshippers in Columbia. This all during an era where Christianity and mainline denominations have suffered decline and continue to navigate a pandemic that has forced them to find different ways to worship.

Despite the challenges facing mainline Christianity, Edgar believes in the diocese’s potential for growth. He agreed it will likely come about by starting new congregations.

Read it all.

Despite the challenges facing mainline Christianity, the Right Rev. Chip Edgar believes in the diocese’s potential for growth.

He agreed it will likely come about by starting new congregations.https://t.co/mLryCaSgcE

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) March 19, 2022

But we might do worse than ask why non-Western cultures so fear being sucked into what they consider a moral vacuum. If all they see is a series of reactive demands for emancipation acted out against a backdrop of consumerism and obsession with material growth, the suspicion and hostility is a bit more intelligible. What do we in the shrinking “liberal” world think emancipation is for? Perhaps it is for the liberation of all individuals to collaborate in a positive social project, in a society of sustainable and fair distribution of goods. Perhaps it is for the construction of a social order in which our interdependence, national and international, is more fully acknowledged.

Solidarity with Ukraine involves sanctions that will cost us as well as Russians – decisions that will affect our reliance on oil and gas and open our doors to more refugees. If we are willing to accept these consequences for the sake of a positive vision of interdependence and justice, we shall have a more compelling narrative to oppose the dramatic, even apocalyptic, myths arising elsewhere in the world.

Unwelcome neighbours, after all, tend not simply to disappear; in which case, we must work out how we live respectfully with them. One thing that might be said in response to Patriarch Kirill is that neighbours have to be loved, not terrorised into resentful silence – a matter on which the God first acknowledged in Kyiv in 988 had a good deal to say.

Read it all.

‘By supporting the war, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow has both normalised sinful behaviour and polluted Russian Christian identity.’ Rowan Williams https://t.co/BmoCmmVQ6A

— John Inge (@BishopWorcester) March 21, 2022

Ill-treating workers is not just business. In God’s eyes it is sin.

P&O has sacked 800 people in Dover, a town dependent on shipping. Dover is a major part of the Diocese of Canterbury which we serve as Bishops.

The extraordinary move is at the command of DP World, the Dubai based and owned parent company, which made record profits last year. The move is cynically timed for a moment when world attention is on Ukraine. Done without warning or consultation it is inhumane, treats human beings as a commodity of no basic value or dignity and is completely unethical.

Read it all.

“P&O: Joint statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Dover
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” – Amos 5:24
Ill-treating workers is not just business. In God’s eyes it is sin.” https://t.co/0ck5KT5fQv

— Margaret Georgiadou aka GangstaGran #FBPA #FBPPR (@madgie1941) March 18, 2022

Archbishop Stephen Cottrell joined the Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev James Newcome, who is currently completing a Lent walk across the Diocese of Carlisle, with the two meeting a local marathon man fundraiser and spending time with members of West Cumbria Ukrainian Appeal.

The Rev Nicky Pennington hosted the pair as they also met parishioners and school children in the Crosslacon Team (Cleator Moor, Cleator, Arlecdon and Frizington) before later heading to Ennerdale.

Archbishop Stephen and Bishop James were able to bless two vans laden with goods and medical supplies just before local people waved the drivers off on their journey to a refugee camp in Poland.

Archbishop Stephen said: “There’s nothing good about this war in Ukraine: it’s barbaric, it’s evil and I pray that it will soon stop. But what I see time and again is that where there is horror and evil, good can come from it. That’s been shown by this community who have come together and said ‘The people in Ukraine are our sisters and brothers’. Those vans will be a lifeline to some refugee families.”

Read it all.

Archbishop of York praises Cumbrian community spirit | The Archbishop of York https://t.co/YuSIxcrNrN

— phil edwards (@edwasp) March 18, 2022

Listen to it all (just under 2 minutes).

