29 June 2011: Okoh calls on government to quit UN
The Vanguard (Lagos) reports the Most Rt Revd Nicholas Okoh, Primate of the Church of Nigeria, called on the government to pull out of the United Nations if the UN continues to include same-sex issues as part of human rights. He reportedly 'described as a wolf in sheep clothing those championing homosexuality under the guise of human rights advocacy'.

28 June 2011: Central Africa bishops support Zimbabweans at commemoration service
The Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reports all 15 of the bishops of the Province of Central Africa bishops concelebrated the Eucharist at the Bernard Mizeki celebrations in Zimbabwe. Ten to fifteen thousand people attended the event held at the Marondera Show Grounds. The authorities denied access to the shrine itself.

28 June 2011: Off-the-wall approach to God
The Australian has a story about a creative approach to starting dialogue between Muslims and Christians in Sydney. What started with Islamic MyPeace activist Diaa Mohamed and the Revd Ian Powell communicating through billboards and signs on buses around Sydney, has now developed into a panel discussion.

28 June 2011: Coalition releases guidelines for missioners
The Huffington Post reports that a coalition of major Christian denominations issued a set of guidelines Tuesday for missionary work with the aim of gaining converts without gaining enemies. The 5-page document can be found here.

27 June 2011: Andrew White receives award
ACNS reports that Canon Andrew White, the 'Vicar of Baghdad', has been named as this year's recipient of the prestigious International First Freedom Award for his extraordinary commitment to peace-keeping and religious freedom in Iraq.

24 June 2011: Church of England sends envoy to ACNA group
The Anglican Church in North America, an organization that currently has no formal status in the Anglican Communion but was formed for the purpose of acquiring formal status, noted in its Archbishop's address that the Church of England will be sending a 'participant and observer' to the ACNA. Mark Harris (Preludium) wrote an extended analysis of what this might mean.

24 June 2011: Preview of upcoming C of E General Synod in York
The Church Times has published a thorough preview of the upcoming Church of England General Synod in July 2011. Thinking Anglicans has significant coverage, including a complete list of online synod papers.

23 June 2011: Anglican Mission in England
GAFCON has issued a press release announcing its creation and sponsorship of The Anglican Mission in England.

23 June 2011: Anglican conflict in Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwe Independent has published a letter to the editor that offers some background on the behaviour of deposed former bishop Nolbert Kunonga and his use of national police to disrupt the Diocese of Harare. Our research suggests that this unsigned letter was written by Precious Shumba. This report by the Anglican Communion News Service gives the context in which that letter was written.

20 June 2011: Stolen church bell found in scrap heap, saved
The New Zealand Herald reports that a centuries-old church bell that had been stolen from a parish church in Otorohanga (Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki) has been found in a scrap metal yard 200km away.

19 June 2011: C of E and gay bishops
The BBC reports that 'The Church of England is expected to confirm that openly gay clergy can be made bishops, if they are celibate.' The Guardian and The Telegraph, somewhat opposite in their political stances, each reports that story its own way.

18 June 2011: New bishop for Washington DC
The US Episcopal News Service reports that the Diocese of Washington has elected the Revd Mariann Edgar Budde as its next bishop. She will be Washington's first female diocesan bishop.

17 June 2011: Archbishops of Canterbury are 'consistently political'
The Church Times (London) has said a research organisation determined that the last three Archbishops of Canterbury were consistently controversial political figures. But Nelson Jones, writing in The New Statesman, asks 'who cares what an archbishop thinks, anyway?'

17 June 2011: Canada releases WG report on the Anglican Covenant
The Anglican Church of Canada has released a report on the Anglian Covenant by its Governance Working Group. The executive summary is only two pages long; you can read it before your tea is cool enough to drink.

16 June 2011: New Zealand cathedrals may be demolished
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has reported that 'Christchurch's Anglican and Catholic cathedrals may have to be demolished after sustaining further damage in the latest earthquake'. We are confident that they are not considering Roman Kroitor as architect of a replacement. Anglican Taonga filed this story on the continuing damage to Christchurch Cathedral.

15 June 2011: Egyptian Christians reject draft law on places of worship
Al-Masry Al-Youm (Cairo) reports that a joint statement issued on Wednesday by the Egyptian Coptic, Anglican and Catholic Churches rejected the draft law on places of worship. According to The National (UAE), the ABC has warned that the Arab Spring poses a threat to Christians in the middle east.

