This month's contents:

• Archbishop of Canterbury: shock and sorrow at murder of Chaldean Archbishop
• Church welcomes transitional Gift Aid relief
• Schools Admissions Code: Church backs Minister
• Balance your household budget - it's a matter of life and debt
• Opposition to forced marriage
• Church launches briefing on secrets of a successful marriage for those saying ‘I will'   
• Government consultation on blasphemy: Archbishops' response
• Archbishop of York launches Kenya appeal
• New Bishop of Coventry announced
• Church encourages Government warning to gambling industry
• Deaf  pioneers graduate at Chester
• ‘Cross of Nails' comes to London
• Archbishop of Canterbury opens Manormead Supported Housing 
• Archbishops visit Cambridge
• Farewell tributes to the Bishops of Truro and Sheffield
• Two new suffragan bishops for Manchester Diocese
• Church House Publishing

New distribution partner
It's not only words; new book on the importance of worship     

Archbishop of Canterbury: shock and sorrow at murder of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho 
Dr Rowan Williams has expressed his deep shock and sorrow at the appalling murder of Paulos Faraj Rahho, the Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul whose body was discovered on March 13. "Our prayers are daily with the people of Iraq, especially with the vulnerable Christian community, and particularly today with the Chaldeans and Archbishop Paulos' family". Background here

Church welcomes transitional Gift Aid relief
The Church of England has welcomed the transitional relief arrangement announced in the Budget for Gift Aid claims by charities over the next three years. In the Budget speech, the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, announced a transitional rate of relief of 22 per cent from 2008/09 to 2010/11. Details here   

Schools Admissions Code: Church backs Minister
Responding to a statement from Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls, this morning, the Rt Rev Stephen Venner, Bishop of Dover and acting Chair of the Board of Education, said: "The Church of England welcomes the Minister's intention to tighten up on rules to ensure schools meet the requirements of the Admissions Code 2007." Details here 

Balance your household budget - it's a matter of life and debt
The Church of England has launched an easy-to-use interactive online resource for working out a household spending budget, with helpful prayers for guidance, emphasising that the Bible teaches us to be content with what we have, rather than find satisfaction from over-spending. Details here 

Opposition to forced marriage
The Church of England has reaffirmed its belief that forced marriage is wrong both morally and legally. Responding to a Home Office consultation on ‘marriage to partners from overseas', the Rt Rev Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark, said the Mission and Public Affairs Council strongly affirmed that principle, as reflected in the consultation document, and agreed that the minimum age that someone could sponsor a marriage partner from abroad or be sponsored as a spouse should be raised to 21 years. Details here   

Church launches briefing on secrets of a successful marriage for those saying ‘I will'   
Help is at hand for newly engaged couples preparing for their wedding day and planning the rest of their life together with a new course soon to be offered by the Church of England. Details here

Government consultation on blasphemy: Archbishops' response
As the Government publishes its amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to abolish the blasphemy laws, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York have made public their response to the Government's consultation. Details here

Archbishop of York launches Kenya appeal
Following Dr Sentamu's visit to Kenya last month he has launched an appeal to support the work of the country's Churches the wake of the violence. Details here

New Bishop of Coventry announced
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Doctor Christopher John Cocksworth BA, PhD, PGCE, Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge, for election as Bishop of Coventry. Details here

Church encourages Government warning to gambling industry
The Church of England has welcomed the Government's decision not to license a regional supercasino. It has also encouraged Culture Secretary Andy Burnham MP to issue a warning to the industry that he will enforce a statutory levy to fund research into and treatment of problem gambling. Details here

Deaf  pioneers graduate at Chester
A pioneering partnership between the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England and the University of Chester came to fruition on Saturday 8 March when the first cohort of Deaf students were presented with their certificates by the University Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Mrs Dorothy Marris. Details here 

‘Cross of Nails' comes to London
Saint Andrew's Chapel at the Anglican Communion Secretariat, Westbourne Park, London, has been designated a "Cross of Nails Centre" by the Dean of Coventry, in the presence of members of the Primates and Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) Joint Standing Committee . Details here

Archbishop of Canterbury opens Manormead Supported Housing 
Dr Rowan Williams officially opened the Church of England Pensions Board's new showpiece retirement home, Manormead Supported Housing, at Hindhead near Haslemere in Surrey last month (25 February), at a special ceremony also attended by the Bishop of Guildford, Rt Revd Christopher Hill, and the Mayor and Mayoress of Waverley, Councillor Maurice and Mrs Mary Byham.  Details here

Archbishops visit Cambridge
Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu made a joint visit to Cambridge last month. During the visit Dr Williams and Dr Sentamu visited the Oakington Immigration Detention Centre and the Emmaus Community at Landbeach. The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered two lectures entitled 'What Difference Does it Make? - The Gospel in Contemporary Culture' and 'Faith, Reason and Quality Assurance: Having Faith in Academic Life'. In addition Dr. Williams attended a seminar with local clergy and Diocesan staff at St George's Church in Chesterton to discuss the subject of 'New Churches for New Communities'. Detail here

Photos of the visit and texts of the lectures will be published on the Archbishop of Canterbury's website in due course.

Farewell tributes to the Bishops of Truro and Sheffield
The Archbishop of Canterbury gave a farewell speech at the General Synod to mark the retirement of the Bishop of Truro, the Rt Revd William Ind and the Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Revd Jack Nicholls.  Full transcripts here: Truro  Sheffield

Two new suffragan bishops for Manchester Diocese
The Revd Chris Edmondson, 57, is to be the next Bishop of Bolton and the Ven Mark Davies, 45, is to be the next Bishop of Middleton Downing Street announced last Monday (March 10). Details here

Church House Publishing announces new distribution partner
Church House Publishing has today announced that, from 1st May 2008, distribution of its range of books and other products will transfer to Norwich Books and Music. Details here

It's not only words: worship changes lives for the better, says Church
The central importance of worship in the life of the Church is emphasised in a new book published today by Church House Publishing. Details here