With the tower still smouldering, the streets surrounding were full of survivors, mourners, media and those offering practical support.

I’d gone to support friends at a nearby church who’d been offering food, clothing and prayer to those caught up in the blaze but was struck by the deep discomfort I felt just looking at the building which I’d been talking about on radio on all day.

That night, I slept very little as the harsh reality of the deaths, the images of the smoking tower and the stories of survivors filled my mind.

Grenfell wasn’t the only story that made 2017 a tough one for journalists. We were too often needed to report on terror attacks, mass shootings like the one we saw at the Texas church pictured below or the regular updates of religious persecution around the world.

The world has seemed an increasingly dark place over the past 12 months, yet we know as Christians we have an opportunity to bring some light.

Knowing how to do that at times like Grenfell can be particularly difficult and while it can also be difficult to switch off having been talking about these events in detail throughout the day, the opportunity to provide news from a Christian and often prayerful perspective is a privilege that none of the news team here at Premier take lightly.

Being able to speak to church leaders on the ground, working in tough situations and encouraging believers to pray is something different we are able…

The first six months were dominated by terrorism, leaving a lasting fear which continued into the second half.

First up was Westminster where a car ploughed into pedestrians (killing four) on the bridge leading up to the Houses of Parliament. The attacker then fled his car and stabbed a police officer before himself being shot dead.

While London promised to carry on as normal, it wasn’t long before terrorism was becoming a far too frequent occurrence on these shores.

Manchester faced a bombing which the city’s bishop said “wouldn’t drive us apart but bring us together”. This was shown when the city came together for a concert to remember those killed at Manchester Arena. It was there where Justin Bieber preached that “God is good in the midst of the darkness”.

Two more attacks hit London before the capital was hit by yet more tragedy when a fire ripped through the Grenfell Tower killing 71 people.

The Church did what it does best by opening doors and supporting victims.

In June, we had yet another election as Theresa May looked to build a government capable of delivering a problem free Brexit. Despite being the politician named most like Jesus, May struggled to gain more public support and ended up in a worse position overall.

The other loser of the election was Tim Farron, whose Christian views came under scrutiny…

The national Christian telephone helpline says a wave of debt, alcohol and relationship-related issues will keep volunteers busier than usual.

Director, Jonathan Clark said: “If you are actually suffering from a depression, and you then see everyone else around you being jolly and having a great time, whether or not, if you perceive they are, that will make you feel even worse.”

Demand for the Premier Lifeline during Christmas has increased dramatically since 2014 when 2,761 calls were received between Christmas Eve and 2nd January.

Volunteers are expecting up to 4,700 during the same period this year, which is more than the 4,298 calls they recieved during the time frame last year.

One Premier Lifeline volunteer, who we’re calling Vanessa, said: “It can be challenging, especially for those who don’t have family or are on their own.

“They just ring up for someone to talk to and someone to listen to them as well; that’s why we’re here.

“Christmas time is a time of giving, so that’s the time when we should go to those in need; that’s why it just feels good that I’m able to use my gift and give to others.”

Volunteers received 430 calls every day between 24th December 2016 and 2nd January 2017 – a figure significantly higher than the daily average during the year of 238.

It is expected a team of more than 100 volunteers – working on a rota basis – will see the quantity of calls this Christmas rise compared to last…

The Rev Jonathan Gould, 59, was asked to take a four-month sabbatical from St John’s Downshire Hill in Hampstead, northwest London, to attempt to reconcile his marriage.

However, the lawyer-turned-vicar who had served at the church 21 years was unable to and the church assumed he would not return to minister.

The Times reports that in May 2015 one of the church’s five lay trustees sent an email to the Anglican priest asking: “What if the worst scenario occurs?

“Your marriage fails and you get divorced. I assume then your pastoral ministry at [St John’s Downshire Hall] will come to an end.”

Rev Gould met three of the trustees two months later, who told him: “You preach marriage, but you do not display biblical marriage yourself.”

His lawyers have claimed that the father of four wouldn’t have been sacked if he had been single.

Rev Gould’s first attempt to sue was thrown out by an employment tribunal judge in March but that was overturned on appeal in October.

