Another net-zero vicarage for Carlisle diocese

WORK has been completed on the second net-zero vicarage in the diocese of Carlisle, it was announced last Friday. The diocese bought the four-bedroom property in the Lake District village of Grasmere, in 2022, to replace the former vicarage. The work took six months to complete, and includes the conversion of a double garage into a new study. The new Rector of Grasmere, Vicar of Rydal, and Chaplain to Rydal Hall, the Revd Lawrence Basham, is to move in on 5 November with his wife, Jemma, and their four children, aged six to 13. Nick Paxman, the diocesan property manager, said: “The diocese has committed £250,000 a year for the next five years for Net Zero Carbon works to vicarages. That goes towards the cost of the air source heat pumps, and the solar panels and batteries. It is estimated that, because of the old electric-only heating system that was in place in this property originally, the building had a carbon footprint of about 20 tonnes a year.”

New chair for Churches Together in England

THE members of Churches Together in England (CTE) elected the Revd Dr Callan Slipper as their next chair, last Friday. He will also become the convener of the CTE Enabling Group. He succeeds Rowena Loverance, who has been in these positions for the past six years. Dr Slipper is a trustee of CTE, and chairs the Society for Ecumenical Studies. He is a former national ecumenical officer for the Church of England and county and diocesan ecumenical officer. The Enabling Group, which consists of representatives of CTE’s member churches along with other associate members, also agreed the appointment of the Bishop of Edmonton, Dr Anderson Jeremiah, as a new trustee to represent the C of E.

Mary’s Meals CEO to move to Church Army

THE next chief executive of the Church Army is to be Matt Barlow, who is currently executive director of the Christian charity Mary’s Meals. He is also the founding pastor of Light Church, in Bradford. He takes up his new appointment on 5 November. Mr Barlow worked for Christians Against Poverty for 21 years, for 14 of which he was the chief executive. The Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, who chairs the Church Army’s board of trustees, said that “his profoundly lived faith and the depth of his experience shone through.”

Bill to ban smartphones in schools welcomed

A PRIVATE MEMBER’S BILL that would legislate to ban smartphones in schools in England, and raise the age of “internet adulthood” from 13 to 16, has been welcomed by the Church of England’s chief education officer, the Revd Nigel Genders. The Bill is being tabled by the Labour MP Josh MacAlister, who intends it to “protect children from the harms that can be caused by excessive screen time, and the use of social media”. In a statement sent to the Church Times on Tuesday, Mr Genders said that “we welcome the consideration of stronger regulation around smartphone use in schools, as outlined in Josh MacAlister’s Bill. By managing distractions and helping to combat bullying, such measures can help students stay focused and engaged with the curriculum. Church of England schools are committed to developing pupils academically, socially, spiritually, and ethically, and believe that these steps will support staff in their vital work.”

Pensions Board completes £145m Aviva buy-in

THE Church of England Pensions Board has completed a £145-million buy-in with the insurance, wealth, and retirement provider Aviva. The transaction, for the Church Workers Pension Fund (CWPF), announced last week, means that all pensions within the CWPF Defined Benefit Scheme are now backed by insurance policies. Clive Mather, who chairs the Pensions Board, said: “It is a prudent step which has been made possible by a long run of strong investment returns, cost savings, and collaborative working with employers.” The Board paid a £145-million premium in return for an income stream that will exactly match pensions that need to be paid to current retired members and future retiring members. It is the third and final buy-in to “remove the exposure to investment and longevity risk, which materially reduces the risk of a future funding deficit”.

Living Out launches resources for youth groups

LIVING OUT, a charity run by Christians who experience same-sex attraction, has released a new video-based series of resources, Kaleidoscope, for church youth groups. These are free to download and will be available from 1 November. The six-episode series features stories, talks, and panel discussions that explore the Bible’s teaching on sexuality and gender, a press release says. They include, it says, the questions: “What is the purpose of sexuality? How does God want us to live? What about same-sex relationships? Does God have good news on gender?” Andrew Bunt, the emerging-generations director for Living Out, said: “Our culture bombards us with messaging on sexuality and gender, and it can be hard for young people to find the time and space to consider what God says.”

Correction: in our news story on the announcement of the Second Church Estates Commissioner (News, 11 October), a quotation was misattributed to the Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith. The speaker was the First Church Estates Commissioner, Alan Smith. We apologise for the error.