Methodist brings
Hope to the Pope
THE ARCHBISHOP of York will make his first visit to the Pope this week since he assumed his current office, writes Bess Tvvistun Davies.
Archbishop David Hope, see left, will accompany Bishop John Crowley of Middlesborough and Rev Stuart Burgess, president of the Methodist Church, on an informal ecumenical visit to John Paul II.
Bishop Crowley told The Catholic Herald that the initiative had come from Rev Burgess. "He was anxious to pay a visit to the Pope during his presidential Year. He's kind of their cardinal for a year," he said.
But he stressed that the visit was informal: "There's no fixed agenda. It's really to give a witness that although we are struggling towards unity, there is a good friendship between ecumenical leaders."
They will meet Cardinal Edward Cassidy, secretary for the Council for Christian Unity before their reunion with his Holiness.
Invitation to young broadcasters
THE CHURCHES Advisory Council for Local Broadcasting is offering 12 young people, aged tinder 30, the opportunity of a free training programme at the Churches' Broadcasting Conference from June 12-14.
The selected trainees will be able to produce radio and television programs and to meet experienced Christian broadcasters.
The conference, billed as Britain and Ireland's foremost event for Christians involved in the broadcast media, will be held at the Hayes conference centre, Derbyshire.
The speakers at the conference will include Nigel Chapman, director of BBC Online; marketing expert Rob Baldry; Heather Wraight of Christian Research; Malcolm Allsop, Anglia TV Director of Programmes; Helen Boaden, the new controller of BBC Radio 4; Chris Carnegy, Chairman of the Local Radio Company and Christian broadcaster Rev Steve Chalke.
For more information phone 01702 348369 or see www.caclb.org.uk.