28 March 2019: Bishop in Europe: press the pause button on Brexit
The Church Times (London) reports on the recent statement from the Bishop in Europe, Dr Robert Innes, that he supports calls to revoke Article 50 and delay Brexit, so that a 'national consensus' can be built.

28 March 2019: Anglican Church of Canada announces five candidates for Primate
The Anglican Communion News Service reports that the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada has nominated five of its number for election of a new Primate and Archbishop. The current Primate of Canada, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, will retire on 16 July.

28 March 2019: Draft agenda for upcoming ACC meeting announced
The Anglican Communion News Service reports that the seventeenth meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council begins 28 April in Hong Kong. The ACC, one of four Instruments of the Anglican Communion, includes Archbishops, bishops, priests, and laity from the 40 autonomous churches of the Anglican Communion. The draft agenda for the meeting has just been published. ACC members will be asked to approve the agenda as their first item of business. The Church Times notes that the agenda includes a consultation on the Church of England's sexuality review.

27 March 2019: Diocese of Vermont announces slate of candidates for bishop
The Diocese of Vermont has announced the names of the finalists to be its next bishop. The election will be held on 18 May.

25 March 2019: University of Kent to raise concerns with ABC over Conference ban on gay spouses
The Episcopal Café (USA) reports that the University of Kent, on whose campus the upcoming Lambeth Conference will be held, intends to raise its community concerns about the conference's intent to discriminate with the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Independent (London) has a good interpretation of the University's statement of intent.

24 March 2019: Bishop Martín Barahona of El Salvador is dead
The Right Reverend Martín Barahona, bishop of El Salvador, died yesterday afternoon. El Mundo reports in Spanish. ElSalvador.com also reported in Spanish, but Google Translate produced this credible English version. Bishop Barahona was one of the founders of Cristosal, the renowned human-rights organisation.

22 March 2019: UKC students outraged at university's willingness to host Lambeth Conference
In the wake of the ABC's decision not to invite same-sex spouses to the 2020 Lambeth Conference, outraged students at the University of Kent at Canterbury are protesting the university's willingness to host the event. Kent Online reports.

21 March 2019: UK uses violent Bible verses to deny Asylum to Iranian
Christianity Today (Illinois, USA) reports the British government has been using the Bible against Christians seeking asylum after converting from Islam—most recently, citing verses from Leviticus, Exodus, and Revelation as evidence that the Christian faith was not more peaceful. The Telegraph (London) reports on the Church of England's counter-attack. The Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, said the denial showed a 'profound misunderstanding' of the Bible.

17 March 2019: Very special day as bishop confirms 92-year-old
Dorothy Hopwood was baptised as a baby, and attended St Thomas Musbury in Lancashire. But her mother attended the Methodist church, and Dorothy missed out on confirmation classes. Now she lives in Raven Croft, and attends the monthly communion service held in its Community Room. She felt unable to receive communion because she had never been confirmed. The Diocese of Blackburn reports that Bishop Philip North came to the Community Room to confirm her, and she received communion for the first time, 92 years after her baptism.

16 March 2019: Bishops and spouses respond to Lambeth (dis)invitations
Episcopal Cafe reports on US Bishop Mary Glasspool's statement on the lack an invitation for her wife (and the husbands of two others) to the Lambeth Spouses' Conference.

15 March 2019: Church leaders offer prayer and solidarity after New Zealand mosque attacks leaves 50 dead
The Anglican Communion News Service reports on some of the responses to the New Zealand mosque attacks from Christchurch and around the globe.

14 March 2019: Being empowered to lead: The women in northern Argentina who are finding their voice
Women in rural Argentina are coming together for action, empowerment, education, and support, according to this piece which originally appeared in Anglican World, republished by the Anglican Communion News Service.

11 March 2019: Celebrations mark 25 years of women's ordination to the priesthood
The Church of England lists and reports on some of the many events to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of women's ordination to the priesthood in that province.

10 March 2019: Mystery of medieval altar stone found in Toronto church
Canon Peter Walker was curious about a black marble slab under a lamp in his office, at Grace Church-on-the-Hill, Toronto. A note in crayon said it came from the altar of La Neuve-Église, Belgium in 1915. CBC News reports that the rector discovered it had been rescued from a bombed out church by a famous Canadian chaplain, Canon F G Scott, and that it probably came to Grace when one of Scott's sons assisted at the church. Many of the church's windows are tributes to young parishioners who died in Flanders Fields. The Belgian church had been rebuilt in 1925, and on the 100th anniversary of the end of the first world war, a delegation from Grace returned the altar stone to La Neuve-Église.

