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This page last updated 30 November 2014  

The News Centre
Archived News Headlines for July/August/September 2014

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30 September 2014: Kenya primate appointed to head anti-corruption committee
The Star (Nairobi) reported Archbishop Eliud Wabukhala has been appointed by the President of Kenya to chair the National Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee. The committee will run nationwide public education campaign aimed at changing Kenyans' attitude towards corruption and is answerable only the President.

30 September 2014: Malawi Anglicans to erect memorial for former Archbishop
Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reported the family of Bishop Donald Arden, who was both Bishop of Southern Malawi and Archbishop of Central Africa in the 1970s, has granted permission to the Church in Malawi to take his ashes back to Malawi. The Church in Malawi will erect a memorial pillar for their former archbishop who died in July in the UK. The report includes many inspiring details about the Church in Malawi during Bishop Arden's tenure.

29 September 2014: Korean priests walk to commemorate ferry disaster
Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reported on the 400-plus kilometre walk three priests in the Church of Korea have undertaken to commemorate the victims of South Korea's worst maritime disaster in recent history. The priests are members of The Angican Priest Corps for Justice and Peace.

29 September 2014: Mississippi consecrates Seage as coadjutor
Episcopal News Service (ENS) reported on the ordination and consecration of the Rt Revd Brian Seage as the bishop coadjutor for the Diocese of Mississippi (US).


27 September 2014: Update: Christians in northern Iraq
The Telegraph (UK) reported on the situation in northern Iraq for Christians. For the first time in two millenia, Christians in the Nineveh region are unable to celebrate communion. Canon Andrew White also gives an update in this report.

26 September 2014: Street musicians v. Choral Evensong
Church Times reported on a row between buskers and the leadership of Bath Abbey after the abbey was forced to cancel choral evensong for the first time in living memory because music from buskers outside the abbey was drowning out the choir.

26 September 2014: Chancellor lambasts 'really stupid' sale of painting
Church Times reported on the strong message sent out by the Diocesan Chancellor of Gloucester reminding Church of England clergy, churchwardens, parishioners, auctioneers, and antique dealers that they should not buy or sell any item belonging to a church unless they were sure that a faculty had been obtained from the diocesan chancellor, authorising the sale of the item in question. This warning was issued as a result of the actions of one parish and their minister selling a painting of the Madonna & Child that did not match the theological bent of the current serving clergy. Just read it and be edified.

26 September 2014: New bishop for Guildford
Thinking Anglicans reports the Queen's approval of the Rt Revd Andrew Watson as the next Bishop of Guildford. He has been Suffragan Bishop of Aston in the diocese of Birmingham.

22 September 2014: Muslim woman must leave church refuge for medical treatment
Global News (Canada) reports on the plight of a woman who took refuge in an Anglican church in Montreal to avoid being deported to certain death at the hands of Muslim extremists. Her health has been failing and she has been forced to leave the church to receive medical care. It would be bitterly ironic if her efforts to get medical treatment ended up getting her killed. Judging from that report, her prospects might be acceptable.

22 September 2014: Church in Wales lowers voting age to 16
The Anglican Communion News Service tells us that the Church in Wales will soon permit 16 and 17-year-olds to have their say at key church meetings such as Diocesan Conferences.


20 September 2014: Church in New Brunswick destroyed by fire
The CBC reports that the church of St John the Baptist in Edmundston, New Brunswick was destroyed by fire overnight. That city's entire fire department — about 35 people — fought the fire, which was reported at 4:40am. A spokesman said that the fire 'started from outside the building' but voiced no theories as to its origin.

19 September 2014: ABC Justin Welby expresses doubt in God
The Guardian (London) reports on a recent public reflection by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, in which he 'admitted to having doubts about the existence of God and disclosed that, on a recent morning jog with his dog, he questioned why the Almighty had failed to intervene to prevent an injustice.'

19 September 2014: Canon Andrew White recognized
Religion and Ethics Newsweekly reported Canon Andrew White, the Vicar of Baghdad, received the Anne Frank Special Recognition Award for his work promoting reconciliation and religious tolerance in Iraq.

19 September 2014: Anglicans beat Vatican team at first interfaith cricket match
The world-famous Canterbury Times tells us of the victory of the Anglican cricket team over the Vatican cricket team in a match that was held in Canterbury at the Kent County Cricket Club's Spitfire Ground. Priests are standing by throughout the world to welcome the thousands expected to convert as a result of this match.

