This month’s contents:

• Investing for the future
• Archbishop of Canterbury – protect the poorest
• Prayer for Madeleine
• Back to Church Sunday goes global
• Stop spinning urges C of E
• Lambeth Palace climate change talks
• Women bishops – Manchester Report published
• Competition Commission’s supermarket report welcomed
• Lambeth Conference: Archbishop of Canterbury
• Appointments
• Zimbabwe – Archbishop’s statements and call to prayer
• Double honour for co-ordinator of Church’s Unity work
• More news from the Archbishop of Canterbury
• Archbishop of York opens new City Academy
• Religious Trends publication ‘dangerously misleading’

Investing for the future
The Church Commissioners announce another year of outstanding results. Full story here

Archbishop of Canterbury – protect the poorest from the effects of economic downturn
Dr Rowan Williams, has called on the government to do more to protect the poorest and most vulnerable from the likely consequences of an economic downturn. Details here

Prayer for Madeleine
The Archbishop of York has written a special prayer to mark the one year anniversary of the abduction of Madeleine McCann. Read it here

Back to Church Sunday goes global
People in churches all over Britain, and for the first time, in other parts of the world, will be backing Back to Church Sunday this September 28. Full story here

Stop spinning urges C of E 
Now summer is on the horizon and the temperature is soaring, the Church of England’s Environmental Adviser, David Shreeve, is calling for an end to spin. He urges households to switch off their energy-hungry tumble dryers ….full story here

Lambeth Palace climate change talks
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and the Bishop of London, Rt Revd Richard Chartres, welcomed leaders from business, government and civil society to Lambeth Palace for a climate change round table. Full story here

Women bishops – Manchester Report published
The House of Bishops is to discuss the Legislative Drafting Group considering proposals to allow for women bishops at its next meeting in May. Full story here

Competition Commission’s supermarket report welcomed 
The Church of England has welcomed the Competition Commission’s decision to seek undertakings from grocery retailers to establish a Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) Ombudsman full story here

Lambeth Conference: Archbishop of Canterbury
Dr Williams has recorded an exclusive video message reflecting on the forthcoming Lambeth Conference in July. Watch the video here

Dr Rowan Williams, has sent an open letter to the bishops of the Anglican Communion, in advance of the Lambeth Conference. Read the full letter here

Appointments

New Chief Surveyor for Church Commissioners
The Church Commissioners have announced the appointment of Joseph Cannon MRICS as their new Chief Surveyor. Full details here

New Director of Cathedrals and Church Buildings
The Archbishops’ Council has appointed Janet Gough as Director of Cathedrals and Church Buildings. She will take up the post in September. Full details here

Zimbabwe

Archbishops issue joint statement - the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have issued a joint statement concerning the deteriorating situation of ordinary people in Zimbabwe. Full story here

Pray for Zimbabwe - the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, after giving joint interviews with the Archbishop of York, reflects on the issues surrounding Zimbabwe and called for a day of prayer. Watch the video here: here  Archbishop of York also calls for day of fasting and prayer. Details here

Donate to Zimbabwe urges Archbishop of York. Full story here

Double honour for co-ordinator of Church’s Unity work
Prebendary Dr Paul Avis has been appointed as a chaplain to Her Majesty The Queen and the first Canon Theologian of Exeter. Details here

More news from the Archbishop of Canterbury

Prayers for Burma – Dr Williams has written to the Anglican Church in Burma following the devastation of Cyclone Nargis in the area of the Irrawaddy River Delta. Discover more: here

‘Friendly meeting’ with Pope Benedict
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has described his private meeting with Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican as 'friendly and informal'. Full report here 

7th Building Bridges seminar in Rome
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is to convene the 7th Building Bridges Seminar in Rome next week. This is a unique annual series which brings together a range of internationally recognised Christian and Muslim scholars for an intensive study of relevant Biblical and Qur'anic texts.

Full story here

Religious Faith and Human Rights lecture
Tonight the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams will give a lecture at the London School of Economics entitled 'Religious Faith and Human Rights'. Read the lecture and see photos here

Sermon at St-Martin-in-the-Fields
The Archbishop of Canterbury's preached at a special Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the renewal of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London. Listen to the sermon and see pictures here

Archbishop of York opens new city academy
A 15-year-old Zimbabwean refugee welcomed Dr Sentamu, to the official opening of the £25m Bradford Academy. Full story here

Religious Trends publication ‘dangerously misleading’ 
Projections and comparisons published by Christian Research in its Religious Trends publication are flawed and dangerously misleading, the Church of England said today. Full story here

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Ends

The Diocese of Worcester is one of 44 dioceses in the Church of England. It covers an area of 671 square miles and includes parishes in the County of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and a few parishes in northern Gloucestershire, south east Wolverhampton and Sandwell.