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        <title>Christian Today | Church</title>
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            <title>Christian Today | Church</title>
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                <title><![CDATA[Trying to increase attendance is biggest challenge for church leaders]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/trying-to-increase-attendance-is-biggest-challenge-for-church-leaders</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/trying-to-increase-attendance-is-biggest-challenge-for-church-leaders</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[pastor]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:39:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Other concerns including improving discipleship and engaging younger generations.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A survey of church leaders has suggested that the most pressing concern remains how to grow attendance, while others include improving discipleship and engaging younger generations.
The Christian Resources Exhibition surveyed 147 church leaders in the areas of administration, youth, worship and building management, with the aim of providing more focused content for its exhibition this October.
When asked what their greatest challenges were, the most common responses (62 per cent) were growing the church's attendance, discipleship and engaging younger generations.
Nearly half (47 per cent) said that community outreach and mission was their greatest challenge, with 42 per cent citing financial sustainability and fundraising as a major issue. Two in five (41 per cent) said leadership development and burnout were their main challenge, while over a third (39 per cent) said church buildings and maintenance.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, when asked where they would most like practical support and training, the answers were similar.
Over half (53 per cent) said they wanted practical support with church growth and evangelism, 43 per cent said community engagement and social action, 37 per cent asked for help with youth, children and families, leadership and wellbeing, while 27 per cent most wanted help with building projects and grants.
The survey is intended to improve the effectiveness of the October conference by providing church leaders with what they most need. The vast majority (77 per cent) said they wanted practical takeaways that could be immediately implemented, while just over a third (38 per cent) said they hoped to use the exhibition as an opportunity to network with other church leaders.
The exhibition will feature a two-day Church Leaders Conference, which will be moderated by Andy Flannagan, executive director of Christians in Politics.
Flannagan said, “Church leaders are navigating incredibly complex cultural, pastoral and organisational challenges.
"I’m really looking forward to hosting the Church Leaders Conference at CRE and helping create space for honest conversation, practical insight and encouragement.
"This is about listening well to church leaders and shaping a programme that genuinely supports them in the realities of ministry today.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[The rise of 'full-fat' Christianity?]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-rise-of-full-fat-christianity</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-rise-of-full-fat-christianity</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Robert Parr]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/85/98520.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[pews, church, church attendance]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:50:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Even if the "Quiet Revival" report has been discredited, many Christians still agree that something still seems to be going on.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Former Brexit negotiator Lord Frost has said that people are increasingly turning towards “full-fat supernatural Christianity” in the form of evangelical Protestantism or Roman Catholicism.
Writing for The Telegraph, Lord Frost referred to the YouGov “Quiet Revival” debacle. A year ago, polling by YouGov at the behest of the Bible Society appeared to show a staggering increase in church attendance, particularly among the young.
Last month, however, the Quiet Revival report was withdrawn after it was confirmed that YouGov had failed to implement some of its usual quality control mechanisms.
Despite this, anecdotal evidence from up and down the country still seems to suggest that people are attending church in increasing numbers - or at the very least are curious about Christianity in a way that differs from previous years, a point picked up by Lord Frost.
“Something is definitely happening, if not exactly what the Bible Society described. There is too much other evidence. Numbers coming into the Catholic Church each Easter, here and across the West, are increasing (I was one in 2025)," he said. 
“Footballers are open about their faith in a way that didn’t happen a decade back. Sales of printed Bibles have doubled. There is even a mini boom in the Greek Orthodox Church going on.”
To the extent that there is a revival of any kind, Lord Frost said it was taking place in evangelical Protestantism and in his own Roman Catholic faith. Meanwhile, he said, the Church of England continues to decline due to “sermons about climate change and social justice”.
Part of the reason for renewed interest in what he called “full-fat supernatural Christianity” stems from the increased availability of good and thoughtful preaching, particularly online.
“If your only exposure to Christianity is in your school religious studies class with a dull and inexpert teacher, as it might have been in the past, it could turn you off for good. But if you can hear Glen Scrivener or Bishop Robert Barron online, you are more likely to think: ‘I need to take this seriously,'" he said. 
Other writers have echoed Lord Frost’s comments.
Writing for The Spectator, Save the Parish founder Marcus Walker said that traditional Christianity is resonating with newcomers.
“I can only speak for my own congregation, but since 2018 we have restored the Authorised Version of the Bible, introduced new Prayer Book Evensongs, and seen numbers skyrocket – especially among those aged between 20 and 35.”
Walker cited one young congregant who said, “BCP [Book of Common Prayer] services are beautiful because the language is poetic … contemporary language services feel like reading the NHS website.”
Vineyard leaders John and Debby Wright, commenting on the withdrawal of the Quiet Revival report, said they were nonetheless convinced that there is at the very least an "awakening" happening in the UK and what they called "a quickening of spiritual openness". 
"When we step back and look at the wider landscape, the broader picture of a shifting spiritual climate still holds," they said.
They continued, "We are seeing an acceleration of faith in the younger generations. They are a deeply spiritual generation.  There is an intensification of active faith among young adults, who are proving to be remarkably open to exploring questions of identity, meaning, and purpose.
"Taken together, these signals suggest a growing willingness to engage seriously with Christianity in the public square and in personal conversations." 
They added, "It can be unhelpful to put too much language on what exactly is happening right now, so we would pastorally lean towards ‘awakening’ more than ‘revival’."]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Greek Orthodox Church in Britain baptises 250 people]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/greek-orthodox-church-in-britain-baptises-250-people</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/greek-orthodox-church-in-britain-baptises-250-people</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Jessy Papasavva Photography) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:41:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The church said that many of those baptised had been guided into the faith through its Discover Orthodoxy programme.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Greek Orthodox Church has said that this Easter weekend saw more than 250 new members baptised.