10 June 2011: New Bishop for Ballarat
The Courier (Victoria) reports that the Rt Revd Garry Weatherill, currently the Bishop of Willochra near Port Augusta in South Australia, has been appointed Bishop of Ballarat. The former bishop, Michael Hough, did not part with the diocese on good terms; the laity had created a group Ballarat Laity Against Bullying which worked for his resignation. The group's spokeman said, 'There's never been a better time to exercise leadership than times like this. Hopefully [the new bishop] delivers strong pastoral care.'

9 June 2011: Bishop of Masvingo writes of more thuggery in Zimbabwe
SW Radio Africa published a letter from the Rt Revd Godfrey Tawonezvi (Diocese of Masvingo) in which he retells more of Kunonga's latest campaign against faithful Anglicans. Kunonga is now attempting to take over institutions, in this case a mission hospital, by having those running Anglican institutions arrested and then placing his supporters in charge. Allafrica.com has a good synopsis of the incident here.

7 June 2011: Two Dioceses ordain their first female priests
Ghana's myjoyonline.com (Accra) reported the Diocese of Accra has ordained its first three women priests. The Gulf Daily News (Bahrain) reported on the ordination of the first female priest in the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.

7 June 2011: Church should be more like an optical-fibre lamp
The Anglican Journal (Canada) reported on remarks by the Revd Nick Brotherwood at a workshop on the basics of vital church planting. Optical-fibre lamps are his favourite visual aid for the mission-shaped church: 'Although they are physically stronger when concentrated together, they are more sensitive to their environment and to change when dispersed.' Brotherwood is priest at St Stephen (Westmount) and co-planter of a new Montreal church, Emerge.

4 June 2011: USPG mourns death of 'soldier for justice'
Christian Today reports on the death of the Revd George Wauchope at Selly Oak Centre for Mission Studies in Birmingham, UK. USPG said Wachope would be remembered as a faithful priest and a soldier for justice. A tutor in mission at the Centre, Wauchope, born in South Africa, trained for ministry in Zimbabwe after being exiled from South Africa during the years of struggle against the apartheid regime. In Zimbabwe, he went on to become the Dean of Studies at Bishop Gaul College in Harare. He also served parishes in northern Botswana. At Selly Oak, Wauchope led the training and preparation course for USPG Mission Companions. Simultaneous services will be held in the UK, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

4 June 2011: Nebraska bishop election
Episcopal News Service (ENS) reports the election of the eleventh bishop for the Diocese of Nebraska: the Revd J Scott Barker.

3 June 2011: Durham bishop appointment
The British Government has announced 'The Queen has approved the nomination of the Very Reverend Justin Portal Welby, MA, Hon FCT, Dean of Liverpool, for election as Bishop of Durham'.

3 June 2011: Bishop Gandiya on latest in Zimbabwean thuggery
Nehanda Radio has printed a statement and appeal from the Rt Revd Dr Chad Gandiya which recounts the latest harrassments to priests and faithful Anglicans in Zimbabwe's Diocese of Harare: invasions by Kunonga priests into the homes of priests and deacons with the police then arresting the victims of the thuggery. SW Radio Africa also reported on the situation as did the Christian Post.

3 June 2011: Oxfam anti-hunger campaign launched
The Church Times and the Anglican Journal reported on a new campaign by Oxfam, which was launched on Tuesday, to eradicate hunger in 45 countries. Oxfam wants world leaders to regulate markets, increase food reserves and stop promoting bio-fuels, among other measures. The campaign is being backed by Cape Town's Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu who said, 'Many governments and companies will be resistant to change through habit, ideology, or the pursuit of profit. It is up to us — you and me — to persuade them by choosing food that's produced fairly and sustain­ably, by cutting our carbon foot­prints, and by joining with Oxfam and others to demand change.'

31 May 2011: Looming priest shortage in Wales
Earlier, we reported on a predicted shortage of burial space in Wales (6 April 2011). This week, WalesOnline printed an item from the South Wales Echo on the struggle in Wales to recruit new priests. A total of 166 clergy are due to retire within the next five years, leaving the Church in Wales with the challenge of finding a new generation of leaders at a time of shrinking congregations. A 'ministry and calling Sunday' is being staged to urge people to consider ordination. It will also encourage people to recommend a life in the church to others they feel have the skills to serve Welsh congregations.

