Give Archbishop bet winnings to the church - Welby

From Durham-

HAVING been unveiled as the next Archbishop of Canterbury in London on Friday (November 9), Justin Welby returned to his day job at the weekend – still displaying the mix of humour and drive which has fuelled his rapid rise to the top of the Church of England. Mark Tallentire reports.

“BECAUSE speaking generally, I’m not a horse. I think that’s a really important point to get across.”

Perhaps not words you would expect from the next head of the worldwide Anglican Church; but then Justin Portal Welby, still for a few months the Bishop of Durham, is perhaps not whom you would expect, either.

His appointment to succeed Rowan Williams is still a surprise even to him, he says, and still hasn’t sunk in.

More here-

http://www.durhamtimes.co.uk/news/10040302.Give_Archbishop_bet_winnings_to_the_church___Welby/

Church of England’s House of Bishops moves to allow women bishops, controversy begins again

From England-

For years the Anglican Communion debated whether women should serve as bishops and while the Episcopal Church U.S.A. ordained Bishop Schori as presiding bishop, not all Episcopal or Anglican Churches accept women bishops, much less women priests.  

The House of Bishops decision last Thursday once again stirred emotions between the Anglo-Catholics, Conservative Evangelicals, and liberals within the Anglican Church, despite an amendment, which attempted to compromise between the groups.  Some predict future chaos and even more departures from the Anglican Church, which the next Archbishop of Canterbury will inherit from the retiring Archbishop Rowan Williams.

The consecration of women, along with homosexual bishops and same-sex marriages, is among the most divisive issues facing the 77 million members of the Anglican Communion around the world.
Other Anglican provinces already have women bishops, including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

More here-

http://www.goddiscussion.com/96987/church-of-englands-house-of-bishops-moves-to-allow-women-bishops-controversy-begins-again/

Baptism center opens in Jordan

Baptist leaders and other dignitaries -- including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair -- took part in a ceremony March 20 dedicating a new evangelical Christian baptism center at the Jordanian spot traditionally regarded as the site of Jesus' baptism.

The afternoon celebration at the Baptism Center at Bethany beyond Jordan included more than 120 baptisms by immersion in the Jordan River. They were conducted by pastors from the Jordan Baptist Convention.

Eron Henry, associate director of communications for the Baptist World Alliance, said in a travel blog it is the first time Baptists in Jordan have received such prominent coverage in Jordan's major media outlets.

One of several new churches being built along the Jordan River at about the location Christian pilgrims have long believed Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the center is intended to cater to Christian traditions that practice believer's baptism by immersion.

BWA General Secretary Neville Callam, in the day's major address, called the center "a place where people from all parts of the world may assemble for a journey and an experience." He expressed hope that "the waters of the Jordan extinguish the crippling fires of hopelessness that burn in the hearts of those who have no knowledge of God."

http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3948&Itemid=53

Answering God's call: Bishop Urban

Here's a splinter group I've never heard of, although I have met Ruth at some point. I guess they won't be a part of the "new province" where women bishops are forbidden.

Urban will be consecrated as a bishop at Holy Apostles Anglican Church (which meets inside Northeast Christian Church) in Madison today at 1:30 p.m. The event, which is open to the public, marks the first time a woman has been ordained as a bishop in the conservative breakaway churches of the Anglican religion.

Urban, along with her husband, John, are now priests at Holy Apostles, a congregation they established in 2004 that is now under the umbrella of All Nation's Anglican Church in Amarillo, Texas. The couple plans to move to Texas next year so that Urban may fulfill her duties as bishop. The Rev. Larry L. Bain, a priest who currently serves with the Urbans, will lead Holy Apostles, and others may be appointed to join him.

When Ruth Urban assumes her new position, she will have a nongeographic missionary diocese and responsibilities that include creating new churches and ministering across multiracial and multiethnic lines. She will also mentor clergy and continue a healing ministry.

Ruth Urban explained that the Anglican Communion International has 38 provinces that are under the See (seat of authority) of Canterbury. The Episcopal Church is one, and there are breakaway churches that are not under the see, like the Urbans' Holy Apostles church that is affiliated with the Texas-based All Nation's Anglican Church.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20081220/FEAT04/812200328/1023