Mass baptism events were held all across the country, with the largest being in Hertfordshire, where 75 people received baptism.
The church said that many of those baptised had been guided into the faith through its Discover Orthodoxy programme.
Most of the new members were adults, but some were children. While many of the new believers were from traditionally Orthodox countries, like Greece and Cyprus, a number were also from Britain and the Commonwealth, Latin America and other parts of Europe.
Following their baptism, the new believers took part in the Divine Liturgy and received the Holy Eucharist for the first time.
The church said in a statement, “The day will be remembered not only for the number received, but for what it quietly revealed – a growing and living Church, gathering people from many places into a shared life.”
The Orthodox Church in Britain is known officially as the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain and was founded in 1922 in the wake of the “Asia Minor Catastrophe”.
The “Catastrophe” unfolded in the final months of the Greco-Turkish War when Greek forces attempted to occupy parts of modern day Turkey. Having over-extended themselves the Greeks were then roundly defeated by the nationalist Turkish army of Kemal Ataturk.
In September of that year the Turks took the city of Smyrna, leading to a devastating fire in the city.
Following these events, its believed that around 1.3 million Orthodox Greeks fled the region, effectively bringing an end the millennia long presence of Greek civilization in what is now Turkey.
Thyateira was one of the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation, all of which would have been Greek-speaking communities located in modern-day Turkey.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Kemi Badenoch pledges to restore historic church funding scheme]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/kemi-badenoch-pledges-to-restore-historic-church-funding-scheme</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/kemi-badenoch-pledges-to-restore-historic-church-funding-scheme</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[national churches trust]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: National Churches Trust) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The Grade I listed St Mary Magdalene, Peckleton, dates from the 14th century. It received a grant of £25,000 from the National Churches Trust to fund urgent stone and roof repairs. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:39:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was formally closed at the end of March but ran out of money before that after its budget was cut. ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said that, should her party win the next election, it would restore a funding scheme for historic churches.
The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was first established in 2001 and gave historic churches an exemption from paying VAT on repairs.
Before announcing the end of the scheme, the current government almost halved its budget to £23 million, meaning it ran out of money ahead of its formal closure at the end of March.
The scheme was replaced by the Places of Worship Renewal Fund, but the Church of England has warned that the change could mean “added pressure on local fundraisers and inevitably a drain on other sources of funding”. 
The National Churches Trust called the scheme "a lifeline for historic churches" and said the changes put their future at risk. 
Scottish church leaders also raised their objections last month, with the Church of Scotland’s Rosie Frew, saying, “The decision to end LPWGS will impact current repair projects as well as ending a scheme which has been vital over many years, and without will add further financial burdens to congregations and the Church as a whole.”
Posting on X over Easter, Badenoch said that restoring the fund was an indication that her party took Britain’s Christian heritage seriously.
“Britain is a Christian country. The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words," she said. 
Badenoch, who is herself an agnostic, said that churches represented community hubs and local pride, as well as being places of worship.
“It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever," she said. 
Support for Britain’s Christian heritage has recently become a more popular talking point among Britain’s right leaning political parties. As well as the Conservatives, both Reform UK and Restore Britain have spoken about the importance of the country’s Christian Heritage.
However, all parties are also led by people who have shown very minimal commitment to personal Christianity. Kemi Badenoch is an agnostic, Rupert Lowe has never publicly commented on whether he has any personal faith, while Nigel Farage appears to be an Anglican who rarely goes to church.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[There may not be a Christian revival, but Britain’s traditional churches aren’t doomed]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/there-may-not-be-a-christian-revival-but-britains-traditional-churches-arent-doomed</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/there-may-not-be-a-christian-revival-but-britains-traditional-churches-arent-doomed</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Linda Woodhead]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/78/97839.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[pews, church, christianity, church attendance]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:48:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[There are good reasons to doubt that Britain is experiencing a Christian revival today – but that does not mean it is dying out.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
In the same week that a new archbishop of Canterbury was installed, YouGov admitted that a poll suggesting there was a “quiet revival” of Christianity was a dud. It had been inflated by fraudulent results and should be ignored. To those of us who study the bigger picture of religion in Britain, this comes as no surprise. There are good reasons to doubt that Britain is experiencing a Christian revival today – but that does not mean it is dying out.
To understand what is happening in Britain, it is helpful to compare it with the US, which has has long been viewed as exceptionally religious in comparison. Recent evidence suggests something less clear-cut.
In a major recent study, sociologist Christian Smith assembles the data. In the 1970s and ’80s, only around one in ten Americans identified as “nonreligious”. But from 1991, the proportion of people who identify as such has risen steeply, reaching 29% in 2021.
Today, 43% of young American adults aged 18-29 say they are nonreligious, and only a quarter of generation Z are regular church attenders.
In Britain, being nonreligious was much more common, much earlier. Today, around half the population say they have “no religion” – a proportion that has remained rather stable since the 2010s, according to the reliable British Social Attitudes survey.
By contrast, the proportion saying they are Christian has fallen steadily to around 40% today. Levels of regular weekly churchgoing are around 5%.
In other words, the decline of Christianity started later in the US than in Britain, and has not yet gone as far. But in America, it has been swifter, more dramatic and shows no sign of slowing down.
American-style Christianity can no longer be assumed to be the future for the churches in Britain. Such religion has always been more enthusiastic, congregational and separate from the state.
