The Bishop of Bristol, Viv Faull and the Bishop of Ramsbury, Andrew Rumsey, will jointly take over the role - held most recently by the Bishop of Worcester, John Inge.The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell said: “We are delighted that Bishop Viv and Bishop Andrew have accepted this invitation. Their combined experience will be a blessing to those who care for and uphold our places of worship as beacons of faith in our communities, and in their important civic, heritage and educational roles.”“We also wish to take the opportunity to thank Bishop John Inge for all he contributed to this role.”The Church of England has around 16,000 church buildings and 42 cathedrals of which more than 12,500 are listed. The lead bishops support those who care for these buildings by speaking on relevant national issues and engaging in dialogue with Government and partner organisations. Bishop Viv was Dean of York prior to her appointment as Bishop of Bristol. She is a Church Commissioner and a member of the House of Lords. She said: “I am delighted to be given this formal role in leading the Church of England’s thinking and planning as we continue to develop these glorious assets and support the outstanding work of the local communities who pay for them and pray in them. “The experience of the last 18 months includes our buildings being closed, being used to feed and support the most vulnerable in our communities, and becoming more environmentally sustainable as well as monuments and artefacts being noticed and debated.”Bishop Andrew, who is Bishop of Ramsbury in the Diocese of Salisbury, is also an author whose writing centres on themes of local & national identity. His last book, <em>Parish: an Anglican theology of place</em>, is published by SCM press.Commenting on his appointment, he said: “I am honoured to share this new role with the Bishop of Bristol. Our church buildings are a priceless legacy, close to the nation’s soul. I look forward to championing their vital place in public worship and community renewal, and to working with church, government & heritage bodies to assure their future.”
Stretch your legs and relax your mind, visit unique historic buildings, see beautiful countryside, get some exercise and have fun with family and friends!Ride+Stride for churches takes place on Saturday 11 September 2021 and is a sponsored bike ride or walk between churches, exploring and enjoying town and countryside in Surrey. Run by the Surrey Churches Preservation Trust, it takes place annually and the money raised helps to repair churches, chapels and meeting houses throughout the county.This year with churches closed for so long and many having lost income thanks to the pandemic, it is more important than ever to help them conserve their buildings. Half of the money you raise goes to your nominated church, half for grants to help maintain Surrey’s churches.Book the date now! Find out more and download sponsorship forms and maps at http://www.surreychurchespreservationtrust.org
The Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge, has voiced disappointment after MPs backed a Government plan to impose new financial tests before restoring the legal commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income on aid.Under a motion approved by the Commons, spending on international development would only be returned to that level if the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) believes the UK is not borrowing to finance day-to-day spending and underlying debt is falling.MPs voted by 333 to 298 in favour of the motion despite significant opposition including from the former International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell.Bishop John, the Church of England’s lead bishop for international development, said the test could be so stringent that it risked making the cut "permanent".He said: “I am very disappointed that Parliament has not seen fit to honour this country’s laudable promise, enshrined in law, to devote 0.7% of GNI to aid.“As Andrew Mitchell commented this morning, it is not right that the world’s poorest should be the only ones to suffer from a reduction in spending following the pandemic.“The commitment was one of which the Conservative party could be proud and I hope it will be restored very soon.“It is a matter of some concern that the criteria which the Government has now set out for a return to 0.7% are so stringent that it risks making permanent rather than temporary the reduction in our overseas development.”
There’s been both enthusiasm and disquiet around as the Church of England has started discussing its vision and strategy for the next five to ten years: enthusiasm for its vision of a ‘humbler, simpler, bolder’ church; disquiet about some of the specific aspirations that have been widely shared (with the mention of ’ten thousand new lay-led churches’ in particularly leading some commentators to believe that the Church of England plc has fallen out of love with her parishes and even her clergy!). There are undoubtedly different views around here, compounded by a careless use of language from some quarters: but I do want to reassure both clergy and laity here in Guildford that I and my colleagues remain fully committed to the vision of loving, healthy parish churches with ordained clergy leading them! (The same, I know, is true of both our archbishops). The pandemic has stretched us all to the limit, but it’s also demonstrated the tremendous quality of our clergy and lay leaders, and the extraordinary blessing of our parish churches, deeply rooted as they are in the communities that have never needed us more. As we prayerfully negotiate the steady return to something a little closer to normality, please be encouraged that we’ve got your back! Of course we’re committed to chaplaincies too, and church schools, and the many new worshipping communities that have emerged from within our parishes and deaneries (messy churches, youth congregations, worship in residential homes and the like). We’re also committed to renewing our parish churches through a range of interventions (including grafting from one church to another) where the number of the faithful has fallen beneath any kind of critical mass; and it would irresponsible of us not to keep a careful eye on the bottom line. But as we face the continued uncertainties of the coming weeks and months, here’s what the Apostle Paul would say to us: ‘Let us not grow weary in welldoing, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart’.Every BlessingBishop Andrew
