Brought up in rural Staffordshire, Bishop Michael attended a small Church of England primary school and a rural church. Bishop Michael was ordained in 1999 and until his appointment as Director of Mission in the Diocese of Oxford in 2010, he combined his scientific work 50:50 with work in Christian ministry as a missioner and theological educator.

The Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith, the Bishop of St Albans “I am delighted to receive the news that Michael Beasley is to be the new Bishop of Bath and Wells. Michael has served with distinction as Suffragan Bishop of Hertford in this diocese since mid-2015, and he will leave an impressive and long-lasting legacy here.”

Bishop Michael and Lizzie have two young children. In his spare time, he enjoys tending his garden and his bees.

His appointment follows the retirement of the Rt Revd Peter Hancock, who stood down as Bishop of Bath and Wells in May 2021 due to ill health.

Read it all.

Downing Street has announced today (10am, 28 April 2022) that the Rt Revd Michael Beasley will be the next Bishop of Bath and Wells. Read the full announcement. #NewBish https://t.co/B9lqJgsAeK pic.twitter.com/eu2V33hDoA

— Diocese of Bath & Wells (@BathWells) April 28, 2022

In this exile for the past two years and in this fast, everything that challenges our world and everything that we depended on to sustain our Christian life was suspended, but Christ remained. His love endured.

There we were, on our own, cut off in the upper rooms of our homes and unable to go to church, and Christ found us.

I see this in Craigie Aitchison’s images of the isolated Christ, who comes to us in our isolation, showing us that we don’t actually need anything else, and that in the end all the things we enjoy – material blessings, other people, the worship and comfort of the church, the sacraments themselves – all of them will cease.

Or to put it another way; He is Risen. This is the great Easter hope. In his dying and rising, we find our identity as those who are redeemed and restored by Christ. We find ourselves within the life of the God who now bears the scars of passion.

Or rather, Christ finds us. He comes to us, as he came to Mary Magdalene, and he asks why we’re crying and who we’re looking for.

He has returned to take us with him. Like Mary and like Elizabeth who will be baptised in just a moment, He know us by name. He shows us what really matters.

Read it all.

We greet the risen Lord with joy, proclaiming Alleluia, Christ is risen, he is risen indeed! To read my Easter Day sermon @York_Minster https://t.co/GaxGi4QQ8B

— Stephen Cottrell (@CottrellStephen) April 17, 2022

But the Easter message is that what we cannot do has been brought into the world by God.

For Christ Jesus is alive with the life of the world to come. A life where every tear is wiped away, every injustice righted, every evil exposed and judged and banished. And through Jesus a new future is set for the whole world. The resurrection promises each nation, and every victim and survivor, that the injustices, cruelties, evil deeds and soulless institutions of this world do not have the last word.

Not only his blood stained grave clothes are left behind in the tomb but all of our grave clothes.

This is what we proclaim at Easter. It is a season of life and hope, of repentance and renewal. This week in the Eastern Orthodox world it is Holy Week, the greatest time for repentance. Muslims are in Ramadan, a time for purification and change, coming to Eid. Jews celebrate the Passover and liberation. Let this be a time for Russian ceasefire, withdrawal and a commitment to talks. This is a time for resetting the ways of peace, not for what Bismarck called blood and iron. Let Christ prevail! Let the darkness of war be banished.

Read it all.

The resurrection is the conquest of death and the opening of eternal life – through Jesus a gift offered to every human being who reaches out to him.

My sermon at the Easter Day Sung Eucharist at @CburyCathedral this morning: https://t.co/6SqsKBioDn

— Archbishop of Canterbury (@JustinWelby) April 17, 2022

In this resurrection the world knows fully and finally that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God: an absolutely unique person in the whole of the human story. We have remembered in Holy Week and on Good Friday his death on the cross for the sins of the whole world – so that we might be forgiven. We recognise that God is at work in Christ to love and redeem the world and that the power of the resurrection is able to transform every life, every place and, ultimately, the whole of creation.

