Bishop of St Albans asks about strengthening overseas volunteering

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question regarding international development and volunteering on 12th July 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, over the next few days more than a 1,000 overseas Anglican bishops will be arriving here for the Lambeth Conference. There are hundreds of links of volunteers going to many of the areas of the world which we are deeply concerned about, including parts of the Horn of Africa where there is famine and locusts have had a devastating impact. People are coming from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Ebola is such a problem; these are people who are working on the ground. We already have many volunteer programmes of medics and others going in and out. Does the FCDO intend to meet some of those people who are coming here to see how we can strengthen other forms of volunteering, as well as some of the government schemes we have had in the past?

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Bishop of Durham raises global human rights, poverty, development and climate change in Queen’s Speech debate

On the 7th January the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, spoke during the second day of debate on the Queen’s Speech, on the topics of child poverty, climate change sustainable development and immigration:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, initially I want to note how little reference there is in the gracious Speech to the needs of children, except in the realm of education. There is nothing about children’s first 1,000 days, nor any firm commitment to tackle the iniquity of child poverty. How we treat children speaks volumes for where our priorities lie. Could the Minister please comment on this omission?

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Church Commissioners written answers: theology and practice

spelman170119On 3rd September 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered six written questions from Sir John Hayes MP, on the 2008 Jerusalem Statement, the Global Anglican Future Conference, the 39 Articles,  the proportion of Church employees who are practising Christians, and biblical teaching on sex and gender in relation to transgender issues:

Sir John Hayes: (i) 281583 To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Archbishop of Canterbury will pledge his commitment to the Jerusalem Statement of 2008. Continue reading “Church Commissioners written answers: theology and practice”

Church Commissioner Answers: evangelical congregations, Lambeth Conference, lay membership, church attendance, pastoral support for pregnant women

On 8th and 9th April 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered five written questions from Sir John Hayes MP on a diverse range of issues: evangelical congregations, the 2020 Lambeth Conference, lay membership, pastoral support for women with unplanned pregnancies, and increasing church attendance.

Sir John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings): (241392) To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to ensure the evangelical makeup of its congregations is reflected in the custom and practices of the Church’s leadership. Continue reading “Church Commissioner Answers: evangelical congregations, Lambeth Conference, lay membership, church attendance, pastoral support for pregnant women”