When Christianity last experienced a revival in the US, with the rise of the New Christian Right and televangelism in the 1980s, conservative and fundamentalist churches were prominent, and megachurches did well. Some blamed the decline of churches in Britain on the fact that they were not more like American ones. They were said to be insufficiently enthusiastic and self-promoting.
Megachurches never really took off in Britain, except for a few examples in big cities that tend to serve diaspora communities. And though the last archbishop, Justin Welby, hoped that an evangelical revival would reverse church decline, this failed to materialise.
The resilience of old churches
But Britain’s churches are not doomed. In light of the recent Christian decline in America, the stately power and traditional ways of the UK’s older churches may turn out to be an asset.
Though few people attend regularly, the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Scotland are still the largest and most powerful of the UK churches. Institutional embeddedness matters.
The Church of England is constitutionally established, and all these churches play a central role in the school system by way of state-supported faith schools. Although the Church of England is not funded through taxation like some of its sister churches in Scandinavia, its considerable wealth – around £11 billion – protects it.
If generation Z show an interest in religion, it is traditional forms that appeal to them as much as the trendier forms that seek the attention of youth. We see this not just in Christianity, where both the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches are reporting new interest, but also in Orthodox Judaism and, to some extent, in Islam.
Still, the traditional churches are unlikely to return to a position like they held in society as recently as the 1980s. Today, revival is virtually impossible. When American evangelist Billy Graham won converts in Britain, he was not winning over people who had grown up nonreligous, he was speaking to people with a Christian background.
It is sometimes suggested that war or social collapse could lead to a revival of Christianity. That is possible, but history suggests that a plethora of different intense, sectarian kinds of religion and spirituality emerge in such situations.
Others argue that the Holy Spirit stirs individual hearts and minds, irrespective of the state of the churches. That is how Protestant Christians have often thought about revival, perhaps recalling Methodist enthusiasm or the chapel movement in Wales.
The striking thing about such revivalism, however, is how quickly it can fade. The chapels are mostly closed now. The Methodists are dying out. “Nonconformity” as a whole, still a major force in England in the 1950s, is almost forgotten.
Though the Christian nationalists on the American right are currently very loud, they have had no impact on the continued decline of Christianity in the US or the alienation of young people. Attempts by some on Britain’s political right to talk up Christianity are even less likely to succeed. They are reviving words, not religion.
What we have in Britain today is a landscape in which the historic churches appear a little stronger than once thought, and revivalist forms of Christianity weaker. Overall, however, Christianity occupies a much diminished space. Other world religions, especially Islam, are stable or growing.
“Nonreligion” is the biggest affiliation after Christianity, but that label hides diversity. Some of the nonreligious are atheist, some agnostic, and some are actively interested in new forms of spirituality, magic and supernaturalism. Although old landmarks remain, like church steeples on the horizon, the religious landscape of Britain is greatly changed.
Linda Woodhead is F.D. Maurice Professor of Religion at King's College London. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[King Charles faces criticism for declining to issue Easter message]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/king-charles-faces-criticism-for-declining-to-issue-easter-message</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/king-charles-faces-criticism-for-declining-to-issue-easter-message</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[king charles, 27th October 2025]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Association of English Cathedrals) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ King Charles during a recent visit to Lichfield Cathedral. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 05:41:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[King Charles' decision not to release an Easter message this year has been criticised by some Christians. ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
King Charles' decision not to release an Easter message this year has been criticised by some Christians. 
Critics have contrasted the absence of an Easter message for Christians this year with his warm greetings for Muslims at the start of Ramadan. 
They accuse the King of failing in his formal role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England and "Defender of the Faith", and failing to read the mood of the nation. 
His defenders have noted that he attended a Maundy Thursday church service and that Easter messages are not an annual royal tradition, with the late Queen Elizabeth rarely issuing any. 
However, his critics question why the King has chosen not to do so this year despite greeting other faiths and releasing Easter messages in previous years of his reign.
Bishop Ceirion H Dewar, who recently penned an open letter to the King calling on him to defend Britain's Christian heritage, said the lack of an Easter message from the King this year was "a grave disappointment". 
"At such a pivotal moment in our nation, when many across this United Kingdom feel that our Christian identity is being rapidly stripped away, this silence from the Crown is not neutrality, it is absence," he said on X. 
"Let us not forget that Easter is not merely a footnote in our national story. It is its very foundation! A nation that is untethered from the Resurrection of Christ risks forgetting not only who it is, but why it stands at all!" 
In further comments to GB News, Bishop Dewar said the absence of an Easter message "missed the mood of the public". 
"Having just issued a Ramadan and Eid Mubarak message for the Islamic community, choosing not to give an Easter message is bitterly disappointing.
"It does not meet the expectations you would expect from the monarch," he said. 
Gavin Ashenden, a former chaplain to the late Queen, was equally disappointed and said it gives the impression that he favours Islam. 
"So last year, - a message to the Islamic community in the spring as they finished Ramadan. This year, a message to the Islamic community as they began Ramadan," Ashenden wrote on his Substack.
"In neither this year nor last year did he mention Christianity and Lent. It seems odd to his country.
"The inevitable perception is, therefore, that he favours Islam, because when it comes to the Christian festivals like Christmas, what he does then is to offer an inclusive view. So he includes all faiths. He uses Christmas as a platform for celebrating Islamic faith and Jewish faith and Hindu and Sikh.
"In other words, there isn’t anything specifically Christian about his commitment or his public pronouncements. When it’s Christian, it’s a platform for inclusivity. But - when it’s Islamic, it’s exclusively Islamic.
"What kind of impression does that create amongst his Christian subjects, who are in fact the majority? It gives a sense that actually he is more sympathetic to Islam. This, rightly or wrongly, is the sense that people have. People even wonder if he’s converted to Islam."
