Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at your Church
Stories of Christians in action, both at home and around the world
- Connecting churches and communities Together we’re restoring prisoners’ lives Modernise the church – or close down More of us are praying online Why Cathedrals are fun Days of parish priests as ‘kings’ are over, says new Dean Central Asia clamps down on Christians ** Editor: This autumn HOPE is helping thousands of local churches...Looking at your Church (all articles) for November 2018
- Remembrance Sunday and Christmas are key seasons when churches can play a vital role in bringing communities together. Churches can be wet-weather venues for Remembrance services. Often we can provide refreshments, PA systems, singers and DBS-checked children’s workers for Christmas events. And most significant of all, churches can help the whole community to focus on...Connecting churches and communities
- For nearly 40 years, Prison Fellowship’s volunteers have been supporting prisoners across England and Wales. Here are some of the highlights from April 2017 to March 2018. PF’s ‘Letter Link’ scheme allows trained volunteers to write to prisoners. It’s particularly valued by prisoners who have lost touch with their friends or family. It also enables...Together we’re restoring prisoners’ lives
- Parish church buildings must modernise or risk being closed, according to a Church of England judge. Chancellor June Rodgers was warning traditionalists and heritage groups that church buildings must stay relevant to the needs of their communities. In a ruling published earlier this month, she said: “If people disagree with sensible and necessary re-ordering of...Modernise the church – or close down
- Some 1.2 million of us in the UK pray online each month, according to recent figures from the Church of England. Over the past two years the Church of England has developed a strong presence online, particularly aimed at people who do not regularly go to church. It also reaches out to young people through...More of us are praying online
- Lengthy services, solemn events and uncomfortable pews mean most people might not associate cathedrals with fun, but the Archbishop of Canterbury says that they can be the best places to find it. ‘Cathedrals are fun,’ he told the National Cathedrals Conference in Manchester Cathedral via video message. ‘There’s just so many things you can do...Why Cathedrals are fun
- Modern clergy in the Church of England can no longer be “king” in their parish, the new Dean of Salisbury, the Very Rev Nicholas Papadopulos, has said. ‘Once upon a time the vicar was a ‘king’ – I say king advisedly because it would in those days have been a he – he was the...Days of parish priests as ‘kings’ are over, says new Dean
- Christians in Central Asia are facing worship bans, arrest and torture as Islamic nationalism gains ground in their countries. They can be arrested for reading the Bible in a public place, such as a bus or a train, or for telling other people about Jesus. They have had their church registrations cancelled, forcing them to...Central Asia clamps down on Christians
- Share a Meal – share hope China – persecution of Christians soars as new laws kick in What the UK Church looks like in 2018 Say a ‘thank you’ prayer at home Share a little light this Halloween Seven reasons why our churches need more men ** Editor: This scheme offers good ideas for Harvest...Looking at your Church (all articles) for October 2018
- Churches traditionally celebrate Harvest in the autumn. In times past, Harvest was a major festival celebrated in villages and towns across the country. HOPE wants to put Harvest back at the centre of church and community life as a season with an extra focus on hospitality and generosity. Harvest is a celebration of all the good...Share a Meal – share hope
- It is now eight months since tough new restrictions on religious freedom came into force across China. Release International, which supports Christians under pressure around the world, says persecution has been rising dramatically. According to Release partner Bob Fu, the persecution of Christians in China is now at the highest level since the Cultural Revolution....China – persecution of Christians soars as new laws kick in
- The church is both declining and growing! There are 270 different denominations in the UK, 95 of which exist in Scotland. For simplicity these are put into 10 groups, the three largest of which are the Anglicans, Catholics and Presbyterians. Between them, these three Churches account for one fifth, 20%, of all the denominations. But...What the UK Church looks like in 2018