Lord Eames celebrates 50 years of episcopal ministry
THE former Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Lord Eames, has celebrated 50 years since his consecration to the episcopate in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, on 9 June 1975, when he was 38. He served as Bishop of Derry & Raphoe until 1980, then Bishop of Down & Dromore, and Archbishop of Armagh and Primate from 1986 until his retirement in 2006. The anniversary was marked at a service at St Columb’s Cathedral, Londonderry, on its patronal festival, at which the current Bishop of Derry & Raphoe, the Rt Revd Andrew Foster, preached on the life and ministry of St Columba. Lord Eames, he said, “still stands in that same spiritual tradition as Columba. His episcopal ministry began in a time actually not unlike Columba’s — a time of uncertainty and division, of tribal violence and fear, during some of the darkest times in our recent history.” The diocese had found in him “courageous leadership and deep spiritual vision”.
National Churches Trust launches building survey
THE National Churches Trust has launched a new survey of UK church buildings to understand their condition, common issues and threats to their survival, and the community activities they host. The findings are to be analysed by nation, location, and denomination, to allow “Policymakers, dioceses and funders to be able to better target their support to help see churches stay open and in use”, a press release says. Sir Philip Rutnam, who chairs the National Churches Trust, said that the findings would “give everyone access to the most up-to-date information about the state of these buildings, and how they contribute to public life through the community activities and events they host and run”. Churches, chapels, meeting houses, and cathedrals from any Christian denomination are urged to take part at nationalchurchestrust.org/survey. The survey, which runs until 30 June, is also available in Welsh at nationalchurchestrust.org/arolwg.
York Minster achieves Gold Eco status
YORK MINSTER has received a Gold Eco Church Award from A Rocha for its work to make the building more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The award was announced on World Environment Day, on Thursday of last week. Since achieving bronze and silver statuses, the Minster has installed 184 solar panels on the roof and three other solar installations across the precinct; created the Minster Gardens and redeveloped the College Green as two areas of green space; refitted the York Minster Refectory using sustainable technologies; and established a Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management through the preservation of craft skills, pursuit of a low-carbon estate, and the expansion of green spaces. The projects are part of the York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan, adopted in 2022, which aimed to achieve Gold Eco Church status by 2025. The Canon Missioner, who chairs the Environmental Sustainability Group, Canon Maggie McLean, said: “From the gardens team who carefully tend to the seven hectares of land in our care, to the stonemasons who work tirelessly to repair the damage caused by a changing climate, we have recognised our unique responsibility as the mother church of the Northern Province to lead by example.”
Anglican Chapel damaged in cemetery vandalism
VANDALS have destroyed seven gravestones in the Arnos Vale Cemetery, in Bristol, and broken into the boiler room and crypt of the Grade II* listed Anglican chapel, the Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust has reported. It is considering increasing site security with overnight staff and additional CCTV. More than 300,000 people, dating back to 1839, are estimated to be buried on the 45-acre site, which is open 24 hours a day. Victorian marble headstones were toppled over and stonework was smashed. The Trust, which relies on public support and donations, said in a statement: “Acts of vandalism place additional pressure on limited resources, and divert funds away from day-to-day maintenance and conservation work across the cemetery and its listed buildings.”
Jonathan Fletcher trial delayed
THE trial of the former Minister of Emmanuel Proprietary Chapel, Ridgway, from 1982 to 2012, Jonathan Fletcher, has been delayed until May 2026. It had initially been scheduled to begin this month (News, 12 July 2024). The Church Times understands that the delay is to allow a report to be made on his fitness to stand trial. Mr Fletcher, who is 82, has been charged with eight counts of indecent assault and one of grievous bodily harm, for alleged offences dating between 1973 and 1999.
Barred priest pleads guilty over GBH
GEOFFREY BAULCOMB, 79, of Eastbourne, who was barred from ministry last year, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey last Friday to one count of causing grievous bodily harm. He used scissors to carry out a procedure on a man on 4 January 2020, which was recorded in a nine-second video. He will be sentenced in the same court on 1 September. In April, he pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing indecent images of a 16-year-old boy, along with indecent images of another child, and almost 200 images of extreme pornography, including the abuse of animals (News, 25 April). Mr Baulcomb retired in 2003, and, over much of the past 20 years, held permission to officiate in the dioceses of Chichester and St Edmundsbury & Ipswich. Last year, he was prohibited from ordained ministry for life after receiving a police caution for possession of crystal meth and ketamine (News, 13 September 2024). He argued before the Bishop’s Tribunal that trying the drugs helped him in his pastoral ministry, but it concluded that there was “no realistic prospect” of his rehabilitation.
Ecumenical covenant celebrates 50 years
THE Commission of the Covenanted Churches in Wales has celebrated 50 years of the Welsh Covenant, an ecumenical partnership between five Christian traditions: the founding member, the Church in Wales, and the Methodist Church of Great Britain, the Presbyterian Church of Wales, the United Reformed Church, and certain Baptist churches. The Covenant was established in 1975 with the goal of forming a “Church Uniting in Wales”. One of the issues has been how the member Churches of the Covenant might recognise fully the ministry of those ordained in other traditions. A celebratory service was held in Cardiff on Saturday. The Bishop of St Asaph and former chairman of the Commission of the Covenanted Churches in Wales, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, said that the signing, half a century ago, “was a bold step forward in church co-operation. It has yielded many fruits, which we can celebrate with passion and hope.”
Church Army drop-in service for women to close
THE Church Army is to close The Sanctuary — its 24-7 drop-in that supports vulnerable women in London — next month, it confirmed last week. The Marylebone Project, which currently accommodates 112 women, remains open while conversations continue with an external third party “regarding the potential sale of buildings and continuation of the work”, a press release said. The news follows an announcement in February about wide-ranging cuts at the charity to address rapidly diminishing reserves (News, 7 March). The press release said: “Although some possibilities were explored with an external third party, the significant costs of running the Sanctuary — £600,000 per year — have unfortunately proven insurmountable. . . This is a project that has brought hope and healing to hundreds of women facing the most serious difficulties in life.” The Sanctuary will remain open for crisis support only, with no overnight provision, until 18 July.
Suspected arson at Market Drayton church
FIREFIGHTERS have extinguished a blaze at St Mary’s, Market Drayton, that appeared to have been started deliberately on Monday morning, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service reports. Its large oak door was alight and in danger of spreading to curtains and wooden roof-timbers. The building was filled with smoke, requiring firefighters to wear breathing apparatus and rely on a thermal imaging camera. Once out, a large fan was used to clear the smoke, the BBC reports. West Mercia Police are carrying out further investigations.