Susan Hall, leader of the Conservative group in the London Assembly, said, "King Charles is the head of the Church of England. An Easter message when us Christian’s are feeling very sidelined would have been welcome and I would have thought for the sake of the Monarchy, essential!" ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[King Charles attends Royal Maundy service in Wales]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/king-charles-attends-royal-maundy-service-in-wales</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/king-charles-attends-royal-maundy-service-in-wales</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Royal Maundy Thursday service, St Asaph Cathedral Wales, 2nd April 2026]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Church in Wales) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:35:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Hundreds of people gathered at St Asaph Cathedral on Thursday for the annual Royal Maundy service, held in Wales for only the second time in the service's 800-year history.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Hundreds of people gathered at St Asaph Cathedral on Thursday for the annual Royal Maundy service, held in Wales for only the second time in the service's 800-year history.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the ceremony, where 77 men and 77 women were honoured with Maundy gifts in recognition of longstanding Christian service to their communities. Most recipients were from Wales, with others drawn from dioceses across the United Kingdom..
The Royal Maundy tradition dates back to at least the 13th century, when King John is recorded as distributing alms in 1210. The number of recipients has since been linked to the age of the reigning monarch.
During the ceremony, recipients were presented with Maundy Money, a traditional royal gift distributed each year on Maundy Thursday.
Each recipient received two purses - a white purse containing specially minted silver coins totalling 77 pence, reflecting the King’s age, and a red purse containing a £5 coin commemorating the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth, along with a 50 pence piece marking the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust.
The service featured music by Welsh composers and features the Cross of Wales, a ceremonial cross gifted by the King to the Christians of Wales and which led the procession at the King’s coronation in 2023. It was gifted to the monarch by the late Pope Francis and contains a fragment said to be from the True Cross on which Christ was crucified.
The Dean of St Asaph, the Very Rev Nigel Williams, said it had been “a delight” to host the royal couple.
"We hope that the recipients of these honours will cherish this day for years to come," he said. ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Welsh church to hear full bell ring for first time at Easter service]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/welsh-church-to-hear-full-bell-ring-for-first-time-at-easter-service</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/welsh-church-to-hear-full-bell-ring-for-first-time-at-easter-service</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98740.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[St Mary’s Church in Betws-y-Coed]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Church in Wales) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:26:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Over 150 years since a north Wales church was built with plans for a full ring of bells, the sound long intended for its tower is finally set to be heard at an Easter service.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Over 150 years since a north Wales church was built with plans for a full ring of bells, the sound long intended for its tower is finally set to be heard at an Easter service.
The bells of St Mary’s Church in Betws-y-Coed are due to sound ahead of the church’s 11am Easter Day family Eucharist and blessing of the lambs, marking the first time the complete ring has been used in worship since the church was established in the 19th century.
The milestone comes after the finalisation of an extensive restoration and installation project that has transformed the tower.
While the original vision for a full set of bells was never realised when the church was built, the tower has now been equipped with nine bells, creating the full ring that had been intended from the outset.
Eight of the bells were transferred from St John’s Church in Porthmadog after it shut down in 2024, creating a lasting link between the two communities.
Refurbished and rehung, the ninth bell was originally cast in 1873 for Betws-y-Coed by John Warner of London and now serves as the church’s clock and chiming bell.
The idea for the project began to emerge in 2019 after discussions at the Llanrwst Eisteddfod with members of Côr Penmachno taking part.
Some of those present were experienced bell ringers but had no nearby tower in which to practise, prompting the idea of constructing a ring at St Mary’s.
Since then, local supporters have helped drive the project forward, with Nigel Thomas serving as Tower Captain alongside a team of volunteers in other key roles such as secretary, treasurer and steeple keepers.
The bells transferred from Porthmadog were made by John Warner & Sons - six were cast in 1900, with a further two included in 1902.
The heaviest bell weighs over 10 hundredweight, and the full ring is tuned in the key of G.
Before installation, they were restored, retuned and prepared by Taylor’s Bell Foundry.
Work in the tower included fitting new headstocks, removing older fittings and cleaning and tuning the bells.
A fresh base frame was also constructed using elements from the former Porthmadog installation and held up by the church’s original tower beams.
In addition, the clock mechanism has been replaced, allowing it once again to strike the hour.
The project is reported to have cost about £100,000 and was financed largely through grants, with backing from organisations including the Keltek Trust, the Hobart Trust and the Bernard Piggott Trust.
During the course of the work, historic newspapers dating back to October 1874 were also uncovered in the tower, among them a copy of the Caernarvon and Denbigh Herald containing a reference to Betws-y-Coed.
The bells have been named in honour of eight local people, including former churchwardens, with three of those honoured are expected to be present at the Easter service.
Local priest and Ministry Area Leader of Bro Gwydyr, Rev Stuart Elliott shared: “It was a wonderful and emotional moment to hear the bells during a test ring. It will be extraordinary to hear them rung for the first time at a church service on Easter Sunday, so that the whole community can hear the invitation they proclaim. It is quite a transformation for the village.”
He said the project was not only about restoring part of the church building, but also about creating a “new community of ringers” around St Mary’s.
He also paid tribute to the local group whose fundraising and practical efforts made the work possible, as well as to donors, businesses and grant-making trusts that supported the scheme.
After the Easter service, ringers will perform a Quarter Peal lasting around 45 minutes using the sequence known as Plain Bob Triples.