29 May 2011: The politics of sex in England and Scotland
The Church Times reported on open discussions about sexuality in the General Assembly of the (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland. Fulcrum and the Church Times published this Goddard 2 Goddard piece about those discussions. Meanwhile, down south in London, Andrew Brown of the Guardian revealed the existence of an 'anguished and devastating memorandum written by the Very Rev Colin Slee, the former dean of Southwark Cathedral, shortly before his death' indicating bad temper and bad behaviour by English archbishops. Once the story broke in the Guardian, much discussion ensued, beginning with this report by the Telegraph reporter who last year broke the story about which Slee's memo was written. Thinking Anglicans has gathered links to many of the opinion pieces, though we didn't see there a mention of coverage at Episcopal Café including this from Ann Fontaine and this from Andrew Gerns.

We note with a wry smile that there is no mention of this issue, the biggest Anglican news in weeks, on any of the official news sites such as the Anglican Communion News Service or the US Episcopal News Service or even the always-trustworthy Anglican Church of Canada News. In New Zealand, you can always count on Glynn Cardy to have a head-turning take on church politics; see the 'Stop White Collar Crime' campaign at St Matthew-in-the-city.

27 May 2011: Some official press releases
Despite all of the infighting and bickering, most churches do accomplish good works. Those churches sufficiently organized to have a news service issue press releases whenever church members accomplish something that is notably good. These press releases are treasured by the people who did the hard work of that accomplishment, and since they're usually not paid, the press releases really matter to them. Since the Slee memo (see above) has sucked all of the air out of the Anglican news world this week, we list here some press releases describing good works but of which almost no one will read anything but the title. Church leader and Anglican Alliance call for immediate support for civilians in Sudan. Primate of Japan announces project to support disaster victims. Episcopal Relief and Development to Assist Joplin. Anglicans respond to wildfires in Northern Alberta. Driven to bring dignity to lives in Ghana. Prayers for Alberta fires, Manitoba floods. We think this is all quite wonderful. Dedicated people are doing great works, and talented journalists remain employed so that those great works can be written about.

26 May 2011: Church and state in Uganda
The Kampala Monitor reports that a Magistrate's Court upheld the application of a group that sought a court order, restraining the new diocese of West Lango from convening an extraordinary synod to nominate candidates for bishop. The plaintiffs argued that the synod had already sent names to the House of Bishops, but that the bishops ignored the nominations and suspended the nominees. The magistrate urged the parties to settle the matter amicably. Background to one of the mysterious suspensions can be found in the New Vision.

24 May 2011: POTUS and me
Stephen Neill is the rector of Moneygall, and found the church record that traced President Obama's Irish ancestry. His blog has a photo (lifted from the White House website) of him showing the parish records to the President on his recent visit. No, he's not an O'Bama.

22 May 2011: Sentamu on Hawking's non-heaven and the weather
In an interview in the Guardian (UK) Stephen Hawking has said 'a belief that heaven or an afterlife awaits us is a "fairy story" for people afraid of death'. The Christian Post (US) reported on the response of the Archbishop of York, the Most Revd John Sentamu: 'Heaven is not just some kind of place for retired Christians where they're going to be enjoying their retirement ... Heaven is where God's will is being done.' The BBC reported that Sentamu also said the world could be a different place if people talked about God as much as they do the weather.

20 May 2011: Israel cancels court date for Dawani
Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) reports the latest in the saga of Israel's denial of the renewal for residency permits of the Bishop of Jerusalem, Rt Revd Suheil Dawani, his wife and their youngest daughter. The 18 May court date in District Court was cancelled 'due to a change of venue, in accordance with Israeli law and at the recommendation of the Attorney General of Israel, for this hearing to take place in the Supreme Court'.

20 May 2011: NIFCON launches new resource online
ACNS reports on the online launch of the Communion's Network for Inter Faith Concerns (NIFCON) resource, 'Generous Love: the truth of the Gospel and the call to dialogue – an Anglican theology of inter faith relations', as a freely available download (PDF) or to use interactively online (an 'i-book').

