Good Morning from the Church of England Communications Office

Henry Martyn, translator, missionary, 1812
Tomorrow: Feria

1.New Bishop of Whitby announced
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Philip John North, MA, Team Rector of Old Saint Pancras, in the Diocese of London, to the Suffragan See of Whitby, in the Diocese of York, in succession to the Right Reverend Martin Clive Warner, MA, PhD, on his translation to the See of Chichester on the 2 July 2012.
http://www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/news-events/news/news-from-the-diocese-of-york/02030.html

2.  Church support for community energy is vital tool in combatting fuel poverty, says Energy Secretary
The Church of England is well placed to support community energy initiatives which will help the fuel poor while supporting energy projects in the developing world, said Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change today. For further information, see end of briefing or go to: http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2012/10/church-support-for-community-energy-is-vital-tool-in-combatting-fuel-poverty,-says-energy-secretary.aspx

3.  Today's press coverage
Guardian p18
Interview with Bishop of Liverpool James Jones: "Bishop who led Hillsborough panel says report will change attitudes towards Liverpool"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/oct/18/hillsborough-panel-interview-james-jones?INTCMP=SRCH

BBC online
News report "Archbishop of Canterbury: 'Church clear on child safety' " with ref to statement about the retirement of Bishop Wallace Benn announced yesterday
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19993482

News reports on damages awarded to gay couple not allowed in Christian B&B
Daily Mirror p27/Daily Tel p12/Sun p35/Daily Mail p13
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9618431/BandB-owner-who-turned-away-gay-couple-claims-religious-freedom-under-attack-in-home.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/gay-couple-wins-36k-after-1385992
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article4597024.ece
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2219594/Christian-B-amp-B-owners-refused-bed-gay-couple-ordered-pay-3-000-compensation.html
Various news reports on police investigating BNP leader with ref to above case
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9619433/Police-probe-Nick-Griffin-Twitter-rant-against-gay-BandB-couple.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/oct/18/bnp-nick-griffin-address-gay-couple
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20000954
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/nick-griffins-twitter-account-suspended-as-police-investigate-accusations-he-tweeted-gay-couples-address-and-urged-supporters-to-demonstrate-outside-their-home-8217914.html

Various news reports on a "Christian demoted for private comments on gay marriage" with ref to a tribunal
Daily Express p34/Daily Mail p13/Independent p25
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2219769/A-Christian-demoted-job-posting-opposition-gay-marriages-Facebook-taken-employer-court.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/tatchell-backs-man-who-opposed-gay-marriage-8217347.html?origin=internalSearch

Various news reports on an 11 year old boy banned from Scouts for saying he does not believe in God
Times p29/Sun p19/Daily Star p29/Metro p34/Daily Mail p37
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article3572839.ece
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article4596343.ece
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/posts/view/277756/Scouts-ban-boy-who-says-there-is-no-god-/
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/915439-george-pratt-11-cannot-be-a-scout-because-he-is-an-atheist
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2219513/Atheist-schoolboy-11-banned-joining-Scouts-refuses-swear-duty-God.html

Evening Standard p22
"I would put a considerable amount of money on Cameron persisting with gay marriage" - interview with author Matthew Parris
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/matthew-parris-id-bet-money-on-cameron-persisting-with-gay-marriage-8216153.html?origin=internalSearchTimes p19
News report "Adviser to Vatican calls for married preists to help save Church 'tainted by scandal'
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article3573146.ece

Guardian p35
News report "Straight talk and free food at Ghana's pastor school"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/18/ghana-pastor-school-grows?INTCMP=SRCH

Letters
Times p37
"Two cathedrals" from Anne McCall, Dorset
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/letters/article3572452.ece
Guardian p49
"Why we will be marching tomorrow for a future that works" from various including Christianity Uncut with ref to St Paul's protests
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/oct/18/marching-for-future-that-works

Ends

Newspaper Web links with most or all stories -

Daily Mail  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
Daily Mirror  http://www.mirror.co.uk
FT   http://www.ft.com
Guardian  http://guardian.co.uk
Independent titles http://www.independent.co.uk
Observer  http://www.observer.co.uk
People   http://www.people.co.uk
Sun   http://www.the-sun.co.uk
Sunday Mirror http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk
Sunday Times http://www.sunday-times.co.uk
Telegraph titles http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Times   http://www.thetimes.co.uk

With some stories
Daily Express http://www.express.co.uk
Daily Star  http://www.dailystar.co.uk
Ev Standard  http://www.standard.co.uk

Church press
Baptist Times http://www.baptist.org.uk/btnews.htm
Catholic Herald http://www.catholicherald.co.uk
CEN   http://www.churchnewspaper.com
Church Times http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/front.asp
Methodist Recorder http://www.methodistrecorder.co.uk/index.htm
Tablet   http://www.thetablet.co.uk

Other links
Ananova  http://www.ananova.com
BBC   http://bbc.co.uk
Channel 4  http://www.channel4.com
Private Eye  http://www.private-eye.co.uk
Reuters  http://www.reuters.co.uk

NEWS from the Church of England

PR 120.12

18/10/2012

Church support for community energy is vital tool in combatting fuel poverty, says Energy Secretary

The Church of England is well placed to support community energy initiatives which will help the fuel poor while supporting energy projects in the developing world, said Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change today.

He was speaking at a roundtable meeting at Church House, Westminster to launch the Community Energy Coalition's* 'Manifesto for a community energy revolution'. He added that the Church was good at motivating people to help build a new sense of society

The coalition is supported by Shrinking the Footprint the Church of England's national environment campaign along with other organisations including the Co-operative, the National Trust, The National Federation of Women's Institutes and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

The Secretary of State spoke of the importance of community energy initiatives and the Government's commitment to them. He said that the decline in cost of solar power could help poor communities in the UK and internationally gain access to cheaper energy with local ownership. The Church, he said "was particularly well placed to make those links with the poor". 

The Church of England has more than 100 solar installations on churches across the country including a Brighton Energy Co-Operative partnership. Renewable heat is also an area of growth with an increasing number of churches taking advantage of new technology (GSHP & ASHP & Biomass). A national conference run by the Archbishops' Council's Cathedral and Church Buildings Division is being held on 3rd December giving practical guidance to churches keen to engage with community energy. ( http://www.churchcare.co.uk/images/Heating_Without_the_Hot_Air_conference.pdf) 

David Shreeve the Church of England's National Environment adviser said: "With a Church of England presence in every community the Secretary of State is right to comment on the importance of our churches being well placed to encourage the scaling up of local renewable projects which puts benefit straight back into community."

Paul Monaghan, Head of Socials Goals at The Co-operative, said: "The majority of people in the UK want to see a massive increase in renewable energy, however, there is a powerful minority set against this. Community-owned renewables offer a brilliant way to break this log jam, and this Manifesto sets out what needs to happen in order for this to happen. Our towns, villages and districts are full of hundreds of groups all chomping at the bit to do their bit to generate and save energy locally and fight climate change."