Rochester Commission I
Many thanks to all our members and friends who have made submissions to the Bishop of Rochester’s Commission on Women and the Episcopate. Thanks too to those who sent a copy of their submission to us at Faith House; we are building up quite a library, and very interesting reading they make as well! If you – or perhaps your PCC – made a submission, please do send a copy to Forward in Faith as soon as possible, if you haven’t already, so that our collection can be as complete as possible.
Rochester Commission II
We are having a very limited numbers of copies of Forward in Faith’s submission printed, so that we can send copies to all the bishops and to all members of General Synod. After that exercise, there will be a very limited number of further copies available on a first come, first served basis. Because of the smallness of the print run, we are having to charge £5 per copy, inclusive of postage and packing, but it is indeed worth every penny! Cheques with orders to Colin Niblett at Faith House, or call him with, your credit card ready, on (020) 7976 0727.
New from Forward in Faith
An excellent series of leaflets are now available, written by Fr John Hawthorne, who was until his recent retirement the Forward in Faith Regional Dean for The Marches and Vicar of Tetbury. Fr John has written them in response to the oft-repeated accusation that Forward in Faith is only against things; he covers just a handful of the things that Forward in Faith is very firmly for and a very good read they are. Every Forward in Faith Parish should have a supply for the tract table in church and every Forward in Faith member should have a supply, ready to whip out in order to confound our detractors!
The titles are:
Forward in Faith believes in…
● The Act of Synod and Flying Bishops
● Apostles
● Authority
● The Church
● Conscience, Tolerance and Equality
● A Free Province within the Church of England
● God and Jesus
● Mission
● Priesthood
● Saints
● Scripture, Tradition and Reason
● Unity and Order
● Women
● Worship and Sacraments
● You
Each of the fifteen leaflets is priced at just 10 pence and the complete set can be had for just £1.00. Orders for 20 or more sets attract a 25% discount (i.e. 20 sets for £15.00). Orders to Colin Niblett at Faith House (details as above).
Discovering the Faith
Fr John Pitchford, author of An ABC for the PCC and Daily with God, and until his recent retirement Vicar of the Forward in Faith parish of Emmanuel, Wylde Green, in the Diocese of Birmingham, has just published Discovering the Faith, a new book aimed to meet the needs of, for example, someone searching for a faith in God, those exploring what God offers us through his Church, those looking for some follow-up after taking part in a Discussion Course, those preparing for Confirmation or the newly confirmed, or simply those wishing to think more about their faith. Part of Discovering the Faith was written as a series of articles for the Birmingham Post, and other parts were used in Confirmation classes over the years. Forward in Faith Chairman Bishop John Broadhurst writes: ‘Fr John Pitchford has a long experience as a parish priest, and has compiled a systematic answer to many of the questions that lay members of the Church have brought to him over the years. This will provide a useful tool for anyone wishing to know more about their faith.’
Fr George Austin, former Archdeacon of York, writes thus: ‘In an age when the fundamentals of the Christian Faith are increasingly attacked, not only by secular sources but also from within the Church, there is a need for a clear and concise account of the authenticity of those orthodox beliefs. John Pitchford’s book does just that, and will be an invaluable aid to new Christians, as well as to those looking carefully at their own long established beliefs.’
Discovering the Faith is available only from the Additional Curates Society, at Gordon Browning House, 8 Spitfire Road, Birmingham B24 9PB, telephone (0121) 382 5533, and is priced at £5.99 + p&p. An IDEAL Christmas Gift!
For your prayers this month
Please hold in your prayers the College of Deans and Council of Forward in Faith, as they meet for their annual residential meetings at All Saints Pastoral Centre, London Colney during the first week of December. Much work needs to be done and one area at which we know they will be looking is how we are to make Forward in Faith more like the ‘Free Province-in-waiting’. Please pray too for Forward in Faith’s Shadow Working Party on Women and the Episcopate, also meeting at London Colney early this month.
Christ the King, Gordon Square
A marvellous celebration of our Church’s Feast of Title at the end of last month was graced by not just one, but three Bishops. Forward in Faith Chairman, John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham, presided at the Mass; Bishop Andrew Burnham, Bishop of Ebbsfleet and former member of the New Directions Editorial Board, preached the sermon; and our good friend from Down Under, Bishop David Farrer of Wangaratta, presided over the procession of the Host and at Pontifical Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.