9 March 2019: Landmark case in NZ seeks to make Church responsible for abusive priests
The Herald (NZ) reports that a case brought to the Human Rights Commission in New Zealand is attempting to hold the Anglican Church legally accountable for abuse committed in the Diocese of Nelson by one of its clergy. In addition to reporting the news, the newspaper published this editorial about the case.

8 March 2019: Ultra-wealthy NYC parish church buys Church Divinity School of the Pacific
The US Episcopal News Service reports on the purchase of CDSP by Trinity Church Wall Street in New York. Even people who are aware of how Trinity became so wealthy seem to be happy with this merger. The crypt and sub-basements of Trinity Church are the (fictional) locale for the film franchise National Treasure.

8 March 2019: New archbishop for South Sudan
The Anglican Communion News Service reports that the Bishop of Nzara, Samuel Peni, has been elected Bishop of Yambio and Archbishop of the Church of South Sudan's Internal Province of Western Equatoria. He will be installed soon.

8 March 2019: Cathedral instructed to help conservative worshippers avoid women-led services
Dennis Belk complained when Wakefield Cathedral stopped publishing the names of those who would be presiding over Holy Communion, since he no longer knew which services to avoid. The Premier reports that an independent review agreed with the complaint and the cathedral has been requested to make it easier to discriminate.

6 March 2019: Church in Vancouver offers drive-thru ashes
Extending the concept of 'ashes to go' in the best North American style: the Global News (Toronto) reports on a church in Vancouver, British Columbia, that offered ashes to people who drove through their car park during the day, before its traditional indoor Ash Wednesday service in the evening.

4 March 2019: Diocese of Michigan chooses four women as nominees for bishop
The US Episcopal News Service reports that a slate of four women has been put forward as candidates for election as the next Bishop of Michigan.

3 March 2019: Church of England to hold first service in Farsi
The Telegraph reports that hundreds of Persian Christians from all over the UK attended a service in Wakefield Cathedral in Farsi and English. The service was led by the Bishop of Loughborough, Guli Francis-Dehqani, who was forced to leave Iran in 1980 because of religious persecution. Many churches have been looking for help to serve the increasing number of Persians turning up for Sunday service. Loughborough is an archdeaconry in the Diocese of Leicester.

2 March 2019: Malawi diocese battling to oust its bishop, citing corruption
The Nyassa Times (Malawi) reports that members of the Diocese of Upper Shire are fervent in their attempts to remove their bishop, Brighton Vita Malasa for mismanagement of funds and dictatorial behaviour.

1 March 2019: Diocese of Birmingham seeks to undo parish system
The Church Times (London) reports on the plans in the Diocese of Birmingham to dissolve parish boundaries and serve them with fewer clergy, noting that the 'pattern of a stipendiary minister for every parish has been deemed "no longer sustainable, fair, or a good fit" for Birmingham. That diocese is the least wealthy in the Church of England and 44% of its parishioners are in that country's economic bottom 10%. An opinion piece in that same issue of the Church Times notes that 'A middle-class culture dominates the Church'.

1 March 2019: New bishop for Kootenay
The Columbia Valley Pioneer (British Columbia) reports on the election of the Revd Dr Lynne McNaughton as tenth Bishop of Kootenay.

28 February 2019: British MP calls for legal action over Lambeth same-sex partner ban
The Telegraph (London) reports that a British MP has asserted that the ABC's ruling about same-sex spouses and the upcoming Lambeth Conference constitutes workplace discrimination and should be taken to court. The US Episcopal News Service reports on intentions to ignore the archbishop's mandate.

24 February 2019: General Synod continues
The General Synod of the Church of England continues to meet in London. Our partner, Thinking Anglicans, has full coverage.

21 February 2019: Leading Episcopal (USA) cleric responds to Welby decision
At a meeting of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church (USA) President of the House of Deputies the Revd Gay Clark Jennings responded to Archbishop Welby's decision to not invite the same-sex spouses of three bishop (two US, one Canada) to the 2020 Lambeth Conference.