18 September 2014: Sydney dean criticizes Islam, blames it for rise of IS
The Sydney Morning Herald reports on comments made by Phillip Jensen, dean of Sydney's cathedral, against Islam and Muslims. His comments included 'Islam is false.'

18 September 2014: English bishops spend two days talking about sex
The Church Times reports on the recent two-day meeting of the Church of England's College of Bishops in Market Bosworth (a tiny town in Leicestershire), during which they are reputed to have spent their time discussing issues of gender and sexuality.


13 September 2014: New Bishop of Massachusetts has interesting background
The new bishop of Massachusetts, Alan M. Gates, was once a Russian translator and intelligence analyst for the Department of Defense, and more recently rector of St Paul's Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. In an interview with the Boston Globe he spoke of how the younger generation tends to enter church life differently than in the past, often seeking opportunities to serve the community first and showing up on Sunday mornings later.

12 September 2014: Imam in residence at Calgary's St Martin's church
The Calgary Herald reports on an 'Imam in Residence' program at St. Martin's Church in Calgary, Alberta. A page on the church's website has some information about the program and a link to register for it.

10 September 2014: Lamentation Sunday services to apologize for past abuse
The Australian reports that congregations across the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn have held special services to apologise for abuse or mistreatment at the hands of the church. The services were intended to recognise the pain, hurt and sorrow caused by the church's past actions and inaction.

8 September 2014: Secretary General of Anglican Communion elected bishop in Ireland
The Anglican Communion News Service reports on the election of the Revd Canon Dr Kenneth Kearon, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion as the next bishop of Limerick and Killaloe.

8 September 2014: Yale University chaplain resigns after LTTE about anti-semitism
The New Haven Register (Connecticut, USA) reported the resignation of the priest-in-charge of the Episcopal Church at Yale, the Revd Bruce M. Shipman, after being accused of 'blaming Jews for anti-Semitism.' If you read all of the current news reports about this situation you will find that it is more nuanced than it might seem at first glance. You will find quite a chasm between reports from, say, Shalom Life and Intifada Palestine.


7 September 2014: Details of Richard III reinterment announced
The Leicester Mercury (UK) reported on the plans for the reinterment of Richard III next March at Leicester Cathedral. Both Archbishop of Canterbury the Most Reverend Justin Welby and the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, will be present.

6 September 2014: Bishop leads prayer from cathedral tower roof
The Chronicle (Newcastle, UK) reported on Spiritus 2014, a series of events held in, on, and around Durham Cathedral. The events were to allow people to examine the role of prayer in everyday life. One prayer workshop was led by the Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, and was held at the top of the tower of the cathedral.

4 September 2014: Archbishop of Canterbury joins multi-faith peace vigil
Episcopal News Service (ENS) reported on the multi-faith peace vigil for Iraq held outside Westminster Abbey at the Innocent Victims Memorial. The ABC met and prayed with Middle east church leaders in the morning before participating in (and speaking at) the vigil.

4 September 2014: There will always be an England — Cricket match dust up
The Folkestone Herald and Kent Online reported Michael Claughton, a life-long cricketer and umpire for 12 years, offered to serve as umpire at the upcoming cricket match between Roman Catholic and Church of England clergy. The event is a fundraiser in aid of the Network, a joint Anglican/RC anti-trafficking campaign, and is organized by the Church Times. They turned down Claughton's offer because Michael Claughton is related to Thomas Claughton, a 19th century Bishop of Rochester and of St Albans. We aren't sure how a relation from 200 or so years ago could make one favour a team over the other, but the Church Times wants the match seen as 'completely fairly played'.

3 September 2014: Bishop speaks: South Sudan
Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reported on remarks by the Rt Revd Moses Deng Bol, Bishop of Wau, South Sudan. 'Did our martyrs die in vain?' '...[I]f our country is ever going to develop and become a better place we must find a way to forgive this pain...[W]e must challenge ourselves to forgive freely as a people.'

3 September 2014: RIP 'Fr Ernie'
The Warrnambool Standard (Australia) reported the founder of St Mark's Benedictine Abbey near Camperdown has died. Father Michael King, known universally as 'Father Ernie', was one of the few Anglican Benedictine ministers in Australia. The Camperdown abbey manufactures incense and provides it to all of Australia's major cathedrals and many parish churches.