Meet the next Bishop of Ripon, Rt Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley https://t.co/AQ6gyxGwNY pic.twitter.com/f0nIPxP1wy

— Diocese of Leeds (@LeedsCofE) November 9, 2017

The convention elected the following individuals to serve in the diocese:
Standing Committee: The Rev. Gary Beson, the Very Rev. Peet Dickinson, Wynne Boone and Judy McMeekin

Diocesan Council: The Rev. Chance Perdue, the Rev. Matthew Rivers, Janis Brazeale and Gill Frierson

Diocesan Trustees: Alonzo Galvan

Ecclesiastical Court: The Rev. Jeremy Shelton, the Rev. Greg Smith and the Rev. Nelson Weaver, Rick Adams and Seth Whitaker

ACNA Provincial Council: The Rev. Bob Lawrence (delegate), the Rev. Tyler Prescott (alternate), John Benson and Justin Johnson (delegates), Johnny Wallace and Dave Wright (alternates)

Missions Transition to Parish Status:
Congratulations to The Well, Myrtle Beach and Holy Apostles, Barnwell

One of the highlights of the convention was the welcoming of two missions which transitioned to parish status: The Well, Myrtle Beach and Holy Apostles, Barnwell. The clergy and representatives of the two churches received a standing ovation for their new status.

Read it all.

Norwich’s outgoing reverend has been awarded the city’s highest civic honour.

The Very Rev Dr Jane Hedges was granted the Freedom of the City (FOTC) at a special council meeting on Tuesday.

Dr Hedges has been dean of Norwich Cathedral since 2014, the first woman to hold the role. She is due to stand down on May 1.

The reverend received praise for engaging new audiences through several initiatives including installing a helter-skelter in the nave and helping to bring the ‘Dippy the Dinosaur’ exhibition to the church.

Read it all.

A privilege to be present as Dean Jane Hedges ⁦@Nrw_Cathedral⁩ was given the Freedom of the City of Norwich. Movingly, the Freedom was also given to the Ukrainian cities of Lviv and Odessa, ⁦@NorwichCC⁩ twin ⁦@UNESCO⁩ Cities of Literature https://t.co/WgfZWlERuQ

— Graham Usher (@bishopnorwich) March 16, 2022

Terry Halstead, from Todmorden, took up the hobby when he was in his teens and still at school.

“Four of us lads went to Christ Church, in Todmorden, and they agreed to teach us the art. It was probably a mistake – four teenagers were something of a handful – but I have loved it ever since,” he said.

“I continued when Christ Church closed as a Church, and moved to St Mary’s in Todmorden, where a new set of eight bells were installed by the local ringers, seven newly cast, and one chiming bell taken from Christ Church. As I got older St Mary’s proved to be a wise move. “It is a ground-floor ringing room, there are no well-worn stone steps to climb.”

Read it all.

Bells ring out for Terry from Todmorden's 100th birthdayhttps://t.co/u0FI2Mzxse

— Halifax Courier (@HXCourier) March 15, 2022

Many companies are still lobbying against the Paris Agreement, according to InfluenceMap, a nonprofit group that pushes for corporate action on climate. It says only 14% of 375 companies it tracks have aligned their detailed climate-policy engagement activities with the Paris Agreement.

“Corporate political engagement continues to represent one of the key barriers to delivering the Paris Agreement’s goals,” said Ed Collins, director of corporate lobbying at InfluenceMap.

Having a shared standard will make it easier for companies to show their public climate promises are serious, said Adam Matthews, chief responsible investment officer at the Church of England Pensions Board.

But companies that don’t sign up may face more shareholder pressure.

Read it all (registration or subscription).

💡Climate policy is one of the main interventions that will get us on a path to 1.5ºC. An impressive 21 resolutions have been filed in the US on Paris-Aligned Lobbying for the 2022 proxy season @CeresNews https://t.co/8YJ1H80sY7 via @WSJ

— Rebecca Hoffman (@rebeccahoffmn) March 14, 2022

In his final address to the Convention of The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, Bishop Mark Lawrence thanked various groups for their partnership these last 14 years. “If I have stood firm and at times resolute and perhaps even resilient, it is because you have stood firmly beside me,” he said.

The Convention, which was held Friday, March 11, 2022, at Saint James Anglican Church, Charleston was shortened to enable the consecration of our new bishop, the Rt Revd Chip Edgar, to be held the next day, Saturday, March 12.

In his address, Bishop Lawrence reflected on the steep learning curve he had as Bishop, quoting Bishop Salmon, who said the transition “reminded him of a NASCAR race. ‘He would drive into the Pit Stop, jump out, and South Carolina 14 would jump in.’”