20 February 2019: Janani Luwum’s family and Idi Amin’s kinsmen reconcile on 42nd anniversary of martyrdom
Forty-two years ago the Archbishop of Uganda, Janani Luwum, protested the excesses of the country's dictator, Idi Amin, and was killed in retaliation. The Anglican Communion News Service reports that this year, at the annual commemoration of his death in his home village of Wii Gweng, Amin's relatives asked forgiveness of Luwum's widow and family. Tearful hugs and handshakes were exchanged in an act of Christian reconciliation.

19 February 2019: Anglican Bishop of Newcastle to be defrocked
The Herald (Newcastle, Australia) writes of the recommendation of former assistant bishop of Newcastle, Richard Appleby to be deposed following allegations of child abuse.

16 February 2019: Married gay bishops told: don’t bring your spouse to Lambeth
The Sunday Times (London) reports that married gay bishops will be invited to the 2020 Lambeth conference, but have been told not to bring their spouses. Naturally, there is discord.

16 February 2019: Scottish Episcopal church considers ditching ethical investments over poor returns
The Sunday Times (London) reports that the Scottish Episcopal church is proposing to abandon ethical investments, in a move that could see it benefit financially from companies that reap huge profits in armaments, gambling and pornography. One observer suggested that it appears that ethical investments are a luxury the church can no longer afford.

15 February 2019: Status update on 2020 Lambeth Conference
The Episcopal Café has published a brief update on the status of the 2020 Lambeth conference.

15 February 2019: Complex confirmation logistics in world's most southerly Anglican cathedral
The Anglican Communion News Service (London) has published a report on what might have been an ordinary confirmation service at Christ Church Cathedral in the Falkland Islands, except that the bishop is based in London, 8000 miles away.

13 February 2019: Kidnappers murder Nigerian priest and demand ransom for his family
The Anglican Communion News Service tells us 'Reports from Nigeria say that a priest from the Diocese of Sokoto has been murdered by kidnappers who are continuing to hold his family.'

12 February 2019: US diocese, shareholder in firearms manufacturer, aims to influence
The Episcopal Café (USA) reports that the Bishop of Western Massachusetts, whose diocese now owns shares in Smith and Wesson, is planning shareholder advocacy to help force that gun manufacturing company to be more responsible.

9 February 2019: Haiti prepares for next steps in its turbulent bishop search
The Episcopal Café (USA) reports on the process that is evolving in Haiti to resume and continue its bishop search after the declared winner of the election did not receive consent from the House of Bishops of the US Episcopal Church (of which the Diocese of Haiti is a part).

8 February 2019: Archbishop of Cape Town calls on bishops to 'express your differences' at 2020 Lambeth Conference
The Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, has asked all Anglican bishops to attend the Lambeth Conference despite differences amongst themselves. 'I know people talk about the fabric of the communion as torn', he said, 'but we are all fallible human beings in need of God’s love and grace, and we need each other.'

8 February 2019: Alabama church removes pew dedicated to Confederate President Jefferson Davis
The US Episcopal News Service reports that a parish church in Montgomery, Alabama has removed a pew that was marked as dedicated to the memory of Jefferson Davis, who was the president of the short-lived Confederate States of America. Davis and the Confederacy are now seen as symbols of racism. Mr Davis was not even a member of that parish.

8 February 2019: Preliminary Christchurch cathedral rebuilding works underway as new bishop arrives
The Anglican Communion News Service reports that reconstruction work has begun on the ruined former Christchurch Cathedral and that the Rt Revd Dr Peter Carrell has been installed as the new Bishop of Christchurch in an outdoor ceremony near the cathedral ruins.

7 February 2019: Online fraudsters hit diocese of Qu'Appelle website
Canada's Anglican Journal reports that an officer with the diocese of Qu'Appelle is warning churches whose website has an online donation feature to make sure it is protected from fraudulent use. The warning follows an episode last winter in which someone used the diocese's 'Donate' button to test thousands of stolen credit card numbers.

3 February 2019: Chinese government appoints RC bishop from 'underground'
The Straits Times (Singapore) reports on the government's appointment of a bishop from China's 'underground' Roman Catholic Church as the official state-backed Bishop Coadjutor of Nanyang, a diocese in central China. Nearly half of China's RC dioceses are without bishops because the government has not approved the Vatican's choices.

2 February 2019: African churches boom in London's backstreets
The Guardian (London), in a photo essay, reports on the flourishing of African churches serving migrants in London, primarily in the Borough of Southwark.

2 February 2019: Susan Brown Snook elected bishop of San Diego
The Living Church reports that Susan Brown Snook, Canon for church growth and development in the Diocese of Oklahoma has been elected the fifth bishop of San Diego (USA).

