Press release from the Church of England
See of Ebbsfleet – consultation
12/05/2022
Following the resignation of the former Bishop of Ebbsfleet, Jonathan Goodall, in September last year, a consultation on the way forward for the see has received a number of calls to consider relocating the post to be rooted in an individual diocese and diocesan college of bishops.
The Bishop of Ebbsfleet – one of the Church of England’s three ‘Provincial Episcopal Visitors’, who minister to traditional catholic parishes – has been responsible primarily for churches in the western half of the Church of England’s Province of Canterbury.
Following the initial consultation, a suggestion from the Archbishop of Canterbury to revive the suffragan See of Oswestry in the Diocese of Lichfield is currently being explored.
The proposal would involve a future Bishop of Oswestry living in the diocese and ministering to traditional catholic parishes in that and other dioceses of the West Midlands and South West of England.
No decisions have been taken. Initial consultations are currently underway within the Diocese of Lichfield, with The Society and in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Any proposal would then be considered by the Dioceses Commission this summer.
Notes to Editors:
Martyn Percy Prospect Why I’m leaving the Church of England
“Mired in allegations of partisanship and incompetence, the Church is now incapable of running its own affairs. After a series of farcical “safeguarding” claims, the former dean of Christ Church, Oxford, no longer feels he belongs”
[This is covered as a news item in The Guardian and Church Times.]
Archbishop Cranmer Bishop of Oxford instructs lawyers to censor Archbishop Cranmer
Diocese of Oxford Dr Martyn Percy has announced he is to leave the Church of England
Felicity Cooke ViaMedia.News Leading, Following, or Forgetting? The Church and the World
75 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
Church Commissioners reports strong financial returns in 2021 of 13.3%
11/05/2022
The Church Commissioners for England, which manages the endowment fund of the Church of England, published its financial results for 2021 today in its Annual Report.
The continued strong investment returns have enabled the Church Commissioners to increase its funding of the Church’s mission and ministry in the 2023-2025 triennium to an all-time high. The Commissioners will contribute £1.2 billion to the Church’s funding in the next three-year period, which will account for about 20% of the Church’s expenditure. The Church Commissioners plan to maintain that level of funding in the subsequent six years, subject to investment performance and market fluctuations, which would help the Church to plan for the medium and long term.
The Church Commissioners’ active investment approach and risk-mitigating diversification across a broad range of asset classes enabled it to generate returns of 13.3% in 2021, exceeding its target of CPIH +4%, and the Commissioners has beaten its return target over the last three, 10 and 30 year periods. The fund was valued at £10.1 billion as at the end of 2021.
The performance of the fund despite the uncertain environment of the last few years has enabled the Commissioners to maintain its funding commitment in the 2020-2022 triennium of over £900 million.
Alan Smith, First Church Estates Commissioner, said:
“Good governance and an excellent team are both essential for us to achieve the strong returns necessary to provide the maximum sustainable level of funding for the Church’s mission and ministry, whilst maintaining our responsible investment philosophy. I am pleased the Church Commissioners have been able to meet our funding commitments for the current triennium despite the volatile market environment we have experienced in recent years due to Covid-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Our excellent long-term returns are also enabling us to put in place a strong funding plan for the next three to nine years. Our long-term outlook means we contribute the maximum amount of funds to the Church today whilst also maintaining our support for future generations.”
The Church of England today announced a 30% increase in its national funding for the next three-year period to support and develop ministry, particularly amongst young and disadvantaged communities. The press release can be found here.
3 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
Church of England national funding to increase 30% to support and develop ministry especially with young people and disadvantaged communities
The Church of England today announced plans for a significant increase in funding for the next three years to support God’s mission and ministry across the country, supporting local parishes and growing many more new worshipping communities to serve the whole nation.
The Church Commissioners for England intend to distribute £1.2 billion between 2023 and 2025, up 30% from £930 million in the current three-year period, and plan to maintain this level of funding in the subsequent six years.
In total, this would mean the Church Commissioners plan to distribute £3.6 billion to frontline work of the Church of England between 2023 and 2031, making the Church Commissioners and Archbishops’ Council among the largest grant givers in the country.
The Church Commissioners’ distributions will account for approximately 20% of Church funding, whilst the biggest contribution comes from the faithful and generous giving of churchgoers across the country.