This is a moment and a season to travel deeper into Easter joy – perhaps deeper than we have ever journeyed in our lives before – because the need in the world is so great.

St. Luke tells the story of the resurrection in a particular way across the final chapter of the gospel. Luke’s account is framed in a single day, the day of resurrection.

We begin at the empty tomb in the early morning. The women come and meet the angels who give them the glorious news of resurrection. We continue through the middle of the day with the two disciples walking to Emmaus and the risen Christ draws near, an unseen stranger, recognised as hearts are set on fire and eyes opened in the breaking of the bread. In the evening, the disciples gather in the upper room and Jesus appears with them and leads them out to the Bethany and blesses them.

This great good news is hard to take in. This is how Luke describes the response of the disciples in the Upper Room when he shows them his hands and his feet: “While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering…” (Luke 24.41). Big truths need time.

Read it all.

#HappyEaster everyone!

Christ is risen as he said,
He is risen indeed! #Alleluia!#Easter#ChristIsRisen #AlleluiaAlleluiaAlleluia! #LordJesusChrist pic.twitter.com/Q5iwQW0BGX

— PrayeroftheChurch (@Neddamred) April 16, 2022

I appeared on Question Time in Canterbury, the diocese I serve. It was the first time an Archbishop of Canterbury has been on the programme, so no pressure there. There were impassioned discussions about the appalling atrocities in Ukraine, the cost of living crisis, the government’s energy strategy and the impact of lorry tailbacks on the people of Kent. There were also lots of sharp disagreements, but I came away with a strong sense that so many of us share a deep desire for justice, fairness and the common good.

Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, arrived in nearby Thanet in 597 ad. Being in this diocese, surrounded by reminders of my predecessors, I’m struck by the history of this church in this country – from the violent death of Thomas Becket on the orders of Henry II to the welcome of French Huguenot refugees in the 17th century. Our calling has remained the same: to be the Church for England, making the good news of Jesus Christ known, serving those on the margins and loving our neighbour. As I celebrate this Easter Sunday, I will do so with the suffering of people at home and abroad on my mind and the hope of the risen Christ in my heart.

Read it all.

This is a really endearing, and profound, set of reflections by @JustinWelby. A good way to kick off the most holy days of the year.https://t.co/PWEhZGYMVN

— Marcus Walker (@WalkerMarcus) April 14, 2022

The true size and importance of a medieval church has been revealed following an archaeological survey by Historic England.

Dunstable Priory in Bedfordshire was founded by Henry I in 1132 for the Augustinian Canons.

It was the location of the court which annulled Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

The church survived his dissolution of the monasteries, but was once “grander and more elaborate”, the survey shows

Read it all.

Archaeological surveys at Dunstable Priory @diostalbans reveal larger church. https://t.co/IPZsNku1Fq

— Janet Gough (@Gough_Janet) April 8, 2022

Churches across the UK are continuing their efforts to assist refugees from the war in Ukraine.

The latest figures from the United Nations show that almost 4.3 million people have left Ukraine since the outbreak of war. The International Organization for Migration says that 7.1 million are displaced within the country.

In rural North Yorkshire, the Rector of the Whorlton Benefice, the Revd Dr Robert Opala, has been involved in helping several Ukrainian families find sanctuary.

Dr Opala, who is originally from Poland, has been working with the Middlesbrough-based charity Investing in People and Culture, which has facilitated the connections needed for refugees to apply for a visa under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The application process, Dr Opala said, has proved “difficult and complicated”, and has created “a lot of frustration and even anger”.

Read it all.

Parishes navigate obstacles to help refugees arriving in UK https://t.co/0KDIXArKRA

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) April 8, 2022

The Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge, has criticised the Government’s Spring Statement for not doing enough to alleviate pressures on the poor, and said that the Church was “reaching the limit” as to what it could do to cover the shortfall.

Dr Inge was speaking in a debate on the Spring Statement in the Grand Committee of the House of Lords on Thursday.

