Read the latest on the ordination of Women Bishops by clicking here.
80 choirs to celebrate the Jubilee in 2012
Choirbook for the Queen, a unique collection of choral music published in recognition of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, has just been launched
The Choirbook, published by Canterbury Press, includes 44 anthems written in the last decade. 11 anthems have been specially commissioned from leading British composers, including one by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Master of the Queen’s Music.
During 2012, to celebrate the Jubilee and to showcase the excellence of choral singing and composition, the Choirbook anthems will be sung by cathedral and collegiate choirs in every corner of the United Kingdom. The Choirbook has been taken up enthusiastically by directors of music so that 80 of the country’s most prestigious choirs will sing the anthems in services throughout 2012, many of which will also be broadcast.
More details at: www.choirbooktrust.org.uk
Church schools led the way...
Schools across the country have been celebrating 200 years of church schools. It was in 1811 that the Church of England’s National Society was founded - offering education to the poor in every parish - 50 years before the state joined in.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has praised the founders of the National Society, who believed it was "inhuman and unjust" to send children up chimneys and down mines, and offered them an opportunity of education.
A viral video wins first prize in 2011 Christian New Media Awards.
Tell.Show.Be is a short film with a simple message about the heart of evangelism: “Tell somebody; show somebody; be somebody.” The film, hosted on the website www.tellshowbe.com, was judged “the best use of new media in evangelism” by a panel of media experts at a ceremony in London on Friday.
The project was conceived as a means of enabling people to talk about evangelism in their own languages. Tell.Show.Be is also available in Spanish, Portuguese, Welsh and Mandarin and can be downloaded onto a mobile phone as well as a computer. The film was viewed over 4,000 times in its first two weeks, and has attracted visitors from around the world.
The Original Christian Web and New Media Awards were the first ever exclusively Christian award ceremony for bloggers and web designers in the UK. They were established in 2007 by Premier Christian Media to recognise and reward Christian achievements on the internet.
‘The church porch is now on your website’
The Bishop of London praised the efforts of Christian social media innovators at Premier Christian Media’s recent Christian New Media Awards and Conference (CNMAC) in London.
The Rt Rev and Rt Hon Richard Chartres said that when it comes to serious Christian engagement with the world, “This is where the Church porch is now. The Church porch is now on your website.” He said that it is on the internet: on blogs, websites, facebook and twitter, where the greatest debates of life and death are nowadays being conducted.
There follows a full list of winners and runners up. Do any of these inspire you to try something similar?
Best Christian Blog: Winner: Vicky Beeching for http://vickybeeching.com/; Runner Up: Wesley Vanderlugt for http://transpositions.co.uk
Best Christian Blog for Under 25's : Winner: Dean Roberts for http://deanroberts.net; Runner Up: David Bunce for http://www.dodifferent.org.uk
Most Inspiring Leadership Blog: Winner: Peter Mead for http://biblicalpreaching.net; Runner Up: Chloe Lynch for http://theartofsteering.wordpress.com
Best Newcomer Blog: Winner: Laura Sykes for http://www.layanglicana.org/blog/; Runner Up: God and Christian (http://www.godandchristian.com)
Most Creative Use of Social Media: Winner: Huw Tyler for Http://www.easterlive2011.com; Runner Up: Nathan Spicer for www.yesHEis.com
Best Christian Organisation : Winner: New Generation, Birmingham (http://newgeneration.co.uk); Runner Up: Viva (www.viva.org)
Best Large Church Website: Winner: Regeneration Church, Essex (www.regenerationchurch.co.uk); Runner Up: St John’s Church, Harborne( (http://www.stjohns-church.co.uk)
Best Small Church Website: Winner: The Rock Church, West Bridgford (www.the-rock.org.uk); Runner Up: Grace Church, Bristol (http://www.gracechurchbristol.org)
Best use of New Media in Social Action: Winner: Open Doors (www.youth.opendoorsuk.org); Runner Up: Treat Someone Special (Http://www.treatsomeonespecial.com)
Best use of New Media in Evangelism : Winner: TellShowBe.com (www.tellshowbe.com): Runner Up: Christianity Explored (www.christianityexplored.org)
Best use of Mobile Web: Winner: YouVersion (http://www.youversion.com/mobile/); Runner Up: City Church, Leeds (http://mobile.citychurchleeds.net/) SUSA (http://mobile.susa.info/)
Creative Agency of the Year : Winner: Contra Positive (http://www.contrapositive.tv/); Runner Up: Share Creative (http://www.sharecreative.co.uk)
Accessibility Award : Winner: Leigh Road Baptist Church (www.lrbc.org.uk); Runner Up: Bible Reflections (http://www.bible-reflections.net)
People's Choice Award: Winner: Resound Worship (www.resoundworship.org) ; Runner Up: Restored Relationships (http://www.restoredrelationships.org/ )
To find out more about the Christian New Media Awards and Conference visit www.christiannewmedia.com