18 May 2011: Department of Silliness: the state of Blake's Jerusalem
The Telegraph (UK) reports on a Labour MP's remarks on the hymn Jerusalem, notably part of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (aka Wills and Kate). The MP said, 'Government plans to allow same-sex ceremonies with "a religious aspect" could allow the song at homosexual marriages.' He asked Sir George Young, the Leader of the Commons, to investigate, saying: "Can we just make sure that Jerusalem is not just reserved for homosexuals?"

18 May 2011: Bomb attempt on church school in Pakistan
USPG (United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel) reports on the status of Anglicans in Peshawar Diocese since the US attack on Osama bin Laden. The Rt Revd Humphrey Peters (Peshawar Diocese) asks for prayers. One story he related was of a bomb "found in a 10-year-old student's bag at the diocesan school at Nowshera. The little boy told staff and the authorities that, while coming to school, a bearded man put a packet in his bag and asked him to throw it in the school into the crowd".

14 May 2011: Building and tension in Swaziland
Episcopalian benefactors in Iowa, USA and in Brechin, Scotland helped to build a facility in Mpaka, Swaziland to house a school, church, clinic and community centre. Christ Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa USA has an account of its consecration last month. Now, however, the Swaziland Weekend Observer reports, a long-standing dispute between a local minister and the bishop over the project has been referred to the Archbishop of Cape Town for resolution.

13 May 2011: The Anglican Church in Bin Laden's neighbourhood
The Houston Chronicle profiles St Luke's Anglican Church in Abbottabad (in the Diocese of Peshawar), as does the website of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, which notes that the Bishop of Peshawar had visited the Diocese of Texas in February.

13 May 2011: Tension in Australia's Diocese of Newcastle
There are two Dioceses of Newcastle in the Anglican Communion. One is in England, in the Metropolitan Borough of Tyne and Wear, and the other is in Australia, in New South Wales. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has reported on increasing tensions within the Australian diocese that have resulted in formal complaints lodged against the bishop.

13 May 2011: Wakefield synod narrowly approves plan for diocesan merger
The Church Times (London) reports that the Wakefield diocesan synod 'narrowly agreed in principle' to proposals to dissolve the diocese in favour of a single, larger diocese for West Yorkshire.

13 May 2011: It's my football
The Church Times (London) reports on a communiqué from the leaders of GAFCON that criticized the actions taken at the recent Primates' Meeting in Dublin and announced plans for a second GAFCON conference in 2013. The GAFCON leaders expressed disappointment that the Primates' meeting relinquished some power rather than looking for more.

13 May 2011: Church of Ireland subscribes to the Anglican Covenant
The Church of Ireland announced that its General Synod voted to 'subscribe the Covenant'. We trust that in time we will come to understand what that means. The Church of Ireland journal Search sponsored a conference on the pros and cons of the Anglican Covenant. Members of the church's General Synod were given a more one-sided account of the benefits of the Covenant, and an assurance that it would not affect the sovereignty of the Church of Ireland or mean any change in doctrine.

12 May 2011: Province of South East Asia endorses Anglican Covenant
The Church of England newspaper reported that 'The Church of the Province of South East Asia has endorsed the Anglican Covenant, stating the pan-Anglican agreement was necessary for the church "to express our communion with the Triune God and with one another," to guard the boundaries of the faith, and to be "faithful witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."' Since only paid subscribers can read articles on its website, the article's author reposted it on his blog.

12 May 2011: Christian worship in Qatar
The US Episcopal News Service released an article (with accompanying video) about Anglican worship in Qatar, a dominantly Islamic country.

12 May 2011: Ordinariate talks stall in Canada
According to the Catholic Herald, the head of the small Traditional Anglican Communion is upset that its clergy would have to attend a Catholic seminary before being ordained, and that the church would have to cede its property to the Ordinariate as part of the process of reception.

9 May 2011: Ecumenical milestone in Dublin
The Irish Times reports that the most senior Roman Catholic prelate in Dublin, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, made history by reading the gospel at the enthronement of his Church of Ireland counterpart Michael Jackson as Archbishop of Dublin. Archbishop Martin recently made some candid remarks in Boston, reported in the Catholic Herald, linking Irish American sentimentalism to the violence that had afflicted Ireland.

8 May 2011: Vintage church to vend vintage wines
The Anglican Journal (Canada) reports on the journey of the deconsecrated church of St Matthew from Walton, Nova Scotia across the Bay of Fundy to Newport Landing on its way to its new home at a winery in Avondale. The Chronicle Herald (Halifax) reports the 30-tonne church made the trip by ferry barge in a journey that lasted just over 24 hours.

