Thanks to the regular support of Cathedral workers, support workers, volunteers and coaches, some of the most vulnerable people in the city have been provided with a safe and inclusive environment. 

The sessions are held at Gloucester Cathedral and are a partnership initiative with both the Cathedral and Gloucester City Mission.

Helen Jeffrey, community engagement manager at the Cathedral said: “Walking rugby has been incredibly rewarding for those involved, many have developed new friendships and all have improved their fitness and team work skills. 

“As part of a collaborative team, volunteers and staff have a greater understanding of how to provide positive opportunities for the community and really enjoy taking part as much as our participants! 

“It’s a great way to build positive relationships and provide a warm welcome to all.” 

Mathew Liddiard, community inclusion officer for Gloucester Rugby Community Charity said the sessions give everyone the opportunity to participate in sport. 

“The hour of physical exercise helps participants take their mind off issues or stresses and enjoy themselves with others,” he explained.  

“Working collaboratively with Gloucester City Mission and Gloucester Cathedral has been the key to the success of this project and we are delighted to be having a positive impact on people’s lives”.   

The…

The Methodist church, Baptist Union of Great Britain, Salvation Army, Church of Scotland, Scottish Episcopal Church, Quakers in Britain and United Reformed Church all call on the Conservative leader to consider the well-being of the poorest in society and not to ignore evidence that they argue shows the poorest will suffer most from leaving the European Union without a deal.

Currently, the law states that Brexit will happen on 31st October unless the law is changed. Mr Johnson has promised this will happen “do or die”.

He has called Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement “dead” and accepted that no-deal might be the only way to leave in 3 months’ time.

The church leaders from across the UK say they have a particular concern about the number of people already homeless, in debt and using food banks.

Their letter reads: “we are compelled to write expressing our urgent concern about your position that leaving the European Union without a deal is acceptable. Advice and data from multiple reputable sources, including the UK Government, indicate that failing to agree a deal will hit those held back by poverty very hard indeed.

“The UK imports 10,000 shipping containers of food from the EU each day. These containers are part of long and complex integrated supply chains. Even minor disruptions to this chain have in the past rapidly had serious consequences. A no-deal Brexit…

The founder of Turning Point Radio and Television Ministries and senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, told The Christian Post that he believed the Church was under “attack”. 

“The Church is coming under attack; it’s forgotten what the Church is supposed to be,” Jeremiah said.

“We’re not an entertainment service; we’re not here to see how close we can get to what the world does. 

“But there’s so much of the world in the Church and vice versa that we can’t tell a difference. We have to hold to the truth. We have to get nourished. 

“If it’s not happening, you’re a social organisation and not a church.” 

Pastor Jeremiah also advised churches to be less concerned with membership numbers and more prioritised with sharing the Gospel. 

“There’s nothing wrong with getting people there, as long as you share the Gospel,” he explained. 

“But there’s no glory in just a number. Don’t worship at the attendance altar. 

“A lot of good things happen in churches when there aren’t huge numbers but the pastor has prepared a good message and there’s worship.” 

He said focusing on numbers would inevitably stop preachers from sharing anything controversial and make them try to “figure out how to get more people to come”.

Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily…

The American ‘Take Me To The King’ singer recently had a double knee replacement. 

In a video posted to Instagram highlighted how grateful she was for the support she received.

“Thank you for your prayers,” she says from her hospital bed. 

“I haven’t gotten up and walked yet but that’s coming in about an hour.

 

“I just love everybody. I just thank my family and all you guys [for your] prayers out there and all the calls I got. I really appreciated and I couldn’t have made it without everybody, so thank you so much.” 

Mann posted a video on the social media site a day before her surgery, asking her followers to pray about her upcoming operation. 

“I’m letting you guys in to follow me and pray with me through this every step of the way, OK?” she said. ​

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Both complainants claim Father Michael Higginbottom, 76, targeted them separately while they boarded at the now closed St Joseph’s College in Upholland, Lancashire.

But Higginbottom, who taught at the college for boys aged between 11 and 18, has told a jury at Burnley Crown Court he could not remember either of them and said he had not sexually abused anybody.

The court has heard the first complainant told a friend about the alleged abuse at St Joseph’s in the late 1970s, and went on to report the matter to the police in 2014.

Last week, jurors were told by lawyers for Higginbottom that the complainant had a conviction for fraud by false representation and put it to him that he was someone prepared to lie to get money, which he denied.

On Tuesday, the jury heard a number of facts agreed by the prosecution and defence in the trial – including that the fraud took place from the beginning of 2013 to 2015.

They heard that an earlier sex abuse trial took place at Liverpool Crown Court in April 2017 involving only the first complainant, and that Higginbottom was convicted in relation to the alleged offences.

However, details of the complainant’s fraud conviction were not at that time available and so were not presented to the jury.

In November 2018, the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, quashed Higginbottom’s convictions and ordered the case be retried on the basis the…