Anne Thomas

• Church insurers link up with bouncers on church security

  Church insurers Congregational have linked up with a firm of bouncers to offer churches advice on how to deal with troublesome visitors.

• United Reformed Churches hungry for renewal

  The United Reformed Church is celebrating the early success of a three-year campaign launched this Advent to breathe new life into its congregations.

• X Factor’s Cowell 'more famous than God', says report

  X Factor judge Simon Cowell is more famous than God or the Queen, according to a survey of children.

• North London youth unite against gang culture

  Young people gathered in a North London church on Saturday to express their unanimous opposition to gang violence.

• Foster family to be buried in local church

  Troubled millionaire Christopher Foster will be buried beside his wife and daughter who he killed in August before taking his own life.

• Orissa: More arrests over Hindu leader’s death

  Police in the trouble hotspot of Orissa in India say they have arrested more people in connection with the murder of a radical Hindu leader.

• Big Daddy Weave singer welcomes new addition to family

  This holiday season Big Daddy Weave’s Mike Weaver says that his favourite carol is “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” because of “the lack of sleep around here lately”.

• Police investigate arson attack on Palin church

  Authorities in Alaska are investigating an arson attack on the home church of state governor Sarah Palin.

• Retreat Association hopes more people will go on retreat in 2009

  The Retreat Association has launched its 2009 journal this month with an invitation to people in the church and beyond to discover the spiritual benefits of going on retreat.

• Cizik resigns from US evangelical body over same-sex differences

  Prominent US evangelical Richard Cizik has stepped down as Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals after admitting in a recent interview that he had shifted his views on same-sex unions.

• New UK Christian chart show hits UCB

  A brand new programme devoted to UK Christian music and the latest chart hits has started airing on United Christian Broadcasters.

• Government plans to change law on Catholic monarchs

  The Government is drafting new laws to end a 307-year-old ban on Roman Catholics becoming Monarch.