7 May 2011: Anniversaries and Celebrations
The Royal Gazette (Bermuda) reports on the 100th anniversary of the consecration of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. In Malawi, The Nation reports on the sesquicentennial of the first visit by Bishop Charles Mackenzie and the establishment of the Anglican Church in the country.

6 May 2011: England cathedral attendance figures increase again
The Church Times, quoting the Archbishops' Council, describes attendance figures at Church of England cathedrals as having increased 7% last year, both in Sunday and midweek services. This places the attendance growth figures for the past decade at 37%.

5 May 2011: Church of England commissioners release 2010 annual report
The Church of England has released its commissioners' Annual Report and Accounts for 2010. The news is generally optimistic, and is summarized in the press release fronting the report.

5 May 2011: Two new 'flying bishops' for Church of England
The Archbishop of Canterbury has announced that the British government has appointed two new 'flying bishops' for the Province of Canterbury. The Guardian (London) had this to say about it.

30 April 2011: New Bishop in Western New York
The Rt Revd R William Franklin was consecrated and installed as bishop in the Diocese of Western New York this weekend. The diocesan website has the details. The Buffalo News reported on the event as well.

29 April 2011: Vatican sees no future for married clergy in Anglican Ordinariate
Married priests will only be a temporary aberration within the Anglican Ordinariate, according to the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. The Anglican Journal also reports that the Cardinal feels Anglican clergy seeking communion with the church of Rome should undergo training with other diocesan seminarians.

29 April 2011: Bishop sees great future for married couple in Anglican abbey
The wedding held today in Westminster Abbey was widely reported elsewhere, so we shan't. The Church Times carries the text of the bishop's sermon. You can also read the text at the Diocese of London - a link to the video is available there as well.

28 April 2011: Varied response to the Covenant in US Episcopal dioceses
The Episcopal News Service summarizes the comments received so far on the proposed Anglican Covenant.

27 April 2011: Ms Scarlett's 4th-grade class votes 'no' on Covenant
The students in Ms Scarlett's 4th-grade class at St Samuel's Anglican School in Georgetown voted against the Proposed Anglican Covenant this week. Students in other classrooms are still studying the Covenant before voting.

26 April 2011: Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran 10th anniversary of full communion
The Episcopal News Service reports on the joint pastoral letter issued by Anglican, Episcopal and Lutheran leaders in the United States and Canada. 'Ten years ago, when Lutherans and Anglicans in Canada and in the United States embarked on journeys of full communion with one another, we pledged our commitment to unity in Christ for the sake of the mission of Christ's church.'

25 April 2011: The ABC can write in simple language
When a six-year old girl wrote to God asking him 'how did you get invented?', the letter reached the desk of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who wrote a thoughtful reply on God's behalf: 'Nobody invented me - but lots of people discovered me and were quite surprised.' You can read the whole response in Damien Thompson's blog in The Telegraph.

24 April 2011: Alleluia! He is risen, and nothing else matters
It's Easter day. There is no significant Anglican news, which is encouraging. If you must read something newslike, try this report from the Church Times that the Last Supper might have been on Wednesday, or look at the ABC's Facebook page, or see the 2010 financial results of the Church of England, or perhaps dive into the 2011 Easter message from the National Council of Churches in Australia.

17 April 2011: Six decades to earn PhD
The University World News reports on Australian septuagenarian, Doris LeRoy, who recently was awarded a doctorate at Victoria University (Australia) for her 'revelatory account of how the Anglican Church's most powerful dignitaries actively but covertly supported the Australian conservative government's attempts in the 1950s to outlaw the Communist Party'.

16 April 2011: Alliance consultation ends in Nairobi
The Anglican Communion News Service reported on the inaugural assembly of the Anglican Alliance whose priorities include advocacy, economic empowerment, and reconciliation. Representatives from five continents were in attendance.

15 April 2011: Post-disaster update from Nippon Sei Ko Kai
ACNS has a report from the International Secretary of the Province of Japan on the damage and relief efforts underway and planned.

15 April 2011: Canadian bishops affirm Eucharist is for the baptised
The Anglican Journal reports on the unanimous reaffirmation by the Canadian House of Bishops at their recent meeting that the sacrament of the holy Eucharist is to be given only to those baptised in the Christian faith. The bishops' statement is the result of a discussion on the concept of the 'open table' and expressing Christian hospitality. The etiquette of hospitality, mission and Holy Communion will be on the agenda at their October 2011 meeting.