Four of those taking part also rang the final Quarter Peal at St John’s in Porthmadog before that church shut down.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Church of England project to conserve murals announced]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/church-of-england-project-to-conserve-murals-announced</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/church-of-england-project-to-conserve-murals-announced</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98736.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Conservation work at St Judes Church.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Church of England) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Conservation work at St Jude's Church. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:29:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The murals are over 100 years old.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Church of England has embarked on a project to conserve church murals, some dating back over a century, in a project partially funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the J. Paul Getty Trust.
In particular the Church is seeking to conserve some of the works of Walter Starmer, an artist active at around the time of the First World War. Some of his work can be found in the Lady Chapel at St Jude’s Church in Hampstead Garden, London.
Commissioned after the war in memory of fallen soldiers, the murals in the chapel depict famous women from the Bible and from Christian history.
The cleaning and conservation work is being partially funded by the Church’s new conservation grant scheme, using funds from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The scheme’s purpose is not confined to conservation, but is also meant to pass on skills to the next generation.
As such much of the work will be done by six students studying for a master’s degree in conservation. Already the students have spent six weeks doing field work at the chapel and have been learning about the techniques used by Starmer to create the works.
Lecturer Sibylla Tringham is overseeing the students. She said, “This is a really wonderful site for the students to learn the practical aspects of wall painting conservation. They have been looking closely at the paintings to understand how they were made and the ways that they are deteriorating. It has been a fantastic learning opportunity for them.”
The Bishop of Edmonton, Anderson Jeremiah, who viewed the conservation efforts, commented, “The wall paintings in the Lady Chapel of St Jude’s were painted at the start of the 20th century and are a remarkable tribute to the role of women in the Church of England and wider society.”
Church heritage funding has been used for a range of projects up and down the country, including the preservation of historic pipe organs, monuments, tombs and stained-glass windows.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Gloucester Cathedral to unveil stunning new pipe organ]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/gloucester-cathedral-to-unveil-stunning-new-pipe-organ</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/gloucester-cathedral-to-unveil-stunning-new-pipe-organ</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98732.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Gloucester Cathedral Organ]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Gloucester Cathedral) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Gloucester Cathedral Organ ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:27:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Gloucester Cathedral has said that this year’s Organ Festival will be extra special, as it will see the unveiling of its brand new organ.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Gloucester Cathedral has said that this year’s Organ Festival will be extra special, as it will see the unveiling of its brand new organ.
The festival will run from 13-15 June and has been described as a “celebration of music for all” by organisers who have put together a range of musical performances.
Andrew Zihni, Dean of the Cathedral, said, “This year’s Organ Festival is a thrilling highlight of the Cathedral’s Year of Music, celebrating the unveiling of the magnificent new organ, an instrument built to lift hearts and inspire generations to come in worship and wonder.
“Bringing together world-class performers and the wider community, the weekend will showcase the instrument’s extraordinary range and marks an exciting new chapter in the Cathedral’s musical life, a life rooted in the daily offering of prayer and praise. We look forward to welcoming all who can attend this special occasion.”
The highlight of the festival is expected to be the Gala Concert on 13 June, featuring the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Gloucester Cathedral’s very own Director of Music, Adrian Partingdon.
The following day the full range of the new organ will be demonstrated at a recital by pianist and organist, Wayne Marshall.
The news comes at a time of decline for the traditional church organ.
Pipe Up, a charity devoted to the preservation of organs, warned earlier this year that the instrument could be virtually extinct in Britain by 2070. The group said that every year 400 church organs are scrapped or go unused.
Since 1915 the number of pipe organs in the country is believed to have dropped from 40,000 to just 15,000. Of those that remain only around half are in a playable condition, and of those, only half are regularly used.
Even when organs are saved from landfill, they often end up being shipped abroad.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Historic England grants £1m to renovate three churches]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/historic-england-grants-1m-to-renovate-three-churches</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/historic-england-grants-1m-to-renovate-three-churches</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[St Richards Church, Richmond]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Historic England) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ St Richard's Church, Richmond ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 05:05:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Funding has also been provided by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Historic England has announced grants worth over a million pounds towards the repair of three historic London churches.
The lion’s share of the funding will go to St Andrew’s Church, Thornhill Square, Islington and St Richard’s Church, Ham, Richmond, both of which will receive close to £430,000.
Over £172,000 has also been set aside for the Sunday School at Union Chapel, Islington.
All three properties are currently on the Heritage at Risk Register.
St Andrew’s will be using its grant to repair the church spire. The church dates back to the mid-19th century and has also received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and a local charity to help repair the spire.
St Richard’s is a more recent building, being the work of the post-War Modernist architect Ralph Covell. It is believed to be the only church shaped like a Star of David.
However, this unique building is starting to show its age and is in need of structural support. At present scaffolding is being used to hold up parts of the roof and the church has been closed due to the issue.
The church will be using its grant to install additional internal propping for the roof and to build a large canopy to prevent more damage before more substantial repairs can take place. It is believed that comprehensive repairs of the structure will cost around £3 million.
Like St Andrew’s, St Richard’s has also received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Both were awarded just shy of £250,000 each.
Renovation work at the Union Chapel’s former Sunday School began in 2024 and was aided significantly by a £2.3 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The additional funding from Historic England is expected to lead to the completion of the renovation project.
Tom Foxall, regional director of Historic England, said, “These three special buildings are not only beautiful historic places in need of urgent funding for repairs, but they are all essential to their local communities as important places to meet, bond, worship in, and enjoy.
"We’re proud to step in to help ensure people can continue to benefit from these magnificent spaces and take pride in the remarkable heritage on their doorstep.
