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	<title> &#187; Features &amp; comment</title>
	<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress</link>
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		<title>Bishop&#8217;s letter: Time for Hope</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
 
This month Bishop Lee invites us to major on hope in Advent.
In the season of Advent, Church tradition encourages Christians to turn their gaze to the wrapping up of history as we know it. To give attention to the four last things:  heaven, hell, death and judgement.  The readings set for Advent usually include [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1210</link>
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		<title>Bristol and Swindon Blue Wave: Latest on the Countdown to Copenhagen</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s how you get to the important Countdown to Copenhagen The Wave in London on December 5th! It’s shaping up to be a huge event with thousands of people from across the UK preparing to flow through the streets of London in support of a safe climate future for all. See www.the-wave.org.uk or Christian Aid&#8217;s ‘The [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1204</link>
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		<title>FT article on threatened clergy pensions &#8216;Misconceived&#8217;</title>
		<description><![CDATA[An article in last week&#8217;s Financial Times, headed ‘Vicars’ pensions under threat as church is seduced by equities cult’, is misconceived and fails to take adequate account of the scheme’s relative age compared to other schemes, says Dr Jonathan Spencer, Chairman of the Church of England Pensions Board:
“The scheme concerned is responsible for paying pensions [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1201</link>
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		<title>Policy on the payment of expenses to Licensed Lay Ministers</title>
		<description><![CDATA[To:       Licensed Lay Ministers, Incumbents, PCC Secretaries, Acting Dean, Area Deans, Warden of Readers
6 November 2009
Dear colleagues
Licensed Lay Ministers (Readers) and their Expenses in the Diocese of Bristol. 
I am writing as Chair of the Council for Licensed Lay Ministry (Readers Council) to provide you with our Diocesan Policy guidelines for the remuneration of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1198</link>
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		<title>Aging Church Congregations: Problem or Challenge?!</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the major issue that will be raised on 29th October at St Michael’s Chester Square SW1W 9HH‎ at   the conference on A Mission-shaped Church for Older People at which Bishop Graham Cray (Archbishops’ Missioner and Team Leader of Fresh   Expressions) will be present to take the platform at the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1195</link>
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		<title>Octobers Diocesan Newsletter now available</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The latest edition of the Diocesan Newsletter is now available.
For articles, events highlights and the monthly housekeeping information for PCCs and Clergy, please visit:
Newsletter page &#62;&#62;
Download the newsletter direct (PDF)  &#62;&#62;
]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1191</link>
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		<title>Latest Swine Flu update</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Dear Colleagues,
SWINE FLU: STATEMENT FROM THE ARCHBISHOPS TO THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS
At the end of July the Department of Health advised us that the pandemic had reached the stage at which ‘it makes good sense to limit the spread of disease by not sharing common vessels for food and drink.’
In the light of this we [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1170</link>
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		<title>Cycle of Prayer: Q4 now available</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Cycle of Prayer for October is now available via our Cycle of Prayer webpage.
“Prayer is the test of everything;
prayer is also the source of everything;
prayer is the driving force of everything;
prayer is also the director of everything.
If prayer is right, everything is right.
For prayer will not allow anything to go wrong.”
Theophan the Recluse (1815-94)
Visit [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1168</link>
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		<title>Blue Wave: Bristol and Swindon to London</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Dear friends in Christ
You will have heard by now about the ‘Blue Wave’ rally which is happening in London on 5 December and the coaches which have been organised.
Churches, congregations and Christian relief agencies are in the forefront of drawing attention to the need for action in response to Climate Change.  The rally – [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1164</link>
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		<title>Bishop&#8217;s letter: Leading People</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
Recently I was talking with a group of our colleagues about ministry issues. I am of course aware that leadership is not a ‘done deal’ within the Church of England, partly because many people assume that leadership is at best benign dictatorship and at worst, dictatorship plain and simple.
