Church

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  As flu season nears, churchgoers told not to dip wafers in communion wine

  Churchgoers in Manchester Diocese are being reminded not to dip wafers in the chalice when taking communion in order to minimise the spread of germs and colds this winter.

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  United Reformed Church issues 'heartfelt' apology to abuse survivors

  The United Reformed Church has made a 'heartfelt' apology to survivors of abuse after a wide-ranging review identified institutional failures.

• Dutch church holds 24/7 worship to save refugee family from deportation

  Police in Holland are not allowed to enter places of worship during religious services so the church has help worship continuously since October 25

• 'Oldest nun' who helped save Jews in WWII dies aged 110

  Sister Cecylia Maria Roszak was born in Poland on March 25, 1908, and entered a cloistered convent of Dominican sisters in Krakow at the age of 21.

• Two pastors among victims of Islamist militant group

  Two Congolese pastors were among seven Christians killed in attacks by an Islamist militant group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this month.

• Methodist young people gather for annual 3Generate conference

  Young Methodists are gathering in Southport this weekend for their annual 3Generate conference.

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  Hillsong Church says documentary into Frank Houston's sex abuse is 'misleading'

  Hillsong has issued a statement refuting claims made in an Australian current affairs show about the church and founder Brian Houston over his handling of sex abuse committed by his father while he was an Assemblies of God minister.

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  Bishop of London launches new app to help people get the most out of Advent

  The Bishop of London and Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge have partnered to launch a new app helping people to celebrate the season of Advent.

• Ecumenical Patriarch warns technology is leading to 'disappearance of childhood'

  'The impact that parents and family have on their formation is weakened when the Internet functions as a primary source of values on a global scale.'

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  Churches urged to embrace contactless payments as more Brits go cash-free

  Churches are being advised to take action now to ensure they don't miss out on vital donations as Britain increasingly moves towards being a cashless society.

• Pastors in peril: Can power rewire their brains?

  Powerful people stop being able to empathise with others because their brains actually change.

• American 'missionary' killed on remote Indian island

  An American described as a missionary has been murdered on one of the islands in India's remote cluster of Andaman and Nicobar.

• Thousands turn out for Tearfund's Big Quiz Night

  More than 22,000 people from South Wales to the Shetlands and Bournemouth to Belfast pitted their wits against each other as more than 500 British churches put on events.

• The greatest threat to today's church? Lack of imagination

  We are very used to doing things in the same old way. We are much less good at finding new ways of being church and making the good news known.

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  Pastors should embrace the Billy Graham rule, says LifeWay president

  The head of LifeWay Christian Resources is urging pastors to adopt the Billy Graham Rule to ensure that they do not fall into moral failure.