“Working in partnership with The National Lottery Heritage Fund and other generous supporters means our money can go further and essential repairs are completed sooner.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Leo exchange messages of unity after installation]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/archbishop-of-canterbury-and-pope-leo-exchange-messages-of-unity-after-installation</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/archbishop-of-canterbury-and-pope-leo-exchange-messages-of-unity-after-installation</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98723.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Anglican Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally Cardinal Kurt Koch 26th March 2026]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Lambeth Palace/Neil Turner) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Archbishop Sarah Mullally and Cardinal Kurt Koch praying together. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:08:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Pope Leo XIV and the newly installed Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, have exchanged messages affirming their shared commitment to Christian unity, as plans were confirmed for her visit to Rome next month.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Pope Leo XIV and the newly installed Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, have exchanged messages affirming their shared commitment to Christian unity, as plans were confirmed for her visit to Rome next month.
The correspondence came a day after Mullally was formally installed at Canterbury Cathedral as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to hold the office in the Church of England’s history.
Her installation marked the beginning of her public ministry as leader of the Church of England and spiritual head of the Anglican Communion.
Lambeth Palace said Archbishop Mullally will travel to Rome from April 25 to 28, where she is expected to have an audience with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
In a letter sent for her installation, the Pope assured the Archbishop of his prayers and expressed the hope that she would “be guided by the Holy Spirit” and inspired by the “example of Mary”.
Responding, Archbishop Mullally thanked him for his prayers and said she too was committed to serving the cause of Christian unity, describing her role as one of fostering communion within the Anglican family while seeking the fuller unity of the wider Church.
She also said she looked forward to meeting the Pope soon and to deepening the friendship and common purpose shared by Anglicans and Roman Catholics.
The Pope’s message was presented at Canterbury by Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, during events surrounding the archbishop’s installation.
The exchange took place against a strongly ecumenical backdrop.
A service of prayer with the Roman Catholic delegation was held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1966 Common Declaration - the landmark statement that helped launch a new phase in relations between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches after the meeting of Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI.
The morning after the installation, Archbishop Mullally and Cardinal Koch also prayed together at the site of the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, echoing the visit made in 1982 by Pope John Paul II with Archbishop Robert Runcie.
Those present at the prayer service included senior Anglican and Roman Catholic representatives, including Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity Archbishop Flavio Pace, and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See, Bishop Anthony Ball of the Anglican Centre in Rome, which was founded to strengthen relations and shared work between the two churches.
In his message, Pope Leo echoed words of the late Pope Francis who had said that Christian division must not prevent a common witness to Christ.
He said the Gospel is proclaimed most clearly through the witness of a “reconciled, fraternal and united” Christian community.
In remarks following the service, Archbishop Mullally reflected on six decades of Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue, saying the meeting between Paul VI and Michael Ramsey had opened a path “that continues to bear fruit” through friendship, theological engagement and shared witness.
She also pointed to the continuing work of ARCIC and IARCCUM, the main international bodies devoted to dialogue and unity between the Anglican and Catholic Churches.
“We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us into all truth, deepen our fellowship, and lead us ever closer to the visible unity for which Christ prayed,” she said.
The renewed emphasis on Christian unity comes at a significant moment for Archbishop Mullally, who begins her ministry amid considerable challenges for the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion.
Her installation on the Feast of the Annunciation drew about 2,000 guests, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and church leaders from across Britain and the global Church.
In her installation sermon, which took the theme of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, Archbishop Mullally spoke of hope rooted in the incarnation and in God’s continuing presence with His people.
She also acknowledged the pain caused by safeguarding failures in the Church and called for truth, compassion, justice and action.
Her arrival in office has been welcomed by supporters who regard her as an experienced and unifying leader, though she also takes up the role at a time of tension within the Anglican Communion, with some conservative groups refusing to recognise her authority.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Thousands gather for installation of Sarah Mullally as 106th Archbishop of Canterbury]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/thousands-gather-for-installation-of-sarah-mullally-as-106th-archbishop-of-canterbury</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/thousands-gather-for-installation-of-sarah-mullally-as-106th-archbishop-of-canterbury</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, CofE livestream]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, during her installation at Canterbury Cathedral. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:34:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Dame Sarah Mullally has been formally installed today as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to hold the role in the Church of England’s 1,400-year history.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Dame Sarah Mullally has been formally installed today as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to hold the role in the Church of England’s 1,400-year history.
The installation ceremony took place at Canterbury Cathedral on the Feast of the Annunciation and marks the official beginning of her public ministry as the head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, which includes around 85 million members worldwide.
The congregation of around 2,000 guests included the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and Christian leaders from within the Church of England, the Anglican Communion, and other denominations and traditions.
Reflecting her past career in the NHS prior to becoming ordained, Dame Sarah also invited NHS nurses and carers working in hospitals and hospices to her installation. 
In another nod to her personal connection with the NHS, the clasp for the cope and mitre worn during the ceremony was made from the belt buckle she wore while serving as a nurse in the NHS.
The installation service took the theme of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and combined centuries-old tradition with modern symbolism, with Dame Sarah seated in the historic Chair of St Augustine during the ceremony and presented with her pastoral staff, symbolic of her role as a shepherd.
From the Chair of St Augustine, she opened her sermon with the words, "For nothing will be impossible with God" - the words spoken by the Angel Gabriel to Mary in Luke 1:37.
She said this assurance from the angel "resonates with me" because her teenage self who made a commitment to follow Jesus "could never have imagined" her future ministry as the Archbishop of Canterbury. 
She went on to remember her Anglican brothers and sisters unable to attend her installation in person due to the war in the Middle East and Gulf. 
