Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
Tomorrow: Feria

1.  Prayer in the aftermath of Manchester shootings of two policewomen

Almighty God, we pray for all who at this time mourn Fiona and Nicola, who have been tragically killed whilst serving the public; and we ask for your comfort and strength to be especially with their loved ones and colleagues.

As we pray also for those who continue to be in danger from this violence, we give thanks for the constant courage and devotion to duty of the police, and all who take risks to protect our communities.

May they be strengthened for the tasks they face and supported in the commitment they give, that they may further the well-being of all people and enable our society to be loving, just and at peace.
We ask this in the name of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen

Bishop of Manchester Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch

2. Interest in church weddings up nearly 50 per cent

More couples have felt inspired to explore the option of a church wedding. Unique visits to the Church of England's 'one-stop' weddings website www.yourchurchwedding.org increased by nearly 50 per cent in 2011, to 410,044 (up from 273,746 unique visits in 2010).   For further information,  see end of briefing or go to: http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2012/09/interest-in-church-weddings-up-nearly-50-per-cent.aspx

3. Next week's Broadcasting Bulletin can now be found at the foot of today's briefing

4. Today's press coverage

Guardian p15
News report "The race to archbishop is on"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/20/archbishop-of-canterbury-succession-rowan-williams?newsfeed=true

Daily Telegraph p37 (longer version online)
News brief "Royal wedding attracts couples to church"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9555715/Royal-wedding-effect-helps-drive-interest-in-church-ceremonies.html#

Daily Mail p28
Peter Stanford on "Was Jesus Married?"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9555715/Royal-wedding-effect-helps-drive-interest-in-church-ceremonies.html#

The Sun p12 (no link)
News story "Vicar was a love rat" with ref to Rev Mark Stibbe

Guardian p34
Simon Jenkins on "History as fantasy is no substitute for rigorous truth. Whether it's Richard III's corpse, Jesus's wife or King Arthur's castle, to be seduced by myth is to flirt with fanaticism"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/20/history-as-fantasy-no-substitute-truth?INTCMP=SRCH

Daily Telegraph p16
News report "Elderly woman who ruined fresco wants royalties after it became tourist hit"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/9555526/Elderly-woman-who-botched-religious-fresco-demands-royalties.html

Ends

Newspaper Web links with most or all stories -

Daily Mail  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
Daily Mirror  http://www.mirror.co.uk
FT   http://www.ft.com
Guardian  http://guardian.co.uk
Independent titles http://www.independent.co.uk
Observer  http://www.observer.co.uk
People   http://www.people.co.uk
Sun   http://www.the-sun.co.uk
Sunday Mirror http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk
Sunday Times http://www.sunday-times.co.uk
Telegraph titles http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Times   http://www.thetimes.co.uk

With some stories
Daily Express http://www.express.co.uk
Daily Star  http://www.dailystar.co.uk
Ev Standard  http://www.standard.co.uk

Church press
Baptist Times http://www.baptist.org.uk/btnews.htm
Catholic Herald http://www.catholicherald.co.uk
CEN   http://www.churchnewspaper.com
Church Times http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/front.asp
Methodist Recorder http://www.methodistrecorder.co.uk/index.htm
Tablet   http://www.thetablet.co.uk

Other links
Ananova  http://www.ananova.com
BBC   http://bbc.co.uk
Channel 4  http://www.channel4.com
Private Eye  http://www.private-eye.co.uk
Reuters  http://www.reuters.co.uk

NEWS from the Church of England

PR 103.12

20/9/2012

Interest in church weddings up nearly 50 per cent

More couples have felt inspired to explore the option of a church wedding. Unique visits to the Church of England's 'one-stop' weddings website www.yourchurchwedding.org increased by nearly 50 per cent in 2011, to 410,044 (up from 273,746 unique visits in 2010). 

This rise in interest, which follows a change in the law in 2008 to make it easier to marry in church, has also been seen at the Church of England stand at wedding shows around the country, with a noticeable increase in couples visiting the stand to ask questions about church weddings in 2011 compared to 2010.

The Revd Rosie Harper, who is part of the church weddings team, said: "Church of England weddings increased by four per cent in 2010 and it's great to see more couples wanting to find out all about marrying in church. We'd love to be a part of their big day, so we'd encourage everyone to come and talk to us."

One couple married by Rosie and featured in the Your Church Wedding video on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiJcVz7zMKQ said: "We weren't sure as to whether it was appropriate that we would be to be allowed to be married in church and we were delighted to find that it wasn't going to be a problem, and that our local vicar was very happy, in fact insisted on marrying us."

Staffed by friendly and knowledgeable vicars who love conducting weddings, the Church of England stand will be meeting couples, and answering all of their church wedding questions, at the following shows this autumn:

The Wedding Fair, Bluewater, 21-23 September
UK Wedding Show, St George's Hall, Liverpool, 22-23 September
National Wedding Show, Earl's Court, London, 28-30 September
UK Wedding Show, International Centre, Harrogate, 29-30 September
National Wedding Show, NEC, Birmingham, 5-7 October
UK Wedding Show, Newcastle Racecourse, 7 October
UK Wedding Show, Manchester Centre, 20-21 October

Broadcasting Bulletin 22nd - 28th September 2012

Saturday 22 September
Any Questions Repeat 1.10pm R4
4thought.tv A Christian rapper argues that religions should remain relevant 7.10pm C4
Divine Designs Paul Binski visits two of England's most extravagantly baroque churches 4.25am C5