1 February 2019: General Synod to meet this month
The General Synod of the Church of England is scheduled to meet from from Wednesday 20 to Saturday 23 February in London. Thinking Anglicans has further, detailed information about the event.

1 February 2019: British law maker withdraws attempt to remove clergy exemption on same-sex marriages
The Anglican Communion News Service reports three members of the House of Lords have tabled an amendment to a Bill on marriages and civil partnerships that would have removed the exemption for members of the clergy to solemnise the marriage of a same sex couple after the government said it would not support it. According to Christian Today, currently clergy from denominations other than the Anglican Churches of England and Wales may conduct same-sex marriages if their denominations allow them do so.

30 January 2019: Archbishop George Takelu steps down as Primate of the Anglican Church of Melanesia
The Anglican Communion News Service reports that Takelu will step down on 25 March at the age of 60, as per the compulsary retirement age of the province. He has served three years in the position.

29 January 2019: Church of England plan for welcoming trans people is under fire
The Guardian (London) reports that more than 2,000 clergy and lay members of the Church of England have signed a letter calling on bishops to withdraw or change recent guidance on welcoming transgender people to the church. The Times has a similar report, but their count is 1,600.

26 January 2019: New bishop for Barbados
Barbados Today reports the consecration of the Revd Michael Bruce St John Maxwell as the 14th Bishop of Barbados. He succeeds the Most Revd Dr John Holder, who retired in February 2018.

26 Month 2019: UK priest sets up as chaplain in local supermarket
The BBC reports that Canon Nick Buck, Vicar of St Giles in Lincoln, visits a local supermarket on on a fortnightly basis. He says that most of his discussions are with staff, but he's happy to meet with anyone in the store.

26 January 2019: Canterbury plans statue of exonerated bishop George Bell
The BBC reports that 'A statue of the late Bishop of Chichester George Bell will be installed at Canterbury Cathedral after further allegations of abuse were ruled "unfounded."'

25 January 2019: Sleeping pods to be installed in Welsh churches for SpiritCymru cycle tourism campaign
There are 800 chapels and churches in rural and coastal Wales, many of which are closed or face an uncertain future. Anglican Communion News Service reports that many of these will be opened as accommodation for touring cyclists. The scheme has received financial backing from the Welsh government's tourism innovation fund.

24 January 2019: Archbishop of Canterbury apologizes for comments based on now-discredited allegations
The Anglican Communion News Service reports that an independent inquiry carried out by a senior ecclesiastical lawyer has ruled that fresh allegations against the late Bishop George Bell are 'unfounded'. Bishop Bell, the former Bishop of Chichester, was described today by ABC Justin Welby as a 'highly esteemed bishop who died over 60 years ago'. Archbishop Justin apologised for the way the Church had handled allegations against Bishop Bell. The Guardian (London) also reports the apology and retraction.

24 January 2019: Lynne McNaughton elected Bishop of Kootenay
The Anglican Journal (Toronto) reports that the Revd Lynne McNaughton, rector of St Clement in North Vancouver, and deputy prolocutor of Canada's General Synod, has been elected the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Kootenay.

23 January 2019: Church of England announces £35 million investment in new churches and outreach
The Anglican Communion News Service (London) reports that the 'Renewal and Reform programme' of the Church of England will invest much of its £35 million funding to develop new churches and new forms of outreach. Projects underway include a new church in the nightclub area of Bradford, a new church in the Becontree Estate (the largest public housing estate in Europe).

23 January 2019: Bishop search for Minnesota extended until 2020
The US Episcopal News Service reports that the Diocese of Minnesota has extended the timeline for its bishop search until January 2020.

23 January 2019: Diocese in Uganda under fire for shopping mall plans
PML Daily (Kampala, Uganda) reports that the Kampala Capital City Authority has written to Uganda's Ministry of Education and Sports, protesting plans by the Diocese of Namirembe to evict a city primary school and build a shopping mall in its place.

22 January 2019: Anglican ecumenical expert chosen as new president of Canada's Thorneloe University
The Anglican Journal (Toronto) reports on the selection of Canon Dr John Gibaut (Director of Unity, Faith and Order at the Anglican Communion Office), become president, provost and vice-chancellor of Canada’s Thorneloe University.