30 August 2014: Indianapolis cathedral sues JP Morgan for mishandling bequest
The Post-Tribune reports on a lawsuit filed in US Federal Court by the management of Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis against the bank that had been for some decades managing a major bequest.

28 August 2014: Liberia's Cuttington University, diocese at epicenter of Ebola crisis
The Episcopal News Service reports on the fate of Cuttington University in the Diocese of Liberia, which is at the very epicenter of the current Ebola outbreak.

27 August 2014: Church banned from using altar to serve cups of tea
The Telegraph (London) reports on a ruling by the Chancellor of the Diocese of Lincoln forbidding the church of St Michael and All Angels in Uffington, Lincolnshire from using its altar as a serving table for refreshments at other events.

27 August 2014: Could Kerala alcohol ban include communion wine?
The Anglican Communion News Service tells us that bishops in the Indian state of Kerala are worried that legislation there to ban alcohol would also ban communion wine.

26 August 2014: Two new Area Bishops for West Yorkshire & the Dales
Thinking Anglicans reports on the appointment by the British Prime Minister's office of two new area bishops for the recently-created Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales. The appointments are described in more detail on the diocesan website.

26 August 2014: Another major historical child abuse scandal in Australia
The Australian (a national newspaper), under the headline 'New abuse inquiry for Anglican Church', has revealed a new police investigation into allegations that the church ignored sexual abuse of children in the Diocese of Newcastle in the 1970s. Police in New South Wales have issued this press release and the Newcastle Herald published this report that warnings were ignored.


23 August 2014: Bishop election in El Salvador
Equilibrium reported the election of the Revd Juan David Alvarado to succeed the Rt Revd Martín Barahona.

21 August 2014: Congo re-elects Isingoma as Primate
Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reported the Most Revd Henri Isingoma has been re-elected for another five year term as Primate of the Anglican Church of the Congo.

21 August 2014: RIP Bishop Andrew Wissemann
MassLive.com reported the death of the Rt Revd Andrew Wissemann, sixth bishop of Western Massachusetts, on 20 August 2014. Additional articles about Bishop Wissemann are here and here.

20 August 2014: New chaplain for Warsaw
The Longridge News reported the Revd David Brown, currently vicar of Banacre, Calder Vale and Scorton, who is turning 70 this fall, is taking on a new challenge: he will be the chaplain of the Anglican church in Warsaw. This will allow him to continue in ministry beyond the Church of England diocesan mandatory retirement age of 70.

19 August 2014: Sarfo calls for day of prayer
ACNS reported the Most Revd Dr Daniel Sarfo, Primate and Metropolitan of the Church of the Province of West Africa (CPWA) has called on Christians around the world to dedicate one Sunday as a day of prayer for the deadly Ebola disease that has struck the west African region. Episcopal News Service (ENS) reported (18 August) an interview with Liberian Archbishop Jonathan Bau-Bau Bonaparte Hart about Ebola in his country.

17 August 2014: RIP Bishop David Russell
Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reported the death of the Rt Revd David Russell, retired Bishop of Grahamstown (South Africa), who was a courageous veteran in the struggle against apartheid and injustice.


17 August 2014: Diocese of Truro facing £1m shortfall
The BBC reported the Rt Revd Chris Goldsmith, Bishop of St Germans, said unless urgent action was taken, such a level of dept was unsustainable. Churchgoers in Cornwall currently donate 20% less than those in any other diocese in England.

16 August 2014: Welby urges radical design for cathedral
The Press (Christchurch) reported on remarks made by the Archbishop of Canterbury while on a visit to Auckland.

12 August 2014: Southern Africa appoints woman to lead college
Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reported the Anglican Church of Southern Africa for the first time has appointed a woman as Rector for its only provinicial residential college, the College of the Transfiguration.


10 August 2014: The angels weep: violence in too many places
Violence in Iraq: Andrew White grieves the death of a young Christian boy he had baptized. His friend and one-time mentor back in Ireland, Fr David Armstrong, is worried about Fr White's own safety.

Violence related to Gaza: The Church Times reports that hospitals in Gaza are struggling to keep up with the needs of the wounded. A major hospital is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.

Oppression begetting violence in Uganda: the Huffington Post reports that Uganda's Archbishop Stanley Ntagali has expressed deep disappointment at a court striking down that country's anti-gay statute, which sentences homosexuals to life in prison.

