Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at your Church

    Do you ‘cross’ yourself?  Do you literally make the sign of the cross over or upon your body? People do this in different ways: some with certain fingers joined together, some touch their right shoulder before the left, some do small contained crosses on their head, lips and chest whilst others do an...

Church Mission Society has created new workshops designed to get churches thinking in a mission-minded way, and how they can better reach their local community through living out God’s mission. Workshops can take the form of a whole day or half day training. They are for all members of the congregation to take part –...

Release International relates the following true story: Gyang, a 27-year old Nigerian Christian is a student at the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Jos.  A few weeks ago Gyang saw a post on Facebook about how his village had come under attack from Fulani militants. Almost immediately he called home to speak...

Could you offer temporary shelter to a victim of human trafficking? Helen and Jared Hodgson have started the only charity in the UK which provides a home to the victims of human trafficking, and they are seeking churchgoers across the UK who will help, by providing temporary accommodation. So far, the Hodgson’s Hope at Home...

A Bible app, YouVersion, has named Isaiah 41:10 as the most popular verse of 2018. That verse has been posted, bookmarked, and highlighted more times than any other on the app (which has been downloaded more than 350,000 times around the world). Isaiah 41:10 reads: ‘So do not fear, for I am with you; do...

World Vision’s new programme to help stop child slavery in Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo is to receive £12.4m in funding from the UK aid budget over the next four years. The programme launched late last year and is aimed at supporting and bringing justice to 12,000 children suffering...

77 churches and chapels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are sharing in a recent £430,000 grant payout from the National Churches Trust, the charity supporting church buildings of all Christian denominations across the UK. Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, Vice President of The National Churches Trust, said:   ‘The UK’s historic churches and chapels...

Caring for the Vicar New exploration of the ethical boycott of animal products  Signs & Symbols:  When is a Nod not a Yes? Coping with rising violence in prison – how chaplains can help Christmas attendance at highest level for more than a decade Help for your family’s eating disorders How far away is your...

The Church of England is looking into ways of giving more support to vicars. You may think here’s a nice life: house provided, regular salary, job security – and only one day’s work a week! But from my own personal experience I can assure you it’s not like that. In my working life I’ve had...

The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics has published a new book exploring why people give up meat and dairy. The protest against meat eating may turn out to be one of the most significant movements of our age, it believes. In terms of our relations with animals, the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics says: ‘it...

Do you ever find yourself nodding madly when listening to another person whilst at the same time completely disagreeing with what they are saying?  You’re really just waiting for them to pause so you can say something like, ‘Yes, but …’. We nod for all sorts of reasons – and sometimes we are definitely not...

Christians have been reacting to recent news that prison violence has reached a record high, with more than 32,000 assaults in the 12 months to June 2018. That is a 20-per-cent increase on the previous figures, according to the Safety in Custody Statistics, published by the Ministry of Justice.  There were also nearly 9,500 assaults...