Same-sex couples can now have their marriage blessed by the Church in Wales after a vote was held.However, the church will still not marry same-sex couples. Former Dean of St Albans, the Very Reverend Jeffrey John, supported the change but described it as a "halfway house" that did not go far enough.The Evangelical Fellowship opposed the move, saying it did not uphold the "standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman".But the church said it was a step on the way towards repentance of a history which has "demonised and persecuted gay and lesbian people".Individual clergy will be able to opt out of offering blessings to same-sex couples and some conservatives said the change would cause a split. The bill authorising a service of blessing was passed by all three orders of the church's governing body at a meeting in Newport.The bishops passed it unanimously, the clergy passed it by 28 to 12, with two abstentions, and the laity passed it by 49 to 10, with one abstention. The change is significant because a blessing, in theological terms, signifies God's approval. Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron, who introduced the bill, said he felt "no sense of triumph", but added that "the Church in Wales has done the right thing under God for the LGBTQIA+ community".Ruth Eleri James (see photo left with her partner Hannah) has both a personal and professional interest in the vote. As a woman in a same-sex relationship, she said she supported giving recognition to relationships like hers as a means of showing their validity in the wider community.She is also a trainee priest with the Church in Wales. Although unable to vote on the proposed change because of her junior status, she said she would back the bill all the way if she were able to, as has her partner Hannah, a lay member of the governing body. She said: "It's so important to us because it will reflect the real love and welcome that we have personally experienced in our local churches, who we know long to be able to offer something to couples who are in same-sex relationships."But it's also important because this is a message to LGBTQ folk in society at large to say their relationships are loved and blessed by God, and that's a message that hasn't been given, certainly in my lifetime, and I long to be able to share that with people."Ruth said she saw the contradiction expressed by other people in the LGBT community that the church would still not offer full marriage even as it blesses legal unions formed outside of its walls."Hannah and I feel strongly that God is asking us to be married one day and we will continue to hope and work and pray for the day when we can have what we call the sacrament of marriage in a church," she added."I do see the difficulty in not being able to have that and I do see the point of people who say this doesn't go far enough. But I think a step towards justice is a step in the right direction."
There's a new double act at the helm of a St Albans church.Diane and Jono Tregale (see photo) have together taken on the role of vicar at St Paul's Church in Fleetville.The couple, who have moved to St Albans from Sherborne in Dorset , will ‘job share’ the position – still rare in Church of England churches.Jono explained: “We’re both looking forward to getting to know many people in Fleetville and around the area and seeing how we can work with them to share the ‘good news’ of the Christian gospel in all its fulness.“We believe that, working together, Diane and I can bring a broad range of experience and abilities to this role.“We’ve worked closely together in churches for the past 25 years, but this is the first time we have job shared the role of vicar. We are excited at the opportunity to work alongside the existing gifted team at the church.”Diane said: “St Paul’s is a church for all ages with thriving youth and children’s activities, networks of groups who meet in homes, the church building and beyond and with lively worship services both in person and online.“Together, we want to see how we can further develop the church’s links with the wider community.“We are thrilled to move to this new post. We felt attracted to such a vibrant, creative, caring church community who are open to new opportunities to grow in faith and serve the local area.”
Tomorrow's Holy Communion service is at St Peter's Church, Hascombe. We hope you can be there. The celebrant is the Reverend Rutton Viccajee. If you're away or housebound you can join us by clicking on this link.<br><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89125328793?pwd=SHpKQXEwM2hVclRHdkphTlhtOE9nUT09">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89125328793?pwd=SHpKQXEwM2hVclRHdkphTlhtOE9nUT09</a>
The government has found permanent homes for about half the Afghans and their families who have been evacuated in the past fortnight, The Times has learnt.About half the 343 councils in England have offered long-term accommodation under a scheme to protect those who helped the UK mission in Afghanistan. Until yesterday the Home Office could confirm only that a third of councils had offered homes.It has doubled the number of permanent homes available under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy (Arap), to 4,000. London boroughs account for a quarter.However, this still leaves more than 4,000 Afghan immigrants already in the UK facing indefinite stays in hotels.Britain is also still trying to rescue a “desperate” Afghan MP whose dog was hanged by the Taliban after western troops withdrew from Kabul.About half of Afghanistan’s 69 female MPs have been rescued by western governments. However, Nusrat Ghani, the Conservative MP for Wealden, has been in contact with one who is still there, moving between safe houses, whose dog has been hanged by the Taliban.“The conversation was very emotional,” Ghani told Stig Abell and Aasmah Mir on Times Radio. “She was in tears, living day by day. I receive messages saying, ‘I’m not sure whether I’m going to survive the night’. This is how desperate she is.”The Arap scheme is offering local authorities £10,500 for the first year for each Afghan immigrant they can accommodate and support, but ministers are expected to make it a multi-year scheme to ensure that newcomers integrate fully into local communities. Councils are also given £850 per immigrant to pay for English lessons.An extra £5 million has been put aside as a discretionary fund to help councils house very large families.
