Quakers support same sex marriage

The Quakers approve the principle of same sex marriages

This week we heard that the Quakers - famous for being a more 'liberal' faith - decided at their annual meeting to approve the principle of same sex marriages.

Britain's oldest Christian faith, the Quakers regard all human beings as unique and equally worthy of respect and were ahead of their time in acknowledging same sex partnerships since the 1960s.

More than 1600 members at the meeting voted unanimously to allow Quaker register officers to register same sex partnerships in the same way as marriages.

Jenny - who is in a same sex relationship - and who has previously had a civil ceremony with her partner says although the Quakers have now agreed this it still has to be made law by the government, and that she herself looks forward to having a marriage service.

To sing or not to sing?

Also on this week's BBC Radio Lancashire faith programme, we looked into complaints that Blackburn Cathedral were offering alternative communion bread blessed by a man, when their main Sunday morning service, including communion is taken by Dr. Sue Penfold.

Cannon Andrew Hindley from the Cathedral has defended the move - he says it's certainly not a personal reflection on his female colleague, but it is a situation that will be reviewed when the Dean returns from holiday.

Guardian Angels - do you believe in them? Alec spoke to one lady who certainly does. Lorna Byrne has written a book describing her beliefs and she said that she believes we all have a guardian angel, and she can see them… commenting that we'd be useless without them. Lorna also claims to have seen Satan.

Whether you go to church regularly or just attend the odd wedding or Christening, when the service starts we're all faced with the same dilemma - to sing or not to sing?

A reverend from Stone in Staffordshire says that the art of singing has been lost over the years and that listening to people's half hearted efforts to strike up a tune can be almost painful.

Richard Goodall, the curator of All Hallows Church in Great Mitton and St. John's at Hurst Green, agreed and said he has played the organ at services where nobody at all sings and puts it down to people not being as familiar with hymns these days.

Alec Makinson

Alec presents the faith programme on BBC Radio Lancashire from 6am each Sunday.