Prayer vigils across America as people vote in the presidential election
Eve of election vigils have been taking place across America as people prepare to vote amid bitter division and intense anxiety. From small Baptist churches to large denominations with formal liturgies, people gathered in person and online yesterday evening and some are praying through the night. God is being invoked on all sides, with some urging the congregation to pray for candidates upholding Biblical principles, to others including all faiths and offering prayers for peace, unity and healing. United Methodists are “praying the hours”, encouraging members to set aside time for prayer every hour, with topics listed throughout the day as guidance, saying that in a time of division and anxiety, prayer is an essential component to civic engagement. Later today, Washington National Cathedral is open for an election day prayer vigil from 7am until 10pm. Tours and sightseeing are suspended for the day to offer space for private prayer and reflection. In addition, there will be four special services including an interfaith noonday prayer service.
Study finds structural and institutional racism within the Church of England
The Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice has published the results of a six-month study, examining the experiences of non-white minority ethnic clergy and laity in the Church of England. The study, Behind the Stained-Glass, concludes that although it did not set out to prove or disprove institutional or structural racism in the C of E, the evidence confirms their existence within the church. The report says that a significant challenge for the study was the lack of availability of quantitative data at both national and diocesan levels. The Commission’s chair, Lord Boateng, pointed to the detrimental impact on the church of failing to collect the data necessary in order to measure progress on diversity and racial justice. “What more does this institution need before it comes into line with what is now accepted practice in HR and data collection in both the private and the public sectors. Rather than pay lip service to Black History month those exercising power and influence within the Church of England might make history by ending repeated failures to remedy the glaringly obvious defects in their practices which have held up over so many years the advancement of black people and other peoples of colour within their own ranks.” The report is here
Rabbi Alex Goldberg becomes first permanent rabbi of Guildford in 750 years
Rabbi Alex Goldberg has been inducted as the first permanent rabbi of Guildford in 750 years, going back to the time when Jews were expelled from the town. The community lay dormant for centuries until it was revived during the Second World War, with a small number of Jewish refugees arriving from Europe. For the past few decades, the Guildford and District Jewish community has been operating out of a tiny building on the town’s York Road. But numbers have increased from 15 to 150 and at the weekend, more than a hundred people crammed into the newly renovated and dedicated synagogue for an induction ceremony led by the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis. Guildford has a rich Jewish history, with a community existing in the 1100s, whose synagogue has been uncovered and preserved underneath a book shop in the High Street. Rabbi Alex is also Dean of the College of Chaplains and coordinating chaplain at the University of Surrey in the city, and he told the gathering of civic and religious dignitaries at his induction that his aim is to build a “covenantal community” rooted in kindness, justice, and peace, serving the Jewish community, the people of Guildford and Surrey, and the University of Surrey.
Catholic aid agency Caritas Spain fully mobilised to help Valencia flood victims
As the death toll of the devastating floods that have hit the Valencia region continues to rise, the Catholic Church in Spain has intensified its relief efforts for the thousands of people who have been left without access to basic necessities, according to Vatican News. The aid arm of the Catholic Church, Caritas Spain, mobilised emergency response, working alongside local authorities. In a message addressed to the local clergy, the Archdiocese of Valencia announced that the annual collection for the diocese this weekend will be entirely donated to the parishes affected. Thousands of volunteers have stepped forward to clear away the thick layers of mud from streets, homes, commercial establishments, and flooded churches. During the Angelus prayer on Sunday Pope Francis reiterated his closeness to the people of Valencia and invited the faithful to pray and offer support to all those affected.
Iranian man hanged for murder after his Jewish heritage became known
A Jewish-Iranian man has been executed in Iran for murder, after defending himself against a knife attack, according to the Norway-based organisation Iran Human Rights. 20-year-old Arvin Nathaniel Ghahremani was executed following a two-year battle by his family to save his life. He was hanged in prison in the western city of Kermanshah after being convicted of murder following a street fight in 2022. When Mr Ghahremani was arrested, he was originally identified as a Shia Muslim and his victim’s family agreed to accept money to pardon him. But they later demanded his execution when they became aware of his Jewish heritage, according to the director of the charity, Mahmood Amiry-Moghadam. According to Human Rights Watch, Iran’s religious-based laws decree that a non-Muslim who kills a Muslim is subject to the death penalty. But in some cases the penalty may be replaced by the payment of blood money (diyah) to the family of the victim.