Sunday 23 September
Bells on Sunday From St Edward's in Stow-on-the-Wold 5.43am R4
Good Morning Sunday Aled Jones talks to Irish harpist Mary O'Hara about changes in her life following the death of her husband 6.00am R2
Something Understood Rabbi Julia Neuberger discusses the complexities of our relationship with food and looks at a range of literature from the food criticism of Brillat-Sevarin to the novels of Emile Zole and the memoirs of Benjamin Franklin 6.05am R4
Sunday A round-up of the week's "religious and ethical" headlines 7.10am R4
Sunday Worship Celebrating Harvest from Fleminton-Hallside Parish Church, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire with the Rev Neil Glover 8.10am R4
Sunday Morning Live Topical debate 10.00am BBC1
Songs of Praise Aled Jones discovers what prayer means to people 4.15pm BBC1
Choral Evensong Wednesday's service from Southwell Minister in Nottingham 4.00pm R3
4thought.tv Mormon Tom Shillabeer explains how he is able to reconcile his religious beliefs with his new career as a Royal Marine 6.50pm C4
Sunday Half-Hour No information given 8.30pm R2
Film: Good Period drama. In 1930s Berlin, professor of literature John Halder consoles his friend Maurice, a Jewish psychiatrist, but telling him that Hitler is a joke and can't last. But when Halder's past work as a writer is taken up to promote the Nazi cause, the friends are driven apart 10.30pm BBC2
Something Understood Repeat 11.30pm R4

Monday 24 September
Daily Service Led by Rev Clair Jaquiss 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
Beyond Belief (9/9) Ernie Rea discusses faith in the world today, exploring experiences and values 4.30pm R4 FM only
4thought.tv Two people share their thoughts on taking drugs 7.55pm C4
Citizen Khan (5/6) Mr Khan invites his friends around to watch the cricket on his new plasma TV at the same time as his wife wants her home to be quiet for a prayer meeting 10.35pm BBC1

Tuesday 25 September
Daily Service Led by Judy Merry 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
Soul Music (5/5) An appraisal of the ways in which Bach's St Matthew Passion, written in 1727, has touched people's lives 11.30am R4
4thought.tv A Hindu teacher shares his thoughts on taking drugs 7.55pm C4
Citizen Khan Repeat 11.15pm BBC1
The Choir: While You Work (1/6) Repeat 11.50pm BBC2

Wednesday 26 September
Daily Service Led by Rev Tony Burnham 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
Choral Evensong Live from St Edmundsbury Cathedral 3.30pm R3
4thought.tv Jeff King, formally Shadow in Gladiators talks about drug addiction 7.55pm C4
Film: The Name of the Rose 1327: William of Baskerville, an unorthodox Franciscan, arrives at a remote Italian abbey with the young novice Adso. The venue for an important theological debate, the abbey has recently been the scene of a mysterious death and Baskerville cannot resist the chance to investigate 12.15am BBC1

Thursday 27 September
Daily Service Led by Alex Robertson 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
4thought.tv A Buddhist convert reveals why he once found comfort in drugs 7.55pm C4
The Choir: Sing While You Work (2/6) Gareth Malone continues his quest to form choirs at workplaces around Britain 9.00pm BBC2

Friday 28 September
Act of Worship Led by Rev Nicholas Holtham 9.45am R4 (LW, DAB each day)
The Reluctant Lama Jolyan Jenkins meets Osel Hita Torres, who, at the age of two, was believed to be the living reincarnation of a Buddhist lama, and taken from his home in Spain to live in a monastery in southern India to fulfil his destiny. However at 24 years of age, he abandoned the faith, and joined a film school in Madrid causing a sensation and leaving his followers desperate for him to come back and lead them. Now 27 and living in Ibiza, he discusses what it is like being caught between East and West 11.10am R4 (FM Only)
4thought.tv Mormon Deeana Turner shares her thoughts on drink and drugs 7.55pm C4
Mrs Brown's Boys (1/7)Christmas Special: Agnes resolves to have a proper family Christmas - even though son Trevor can't make a break from his missionary work 9.30pm BBC1

Prayer for the Day with Dr Edward Kessler 5.43am R4

Pause for Thought R2
Saturday 6.15am and 1.30am
Sunday 1.30am & 1.30am
Monday 5.45am, Brian D'Arcy 9.15am, 1.30am & 3.30am
Tuesday 5.45am, Julia Neuberger 9.15am, 1.30am & 3.30am
Wednesday 5.45am, Diane Louise Jordan 9.15am, 1.30am & 3.30am
Thursday 5.45am, Archbishop of York 9.15am, 1.30am & 3.30am
Friday 5.45am, Ruth Scott 9.15am & 3.30am

Thought for the Day 7.48am R4
Speakers for the Week:
Saturday  Brian Draper
Monday  Canon Dr Alan Billings
Tuesday  Indarjit Singh
Wednesday  Rt Rev James Jones
Thursday  Anne Atkins
Friday   Speaker unknown

Christian broadcasting organisations
Premier Radio
(1305, 1332, 1413 MW, Freeview 725, Sky Digital 0123, Virgin Media 968, and DAB)
http://www.premier.org.uk/engine.cfm?i=662
Premier.tv
On-demand online Christian TV.
www.premier.tv
United Christian Broadcasters (UCB)
UCB UK (Digital Satellite Channel 0125, and DAB in certain areas), UCB Inspirational (Digital Satellite Channel 0136, and DAB in certain areas), UCB Talk (Digital Satellite Channel 0135, UCB Bible (Digital Satellite Channel 0135), The Word (online).
All channels online at www.ucb.co.uk
UCB TV
Digital Satellite Channel 766
http://www.ucb.co.uk/index.cfm?sectionid=6
God TV and God Europe
SKY Digital channels 760 and 761
http://uk.god.tv/
Eternal World Television Network
Sky Digital 589
http://www.ewtn.com/
For a full list of Christian Digital Satellite Channels here