Ely Cathedral’s Precentor dies unexpectedly, aged 59
CANON Jim Garrard, Precentor of Ely Cathedral since 2008, died unexpectedly on Monday, aged 59, the Chapter confirmed in a press release, which said that he would “be sorely missed by all of the staff, the choirs and the broader Cathedral community”. He was remembered at evensong that night. His doctorate from Oxford was for a thesis on William Howley, the Archbishop of Canterbury on the time of the 1832 Great Reform Act; this led to the publication of a biography (Books, 13 November 2015).
Pensions Board raises bar for defence investment
THE Church of England Pensions Board has updated its rules on defence-related firms, limiting itself to investment in firms that make lower than five per cent of their revenue from defence. Previously, the brink had been ten per cent. An entire ban on investment in firms “with involvement in indiscriminate weaponry, including nuclear weapons”, stays in place, a press release published on Tuesday says. A recent survey of members of the pension scheme, which holds about £3.4 billion in assets, found that greater than 80 per cent agreed that the Board should “actively support peacebuilding and human rights”. The recent policy diverges from the approach taken by the Church Commissioners, who last week announced the removal of a flat ten-per-cent-revenue threshold to permit investment in UK-based firms that made the vast majority of their money from the sale of conventional weapons, but exclude entirely investment in firms based under “oppressive regimes” (News, 5 December). Letters, page 15
Chichester diocese sells fossil-fuel holdings
THE diocese of Chichester has grow to be the last of the Church of England’s 42 dioceses to disinvest from BP and Shell, Operation Noah reports. Neither the dioceses nor the national investing bodies now hold any investments in fossil-fuel firms. The diocesan synod received a report last month from the Assets Committee, which concluded that the plans of each BP and Shell were not aligned to the Paris Agreement. “The Committee due to this fact decided to divest from each firms. The Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) confirms that the diocese’s overall investment policy stays unchanged and continues to follow the National Church’s ethical investment guidelines,” a press release given to Operation Noah by the diocese said.
Committee deems Governance Measure inexpedient
THE National Church Governance Measure was deemed inexpedient by the Ecclesiastical Committee last week. The decision, taken at a non-public meeting of the Committee, follows a public meeting at which concerns were raised by Danny Kruger, the Reform MP for East Wiltshire (News, 21 November). Areas of concern include the delegated powers set out within the Measure, the place of safeguarding in the brand new structures, and the accountability of the brand new Church of England National Services to the Church Commissioners with regard to spending.
Funds available for patronal evensongs
THE Choral Evensong Trust has opened applications for its 2026 Patronal Festival Grants until Candlemas, Monday 2 February. The grants — funded by the Trust’s patrons, including the King — help parish churches to have fun their patronal festival with choral evensong as a central feature, followed by a reception. This 12 months, the Trust funded 80 patronal festivals in Britain (In the parish, 18 July).
Carols congregation rejoices in Welsh tongue
BANGOR CATHEDRAL held a carol service in Welsh for beginners and fluent speakers on 1 December. The service, led by Canon Tracy Jones, one in all the cathedral’s canons who has learnt the language, included Welsh poems and traditional Welsh-language carols. A brass ensemble from the bilingual secondary school Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen played before the service. The diocesan Welsh Language Enabler, Elin Owen, said that it was “a chance for learners and fluent speakers to come back together and revel in the festive spirit, while experiencing the traditions, language and music of a Welsh Christmas”.
Peer mediation the best way forward, say Quakers
PEER mediation, by which trained student mediators help their classmates to resolve conflicts in a peaceful and non-judgemental way, must be made mainstream, Quakers in Britain has said in a report produced by the Civil Mediation Council. The report, Resolving Conflict in Schools: Peer mediation as a foundation for happier, healthier futures, relies on data from 29 schools and eight training providers. For 82 per cent of pupils, it says, peer mediation “made things higher”; and 96 per cent of staff reported positive effects from mediation schemes. Quakers in Britain’s national coordinator for peer mediation, Ben Harper, said: “In an increasingly polarised world, it’s critical for kids to learn methods that encourage empathy.”