10 August 2014: Small actions leading to a better world
The Diocese of Western Massachusetts has written about its partnership with a home in Ghana for children whose mothers died in childbirth. The Anglican Communion News Service has announced a tentative agreement between senior theologians of the Anglican Communion and Eastern Orthodox churches over a previously-disputed theological principle. It's probably a good thing that they are not studying the theology of violence.

10 August 2014: Ebola's effect
The Nigerian Tribune reported on one effect the Ebola outbreaks have had on those attending church in that country: 'We don't shake hands during service anymore'.

7 August 2014: Congo Anglicans reach out to pygmy community
The Anglican Communion News Service reports on the Anglican Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo breaking new ground by bringing help and hope to a Pygmy community living in that country’s forests.

29 July 2014: Italy recognizes Church of England
The Diocese in Europe has announced that after seven years of preparation, the President of Italy has signed a decree recognizing the Chiesa d'Inghilterra  as a denomination. There are twenty Anglican churches in Italy.


28 July 2014: Celebrations in Sudan as new internal provincial archbishop enthroned
The Anglican Communion News Service reports on the enthronement and celebration of the first Archbishop of the new internal province of Sudan, held at All Saints Cathedral in Khartoum. Joy abounds. Read the article if you don't know what 'the new internal province of Sudan' means or if you are wondering why this is such a newsworthy event.

28 July 2014: Requiem at Canterbury
Dr Thérèse Vanier founded the first l'Arche community in England in 1973. The concept had originated with her brother, Jean, when he took two men with disabilities into his home in France, and the idea spread throughout the world. The first English group home was in a former Anglican vicarage in Little Ewell, the gift of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey. The Vaniers, children of a former Governor General of Canada, were devout Roman Catholics, but their effort was ecumenical. When she died at the age of 91, a requiem mass was held at Canterbury Cathedral, perhaps for the first time since the reformation. The Globe and Mail tells of Dr Vanier's career with the Canadian and Free French forces during the war, as a distinguished hematologist as St Thomas's Hospital in London, as a pioneer with Dame Cicely Saunders in palliative care, and as founder of l'Arche in England; and the Independent Catholic News comments on the 'Catholic Requiem at the beating heart of the Anglican Communion, a generous and appropriate gesture to one who was alive to the scandal of disunity,' and noted that the dean welcomed the congregation and remained near the altar throughout the service.

28 July 2014: 40 years of women priests in the USA
Bishop Pierre Whalon, writing in the Huffington Post, reminds us that it was 40 years ago this week that the first women were ordained to the priesthood in the US Episcopal Church. Yesterday's news is today's history.


26 July 2014: End is near for Christians in Iraq
The Independent (London) reports 'the vicar of the only Anglican church in Iraq has warned the end for Christians in the country appears "very near" as he appealed for help after a deadline set by Islamic militants to convert or be killed expired.'

26 July 2013: Two churches in Jamaica
The Jamaica Gleaner features two ancient churches that sharply contrast. St Paul's church in Chapelton, neatly cared for, has celebrated its 348th anniversary. It was the chapel built by the locals who did not want to travel to the parish church, and gave it's name to the area, Chapel Town. By contrast, Stewart Town has declined from the busy market town it once was, and in the abandoned St Thomas' church, there is enough dust to choke a cherub.

22 July 2014: Human skull left at Dorset church
The warden of Lady St Mary Church in Wareham found a carefully wrapped skull in a bag outside one of the church doors. The police said that it appeared very old, but the BBC News reports that they would like to clarify where it came from and how it was found.

22 July 2014: New Ecumenical Associate for US Episcopal Church
The Living Church (USA) reports that Richard Mammana, an editor of Anglicans Online and member of the board of directors of The Living Church Foundation, has been named Associate for Ecumenical and Interreligious Ministries of the US Episcopal Church.


20 July 2014: Requiem for NZ cathedral dean
Anglican Taonga reports on the requiem held last week for Dean Lynda Patterson, widely beloved Dean of Christchurch.

20 July 2014: Late bishop preaches at his own funeral
The East Malaysia Daily Express reports that the funeral for the fifth Anglican Bishop of Sabah, the Rt Revd Datuk Albert Vun Cheong Fui, featured a video of him preaching forgiveness and giving all to God, among other Christian virtues. 