India demands Canada protects places of worship after violence at Hindu temple
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has criticised what he says are “cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats” in what the BBC describes as a deepening diplomatic row with Canada. Both countries expelled each other’s top envoys last month after Canadian officials accused the Indian government of being behind the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and supporter of Khalistan, an independent Sikh state in India. The accusation has been vehemently denied by India which says Canada has provided no evidence to support its claims. Modi’s comments came after violence broke out at a Hindu temple in the Canadian city of Brampton, near Toronto, on Sunday, which he called a “deliberate attack” and said the Canadian government must ensure that places of worship are protected. Police said three people have been arrested and charged. Unverified video posted online appeared to show people carrying yellow flags of the Khalistan movement clashing with others holding Indian flags. Justin Trudeau wrote on X that Sunday’s violence was “unacceptable”, adding that “every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely”.
Sophie Jelley becomes CofE’s tenth woman diocesan bishop
Downing Street has announced that the Rt Rev Sophie Jelley is to be the next Bishop of Coventry. Currently the suffragan Bishop of Doncaster, she will become the Church of England’s tenth woman diocesan bishop. She grew up in Brighton, studied theology and religious studies at the University of Leeds, trained at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford and has served in Bradford, Sussex and Durham, plus three years with the Church Mission Society in Uganda. In a statement on the Coventry Diocese website she wrote: “The story of Coventry Cathedral, offering a message of forgiveness rather than revenge, has so much to offer our fractured world at this time”.
Archbishop visits Bangor for 1500 year anniversary
Bangor Cathedral in north Wales, is playing a leading role in the 1,500 year anniversary of the city’s founding. The year 2025 marks 1,500 years since Saint Deiniol founded a monastery – also known as a clas – in a secluded valley in north west Wales. From its founding in 525AD, it would go on to become the city and cathedral of Bangor. It is the oldest cathedral foundation in Great Britain, older than Canterbury (597AD) and Rochester (604AD), and older than St Asaph (553AD) and St Davids (580AD) in Wales. It’s not oldest cathedral in the UK – that distinction goes to Armagh in Northern Ireland founded by St Patrick in 445AD. To mark the occasion, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is giving a lecture at the Cathedral on Saturday 30 November entitled “Mission and Evangelism in the modern world and the work of the Anglican Communion in this”. The following day, he is preaching at the eucharist and choral service, marking the start of Advent. This is only the third time in history that an archbishop of Canterbury has visited Bangor. A programme of anniversary events is planned at the Cathedral throughout 2025.
Patriarch Kirill says schools covertly celebrating Halloween are reviving neo paganism
The head of Russia’s Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has warned of a “strange new phenomenon: the attempts to revive paganism”. In a speech delivered just before Halloween, he said neo-pagan ideas are on the march in the Russian army and in the education system. He said schools were covertly celebrating Halloween with their pupils by renaming it Velesova Noch – the night of Veles, god of the underworld. Then he laid the blame on Natalya Poklonskaya, the Prosecutor General of Russia, who 10 years ago as chief prosecutor in Crimea, wished her followers “Happy Samhain!”, the pagan festival which developed into Halloween. She said: “On this night, remember your deceased kinfolks, prepare them symbolic feasts and reflect on your personal path. And if on this enchanted night something unusual happens with you, do not be surprised.” Ms Poklonskaya was defiant on social media, posting a picture of herself in a black blouse and black face-paint, thanking her followers for messages of support. “May the kindness and sincerity you wished me in these days … return to you a hundredfold!” she wrote. “And because I am a witch (some have already given me that title), it will be so!”. Times story here