An oft quoted cliché is that the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1137</link>
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		<title>Read the latest diary from Uganda; as it happens!</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Daphne Hardwick from Christ Church Swindon is currently travelling in West Ankole for a month to survey medical provisions in West Ankole Diocese. Please pray for her, and she will post a diary of her experiences in the Diocesan forum while she is there.
Visit the Diocesan discussion forum for the latest from Daphne &#62;&#62;
]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1092</link>
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		<title>Cycle of Prayer: October now available</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Cycle of Prayer for October is now available via our Cycle of Prayer webpage.
&#8220;Time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and its
success. Prayer opens the way for God Himself to do His work in us and through us. Let our chief work as
God&#8217;s [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1064</link>
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		<title>Feedback: CAP (Christians Against Poverty) money handling course</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This is a short review of the CAP (Christians Against Poverty) money handling course of only three evenings, that was held at a local Church.
The course was run by four people on Tuesday evening 7.30 to 9pm, Pete, Julia, Geoff and Nic and 8 people attended in all.  We watched a DVD and heard [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1038</link>
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		<title>Bishop&#8217;s letter: Troubled by the God of the Scriptures</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It is very tempting to stick with our favourite parts of the Bible and avoid the parts that are distinctly uncomfortable or even offensive to our understanding. This month Bishop Lee asks us not to rush for our scissors or rubbish bin and allow God to engage with us through those Scriptures which trouble us.
According [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1000</link>
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		<title>Books to make you think</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Rene Descartes, the 17th century French philosopher famously said, ‘I think, therefore I am’. I would like to argue that the converse ‘I am, therefore I think’ should also be true. Why is it, then that so many Christians seem to be afraid to think deeply about their beliefs and much prefer to park their [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=992</link>
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		<title>Act now: advertising Back to Church Sunday on local radio!</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Why not run a radio advert inviting people back to church on Sunday 27th September? This brief looks at the resources available, and offers advice and answers to common questions.
Why run a radio ad at all?
With Back to Church Sunday (B2CS) approaching very quickly, now is the time to start spreading the message about the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=966</link>
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		<title>Changes to roles and teams in the Diocese to support ‘Releasing the energy’</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Diocese of Bristol &#124; The Bishop of Bristol’s Office


The new Diocesan Strategy for 2010-2015, ‘Releasing the energy’, gives focus to much of our work as a Diocese. As a result, it is important that we are organised in a way that means we can concentrate on our priorities and deliver our core work to a [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=980</link>
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		<title>Why not attend BBC1’s The Big Questions: Bristol, 13/09/09</title>
		<description><![CDATA[BBC1’s The Big Questions &#124; Broadcasting live from Bristol &#124; Sunday morning, September 13th
The Big Questions, BBC1’s topical ethical debate show, is now well into its highly successful second series. We’ll be broadcasting again live from Bristol on the morning of Sunday September 13th  and we’d like to invite you to be part of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=973</link>
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		<title>A Retreat with R S Thomas for Priests &amp; Licensed Lay Ministers</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A Retreat with R S Thomas for Priests &#38; Licensed Lay Ministers at Abbey House Glastonbury 16 &#8211; 20 November 2009
Conductor:  The Reverend Simon Tatton-Brown
The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit was founded over sixty years ago by Canon
Ralph Peacey of Bristol Cathedral to encourage clergy in the Diocese of Bristol to make an annual corporate [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=953</link>
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		<title>Outrage at &#8216;Noah&#8217;s Ark&#8217; creationist zoo</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A secular group is demanding that tourism groups stop promoting a &#8216;creationist&#8217; zoo which questions the traditional view of evolution.
The Noah&#8217;s Ark Zoo is accused by the British Humanist Association of misleading tens of thousands of visitors annually and &#8216;threatening public understanding&#8217;.
Full story: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1209474/Outrage-Noahs-Ark-creationist-zoo-denies-Darwins-theory-evolution.html
]]></description>
		<link>http://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=937</link>
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