Rt Rev Christopher Lowson was responding to comments by the county’s chief constable who has said there will be stark choices unless further funding is available.

The budget is still being set but the chief constable has warned of possible cuts to road policing, crime investigations and community and neighbourhood policing.

Bishop Christopher Lowson said: “I am willing to be a voice to ensure where possible Lincolnshire and its police officers get a fair deal and we do not lose further police from our communities.

“From a young age, I was taught if I was in difficulty I could always approach a police officer – less money and less services means there may be no-one to approach.”

Bishop Christopher said the situation was a wake-up call for the community and government.

The bishop visited local schools in Spalding in the south of the county this week and was welcomed and hosted at St Mary’s Cowbit by the school’s mini police. The initiative involves senior school pupils meeting local police and they are given a uniform with a role in the school to promote good behaviour.
 
Bishop Christopher added: “The mini police are just one example of community based policing that is so valuable.

“A thinner blue line in our county would be a loss to the community.”

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Many more young people attend secondary school in countries where there is a historical legacy of the Protestant religion.

This is despite nearly two centuries of secularisation and a dramatic expansion of government-provided secondary education since the mid-20th century.

At the start of the Reformation in 1517, initiated by Martin Luther, Protestantism made strenuous efforts to expand schooling.

Luther demanded compulsory elementary education for boys and girls from all social classes.

Other German Protestants soon developed a comprehensive system of schooling, including a system of secondary education.

The German reforms quickly became a blueprint for education across many other countries in western and northern Europe.

Britain exported Protestantism to its colonies around the globe, which profoundly shaped their educational systems as well.

Here too, Protestants introduced mass education, including formal education for women as well as for marginalised groups, including slaves.

The Protestant missionaries in the British colonies were also the first to provide post-primary education.

As a result of these reforms, school enrolment rates were substantially higher than in colonies of, for example, Spain and France.

However, from the 19th century Protestantism’s influence on schooling had strongly waned – first in traditionally Protestant countries and, further to…

Canon Kirrilee Reid will leave her current post as the rector of a rural church in Perth and Kinross to boost the presence of the Church’s Pas-de-Calais Chaplaincy team.

The Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, Rt Revd Dr Robert Innes: “I am delighted that we have been able to appoint Kirrilee to this strategic post at a crucially significant time for the Pas-de-Calais chaplaincy and the people it serves.

“Kirrilee brings extensive experience of the Church, a passion for social justice, and sustained involvement in working with migrants and refugees to her new ministry.”

The post of chaplain and refugee projects officer is intended to boost co-ordination between both sides of the England Channel, to ensure migrants and their families receive the care and support they need.

A similar role was created in Kent by the Diocese of Canterbury three years ago.

Picture: Premier’s Rosie Wright in the ‘Jungle’ migrant camp in Calais in 2016

The new role is thanks to a partnership between the Church of England’s Diocese in Europe and Diocese of Canterbury, as well as the Anglican missing agency United Society Partners in the Gospel (USPG).

Currently the rector of All Saints in Glencarse, Canon Reid was born and raised in Australia where she was ordained in twelve years ago. She has recently completed a sabbatical working with refugee…

Christopher Jacobs said “there is a degree of urgency for this information to come out” as his clients believe the Church poses “clear and present danger to children”.

The Church’s attempts to build effective mechanisms since the Nolan Report in 2001 are “clearly not working”, he said.

His comments to a preliminary hearing at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) on Tuesday came as the Catholic bishops of England and Wales ordered a thorough review into safeguarding procedures.

Mr Jacobs, from Howe and Co, representing 36 anonymous core participants, told the preliminary hearing: “Those who instruct me take the view that the evidence so far presents a picture of the Church as a clear and present danger to children as it is structurally organised.”

He said the Church should give an official statement answering the concerns ahead of a public hearing into the Archdiocese of Birmingham beginning on November 12.

Mr Jacobs said: “Does the Church accept that thus far it has been unable to implement consistent and uniform child protection across England and Wales as a result of its structure?

“If it is accepted there are structural impediments to providing children protection theChurch should be asked to state clearly if it believes that the structural obstacles can be overcome in an acceptable time frame.

“There is a degree of urgency for this…

Stamford Methodist Church will also explore ways of encouraging local wildlife to thrive on its premises through installing facilities like habitat boxes for bats, birds and hedgehogs.

It is joining 999 other churches in the UK who have already signed up to the national Eco Church scheme being pioneered by the Christian conservation charity, A Rocha UK.

Helen Stephens, church relations manager for A Rocha UK, said: “To reach our 1000th registration is such an encouragement and shows that there is real concern for our environment and interest in caring for God’s earth.

“Eco Church is impacting church and community life in new ways and we’ve been excited to see how it’s spreading across England and Wales and involving Christians from all denominations and church backgrounds.”

Under the initiative, churches are also urged to use food which is organic and locally produced.

They are also encouraged to discourage car use by promoting walking or cycling to church.

Special church services which enable people to celebrate the earth as God’s creation are promoted.

Youth and children’s ministries are urged to encourage young people to care for God’s earth.

Andy Atkins, chief executive of A Rocha UK said: “Over 250 churches, from small rural parishes to St Paul’s cathedral have already been certified as Bronze, Silver or Gold Eco…