After months of silence, the bells of York Minster will sound out the joy of Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Volunteer ringers have offered to help out in the belfry for the most important Christian church service of the year.

The Minster is trying to recruit a salaried head or captain of the Bell Tower to find and lead a new team of volunteers, after the last team of 30 ringers was sacked. The former ringers will be welcome to apply to join the new team.

The row last October centred around ‘safeguarding issues’ with a member of the team. The team member concerned has never been convicted of any offence.

Read it all.

The Archbishops of both Canterbury and York, the Most Revds Justin Welby and Dr John Sentamu, will be joining those attending this year’s Spring Harvest.

Archbishop Justin will be at the Butlins resort in Minehead on Palm Sunday 9 April and Archbishop Sentamu will be in Skegness on Tuesday 11 April. The title of Spring Harvest this year is ‘One for All’ and the theme of the event is ‘Unity’. Both Archbishops are known for their concern on this issue, with Justin Welby in particular popularising the concept of ‘good disagreement’ – how to disagree without being disagreeable; being gracious without compromising and the Archbishop of York on ‘how to disagree Christianly’.

Read it all.

On a personal note, my wife Elizabeth kindly got me tickets to this Saturday’s Manchester United game (a surprise for my birthday). Since I have never been to Old Trafford, this is a big deal for me. My son Nathaniel is coming to meet me and today we fly to the UK for a little over a week. Blogging will be catch and catch can during that period–KSH.

We return to Old Trafford when we host @WBA this weekend – read more in our @PremierLeague preview: https://t.co/iuR2fdGt1m #MUFC pic.twitter.com/Dxmt3oly2q

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 30, 2017

A three day conference of international theologians has taken place – with the organisers in Jerusalem but the participants taking part via the internet.The intercontinental webinar of theologians from the global south was hosted from St George’s College and funded by the Saint Augustine’s Foundation.

It was led by Bishop Graham Kings, Mission Theologian in the Anglican Communion and Dr Muthuraj Swamy, Associate Professor in Theology & Religion in Pune, India.

Theologians from the Middle East, Nigeria, Myanmar, South Sudan, Egypt, Brazil and Tokyo were among those joining the link up. They had all prepared papers on reconciliation and mission which will go towards a book on that theme ahead of the next Lambeth Conference in 2020.

Read it all.

It is a story repeated in conflicts the world over – one of the innocent people accidentally maimed or killed by casually discarded ordnance. In this case, the culprit was a bomb left behind after a Boko Haram raid.

In north-east Nigeria, where progress to defeat the Islamist militant group is finally becoming apparent, it is a reminder that, even after the violence dissipates, the recovery process will be long and hard.

Two years on from the accident Jonathan, now 14, is back at school but it has not been an easy journey. Following the incident his family relocated from their village to the town of Yola. The move, which meant the youngster could undergo a series of major operations, came at a cost to the family’s farming livelihood.

“Before this incident I was very happy with my mum, we even had a farm and my mum bought a cow,” Jonathan says. “My elder sister got married and went to her husband’s house. There are a lot of things I could do before that I can’t do now, like farming.”

Read it all.

THE new Dean of Blackburn has said he is ‘overjoyed and excited’ after taking up his new role.

Canon Peter Howell-Jones was installed at a service at Blackburn Cathedral on Saturday.

The 55-year-old dad-of-four was previously the Vice-Dean of Chester Cathedral and will succeed The Very Rev Christopher Armstrong.

In his new role, as well as taking overall charge of the cathedral, the Very Rev Howell-Jones will be a key member of the Diocesan Bishop’s Leadership Team.

Read it all.

New Dean @bbcathedral is announced @cofelancs as Peter Howell-Jones currently Vice-Dean of @ChesterCath @ChesterDiocese @c_of_e @ChurchTimes pic.twitter.com/eVnP31hCmn

— BDBofE (@BDBofE) November 26, 2016

It’s hard to think of an American city that isn’t experiencing a restaurant boom these days. Put Denver at the top of that list: By some accounts, 30 spots will have opened this spring, including the new Departure Denver, a popular Asian small-plates spot recently transplanted from Portland, Ore., and an outpost of the beloved New York bar, Death & Company on the way.

However, the city is facing a major problem as a result of one of its biggest recent tourism drivers. The pot industry is taking a toll on local restaurant work forces and in some cases, liquor sales. “No one is talking about it,” said Bobby Stuckey, the James Beard award winning co-owner of Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder and the soon-to-open Tavernetta in Denver. “But Colorado’s restaurant labor market is in Defcon 5 right now, because of weed facilities.”

Read it all from Bloomberg.

Eternal God, whose majesty is revealed in mercy: Grant that as we draw near to thee thy truth may set us free from the bondage of our own thoughts and desires, and that as we abide in thee our prayers may be an instrument of thy righteous will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

–Romans 8:12-17