What impact does the CofE really make on people’s lives? In the first of a series of blogs, I sew a patchwork of diocesan news stories from the past week offering a snapshot of our presence across England and Europe to show that the work based in our 16,000 church buildings, 4700 Church schools and in hospitals, prisons and places of work are led by an active team of clergy and lay people who really do make a difference in people’s lives, from the cradle to the grave.
I start this week with the part our churches play in the immediate aftermath of tragic events such as the Paris attacks and others including Beirut. Churches have been holding candlelit vigils as a focus for grief and reflection following the Paris terrorist attack on Friday. St Michael’s and St George’s, in central Paris and part of the Diocese in Europe have been working within their communities to support those caught up in the events of Friday night, St George’s adapting their usual Sunday worship to a Requiem setting in memory of those who died.
The refugee crisis has been wiped from the headlines in recent days. But with winter arriving this week with Storm Abigail, we are reminded of the plight of the dispossessed. Working with other agencies, the Diocese of Canterbury last week took part in the screening of a film from the Communities and Partnerships Framework which followed the story of Bilal, a young man who travels illegally across Europe from Iraq and then attempts to make it across the Channel by swimming. The film depicts life for those within the camp in Calais and the impact of their presence on the town. An impassioned discussion followed the screening highlighting the pressing need both in Calais and Kent, for volunteers to help distribute goods, as well as befriend and mentor young unaccompanied refugees and migrants in Kent. The diocese’s Refugee Toolkit has been updated ahead of an open session to discuss the refugee crisis at Diocesan Synod.
Read it all.
Anna McCrum–How is the CofE ”˜A Christian presence in every community’?
What impact does the CofE really make on people’s lives? In the first of a series of blogs, I sew a patchwork of diocesan news stories from the past week offering a snapshot of our presence across England and Europe to show that the work based in our 16,000 church buildings, 4700 Church schools and in hospitals, prisons and places of work are led by an active team of clergy and lay people who really do make a difference in people’s lives, from the cradle to the grave.
I start this week with the part our churches play in the immediate aftermath of tragic events such as the Paris attacks and others including Beirut. Churches have been holding candlelit vigils as a focus for grief and reflection following the Paris terrorist attack on Friday. St Michael’s and St George’s, in central Paris and part of the Diocese in Europe have been working within their communities to support those caught up in the events of Friday night, St George’s adapting their usual Sunday worship to a Requiem setting in memory of those who died.
The refugee crisis has been wiped from the headlines in recent days. But with winter arriving this week with Storm Abigail, we are reminded of the plight of the dispossessed. Working with other agencies, the Diocese of Canterbury last week took part in the screening of a film from the Communities and Partnerships Framework which followed the story of Bilal, a young man who travels illegally across Europe from Iraq and then attempts to make it across the Channel by swimming. The film depicts life for those within the camp in Calais and the impact of their presence on the town. An impassioned discussion followed the screening highlighting the pressing need both in Calais and Kent, for volunteers to help distribute goods, as well as befriend and mentor young unaccompanied refugees and migrants in Kent. The diocese’s Refugee Toolkit has been updated ahead of an open session to discuss the refugee crisis at Diocesan Synod.
Read it all.