|
________________________ HOME I MISSION_STATEMENT I DISTRICT_LEADERSHIP_TEAM I CIRCUITS I SYNOD REPORTS I DISTRICT_DIARY I EVENTS THIS MONTH I YOUTH & CHILDREN I EVANGELISM I MISSION I NETWORK I TESTIMONY I EMPLOYMENT I TRAINING I WORSHIP RESOURCES I LINKS I FAIRTRADE I FRESH EXPRESSIONS I CONFERENCE I PRESIDENTIAL VISIT I METHODIST NEWS I METHODIST CHURCH STATEMENTS I MRDF I ECUMENICAL NEWS & EVENTS I ANGLICAN-METHODIST_COVENANT I INTERFAITH I |
|
MAY
Methodist Church granted leave to appeal employment ruling
The Methodist Church
has been granted leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal against the judgement of
an Employment Appeal Tribunal that Methodist ministers should be counted as
employees and cases concerning them heard by Employment Tribunals. Methodist
ministers have always been treated by the Church as office holders rather than
employees. The current case concerns Haley Moore who resigned from being a Methodist minister in 2009.
The Revd. Kenneth Howcroft, Assistant Secretary of the Methodist Conference, said: “The Methodist Church is treating this matter with great seriousness as something that would affect all our ministers. We are pursuing this appeal having taken good legal advice. In doing so we are defending the understanding and rules of the Church about these matters agreed by the Conference. These are long-standing, and the Court of Appeal held as long ago as 1984 that Methodist ministers are not employees. A minister’s role is one which is traditionally based on the ethos and laws of the Church rather than on a secular ethos. Our ministers have legal rights of redress under Church procedures. The Methodist Church cares for all who serve it, whether lay or ordained, paid or volunteer, and we want to ensure that we treat everyone fairly and properly.”
19 May 2011 Church leaders oppose
Government’s decision to sign a £3 billion cheque for nuclear submarines that
might not be bought
Church leaders have denounced the Government’s decision yesterday to spend at least £3 billion on a nuclear weapons system. The Government has delayed a final vote on buying a replacement for the Trident weapons system until 2016, but yesterday Defence Secretary Liam Fox announced his approval for the initial £3 billion phase of production. Leaders from The Methodist Church, The Baptist Union and the United Reformed Church said the Government’s backing of a new nuclear weapons system was “unaffordable, immoral and strategically unwise”.
Paul Morrison, policy adviser for The Methodist Church, said: “The Government’s decision means that we are committed to £3 billion of expenditure whether Parliament chooses to purchase the new Trident system in five years time or not. This comes at a time when communities are suffering from the impact of local government spending cuts. Youth services, SureStart Centres, Back-to-Work Clubs have all had their funding cut because we have been told that we can no longer afford to sustain them.
“The £3 billion the Government has committed could pay the entire budget for every SureStart Centre in the country for the next two years; £3 billion would stop every council cut this year, and the first ten months of next year. Instead, that money is being used to purchase an option of whether to buy weapons of mass destruction.”
According to government figures, a new nuclear weapons system would cost £25 billion in production costs and at least £4 billion a year to maintain. If Parliament votes against a Trident replacement, the £3 billion expenditure yesterday would be added to the country’s deficit without anything to show for it.
Simon Loveitt, United Reformed Church spokesperson on public issues, said: “The Government’s decision is to commit us to a massive piece of spending from which there is no going back – and yet they tell us their primary focus is to bring down the deficit. This is not what people voted for.” Graham Sparkes, Head of Faith and Unity at the Baptist Union of Great Britain, said: “If we buy these weapons the annual cost is predicted to be more than £4 billion for every year we have them. The total cuts across Government this year amount to £6.2 billion. With £4 billion each year we could double university funding, but if we buy these nuclear weapons, we will cast a shadow over the next generation.”
6 May 2011 Christians must not shy away from dealing with death, says Methodist President
The Revd Alison Tomlin, President of the Methodist Conference has said that a faith that shies away from the issue of death is "neither real nor relevant".
Speaking as the Church launches its new booklet A Gift of Remembrance, Alison said: “Everyone is affected by death at some point in their lives and a faith that shies away from these issues would be neither real nor relevant. Because it can be emotionally difficult and painful it’s easy to want to put the issue to one side, to try not to think about it or deal with it. But as Christians we believe in a God of hope, a God who is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death.”
A Gift of Remembrance is a new booklet offering reflections on death, dying, mourning and loss. It includes Bible passages, prayers and reflections from a variety of authors, including John Donne, Anne Bronte and Major Malcolm Boyd, who was killed in action in France in 1944. The booklet is being launched next week at the Christian Resources Exhibition at Sandown Park in Surrey.
A Gift of Remembrance is ideal for pastoral care and chaplaincy and people are encouraged to share it with friends and family who are mourning. “This booklet is not just for Remembrance Sunday – it’s something I know I can give to people who are grieving, as we reflect on the experience together,” added Alison.
The booklet is also ideal for small-group and personal reflection. It’s the latest in the highly successful A Gift of... series, including A Gift of Peace, which has already sold nearly 15,000 copies. It can be purchased from www.methodistpublishing.org.uk at the price of £5 for 50 copies (plus postage and packing).
1 May 2011 FTSE 100 companies must adopt
Living Wage, say Methodists
The Living Wage is the minimum hourly wage necessary for an individual to meet their basic needs, including shelter, clothing and nutrition. Revd Alison Tomlin, President of the Methodist Conference, will publicly endorse the launch of the FairPensions campaign at Methodist Central Hall on May 2, with more than 2,000 people expected to attend.
Revd Tomlin said: “The Living Wage is about treating people with dignity and respect; it is about recognising our value as individuals, as human beings. It is absurd to pay people a wage that will never allow them to meet their needs. The majority of those living in poverty are in working households and this kind of practice keeps people in poverty. FTSE 100 companies should lead the way in bringing about fair wages for all who work.”
The FairPensions campaign will be launched at a mass rally organised by London Citizens at 2pm at Methodist Central Hall on May 2. Churches, charities and institutional investors will join in urging FTSE 100 companies, to become Living Wage employers. One of the signatories is The Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church, which manages funds on behalf of Methodism in Britain. People will be encouraged to lobby FTSE 100 companies directly online at www.activateyourmoney.org.
Bill
Seddon, Chief Executive of the Central Finance Board said: “With the Methodist
Church supporting the Living Wage campaign, it is entirely
appropriate that the Central Finance Board signs these letters to FTSE 100
companies. We look at the relationships companies have with their
employees, suppliers, and service providers. That leads us to consider not
only executive pay levels, but also the lowest paid in a company. The
Central Finance Board is helping to put Methodist Church policy into practice by
encouraging companies from its position as a socially responsible
investor."
|
