Good health: A challenging career explained Page 15
No 37 CHRISTMAS 2012 Diocese of Lincoln newspaper www.lincoln.anglican.org
Women Bishops vote: a “sad day for the Church” In a vote by the General Synod in November to pass the measure to permit women bishops, the majority of Synod members supported the proposal, but not enough to allow the measure to be implemented. Of the House of Bishops, 94% present voted for the measure, 77% of the clergy were in favour, and 64% of the laity, meaning that overall almost three-quarters of voters were in favour. However, each house had to achieve a majority of at least two-thirds, which fell short by just a handful of votes in the House of Laity. Although the decision means that the matter is unlikely to be brought back for discussion until a new General Synod is elected in several years, leaked reports suggest other options will be explored. “This was a very sad day indeed, not just for those of us who support the ministry of women, but for the future of the Church, which might very well be gravely damaged by this,” said the Rt Revd Christopher Lowson, Bishop of Lincoln. “The proposal had the overwhelming support of most of the Diocesan Synods, and this raises very serious questions about the representation of General Synod, and calls for a broad review of how General Synod members are elected. “The Church has suffered a serious credibility problem while it worked on the legislation, and this is a set-back that could cement the Church’s reputation as being outdated and out-of-touch. “Young people have spoken to me of their concerns about the Church, and the way it appears to fight against that which for many people is perfectly normal and acceptable. “I am meeting with women clergy from around the Diocese of Lincoln to discuss the implications of this vote, and to work with them to re-affirm their ministry in the coming years.” Continued on page 3, col 1 »
Sponsor the Bishop’s Stable Sleep-out www.charitygiving.co.uk/stablesleepout
s c n i l h t
Y ou
Centre pages
crosslincs
Farmer Peter Mottram shows the Bishop of Lincoln his accommodation for a night in December. WILL HARRISON
Bishop’s £5,000 target Christmas stable sleep-out to aid two charities Will Harrison The Bishop – and a number of other clergy – are aiming to raise thousands of pounds for charity as they brave a cold December night in stables around the Diocese. The Rt Revd Christopher Lowson will spend the Thursday night before Christmas in a stable near Harmston, south of Lincoln. He hopes to raise £5,000 to support the work of the Nomad Trust – a homeless charity in Lincoln – and Christian Aid’s Favela project in South America. The Revd Adrian Smith, Rector of the Owmby and Springline Groups north of Lincoln, is also sleeping out on the same evening in a stable at Hackthorn Hall. “I am sure that my night in the stable will offer me an opportunity to let God into my
personal preparations for Christmas, and, as Bishop Christopher has suggested, I may gain something of a glimpse of ‘The harsh realities of the experience of Mary and Joseph – and hundreds of people around the country who have no bed in which to sleep’,” said Adrian. In the south of the Diocese, the Revd Jonathan Sibley will be joined in a sleepout by some of the servers of St Mary’s Church, Long Sutton, as they raise money for another project, and in the north, a group of six or seven teenagers, who are part of St Bartholomew’s Church, Keelby, are to spend the night in a stable near Habrough in aid of the Nomad Trust. The Nomad Trust’s main objective is to help the homeless, needy and vulnerable people that come to their door, day and
night. It operates an emergency night shelter, a charity shop, furniture recycling and Horticulture project. Between April 2010 and March 2011, 450 people were helped by the Nomad Trust, of which 79% had Lincolnshire connections. Christian Aid’s Favella project works to improve the living conditions of families who dwell in the slums and work in the informal economy in downtown São Paulo. The project focuses on the city central region, represented by the Subprefecture of Sé, where more than 300,000 residents are squashed into 1,138 tenements. Members of this community find themselves shut out from the regular labour market with no access to housing finance. To sponsor the Bishop, please visit www.charitygiving.co.uk/stablesleepout