The core of the extra funding will be channelled into the revitalisation of parish and local ministry. The distributions will help fund dioceses’ plans to serve the nation by reaching more young and disadvantaged people, addressing issues of racial justice, and radically cutting the Church’s carbon footprint.
In line with the Church’s Vision and Strategy for the 2020s, funds will also be used to support parish churches and dioceses. This will include:
In addition, the Church will lead by example in areas that are important not only to the Church but to wider society.
Christopher Yoder The Living Church The Scouring of the White Horse
Andrew Graystone Church Times ‘Re-dressing’ victims’ wounds
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Post Traumatic Church Induced Stress (PTCIS) Is it a Problem?
8 CommentsStephen Parsons Surviving Church Music in Worship: Questions that need to be asked.
Amy Kenny Earth & Altar Celebrating the Wheelchair: an excerpt from My Body is not a Prayer Request
Mark Chapman ViaMedia.News It’s Not Just About the Bible
Peter Webster Webstory Michael Ramsey and the Lambeth Conference
36 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office
There is more detail on the Southwark diocesan website.
Appointment of Bishop of Croydon: 3 May 2022
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Venerable Dr Marlene Rosemarie Mallett, Archdeacon of Croydon, to the Suffragan See of Croydon, in the Diocese of Southwark.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 3 May 2022
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Venerable Dr Marlene Rosemarie Mallett, Archdeacon of Croydon, to the Suffragan See of Croydon, in the Diocese of Southwark, in succession to The Right Reverend Jonathan Clark following his retirement.
Background
Rosemarie was educated at Sussex University and Warwick University, and trained for ministry at the South East Institute of Theological Education. She served her title at Christ Church, Brixton Road, in the Diocese of Southwark and was ordained Priest in 2005.
Rosemarie served as Priest-in-Charge at St John the Evangelist, Angell Town, from 2007 and was appointed Vicar in 2013, as well as being made Director of Ordinands for the Kingston Episcopal Area. In 2015, Rosemarie was additionally appointed Diocesan Director of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation.
She took up her current role as Archdeacon of Croydon in 2020.
16 CommentsStephen Parsons Surviving Church Safeguarding and the Search for Independence
Stephanie Pywell ViaMedia.News To Love and to Cherish… According to our Beliefs and Lifestyles
Richard Scorer The Free Thinker Child Protection and Religious Freedom
27 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office.
There are more details on the diocesan website.
Bishop of Bath and Wells: 28 April 2022
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Noel Michael Roy Beasley, Suffragan Bishop of Hertford, for election as Bishop of Bath and Wells.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 28 April 2022
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Noel Michael Roy Beasley, Suffragan Bishop of Hertford, for election as Bishop of Bath and Wells, in succession to The Right Reverend Peter Hancock following his retirement.
Background
Michael was educated at Imperial College, London and Oriel College, Oxford and trained for ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham. He served his title in the Parishes of Newport, Chetwynd and Forton in the Diocese of Lichfield and was ordained Priest in 2000.
Michael became Chaplain of Westcott House, Cambridge in 2003 whilst also working as Senior Programme Manager for The Partnership for Child Development, a research group in the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College, London. In 2008, he was made Vice Principal and Tutor in Mission at Westcott House and Director for The Partnership for Child Development. In 2010, he became Director of Mission, in the Diocese of Oxford and was appointed Honorary Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford in 2014.
Michael has served in his current role as Suffragan Bishop of Hertford since 2015.
37 CommentsScot Peterson ViaMedia.News All Change: What Next for Living in Love and Faith?
Surviving Church The Kenneth Saga: End in sight?
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church House of Survivors. A New Resource for the Church of England
Stephen Cottrell William Temple Foundation An Easter Vision
ViaMedia.News Living in Love and Faith: The Ozanne Foundation Responds
22 CommentsNews from the Church of England
Smyth Review update
27/04/2022
Following an update in January about timings on the Smyth Review the National Safeguarding Team, NST, has now provided a further update to the survivors and victims, who suffered the appalling abuse by the late John Smyth.
The reviewers are still continuing to receive important information, with some completely new people coming forward to make representations, including victims and people who knew Smyth over the years. There was an evidence deadline of September 2021, however it was considered important that these voices were heard to obtain a fuller picture as possible.