The vicar told The Sun: “It’s been absolutely devastating for me, personally and devastating for the children as we lost our home when I was dismissed.”

His wife, Beth, 53, said: “The church were very generous, as I was too.

“There is definitely still an opportunity for him to work at our marriage.”

The charity said suspected Fulani militants attacked Christian worshippers in Nimdem village, Southern Kaduna, Nigeria.

The Christians were singing Christmas carols around 10:00 p.m. when gunmen struck, killing four and injuring 10. The four who were killed were named Jude Haruna, Turaki Dauda, Kaffi Ali, and Amos Musa.

In a press statement released by the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), the group lamented, saying: “We have once again come under unprovoked and gruesome attack two days before Christmas.”

“This has left us wondering why people who had gathered peacefully for joyful Christmas carols in their village should be gunned down for no reasons.”

Confirming the attack, a local pastor, Gideon Mutum, said it happened “during an interdenominational carol that comes every Christmas with Bible quiz, drama, songs and preaching” and added that those critically injured were receiving treatment in different hospitals.

ICC said these attacks have become all too common for unsuspecting villagers in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

In 2017, there were more than 100 attacks on Christian villages by Fulani militants that left more than 200 innocent Christians massacred. Southern Kaduna, the state where this attack took place, has been one of the central locations of the violence in Nigeria.

Last year, the Fulani militants launched a similar attack on Goska village on Christmas Eve, killing five women and burning down several houses.

ICC’s Regional Manager, Nathan…

The purple, red, blue, green and white design is said to represent Christ, St Andrew and divinity as well as Scottish icons like the Saltire, lion rampant, and Scotland’s scenery and nature.

It has been entered in the Scottish Register of Tartans and will be used to make kilts, scarves, ties and upholstery, which church ministers will present to people at home and abroad on official engagements.

The Church of Scotland Guild already has its own tartan but the World Mission Council of the church commissioned the latest design woven by staff at Lochcarron of Scotland in Selkirk.

Reverend Iain Cunningham, convener of the World Mission Council, said the idea was to make use of colours associated with the liturgical calendar, Christian tradition and links with the nation of Scotland.

He said: “We put together a design in consultation with Lochcarron of Scotland and are very pleased with what they came up with.

“It is an eye-catching and well balanced design.

“All of the colours have multiple levels of significance for the Church and help to tell its rich story.”

Peter Gerlam, operations manager at Lochcarron of Scotland, said: “It has been an interesting process working with the Church and getting the colours and design together was straightforward.

“We are delighted to have the product ready for launch and are sure that it will be a great success.”

Speaking of climate change and the problems facing the world, Prince Charles was asked by his son, the guest editor on the Today programme, who, of all the people he’d met this year, had shone out.

Prince Harry started with the question: “You’ve met thousands of people this year, is there one person that’s really stood out above the rest for you?”

The Duke of Edinburgh replied: “I meet endlessly marvellous people who are doing fantastic things. One of the people that did really stand out for me was a remarkable, youngish Iraqi Christian priest”.

He continued to say that the man “told me horrifying story of how he’d been captured by Daesh…and tortured and treated abominably and threatened with being beheaded at every moment of the day or night”.

He added: “Finally, somehow he escaped or somehow got away, or whatever, but he was telling me despite all this horror that he went through, he could still find it in his heart to forgive them.”

“And this was the thing that I could not get over, you know.

“How remarkable that sort of person is and there are some wonderful people like that around the world on whom we really depend. I think we are going to have some sort of solution to all these horrifying situations.”

Earlier this month, Prince Charles visited St Barnabas Church in London and urged Christians in the UK not to take for granted the freedom to practice their faith. 

He pointed to extreme persecution against believers in the Middle East.

A pair of acrobats dressed as lumbering polar bears announced the performance during the weekly audience at the Pope Paul VI hall.

The pope appeared to be delighted as the jugglers, acrobats and a strongman from the Golden Circus took turns showing off their tricks.

During his remarks, Francis said the tradition of gift-giving over Christmas was “a sign of our gratitude for the gift of Jesus and our desire to share him with others”.

But he also noted that “in our times, we are witnessing a sort of distortion of Christmas”, and said that often “any reference to the birth of Jesus” is eliminated from festivities.