“Frankly, I have a far less stressful handing over the reins than did he,” said Lawrence. “And moreover, I trust Charles Francis Edgar III will have less stressful receiving of them than did I. If this is true, it’s partially due to the ACNA – the Anglican Church in North America, the provincial Church we are now part of, and likewise to the greater unity within the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. In addition, it’s partially due to the competence of my successor…”

The most poignant part of his address came at the very end when he thanked various diocesan groups, committees – and his wife, Allison.

Read it all and please note the many links at the bottom of the article for excellent and interesting material you should consider giving your time to.

As our diocese transitions towards a new season of leadership, it’s a good time to glean some final reflections and advice from Bishop Lawrence. What wisdom would he want to share with us? Read https://t.co/G6e7dovN4I to find out! #BishopLawrence #WordsOfWisdom #ADOSC pic.twitter.com/Hs3aFx4Vfv

— Anglican Diocese of SC (@anglican_sc) February 23, 2022

The ‘citizen science’ event – set to run between 4-12th June – will welcome people to churchyards and encourage them to record what animals and plants they see. That data will then be collated on the biological records hub, the National Biodiversity Network.

Last year more than 540 activities and events were organised by churches across the country. People submitted 17,232 recorded pieces of data on wildlife they saw, with more than 1,500 species recorded.

This year’s event will take place during the same week as Love Your Burial Ground Week (4-12th June).

Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich and lead Church of England bishop for the environment, encouraged churches to start preparing.

He said: “I’m encouraging every parish to get involved with this year’s Churches Count on Nature.

“Churchyards and gardens are an incredible home of biodiversity, making up thousands of acres of green oases in every community of the country. Last year, hundreds of parishes got their local community searching for insects and plants in their open spaces.

Read it all.

Churches and cathedrals are preparing for the annual Churches Count on Nature event. 🌳

As part of 'Love Your Burial Ground Week' the event will welcome people to churchyards, and encourage them to record what animals and plants they see.

Read more at https://t.co/fcKuvQslfB.

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) March 14, 2022

We learn, lastly, from these verses, that converted sinners will always give evidence of their conversion. We are told that Zaccheus “stood, and said unto the Lord, the half of my goods I give unto the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” There was reality in that speech. There was unmistakable proof that Zaccheus was a new creature. When a wealthy Christian begins to distribute his riches, and an extortioner begins to make restitution, we may well believe that old things have passed away, and all things become new. (2 Cor. 5:17.) There was decision in that speech. “I give,” says Zaccheus–“I restore.” He does not speak of future intentions. He does not say, “I will,” but “I do.” Freely pardoned, and raised from death to life, Zaccheus felt that he could not begin too soon to show whose he was and whom he served.

—Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, quoted by yours truly in the morning sermon

Luke 19:1-10
Jesus entered Jericho&was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance:he was one of the senior tax collectors&a wealthy man.He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was,but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. pic.twitter.com/kfXgFgLty8

— Kalina Boulter (@KalinaBoulter) November 20, 2018

It is now seven years since a task group led by the finance chair of the Archbishops’ Council, John Spence, published Resourcing the Future (News, 16 January 2015), a report that proposed a “fundamental shift” in the ways money from the Church Commissioners was distributed to dioceses, warning that those currently deployed had “only a superficial link to growth and have failed the poorest communities” and that “a large amount of money is subsidising decline.”

Under the existing approach at the time, most central funds had been provided under the Darlow formula, which calculated the needs of parishes on the basis of financial need and attendance. This was replaced with the two new funding streams (News, 21 October 2016). Half of the total (£24 million per year at the outset) would be earmarked for the dioceses with the greatest concentration of low-income communities through LInC. The other half, SDF, would be made available to dioceses through grants for which they would have to bid, demonstrating that their project would result in “a significant difference to their mission and financial health”.

The new approach was introduced in 2017, to run until 2026.

The Archbishops’ Council has been challenged to conduct and publish an independent review of SDF. While some dioceses have published evaluations of their projects, including Leicester (News, 3 October 2019) and Portsmouth, many others have not. Mr Spence, who also chairs the SIB, told General Synod in 2019 that by the following year there would be enough evidence for an “objective, thor­ough, and independent review” (Features, 15 November 2019).

Read it all (registration or subscription).

“As a response to the perceived failure of the Church to serve particular communities effectively, SDF projects are of their nature disruptive to the existing church ecology and thus elicit strong positive and negative reactions." https://t.co/QMPFfdZmBR

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) March 10, 2022