The approach the reviewers are taking to draft the report is to cover all the material in a largely chronological way, providing drafts covering the different periods and starting the representations process with those people named in the report as it progresses. This phased approach is considered more effective and helpful for all those involved, particularly survivors and victims, rather than presenting the full report to the NST all in one go. The first phase draft is expected to be with the NST within a month and it will continue to receive drafts over the summer months.
The Church (as stated by the Archbishop of Canterbury) is committed to full and unredacted publication of the report. The representations process, for all involved is expected to be complex, with the eventual date of publication being determined by this.
There will be further updates when more precise timings are known. Both the reviewers and the Church recognise that this review has the potential to be re-traumatising for victims and survivors and support continues to be offered, please contact jude.renton@churchofengland.org in the first instance.
1 CommentSophie Grace Chappell ViaMedia.News Trans Figured: Experience Trumps Theory
Martin Sewell Surviving Church Bullying in the Church
Giles Fraser UnHerd Why Bishops should be political
James Crockford Church Times C of E prefers marble to people
“The Rustat judgment exposed flaws in the faculty process”
The Guardian In pictures: Good Friday around the world
Martyn Percy Modern Church Testing Trials and Egregious Errors: Some Good Friday Reflections
The Revolutionary Seeds of Easter
Hattie McInerney ViaMedia.News The Invisible Privilege of Being Voiceless in the Church: Creating a Platform for Bisexual Christians
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Radical New Christian Inclusion – the Silence of the Bishops
14 CommentsArchbishop Cranmer Maundy Thursday: there needs to be some foot-washing in Oxford
The Anglican Communion News Service has published several Easter messages from primates. You can find links to them (and messages from previous years) here.
Giles Fraser UnHerd Have I abandoned my flock?
Peter B Surviving Church A personal rethinking of the Passion and Easter story
12 CommentsGrace Davie ViaMedia.News In Search of the ‘Optimal’
Vicky Brett ViaMedia.News Is the Conversion Therapy Ban a Muddle? A Response to Angela Tilby
[This refers to this Church Times article.]
Archdruid Eileen The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley I Have Measured Out My Life in Hallelujahs
Terry Louden ViaMedia.News No Sex, Please? Remembering the Higton Debate
Susannah Clark Dialogue between an evangelical Christian leader and a person who has transitioned
4 CommentsHelen King sharedconversations What do the bishops think? LLF and trans people
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Towards an Understanding of Deference in the Church
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love House of Bishops overrides trans concerns
Jayne Ozanne ViaMedia.News Truth – The First Casualty in War
7 CommentsSusanna Rust IPE magazine How we run our money: Church Commissioners for England
“Church Commissioners for England CIO, Tom Joy, tells Susanna Rust about the fund’s pursuit of genuine diversification and responsible investment.”
Chrissie Chevasutt ViaMedia.News Good News From Via Media: on Transgender Day of Visibility
Giles Fraser UnHerd Does Prince Andrew deserve forgiveness?
“There’s nothing moral about a mother’s love”
Robin Dunbar The Guardian The big idea: do we still need religion?
“In a world of scientific miracles, what does faith have to offer us?”
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office
Appointment of Bishop of Rochester: 31 March 2022
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Jonathan Gibbs for election as Bishop of Rochester.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 31 March 2022
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Jonathan Gibbs, Suffragan Bishop of Huddersfield, for election as Bishop of Rochester, in succession to The Right Reverend James Langstaff following his retirement.
Background
Jonathan was educated at Jesus College, Oxford and Jesus College, Cambridge and he trained for ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served his title at Holy Trinity Stalybridge, in the diocese of Chester and was ordained Priest in 1990.
Jonathan became Chaplain of the Anglican Church in Basle, Switzerland with Freiburg, Germany in 1992, before being appointed Rector of Heswall, St Peter and Good Shepherd, in the diocese of Chester in 1998.
Jonathan took up his current role as Suffragan Bishop of Huddersfield in 2014. He is married to Toni and they have three adult children and two grandchildren.
—
There are more details on the Rochester diocesan website.
45 CommentsHelen King ViaMedia.News Strange Practices: Making Sense of the Church of England Today
Richard Lamey ViaMedia.News What You Do Matters More Than You Can Know…
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church The quest for integrity: Hillsong and the CofE
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Honest to God, Goodbye to God, and the Jesus Myth
14 Comments