20 January 2019: Anglican priest exorcises poltergeist for Muslim family
The Times (London) reports that a Muslim family thought their council house was being haunted by the ghost of a Christian monk, and that only an Anglican priest could get rid of it. The call came to the Revd Jason Bray who is authorised by his bishop as a deliverance minister. There can be pitfalls: if you are blessing a house, word might get around that the house is haunted, and you could be sued for the loss of value. This sort of ministry is only done by clergy with specific training.

17 January 2019: Churches raise money to buy ambulance, save West Bank Anglican hospital
The US Episcopal News Service (New York) reports on an effort in the Diocese of Washington to support an Anglican hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, where the lack of an ambulance could cost the charity hospital its accreditation, forcing it to close its doors.

16 January 2019: Bishop of Zululand steps down after sexual misconduct allegation
The Anglican Communion News Service (London) reports that a bishop in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa has stepped down after being accused of sexual misconduct. Bishop Monument Makhanya has decided to stand down at the end of this month after a former deacon in the diocese lodged a complaint of sexual misconduct against him.

16 January 2019: Diocese of Lagos to build affordable Anglican housing
The Punch (Lagos) reports on plans by the Diocese of Lagos with a budget of €12 million to begin the construction of a Centenary City to address the housing needs of low income members of the church.

16 January 2019: Alabama church helping Coast Guard families affected by government shutdown
Television station WPMI (Mobile, Alabama, USA) reports on the outreach by an Episcopal church to provide for the families of Coast Guard workers caught by the government shutdown.

15 January 2019: First marriage under Church of South India's 'Green Wedding' protocol
The Church of South India (part of the Anglican Communion) has established a Green Protocol for Green Discipleship. The Anglican Communion News Service reports on the first wedding held in the Diocese of Kerala under that protocol.

15 January 2019: US survey of why young people leave church
The Religion News Service reports on a recent study by a US evangelical research firm on the reasons that young people are walking away from the church. Meanwhile, Malcolm Doney and Martin Wroe wonder aloud in the Church Times about whether stubbornly obscure church language and vocabulary is partly to blame.

11 January 2019: Conflict intensifies over same-sex rites in Diocese of Albany
The Episcopal Café reports that USA Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has issued a 'partial restriction' on the ministry of the Bishop of Albany, William Love. It forbids the bishop 'from participating in any manner in the Church's disciplinary process in the Diocese of Albany in any matter regarding any member of the clergy that involves the issue of same-sex marriage'. The US Episcopal News Service reports Bishop Love intends to appeal, and that part of his appeal will be a challenge to the legitimacy of the US General Convention resolution he is disobeying. Episcopal Café also reports the ongoing conflict over this issue in the Diocese of Tennessee and six other dioceses.

10 January 2019: ACNS reports 15% increase in use of its website
The London-based Anglican Communion News Service reports a 15% increase in page views on its website  over the past 12 months. Long-time readers ourselves, we congratulate Gavin Drake and his capable team.

9 January 2019: Oxford diocese 'in meltdown' as clergy reject bishops' view on sexuality
Christian Today (London) reports 'The Church of England's Oxford diocese is facing an uncertain future after a large group of its serving clergy publicly rejected their bishops' views on sexuality.' Whether this is as dire a problem as that publication suggests, and just how large is a 'large group' is not immediately clear. It might not be a real crisis but it is definitely a real argument. When similar events occurred in some US dioceses a decade ago, the most notable result was the spending of far too much time and money fighting about it.

8 January 2019: Anglican Church of Zimbabwe to sponsor football club
It is so refreshing to see Anglican news from Zimbabwe that is not about corruption or violence. Zim Eye (Harare) reports the Anglican Church of Zimbabwe is set to sponsor a division two club, Anglican Saints. Coach Tumo said 'Our club is a newly formed club, being run by the Anglican Church. So we have been registered in the Mashonaland East Division two and we holding trials so that we can assemble a team.' Zimbabwe's Nehanda Radio reported that recently the Rt Revd Dr Farai Mutamiri was consecrated as the new bishop of the Anglican Church’s Diocese of Harare.

4 January 2019: Consents not gathered in Haiti bishop election
Following a controversial election, the requisite number of approvals by other bishops and dioceses within the Episcopal Church (USA) was not gathered by the deadline for the bishop coadjutor of the province's largest diocese, according to the Episcopal News Service.

3 January 2019: Research finds 10% of Anglican clergy have experienced violence
News Medical (UK) reports of the research of law faculty at Royal Holloway, Univesity of London regarding threats of violence toward clergy.