Past 2009 news for Ecumenical Officers - for reference

General information is posted here but keep an eye on CT E-news as well. In addition, CEDOs and NEOs should continue to look at the restricted CEDOs' and NEOs' news page for specialist information. 

Recent changes to lists of County officers are here. You can download a printable list and click here for a full list of Intermediate Bodies and Ecumenical Officers.

UK Friends of Bossey

There will be a meeting of the UK Friends of the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, Switzerland, at CTE, 27 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HH on Thursday November 19 from 12 noon to 2 pm.  You are very welcome to come but John Bradley would appreciate an e-mail of your intention in order to estimate numbers. 

URGENT

All new single congregation LEPs and all existing LEPs with an income of over £100,000 must adopt a new, standard, constitution agreed between the Churches and the Charity Commission. The good news is that this means approval of a constitution will, in the future, be much quicker to obtain, and local creativity and flexibility will simply shift from the consitution to what is now called an Ecumenical Vision Statement. Click here for full details. 

A World in Waiting: Advent hope in an economic crisis

Advent resources from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland will look at the economic crisis in relation to the roots of our Christian beliefs and values, aiming to turn anger and disappointment into a positive force for change. Web-based resources will include reflections, liturgical ideas, prayers and pointers to action and will be available as free downloads by September 2009. Click here for full details.

Peter Colwell of CTBI writes: Following the recent election of BNP candidates in local, regional and European elections, CTBI is holding a conference on 5 October at Westminster Cathedral Hall, in London, 'Voting with Our Feet, the Challenge of the Politics of the Far Right and the Churches'. The main speakers will be Jon Cruddas (MP for Dagenham) and Arlington Trottman (Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe). The day will be chaired by Rt.Revd Tom Butler (Bishop of Southwark) and will also include input from churches in local situations. Click here for details and an application form. (20 Aug 09)

This is a programme of resources to encourage and assist churches to observe a Time for Creation in 2009, between 1 September and 4 October. Click here for full information.

Interfaith Dialogue Facilitation Skills

A weekend course on ‘Interfaith Dialogue Facilitation Skills’ will be held at Ammerdown on 6-8 November 2009. It will be led by Justine Huxley of St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation & Peace and Jonathan Marshall of Faithnet Southwest. Further information and a poster/flyer can be obtained via this link. 

Funding for study

The English-Speaking Union offers a grant to clergy from all dominations to undertake a tour in the US for up to four weeks with the aim of fostering understanding and the exchange of ideas. Recent scholars have investigated “Sunday Schools for Adults”, “How 9/11 has affected America and how the Christian Churches have responded” and “Parish Nursing and Health Ministry”. Its current scholar, the Revd Lister Tonge, will be leaving in July to investigate the spiritual formation of the clergy, within seminary cultures in the US and will be flying to New York, before heading to Portland, Oregon and San Francisco and coming back via Chicago and Washington DC. Click here for more details and application forms.
Anyone thinking of completing an Open University course may find helpful this ready reckoner for students to use to estimate the value of their potential financial support. You can also use Tesco Clubcard vouchers towards the cost of a course – they are worth four times their face value this way.  (18 May 2009) 

Inter Faith Week, 15-21 November 2009

This year England is to have the first ever Inter Faith Week from 15 to 21 November with a launch the preceding week.  The week aims to strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels and to increase awareness of the different and distinct faith communities within the UK.  See information sheet and press release for further information.

Constitutions for Single Congregation LEPs - see above for update

Changes in legislation mean that the Churches will soon be offering a new standard constitution which must be used for single congregation LEPs. (Exciting visionary material will then go in a separate document.) Until this is available, please pause the work on new constitutions. More details from your County Ecumenical Development Officer -- click here for a list.

Hot off the press today, 20 March 2009, is an evaluation of HOPE08 by Theos, the public theology think tank. Entitled The whole Church, for the whole Nation, for the whole year, the full report is available here and the executive summary here.

It's four hundred years since his birth and his contribution to the life of the Church has been massive. Engage with scholars and those concerned with church life and ecumenical relationships. Conference open to all, 1-3 September in Exeter. Click here for more details, for an A4 poster and a booking form. (18 March 09)

The February 09 General Synod agreed to amend the law of the Church of England to allow an LEP more freedom about the celebration of Holy Communion at main festivals. This is particularly relevant to single congregation LEPs. Click here for details. 

Hope 2008 - what is happening next?
Now that 2008 is over, so too at a national level is Hope08. However the organisers are keen to encourage local groups to take advantage of the logo and anything else which they produced that helps to facilitate ongoing ecumenical mission initiatives. The Hope office in Brighton will close at the end of March, and beyond that the website will continue to operate until at least the end of 2009. There is to be an honest and robust review published on 20th March and the full report (thirty pages) with a six page Executive Summary will be available thereafter (20 March: click links to download). A new book will also be published in July 2009 which will include the summary of the review, stories from the year and resources for ongoing mission initiatives.

BBC radio preachers for Lent 2009 announced
The BBC and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) have announced details of the BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship programmes for Lent, which will explore Sense Making Faith through six human senses. As well as running on BBC Radio 4's Sunday Worship (0810-0850), the themes will be reflected in the Daily Service (Mon-Thurs 0945-1000 BBC R4 LW), and on BBC Local Radio religious output. Read the full press release here. (February 2009)

Wild Fires in Australia

The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Premier of Victoria John Brumby have announced that Australia will hold a National Day of Mourning on Sunday 22 February 2009.  The Australian High Commission would be grateful if this event, to honour the victims of Victoria's devastating bushfires and to recognise the courage and tireless efforts of emergency service workers, could be remembered in your prayers during this weekend's services.
This event has the support of the National Council of Churches in Australia and further information can be found in the attached press release by the Prime Minister of Australia. (February 2009)