Forward in Faith North America
As we go to press, Forward in Faith North America is holding its Annual Assembly at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows at Belleville, Illinois. Present from Forward in Faith Australia are Chairman Fr David Robarts and Vice-Chairman Fr David Chislett, and from Forward in Faith in the UK are Chairman Bishop John Broadhurst, National Secretary Fr Geoffrey Kirk and Director Stephen Parkinson (who is writing this page during a period of spirited debate on a number of resolutions and hoping that the wonders of modern technology will ensure that it reaches New Directions on time!). Full reports of the Assembly will no doubt emerge in due course.
Our Lady of Grace at Ipswich
The Forward in Faith Church of St Mary at the Elms in Ipswich will be full to bursting on 10 September, when the Shrine of Our Lady of Ipswich is rededicated.
The service will be attended by the Bishop of Richborough, the Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, the Mayor of Ipswich and other dignitaries. The preacher will be Mgr Peter Leeming of the Roman Catholic Church, and representatives of the Orthodox and Methodist Churches will take part in the Service. Representatives of the Muslim faith will also be in attendance.
The priest in charge of St Mary at the Elms, Fr Haley Dossor, said: ‘We are delighted that we can rededicate this Shrine here, as we are now the nearest Church to the original Shrine. Robert Mellamphy has carved a fine statue, based on the original which sits in the Church in Nettuno in Italy, and our intention is to make the Shrine a centre for ecumenical endeavour in Ipswich. We are pleased that the Muslim community, which also reveres Mary, will join our celebrations.’
Celebrating the Faith
A day of reflection and study – ‘Women in the Episcopate’ – will take place in Blackburn Cathedral on Thursday, 10 October, from 10.15am to 3.00pm. The speaker will be the Reverend Dr Robert Hannaford, and the celebrant at the Eucharist at 12.00 noon will be the Bishop of Burnley, the Right Reverend John Goddard. Bishop John writes: ‘You will note the change of title from previous years ‘Not Just Staying but Rejoicing’ to ‘Celebrating the Faith’. I hope this gives us a positive engagement rather than being seen as people just holding on. It is true we face big issues in our Church and need to be equipped to thoughtfully and prayerfully deal with them.’
Coffee and a cooked lunch will be provided and the cost of the day will be £10. Details from, and bookings to: Canon Brian Pithers, 37 Dallam Avenue, Morecambe LA4 5BB (Telephone (01524) 424786)
Available 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 (for example, 20 sets for £15.00). Orders to Colin Niblett at Faith House.
Sacred Synod
Have you booked yet? If you haven’t, you may miss out! Get in touch now with Colin Niblett at Faith House.
National Assembly I
Have you booked yet? If you haven’t, you too may miss out! Get in touch now with Colin Niblett at Faith House.
National Assembly II
Over the years, we have been inordinately grateful to members, supporters and friends of Forward in Faith, who have so willingly and freely given accommodation to delegates coming to the Assembly from the farthest reaches of the kingdom. If you live in Greater London (preferably on a tube line) and have one (or more) spare bedrooms and would be prepared to put up one (or more) delegates for a night (or maybe two), please give Colin Niblett a call at Faith House now on (020) 7976 0727. Many lasting friendships have been forged in this way and we in Forward in Faith know how important our friends really are!