Gay Police Association expresses concern over branded Bibles

UNISON and the Gay Police Association in Scotland have expressed concern over an offer from the Gideons International to Scottish police forces of free Bibles branded with each one’s badge. GPA say no police force should ‘endorse a book containing text which condemns homosexuality’. GPA has suggested that the Gideons contact the Christian Police Association or distribute the Bibles themselves. (Read more, Pink News, 23/4)

Fivers becoming more popular again

Once hovering on the brink of being classified as an endangered species, the humble five pound note is back with a vengeance.

Britons are using 10 times more "fivers" than they were two years ago, the Bank of England said on Thursday, as the notes become more widely available in cash machines and scruffy old ones are replaced.
Consumers in Britain now withdraw almost 200 million pounds worth of fivers from cash machines every month, the Bank said.
As people use these notes to buy goods, shopkeepers become less inclined to hoard dirty old notes and these can then be removed from circulation more quickly.
Bank Governor Mervyn King said in 2007 he was concerned about the deteriorating condition of old notes in circulation. He said the public needed five pound notes but few banks issued them because it was cheaper for them to stock cash machines with 10 and 20-pound notes.
Two years ago, the central bank set lenders the goal of ensuring that at least 1.2 percent of the cash their hole-in-the wall machines dispensed was in five-pound notes by 2012.
Lenders adapted some of their cash machines so that they could hold the notes and now 1.5 percent of the money consumers withdraw from machines comes in fivers.

Kermit in trouble with German authorities!

He may be a felt amphibian, but that didn’t stop Kermit the Frog from getting a ticking off from po-faced media watchdogs in Germany.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, ZAK, the federal body that regulates German airwaves, objected to a so-called 'Disney Day' on commercial network Pro7.

It featured Kermit presenting several family films, but he also plugged the theatrical release of 'The Muppets' on several occasions (presumably the reason he was shipped over there in the first place).

As the mentions of the film did not come with on screen disclaimers marking them out as adverts - which German Law requires - the coverage was deemed illegal product placement by ZAK.

Pro7 have admitted liability, but may not have to pay a fine. The regulating body can only highlight infringements, but can't enforce any financial penalties, so the legal ramifications are still a bit unclear.

It might just be a slap on the wrist for Kermit. We’re sure he’ll be relieved

Aid to the Church in Need - 17 May in Westminster Cathedral

Aid to the Church in Need are holding a Night of Witness on Friday 17 May at Westminster Cathedral. Here is the progamme:

5.30pm Sung Mass to remember the modern-day martyrs to the Faith, concelebrated by Archbishop Joseph Coutts of Karachi, Pakistan, Bishop Joannes Zakaria of Luxor, Egypt, and Bishop Declan Lang of Clifton.

6.30pm Rally for Religious Freedom on the cathedral piazza, celebrating our faith through speeches, music, drama, dance, poetry and film, with groups from Iraqi, Pakistani, Sudanese and Egyptian communities in the UK, as well as others.

7.30-8.30pm Solemn, candlelit vigil in Westminster Cathedral – in thanksgiving for the inspirational sacrifice of Christians today.

The ACN website has more information.

More Members for the Ordinariate

We received Diane and David Rogers into membership of the Catholic Church for the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham at Shrewsbury Cathedral on Wednesday 21 March. Coming from Llanarmon, Wales, Diane and David are some of the first members of the Ordinariate from the Principality.  Let's hope and pray that there will soon be many more.

Archbishop Of Canterbury to retire into academia

Archbishop Rowan Williams has today announced his acceptance of the position of Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge with effect from January 2013. He will therefore be stepping down from the office of Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of December 2012.

Dr Williams’ intentions have been conveyed to The Queen, who is Supreme Governor of the Church of England and who formally appoints the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dr Williams was appointed the one hundred and fourth Archbishop of Canterbury in 2002. He said today:

It has been an immense privilege to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury over the past decade, and moving on has not been an easy decision.  During the time remaining there is much to do, and I ask your prayers and support in this period and beyond.  I am abidingly grateful to all those friends and colleagues who have so generously supported Jane and myself in these years, and all the many diverse parishes and communities in the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion that have brought vision, hope and excitement to my own ministry.  I look forward, with that same support and inspiration, to continuing to serve the Church’s mission and witness as best I can in the years ahead.

Dr Williams will continue to carry out all the duties and responsibilities of the Archbishop of Canterbury, both for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, until the end of the year.

The Crown Nominations Commission will consider in due course the selection of a successor.

Selwyn College - Cuppers winners!

Congratulations to Selwyn Rugby who thrashed Churchill 24 - 5!   It was a brilliant game!
Photos can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/selalum/sets/72157629226522132/
Well done Selwyn!