Stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green ‘devastating’ says Bishop of Edmonton
The Area Bishop of Edmonton, in the diocese of London, Dr Anderson Jeremiah, has expressed shock and sadness after two Jewish men were recently stabbed in Golders Green, north London.
The Jewish men, one in his 70s and one in his 30s, were treated at the scene for stab wounds; both were then taken to hospital. A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Dr Jeremiah said: “This was not just an attack on individuals, but on the safety and spirit of our entire neighbourhood. In the face of such darkness, our community must stand firm. We must respond with unwavering resilience and a commitment to the kind of love and unity that overcomes bigotry.”
**
Innovation in lay and ordained ministry training receives £1.16 million boost
Up to 60 lay ministry apprenticeships in children’s, young people and families work in churches are to be created under a three-year pilot scheme.
Innovation funding of £145,000 has been granted by the Ministry Finance Panel of the Archbishops’ Council for a scheme to create between 45 and 60 Youth Ministers.
The programme, headed by Church Army, is jointly funded with the 30k Project, the Church of England campaign that is aiming to recruit 30,000 new children and youth ministers – both voluntary and employed – by 2030.
The scheme will collaborate with the dioceses of Blackburn, Chelmsford, Hereford, Rochester and Sheffield. The Missional Youth Church Network, which offers training and mentoring for youth leaders and volunteers, will also participate.
Dr Carolyn Edwards, the 30k Project’s Ministry with Children and Young People Officer, said: “We’re really excited about this pilot. It means we can create training for people engaging with young people in and for our churches which gives them both a nationally recognised Youth Worker qualification, and formation in Youth Ministry.
**
School assembly songs to inspire new worshipping communities for children
A major new programme will see the launch of worshipping communities for children and families, based on songs that are already popular in school assemblies.
iSingPOP will support 300 churches to create new gatherings where families from local primary schools will be invited to explore faith together, drawing on the energetic worship songs children already know from school.
The aim is to connect collective worship in schools to engagement with church for families interested in growing in faith together. The programme has received £500k investment from the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB).
iSingPOP, from the charity Innervation Trust, produces vibrant worship songs that engage more than 77,000 children every week, alongside resources that equip teachers, clergy and volunteers to lead faith-based music sessions in schools and churches.
It also brings schools, churches, and the community together by giving churches the opportunity to host a large joy-filled concert, teaching children songs that explore the Christian faith over four days, culminating in a whole-school performance to parents. This approach has already inspired many families to explore faith beyond the school gates.
Through the new programme, iSingPOP will help to link worship in schools with the life of local churches.
Miz Porter, Director of iSingPOP by Innervation Trust, said: “For 25 years, we have been working with churches and schools to create inspirational collective worship resources that uplift children.
“We believe intergenerational worship has the power to introduce whole families to the Gospel, and we are delighted that this new programme will help churches across the country to deepen their relationships with local schools.”
**
60 years of Girl Choristers at St David’s Cathedral
St David’s Cathedral recently marked 60 years since girl choristers first sang in the Cathedral Choir with a celebratory evensong.
It was in April 1966 that the Cathedral Choir were busy preparing for a BBC radio broadcast of choral evensong, when in the days leading up to the recording, numerous boy choristers succumbed to a measles outbreak that was spreading through the local primary schools.
Facing the prospect of no choristers being well enough to perform, Organist and Master of the Choristers Peter Boorman approached music teacher Rosalyn Charles, and asked if the girls of Ysgol Dewi Sant school choir may be able to sing.
The school, Dean and Chapter all approved the emergency measure, and following a successful broadcast on 20th April 1966, chapter agreed in July 1966 that the girls were to become full choristers.
Ever since, the soprano line in the Cathedral Choir has been sung by girls aged 8-18, drawn from St Davids and, more recently, further afield in Pembrokeshire. St David’s Cathedral pioneered the concept of girls singing in cathedral choirs, decades before similar initiatives were launched in other cathedrals.
To celebrate this milestone, the Cathedral held a special evensong, with the Cathedral Choir joined by former choristers from the past 60 years.
**
Farmers, TikTok, and people kissing cows
Here is a story that you couldn’t make up. There is a craze on TikTok of influencers interacting with cute cows, and they have attracted thousands of followers.
So now people are wandering onto farms in search of cute cows, to cuddle and kiss for the camera. Highland type cattle, with their ‘floofy’ adorable thick fringes and shaggy coats are especially targeted.
Except that the cows, however cute, do not know about TikTok. So, they do not welcome complete strangers who want to wrap their arms around their necks, or pull their tails about, to get “good online content”.
One Yoga teacher entered a field and did handstands among bewildered cows, to create an interesting backdrop to a video.
A father slung his son up on top of a cow’s back, and was surprised when the cow ran off with his son still on board.