14 April 2011: Glastonbury pilgrimage cancelled due to rising fuel prices
Every year about a thousand Anglicans made a pilgrimage to the Somerset town, following in the footsteps of Joseph of Arimathea who, according to legend, brought his great-nephew, a young Jesus Christ, to the site. But this year, the Guardian reports, an increase in fuel costs has persuaded the Glastonbury Pilgrimage Association to cancel the event.

14 April 2011: New Bishop Roundup
The Diocese of Lincoln (UK) has announced the appointment of its 72nd bishop: The Ven Christopher Lowson. And the Queen has approved the appointment of the Revd Nicholas Holtam as the new bishop of the Diocese of Salisbury. One can read reports on this in the Church Times (including notes on his time as Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields) and the Telegraph (he is the first clergyman married to a divorcee to be made bishop in the Church of England). The Church of Ireland announced the appointment of the Very Revd Patrick Rooke as new Bishop of Tuam, Killala & Achonry.

13 April 2011: Diocese of Los Angeles declines to endorse Covenant
The elected representatives of the Diocese of Los Angeles have declined to endorse the Anglican Covenant. The diocesan website explains that acceptance would 'pave the way toward emphasizing perceived negative differences instead of our continuing positive and abundant commonality'.

10 April 2011: New low for reprehensible behaviour in Diocese of Harare
News Day (Harare) reports that thugs believed to be minions of ousted former bishop Nolbert Kunonga interrupted and stopped a burial because the decedent was believed to be a supporter of the legitimate bishop, Chad Gandiwa.

8 April 2011: Window thefts in Quebec
Thieves have stolen stained glass windows from the Anglican churches in Genville and Dunany. The Montreal Gazette reports that the stained glass at Dunany had just been restored last year.

8 April 2011: Nonbeliever wins richest religion prize
The Church Times reports that Lord Rees, who has been described as 'a churchgoer who does not believe in God', was awarded the £1-million Templeton Prize this week. There is a lot of discussion of this in the UK press this week, including this comment by Mark Vernon and this by Michael White. Thinking Anglicans has its usual encyclopedic coverage here.

7 April 2011: New Zealand church cross about pizza firm's bun adverts
Hell Pizza has put up billboards around Auckland that advertise its Hell cross buns with the tagline, 'For a limited time. A bit like Jesus.' The Anglican Church's media officer complained that the ads are disrespectful, but according to the New Zealand Herald, the pizza company is unrepentant. Looking at their menu, we wonder why it took so long for the church to get wound up about it.

6 April 2011: Church in Wales running out of burial space
The Church in Wales has over a thousand burial grounds, and is legally obliged to bury people, regardless of their faith. But the church has warned than in ten years, two thirds of those burial grounds will be full. The church is briefing candidates for the Welsh Assembly, and Wales Online reports that local authorities have agreed to study the problem. We hope that they don't study it to death.

3 April 2011: From pop star to pulpit: the Revd Richard Coles
The Telegraph (UK) has a story on the Revd Richard Coles, former member of The Communards, one of the most successful pop bands of the 1980s, who is now a priest in the Church of England.

2 April 2011: Singapore Anglicans build autism centre
Singapore's Christian Post reports on the official opening of the St. Andrew's Autism Centre (SAAC), a project of the Diocese of Singapore. SAAC is a comprehensive one-stop centre for autism care for children, youths and adults with autism, aged 7 to 55 years and beyond. The Most Revd Dr John Chew said that the Anglican community decided to build autism centre for the welfare of the city: 'Throughout Singapore's history, Anglicans here have had a tradition of being pioneers in serving the changing needs of the population, medical or otherwise'.

1 April 2011: Regular churchgoers are 'likely to become obese'
The Church Times (UK) reports on a study by researchers at Northwestern University (Illinois, US) which found that young adults who attended a religious function at least once a week were 50% more likely to be obese by middle age.

1 April 2011: Canada's Anglican Journal un-incorporates
The Anglican Journal reports on the passage of a motion by Canada's Council of General Synod to un-incorporate the Anglican Journal, the national newspaper of the Anglican Church of Canada. This is not dire news; in fact, it's rather good news all in all.