Love Christmas

The Church of England is actively involved in a wide range of sports, both by providing Chaplains, and running sports projects.Eight areas - Birmingham, Blackburn, Ely, Gloucester, Guildford, Kensington in London, Norwich, and Rochester- are 'Sport and Wellbeing' Diocese, where the Church aims to promote physical, emotional and spiritual well-being through sport.Please click here for more information.Podcast producer: Bill ShawWith thanks to BBC Sound Effects

Churches across the country are aiming to deliver a million parcels and bags of gifts this Christmas.The project, known as 'Love Christmas', grew out of 'Love your Neighbour',  when Churches supported people affected by the COVID lockdown. Bill Shaw reports on how preparations for 'Love Christmas' are going…https://www.loveyourneighbour.uk/https://www.stnicholasbristol.org/#MyBagofKindness

The Church of England is there for anyone experiencing bereavement or grief. This has been especially difficult during COVID, when people have not been able to gather together, as they normally would, for funerals, family occasions, and social events.The Church is there for anyone, Christian or not, for as long as they'd like to stay in touch… For information, support and help when someone has died, whatever the circumstances, please visit www.AtALoss.org, the national bereavement signposting service. To discover when your local church is open for you to sit quietly and light a candle in memory of someone, to ask for prayer, to find out more about special services or to take the next step towards discussing some of life’s big questions, please visit www.achurchnearyou.com which lists contact details for all Church of England churches nationwide. There are some simple prayers that you can say on the Church of England website, www.churchofengland.org/prayers-for-the-moment and you can also use the Church of England website to light a candle to remember someone https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/funerals/light-candle-remember-someoneProduced by Bill Shaw.

There are close links between the church and football. Well-known football clubs were founded by Churches, and many clubs now have Chaplains for their teams. Bill Shaw reports on the past and present links between the Church and football - and why Chaplains don't pray for their team to win!With thanks to fanchants.com

Hundreds of young Christians are taking part in a national relay walk to protest about climate change.Members of the Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN) have been taking it in turns to walk from St Ives in Cornwall, and Swansea in Wales, to Glasgow. They will reach Glasgow for the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26) this October.The Church of England is committed to being carbon neutral by 2030, and is supporting initiatives such as Eco-Churches, lobbying Parliament, and the relay walkBill Shaw reports on how the Church of England is helping to tackle Climate Change….Song 'Rise to the Moment' copyright YCCN