“While it is clear that the measures announced in the Spring Statement and previously by the Chancellor on energy prices and other measures will help lower-income families, it is far from clear that they will compensate for price inflation,” he said. “The fact is that they most likely will not. It is also the case that, while the increase in prices is universal, the support offered by these measures is not, and there will be vulnerable groups who will not feel their impact.”

Dr Inge said that the Church had been “very active in seeking to alleviate poverty and everything associated with it since the crash of over ten years ago”, but it needed more support from the Government.

Read it all.

Church ‘reaching the limit’ on what it can do to alleviate poverty, says Bishop of Worcester https://t.co/OHl6fYLCSO

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) April 5, 2022

The Bishop of Birkenhead, Julie Conalty, has been appointed a deputy lead bishop for safeguarding with a focus on survivor engagement. She takes over from the Bishop of Southampton, Debbie Sellin.

Bishop Julie said: “It is a huge privilege to take on this role and to work for and alongside survivors. I won’t always get it right, but I am committed to the making the Church of England safer and to creating a better safeguarding culture. When meeting and speaking with individual survivors of Church-context abuse, I am often struck by how much grace is shown to me and I have found their insight and challenge to be invaluable. We, the Church, need to listen more and to respond with equal grace – only then will we make the changes that are needed.”

Read it all.

New deputy lead bishop for safeguarding in the Church of England. ⁦@JulieConalty⁩ who is Bishop of Birkenhead. Good appointment of a survivor focussed Bishop. She will have her work cut out though https://t.co/4SvZNirSnc

— Richard Scorer (@Richard_Scorer) April 5, 2022

Read it all.

""Churches across the Anglican Communion are deeply affected by climate change." – https://t.co/rzGRWt8qqn

— St Eds Cathedral (@stedscath) April 4, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

In 2020, the FRC substantially reformed the code, which was launched in 2010, to impose stricter reporting requirements on investors that had signed up. Since its launch, it has been replicated in other jurisdictions and broadened to include new asset classes.

Signatories have to report on their stewardship activities and are reviewed annually by the FRC to remain on the list.

“Ultimately, what we want to see are concrete examples of stewardship activities and outcomes. Otherwise, its just a bland policy statement of intentions without application,” said Claudia Chapman at the FRC.

“We’re keen to narrow the gap between what is reported and what is done, and for the most part we are comfortable that those included on the list are doing what they say.”

Read it all (registration or subscription).

UK stewardship code adds 74 new signatories https://t.co/kpBki6AXex

— Finance News (@ftfinancenews) March 10, 2022

Announcing the awards, the Archbishop said, “The world around us is not as it should be. There is grave injustice and we currently face war in Europe, while Covid-19 continues to cause much grief. But we do not despair. Our faith in Jesus teaches us that we are justified in maintaining hope. One thing which feeds that hope is the work and service of the people we recognise today.”

25 of the recipients and their families and colleagues were at Lambeth Palace today to celebrate the awards, where they joined in a special service of Evening Prayer. The Archbishop added, “Many of those receiving an award have worked quietly, discreetly and are known only to a few. They have worked for justice and reconciliation, for the relief of poverty, for the extension of the Kingdom of God, for the advancement of education for all, for understanding between denominations and faiths, for authenticity in worship and prayer on behalf of this broken world. These awards represent an opportunity to acknowledge their valuable work. I present them on behalf of the Church of England but also, I hope, on behalf of people of goodwill everywhere.”

The current Lambeth Awards began in 2016. Recipients are recognised for contributions to community service, worship, evangelism, interfaith cooperation, ecumenism and education.

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At a dark time, my spirits are lifted by the public recognition of these wonderful people. I’m especially thankful for David Wilkinson, Principal of St. John’s Durham, for his outstanding contribution to faith and science.https://t.co/Y1H6BMMwWl@lambethpalace #faithandscience

— Robert Innes (@Bishop_Europe) March 9, 2022