Christian ethical trading company Traidcraft closes after 44 years
Traidcraft, the fair trade pioneer rooted in Christianity, whose goods were sold in countless church stalls by hundreds of volunteers, has gone into administration. A statement said that the business had been in a weak financial position for some years with Covid 19, the impact of the war in Ukraine, rising energy prices, and increased transport costs. Despite “heroic efforts of our team at Gateshead” sales fell short last autumn, made worse by the Royal Mail strikes. “After much deliberation and following advice from external advisors, we have come to the conclusion that the only honourable course of action is to appoint administrators”. The statement said its close business partner, Transform Trade, will build on its legacy.
Inclusion, diversity, community and pageantry mark the coronation of Charles III
A Big Help Out of volunteering, choirs representing diverse communities, a Big Lunch including all and a two hour coronation service will mark the manner in which King Charles and the Queen Consort take to the throne on 6 May. Buckingham Palace confirmed details of a weekend of pageant and tradition combined with contemporary and global artistic events. A concert the day after the coronation will feature the Coronation Choir, composed of refugees, NHS staff, LGBTQ+ people and community groups, alongside a virtual Commonwealth choir. Over the weekend, the Big Help Out including faith and community groups, will encourage volunteering initiatives.
Irish school teacher jailed in transgender row, is sacked
The Irish school teacher, Enoch Burke, who spent three months in prison after a row over using preferred pronouns for a transgender pupil, has been sacked. The decision was taken a day after a disciplinary hearing and he has two weeks to appeal. The Irish Times reports the case started in May last year when Mr Burke objected to referring to a pupil as they/them saying it was against his religious beliefs. He refused to abide by a court order restraining him from visiting the school and was jailed for contempt. Upon his release in December, the report says he continued to attend the school without having purged his contempt.
Archbishop meets same sex protesters outside Lambeth Palace
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, spoke to around 40 LGBT protesters standing outside Lambeth Palace last night, continuing to campaign for same sex couples to be allowed to marry in church. It followed last week’s decision of the bishops to allow blessings but not marriage in church. He explained again that the Church of England is deeply divided and there was no realistic hope that same sex marriage would be voted through by the General Synod. The protest was organised by campaigner Jayne Ozanne and Peter Tatchell, who said the Archbishop’s attendance was a good PR move but nothing moved forward: “He has not shown leadership. He has just sat on the fence.”
Franklin Graham refuses to endorse Trump in presidential race
The American evangelist, Franklin Graham, has told CBS news that he won’t be endorsing any presidential candidate until after the 2024 republican race. CBS says his decision is a surprise because he has previously defended Trump and predicted that he would go down in history as one of the great presidents. Graham was interviewed before he gave the closing prayer at the March for Life rally in Washington last weekend.
The man who plays Jesus warns against Satan and abortion
The man who plays Jesus in “The Chosen” film series, Jonathan Roumie, made an impassioned plea to fight against abortion, when he spoke at the same March for Life rally in Washington. In a speech laden with warnings of darkness and Satan imbuing culture who needed to be challenged, he said Satan wants destruction: “Satan wants us to believe that abortion does not harm us individually and as a society..I’m not talking about the simplistic cartoon of some dude with horns and a tail. I’m talking about the father of lies, the great deceiver, the diabolical slanderer who pushes you to doubt when you know in your heart the right thing to do”. He urged the adoring crowd to pray the rosary, change the culture and uphold human dignity, steering back to the value of life. “The Chosen” is crowd funded and has reached 400 million people worldwide.
Satanic rituals discovered again in the New Forest
Five pigs’ hearts surrounded by 20 candles, found in the New Forest at Stagbury Hill near Bronze Age burial mounds, are believed to have been part of a Satanic ritual. The remains were discovered two miles away from St Peter’s church in Bramshaw where a cat was found hanging from a flagpole and a dead fox was laid on the doorstep only last month. The Telegraph details how, in the same area four years ago, two dead sheep were found with pentagrams on their bodies, a cow was stabbed in the neck and “666” was daubed on the church doors. The police say officers are patrolling the area and inquiries are ongoing. New Milton Advertiser story and pic here
Scientists to judge today whether we are seconds nearer the end of the world
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists will update the Doomsday clock at 1500 GMT today (Tuesday 24 Jan), determining whether the world is any nearer annihilation. The calculations date from 1947 to warn against nuclear war when the world was said to be seven minutes away from its end. Since 2020, the clock has stayed at 100 seconds to midnight, but with the war in Ukraine, proliferation of nuclear weapons, disruptive technologies, climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, the likelihood seems to be that we will be seconds nearer catastrophe.
