The Church of England has launched what it describes as its “biggest-ever” Advent and Christmas campaign, which focuses on the theme “The Joy of Christmas”.

Announced on Monday, the campaign features a new children’s storybook, The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas, written by Jonathan Maltz and Christopher Poch, with artwork by Jago Illustration.

The Bishop of Stockport, the Rt Revd Sam Corley, said of the book: “There’s a lot of talk — and quite a bit of singing — about joy at Christmas. . . If you feel like joining the grumpy owl in our story and shutting yourself away, then the message of Christmas is for you.”

The campaign is designed to help “people pause, reflect and celebrate wherever they are”, with the help of specially commissioned reflections and meditations. Among them is Twelve Joys of Christmas, written by the Dean of Salisbury, the Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, which explores the meaning of joy in everyday traditions. He also wrote O Come Emmanuel, a new set of Advent meditations based on the ancient “O” antiphons (News, 7 November).

Read it all.

The Church of England has launched what it describes as its “biggest-ever” #Advent and #Christmas campaign, which focuses on the theme “The Joy of Christmas”.https://t.co/cXyKKVbNyO

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) December 1, 2025

Putin knows he can’t defeat NATO in a head-on fight, especially given how badly the war in Ukraine has gone for Russian forces. His only hope is to defeat it politically by undermining its cohesiveness, which he tries to do all the time, said Ed Arnold, a former British army infantry officer who specializes in European security analysis for the RUSI think tank.

The U.S.’s latest peace plan would go a long way toward dividing NATO, by proposing what would amount to an amnesty for Russia for the invasion, allowing it to re-enter the G-8 club of rich countries and pursue joint economic development plans with the U.S. in areas like the Arctic.

“That would create huge divisions within the trans-Atlantic partnership,” Arnold said. “Politically, Russia is on the cusp of winning.”

Read it all.

Trump’s Push to End the Ukraine War Is Sowing Fresh Fear About NATO’s Future

Washington’s latest peace efforts have jolted the trans-Atlantic alliance https://t.co/C3FLsf5mXm via @WSJ

— Nino Brodin (@Orgetorix) December 2, 2025

You may listen directly here:

Or you may download it there.

From there.

The House of Bishops will be meeting this month, amongst other things to confirm the course of action outlined in the statement made in October about the Prayers of Love and Faith.

There will, no doubt, be pressure from some to row back on these proposals. As the Church Times reports, the Bishop of Chelmsford has publicly stated her bitter regret at what was agreed, and Lincoln Diocesan Synod has called for the bishops to reverse it.

Although the supporting paperwork and the original statement suggest that it would be very difficult for them to do so, we should not underestimate the strength of feeling some will bring to this debate.

Please continue to pray that they will live up to their calling as shepherds and overseers of God’s flock.

Lincoln diocesan synod has called on the House of Bishops to “proceed at pace” to implement stand-alone blessing services for #samesex coupleshttps://t.co/ThKnbVlTYp

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) November 27, 2025

O God, who in thy providence didst call Channing Moore Williams to the ministry of this church and gave him the gifts and the perseverance to preach the Gospel in new lands: Inspire us, by his example and prayers, to commit our talents to thy service, confident that thou dost uphold those whom thou dost call; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Today the Episcopal Church commemorates Channing Moore Williams, Bishop and Missionary, 1910 https://t.co/ZOU8hteijR

Bishop Williams was the 1st Bishop of the Nippon Sei-Ko-Kai (Anglican-Episcopal Church of Japan)

Image: Statue at Rikkyo University, Tokyo. Photo: DT Johnson pic.twitter.com/3hXGauARtz

— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) December 2, 2023

Serene Son of God, whose will subdued the troubled waters and laid to rest the fears of men: Let thy majesty master us, thy power of calm control us; that for our fears we may have faith, and for our disquietude perfect trust in thee; who dost live and govern all things, world without end.

—Daily Prayer, Eric Milner-White and G. W. Briggs, eds. (London: Penguin Books 1959 edition of the 1941 original)

Bright Blue Skies. 7°C with a Southwesterly breeze. Redwing. pic.twitter.com/9pQDIlZa8w

— Yorkshire Wolds Weather (@WeatherWolds) December 2, 2025

Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt:

“You only have I known
    of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you
    for all your iniquities.

“Do two walk together,
    unless they have made an appointment?
Does a lion roar in the forest,
    when he has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from his den,
    if he has taken nothing?
Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth,
    when there is no trap for it?
Does a snare spring up from the ground,
    when it has taken nothing?
Is a trumpet blown in a city,
    and the people are not afraid?
Does evil befall a city,
    unless the Lord has done it?
Surely the Lord God does nothing,
    without revealing his secret
    to his servants the prophets.
The lion has roared;
    who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken;
    who can but prophesy?”

Proclaim to the strongholds in Assyria,
    and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt,
and say, “Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samar′ia,
    and see the great tumults within her,
    and the oppressions in her midst.”
“They do not know how to do right,” says the Lord,
    “those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.”

Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“An adversary shall surround the land,
    and bring down your defenses from you,
    and your strongholds shall be plundered.”

–Amos 3:1-11

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico transforms into a visual and auditory sensation with the arrival of sandhill cranes and geese for the winter.

Photo by Robert Dunn pic.twitter.com/kTQ63nEDae

— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) November 29, 2025