"We pray for them without ceasing and for all those in war-torn areas of the world - in Ukraine, in Sudan, and Myanmar - that they would know God's presence with them, just as we pray for peace to prevail," she said. 
During her sermon, the Archbishop acknowledged hurt stemming from safeguarding failures within the Church of England - it was such failures that brought down her predecessor, Justin Welby.
"And in a world already torn by conflict, suffering and division, we must also acknowledge the hurt that exists much closer to home," she continued.
"We must not overlook or minimise the pain experienced by those who have been harmed through the actions, inactions and failures of those in our own Christian churches and communities.
"Today and every day, we hold victims and survivors in our hearts and in our prayers, and we must remain committed to truth, compassion, justice and action." 
The Archbishop went on to speak of "hope" grounded in the trust that God walks with His people and "that God will do a new thing". 
"The moment of encounter between Mary and the Angel Gabriel announces the mystery of the Incarnation - the definitive moment that reveals God with us, Immanuel.
"In the Incarnation, we see God becoming one of us, and this gives me such hope for the Church," she said as she praised the impact of "ordinary people who, like Mary, have the audacity to believe that with God, we can do extraordinary things". 
The Archbishop was installed after walking from St Paul's Cathedral in London to Canterbury Cathedral on a six-day pilgrimage. She touched on this journey several times during her sermon and how she saw it mirrored in her life and ministry. 
"For me, this hope and trust in God began as I committed my life to Jesus and God has been with me each and every step of my pilgrim path, and I trust He walks with me now," she said. 
She concluded her sermon, "May we have the audacity to believe in the promises of God. For with Him, nothing will be impossible."
For the first time since 1945, a modern Bible was used to swear the oath. For nearly 60 years, Archbishops of Canterbury have been sworn in using the 6th-century Augustine Gospels, believed to be a relic of the first Archbishop of Canterbury, St Augustine. However, the gospels, which reside at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, are fragile and not easily moved so the cathedral chose to use the Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition instead. 
Reflecting the diversity of the global Anglican Communion, a prayer was given in the Bemba language of Zambia by the Primate of Central Africa, Most Rev Albert Chama, while the Gospel reading was delivered in Spanish by the acting Primate of the Anglican Church of Mexico, Bishop Alba Sally Sue Hernández García.
The hymns chosen by Archbishop Mullally were Tell Out My Soul and Praise my Soul the King of Heaven. 
Speaking ahead of the service, she had said: “As I prepare to begin my ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury, I am grateful for the prayers and support I have received from people here and around the world.
"To be welcomed into the city and diocese of Canterbury is an immense privilege – and I am grateful to be sharing in this moment with people of all ages and backgrounds from across the Church of England, the Anglican Communion, our nation and the world.
"Our world today needs the love, healing and hope that we find in Jesus Christ. I continue to pray that we renew our confidence in this good news, and recommit ourselves to sharing the joy of the Gospel."
Mullally's installation follows her formal confirmation in January, when she legally became Archbishop.
She succeeds Justin Welby at a time of considerable challenge for the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion. Some of this is owing to ongoing divisions around issues like sexuality - the Gafcon movement has refused to recognise her authority and is pursuing a path of “principled disengagement” from Canterbury. 
Her supporters, however, see her as a conciliatory and experienced leader who they hope will bring a steady hand to the Church. ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Rowan Williams ponders Anglican Communion's survival]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/rowan-williams-ponders-anglican-communion-s-survival</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/rowan-williams-ponders-anglican-communion-s-survival</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[rowan williams]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Baron Williams (R) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 06:07:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[In two decades, the issues affecting the Anglican Communion have not changed but the divisions have only intensified.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has warned that his newly appointed successor faces a near impossible job and has questioned whether the Anglican Communion can survive.
In an interview with the Clerical Whispers blog site, Williams, who served as Archbishop from 2002 to 2012, said he would not be attending Dame Sarah Mullally’s upcoming installation as he did not wish to “be Marley’s ghost”.
He warned that Archbishop Mullally, like every new leader, would have a range of expectations heaped upon her: “Realising you’re not going to be able to meet them is part of the job. It is no walk in the park.”
Despite leaving office over a decade ago, the Church under Archbishop Mullally faces much of the same questions and problems that Williams had to deal with during his tenure. The 'same-sex question' and the unity of the global Anglican Communion remain key concerns.
Williams spoke of how he still loses sleep over the Jeffrey John controversy. John, a homosexual priest, was nominated for the post of Bishop of Reading in 2003, however pressure from the wider Communion led to his being withdrawn as a candidate.
Divisions within the Anglican Communion are stronger now than ever. When Mullally was announced as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON), said it would not recognise her spiritual authority due to “false teaching” on matters of sexuality.
Since then GAFCON has elected its own leadership council as it continues on the path of “principled disengagement”.
Speaking of the overall situation, Williams said, “I don’t know whether the Anglican Communion will survive."
However, despite the decades long divisions and controversies, Williams said he still found comfort in his everyday faith.
“I keep going to mass in my parish church in Cardiff and making the most of that. What reassures me, what anchors me, is ultimately an act of faith, of theological conviction, that if God wants the Church to exist, the Church will exist," he said. 
Dame Sarah is to be formally installed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury at Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[UK investor offers to buy church and give it rent-free to Christian ministry]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/uk-investor-offers-to-buy-church-and-give-it-rent-free-to-christian-ministry</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/uk-investor-offers-to-buy-church-and-give-it-rent-free-to-christian-ministry</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Businessman Samuel Leeds]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: YouTube) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Businessman Samuel Leeds ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:38:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A local businessman and YouTuber known for offering controversial wealth-creation advice says he is so frustrated by empty church buildings in England that he has offered to buy one and rent it free of charge to a Christian community willing to use it for worship, evangelism and serving the homeless.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A local businessman and YouTuber known for offering controversial wealth-creation advice says he is so frustrated by empty church buildings in England that he has offered to buy one and rent it free of charge to a Christian community willing to use it for worship, evangelism and serving the homeless.