19 July 2014: The bishop with two cathedræ
The Winnipeg Free Press describes the coming situation in the Diocese of Rupert's Land in which the transfer of some parishes from another diocese will include its former cathedral. The Canadian diocese of Keewatin is being dissolved, with some of its parishes (and its cathedral, which contains the second cathedra) joining the Diocese of Rupert's Land and the remaining parishes being organized into the Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh. This map, provided by the Anglican Church of Canada, might help you understand this reorganization if you are not Canadian.

18 July 2014: Synod seeks to amend robes canon
In some contexts, the wearing of robes seems inappropriate or unhelpful for mission. The Church Times reports that the Church of England's General Synod has passed a motion calling for draft legislation to relax the current rules.

17 July 2014: New editor for Canada's Anglican Journal
The Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reports on the appointment of Marites (Tess) Sison as editor of Canada's always-excellent Anglican Journal.

15 July 2014: RC ordinariate reaches out to Anglicans after C of E women-bishops vote
The Catholic Herald (London) reports that the leader of England's Roman Catholic 'ordinariate' has issued an invitation to Anglicans following the Church of England’s vote to create women bishops.

14 July 2014: Church of England votes to allow women bishops
After years upon years of bickering, the Church of England has voted to allow women as bishops. News coverage includes the BBC, the Church Times, and the Huffington Post. The Sydney Morning Herald reports on sadness there at the Diocese of Sydney's continuing stand against women clergy.


12 July 2014: Assisted dying debate in UK
The BBC reported the Church of England has called for an inquiry to carefully assess the issues associated with assisted dying as a result of potential legislation to allow the terminally ill in England and Wales to get help to end their lives. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says the bill is 'mistaken and dangerous'. In the Observer (UK), Archbishop Tutu weighs in with an opinion piece in which he writes, 'I have been fortunate to spend my life working for dignity for the living. Now I wish to apply my mind to the issue of dignity for the dying.' The Observer also published an editorial on the topic.

11 July 2014: Kenyan ordinands denied UK visas — again
Church Times reported the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, has launched a campaign to change the UK's visa rules after Kenyan ordinands who were invited to visit his diocese were refused visas for a second time. The diocese has had a link with the Anglican Church of Kenya for many years. The ordinands, part of the group invited, were refused visas on the grounds that they did not provide evidence of sufficient income.

9 July 2014: New archbishop for IpWA
Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reported the Rt Revd Jonathan Hart of the Episcopal Church of Liberia was enthroned as archbishop of the Internal Province of West Africa (IpWA). He succeeds Bishop Solomon Tilewa Johnson of The Gambia who died in office in January of this year.

8 July 2014: Oceans of Justice campaign
ACNS reported on the Oceans of Justice campaign which Anglican Alliance is supporting. The campaign is calling on the G20 to bring climate change to the top of their agenda when they meet in Brisbane in November 2014.


05 July 2014: Another diocesan newspaper stops paper printing
The Winnipeg Free Press reported 42% of Canadian Church Press member publications indicated they do not expect to exist in their present form in 10 years. The Diocese of Rupert's Land is giving up its printed edition starting in September. The new digital format will contain less news and more opinion and reflection pieces and will give subscribers the option of a weekly email for news updates. The report lists a website for those wishing more information: http://www.progress.rupertslandnews.ca.

3 July 2014: Australian Synod backs change to confession
The Adelaide Advertiser reported on a unanimous vote at the General Synod in Adelaide that amends the canon on confession. Individual dioceses must vote to adopt the changes that allow priests to report serious crimes if the person making confession has not already reported the offence to authorities.

03 July 2014: Service of Thanksgiving for Bishop Crowther
The Canterbury Times reported on the special service at Canterbury Cathedral celebrating the sesquicentennial of the consecration of the first black Anglican bishop, the Rt Revd Samuel Ajayi Crowther. The Archbishop of Canterbury preached, and representatives from the Nigerian Government and members of the Ghanaian Royal family attended. 'We are sorry for his suffering at the hands of Anglicans in this country. Learning from their foolishness and from his heroism, we seek to be a church that does not again exclude those whom God is calling.' One may also peruse this story in the Church Times.

3 July 2014: Church jargon jettisoned for better communication
Episcopal News Service (ENS) has the above titled report on its website. Of course, 'better' is in the eyes of the beholder. Ditto 'jargon'. Part of the account is about the initiative in the US Diocese of Los Angeles, thads, which has had positive impacts in its community.

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