30 people cornered one herd at sunset and used flashing cameras to take pictures and videos of the frightened animals.
The farmers are worried. As one said: “these people risk being trampled, charged or attacked. Cows are not domesticated animals. They are highly unpredictable creatures. They can kick hard. If you upset one, you will regret it – and you will never out-run it.”
**
Ten crimes against churches a day
On average, ten crimes are committed against church properties every day. And of the nearly 4,000 offences in the past year, most of them were either theft, vandalism or violence, according to police data.
It is a rise from the average of eight crimes a day recorded between 2022 and 2024, and the true figure could be higher, as not all police forces responded to Freedom of Information requests sent by the Countryside Alliance.
Earlier this year, £250,000 worth of historic silverware was stolen a church in Hertfordshire. Criminals targeted another in Nottinghamshire, by kicking in its stained-glass window. Others targeted gravestones outside a church near Preston, in what police have treated as a hate crime.
Ben Sims, head of policy and public affairs for the National Churches Trust, recently told Premier Christian News that the figures are “really concerning” at a time when churches are facing financial pressures, including the scrapping of VAT relief on listed places of worship.
“Imagine you’re one of the volunteers,” Sims said. “You come and discover that all of the gravestones have been smashed, all the windows have been smashed. Or inside, the pews have been broken up. It’s a really demoralising, quite scary thing to happen.”
**
Christian Giving
Stewardship’s recent Generosity Report explored ‘Christian giving in the UK’ and is based on 6,000 churchgoers, 1,700 of whom attend church weekly, 1,200 who go monthly and 3,100 who attend less frequently.
On average, these Christians gave £124 a month to different charitable causes, made up of £98 to their church and £26 to other charities.
The more committed Christians, who attend their church and reading the Bible at least weekly, tend to give more than others. They give to Christian charities, then secular charities and finally individual Christian workers.
Why give? “Gratitude for the blessings God has given me (home, finance, family etc.)” is the reason about a third of them give. This is followed by “gratitude for what Jesus did for me on the Cross” (30%) and being “part of something that can make a difference” (29%).
How do Christians feel about their giving? The answer: “Responsibility and joy,” is closely followed by “gratitude.” Mostly, Christians keep quiet about their giving, not even discussing it with friends.
Supporting those in need was a prime reason for giving (say sponsoring running a marathon), whether to family or friends or homeless strangers on the streets. The faith affiliation of charities was less important – it was what they were doing which counted.
Committed Christians usually support two charities.
**
Gospel witness in Lebanon
In the midst of warfare, a Release International partner in the Middle East is seeing the gospel of Christ bearing fruit.
The partner in Lebanon provides a haven for Christians and other minorities fleeing violence elsewhere in the region. While they provide food, clothing and bedding for those with nothing, they are also telling people about Jesus Christ.
Only recently nine Alawites (a minority group that supported the former Assad regime in Syria) came to faith in Christ and were baptised. An Easter service, attended by more than 500 people, was led by a group of youngsters who our partner has been nurturing, and who have been sharing the gospel with thousands over social media.
Release says: “Our partner is a beacon of light shining in a dark place and attracting many.
Our partner told us, ‘All Christians are being persecuted throughout the Middle East, and, in many places, Christianity has been all but driven out. We are pushing back against the tide as we send people back into some of those countries, with former church members now working as missionaries in Jordan, Syria and other parts of the region.’
More info at: https://releaseinternational.org
**
Our potholes are killing us
The number of people injured or even killed by falling into potholes has increased by almost 50 per cent in just the last five years. Motorists, passengers and pedestrians are all at risk.
From 270 incidents in 2020, it now stands at 393 in 2024, the last year for which figures are available.
In 2024, six people died, 128 were seriously injured and 259 suffered minor injuries. In contrast, back in 2020, five people died, 80 were seriously injured and 185 suffered minor injuries.
The stories range from pensioners on foot falling into potholes and dying, to cyclists having their faces smashed to pieces, or getting their wheels jammed in narrow potholes and dying, to motorcyclists being thrown in front of cars and dying. Never mind the thousands of car tyres that have been torn to pieces in potholes.
Meanwhile the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has recently reported that the cost of fixing every pothole in Britain could reach £18.6bn and take 12 years to complete. It calls the situation “a national crisis and a total disgrace”.
The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, recently experienced the crisis for herself when a “moon crater-sized” pothole took her Mini Cooper off the road by bursting two tyres in Oxfordshire.
Edmund King, president of the AA, says Britain is in a “pothole plague”. So far this year, the AA has attended an average of 64,330 pothole callouts per month.
And now experts warn that our pothole crisis will only deepen, as the war in Iran increases the price of bitumen, which is mixed with gravel to make asphalt to fill road defects.
#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#