Delay on Clergy Conduct Measure decision
THE parliamentary Ecclesiastical Committee is to take more time to consider whether to give approval to the Clergy Conduct Measure (CCM) carried by the General Synod in February, the Church Times understands (News, 14 February). Owing to the summer recess, it is unclear whether the committee, which comprises peers and MPs, will be able to report back before the autumn. Last month, the committee questioned the Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, and others involved in the process of drafting the replacement for the Clergy Discipline Measure, focusing on concerns about the holding of CCM hearings in private (News, 13 June). After the meeting, the committee was provided with a draft of the Rules that will accompany the CCM, but which cannot be carried by the Synod until Parliament has approved the Measure.
Dean Brewster of Carlisle steps down
THE Very Revd Jonathan Brewster has resigned with immediate effect from his post of Dean of Carlisle, which he had held since 2023 and described as “an honour and privilege”, it was announced last Friday. Previously, he had served in Bradford and London dioceses, and was Team Vicar in the Cartmel Peninsula Mission Community from 2021 to 2023. He said: “As I look to the future, I will continue to give thanks and pray for the cathedral community and the diocese I have grown so fond of.” Dean Brewster is currently on leave and will not return to his duties. The Revd Michael Everitt, Canon Pastor of Durham Cathedral, is to be Interim Dean of Carlisle from 4 August.
Lymington Parish Church turns 775
WORSHIPPERS at St Thomas’s, Lymington, in Hampshire, celebrated the 775th anniversary of the church’s foundation on Sunday. The Bishop of Southampton, the Rt Revd Rhiannon King, presided at the service, and posted photos on social media of the celebrations, including a “Happy birthday” cake and a paper mitre that had been made “five minutes before the service”. Festivities have also included a display of historical items from the church, a flower festival, and a summer fayre. The church, regarded as “the oldest building in Lymington”, was built in 1250 during the reign of King Henry III, and added to in 1325.
Grants for 27 places of cathedral music
THE Cathedral Music Trust has supported 27 Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals and churches across the UK as part of its refreshed awards scheme: the Cathedral Music Support Programme. In a statement, the Trust announced that the “vital funding” of £470,000 would allow “people from all walks of life to experience the life-transforming power of cathedral music”.
Minister attends Group for Safeguarding in Faith Communities
THE Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips MP, attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Safeguarding in Faith Communities on Tuesday, and emphasised the importance of continued collaboration with faith communities. The meeting discussed legislative reform, training, and guidance. “We are committed to working with faith communities to raise standards, close loopholes, and ensure that every child — regardless of their faith or background — is safe, heard, and protected,” she said.
Radio Times from 1924 discovered inside stool
A 101-YEAR-OLD copy of the Radio Times has been discovered inside a church stool, the BBC reports. Steve Hopkins, a furniture restorer, found the 1924 edition inside a second-hand kneeling stool, which he bought at an auction. He also found copies of the periodicals John Bull and the Daily Graphic. Although the well-preserved papers “are not worth anything”, Mr Hopkins still believes that “they were a really good find”.
Abbey funds homelessness project in Westminster
WESTMINSTER ABBEY will donate £600,000 over the next three years to the Cardinal Hume Centre, to support the development of its Outreach Programme, which aims to prevent and end homelessness. Founded in 1986, the centre is located near the Abbey, and last year helped more than 1400 people, including 710 families and 326 under-25s.
Roman Catholic Bishops seek to inform tax debate
THE Department for Social Justice of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has released a new multi-author publication on taxation, Render unto Caesar: Perspectives on taxation from Catholic social thought and teaching. It is intended to inform public debate and government policy. It is available to download at: cbcew.b-cdn.net
Guildford and Norwich back amendments on hereditaries
TWO bishops backed an Opposition move in the House of Lords last week to slow down the Government’s drive to remove hereditary peers from the Upper House. The Bishops of Guildford and Norwich supported amendments to the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, under which all hereditary members would be converted to life peers, and not expelled.
Train-A-Priest Fund appeal raises more than £20k
THE 2025 Church Times Train-A-Priest (TAP) Fund appeal, which closed at Pentecost, has raised £21,482.92, which will be added to a legacy of £79,831.69. We are thankful to all who have given. Every single penny goes to ordinands in Africa. While the appeal has ended, donations can still be made here.