Samuel Leeds, a property investor from Wolverhampton in England’s West Midlands, announced in a social media update: “I’m buying a church.” He confirmed he had submitted a cash offer of £225,000 ($302,105) to purchase Darlaston Methodist Church in Wednesbury, a market town near his hometown of Wolverhampton.
The building is at risk of closure and could be sold to developers for conversion into apartments. Leeds said he hopes to purchase the church and offer it free of charge, with no rent, to a Christian community willing to use the space for worship and outreach.
Leeds describes himself as a self-made millionaire on his LinkedIn profile. He runs a property training company and made headlines in 2018 when he and his brother Russell purchased the historic Ribbesford House.
“I’m fed up with driving past all these churches in the UK that used to thrive, support the community, and feed the homeless,” Leeds said.
“Now, just look at these beautiful church buildings. So many are boarded up and closed down, with developers queueing up to profit from converting them into flats.
“I simply can’t accept that a building built to glorify Jesus for generations can be turned into something solely for profit.”
Leeds said his plan is to “buy it and offer it completely free of charge, with zero rent, to a church willing to worship Jesus here and serve others.”
In a separate Facebook video, Leeds alleged that 16 developers had expressed interest in the site before his cash offer.
“I am so angry and tired and sad at seeing churches closed down when we need them in the communities to be alive,” he said in the video. “I believe revival is coming and we need churches to be open.”
The church building on Slater Street is one of the remaining Methodist properties in the local Darlaston Green circuit. The property is currently listed for sale as a “redevelopment opportunity,” with plans suggesting the 5,421-square-foot building could be converted into apartments. Leeds’ purchase offer is intended to stop that conversion and reopen the building for Christian worship.
According to a listing by Creative Retail, the site includes a detached former church building with a main hall, kitchen, meeting rooms, a school room and a large secure car park.
“The property offers versatile open-plan accommodation that can be reconfigured for many alternative uses,” the listing states. “The premises also offer a clear redevelopment opportunity subject to planning.”
Data from the Office for National Statistics from the 2021 United Kingdom census show that 50.1% of residents in Wednesbury identify as Christian, compared with 46.2% across England and Wales.
© Christian Daily International]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Archbishop of Canterbury will be attending abortion vote in Lords on Wednesday]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/archbishop-of-canterbury-will-be-attending-abortion-vote-in-lords-on-wednesday</link>
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                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Lambeth Palace) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Archbishop Sarah Mullally ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 08:54:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury has confirmed she will be joining a key vote on abortion in the House of Lords this Wednesday after there was backlash over the suggestion she might be absent due to a planned pilgrimage.]]></description>
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The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury has confirmed she will be joining a key vote on abortion in the House of Lords this Wednesday after there was backlash over the suggestion she might be absent due to a planned pilgrimage.
Archbishop Sarah Mullally came under pressure to confirm whether she would be at Parliament for the vote on the Crime and Policing Bill after announcing that she would embark on a six-day pilgrimage to Canterbury on Tuesday. 
She faced fierce criticism from pro-life campaigners including the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) and members of her own Church who feared that she would be absent from the vote on Wednesday evening.
SPUC said it would have been a "damning indictment on Sarah Mullally personally, and the Church of England hierarchy more generally" if she had failed to attend. It is calling on the Archbishop and bishops to be as vocal against extreme abortion measures as they have been against Kim Leadbeater's bill to legalise assisted suicide. 
A spokesperson for Lambeth Palace has confirmed that she will be there for the vote and that her pilgrimage will not be affected. 
"The Archbishop will be in the House of Lords on Wednesday to vote on the proposed amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill. It will not affect the pilgrimage or its route, which starts this afternoon," they said. 
The House of Lords is voting on amendments to the UK government’s Crime and Policing Bill, specifically a controversial abortion reform clause.
At the centre of the clause is a proposal to decriminalise abortion at any stage of the pregnancy for women in England and Wales.
MPs in the House of Commons voted last year in favour of changing the current legal framework so that a woman would no longer be prosecuted for ending her own pregnancy, even if it occurred after the 24-week legal limit. 
Opponents of the change say it effectively legalises abortion up to birth for any reason. 
Dr Calum Miller, a medical doctor and ethicist, has been vocal in calling on Church of England bishops to attend Wednesday's vote. 
He said it was "good news" that Archbishop Mullally plans to attend, while urging other bishops to follow suit. 
Archbishop Mullally's 140km-pilgrimage starts from St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Tuesday afternoon. It is part of her spiritual preparation before officially commencing her public ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury with her installation service at Canterbury Cathedral on 25 March. 
The Archbishop's stance on abortion has come under scrutiny since her appointment as Justin Welby's successor after she said in the past that she would describe herself more as “pro-choice rather than pro-life”. 
She clarified her position in comments to Church Times last October.
“I am aware that I have in the past been labelled as ‘pro-choice’ — perhaps because of my previous career — but this is a complex debate, and I don’t think my or others’ views can be so simply categorised," she said.
“I support the Church of England’s principled opposition to abortion, which comes with a recognition that there can be strictly limited conditions under which abortion may be preferable to any available alternatives.
“Above all else, women facing unwanted pregnancies require compassion and care, and a path that supports them. They are confronted with the hardest of choices, and they must be supported.”]]></content:encoded>
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