Take time out this Advent at www.whywearewaiting.com with go-slow lifestyle challenges and stories along with daily videos and podcasts from around the Church of England - and beyond. The online calendar opens on Advent Sunday November 29 with a special video message going live on Thursday November 26. The website will also have daily Bible passages and prayers.

Leave your credit cards at home and use cash when you are Christmas shopping if you want to stick to your budget - that’s the advice from Dr John Preston, the Church of England’s National Stewardship Officer. It’s just one of many money-saving tips to be found in three new videocasts available on the Church of England website.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has urged us to keep economics in perspective as it is only one aspect of human existence. In a keynote address to the TUC Economics Conference today he said: "‘Economy’ is simply the Greek word for ‘housekeeping’. Remembering this is a useful way of getting things in proportion, so that we don’t lose sight of the fact that economics is primarily about the decisions we make so as to create a habitat that we can actually live in." Read the full text

The Church of England has launched its environmental strategy for the next seven years, as global faith leaders and UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, met in Windsor to discuss commitments on climate change, before the world’s political leaders meet in Copenhagen in December.

The Revision Committee met for its third scheduled meeting (13 November) since 8 October (see earlier statement). It concluded a substantial exploration of ways in which the draft legislation could be amended to enable certain functions to be vested by statute in bishops who would provide oversight for those unable to receive the episcopal and/or priestly ministry of women.
Responding to the publication of the Apostolic Constitution and its complementary norms by the Vatican, the Rt Revd Christopher Hill (pictured), Bishop of Guildford and Chairman of the Church of England's Council for Christian Unity, responded.
 

My Lords, Clause 14 is entitled: “Paying for sexual services of a prostitute subjected to force”. That is the controlling element: the force. It seems to me that a person who purchases sex ought to know. If I drive a motor car that does not have a proper license, an MOT or insurance and then say, “I did not know”, the law is very clear. I have always believed that law always states public policy. If you withdraw the whole question of strict liability, it will become very difficult, as the noble Lord, Lord Morrow, said.” See full text.

The Church of England has published a book of prayers and reflections to help frazzled commuters prepare for the winter ahead – and then unwind on the way home.  Read more about Church House Publishing's Pocket Prayers for Commuters by the former Bishop of St Albans the Rt Revd Christopher Herbert.
Bishop Christopher outside Waterloo Station with the book

In a break with church tradition, a special service has been held at the headquarters of a major regional bank in Leeds at which the Bishop of Knaresborough has licensed a new minister to pioneering new chaplaincy role with the financial and business sectors of the city. The Revd. Rob Hinton (40) will begin his new post as the Church of England’s first ‘Pioneer Minister to the Business Community’.